Filler

My mind is mostly consumed with some inner turmoil about work... which I'm not sure if I will or should post about, at least until I finalize my thoughts. So I'll leave it in my brain for now and post something much less thoughtful or introspective.

Here is a little about me. It’s funny to read my responses to these types of questions a few years later.

1. What was your pet name when you were a kid?
   Jilly and my grandpa called me Jillsy-Pillsy (not a favorite).
   
   
2. If we say, we are here to help others, what are the others here for?
   To be helped and to help me ;)
   
   
3. Relate the funniest incident in your life. Or what was the funniest thing you did as a kid?
   Well, my family would all say that the funniest thing I did as a kid was the "waterfall incident."
   We had a tree house that was about 20' up in a tree with a rope ladder as the only way up and down. There was a missing rung right at the top, so it was tricky to get down. My cousin Tommy was a really funny kid, but apparently afraid of heights and for some reason decided to try to cure it by going up to the tree house. Well, long story short. I had to pee like crazy, I mean like crazy. I'm trying to get down the rope ladder, right at the tricky spot and Tommy decides to start freaking out in the funniest way possible. You see where this is going right. I'm laughing like crazy, barely holding onto the rope and barely holding onto my bladder. Guess which I let go of first... yes, my bladder. My family says that the streams of yellow you-know-what was pouring out of both sides of my shorts and went on FOREVER. There it is. They still laugh about it today.
4. Which was the naughtiest prank you played in school?
   I am so not a prankster. However, my friend Brie is and when we lived in the dorms at WWU we were pranked pretty badly by some guys in our dorm and she talked me into retribution. It wasn't my idea, I promise.
   We got into the guys' room, pushed their beds together, put pin-up pictures of teen male pop stars, wrote love notes to and from the roommates, and blared the B-52's "Love Shack" with their windows open. The best part was that when they walked onto their hall, they said, "Who are the tools blaring the B-52's". Imagine the looks on their faces when they realized it was them.
   
   
5. Who was your first crush?
   Troy J. in Kindergarten.
   
   
6. Which was the most embarrassing moment of your life?
   See number three. Also some serious foot-in-mouth scenarios.
    
7. List five things you would need to survive, if left alone on a deserted island.
   A water filter with desalination capabilities, a fishing pole, matches, my Bible with a picture of Blake for a bookmark (counts as one thing) and loads of sunscreen (seriously, I’m so fair skinned, a bad sunburn could kill me).
   
   
8. If it is illegal to drink and drive, why do bars have parking lots?
   For the taxis and DDs... No, seriously, because it's a fallen world full of us fallen people.
   
   
9. If man evolved from monkeys and apes, how do monkeys and apes exist?
   According to those silly evolutionists "from amino acids that came from another planet".
   Obviously, this is ridiculous. Read Genesis.
   
   
10. What treatment would you seek if you were addicted to therapy?
    Jesus therapy.
    
    
11. Why are boxing rings square-shaped?
    So that there are corners to be backed into.
    
    
12. Don’t you think, the term, ‘free gift’ consists of a redundant usage of words?
    Not really. I think of a gift as something that was given with the intent to bless someone or make them happy. Something that’s just free, means that someone wants you to have it with an ulterior motive or it’s literally worthless. ‘Free gift’ then means someone has mixed intentions when they’re giving it away. Okay fine, 'free gift' isn't the best use of words.
         
         
13. If you could have anything you wanted, what would it be?
    World-wide revival and belief in Jesus.

14. If you won the lottery, what would you buy?
    My college degrees (i.e., get out of debt).
    I'd also save some money to buy a moderate-sized house and land when we decide where that should be, save some money for my parent's elderly years (what they don't use, maybe I will), and start donating large monthly sums to my favorite Christian organizations. I might also make one large donation to a worthy cause… but I guess that’s not what the question asked.
    
    
15. Who is the most important person in your life and why?
    I'll define person as human and thus my most important person is my husband, Blake. He amazes me and makes me feel more loved than any other person has before and I love him more than I thought was possible (wait till I have kids, I’m sure).
    
    
16. Who was the most influential person in your life?
    Hmm. Again, person = human, so probably my youth pastor's wife/my mentor and now friend, Mary Beasley.
    
