The Post About April Showers and Junk

Let's recap this month in pictures, shall we?

Chickadees, Monkeys, Ninjas, and Betrothal Hearts make for a cake poppin' good time. Note: I only show you the ones that look good.

My dear friend Allison got married in Shreveport, LA. It was a divine Southern shindig so everything was monogrammed and included cheese.

Rabbit Sidebar: The highest rated restaurant in Shreveport on Yelp is Church's Chicken. Make a note to your traveling self.

Warm weather means ridiculous nails. I love it. If you want to be inspired, make sure to follow @xoxo_trina on Twitter. Her fingers always look divine.

When Goldfish are BOGO at Publix, I spend 9 minutes staring at the shelves. It was harder to choose a college major.


I had an IN-REAL-LIFE meet with blogger Andi Cumbo in Tuscaloosa. She flew down to continue research on her upcoming creative nonfiction book - You Will Not Be Forgotten - about the people who were enslaved on the plantation where she was raised. We sat by the river and I introduced her to fried pickles and white BBQ sauce. I assume her life is better now.

This song was gifted to me by Jessica from Meet The Buttrams. Listen here:


It's been the soundtrack of my life this month. More on that tomorrow.

So what about you? April - snazziest or dumbest month ever?

{Images: Jamie}

The Post About Which Disney Prince Is The Best

Rabbit Sidebar: This post is not about Disney princesses. However, I like to take any opportunity to acknowledge my distaste for Ariel. Yes, I drew that. No copyright infringement intended.

I recently got into a debate with another blogger and then twitter followers and then friends at real-life meals over which Disney Prince is the best. Here's 8 of the most well-known princes and my take on each. I included some opinions from Rabbit Chasers who shared their thoughts on Facebook and Twitter.

Prince Adam (Beauty & The Beast)

 No discussion. He is the best. He is an abused kid who struggles with demons. Redemption on the way. He imprisons Belle but lets her go when he learns her Dad is sick. Family man.

For the record, I may actually have a real crush on the post-Beast cartoon.  

John Smith (Pocahontas)

I am strangely drawn to a guy who ends up falling for his stalker. However, John leaves her behind over a pesky little detail like needing medical attention. NOT COOL.

Flynn Ryder (Tangled)

He's the classic bad boy who gives up his wild ways for love. Plus, SHE actually saves him.

Yes, please, and thank you.

Jamie must fancy a little co-dependence.

Aladdin (Aladdin)

I know. I should love him. He's an orphan who's also a thief (bad boy.) But no.

However, you seem to be a fan.

Prince Phillip (Sleeping Beauty)

Two words: Good. Kisser.

Prince Naveen (Princess & The Frog)

He is a train wreck. And I'm guessing the real reason he doesn't haven't any funds is because of all the baby mamas he has to support. No.

Prince Charming (Cinderella)

For better or worse, Cinderella had my heart from day one. The movie Ever After only cemented my adoration for this tale. He's the original...a keeper.

Prince Eric (The Little Whatever)

Many of you would rank him #1.

PEOPLE.

I cannot abide by a guy who falls in love for me for a singing voice. I mean, I sing in my living room as though I'm an understudy for Adele or Beyonce. The reality is my impressive skill is being able to grab one serving of exactly 27 Cheez-its from the box every time.

Finally, let's let Sam flesh it out for us.

So how about you? Which Disney Prince is the best? The worst?

The Post About How You Protect Your Privacy Online

This week I'm presenting a training to social workers and child advocates on the topic of online privacy.

Writing a blog outlining every detail of your life is simply one of the many things you might want to avoid.

Those who can...do. Those who can't...teach conference workshops.

Here's the training description. Pay attention Rabbit Readers because I have questions for you.

Internet Invasion: Protecting Your Online Privacy: In the past few years, we have seen the rise and dominance of social media and interactive websites. This participatory type of online activity facilitates information sharing, creativity, collaboration, and network building. Good things. However, there is a trade-off: privacy invasion. This invasion occurs as sites collect personal information and use it for marketing purposes. The invasion continues as information shared online can often be accessed by strangers and predators. This workshop will show professionals how to help kids (and adults) stay safe online, manage their reputation and outsmart advertisers. We will tackle each of the following topics: 
1. Safety: interactivity, cyber bullying and exposure to inappropriate material. 
2. Online Marketing: How marketers build brand loyalty and the collection of personal data. 
3. Credibility of Online Information: Learning how to question what you read online.

I know you're already jealous you're going to miss it, so here's the content of one of my 89 slides.

*Don’t put your full birth date on Internet profiles.*
Identity thieves use birth dates as cornerstones of their craft. If you want friends on social-networking sites to know your birthday, try just the month and day, and leave off the year. Since some online profiles won't let you move forward without providing the full date, simply pick a "fake" birthday and use it.

I always wanted my birthstone to be Sapphire so my online birthday is in September. I bought sapphire earrings to celebrate.

What tips do you have? Have you had your privacy invaded online? What did you learn from it?Are you a online predator?

