Where were YOU one year ago?

One year ago today, I was on a plane to Namibia. In fact, I think we were an hour away from a stopover in Dakar, Senegal just about now.

My life was packed into two 50-pound suitcases and a backpack. I'd left behind more people and stuff than I cared to count. I met twelve new friends that day...friends to laugh with, friends to cry with...kindred spirits who understand the ins and outs of living in rural Namibia more than anyone else in my life. We were embarking on a three-week rollercoaster orientation that included copious fat cakes, kapana, too many bottles of Tall Horse, life stories, bugs in our beds, odd Namibian-style American meals, springbok births, and lots and lots of Yum Yum. We were preparing ourselves for teaching & living in the bush. We were saying goodbye to the comforts of America and the close proximity of friends & family who know us deeply. We were giving up quality cheese and ice cream and hot showers and short shorts and things too dear to mention.

Despite the challenges 2011 has presented, I wouldn't give it up. If I were stepping into December 28, 2010 again, I would still get on that plane with an overwhelmingly excited spirit and a few tears in my eyes. Here's to one year later...

If you just joined the blog and missed my posts from Namibia, you can still read them all in reverse order here or you can check out select photos here.

The Second Annual Christmas Pajama Party: Cookies, Cookies, Cookies!

Aside from the best Hot Chocolate Bar to boot, the Second Annual Christmas Pajama Party included cookies upon cookies upon cookies. There were still several kinds that I planned on making, but never got around to! Thank goodness this is an annual party...I'll just save those for next year.

Our first platter of cookies was sent up for the party by Amy's mom. What a gift!

It included sugar cookies with green & red sprinkles, pizzelles, and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. She also sent a bowl full of spiced pecans that were divine!

You know those chocolate cookies that are plump and look like they're cracked on top? I've been searching for weeks for the right recipe and have often ended up with cookies that were too hard or too cakey or just not right. Even good ol' Paula Deen's recipe failed me. But finally, the night before the party, I stumbled upon a great Chocolate Crackle Cookie recipe...hallelujah!

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp softened, unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
4 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a bowl, stir together flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and blend in butter. Stir in egg and vanilla until mixture is blended. Stir in 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Spread dough in a thin layer in a bowl and freeze for 15 minutes, or until firm.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and lightly grease baking sheet.

Put confectioners' sugar in a small bowl and dust hands. Roll each piece of dough into a small, gumball-sized ball and then in confectioners' sugar. Arrange balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are just set.

Another "cookie" that debuted at the party was the Kiss Pie. Even though it's called a pie, it's really just a fancy cookie. We try not to let it get too full of itself. These were so easy to make and delicious (if you don't forget to set the timer and burn them like we did with our first batch). The Kiss Pies are a great way to use up leftover Hershey Kisses or pie crusts that you may have from other holiday sweets & treats.

Kiss Pies

Ingredients:
2 store-bought, refrigerated pie crusts 
Hershey kisses (I used regular, but any kisses would work!)
1 egg white whisked with 1 tbsp water
Granulated and powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out pie dough onto a lightly floured countertop. Using a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter (I used a drinking glass with a 2 1/2 inch mouth), cut out as many circles from the pie crust as you can. Continue cutting out circles until you use all the dough. Place one unwrapped Hershey Kiss in the middle of each circle and pinch four sides of the dough up to the top off the kiss. Make sure the edges seal in the middle so they don't burst open in the oven.

Brush all little pies with an egg white wash then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 20-28 minutes or until pies are golden. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes. Dust each with powdered sugar and serve.

Lastly, we made a glorified version of a precious dessert called "Untitled." We may have admitted that we finally went to far with this, but I think if we hadn't already eaten gobs of sweets by the time these came out of the oven, we would have loved it.

The tradition of making "Untitled" began in my freshman dorm at Vanderbilt. After weeks of baking Tollhouse break & bakes in the dirty community kitchen, we decided to take it a step further and make s'mores with our freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Untitled is, in its most basic form, a s'more made with chocolate chip cookies instead of graham crackers. It doesn't have an actual name because there simply is no name to justify how delicious it is.

