Live A Revolution... Every Day

Moving Day

2006-09-06T23:05:00.000-04:00

Toddruth.blogspot.com has transitioned to livearevolution.typepad.com. toddruth.blogspot.com has been put to sleep. Thanks for taking the time to update your blog subscriptions. And if you're linking to my site, thanks for taking the time to updates those links as well.

All Pumped Up

2006-09-04T17:52:00.000-04:00

So Jami and I have had a membership at Anytime Fitness for about two months or so. And I've been working out hard for the past... well... past four days. When I work out, I complete three sets at one station, then go get a drink of water. As I'm walking across the gym, I couldn't help but look at the mirrors. So I finish working out and go home. Again, I'm walking across the bedroom which happens to have a mirror. I look at it. But I don't look the same. How disappointing. So here's my conclusion, the mirrors at the gym are like fun house mirrors. They distort your shape to make you look bigger than you really are... which could either encourage you, or discourage you. Am I wrong? I don't think so. So instead of being all pumped up, my ego was deflated all in one evening. Mirror, mirror, on the wall... you're a LIAR!

House of Poop

2006-09-03T18:25:00.000-04:00

Jami and I went to the Blueberry Festival in Plymouth, Indiana on Saturday. We only stayed for a little bit. It was nearly impossible to navigate through the huge crowd. At the end, Jami had to use the bath room. The only problem, there were only Port 'O Potties to use. I've decided for myself that I will not use those things anymore. I just can't lock myself in a very small, smelly room with other people's fecies and urine. What kind of animals have we become... crapping on other people's crap. And peeing on other people's pee. There has got to be a study done that describes the dangers of using one of these things. So, even though I had to go, I took the chance of urinating on myself by waiting for the restroom in McDonalds... even though that wasn't much better in the end.

Search for A New Hair Style

2006-09-01T22:26:00.000-04:00

So I've had the same hair style for the past five or six years. For the past three months I've wanted something different. But when it's been time for a hair cut, I sit down in the chair and say the same thing. "I need to do something different. I want to grow it out, but... I don't know... oh... let's just do it like the last time." I want to do the number 1, zzzzzzzzzzzzzz, off goes the hair. But that won't fly with Jami. Plus, I just don't think I'd look good with that style. So I don't know. I'm at the point where I'd need another hair cut if I were going to do the same thing. But I want something different. So I'm searching for the hair style that's right for me. They should make a website where you get matched up to the hair style that would fit you the best. Kind of like a dating site, but for hair styles. You could submit your photo, your personality traits and the style you think you may want. Then the site would give you matches of hair styles demonstrated on the photo you submitted. Instead of e-Harmony.com, it would be called -Hair.com. Maybe I'll do this one with the bad mustache and gotee... or not.

7 Reasons Why Todd Cries

2006-08-30T12:07:00.000-04:00

An article title on msn.com popped up on my email homepage entitled, Seven reasons babies cry and how to soothe them. Interesting. So I click on the title and realize that a few of the reasons babies cry are some of the very reasons I cry. Some aren't. But I've put together a list of my seven in no particular order:

I'm Hungry (same as baby) - In addition to getting crabby, I've been known to whine and complain... and stomp my feet... in my head.

I Don't Feel Good (same as baby) - Yup, I'm not proud of it, but I've laid on the couch or in bed curled up under the covers whining to whoever will listen about how bad my throat hurts... not proud of it... but it has happened and will happen again.

I Want To Be Held (similar to baby) - Guys... wait. Married guys, you all know what I'm talking about. There have been nights where I've wanted to... well, where I've wanted to just... cuddle. But it doesn't happen. So I take a deep sigh. Roll over heavily. And go to sleep disappointed... what did you think I was talking about!?

Cubs Are Below 500 - This year it's been a non-stop cry-fest.

Bad Apple Pies from McDonalds - It's a huge let down when I open up my box of apple pies to only find out the crust is burned, the pie is old or there's hardly any filling in the middle. And there's one particular McDonalds I won't go to just for that reason. Every time I've ordered apple pies, they've been horrible.

Staining A Piece of Clothing - There's hardly anything worse than going out somewhere only to find out that something I'm wearing, either has a stain on it, or getting a stain on it that night. I'm better than I use to be. But deep inside I still want to put everything on hold and race back home to change. I HATE wearing clothes with stains on them. HATE it.

Weddings - Well... specifically, Dog the Bounty Hunter's wedding. It was just so... well... so touching to watch him float on a wooden raft in his all-white suit with his sunglasses and mullet. I'm tearing up just typing it.

