Too funny not to share!

A friend sent me this and I had to share!

The pastor asked if anyone in the congregation would like to express praise for answered prayers. A lady stood and walked to the podium. She said, "I have a praise, two months ago, my husband Tom had a terrible bicycle wreck, and his scrotum was completely crushed.. The pain was excruciating and the doctors didn't know if they could help him." You could hear a muffled gasp from the men in the congregation as they imagined the pain that Tom must have experienced. "Tom was unable to hold me or the children," she went on, "and every move caused him terrible pain. We prayed as the doctors performed a delicate operation, and it turned out they were able to piece together the crushed remnants of Tom's scrotum and wrap wire around it to hold it in place." Again the men in the congregation were unnerved and squirmed uncomfortably as they imagined the horrible surgery performed on Tom. "Now," she announced in a quavering voice, "thank the Lord Tom is out of the hospital, and the doctors say that with time his scrotum should recover completely." All the men sighed with relief. The pastor rose and tentatively asked if anyone else had something to say. A man stood up and walked slowly to the podium. He said "I'm Tom." The entire congregation held its breath."I just wanted to tell my wife that the word is sternum."

Until next time-
Les

To the extent...

To the extent that we understand and appreciate God's forgiveness, grace, mercy, peace, love, salvation, etc...to that same extent do we desire to share with others...Just something to think about!

Until next time-
Les

Life Goals

At the beginning of this year, I wrote some goals to accomplish within this year or just within the next couple of years. Sadly, I have made very little progress toward these goals. So, I decided to blog about them and maybe the two people who read my blog can hold me accountable.

1. Learn how to shoot a gun.
2. Watch at least one new movie each month. (I think I've done this)
3. Go to at least 2 new place each year.
4. Learn to sew.
5. Go sailing.
6. Spend an extended amount of time in a foreign country.
7. Teach someone to read.
8. Mentor a child.
9. Get involved in a community service group.
10. Learn a foreign language.
11. Write at least one letter a month to my future husband.
12. Continue to stay debt free (doing great with this one, PTL)
13. Continue my education each year. (Doing this right now with a Dementia therapy program, 11 hours of DVDS!)
14. See a Braves baseball game.
15. I'll add to this list as time goes on.

Until next time-
Les

Tears to my eyes

Over the last several years of my life, I have really begun to realized the hurt the "world" has caused in the lives of believers. The one thing I am focusing on now and is just really tearing me up is this...Men have not been treated like they are men! The world has torn down our men and demeaned them and discouraged them...to the point that they almost don't know how to be a man nor do they know how to accept encouragement. Case in point...I have been going to a small church here in Montgomery and have begun to get involved some. This morning at church, the worship was amazing. The worship leader, who always does a good job, did a GREAT job. He stepped out of the box, he showed passion and he spoke boldly. I was thrilled. One of my friends sat down after worship and I told her about how impressed I was and she agreed that it was amazing. After church, I went to the worship leader, who is an acquaintance, and told him that I thought he did a great job. I even went so far as to say that it was the best Sunday of worship. He stared at me blankly. Being the bold woman that I am, I said "You are supposed to say thank you". He said "You're lying". I said "No, I'm not it was really great." And he says, "I'm sorry. I didn't get very many compliments when I was younger. I was always told about the things that I didn't do right".....WOW....God sustained me because I could have cried right there.

Challenge to you: Encourage the men in your life. Lift them up. Speak life giving words to them. Bless them. Tell them thank you for their service. It will make a difference.

Until next time-
Les

Good week so far!

This weekend was amazing and I so enjoyed spending time with my friends in Birmingham. It was a much needed refreshing. Sunday was the 25th anniversary celebration at Gateway here in Montgomery. I was so encouraged during the service and the Lord was absolutely present. I loved getting to fellowship with my new friends afterwards as well. Sunday night I went to my friend Laura's house for dinner and fellowship and the "good stuff" just continued. Today was a busy day at work as the rest of this week will be but I am 100% thankful for God's provision of work for me! Tonight was a church softball game and I was glad I went. I came home and made red beans and rice and cornbread muffins for dinner. I will be eating that all week which makes dinner so easy after a long day! Looking forward to American Idol, Wednesday night church, Soccer game Thursday, Friday fun, Saturday sun and Sunday Soaking!!!