At this year's party, we made Untitleds with break & bakes (after all this baking, I didn't have it in me to make homemade chocolate chip cookies), Kung Fu Mallows, and melted dark chocolate chips. My oh my, what a decadent take on Untitleds.

Untitled: Second Annual Christmas Pajama Party-Style

Ingredients:
Nestle Tollhouse Break & Bake cookies
Kung Fu Mallows
Dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Bake break & bake cookies as directed on package.

With one minute remaining on the cookies, melt dark chocolate chips in the microwave. Begin by heating them on high for 30 seconds and stir. Continue heating at 10-second intervals, stirring between each take until melted.

Immediately after you take the break & bakes out of the oven, assemble your Untitleds. Turn one cookie upside down and slather the melted dark chocolate on its bottom. Place one Kung Fu Mallow on top. Place another cookie on top of that, right-side-up. Continue until all your Untitleds are assembles. Enjoy immediately.

Merry Christmas One-Liners

Do any of you struggle over what to post on your social media during major holidays?

The typical "Merry Christmas!" seems too mainstream and eye roll-worthy. Not acknowledging the holiday makes you seem careless. What's one supposed to do?! History hasn't set a precedent for Christmas wishes in 140 characters or less.

Despite many "aha" moments about my Christmas Day status update, it's December 25 and a decision hasn't been made.

So here are my Christmas one-liners in less than 140 characters this year. This counts as posting Christmas wishes on social media, right?

"sing out with joy for the brave little boy who was god but made himself nothing for he gave up his pride and he came here to die like a man."

"go tell it on the mountain that jesus christ is born!"

"for unto us a child is born..."

"yea, lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning! oh come, let us adore him, christ the lord."

"and wild and sweet the words repeat of peace on earth, good will to men."

"with the angelic host proclaim, 'christ is born in bethlehem!' hark! the herald angels sing, 'glory to the newborn king!'"

"behold the lamb of god, the life and light of men."

"light and life to all he brings, risen with healing in his wings."

"the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight."

"joy to the world, the lord is come."

"where meek souls will receive him still, the dear christ enters in."

"oh rest beside the weary road and hear the angels sing!"

"then let us all with one accord sing praises to our heavenly lord!"

"all glory be to god on high and to the earth be peace! goodwill henceforth from god to man begin and never cease!"

Merry Christmas, y'all. I mean it.

Top 25 Tunes for Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas Eve, friends!

I finally decided on my favorite Christmas songs for 2011. Check 'em out below - and if you missed the list from 2010, check it out there. What are your favorite tunes this year?

Top 25 Tunes for Christmas 2011:

1. Little Big Town "Go Tell It On The Mountain"
2. Carrie Underwood "Hark the Herald Angels Sing"
3. Stevie Wonder "What Christmas Means to Me"
4. Judy Garland "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
5. She & Him "The Christmas Waltz"
6. Bebo Norman "Joy to the World"
7. Matt Wertz "Tennessee Christmas"
8. Sleeping At Last "What Child is This?"
9. Little Big Town "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
10. Sara Groves "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear"
11. Jason Mraz "Winter Wonderland"
12. Taylor Swift "White Christmas"
13. Andrew Peterson "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"
14. Jill Phillips & Andy Gullahorn "O Come All Ye Faithful"
15. Andy Davis "Christmas Time"
16. Slugs & Bugs "Happy Birthday, Jesus"
17. Carly Simon "The Night Before Christmas"
18. Disney's Season of Song "Santa Claus is Coming to Town"
19. Elenowen "White Christmas"
20. Jenny & Tyler "Break Forth O Beauteous Heavenly Light"
21. John Denver & The Muppets "We Wish You A Merry Christmas"
22. MercyMe "Joseph's Lullaby"
23. Sandra McCracken "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming"
24. Sarah McLachlan "In the Bleak Midwinter"
25. Yo-Yo Ma "Happy Xmas (War is Over)"

