30 Rock Delights

I don't have a job, I think I've made that pretty clear, so instead of lying around doing nothing and getting fat, I've been watching copious amounts of Netflix (while I lie around getting fat).  Lately, I'm reminded of the comedic genius of 30 Rock writing, and how I'm eerily similar to Liz Lemon.  I wanted to record some of my favorite quotes, because putting it on facebook is a dangerous cycle (I particularly like the irrational conservative quotes from "Jack Donaghy" and "Avery Jessop" and sarcasm tends not to translate well to 90% of my fb "friends").
----------
Jack (while making a video to his unborn son):  After I'm gone, your mother may meet someone else, I want her to be happy, so his death must appear to be accidental.
----------
Avery:  We're having a damn girl...  That Russian skank read the ultrasound wrong. Oh, I'm just so worried about her spatial reasoning and upper-body strength. Jack, talk me down.
----------
Jack:  You can't control everything. Avery, sometimes it's just fate.
Avery:  Is there gay juice in the champagne?
Jack:  See, I want you to teach our child how to say awesome stuff like that.
----------
Avery: We're having a boy.
Liz:  That's great, congratulations!
Avery:  Think about it Liz.  Every woman my boy dates will get compared to me.  And they will be found wanting.
----------
Liz:  Do you have a neck pillow?  I blew mine up and now it smells like my mouth.
----------
Canadian doorman:  What's so bad about being Canadian?
Jack:  Your milk comes in bags--bags.
Avery:  Your pavilion at Epcot doesn't have a ride.
Jack:  And if Canada is so nice and friendly, why is most of our meth come from your Asian drug gangs?
Avery:  [gasps] Are we not even making our own meth?  What is happening to American manufacturing?
----------
Liz:  Well at least give us some food!
Carol (Liz's pilot boyfriend for a few shows):  Negative. Those potato chip bags were designed to be opened in flight.  You open them at sea level, somebody could get killed.
----------
Jack:  Look, Avery, you and I are cut from the same cloth.  It's one of the reasons we work so well and why we're unbeatable at a three-legged race.
Avery:  We ruined those kids' field day.
----------

MORE TO COME I'M SURE!

Ceeping up with the Castles

Get it?! The email subject is a play on Keeping up with the Kardashians, a show that Kayla got me completely hooked on and Justen abhors.  

So, anyway, the last week has been mundane, so this week's email will be semi-short and sweet.  School started here officially on Tuesday, and watching the buses (on their way home from school because no way was I awake when they picked up the kids in the morning) really made me miss teaching.  I was tempted to set up a little classroom in the basement and keep up some lesson planning skills.  But, if someone saw me, I'd look psycho--teaching grammar to imaginary students and stuffed animals in the basement.  Justen has a 3 ft. tall Alf doll, you know I'd have him sitting up and ready to learn in my classroom!

We had friends and family over for dinner 3 different times this week, yikes!  On Tuesday, when we'd normally go to Justen's mom and dad's house for a family dinner with his sister and her crew, we had dinner at our house for Justen's parents and our friends Clint & Krissi.  Justen's sister worked late and wanted the kids to stay home and get ready for school. I also asked aunt Debbie who just happened to have Madison with her, wahoo!  So we had fun and lots of baby time.  Justen grilled, he loves his grill, and I underbaked potatoes, heated up some veggies, and made rice krispie treats.  We convinced them to play Mexican train with us, and it was so fun!  