    
17. What is your earliest memory?
    This is hard because I think that some early memories are tainted/influenced by looking at pictures. It's kind of scary how many things I've forgotten. I really couldn't tell you what my 'earliest' memory is.
    I do remember standing by the window looking out at something outside and instead of resting my chin on the windowsill; I'd rest my top teeth on it because I liked how it felt for my teeth to sink into the wood. I can even remember the sound it made. My mom says I did this when I was pretty young, like the height of the windowsill, so two-ish, but I might have also done this when I was older and kneeling down.. kind of gross I know.
    
    
18. Who was your first kiss and how old were you?
    My first boyfriend, Cameron, when I was 20.
    
    
19. If you could go back to any age, which would it be?
    Either 4 or 5. Before any real responsibilities and when I still had childhood innocence.
    
    
20. Where do you see yourself in ten years?
    Oof. I'd be *gasp* 37. I hope to be loving Jesus more every day and following Him into motherhood, be it my own children, adoption, foster parenting or some combination of the three. I'd love to be living closer to our parents, but truly, I just want to follow the Lord and be content wherever He takes us.
    
    
21. Would you rather have hundreds of acquaintances or a couple good friends?
    Easy. A couple of good friends.
    
    
22. Where did you go on your last vacation and what did you do?
    Italy and Greece. Specifically: Venice, Italy; Bari, Italy; Katakolon, Greece; Santorini, Greece; Mykonos, Greece; Rhodes, Greece; and Dubrovnik, Croatia. You can read about it here. We went for our first anniversary. It was wonderful!
    
    
23. What article of clothing do you put on first in the morning?
    My underpants.
    
    
24. What is the first thing you do as part of your morning routine?
    Drag myself out of bed and go pee.
    
    
25. What is the first thing you think about in the morning?
    Probably the first thing I think about is if I really need to wake up at just that second. Then I start talking to my Savior.
    
    
26. What is the last thing you think about before you go to bed?
    I usually curl up next to my husband, who is usually already sound asleep, and fall asleep praying and thanking my Father for such a wonderful husband and the blessings He provides us with.
    
    
27. Where do you sleep on the bed (left side, right side, or the middle)?
    If you are standing at the foot looking toward the pillows, I sleep on the right. I swear my husband sleeps in the middle ;). I used to sleep on the left, but Blake is a left side sleeper and I am adaptable ;)
    
    
28. How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?
    45 minutes, but easily an hour if I can't decide what to wear.
    
    
29. Do you ever screen your phone calls?
    Almost always.
    
    
30. Why might you screen a phone call?
    I really prefer to focus on the people in the room, rather than the phone. So if I'm around people I'll only answer if necessary, and only if I actually hear my phone ring/vibrate. Also because if you aren't in my phonebook, I don't know your number and there's a high likely hood that you're a recruiter trying to get me to listen to their spiel about their therapy company. Also, I don't love talking on the phone, particularly in front of people. So if it can be accomplished in a text message or voicemail, I love it.
     
31. What is your biggest pet peeve about people?
    I heard an interview about a book called Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us. Their hypothesis is that we are annoyed by things that we can't control or predict. They use the cell phone conversation in public as an example, it's annoying because you can't control it, but also can't tune it out, and can't predict what will be said next because you only hear one side.
    I'm sorry to say that I couldn't pick just one pet peeve about people, and I'm embarrassed by the things that do annoy me. I feel that this theory is probably right about why those things annoy me. Either way, every day is a chance to die to my sinful nature and practice patience and joy.
    
    
32. What type of driver are you?
    Confident, nearing careless. Not over cautious. I’m not even slightly hindered by bad weather, driving at night etc. However, I take liberties that I probably shouldn’t, like I always drive (long-ish distances) with my shoes off and one foot tucked up. Every day that I drive to work Sometimes I even sit crisscross when I have the cruise on. By most standards, I’m a bad driver. I do things while I drive, which I’ve stopped admitting to people because they are appalled.
    
