Archive for October, 2005

not…going to israel

Published
by
Heather Smith
3 years ago
in Uncategorized
. 1 Comment

Well, we have a sad update to our rantings about a potential Israel Trip. At 8:00 this morning, Dr. Michael Easley and a couple of Moody hosts came on the air live in Chicago to announce the winner of the Imagine Israel Grand Prize. It was surreal. Rich and I sat in our living room, listening to them announce each name who was in the drawing and where they were from. There were only ten names including us.

I think that is the closest we will ever be to winning something that huge. Our odds were pretty darn good for it being a National drawing. But, a man from Washington State won the drawing, and Rich and I looked at each other in disappointment. We are happy for him, since we would have been so, so happy if we’d won. He must be totally stoked (a word I actually used to say while living in Southern California). The word excited just doesn’t capture what we would have been feeling if we’d won a $7,000 trip to Israel. Once in a lifetime.

And so, while we will continue to enter this contest each year in hopes of going to Israel for free, we may never get as close as we did this year.

I guess it’s time to bust out the 4 DVD set that we won - a Virtual Tour of Israel - since that’s as close as we’ll be for now.

wrongfully accused

Published
by
Heather Smith
3 years ago
in Uncategorized
. 2 Comments

Well, I have a happy update to the Ominous Jacket Thief post. For those of you who sided with Rich on the matter, you were correct.

Since my post, we have recovered 2 of the missing 4 jackets. One, the beige cordouroy jacket, was left at our church picnic and recovered at church last Wenesday night when I inquired of the lost and found. The other, the black coudouroy jacket, was recovered at our Home Bible Study group on Monday night. Yes, I had worn it in and left it sitting on a chair in the Engels kitchen.

Now, where the other two jackets are, I do not (and may never) know. It seems that the Chattanooga Jacket Thief was a figment of my over-active imagination.

But it makes a much better story than a forgetful girl leaving her outerwear scattered throughout the city.

going to israel - take 2!!!

Published
by
Rich Smith
3 years ago
in Heathers and Richards
. 2 Comments

Win a trip to Israel!

Okay, this is getting out of hand. Getting absolutely ridiculous. The contest guidelines weren’t laid out well enough in the last post. Here’s how it goes. Anyone and everyone signs up for the Isreal drawing either over the internet or entering manually. Drawings happen on the air. Names get called and that person has 60 minutes to call in to win. As you well know, Heather and I won that contest. But that happens several times and each person who wins gets put into a smaller drawing. When the winner of the second drawing gets announced, the winner goes to the NATIONAL drawing for the grand prize. Are you understanding? The second drawing was this morning. And wouldn’t you know it… we… won… again! I mean, we really won! I was listening to the radio again and I just couldn’t believe that they called our names again. So we won a 4 DVD set about Isreal by Focus on the Family. Now, get this. We are in the national drawing to win the free trip to Isreal! Listen to our odds. 1:10. We have a 1 in 10 chance to win a trip to Isreal with the president of Moody himself. So, here is what you can do (if you are at all interested): listen on Thursday to any moody affiliate that you have in your area. Sometime on Thursday, they’ll be announcing the winner! Uh… that MIGHT be us! Odds are good! Let’s see, I’ve won tickets to an IMAX theater but NEVER anything this big. I’m telling you… it’s my wife! I never won anything before I met her!

the ominous jacket thief

Published
by
Heather Smith
3 years ago
in Uncategorized
. 10 Comments

Yes, you read the title correctly. There is a jacket thief in Chattanooga, or quite possibly and worse yet, in my own neighborhood!

Let me start at the beginning, and after you hear the story, maybe you will draw the same conclusion that I have. Or maybe you will side with my (well meaning but mistaken) husband on the matter.

It all began about a month ago. Now, note that today’s date is October 24th, and the weather here in Chattanooga has been fluctuating between warm and cool for about a month. As a result of the varying temperatures, I have often gone to our coat closet (near the front door) for a lightweight jacket.