Our town, Grove City, has lots of events and this past weekend was "Balloons and Tunes."  At a park 2 blocks from our house, they launched hot air balloons Friday and Saturday night.  Friday night we had his friends over and made pizzas and watched as the hot air balloons floated right over our house!!  I made a cookie cake (to go along with the pizza theme) and tried to decorate it to look like hot air balloons.  Epic fail.  The icing was too warm, or the kitchen was, and it looked like colorful puddles.  The yellow icing looking just like mustard.  But it tasted great!  And watching the hot air balloons was magical!  They flew really low, we could hear their conversations, and we were all as excited as little kids.  We tried to recreate that on Saturday night with Justen's family.  His sister and her boyfriend's kids were with their other parents and they already had plans, but mom and dad, Jessica, Brent & baby Madison, and grandpa and gramma Hayes all came over. I heated up 3 different types of pasta, some breadsticks, and asked mom and dad to bring a salad.  Grandpa and gramma brought tons of delicious fruit.  Jessica and Brent brought the baby, my Sunny, which is better than any salad!  We waited and waited for the balloons, I had hyped them up a lot.  By 7:00, an hour after their supposed launch, still no balloons.  We ultimately saw 3 hot air balloons in the distance, but that was it.  Still, it was cool and we had a good time with family.

My ward had a big service project on Saturday that we had every intention to attend, but it was at 9am and since we didn't wake up until 11:30...  Yeah, totally missed it.  My allergies were CRAZY this weekend, too, so even though it's not a great excuse, it's all I have.  I have to start attending the ward activities if I ever want to make friends, because going to church just isn't the right venue to make friends.  We went to church today, and the credit goes to Joe.  He sent me the best  email last week, both motivating me and chastising me. On the friend note, I did meet a neighbor, Jen, this week.  She was out walking her little boy and she stopped to chat one day.  She's a teacher and gave me some good advice about getting into the districts.  I told her she should come over for dinner sometime and she extended the invitation to us as well.  So, that might turn into a friendship.  

So, still no job, but tomorrow I have an orientation to go to and maybe that will turn into something as well.  Love you all, hope you're all having a great week!

Dream within a dream

What an interesting week it's been for Justen and I here in Ohio. I'm glad I've been so diligently journaling our first year of marriage (using the scrapbook Kayla gave me, thanks again!), because otherwise I'd have a hard time remembering what we've done!

On Monday, I was pretty lazy.  Justen and I were messaging back and forth, and finally at one point he tells me I need to get up, get dressed, and get going.  This was around 3 in the afternoon.  I hustled out the door just in time to mail Britney a package for her 30th birthday.  I wanted to mail 30 different things, so I'm worried her package came across as a box of crap, but it's the thought that counts, right? Justen grilled again, and he is getting better and better at using his sweet grill.  And I love when he grills because all I have to do is lay out some chicken in the morning.  We spent the rest of that evening putting up DVD shelves that we bought at IKEA awhile ago.  I thought Justen was handling it so I kind of ignored him.  When I looked up, he only had one shelf up and seemed pretty frustrated.  After he struggled with a few more, I finally took a "good wife" pill and helped him like I should've from the beginning.  It still took some time, but totally worth it because they look amazing!

On Tuesday, after getting Dad's email about putting Woody down, I started thinking maybe Justen and I should get a dog!  Woody was such a great dog, and I could be a great dog mom!  By the time Justen got home from work, that thought was replaced by "maybe I should just get a new purse."  We had dinner at Justen's parent's house and Mom Castle made her beef and noodles.  She said she's worked on this recipe for 26 years, and finally before Justen's granpa passed away, she got the recipe right.  Justen ate it so fast, I couldn't believe it!!  Justen helped fix Mom's pond, and the kids talked about school starting (tomorrow), and we played Jeopardy on the Wii.  They've turned Justen's old bachelor pad in the basement into a really fun play area, and they bought a huge TV, I gave them my Wii, and everyone loves it down there.  

Thanks to some "Do It Yourself" magazines, I spent Wednesday driving around to different thrift stores looking for cheap, gold brooches to make a brooch bouquet.  All the thrift stores have 50% and 75% off sales on the last Wednesday of the month, so it was no or never.  Justen's grandparents are renewing their wedding vows in September, 54 years!  I thought I could make her a bouquet, and when I asked her about it she really liked the idea.  Justen and I also decided to organize a family picture for the Hayes side of the family, so give to Gramma and Granpa Hayes as a gift.  There's only 17 people TOTAL on that side of the family, so hopefully it won't be too hard to get everyone together.  Justen mowed our lawn for the 2nd time this summer, and it sure looks great!  It's almost green!!!  He set up the surround sound that night, our house is coming together slowly but surely.

