FB, MySpace, and Other Such "Evils"

After a long stint on Facebook and sometimes MySpace, I have closed those accounts and decided to start blogging again instead. I hope that I will again get some readers and I welcome comments and suggestions! Eventually I will be blogging almost solely on the subject of the Disneyland Resort. I doth think myself an expert on that particular subject matter and hope I can provide lots of tips and goodies to the readers out there!

I'm currently working on a post that will shed some light (just enough to give me peace of mind) on what I've been up to lately. Then, it's onward and upward!

I look forward to your feedback, suggestions, and encouragement!

Rapid Weight Loss Report - Day 64

Well, I've lost about 50 pounds. (I say "about", because I only weigh myself once a week, so it's probably more now that I haven't weighed in 5 or so days.) I feel terrific and I seem to be completely recovered from the immediate hardships I was having. It's a great feeling. I HAD to buy something to wear to church last night, because I wasn't just saying it to be moody that I didn't have a thing to wear! LOL It's for realsies, folks! Anyhoo, I guess wearing something that fits me was quite surprising, because many thought I had actually been able to lose another 20 pounds between this past Sunday and last night. HAHA! Nope. Just clothes that fit. Anyway, here's a picture update, even though I'm a couple of days late for the "2 month mark". See y'all around and round! =D

Rapid Weight Loss Report - Day 50

I'm an eating MANIAC! (Or I feel that way anyway...) Yeah, I've got to eat, like, 6 meals a day instead of the 3 the doctor initially instructed me to do. It's REALLY hard, especially to keep a little variety, but I must say I feel awesome. (Remember my "meal" is about 1/4 cup of food!) I really feel like I could run a marathon. Well, maybe not a marathon, but I could at least go check the mail! hehehe... I'm [finally] going to be playing keys in church again and/or singing starting this Sunday. I am not scheduled this month, but I'll be around and I'm stoked about it! There's something about ministry that draws me like a moth to flame. I love doing it and being a part of something so neat. I know I'm supposed to be reporting weight LOSS in these reports, but I haven't lost much more and had a little gain, so I'll post when I have better news. The good news now is how GREAT I feel. I'll be posting my 2-month picture in 2 short weeks, so stay tuned!

P.S. Don't forget that Monday is the voter registration deadline for Californians! Don't allow ACORN to elect our next President!!!!

I've Made It Home!

I'm HOME SWEET HOME from the hospital! My surgery was, according to the head surgeon, a great success. I'm very tired and re-learning how to eat is pretty tough. I walked into the pantry when we got home to throw something away and I wanted to eat ALL of the food in it! LOL But I can't. I have to have liquids only, so that's what I'm-a-doin'! :D We'll see. It'll be nice to have a cold shake that I can half-way enjoy, so Ralph is fixing that up for me right now. I'll keep you all updated on my progress! My first follow-up appointment is this Tuesday and they'll be taking out my drain, which is the primary source of my pain right now. Once that is out, I'll be able to take deeper breaths and move around a lot more.

T minus 14...

Exactly 2 weeks from today I will be having gastric bypass surgery. I have been preparing for this for months, but it still seems quite surreal. Tonight (it's 12:30 AM, so I'm a little turned around...) I read through most of the pre-operative manual that was given me by my surgeon. There is a LOT of information, some I was aware of, some not. As I read, I was again compelled to Google some things in regards to the surgery in search of more information. I feel pretty well-informed, but there's always something new to learn! Always! I'm definitely not looking forward to the pain, which is looming in my near future! However, of all of the research I have done and many, MANY people I have spoken to who have actually HAD the surgery, I still feel good about it. I've had a lot of people ask me if I'm getting nervous and I think tonight I got a little case of "nerves". Hopefully, my full schedule of x-rays, examinations, work, and closet-cleaning will keep my mind occupied in other places. I'm still waiting on pix from my friend from our Disneyland trip and I'll be posting those real soon! *fingers crossed*

Elder Paul Price

I love church. I love the people. I love the music. I love the preaching. More than all of these, I love the REASON I am really there! Even if God hadn't done a thing for me (He HAS and I am blessed beyond all reason...), I am still so in love. What has caused this most recent onslaught of sugary-sweet emotions? I had the wonderful privilege of hearing one of the great ministers of our time, Elder Paul Price, speak on Sunday evening. I hope to never forget his words of wisdom as he spoke from his heart and in so doing awoke something in my soul. It has never ceased to amaze me how young Bro. Price SOUNDS! If you only heard, without seeing, you would think him to be a much younger than his 86 years. I was also blessed to be able to speak with him one-on-one for a few precious moments after the service. The one thing that he said that really stuck out to me was, "Don't be bitter." Wow! He doesn't even KNOW me! When he said it, I felt the blood drain from my face, as though all my faults were laid bare in his eyes, yet he doesn't know me at all. I believe he just spoke whatever he felt needed to be said and THAT definitely needed to be said! I am still taken aback, yet grateful. I know bitterness is a battle many people have fought, but happens to be a very real struggle for me, at times. The other thing he said is to "...love God's word...", because so many people are in "'love with God', but not His word". It's very true, especially in our ever-evolving society. There was so much more, I could go on all night, but I know I'm not doing the Elder's words justice in my fast-fading recollections. The feeling and love and knowing with which he spoke is something I hope to never forget. Thank God for the elders and pillars in my life!