If you're looking for some great new Christmas albums this year, check out:
She & Him A Very She & Him Christmas
Matt Wertz Snowglobe
Carole King A Holiday Carole

And as a bonus, the best Christmas song of all time:

The Second Annual Christmas Pajama Party: The Hot Chocolate Bar

My favorite weekend each year is the one in which the annual Christmas Pajama Party and Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb of God" concert coincide. While I'll save the latter for a future post, I wanted to give you all a taste (get it?) of this year's party.

This year was the Second Annual Christmas Pajama Party. It's a convenient excuse to gather together three things that I love most: friends, food, and thematic pjs. Dear friends from near and far arrive in their comfiest pajamas, snuggle together to watch Christmas movies, and indulge in unnecessary amounts of treats and sweet.

Not so secretly Secretly, it's also an excuse for me to try out new Christmas recipes on all my friends. I've been clipping and pinning and gathering recipes for this year's party all year long. What better way to share in the joy of newfound recipes than to share them here with you in a series of blog posts?

My favorite part of this year's party was the Hot Chocolate Bar, not just because it's a play on words, but also because hot chocolate is one of my very favorite things during these chilly fall and winter months.

Did you know the difference between Chocolate and Cocoa is that hot chocolate is made from actual shaved pieces of chocolate, while cocoa is made from a powdery mix? Both types have the potential to be very rich, but this year I opted to serve hot chocolate instead of classic Swiss Miss cocoa. Grace friend Amy had generously gifted an extra package of medium blend that she had bought from a place in Chicago called Hot Chocolate (perfect, right?). Amazingly, we drank the entire package in under 30 minutes, so I had to hunt out my hot chocolate reserves. We finished out the night serving a mix of Caribou Milk Hot Chocolate and Williams-Sonoma Classic and Peppermint Hot Chocolates. Decadent like whoa.

In addition to the drink itself, the Hot Chocolate Bar included homemade marshmallows, chocolate dipping spoons, Pirouettes, miniature chocolate chips, store-bought mini-marshmallows, chocolate sprinkles, whipped cream, and peppermint schnapps. It also included our wide assortment of unique mugs, which we all love dearly.

Homemade Marshmallows
Recipe courtesy of Grace friend Wendy Stallings

Ingredients:
3 packages unflavored gelatin
1 cup ice cold water, divided
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (I used sea salt)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (oops...forgot to add that)
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Nonstick spray

Directions:
Place the gelatin into a bowl (of a stand mixer, if you have one. I used a hand mixer because I'm not married yet) along with 1/2 cup of the water. 

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover, and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7-8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12-15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping (again, I forgot this and they turned out okay - but I wouldn't skip it again). While the mixture is whipping prepare the pan.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13x9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar/cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel or knife dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, using additional if necessary. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

I recently received the best dirty santa gift ever from my friend Mallory - Ninjabread Men cookie cutters! Of course, we used these to cut up some of the marshmallows and called them Kung Fu Mallows.

The Hot Chocolate Bar also included some Chocolate Dipping Spoons that I made with Amy. If I had children, these would be so fun to make - and possibly even more fun and satisfying than decorating sugar cookies!

Chocolate Dipping Spoons

To be used for dipping in hot chocolate...or to be eaten alone.

Ingredients:

Plastic spoons

Assorted chocolate chips (I used one bag of dark chocolate, one bag of semisweet, and half a bag of white chocolate)

Assorted toppings (I used mini marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, sprinkles, crushed candy canes and powdered sugar)

Wax paper

Directions:

Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave in individual bowls by type. For each one, initially heat it for 30 seconds on high and then stir. Continue melting on high in 10-second intervals until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring between each time. Each type of chocolate has a different melting point; do not over-heat it or the chocolate will seize.