Thursday during the day, Justen's aunt Debbie and cousin Jessica (and Jessica's 2-month old baby Madison) came to visit me during the day which was great!  They are so much fun, and we have a great time sitting around and talking.  They stayed for quiet awhile, too, which I'm so grateful for. Otherwise it's just me alone in the house until Justen gets home.  We were invited to go to dinner at his friend Matt & Suzanne's house, and they requested I bring a Mr. Dell's casserole.  They have 2 little girls, so it was a full day of playing with babies!!!  Trying to take a picture was kind of an ordeal, but still super fun.  We played Taboo, and man Justen and I suck at it.  It was embarrassing how badly we lost!!  We also played Scattergories, and of course I killed.  I cleaned up.

Friday,  I went to a movie with Debbie and Mom Castle at noon.  We went to see Hope Springs...  Yikes.  If you're interested in watching a movie where 60-somethings try to rekindle their marriage and sex life, then this is the movie for you!  I could've have felt more uncomfortable.  We went to lunch at Red Robin, then Mom Castle came over to my house and waited for Justen to come home so we could all chit chat.  That evening we ordered some Papa Johns, YUM, and watched Avatar in surround sound.  Justen did everything he could to support me and make me laugh Friday evening.  He is possibly the most amazing husband EVER.

The Hunger Games DVD went on sale at midnight on Friday, but for some reason Justen refused to go get me a copy of it at Wal-Mart at 12:30am.  I take back the best husband ever comments.  I went to get my copy from Target Saturday morning, wahoo!  Instead of watching it right away, Justen and I went on a 7.5 mile bike ride.  It was so fun, and it was the first time I rode my bike from Christmas!  Unfortunately, not having been on a bike since before I turned 16 means I'm not a strong rider...  Also, I am so sore, I have to sit on a pillow.  Justen just laughs.  After our bike ride I tried to watch Hunger Games, but I was so worn out from the exercise that I ended up taking a nap.  We woke up in time to go get some Chinese food with Justen's friends Clint and Krissi, and Mom Castle and her best friend Cheryl.  I thought it would be more of a Japanese steak house type of place.  But it was much closer to a Golden Coral vibe.  It made me miss Hunan's in Kearney!!  We went to see the new Bourne movie afterwards and loved it!!!  It set up a hole new set of possible movies to come, so it makes me want to read the books.

My twitchy leg kept me up all night again.  And every time I'd toss and turn, I'd hear Justen make a long elaborate sigh.  Finally I got up and watched the rest of The Hunger Games and the special features.  I tried going back to bed a few times, but our house felt so hot.  I couldn't figure out why it was so hot until I checked the weather today.  Last night it got down into the 50's, so it would've been way cooler if I'd have just opened a window!!!!  The end result is we missed church, again.  This is the last time.  I'm desperate for friends and people to associate with, and church is the place!  So no more sleeping through church, even if I've been up all night.  Today was nice though.  I made Justen some banana bread, cookies for his work, and then some frozen lasagna for dinner.  We went on another bike ride despite my aching behind, and watched a movie together.  Did I mention Justen did the dishes again?  He is amazing.  

Right before our show was supposed to start, I realized I'd lost my wallet!  The only place I thought it could be was at the movie theater, so we hopped in the car and drove 15 minutes to the theater.  It was there, THANK GOODNESS, but all the money in it was gone.  I am going to call banks tomorrow and make sure whoever found my wallet didn't also decide to record my card numbers.  What a pain, but I guess that's what I get for sneaking in snacks then knocking my purse over during the movie while digging for peanut butter M&Ms.

So, that was my week, in a nutshell.  Justen keeps looking at me saying this email is WAY too long, especially considering the majority of my week was spent sleeping! 

Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream? 

Edgar Allan Poe

30 Reasons I Love Britney

Also known as "30 Reasons Why Britney Makes Me Laugh" or "30 Reasons Why Britney Is Amazing."