Patriotism Becomes Me

I woke up this morning much the same way I did 6 years ago this very same morning - to a phone call. This time it wasn't Grama McCorkle on the phone telling me that we were "under attack", which I was finding difficult to believe in the state of half-sleep I was still in. As it turns out, she was absolutely right and I had wished I was still asleep having a terrible dream. I immediately ran to my son's room and turned on his radio to AM 640 to hear if they had any updates. They did and the picture it painted in my mind is embedded there still. The DJ was watching the events unfold on TV and giving a "play-by-play" report. I was waking up much more quickly now, still unable to grasp the what I was being told. I tuned in around 8:55 and @ 9:03 the second tower was hit. I was still just getting my bearings on the situation and it was already TWICE as bad! It had to be a bad dream. As I listened, now glued to the stereo, clinging to my boy, I heard reports of people jumping from the top floors of the doomed towers. I was feeling a plethoric wash of emotion, not justified by words. At 9:40, all planes in the entire contiguous states are grounded for the first time ever in aviation history. At 9:43, AA flight 77 hits the Pentagon. At 10:05, the South Tower crumbles to the ground. As the reports are relayed, I have barely had time to digest one devastation when another is right on its tail. Now, the snowball is rolling downhill fast... At 10:10, both the Pentagon collapses and Flight 93 is downed in a rural area of Pennsylvania. The onslaught of horror continued in the minutes and hours following as the North Tower collapsed and many more precious souls were lost. Once Americans realized what was going on, there was a surge of national pride unparalleled in recent history. Flags were everywhere. Churches were full. Displays of sympathy and affection were plenty and prominent. From the ashes flowered the beauty of our great country and its people. The rhetoric immediately following the attacks was strong and bold. Partisanship took a backseat to a unified front for revenge. Six years later we have fallen back into the stupor of normalcy and bickering that I sometimes find frightening, other times inspiring. May we never forget what it has costs to attain and maintain the freedoms we carelessly enjoy! Never forget where we've come from and that nothing is certain except for God! Thank you for reading and may God bless you and may God bless this great nation, America.

Living and Loving It!!

So, WOW! Lots has gone on since I've been on here last. Sorry for my seeming lack of dedication to this blog! Let's start with Log's dentist visit last Tuesday. You have never seen a kid so happy to go to the dentist! I am not kidding! He had a great time and the dentist and assistants got a kick out of him and his sheer joy of dentistry! He's got a little cavity, so we'll see how much he loves it after it's fixed. Wednesday was Chick-Fil-A day. Boy, what I won't do for a little free food! LOL I got to the new CFA @ around 1:30 on Wednesday to wait in line for a year of free chicken! I had to spend the night, but I got my chicken! I didn't sleep. It was nutty. It got really fun after dark when we started getting a steady stream of visitors. Ralph and Log came after dark and stayed and Logan rode his scooter almost all night!!! That kid is tireless. Anyway, I got my free chicken and it was so worth it! Friday I left for Ladies' Retreat in Carlsbad with my friend, Barb. We had a great time there, except it was too cold to swim in the ocean, which I love to do. Also, the dead, half-decomposed seal on the beach was a major turn-off. Anyway, it was such a fun, fun time! My husband drove all the way down there to bring me flowers and a card full of money! How sweet is that?!? OMW He is sooooooo wonderful to me. I love him. Sis. Hernandez was so inspirational and anointed in her speaking. It was life-changing material. We got home Sunday, then Monday Ralphie took me and Log to Disneyland! (That's what I asked for my gift for Mother's Day...) As you can tell by reading here and checking out my nifty little slide show, I have been somewhat preoccupied...LIVING. Living life to the fullest. "...It's not the years in your life that counts, but the life in your years...."