Random in the Dells

2006-08-28T23:07:00.000-04:00

As we were taking photos, waiting for Adam and Becky and the other kids to arrive back at the hotel, this random kid decides to meander in our shot. Carter literally doesn't know he's behind him. Tyler, well, Tyler knows who belongs and who doesn't belong. We later learn that his parents are in the middle of "checking" in – thus, not "checking" on their kid.

Just before this shot, we finished up eating at one of the great pizza shops in the WORLD, called Unos. Ok, that may be an over statement. Let's just say, the world – lowercase. In any case, the adults decide that everyone gets treats after dinner. And in deciding where to go, we literally have a full conversation between two vehicles in the parking lot on making the decision to have a treat and where to go to have the treat by spelling out every word. I think we created a new language called, splanguage, where you talk in s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g. I guess that's what happens when you have two car loads of kids who know what the word "treat" means but can't yet spell.

Weekend At The Dells

2006-08-22T20:49:00.000-04:00

You. Me. Pool. Now.

This looks like fun!

Whoaaaaaaa!

I can't see. I can't see.

Look at me. I here!

Three amigos!

Are my legs suppose to be able to spread this far?

It's Oreo time.

Dude. You wanna take a drink?

What's up with the elephant behind me?

Typical photo. Tyler laughing and showing off. Carter sitting and staring.

Not sure where Adam and Jacob are. But they should be in this shot too.

And... out!

Wipe Out

2006-08-21T23:20:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, Jami, Carter and myself got to spend three days in the Wisconsin Dells with some of the best people on the planet. It was a blast to take a much needed time out with our best friends, the Callenders, and the McMullens. Here's a quick taste of what our weekend was like. I'll have more photos and stories to tell in the next couple of days.

Communion with Team Mexico

2006-08-17T22:28:00.000-04:00

Tonight was Communion at GCC. Most of the team that went to Mexico got a chance to serve it to about 1,000 people. This ranks near the top of my list. It was a giant priveledge to look person after person in the eye and speak life into them. My role was to serve the cup. So I had the opportunity to remind person after person, "This is Christ's blood shed for you." What an experience. What an honor to be able to remind people of Jesus' sacrifice. What an honor to do it with a team of high caliber individuals whom I had the chance to serve with in Mexico.

Huh?

2006-08-10T18:15:00.000-04:00

In the last week I've been called confusing and mysterious... not sure what that means. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it true? I don't know.

All Gloved Up

2006-08-09T20:39:00.000-04:00

Check out Carter's new Body Glove swim training float suit. WARNING: This is not a lifesaving device. DO NOT leave child unattended while in use. Thanks for the warning. We'll keep that in mind.

Sand In My Crack

2006-08-07T23:09:00.000-04:00

Jami and I bought 250 pounds of sand for Carter to play in. Some of it got in his hair. Some of it went in his mouth. And some of it went – well, you'll have to guess where else some of the sand went.

Ding-a ding-a ding ding ding ding ding

2006-08-06T15:54:00.000-04:00

You are looking at THE WORST chinese food – EVER. I love chinese food. But I've found that there are only a few really good ones. In the whole Indiana/Michigan area we live in, I've only found two or three. So, I really hate trying out new places. We recently found a pretty good one really close by our home. But this past Friday, I found out as I walked into the joint that the ownership changed just two days prior. That itself made me question whether or not I should place an order or go. I decided to order anyway. What the heck, I was already there. Usually when I place an order at one of our good chinese joints, the person taking the order speaks in broken english and yells the order to the chef in chinese. I should have known I was not going to like the food when the person taking the order spoke better english than I did, wrote my order down in english, and then gave it to the chef who happened to be hispanic. When I got the food home, the chicken had a health foody taste, the sauce wasn't spicy and the fried rice wasn't really fried rice. It was white rice browned by a little soy sauce. Needless to say, neither Jami or myself finished our food. I did learn a few good lessons, stick with the good chinese place you know - even if you have to drive 15 minutes out of the way, and leave right away if the order-taker speaks better english than you do. This food was Ding-a ding-a ding ding ding ding crap!

Free at last. Free at last.