Dip each spoon into the chocolate, making sure both sides of the spoon are covered. Set spoon on wax paper and decorate immediately. Put spoons in the refrigerator until set (about 30 minutes). 

Stir in hot chocolate or eat like lollipops!

We decorated our dipping spoons like snowmen, Christmas trees, drizzled in various other chocolates, with sprinkles, with powdered sugar as snow, and more.

Amy's snowmen, snow and peppermint, and Rudolph

Aside from those two homemade goodies, the rest of the Hot Chocolate Bar treats were displayed proudly in mason jars. 

As for my favorite Hot Chocolate Bar creation? 

Hot Chocolate + Peppermint Schnapps + Homemade Marshmallows + Whipped Cream + Sprinkles/Mini Chocolate Chips

What would yours be?

Most photo creds from these party posts go to the party guy himself, Jon Andereck - thanks!!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Past Christmases have not caused me to tear up as often or deeply as this Christmas has...and Judy Garland doesn't just tug at my heartstrings - she snaps them right in half. How sadly humble, hopeful, and peaceful this tune is for Christmas 2011.

Start at 1:36

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, let your heart be light. Next year all our troubles will be out of sight.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, make the yuletide gay. Next year all our troubles will be miles away.

Once again as in olden days, happy golden days of yore. Faithful friends who were near to us, will be dear to us once more.

Someday soon we all will be together, if the fates allow. Until then, we'll just have to muddle through somehow.

So have yourself a merry little Christmas now.

My Nativity

Recently, my longing for a nativity set of my very own has grown to an incredible strength. Blame it on my German heritage, but this year I knew I had to make an investment in my rest-of-my-life Nativity set. It's something everyone should have, really.

After much consideration, I eagerly decided to buy one from Red Earth Trading Co. Red Earth is the direct trade, sustainability piece of Global Support Mission, the organization with which I work. I have the honor of working with Red Earth every day, overseeing inventory and shipping out orders. Bias aside, Red Earth is awesome. Have you seen their 2011 promo video? Pretty neat stuff. Red Earth partners with artisans in Kenya and Uganda with which they have close relationships. They promote continued economic development, entrepreneurship, and community development by buying the products these artisans make and selling them back home and throughout the world. They do this primarily through house parties and online sales.

This year, one of our beloved artisans, Johnson, made several Christmas products for Red Earth. Johnson is a young man who owns a family-run business outside of Nairobi, Kenya. He is somewhat of an expert in working with banana fiber and Red Earth has sold his Banana Fiber Trees since the beginning. For Christmas 2011, he crafted angel ornaments and nativity sets for Red Earth.

As I said, I had the privilege of buying one of the few nativity sets available this year. To say I love it is an understatement. Ask anyone who's entered my house this December and they'll tell you that the first thing I point out is my nativity set. It is beautiful.

The Red Earth Nativity Set comes with 11 figurines - Mary, Joseph, Baby Jesus, the angel, two goats, a shepherd, and four others - and the stable, which holds them all together when you don't have your nativity set out (although let's be honest: I'm never putting this thing away). It is pristinely constructed out of banana fiber, leaves, and seeds and is entirely handmade by Johnson.

Unfortunately, these guys sold out at lightning speed before December even began. But do not fear - you can still buy one of his four stunning angel ornaments here! 

Don't worry: I bought one of each of these, too. They look great on a Christmas tree, on a doorknob, or dangling from your rearview mirror (may limit front window visibility...). Although you've missed the boat for shipments by Christmas, Red Earth does free and speedy shipping on every order. So hop on over and order something for yourself and all of your loved ones!

When I Look at the Stars

In deepfall, I went on a youth retreat out in rural Tennessee, about 45 minutes south of Nashville. We drove down winding, rural roads, chasing the sunset the whole way. As we unloaded and settled in, several of us ventured out to a nearby field. Next to a group of glow-in-the-dark frisbee-ers, we laid on our backs in the scratchy November grass and stargazed.