Until next time-
Les

Who's helping Who?

So, today I went to check my mail and in the box was an envelope from Church of the Highlands. Inside was a letter along with a check. The check was a check that I had written for my tithe check. The letter said: Dear Leslie, I'm sorry that I must return your check. The payment amounts do not agree. Sincerely, DB...So I look at the check and my written amount and the numeral amount are different...WOW!
Am I helping my patients or are they rubbing off on me?!?!

Until next time-
Les

Fried Oreos

First you freeze oreos for at least three hours. Heat some canola oil in a small pot. Mix up any kind of pancake batter. Coat the oreos in pancake batter and drop in hot oil. They literally take 1 minute to make. After you take them out, sprinkle powdered sugar on top....AMAZING!!!

Until Next time-
Les

A "funny"

Last week, I asked one of my residents how many children he had. He told me he had 14. I was shocked and then he said "I told my wife to leave me alone and let me watch TV!"
WOW!

Until Next time-
Les

Very Encouraged

I went to church here in Montgomery this morning and it was wonderful. As I was leaving, the pastor stopped me and said "You are very encouraging in your worship." I told him thank you and he went on to say "I looked over at your during worship and said to myself 'Wow, she's really praising the Lord'" How encouraging is that!

Love the Lord

Until next time-
Les

Mom and Me!

Mom and me at Easter! Post haircut!

Mom and me at Jill's Wedding. Pre Haircut!

Giving Props to the Madre for all she's done for me! Sure do love her. And yes, I know we look alike. I tried to deny it for years but it's just too obvious now :)

Until next time

-Les

The Update

The other day I had fun filling out a little survey for my blog but I realize now it's time for a real update. I don't know where to start so I'll probably just ramble :)

Things have been a rollercoaster at work, busy, not busy, busy, not busy. Right now, we are not busy which is tough but God is completely providing for me because two of the other local nursing homes, also staffed by the therapy company I work for, are super busy and I've been able to get my hours. There was some interoffice drama last week which really messed me up for a few days. However, on Sunday when I was coming home from Louisiana, one of my friends from Birmingham picked me up at the airport and had a sermon CD from Highlands service. I popped it in and WOW did God speak to me. What I gleaned from the sermon was: relationships are super important (DUH) and that we have to handle crisis or in my case, drama, keeping in mind that the relationship is top priority. When I looked at the situation from that perspective, it all seemed so trivial and meaningless. The Lord is so good.

This past weekend I went home to visit a friend who just lost her grandmother. I felt like the trip was one the Lord wanted me to make and certainly one that I wanted to make as well. I flew out from Birmingham to New Orleans after work on Friday. Friday night we went to eat and to Lowe's (woohoo). Saturday, we had a Waffle House experience, did some shopping, and went to a crawfish boil. Sunday, we went to a church in New Orleans and had lunch before I had to head back out. It was a refreshing time and such a blessing.

Life in Montgomery is good. I had a "God" moment almost 2 weeks ago that put things into perspective for me. I had really been down and out about not really knowing anyone since moving here. It had been almost four months and still no "real" friendships had been formed. I had been attending a church here but things just weren't clicking. On April 25th, a Saturday, I was home chilling out when I really started to think about the whole situation. I decided to take my Bible and read and just think, if nothing else. I was sitting in Starbucks when my friend Adam called and asked how things were going. I told him things were okay and that I knew that God was trying to teach me something, I just didn't know what. Literally 2 minutes after we got off the phone, I opened my bible to Matthew chapter 21 and a verse jumped out at me that nearly left me stunned. I realized that I had to lean on and even fall on Jesus, the chief cornerstone. He wanted to break me and put his plan into action. It occurred to me that I was only satisfied if the plan was going my way. That next day in church, the sermon was about commitment and the story of Naaman was shared (if you are unfamiliar with this story, it is in 2 Kings) and God showed me that I was like Naaman, committed only if it was done my way. Immediately, I had a change of heart and began to see the church differently, the people differently and saw my purpose for being there begin to unfold. I don't know or understand the fullness of it yet but I'm psyched to see what is in store for me.