30.  She never forgets a birthday.  Every year on my birthday she will call and sing a birthday tune, she hasn't missed in 8 years!

29.  This is a two-parter.  I love Britney because she introduced me to Shaved Ice, and I love Shaved Ice.  I'm not sure which I love more, that's how good the Shaved Ice is.  And because of meeting Britney, then discovering shaved ice, I met Daniel.  So because of Brit, I had several new things to love.

28.  Britney and I share very few "inside jokes," but the main one that still cracks me up is:  Cocoa Butter.

27.  Britney is fearless.  She will try anything and is always up for anything.  Her bravery is often the reason I do brave things like jump off cliffs or zip line off the Great Wall of China.

26.  Britney is my favorite person to go to the lake with, she's so good at water sports. I don't know why it surprises me that she is, maybe because I'm not at all.  She can do anything she tries, and look like a pro!

25.  Britney doesn't laugh out loud very often, at least not at the stuff we do, so when she laughs it makes my heart so happy!  Her laugh is genuine, sincere, and contagious.

24.  Britney loves to hike.  I want to clarify that this is not a reason I love Brit, and she knows exactly what I mean.  It's just a fact that I am slowly learning to laugh about.  If she ever talks you into an "easy hike" to the wind caves, SAY NO.

23.  She is a great aunt.  NO ONE loves her nieces and nephew more than Britney, and they know it, too.  In fact, anyone that Britney loves knows it because she is so loving and giving.

22.  Britney is one of the most Christ-like people I know.  She isn't prone to dramatics or bias, she sees  people clearly and loves them in spite of their flaws.  She has a strong testimony and a steady relationship with our Father in Heaven.  She inspires me to be a better woman.

21.  Are you looking for the PERFECT travel partner?  Look no further, you found her!  Britney is the honestly and truly the most fun person to travel with.  She doesn't get cranky, she doesn't get tired, and she's up for taking LOTS of silly pictures!

20.  Brit introduced me to the pedicure.  I had never even considered such a thing, and now I'm hooked!  I documented the first time though, we look good!

19.  She is so smart, I mean she can prove she's smarter than you.  She works hard, she knows her stuff, and she is well-respected.  She finished college and grad school before I even finished my B.A. She is so intelligent, but doesn't shove it in your face either.

18.  Britney has the best smile!  This picture (taken on the Branson Belle, mid-performance) catches her smile perfectly!  How can you not smile when she's smiling?!

17.  Brit is an eater.  I really love this about her, she eats!  But she doesn't cook, so she's not quite super woman, but she's close.

16.  She runs marathons.  I think this is one of the most impressive things about Brit.  She trains and prepares (most of the time) to participate, and then runs the whole time.

15.  Justen doesn't love this about her, but I sure do: Brit introduced me to Project Runway.  I am officially obsessed (watching it right now in fact). Did I mention Justen HATES this show?  

14.  Britney loves the movie National Treasure.  She could watch it over and over and over again and never get bored with it.  Oh wait, nope, that's me.  In fact, I might watch that when PR is over.  

13.  She is very stylish, always looking put together, fashionable, and I try to copy her often.  Pretty sure I own half the headbands I've seen her wear because they look so great.

12.  I love Britney, and always will, because she saw so much potential in my brother, and she encouraged him to achieve the best in all things.  Because she is such a good person, she uplifted my brother and helped him be a good person.  I love her because I know she loved my brother, and I remember seeing their wedding and knowing my brother found a good woman who will love and support him.  I know this is a sensitive subject, but it's true.  Brit, I may never have met you otherwise, so I'm grateful even though right now it hurts.

11. Britney NEVER packs shampoo, conditioner, hair stuff, chi, whatever else because she knows that either my mom or I will have one (minimum).  In China, she never even packed a toothbrush because the hotels all provided them for us.  She is a smart traveler.

10.  Britney goes to the temple often.  It's a great example she sets for anyone who knows her.

9.  Britney loves to play games, and has taught us games that we love!  She is always up for playing a game with a group or with just one other person.  Anything beats watching National Treasure for the 101th time.