2006-08-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

Thank God almighty, we are free at last. Today 11:14 a.m. I took our dog Roxi and dropped her off at the Humane Society. I know that I'll be thought of as cruel by some people. But, oh well. It was time. I actually wanted to do it way earlier than today. But I held out because I wasn't sure that Jami wanted to keep her or not. But now that she's pissing in the house, Jami said it's time. Jami and I thought we were "dog people". But, um, no, we're not. I mean, if the dog didn't shed, piss in the house, if I didn't have to take her out multiple times a day, if I didn't have to worry about stepping in poop... we might be dog people. But we're not. Plus, it is a good time to get rid of her. Carter is only 19 months old and won't miss her at this age. So, Roxi's gone and we're free. Don't worry too much, the Humane Society had a sign up stating that they have the highest adoption rate in the Michiana area... but I did have to sign under this statement:

I, the undersigned hereby agree, that I relinquish all rights and further information regarding the above named animal or animals and agree they shall be disposed of at the discretion of the Humane Society of St. Joseph County.

Did they just say "disposed of?"

Corny

2006-08-04T22:19:00.000-04:00

Carter's latest as he chows on some corn!

Get 2 Step'n

2006-08-03T21:24:00.000-04:00

I love this photo. I've never been there, but I love how the stairs lead up to the beaming light. It's just a cool shot. It looks like if you made it to the top, you'd be surrounded by it. Thing is, it can't happen unless you get to the top. And you can't get to the top unless you take steps in that direction. You have to make the decision move and take that
next step.
So here's the deal. I'm feeling like I'm at a crossroads since returning from Mexico – feeling like there's a next step for me. Truth is, I've been feeling that for a few months, and it was confirmed in Mexico during our first worship time on Saturday. I'm usually not one that gets "freaky God spoke to me" kind of person. And I really don't want to be dramatic. But it was like God gave his "God-nudge" and said, "it's time." It's time to change your old worn out walking shoes and lace up some new cross-trainers. It's time to renew your vision of who "I AM" is and renew your vision of what "I AM" has called you to be. It's time to renew your vision of what "I AM" is asking you to do. That's what hit me the first night in Mexico this year.
At this point I don't know what that looks like. I don't know what all that means. I do know that it's a process and that I'm praying that God will clue me in on what he has in store. And I do know that if I want to make it to the top to be surrounded by the light, I have to do my part and keep taking steps toward that direction.

Storms A Brew'n

2006-08-02T22:59:00.000-04:00

It's 11:04 p.m. And the county above ours has a severe thunderstorm warning. We live 100 feet from that county, so you could say that we have a warning as well. I usually like watching storms roll into our area. But not at night... because I can't see them roll in. As a result, if we have a severe storm warning, I can't get to sleep. I'm usually up flipping through the channels between our local stations and the Weather Channel as I rock back and forth in a fetal position. And it gets worse if the radar picks up rotation in the storms. So, I've got to go. I've got to lay out shoes, break out the flash light and get into position on the floor to monitor the weather.

Working It

2006-08-01T10:41:00.000-04:00

I'm loving the look on people's faces at work when I tell them what happened during my week in Mexico. Some have a dumb-founded look, others have the tell-me-more look, still others have the that's-great-what-you-did-but I-couldn't-do-that look. I'm loving it. If my calculations are correct, I spent about two hours yesterday at work vision casting and telling the story of the Revolution that's going on down in Monterrey. Today, it continues with the sharing of the screensaver of photos I put on my computer. There will be more sharing, story telling, at work and here. All right, who's next... hey Bill... wait up. I've got something to show you... check this out...

7 Years and Counting!

2006-07-31T22:33:00.000-04:00

Jami and I celebrated our 7-year wedding anniversary today. Neither of us really felt like going anywhere to eat – maybe because it was so pit-sweat hot. So we decided on Famous Dave's. The whole evening we felt like the pig was stalking us. He finally came up to our table... I didn't look at him, and Jami gave a half-hearted smile. I think he got the pig-point and moved on. Hope we didn't hurt his feelings. Oh wait, I don't care. No restaurant should be allowed to have a pig wondering aimlessly about... unless that is, we're allowed to pull it's pig-tail.

Happy anniversary! It's been a great 7 years. I can't wait for the next 70.

Staggering Under Burden of Compassion

2006-07-10T06:38:00.000-04:00

Great article from the Los Angeles Times: Staggering Under Burden of Compassion: An Episcopal priest burns out, finds a new approach to faith and writes a book about it.

Favorite response to question in article, "Who does Jesus think you are?"

The answer changes daily. Basically, I'm a middle-aged white woman who's never broken a bone. I'm a child of God on par with anybody sitting on death row. I'm not as wonderful or important as I think I am, nor as wretched.