The first time I noticed that the jacket thief had struck was the day I opened the coat closet in mid-October. Now, I am a typical woman in regards to shopping. I love it. We have a budget for clothes and I spend it wisely, but I have managed to gradually accumulate quite a few jackets, coats, and cute little casual blazers. On this particular day I wanted to wear my dark-wash demin jacket with my brown top and beige pants with brown stripes. But did I find my dark-wash demin jacket? You guessed it. No, I did not. It was gone. Without a trace, vanished. I thought to myself, “Self, this is a little strange. I know this is where I put my jacket last time I wore it. But maybe I am mistaken. I am sure it’s around here somewhere.” And that was the end of the conversation with myself regarding my denim jacket.

And I didn’t think about my demin jacket again until I went to the coat closet a week later for my beige cordorouy jacket. It was missing. And a week later I opened the closet for my black cordorouy jacket. It was new! My mom just bought it for me. It was missing. A couple of days later I opened the closet for my blue and grey North Face winbreaker. I’d worn it the week before when I couldn’t find my beige cord jacket. I remember wearing to church on Wednesday night. Why wouldn’t it be here now?

That is when I took a step back from my coat closet and re-evaluated. Just call me Heather Smith, P.I. Bending down, I looked on the floor. Carpet. No jackets. And up above where there were shelves. A big bag of Halloween candy from Sams, a vacuum cleaner attachment, some extra hangers. But no jackets. I closed the door. I tip-toed around the corner, ran back, and flung the door open. Someone must be playing a mean trick on me. Maybe my husband wants to have some fun at my expense.

My conclusion? There must be a jacket thief. A smart one, who knows I would notice 4 jackets missing all at once. So this thief is subtle, sneaking around and stealing one jacket at a time. My guess? It’s a woman. Why would a man steal women’s jackets? For Christmas presents for his wife? Maybe I will never know.

My husband’s conclusion? I have put jackets on in the morning when it was cold, taken them off midday when it warms up, and left them places. Forgotten, all over Chattanooga, all 4 jackets.

Your conclusion? Comments welcome.

going to israel!!!

Published
by
Heather Smith
3 years, 1 month ago
in Heathers and Richards
. 2 Comments

Tag team blogging! Could that be a new term? I’m first to blog this post, then it’s Heather’s turn.

Okay… the title isn’t quite accurate. Israel The title should say “We MIGHT be going to Israel!” but that wouldn’t have drawn you in like the current title. Here’s the dealio: Heather (my wonderful, wonderful wife) signed us up on the Moody Radio website to win a trip for two to Israel. Once a person enters the contest (only one entry per household), you begin listening for your name! If you win the first stage and are mentioned on the radio, then you have 60 minutes to call in. Once you do that, you win some books and get entered into a smaller drawing for the big tamale.

Well, you guessed it… our name was called out on the radio yesterday (Oct. 20) and Heather called in! We are officially entered and have a chance to win a free trip to Israel. This trip is no joke either. $3,450 PER PERSON. And you get to travel with Michael Easley (Moody Bible Institute’s new president) and Charles H. Dyer (MBI provost and certified Israel tour guide)! How sweet would that be!? Talk about an opportunity of a lifetime! All we have to say is… if it’s God’s will… we’ll go. Oh, PLEASE, PLEASE let it be God’s will! :) I mean, how cool would it be to be able to visit our friends Sara and Remi… for free!

—–

Heather here! I concur, babe! It would be awesome to go. I think being in the Holy Land would bring a unique reality and perspective to Jesus’ earthly life. And it seems like it would Israelbring such a vitality to reading about geography in the Bible after having “been there.” Don’t you think? A big group from our church (Calvary Chapel) went to Israel a couple of years ago. They had a guide, and it was a sightseeing trip less than a “mission trip.” They came back with pictures of the Garden of Gethsemane, individuals floating like rafts in the Dead Sea, etc. I remember SO wishing we could go then, but of course there were a hundred pragmatic reasons we could not (i.e., the expense, the time off work, responsibilities).

And so, Alas, we may have our chance. Of course, Rich and I have no idea how many people have been entered into this round of the contest, and thus, no idea what our chances are (statistically speaking). B.K. (before kids) would definitely be the time for us to go!