8.  She is a good sister.  She communicates with her siblings often, and supports them whole-heartedly.  None of her siblings doubt the level of loyalty she has for them, and vice versa.  Her family is how siblings should be.

7.  She loves me and my mom.  From day one Britney made the effort to love us, and I will always love her for that.  She was family before she was ever family, and she'll remain family to me.  

6.  Britney has high standards and those around her want to rise to those standards.  Whether they're moral standards, ethical standards, work standards, whatever.  She does her best, and assumes everyone wants to do their best, so she supports them and holds them accountable.

5.  Brit is super creative.  She will claim not to be, but don't believe her.  She can make a quilt in no time, she can make something out of nothing and it always looks cool.

4.  She did this for me when I turned 30.  I was single, depressed, and just so positive that life after 30 (especially being single) would be miserable.  Then I saw her blog post, and it turned my frown upside down.  I felt so loved.  I love that she did that for me.

3.  She can't sing, like not at all, but she tries and doesn't get offended when we laugh and tease her about it.

2.  I love her by default because she's a feisty redhead.  Oh man, I love redheads.

1. I love Britney today, her 30th birthday, and every day because Britney is fun.  She is genuinely a fun person.  She likes to do stuff, go places, try things.  She is positive, she doesn't speak ill of people (unless they are weirdos), and is just FUN!  

Happy birthday, Britney!  Lots of love from us in Ohio to you in Arizona!  

Shark Week!

Right now, Justen is finishing up dishes from dinner (and the past few days) while I hoped to watch my show on the Lifetime network.  He casually yells down to me that it is Shark Week, and I can watch my recorded shows any time, but I can only watch Shark Week programming with him once.  Shark Week it is.  

We have had a short week, but busy as always!  I left Ohio for Missouri on Sunday for Erica's baby shower--which went VERY well. 

 I loved being in Missouri and laying out at the pool and running errands with mom.  Something I REALLY miss, I didn't realize until I got back from Missouri, was the joy of running into someone I know while I'm out and about.  Mom and I ran into Monica and her girls at Target, and it was so fun to see her and catch up for a minute.  Here in Ohio, I don't know anyone, so even though I still find myself looking for familiar faces, I don't see any.  Missouri weather was hot but not very humid, and I was a great trip.  I asked Justen before I left if he'd be able to sleep without me.  He laughed.  I snore, toss and turn, grind my teeth, and he says I "thrash" around.  So, while we were apart he slept pretty good!

I got home late Wednesday night, and because I was kind of wired from flying AND had the worst twitchy leg ever, I didn't fall asleep until the early morning.  I was supposed to be a volunteer for the Pelotonia (the bike ride Justen did last year and the year before) and stuff gift bags for the riders, but I was just pooped.  I slept in like a bum on Thursday.  Justen and I volunteered to feed the missionaries that night, so I woke up in time to do some cooking.  I started out by making mom's chicken enchiladas again (which the missionaries devoured and took home the leftovers).  Justen mentioned that since we had 3 over-ripe bananas, perhaps I could make some banana bread.  I dug up gramma Johnsen's banana bread recipe and made 2 loaves, they were delicious!  I sent one home with the missionaries, and they said it was gone by the next day.  Ours lasted a few more days, but only because Justen is so disciplined.

Friday was a big day for Justen.  His company, Coba Select Sires, had an open house for all the Coba Select Sires employees, customers, etc.  I went to Plain City, Ohio, and spent the day with him at the Select Sires facility.  I got to see how they collect the bull's semen, how they separate the semen from male and female.  I learned that they use all males in the semen collection process, that there is something called a mounting bull and his "job" is to get mounted all day by bulls.  I got to see a lot of things that I'll never be able to un-see, actually.  So, it really was a fun day with Justen, I'm proud of him for being a part of a company like this.  They had over 700 people at the event, it was a big deal.  

That night we got cleaned up and went to dinner with his company at a Marriott downtown.  Everyone had a great time.  We loved it!

