FLORIDA

Sometimes I really miss the sunshine state. Especially after I've just been there on a visit. I came across some funny statements, and they made me think of the unique place where I spent the first 23 years of my life. Enjoy!

You know you're from Florida if...

Flip-flops are everyday wear.

Someone has named a boat after you.

An alligator once walked through your neighborhood.

You measure distance in minutes.

You get annoyed at the tourists who feed seagulls.

All the local festivals are named after a fruit.

A mountain is any hill 100 feet above sea level.

You think everyone from a bigger city has a northern accent.

The 4 seasons are actually: almost summer, summer, not summer but really hot, and Christmas.

You know that no other grocery store can compare to Piggly Wiggly.

Anything under 95 is just warm.

Anything under 70 is chilly.

You've hosted a hurricane party.

You pass on the right.

You understand the futility of exterminating cockroaches.

You understand why it's better to have a friend with a boat, than have a boat yourself.

You get annoyed when people say "Florida isn't really part of the South."

You've worn shorts and used the A/C on Christmas.

Your parents caught and sold fish in order to be able to feed you.

You know what the "stingray shuffle" is, and why it's important.

Socks are only for bowling.

A good parking place has nothing to do with distance from the store, but everything to do with shade.

You can tell the difference between fire ant bites and mosquito bites.


You dread lovebug season.

Every other house had blue roofs in 2004-2005.

You are on a first name basis with the Hurricane list. They aren't Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Frances...but Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.



You know that anything under a Category 3 just isn't worth waking up for.

You were twelve before you ever saw snow or you still haven't.

You could swim before you could read.

Most of all... when you live anywhere else, you miss the beach!

Insomnia

It's super late at night, and I just can't sleep. I've already cleaned my room (which is a huge task, if you know the messes I tend to make during the week...), and I'm still not very tired. So I thought I'd copy and paste the lyrics to several of my favorite hymns, mostly just because I want to read the words to them right now. I prefer hymns over many other types of songs, simply because so many of them were born out of adversity, written out of grief, pain, and suffering, all the while still proclaiming the greatness of our glorious God! Side note* I do wish some talented musicians would make some acoustic/non-choir versions of these hymns so I could actually listen to them during the week maybe on my ipod. *End of side note.

This first one became very special to me around the time that God opened my eyes to first see the weight of my sin. I had never really considered the enormity of my sin and God's wrath and the fact that I now do not have to endure it because of Christ, because I am in fact hidden in Him.

Rock of Ages

Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save from wrath and make me pure.

Could my tears for ever flow,
Could my zeal no languor know.
These for sin could not atone;
Thou must save and thou alone:
In my hand no price I bring,
Simply to thy cross I cling.

While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyes shall close in death,
When I rise to worlds unknown,
And behold thee on thy throne,
Rock of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in thee. 

God used this particular hymn mightily in my life during my parents divorce and the death of my mom. Though I could not see how anything would ever be good again, He gave me so much peace and strength to stand... He kept me tight in His hand, never letting me go. His word proves true!

How Firm A Foundation

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

"Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

"When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

"The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake."

I mostly like this one because it's fun for me to play on the piano. The words are the main reason behind my excitement and joy in playing it.

Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners

Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

Chorus: Hallelujah! What a Savior!
Hallelujah! What a friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.

Jesus! What a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
He, my strength, my victory wins.

Jesus! What a help in sorrow!
While the billows o’er me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my comfort, helps my soul.

Jesus! I do now receive Him,
More than all in Him I find.
He hath granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.


I think I'm finally ready to sleep now.