I know lots more is going on but I can't think of it all. I need to update more regularly so I can keep up!!!

Until next time
-Les

About me...

Found these on Facebook so I thought I'd put them together and make a post out of it :)

Happy Monday!!!

1. How old will you be in five years?29...wow
2. Who did you spend at least two hours with today?myself and my patients
3. How tall are you?5 foot 3 and ¾ inches
4. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks?6 weeks…hmm…growing the friendships that the Lord has begun here in Montgomery
5. What’s the last movie you saw?Ha….Hannah Montana and right before that I saw Fast and Furious…great combination. I’m well rounded!
6. Who was the last person you called?Mom
7. Who was the last person to call you?Carrie Gautreau…love that girl!
8. What was the last text message you received?Brittany Oliver telling me that her sister got a new car!
9. Who was the last person to leave you a voicemail?Stephanie
10. Do you prefer to call or text?Depends on the person and the day
11. What were you doing at 12am last night?sleeping…duh!
12. Are your parents married/separated/divorced?My parents are married but not to each other
13. When is the last time you saw your mom?the Monday after Easter
14. What color are your eyes?I don’t know….used to be blue but now I think more green than blue
15. What time did you wake up today?4:30
16. What are you wearing right now?PJ pants and a t-shirt
17. What is your favorite Christmas song?Grandma got run over by a reindeer
18. Where is your favorite place to be?I don’t know…tough one
19. Where is your least favorite place to be?I don’t know…that’s a stupid question
20. Where would you go if you could go anywhere?Right now Charleston and Savannah are on my radar so I guess right now, I’d go there
21. Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years?I’ll be 34 almost 35…I’d like to think I’ll be married with at least one child…but who knows
22. Do you tan or burn?Ha…burn, baby, burn!
23. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child?Don’t remember fearing anything
24. What was the last thing that really made you laugh?Telling one of my friends a funny story
25. How many TVs do you have in your house?2…but I don’t have cable
26. How big is your bed?twin bed…helping me learn to stay still so I won’t kick my husband when I get married
27. Do you have a laptop or desktop computer?well…funny you should ask It’s a laptop but the screen is out so it’s hooked up to a monitor. I guess it’s a lapdesk
28. Do you sleep with or without clothes on?with
29. What color are your sheets?burnt orange or green…depending on the week
30. How many pillows do you sleep with?2
31. What is your favorite season?I have always said winter but I think it’s just the weather between January and May
32. What do you like about fall?Football season…hello!
33. What do you like about winter?The cold weather
34. What do you like about the summer?It used to be no school but those days are gone….I guess I just like all of the sunshine and of course, baseball
35. What do you like about spring?The nice weather and great breezes
36. How many states provinces have you lived in?2...Louisiana and Alabama
37. What cities/towns have you lived in?Fluker, LA, Baton Rouge, LA, Hammond, LA, Amite, LA, Monroe, LA, Hoover, AL, and Montgomery, AL
38. Do you prefer shoes, socks, or bare feet?Usually flip flops but the shoes come off as soon as I get home
39. Are you a social person?Extremely
40. What was the last thing you ate?Rice Krispies and a banana
41. What is your favorite restaurant?Don’t know…I like anything mexican or japanese
42. What is your favorite ice cream?Cookies and Cream
43. What is your favorite dessert?Banana pudding I think
44. What is your favorite kind of soup?Taco Soup or Potato soup
45. What kind of jelly do you like on your PB & J sandwich?Grape…it’s the only kind
46. Do you like Chinese food?oh yeah
