I had an idea for a Windows utility a few years ago and finally got around to writing it.
The idea is… I thought it would be cool if you could pick a directory of images to use as desktop backgrounds and then have the utility cycle through them at a set interval.

Its called “Paper Change” and its pretty self explanatory. Pick a directory, select the images you want displayed, set the interval and click “Start.”
Then minimize it into your “application tray.”

This is still a Beta test. I’ve got most of the bugs out but have not been able to install it on different systems. I installed it on my XP laptop and my wife’s Vista laptop. Mine has no problems but it sometimes stops working on Vista. Not sure why that is yet.
If you install it and find any bugs or have any problems, just leave a comment here.

Download: PaperChange
(right-click, save as)

April 25th is rapidly approaching. That is the date this house goes back into the MLS. And so…..I have begun the task of packing and cleaning….AGAIN! I am tired of packing boxes…seeing them for that matter. I am choosing to walk by faith as God knows where we will be living after May 10th (when our offer expires on this house and the owners can accept another offer). The idea of staying in AR for the summer is becoming very appealing…..it would be less expensive too. I cry out…LORD hear our prayers.

Big Boy Luke is 7 today! He decided at the last minute that he would like to share cupcakes with his class at school. In an effort to make this birthday extra special I walk him to school, get a head count and tell Mrs. Knight I will be back after I take Isaiah to preschool. Around 9 am I walk into Luke’s class with 24 cupcakes and a little treat for teacher. Luke immediately walks up to me and says, “Mommy, my tummy hurts.” I usually ignore those comments because my kids get “nervous stomachs” when they are excited. Birthday hat, birthday pencil from the front office and cupcakes to share with the class…..what little boy wouldn’t be excited??!! I give him a hug and kiss and tell him he will be okay.
Around 10 am I get a phone call from the school nurse, “Mrs. Riley, Luke is in the office and he has vomitted twice, ..once IN the classroom and once in the office he needs to go home now.” I get there and walk into the front office. On the floor of the front office are two rolls of paper towels spread up obviously absorbing something…….he had literally thrown up on the office floor!
Poor guy, they had just passed out the cupcakes, he had taken one bite of frosting and then lost it.
Nurse was so kind….she gave us a vomit bag for the road.

I have been training with a group from my church to participate in the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. This has been a great opportunity to shed some unwanted pounds and to just live healthier. Last week we walked 10 1/2 miles in about 40 degree weather. Yesterday we walked 9 1/2 miles in the rain and wind. It was crazy….I had to ask myself…”why am I doing this?” I didn’t think I would make the last mile yesterday…my left muscle behind my knee was killing me to the point I couldn’t stretch my leg out to complete a stride. It was tough but good because I found myself praying and asking God for strength to get to the end of our route.
This is the first time in my life I have enjoyed exercise EVEN WHEN IT HURTS!! I have always heard no pain no gain. In this case it is no pain no lose! I have been training for a little over a month and have lost about 10 lbs and one dress size. That is encouraging. I need to lose about 3O more. I want to leave the mini next month with next year’s race in mind. That will hopefully keep me motivated so I will stay in the groove.

As some of you know, one of my brother’s (the next oldest to me) has had some trouble with the law. He had some drug addiction problems and stole some prescription drugs from the hospital a few years ago. He continued to battle addiction through his legal battles, did some time in jail and did house arrest last year. He’s been doing well, staying off drugs (I’ve seen him on them enough to know when he’s on and when he’s off.)
He had some fines to pay as well but has not had the income to get them paid off in time.
Last week, a judge sentenced him to 6 more months in prison. He will have to serve 3. Seems strange to me since he has been paying on the fines and has stayed out of trouble but the law is the law.

He is in the local county jail for now. I went to visit him last night. That was the first time I’ve set foot in a jail. It was just like in the movies, he was behind glass and there was a telephone to talk to the “other side.”

There were 6 or 7 visitation stalls. Down at the end, a lady was visiting with a guy that looked somewhat familiar. While my brother was talking to my mom, he wrote on a piece of paper that the guy was Bobby Bassett. He murdered a woman and three kids a few years ago, buried them in a wooded area by a creek.
In the stall next to us, there was a lady talking to an older guy. That guy looked familiar to me as well. I thought I had seen his picture in the paper not long ago for child molestation. When I got to talk to my brother, he whispered in the phone that the guy next to him was in for child molestation. I was right, I did see the guy in the paper.

I stood there, as my mom was talking to my brother, thinking about the terrible crimes these guys standing a few feet from me had committed. Unspeakable crimes. How could these women still care enough about them to take the time to visit them in jail? They didn’t deserve any love at all. What kind of women were they that they could over look what these guys had done and still tell them that they loved them?

Then the obvious hit me. We are all criminals in God’s eyes. We have all broken his law and are all undeserving of love from anyone, let alone God’s love. But he gives it to us anyway. He extends grace and mercy.
Just like the ladies visiting the criminals at the local county jail. They were painting a picture of grace for me and they didn’t know it.
I don’t know the circumstances of their relationships but I know that they cared enough about these “undesirables” to visit them.

Those guys deserve to be where they are and I’m glad they are behind bars where they cannot do any more damage to society. But they have also had all hope removed from their lives. Maybe the grace and mercy extended by those that still love them will give them hope and desire to change…

A dear friend of ours suggested I read a book. Most everyone has heard or read the book Every Man’s Battle. Did you know about Every Woman’s Battle? I bought it the other night and I just can’t put it down. It has been healing for me in many ways. The strange thing about it, which is good, it has brought to light my thinking patterns. If you (women) are struggling with emotional issues I highly recommend it. I suggest men read it too. It will help you understand why we females are the way we are

In my despair of no sunshine….(It is April and it was snowing yesterday!!!!!!!!) I decided to try some of that lotion that brings out “your natural glow” with a “touch” of tanner. To my delight, after one application, my fair-toned skin did look darker….
Wait a minute….do I look tanned or jaundiced????!!!!!!!!
In an attempt to believe in the product that I bought I have faithfully applied some everyday for about four days. Sure, I can tell a difference in the color of my skin. I look jaundiced in places I was hoping to be tan. Also, it is like the reverse of how I get sun…you know, like in the summer when you get a real tan and your feet are white from wearing socks but the legs are tan. My feet are ‘tanned’ and my legs are white. Oh well, maybe I will just wear long pants all summer.

Know anyone moving to Little Rock, Arkansas? BUY OUR HOUSE PLEASE!! Our offer on the Columbus house expires at midnight tonight. We signed a paper to extend the offer. We got it back with two stipulations. 1.) They want to raise our rent by $300.
2.)If we don’t have a firm offer on our LR house by April 25th the seller wants to relist it through MLS. (the new offer would expire May 10th which means even if we are showing their house for them they cannot accept an offer on the house until after May 10th).
So, now it is the “waiting game.” Waiting to see if someone buys our LR house or not. Praying God will bring resolve soon.