My, what a show it was. Shooting stars all over the place!

Not just once did they remark, "these are the most incredible stars I've ever seen!" And the stars sure were great, especially coming from the "bright lights" of Nashville. I mean, growing up a Chicagoan, I think even Nashville's city stars are pretty great.

But having lived in the second most sparsely populated country in the world, my standards are pretty skewed these days.

Over these past six months when people have mentioned how remarkable the clouds look, or how stunning the sunset is, or how clear the stars are...I've been itching to say, "But wait! You have no idea - there's a place where they're even more incredible!" And at first, I always did say that. I would try to describe the sunrises on my walk to school in Ohangwena. I would try to explain how you could vividly see the cloudiness of the Milky Way within minutes of the sun setting in southern Namibia. I would emphasize over and over and over again that African sunsets are incomparable.

But try as I might, I haven't convinced anyone yet. Maybe it's impossible to. I can never find deep enough words or vivid enough photographs to convey my message. And thus, as of late, I've stopped trying. I didn't even make an attempt to tell the high schoolers what they were missing out on.

One Sunday, I was reminded of when Luke says, "though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand (8:9)." How often I read things in the Bible that seem great, but I just cannot fully grasp. Like God's grace and mercy. Or the depth of my sin. How often I exclaim what a blessing something is. Or how such-and-such is like heaven on earth. What do I know?

I can just see God chuckling at my exclamations. Such as when I return from an exceptionally great coffeedate full of good heart to heart conversation and think on how incredible God's provision of companions is, or how comforting and real the community of believers is. God must smile and say, "But, Karen, wait! You have no idea - there's a place where that's even more incredible!" But try as He might, there's no way I will ever fully understand the depth of this community until Christ returns.

And thus are the sunsets and sunrises and stars at night. When I look at the stars, I see a sky that has so much more depth than the sky we see on this side. And yet, I still can't imagine the depths of the heavens above us. While I'm still frustrated by my inability to convey that which none of my dear friends here have ever seen, I am humbled by my inability to clearly see the things God is try to show me. So I will keep trying to explain the African sky, and keep remembering how clouded my own vision still is.

It's Coming

Listen!

...and in despair I bowed my head. "There is no peace on earth," I said, "for hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead nor does He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail of peace on earth, good will to men."

It IS the Same Thing

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. "It's the same thing," he said.

TIA Tuesday - Last Day

Today would have been my last day in Namibia...or at the very least, my last required day at school. Strange.

It's oddly wonderful to have all the fast friends that met in DC on December 28, 2010 returning to the States.

Seems fit for this to be my last official TIA Tuesday post. After a year of experiencing African and American extremes, I'll readily admit they aren't so extreme after all. Just different. And different is good and such a normal part of my 2011.

There still may be TIA moments in the coming years, but look forward to a new year of new blog adventures!

This is Africa and America...contrasting and beautiful, just like the Namibian motherland.

Nashville Nugget No. 14: Tex's World Famous Bar-B-Q

This week's work field trip involved a trip to a hole-in-the-wall place we had spied earlier this fall. Said establishment was called Tex's - not Texas, but Tex's - and is located in a wood-paneled building near Foster Ave and Murfressboro Rd. The outside looks like your typical roadside barbecue stop - a little run-down, covered in vintage signs, and an inviting neon "Open" placard in the front window.

On their website, Tim "Tex" Williams boasts that his establishment is one of the oldest barbecue joints in town, having been open for 35 years. They don't "make the most" barbecue and are "not the biggest barbecue house in town," but for all their humility, they certainly are something to write home about (don't we need to change that phrase? Who "writes home" about things anymore? Let's say it's something to text home about.).

They serve up heaping portions of smoked-and-pulled-in-house barbecue and fixins. You know it's going to be good when sides are called "fixins" and macaroni and cheese qualifies as a "vegetable."