47. Do you like coffee?no sir
48. How many glasses of water, a day, do you drink a day?about 16oz…maybe. I don’t drink very much
49. What do you drink in the morning?just depends on the morning…nothing specific
50. What non-banking related card in your wallet is the most valuable to you?my license
51. Do you sleep on a certain side of the bed?it’s a twin….I’ll let you figure it out
52. Do you know how to play poker?Nope
53. Do you like to cuddle?I think I would like..I’ll find out one day
54. Have you ever been to Canada?negative
55. Do you have an addictive personality?yeah…people say it’s like crack
56. Do you eat out or at home more often?home…try to eat out only when I’m with people
57. What do you miss about high school, if anything?Hmm…the fact that it was so easy going
58. Do you know anyone with the same birthday as you?Emily Clemons and Brittany Badon
59. Do you want kids?absolutely!
60. Do you speak any other languages?like 4 words in Spanish and some sign language
61. Have you ever gotten stitches?yeah…several times…wisdom teeth, tip of my finger from slicing it open on a vegetable can lid, and in my tongue
62. Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?no
63. Do you prefer an ocean or a pool?Not a huge fan of either but I guess I’d pick pool
64. Do you prefer a window seat or an aisle seat?On a plane…aisle seat, in a bus, window seat
65. Do you know how to drive stick?nah
66. What is your favorite thing to spend money on?just depends on the paycheck
67. Do you wear any jewelry 24/7?yeah…2 rings (my true love waits ring and my footprints ring), my cross necklace that mom gave me for high school graduation and my toe ring
68. What is your favorite TV show?American Idol and anything on Food network
69. Can you roll your tongue?no
70. Who is the funniest person you know?hmm…Jill
71. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?no
72. What is the main ring tone on your phone?some random at&t song
73. Do you still have clothes from when you were little?my mom has them
74. What red object is closest to you right now?uh…my hair...
75. Do you turn off the water while you brush your teeth?yeah
76. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?depends on the night…usually closed
77. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees?a big bear please!!!
78. Do you flirt a lot?nope…not my style
79. What do you dip a chicken nugget in? bbq sauce or ranch dressing
80. What is your favorite food? mashed potatoes
81. Can you change the oil on a car?no…but I know people who can
82. Have you ever gotten a speeding ticket?a few and I am no longer a speeder
83. Have you ever run out of gas?heck no
84. What is your usual bedtime?between 9 and 10
85. What was the last book you read?don’t remember…some cheap christian fiction book, I’m sure
86. Do you read the newspaper?no
87. Do you have any magazine subscriptions?no…huge waste of money
89. Do you watch soap operas? seriously…no
90. Do you dance in the car?oh yeah…praising him
91. What radio station did you last listen to?usually my pod
92. Who is in the picture frame closest to you?me and Brian
93. What was the last note you scribbled on a piece of paper?things to do this week
94. What is your favorite candle scent?anything
95. What is your favorite board game?so many…apples to apples is a great one though
96. How much of your life have you wasted filling out this Questionnaire?a while but it’s fun!
97. When was the last time you attended church?yesterday
98. Who was your favorite teacher in high school?so many
99. What is the longest you have ever camped out in a tent?I don’t know if I’ve ever camped out in a tent
100. Who was the last person to do something extra special for you?hmm…Well, Brian got me a CD of yesterday’s sermon and the Lord really spoke to me through it…so that’s special

You wish it was over but I'm half way there...having too much fun :)