The Post about The Rabbit Recommends v. 110

Each week or so I post a readable or watchable and/or a listenable of which I'm fond. You can choose what happens after my recommendation. Ignore, embrace, debate. Earlier volumes of The Rabbit Recommends can be found here.

Read

My friend and blogger Katherine from Grass Stains sent me a link to excerpts from the new book Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown. The book imagines what may have happened if Vader had played an active role in Luke's life. The samples slayed me, so I bought it. No regrets for a geek like me. Here's one of my favorites.

 You can see more excerpts and check out the book trailer and buy it for yourself.

Watch

30 Rock will always be one of my favorites. It made me like Alec Baldwin as an actor. It taught me the song Muffin Top. And there are clips like the above from this week's episode "Murphy Brown Lied To Us." This episode also included the following conversation after Jack wants to matchmake Liz Lemon to a man named Kevin:

Lemon: I’m going to stop you at Kevin. Has anyone ever known a good person named Kevin? Jack: Kevin Garnett helped me move once. Kevin Costner cooked me dinner after a bad breakup. Kevin Sorbo introduced me to his podiatrist.

Listen

I fell for Eric Hutchinson when Entertainment Weekly told me I would if I listened to his live album Sounds Like This. I left that on repeat and attempted to clean my house in-between the soul breaks. His new album, Moving Up Living Down was just released and he does not disappoint. He's a nice mix of folk and pop and sounds like Jason Mraz and Gavin Degraw which I don't hate. But you might. But we can still be friends. I've included his single, The Basement above.  

You can download his first single Watching You Watch Him free from iTunes this week.

Recommending Disclaimer: I don't suggest anything because I get it free or because I have some sort of illicit relationship with Darth Vader or Tina Fey. I save all of those questionable dealings for UPS drivers.

The {Guest} Post About How Jesus Uses Draw Something

Today's guest rabbit chaser is Shawn from Tales From Street Road. I know Shawn in real life. He's a friend and the Worship Minister at my church. I know he has weird feet. I know he's an expert in bacon. I know he wants to be an actual superhero. I also know he loves God and His people. 

Are you playing Draw Something? If you’re not, you should be.

Draw Something is a very addicting game for iPhone. You draw a picture and the person you're playing against receives your drawing and has to guess what it is.

It’s awesomesauce.

(I might not ever say that again. I heard it on TV recently and liked it. But it’s just weird coming from me. Right? I thought so.)

Recently, Draw Something has been more than just fun for me.

When I started playing, I chose to play a random stranger, since I wasn’t sure how to connect to someone I knew. The game matched me with Aroma J. I didn’t know anything about this person except their profile pic was Rhett Butler from Gone With The Wind.

A few weeks ago, Aroma had to draw a pic of David Beckham and wrote "football” on it. Before I drew my next picture, I wrote back “I see you called ‘soccer’ football. What non-US country are you from?” That’s when I learned that Aroma is from Qatar.

I thought it was pretty cool to be playing a game with someone in another country. The game continued uneventful until Easter Sunday. Before I drew my picture for the game, I drew a cross and wrote “Happy Easter! He is Risen!”

The reply I got blew my mind....

“Who is Risen?”

{Blink. Blink.} (as a certain rabbit chaser might say.)

What a great question. I think it’s the question every Christian would love to hear. What an incredible opportunity God had just given me to share about Jesus Christ.

I replied “I am a follower of Jesus Christ. We’ve just celebrated Easter, a celebration of what happened 2000 yrs ago when God’s son, Jesus, died on a cross for me and you, then rose again. I’d like to talk to you more about this if you’re interested.” And I left it at that.

A day later I received this reply. “Jesus is not God’s son. But He was taken up into heaven alive and someone who looked like Jesus was killed on the cross. Jesus will come back and rule the world before Judgment day.”

My jaw hit the floor. What? Where did this fiction come from? How do I even reply to this?

Before I replied, I looked to my friend The Google.

The Google was very helpful. It taught me that what Aroma had said is what Muslims believe about Jesus. I felt so ignorant. I had no clue Muslims even acknowledged Jesus existed. I clearly was not prepared to get into this type of conversation. I replied back something like...“I see you have an Islamic belief of Jesus. Looks like we disagree on what is true about Jesus.”

Then I drew a snowman.

I mean, we still had a game going.

God has taught me a lot in the past week through this.

1. For years I’ve been saying I’m seeking doors God will open for me to share the Gospel. But in truth, I’m guilty of waiting for a trap door to open underneath me and drop me in. I haven’t really been looking at all. Who knows how many opportunities I missed because I wasn’t paying attention.

2. God can use us regardless of our skill level. In this situation, God used someone who draws like this...

 

...to play a drawing game and start a potentially life changing conversation.

3. I have so much to learn. Living in the buckle of the Bible belt makes it relatively easy to share Christ. But I was unprepared to talk about how what I believe is true and what Aroma believes is not. I’m pretty sure my part of that conversation would make less and less sense as it progressed and would just turn into me just saying “I’m right!, You’re wrong! Nee-ner, Nee-ner, Nee-ner!”

