It’s one of the gifts in life that just works for me. I read in the paper this mornin that there is more and more research touting the BENEFITS of chocolate, especially dark chocolate. I’m thankful that somewhere in time, someone had the insane idea to roast a cocoa bean and process it until they had an edible chocolate bar. I’m thankful that I can run to WalMart and buy some pretty decent chocolate when I need a fix. I’m thankful that the Sweet Shop is right here in my hometown, so that I can indulge in some amazing chocolate confections when I really, Really need to.

Thank You, God, for chocolate!

Big Time. Three days ago, I had the worst scare of my entire life.We were having a major wind storm in Fort Worth Tuesday. Wind gusts of 70+ mph today in the downtown area, brush fires all around. I had a meeting at lunchtime, and per my usual, I simply walked there. I underestimated the wind, though, and had already been buffered around by the time I got to the other side of Burnett Park. I was crossing Lamar at 7th Street, and there was this huge gush of wind and a loud CRACK! In the next second, I’m being showered with broken glass. Windows at the top of 15 story building across the street were being blown out from the wind, or workers dropped a glass pane or something. All I could think to do was turn my back and cover my eyes. The largest chunks shattered in the street not two feet in front of me, and the wind was blowing so hard that the glass was just flying in all directions. I just stood there, dumbstruck! Cars were slamming on their brakes and people were just all over me. I remember a man leaping out of a red truck and yelling “Are you okay?” “Did you get hit?? At that moment all I could think of was that I was late for my meeting. I shook the glass out of my hair and went on my way. (Shock? Stupidity?) I went to my meeting, participated in the discussion, then walked back to my office.

Two hours later, I was sitting at my desk eating my sandwich, and I started to shake and cry. If I had been two feet further along the crosswalk, I would have been chopped in half. Instead, I had a very small scratch on the back of my head and one on my shoulder. There were shards of glass inside my bra, and I found a handfull of glass chunks at the bottom of my purse. Only then did I realize how close I came to getting seriously hurt.

On the way home, I drove by the “scene” with my children. I was astonished at how much broken glass there was all around. Looking up, I could see not one, but three windows missing their glass, already covered with plyboard. I could see how the winds had blown the glass two blocks down the street; therein lies the reason I didn’t get cut. The panes of glass landed just downwind of where I was standing in the crosswalk, so most of the glass blew away from me.

So. What am I going to do now? Adjust my attitude. It’s been sliding lately, and it’s time to reclaim myself. It’s time to return to living a life of gratitude, one that revels in giving praise to God and not just sending Him petitions and complaints.

And I will never again walk through downtown on a windy day without wearing a hardhat.

…”Oh. My. Goodness.”

I never, ever in my wildest dreams thought that by shopping at my local grocery store, eating at my favorite restaurant or supporting a local charity that I would be supporting an organization such as Planned Parenthood. I had no idea!

A friend of mine has set me straight. I am called to be a good steward of the blessings God has provided. I’ve done my research, and as the primary budget keeper, food shopper and clothing purchaser of my household, I’m putting my money where my faith is – well, actually I’m NOT putting my money where my faith ISN’T. I’ve ordered the Boycott List from Life Decisions International, and once it arrives I’ll be reviewing it and then deliberatly boycotting products and services from companies who donate funds to Planned Parenthood. Furthermore, I’ll be instructing my investment manager to divert my hard earned retirement funds AWAY from these same companies.

It won’t be easy. I’ll have to stop buying used books from half.com, since eBay is on the Boycott List. I’ll no longer support the Susan B. Komen foundation – I’ll be sending my dontations directly to the American Cancer Society instead. I am willing to be inconvenienced to do what is right.

LDI points out in their Boycott List, “you do not want to cooperate with evil or help make it possible for others to do evil. If Company XYZ wants to find Planned Parenthood it will not be with the money God has placed in your care.”

Here’s how to order a Boycott List for your family. It includes a comprehensive list of brand names for each boycotted company as well as contact information, as well as an FAQ with guidance about how to write to these companies.

My boycott is small act of defiance by one angry Mom; hopefully to be joined with a million other small acts of defiance, all leading up to the eventual demise of Planned Parenthood.