Some Truths! (a few numbers missing here and there :))
1. Last beverage→ Diet V8 splash
2. Last phone call→ pretty sure it was mom
3. Last text message→ from B-rit
4. Last song you listened to→ I don't know....something on the pod
5. Last time you cried→ yesterday during some baptisms...always gets me!
SIX HAVE YOU EVER:
1. Dated someone twice →no
2. Been cheated on? no
3. Kissed someone & regretted it? no
4. Lost someone special?→ I don't know exactly what this means
5. Been depressed?→ no
6. Been drunk and threw up? no
LIST FOUR FAVORITE COLORS:
1. Orange, Blue, Black, Purple
HAVE YOU:
1. Made new friends → yeah
2. Fallen out of love → no
3. Laughed until you cried → -yes, more than once
4. Met someone who changed you → absolutely
5. Found out who your true friends were → yeah...tough pill to swallow.
6. Found out someone was talking about you → yeah but whatev
7. Kissed anyone on your friend's list→ no
8. How many people on your friends list do you know in real life → all of them
10. Do you have any pets → no
11. Do you want to change your name→ when I get married
12. What did you do for your last birthday-- ate mexican food with Birmingham friends and played Putt-Putt
13. What time did you wake up today → 4:30 a.m.
14. What were you doing at midnight last night: sleeping
15. Name something you CANNOT wait for → so many things...
16. Last time you saw your father→ about a month ago when I was home
17. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life --> Hmm...not much
18. What are you listening to right now → my computer noises
19. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom → yeah
23. What's getting on your nerves right now? → nothing
24. Most visited webpage → http://www.yahoo.com/
1. What's your name→ Leslie Anne Latino
2. Nicknames→ Les, Lesilhogger, Ms. It, Poopsie, Carrot Top, Les Les...the list goes on!
3. Relationship Status → Single
4. Zodiac sign → Virgo but don't care
5. Male or female or transgendered → Female
6. Elementary--> Oak Forest
7. Middle School → Oak Forest
8. High school ---> Oak Forest
9. How many kids do you want? maybe 4...depends on when I get started!
10. Hair color →red
11. Long or short --> short now...just cut off 9 inches
16. Height → 5 and 3 3/4 inches
17. Do you have a crush on someone? no
18: What do you like about yourself? → lots of things
19. Piercings → ears
20. Tattoos → nah...I'll wait til I get married to ask my hubby if he's okay with it
21. Righty or lefty → lefty
FIRSTS :
22. First surgery → wisdom teeth
23. First piercing → My ears
24. First best friends --> Jill
25. First sport...softball or soccer
26. First sport you joined → repeat!
27. First pet → we lived by the railroad tracks so I had like 3 billion dogs.
28. First vacation→ Smokey mountains maybe
29. First concert → Acapella baby
30. First crush → ha...I have no idea!
RIGHT NOW:49. Eating → nothing
50. Drinking →nothing
51. Watching --> myself type words on the computer
52. I'm about to → read when I get done
53. Listening to --> nothing...
55. Waiting for --> lots of things
YOUR FUTURE :
58. Want kids? for sure
59. Want to get married? no doubt
60. Careers in mind? Speech Language Pathologist and mom :)
WHICH IS BETTER WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX?
68. Lips or eyes → I'll go with eyes
69. Hugs or kisses -> for now....Hugs
70. Shorter or taller → Taller
71. Older or Younger →Older
72. Romantic or spontaneous → Romantic
73. Nice stomach or nice arms → either
74. Sensitive or loud →Sensitive
75. Hook-up or relationship → relationship
76. Trouble maker or hesitant → I don't know
HAVE YOU EVER :
78. Kissed a stranger →no
79. Drank hard liquor --> not that I remember
80. Lost glasses/contacts → no
81. Sex on first date --> as if
82. Broken someone's heart → no
83. Had your own heart broken → no
85. Been arrested → no
86. Turned someone down -- no
87. Cried when someone died → yeah
88. Liked a friend that is a girl/guy? → no
DO YOU BELIEVE IN:
89. Yourself → yes
90. Miracles → yes
91. Heaven → yes
93. Santa Clause → no
95. Kiss on the first date? → depends
96. Angels → yes
ANSWER TRUTHFULLY:
97. Is there one person you want to be with right now? no
98. Had more than one boyfriend/girlfriend at one time? no

Until next time
-Les