Not only that, but they're only open Monday through Friday from 11-2. They serve up their delicious food "professionally and informally" - and if you know how to strike the perfect balance of professional and informal, then you're a winner.

You can order practically any combination of barbecue and fixins you can think of - brisket, pulled pork, smoked sausage, smoked turkey breast, bbq baloney, and ribs with "veggies" (everything from mac&cheese to black eyed peas to potato salad to deviled eggs to collard greens to baked beans), cobbler, pies, and several fresh cornbreads. I ordered a "lite plate" which included pulled pork, sweet cornbread, and three sides - macaroni and cheese, green beans, and baked beans. I didn't want my plate to ever be clean - this food was phenomenal! The only thing they could improve upon was making their sweet tea a tad sweeter - but I suppose I should thank them for trying to save my arteries in the eleventh hour.

Tex's World Famous Bar-B-Q is located near Foster Ave and Murfreesboro Rd at 1013 Foster Ave.

Top 25 Tunes for Christmas

Last year, an intense internal debate raged in my head over how to share my favorite Christmas songs with my friends. Facebook? Twitter? Blog? None of the above? My, my, it was a trying time; but I settled on posting one song a day throughout the December Advent season on Facebook. I received a startlingly good response and soon had many friends sending me their own favorite & unique Christmas songs. Some were typical, played-every-hour-on-93.9-Lite-FM songs; others were original holiday tunes. All were fantastic.

While I don't yet have my act together to start sharing my favorite carols for 2011, I am giddy to share the original list of 25 from my countdown last year. They appear in no particular order. You should listen to one a day until Christmas, or all 25 every day this month. Check them all out on Grooveshark or Spotify or buy them on Amazon or iTunes.

Merry December 1, y'all!

Top 25 Tunes for Christmas 2010:

1. *Jill Philips & Andy Gullahorn “I Will Find a Way” (local favorites...in fact, their whole CD is outstanding - maybe my #1)
2. *Butterfly Boucher “Cinnamon & Chocolate” (from Ten out of Tenn Christmas)
3. “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” (classic...not many know this one, but the friends who do are keepers.)
4. Dave Matthews “Christmas Song”
5. Coldplay “Christmas Lights”
6. Mona Abboud “Pretty Little Dolly” (a Sue McGee favorite...strange and hilarious)
7. “Dominick the Donkey” (a Bob McGee favorite)
8. *98 Degrees “This Christmas” (duh.)
9. *John Denver & The Muppets “12 Days of Christmas” (go see the new Muppet Movie if you haven't already!)
10. Bebo Norman “Angels Interlude” (hammered dulcimer...'nuff said.)
11. Mariah Carey “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
12. *Amy Grant “Grown-Up Christmas List” (a serious Sue McGee favorite)
13. Sarah Mclachlan “Wintersong” (divine.)
14. MercyMe “Silent Night” (in 4/4!)
15. Aaron Krause & Troy Akers “Born!” (you can download this Grace friends' track for free on Noisetrade right now!)
16. *Andrew Peterson “The Holly and the Ivy” (mandolin.)
17. Garth Brooks “Baby Jesus is Born” (no, he did not sing this at his December concert. boo.)
18. Sesame Street “Counting the Days” (a Jess Luthy favorite)
19. Basil Marceaux “Come Christmas” (horrible. only because he was the biggest joke last year.)
20. Alli Rogers “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”
21. *Sufjan Stevens “Lo! How a Rose E'er Blooming”
22. *Yo-Yo Ma & Natalie MacMaster “A Christmas Jig”
23. Whitney Houston “Who Would Imagine a King” (still looking for the original of this song from "The Preacher's Wife" that the kids sing during the Nativity.)
24. Barenaked Ladies & Sarah Mclachlan “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings”
25. *Andrew Peterson “While Shepherds Watched”/ “Behold the Lamb of God” (the transition between these two tunes is breathtaking)

* check out the entire album. these are some of my favorites.

TIA Tuesday - Namibian Friends in America

Guess who's back?!

This girl!