Live A Revolution b-Votional 1 Thessalonians 4:1, 9, 10

2006-07-07T15:32:00.000-04:00

The following are a few of my thoughts from a homework assignment our Mexico Team received last week.

Christian brothers, we ask you, because of the Lord Jesus, to keep on living in a way that will please God. I have already told you how to grow in the Christian life. 1 Thess. 4v1
It's so easy to get caught up in life. It's easy to get comfortable to the point of simply going through the motions. And I think Paul knew that. He wanted to remind the believers in Thesolonica that living in a way that pleases God is a daily thing. He was saying, "I know that it's easy to forget. It's easy to get caught up in the daily routine. But I'm writing you because I want to remind you that Jesus has taught us how to live. And I'm writing you to remind you there's a way to live that pleases God. Live that way!" It's easy for me to get caught up in my daily routine. And I need to be reminded that there's a way to live that pleases God. Jesus, help me to remember that there's a way to live that pleases and glorifies you... and help me to live that way!

Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don't need me to tell you what to do. You're God-taught in these matters. Just love one another!You're already good at it; your friends all over the province of Macedonia are the evidence. Keep it up; get better and better at it. 1 Thess. 4v9-10

Paul, instead of just saying, "Yo guys. Keep on loving." and that be the end of it, instead encouraged them and commended them for loving others... but not for loving others with just the love they have - for loving others with the love of God - with the love that God taught. It's love that's bigger than we could ever offer on our own. In essence, Paul is saying, "great job for letting the Spirit of God work through you!" "Great job for being Spirit-led!" How many times do I love with the love that Todd has to give. God wants us to love with the love that He has to give... which is much bigger than I could ever love. God wants me to be Spirit led in my love that I give. In addition, when we address others, we can learn from Paul. Not only does he tell these dudes to keep on loving. He encourages them and commends them for what they've done and allowed God to do through them. How many times do I simply tell people what to do... or simply ask someone to do something. God wants us to encourage and commend people for what they've already done. Secondly, these guys are loving on people who are close to them in likeness, proximity or social status. These guys are loving on people who are not like them - who are different then they are - who are far away from them in distant lands. Very practically, God is asking me to love on people who are very different than I am - who are very far from where I live - He is asking me to love the very people we are going to see in a few short days... not only when I get there. But God is asking that I love them now... in praying for them now... in how I prepare my heart now... in how I handle my relationship with God now... because it's now that I begin to love these people we are going to. It's now that I put myself in a place to be able to love on them when we get down there physically. Jesus, help me to get to the place where I am loving on these people we are going to see now. Help me to prepare my heart and my mind. Put these people on my heart so heavy that I can't help but pray for them. And Jesus, help me to love others with a love that's bigger than me - with your love.

What A Difference A Year Makes

2006-07-06T22:21:00.000-04:00

So, I'm went back and checked out old blog posts that I had posted a year ago and came across these photos we took of Carter last July... it's pretty cool to see how he's changed. He couldn't even walk this time last year!

Last July.

This July.

Last July – And still one of my all time favorites.

This July – One of my new all time favorites.

Last July in the sand.

This July – Still likes the sand!

Carter and Wes – Jessica's boyfriend. Carter likes him... he's in!

Carter and Jessica. Good picture Jess!

FIFA World Cup 2006

2006-06-21T12:18:00.000-04:00

I've never really liked soccer, or futbol, all that much. In fact, in high school, our entire baseball team called the soccer team a bunch of communists... I don't know why really... it was pretty stupid. In any case, I've gotten into the World Cup this year. Watched USA tie on Saturday. And just got done keeping up to date on how Mexico was doing this morning on MatchCast... losers 2-1 to Portugal. But Mexico still moves on to the next round because Iran and Angola tied 1-1 in the other game this morning... talk about a nail biter... I was completing paperwork and jumping in my chair as I monitored the two games. Tonight - Argentina and the Netherlands square off. Can't wait... but in any case... Viva Mexico!

Happy Father's Day

2006-06-18T21:49:00.000-04:00

Here's Carter's latest creation. He made it all by himself. It's a piece of paper cut into the shape of a tie – ok, maybe he didn't cut it – but he did use a dropper to drop the ink that made the colors.

It's War

2006-06-17T21:44:00.000-04:00

So this year I've gotten real serious about patching up and trying to take care of our yard. It was going great until I woke up and found that we've got moles... I'm not talking about one mole... there's got to be a whole family of moles with one goal... keeping the Ruth family down. Well, it's war. And I want their heads. Down with the moles.