Happy, Happy, Happy

I'm in a good mood. Actually, I'm in a happy, good, wonderfully harmonious mood. Yes, I am. Why? You ask... Do I have to have a particular reason? It's a good life living for the Lord. There. Does that suffice? Last night, our evangelist Bro. Marks preached on happiness and its essentiality to revival and even salvation. It was very enlightening. It was easy for me to get with the preaching, being the happy-go-lucky to a fault person that I am. :0) (no laughing, babe!!) So many of us Pentecostals walk around looking either very self-righteous or like we have the flu! It's nuts! I don't get it! How is someone gonna want what we have when we are rude, haughty, or depressed???? I come from a "culture" where people who are different are mocked and looked down upon. I'm sick of it. That nut with a crazy haircut needs Jesus too, however he'll never listen to anything we have to say because of the looks of condemnation he receives from "our type". So if you're ever with me and notice that I don't laugh with you at "salvation-less" people, now you know why. I do my best to bite my tongue in the moment, but no longer. Jesus died for all of us, no matter how different-looking or whatever we are. So, how are we going to reach our world? With a stiff upper lip? Or a smile? Good preaching, Bro. Marks! LOL I'll just pick up where you left off... LOLOL :D

Paris

So, Paris Hilton is going to jail. How sad. I mean that. Just goes to show you that you can have fame, beauty, wealth, and SHOES for DAYS, yet still not be happy. Obviously, she is unhappy enough to drink enough to get her in trouble on numerous occasions. Whether I personally emulate her (I don't) or not, she is still someone who needs Jesus. It's really sad when I hear other "Christians" saying she's just gotten what she deserved. Don't we all really deserve death? As the world goes to hell in a hand basket, I will not stand idly by, but rather I will pray and try to reach as many as I can with genuineness and love. I am nobody, so I am honored that you, whoever you may be, are reading my blog. Thank you and have a blessed day!!

A Day of Remembering and Aiming High

It is almost time again. A time to remember. A time to mourn. A time to fulfill at least half of the "times" listed in Ecclesiastes. March 9, 2004 was a very sad day in my life. I will never forget it. As I type, I can't believe how much it still hurts. My head wants to explode from trying to hold back the tears that threaten to spill over on the keyboard. It will be 3 years to the day at approximately 1 a.m. that my dad passed from this life. He had muscular dystrophy and succumbed to the disease on the fateful day. I was there when he breathed his last breath. It was something I never thought I would have to go through in my whole life. I had somehow always escaped the clutches of tragedy, yet my father's passing was the epitome of tragic. The happy ending was in how he had chosen to live his life and GIVE his life to God and His work. It is truly mind boggling to think of all of the lives that this one man touched, but he was able to accomplish amazing things in his too-short life. He was a pastor, but not just any old pastor, a shepherd would be a more fitting description. He loved people and it was evident in how he poured himself unselfishly into every last person that would allow him. He was not a "convention speaker", but he had a speaker system in the back of a truck and would drive around the worst neighborhoods in town, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. I grew up in the shadow of greatness, but it took his passing for me to realize the extent of it. He was so humble, not very easy to make laugh, but burdened for souls like nobody I have every come in contact with. As the hundreds and hundreds of people touched by this amazing man filed past his earthly vessel lying in a casket, I realized that I now knew what I wanted to be when I grew up - I want to be like my Dad.

The BIG Move

It is now absolutely OFFICIAL!! The McCorkles are moving back to Yucaipa. That's right folks, we are outta here. We are moving into a beautiful house and I just feel so very blessed. Anyway, we can't wait to have all of our friends over again and again. (Mexican Train anyone?)

Happy Valentine's Day! I probably won't be on here tomorrow, so I'll go ahead and get that out of the way. I am taking Log to Disneyland tomorrow so we can ride the rides he likes and what-not. We do have to be back in time for church tomorrow night, so it won't be a real long day, but who cares? It's DISNEYLAND!!!!!!! :)

We are now paging all friends who are willing to help us to move on the 10th of March.... True friends only need apply. ;0) (YES, I am trying to guilt everyone into helping...) Toodles!

Glory BE!

I think I was born on a soap box. No matter how hard I try to be meek and humble, I somehow inexplicably find myself in the same position - feet firmly planted on my soap box, mouth open, preaching about something. I really wish I could stop. Lord knows I have tried, but it hasn't happened yet... Tonight's soap box? Consecration. In all fairness to...myself, it was tonight's lesson in my class. (Oh, yeah and some history on Pentecost that I never got to, because class was cut short!) Not just a general consecration, but my rant was more channeled into girls cutting their hair tonight. The ten and eleven-year old kiddos that I teach were very attentive when I started talking about the blessings of God being linked to obedience and consecration and hair-cutting in particular. I know there are many ways to consecrate to God, but it took me a long time to get the revelation of not cutting my own hair and I have a burden for those who haven't yet realized it themselves. I see so much suffering withing Pentecostal ranks that just seems unnecessary. I feel strongly that much of it may be linked to a lack of dedication and/or consecration to God. (I told you I had a soap box going on tonight!!) I don't know. I'm just a "laywoman" and not anyone very inspirational, but I hope that the girls that I have a direct influence over will be influenced by me in at least this respect. Keep the scissors out of your glory! Don't shave it, break it, burn it, cut it, dye it, or otherwise alter its appearance. God WILL bless your obedience. I am living proof. I won't elaborate further here, but I'd be more than happy to one on one, if this is a struggle in your life. Soap box relinquished! (For now!) ;)

Some day, I'll laugh...