Saturday I convinced Justen to take me to see the Disney movie "Brave" and it was so cute!  We did some window shopping, and quite a bit of budget discussion.  I REALLY need a job, and I'm hoping to start subbing in schools in a month.  Justen's company got tickets for anyone who wanted to attend a Columbus Clippers game.  We went and had a fun time with his co-workers and family.  It got pretty chilly, everyone was wearing jeans and sweatshirts!  The Clippers lost, badly, but it was still fun.  

This picture is from the game last night, where I taught Douglas how to "photobomb" pictures.  He's not into sports, so he spent the evening complaining and playing on his grandparents' phones. 

I was up all night last night, I finally made it out of the bathroom and into bed around 6am.  Needless to say, we missed church.  We've spent the whole day just being together!  Watched a movie, watched some TV, talked, cuddled, and now we're just loving Shark Week.  I love days like this, it reminds me of our honeymoon.  It's just us, we together constantly with no pressures or responsibilities.  Sure, it would've been better if we had gone to church, or if I had even gotten dressed... But it was still pretty great.  I made a good dinner for my man, a roast, baked potato, and green beans.  Yeah, cooking for Justen hasn't gotten old yet, but doing the dishes sure has!  Speaking of dishes, Justen just finished in the kitchen, and I'd rather lean up against my sweetie than sit at the computer. 

Choose not to be offended

Note to self:
In the past few days and weeks I've had some struggles, to say the least, and not only have I been deeply offended, but I have offended others deeply. My mom is so wise, and as I asked for her counsel, she inadvertently reminded me of a talk given by Elder David A. Bednar at conference.  The talk is titled "And Nothing Shall Offend Them."  Here's some parts that I felt were just for me; they were exactly what I needed to hear today to move on.

Choose Not to Be Offended

When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense. However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not acondition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.

In the grand division of all of God’s creations, there are things to act and things to be acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:13–14). As sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, we have been blessed with the gift of moral agency, the capacity for independent action and choice. Endowed with agency, you and I are agents, and we primarily are to act and not just be acted upon. To believe that someone or something can make us feel offended, angry, hurt, or bitter diminishes our moral agency and transforms us into objects to be acted upon. As agents, however, you and I have the power to act and to choose how we will respond to an offensive or hurtful situation.

The Savior is the greatest example of how we should respond to potentially offensive events or situations.

“And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men” (1 Nephi 19:9).

Through the strengthening power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, you and I can be blessed to avoid and triumph over offense. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165).

Two Invitations

I conclude my message with two invitations.

Invitation #1

I invite you to learn about and apply the Savior’s teachings about interactions and episodes that can be construed as offensive.

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. …

“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

“And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:43–44, 46–48).

Interestingly, the admonition to “be ye therefore perfect” is immediately preceded by counsel about how we should act in response to wrongdoing and offense. Clearly, the rigorous requirements that lead to the perfecting of the Saints include assignments that test and challenge us. If a person says or does something that we consider offensive, our first obligation is to refuse to take offense and then communicate privately, honestly, and directly with that individual. Such an approach invites inspiration from the Holy Ghost and permits misperceptions to be clarified and true intent to be understood.

Invitation #2

Many of the individuals and families who most need to hear this message about choosing not to be offended are probably not participating with us in conference today. I suspect all of us are acquainted with members who are staying away from church because they have chosen to take offense—and who would be blessed by coming back.

Will you please prayerfully identify a person with whom you will visit and extend the invitation to once again worship with us? Perhaps you could share a copy of this talk with her or him, or you may prefer to discuss the principles we have reviewed today. And please remember that such a request should be conveyed lovingly and in meekness—and not in a spirit of self-righteous superiority and pride.

As we respond to this invitation with faith in the Savior, I testify and promise that doors will open, our mouths will be filled, the Holy Ghost will bear witness of eternal truth, and the fire of testimony will be rekindled.

As His servant, I echo the words of the Master when He declared, “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended” (John 16:1). I witness the reality and divinity of a living Savior and of His power to help us avoid and overcome offense.