    
33. Have you ever been stopped by the police? What happened?
    Funny they put these questions back to back. Given my admittedly poor driving habits, the answer is unsurprisingly, yes. I have had several speeding tickets, a ticket for failure to stay right, a ticket for talking on my cell phone and one ticket for failure to stop at a stop sign, which I got dropped in traffic court because I really did stop. The funny thing is that I don’t really speed anymore. I certainly used to, and that is when I got half of my speeding tickets. Now I’m thoroughly addicted to my cruise control and make a point to never speed, no matter what. However, there are still times when I can’t use cruise (traffic, 25 mph speed limits etc.) and it never fails, when I’m just not paying attention.. they are!
    
    
34. What is one of your biggest regrets? I hate it when people say, ‘I live a life with no regrets’.. Usually I hate this because their attitude implies that they can fix their own problems in their own strength. Also because these people tend to say that when they should regret the choices they’ve made. I feel like they say it because they feel convicted for their choices and this is a way to assert power over the feeling of conviction instead of just submitting and repenting.
    
    That said, I do firmly believe that there is ‘no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:1). In that context, I have no regrets.
    Yet, I do wonder what my life would have been like if I’d really and truly always put God’s perfect will before my own. I regret some choices that I’ve made, knowing fully that I wasn’t serving God with them. I don’t condemn myself for those choices, but I’d certainly rather live without the consequences of those sins than with them.
    I'm starting to regret this survey..
    
         
         
35. What's your favorite TV show?
    I really like Bones on Fox.
    
    
36. What’s your favorite movie?
    I recently committed to this. Previously in my life, I could never choose. I’ve decided that Pride and Prejudice is my favorite. The new one, and I feel a little guilty about not loving the old one.
    
    
37. What type of music do you most like to listen to and why?
    Christian. I like that when I’m sending subliminal messages to my brain, they’re always positive. They point me to Christ if they do anything and I’d prefer that than pointing me to a lifestyle or thought process that is of the world. I used to love country too, but I feel like so much of it isn’t positive that it outweighs the few good Christian-ish songs on the station. I’ll still listen to some country, like on my iPod.
    
    
38. Do you have an easy time forgiving and forgetting?
    Not until recently. Last summer I read a book with my small group called The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace. I’ve thought about doing a book review on it. It is ridiculously excellent (no pun intended). In that book I really took to heart the meaning of the oh, so popular (we had it in our wedding) verse: 1 Cor. 13:4-7. I think we hear this so much get kind of immune to the depth of these words. Anyway. I used to really keep track of the wrongs against me, I think something from my childhood caused this, a way to keep from being hurt again. I realized through this book study that we are commanded by Jesus to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbors. If Jesus told me to do this, it’s important. My closest neighbor is my husband. If I say that I love my husband, and I do, then I should be patient, kind… and keep no record of wrong. If forgiving and forgetting is how I’m supposed to love people, specifically my husband, then I’d better get on it. Since then, it’s been easier to do so.
    

    ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

    
    
          
39. Do you enjoy surprise parties?
    I’ve never had one thrown for me, but I don’t think I would enjoy it. I don’t like being the center of attention and when I do have to be, I need to know as many of the variables ahead of time as I can.
    
    
40. Do you have any hidden talents? What are they?
    I can wiggle my ears.
    
    
41. Do you sing in the shower?
    Most morning. I always have the radio on in the bathroom, so I probably sing along more that I think about it.
    
    
42. What is the one thing you can cook the best?
    I am a foodie. I love cooking. I particularly love a food challenge. I think the one thing I can cook the best would be cheesecake. I’ve found the perfect recipe and can generally turn one out that looks like it might have come from the you-know-what Factory.
    
    
43. What is your biggest fear?
    I fear economic collapse. I fear the possibility that our country will go under and food will be too expensive. I mostly fear this because my mom would then be right (she thinks this is likely).
    
    
44. What do you worry about?
    Oh, I guess this is answered in #43. I consciously try not to worry. I trust Jesus so much that I know He will get us through anything as long as we are following Him with all our hearts. That said, when worry does cross my mind, it’s about this economy failure thing. Also I worry about lost opportunities to lead people to Christ because of my selfishness. That I just have to surrender to Him though.
    
    
45. What do you hope for in the future?
    I hope that the people I love will love Jesus (if they don’t already) and know the peace and blessing that comes from knowing Him. I hope to be able to be a mom and do look back on my life knowing that I’ve served my King well.