I’m sure that won’t really happen. We’re keeping our comments very friendly.

We’ve both said something like “The truth is...” Then we draw a happy face to keep it as friendly as possible.

That makes something offensive not offensive, right?

Anyway, Aroma and I are still playing Draw Something.

We're still having very brief conversations about our different faiths and cultures.

Please pray with me that God will open Aroma’s heart to the truth of Jesus Christ.

That would be awesomesauce!

(That’s the last time. I promise.)
 
Shawn Stinson is a Christ Follower, Husband, Father, Worship Leader, Sales Rep, Blogger, Gamer, and All Around Nerd. 

Read his blog, Tales From Street Road. Follow him on Twitter. Like him on Facebook.

The Post About God Telling Me To Shut It

My Sunday School co-teacher, Lisa, got a call during class yesterday that her 81-year-old mother wasn't answering her phone and her aunts were worried.

She left class. We stopped to pray. I asked God if He would arrange it so Betty was super duper and she'd simply misplaced her phone.

Before class even ended, we learned God had said "yes."

And those are my favorites - ask and ye shall receive in 7 minutes.

God's been consistent lately in answering all my hard prayers lickety-split. He hasn't even hesitated to say "no" or "wait" or "Why would you even ask Me for that? You're bonkers Jamie Beth."

Those replies aren't what I want. I'm on the prowl for a gorgeous, shiny, high five "yes."

I recognize Garth Brooks warns us to tread lightly when pressing God for a yes, but I WANT WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT IT DANGIT.

Well...Mr. Trisha Yearwood is quite right.

I heard God clearly say "yes" all week to a prayer I was really wanting to be answered "no." I even tried to change His mind and explain to Him how the outcome wasn't exactly ideal for me. He responded on Saturday with Job 13:5.

Rabbit Sidebar: If God ever asks you to turn to Job in the Bible, be prepared to regret it.

Oh that you would keep silent, and it would be your wisdom! Job 13:5 ESV

So I'm going to shut it and obey.

God is about to move me in some very uncomfortable directions. I don't like it. I don't want to budge. But C.S. Lewis shared some insight once in one of the better books ever published:

There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way."  The Screwtape Letters, 1943

Thy will be done.

And blerg. I ALSO SAY BLERG.

Has God ever answered a prayer in a way that made you want to pinch Him really hard behind the knee?

The Post About Thinking I'm Smart: A Lesson From a Twit

Today I'm chasing rabbits at the lovely Internet home of Renee Schuls-Jacobson at Lessons from Teachers and Twits. 

I'm part of her Lessons Learned Series.

Spoiler Alert: I'm not smart.

But you pretty much already knew that, right?

Click on over to my post to discover that just because you can't fit Megan Fox's pants over your head doesn't necessarily mean your big noggin is filled with common sense. 

The Post About Conversations With Me

Here are 5 conversations I've had recently. Judge appropriately.

  

Setup: I posted this pic for the April Photo A Day project with this caption. "Day #4: Someone who makes you happy. My Dad. And not just because he fixes things and slips me cash. Although that doesn't make me hate him.
Amanda Williams: He looks like a movie star. So distinguished yet approachable. I approve. #ofyourDad #huh?
Me: THAT'S MY DAD AMANDA.

Setup: My 8-year-old niece and I were discussing the perils of being the youngest child and how there are never as many pictures of you. Note: Her mom is adopted and I work at an agency with adoptive families so she fully understands the fabulousness of adoption. 
Katelynne: How many baby pictures do you have?
Me: Not many. I'm not even certain they (pointing to my Mom and Dad) are my birth parents.
Katelynne: OOOHHH... Maybe your birth mom has cool red hair like you!!!
Me: Only if her name is John Frieda. 

Setup: My coworker stopped by my office and simply stood at the door and stared at me while I was typing on my computer.
Me: (turning head slowly...) Hey.
Brock: (whispers) Are you on the phone?
Me: No. Why?
Brock: Who are you talking to?
Me: Uhh...the person I'm writing this email to.
Brock: Really? Out loud? 
Me: How else do you talk to people but out loud? Weirdo. 

Setup: I have seen my hairdresser 5 times in the last year. She likes to talk about my child welfare job. We'll call her Sally.
Sally: How's your job?
Me: It's good - just tough to work with such sadness in the world.
Sally: The world is going to pot. With all the alcohol and drugs and interracial marriage.
Me: {Blink. Blink.}
If you know of any non-racist hairdressers in Birmingham, shoot me an email.

Setup: My colleague and friend Connie wants me to marry someone she knows. Possibly anyone.
Connie: Is 46 outside of your age range?
Me: Hmm... That's 10 years. It depends if he's really young at heart. I tell people I'm 24 inside.
Connie: I'll do more investigating.
Me: P.S. I'm not 100% sold on someone with kids. Unless it's Matt Damon. And Luciana Damon is dead.

Comments. Concerns.

{image: Jamie}