We will try not to be too disappointed if we don’t win! We’ll definitely blog about the final result.

Over and out,
Rich and Heather
——

the good ol’ days

Published
by
Heather Smith
3 years, 1 month ago
in Heathers
. 2 Comments

There is just nothing quite like good friends from college. Newer friends (that have come into my life since college graduation) are wonderful, golden blessings from God, they are awesome to get to know, they challenge me, and they are encouraging in all kinds of ways…

But what I am talking about is the commeradery that comes from spending several years in all-too-close quarters with girlfriends in college. I am inspired to write about this topic because a college girlfriend of mine got married a week ago, and as a result, another college girlfriend of mine and her husband came into town and stayed with Rich and I. And as we spent the weekend together (catching up on current events, reminiscing about past stories, and generally feeling quite nostalgic), I began to feel a distinct need to document my thoughts.

There will never again be a season of life comparable to college life. Never another time to study around the clock, pull all-nighters, and hit the snooze button 50 times. Or learn how to sleep with the lights on, music playing, and commotion down the hallway. There will never again be a time to take freshman year Spring Break with 4 fun-loving girls and hit the beach…and burn to a crisp after living through wintertime atop chilly, foggy Lookout Mountain. Or to take subsequent school breaks to visit friends’ homes and families all over the country. Never again a time to grumble about how much work was required while simultanously appreciating the professors, the in-class debate, discussion, and learning. I will never again wake up at 3 a.m. to execute a meticulously-planned prank upon the boys dorms. Nor will I ever eat so much cereal and fruit because the school menu became so redundant. I will never again perform “work study” in order to help pay for schooling (no more kitchen duty, carpet treatment, or janitorial work). I will never again sit in a mandatory chapel service or get in trouble for skipping too many (to study…okay, it was to sleep). I will never again play collegiate volleyball and enjoy road trips to gyms all over the southeast. Or live in such a transient way that I am moving all of my personal belongings from Florida to Tennessee and then back again every 4 months for 4 years.

Indeed, college days are over, yet new blessings abound. I have been given an amazing husband who blows me away with his love and wisdom, in-laws who are wonderful, godly people, a church body in which I love to invest, and as always, I have a family that, in my biased opinion, is the best one to ever live. I am embracing these post-college years with a new vigor, and a desire to learn the lessons that I need to learn, love the people that are placed in my life to love, and enjoy the years that God chooses to bless me with.

God has given me many memories that I will carry with me though the years, and several friendships that will stand the test of time.

This blog is dedicated to Cami, Heidi, Briana, Stacie, Wendi, and Kathy.

The future of software…

Published
by
Rich Smith
3 years, 1 month ago
in Richards and Technology
. 0 Comments

You knew it was going to happen.   I’m talking about a web page that I discovered called ThinkFree Office online.  It’s the most advanced online office suite that I’ve ever seen on the internet.  It emulates Microsoft Office where you can open, edit, create PDF’s.  Everything that Microsoft Office can do it can do BUT it’s completely and uterly on the internet. No installing any software on your hard drive in any way.  It runs totally in your internet browser.  It even emulates the look and feel of Office to a "t" so that if you’re familiar with Word (for example) you can open up ThinkFree and begin working immediately without skipping a beat.  So far, it only works in Internet Explorer (blah) and is still in beta stage but promises to add support to all the other browsers really soon.  That’s right, software moves to the internet.  Pretty soon, we won’t have any software that resides on our hard drive.  It will all exist in cyberspace.  think free logoOf course, it has its good sides and bad sides.  The good is upgrades, of course.  Everyone will be using the same version everywhere because all the upgrades will be handled from whomever maintains the online software.  Another good thing is that you can grab your documents and edit them anywhere you can get on the internet.  The bad things is that if your internet is down… no worky (unless you can somehow use a off-line version somehow).  That and it gives less control to the user.  I think it’s a pretty neat idea when all the kinks get worked out but for right now.  Go to http://online.thinkfree.com/ (make sure you’re using IE when you activate the applet).  Also, check out http://www.writely.com.  Same kind of thing but multiple people can be working on the same document at the same time (sweet concept).  Be watching… more and more of these programs are going to be coming out.  Pretty soon, we’ll have online Photoshop, online Access and others.  Right now, all of them are free but who knows what’s going to happen when they get out of the beta (testing) stage.The more advanced the internet gets and the faster we can access it the more things move to it. It’s inevitable.