There will be times in life that something will happen that is so positively and absolutely horrifyingly EMBARRASSING, you won't ever want to think about it AGAIN. But I can't STOP thinking about it. Of course, I am not indiscreet or lame enough to post it on my blog, but I am not too proud to address it. Lots of really infamous "JoniAyn-isms" are popping into my ever-loving brain right now, but I can't repeat those EITHER! LOLOL Ugh! God is working on my humility, I'm sure of it. I need more, obviously.

Good news, though, I am getting to a certain point in a certain situation that I will be able to talk about it on my blog and I am BURSTING. I really am and it will be great fun to blog about.

ANYhoo, I am trying to regroup from the last couple of days of non-stop busy-ness. It was a great opportunity to be able to be involved with the SCC conference in Ontario, and we had a wonderful time. I think we're just going to move out of our apartment and take up new residence! LOL I know "that" would probably get old, but I still love those precious times with wonderful people. Good times.

Have a blessed evening and I'll be back!

Happy New Year!

Well, I want everyone to know that today, for me, is New Year's Day. It's not, however, due to my being of Chinese descent or anything like that, but because today was a momentous day in my life. As a matter of fact, without this day, I wouldn't have life. Yes, today is my birthday. I love birthdays and mine is a big deal to me, whether or not anyone ELSE thinks it's a big deal is another story altogether. Without this day, (31 years ago), my husband would be short 1 wife, my son wouldn't exist, my friends would not laugh as much, and my church would miss me and not even know it!! LOL ;) I may not be God's gift to men, music, or whatever, but I think God did give me to a very special lady - my Momma. (BTW-Mom, did I mention that I wanted Gucci bath products??? LOL) JK!!!! I love you, Mom and I wouldn't be here without you, so I'm especially thankful for you on today, my birthday. You are a wonderful, beautiful person and awesome "Granny"! :D

Don't even ASK about my diet today! I've already received some "encouragement" from a friend to stay on task with my diet today, but all I really want for my birthday is a PB&J. So, that's what I'm having, even as a write. *tap!* *tap!* *chew!* *chew!* LOL I'll have spinach for breakfast tomorrow to make up for it.

So, the moral of the story today is, even if you can't be WITH me - CELEBRATE this very wonderful day! (Someday it will be a National Holiday.)

It's All Good in Da Nay-ba-hood

Last night I had a great time at the Inland Crusade and afterwards as well! Many people were filled with God's Spirit the last couple of nights and a good number of those were baptized! Thank you, Jesus!

I had a wonderful time after service as well "fellowshipping" with wonderful, old friends. I truly and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Had an interesting conversation with someone very important last night as well. Possibly life and thought altering conversation would be a better fitting explanation. I am very excited, but not at liberty to divulge any of the details at this current juncture. *Sigh!* Sorry!

Diet-wise it was a very good day. Salad for lunch and dinner. That's HUGE progress for me! (Pun intended!) :D I know, I know, I said I'd be taking the day off from all the rigmarole, but it just turned out to be much better when I didn't try so hard! (Note to self: Don't try very hard to NOT eat a hot fudge sundae tonight.) LOL Okay, enough silliness. I'll be ba-ack!

Momentous

One moment, one blink of an eye, one small but powerful spoken word has the ability to change my outlook on life. I was awakened by a phone call that carried with it some startling news. (Yes, I was finally able to get back to sleep...) I now know that I should have spent my sleepless hours in prayer this morning, but I never would have been able to fathom what for. Shocking. Truly shocking. I am nobody, so I do not feel that I can take the stance of "disappointment", but I am very much alarmed at some recent developments. Oh, I know, I'm being vague, but the goal of my blog is to have an outlet for feelings just like the ones I am experiencing now. It's not up to me to cite another's shortcomings or downfalls, but I do know how this particular situation makes me feel. Burdened for all the many lives that are effected and perhaps forever changed. God help me not to ignore Your voice when you call me to pray, even if I don't know what it is or WHO it is I am praying for.