Oh, by the way, if anyone likes free quality software, check out this list.

 And no, not all of my blogs are going to be geeky like this one.  Just wanted to share some of my thoughts.

a gift-giving epiphany

Published
by
Heather Smith
3 years, 1 month ago
in Heathers
. 1 Comment

Well, I’m hooked (to the blogosphere). Though that comes as no surprise.  I’m back only three days later.  Some people blog every day, I think, or more than that.  I don’t know that I will ever be quite that attached.  Especially when I tend to prioritize a clean home to being on the computer.  It’s a never ending job (housework), and all I have is a husband.  I can’t imagine the job after having kids!  I guess that’s when one is challenged to let notions of "clean and tidy" take a hiatus.

I used to think that to crochet or knit you had to be a sweet old grandma who doesn’t have quite the strength or energy to do something more strenuous.  And while that may be true in part, I am learning that it is wise and exciting to make something from nothing (well, with only thread and a needle).  I think it is especially wonderful come Christmastime.  It allows you to construct a personal, unique gift especially for someone.  It allows you to save money and be creative.  And though it can be time consuming, the gift becomes that much more special because you have invested both time and thought.  And the money thing . . . with current gas prices and an economy reeling from a year of record-breaking natural disasters, well, being financially conservative is necessary.

All of that to say, I recently decided that I want to learn to crochet.  I think more and more young people are seeing the appeal.  Not only is it a creative, satisfying experience, it produces the trendy, homespun feel.  I often walk into Target and right there facing me are racks of completely cute and pretty things: scarves, hats, mittens, etc, all begging me to buy them.  The problem is, if I bought every cute scarf I saw, I would have a plethora of coordinating outerwear but no money in my wallet.

So while I will always enjoy bulk manufactured products, I am embarking on a new journey.  And eventually, who knows, maybe I will become good enough to sell my product.  I think that would be so enjoyable. Maybe someday Target will be buying my products.  Okay, not likely.  A girl can dream.

my very first blog

Published
by
Heather Smith
3 years, 1 month ago
in Heathers
. 1 Comment

Hello, all. Heather here. These words would constitute my first blog of all time. Writing, journaling, and story telling I have done before, but blogging I have not. I rather think I will enjoy it. The creative release of putting daily experiences into writing, the fun of not knowing who will read it (and whether they will find the inner workings of my mind interesting, boring, or otherwise).

Today has been a good day.

Rich and I have been confronted lately with God’s goodness. And not only His goodness when things go “our way”. But rather, the truth that He is fully good and fully in control even when we are waiting on test results from a “suspicious mass” on my right ovary. Faith put to the test. Taking every thought captive. Peace despite the uncertainty. The deep awareness that my life, my body, my days on this earth belong to God alone and not to myself. And should His name be glorified more when I am being “tested” than when life is smooth and comfy, then so be it. That is how I want to live my life…not clinging so tightly to my notions of God’s “goodness” that I feel my rights are being violated if trials knock on my door. Or shaking a fist in God’s direction. But rather enjoying the blessings for what they are and realizing that it is God’s ultimate preference and plan to give them or to take them away. Easier said than lived out, I know. It’ll be a life-long process, no doubt.

As it was, the mass was diagnosed as a rare type of cyst, a type that must be surgically removed. So on Tuesday the 27th of September I had a laproscopy to remove the cyst and today was my two week post-op visit. My amazing and supportive Continue reading ‘my very first blog’

Hello world!

Published
by
Rich Smith
3 years, 1 month ago
in Uncategorized
. 2 Comments

This is our first post! We are officially blogging! Welcome all who reads this!