TIA(merica) moments:
- not having to hitchhike to see each other
- Zaxby's and fresh veggies and Starbucks and southern barbecue and haircuts and 5 minute DMV trips
- warm & comfy beds, climate-controlled houses and cars, cuddly non-rabid dogs

TIA(frica) moments:
- realizing I'd only seen her parents once before...unexpectedly in the middle of the Namib Desert at Sossusvlei
- sandal tans and burning underwear and moldy Rainbows
- "small boys" and elephants "not being serious" and every other memory

So glad we can finally start being real American friends!

A Hundred Gifts

Last spring, I read the wildly popular book, A Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. She challenges readers to live fully right where they are. I was most challenged to start being visibly grateful - physically writing down ways that I am thankful. That has resulted in a really special tradition that I'll tell you about in a few weeks. But today, it spurred me on to begin this list. I knew I would not have the time to make it to 1,000, so I decided to start small with ten. But when I hit that, I couldn't stop. 

In no particular order, here are 100 things I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving. To you and yours, thanks for being a part of my joy.

1. Grace in all moments of life and the undeserved gift of a Savior.
2. My dad. My real life Bobby McGee.
3. My sister. Beautiful.
4. My job at Global Support Mission.
5. My coworkers. They like working hard just as much as they like coffeeshops, free food, field trips, and Arrested Development.
6. A safe, warm home.
7. The 12 South neighborhood.
8. My front porch swing.
9. Max the Matrix, who continues to persevere through all kinds of harrowing weather.
10. Sweet roommates.
11. Weekly coffee dates.
12. My community group.
13. Women's nights with my community group.
14. The kids in my community group who can't help but make me smile and love them more and more each day.
15. Text messaging.
16. Sundays at Grace Community Church. The music, the preaching, the fellowship.
17. Our post-grad blog.
18. Novel-long emails.
19. Skype, gchat, and every other form of communication that instantly connects us to friends around the world.
20. Those who have supported me financially through so many crazy endeavors.
21. Sunsets.
22. The days when God boots my butt out of bed to catch the sunrise.
23. The Namibian sky.
24. My Vanderbilt education.
25. My mother's legacy.
26. Airplanes.
27. Stargazing and nights when you can see the Milky Way.
28. Youth @ Grace and the ways they teach me to love and pursue Christ.
29. Prayer.
30. Books. Most importantly, the Good Reads listed on the right.
31. Our book club. And When Helping Hurts. And spending 3+ hours discussing single chapters.
32. Dreaming with friends about what the coming years will hold.
33. Friends getting engaged. And friends getting engaged to other friends.
34. Roadtrips. And not hitchhiking.
35. God's protection through all my Namibian hitchhiking adventures.
36. Laughter at family dinners.
37. Chips Ahoy, Kraft Mac & Cheese, M&Ms, and all other packaged American foods.
38. Snail mail.
39. Childhood memories in Glenview, IL.
40. My British grandmother who always makes us chuckle.
41. Free live music.
42. Hot chocolate.
43. Friends, kindred spirits, soulmates, and bosom buddies.
44. Warm blankets.
45. Thrift stores and garage sales.
46. Waking up in the morning.
47. Hard lessons.
48. Photo memories.
49. Hope.
50. The bassoon.
51. TV on DVD.
52. Comedies that actually make me laugh.
53. Doctors.
54. Opportunity to travel.
55. A warm, comfortable (free) bed.
56. The ginormous spruce tree in front of my childhood home.
57. Cheese.
58. The Body of Believers.
59. Microsoft Excel.
60. Flannel.
61. One-on-one, heart-to-heart conversations.
62. Knowing someone and being known.
63. Hiking.
64. Michigan.
65. Lazy days.
66. Time to knit.
67. The unconditional love of a dog.
68. Quotes. And the wise people who spoke them.
69. Freedom.
70. Michael's & Hobby Lobby.
71. Baby's smiles.
72. Fresh, too-hot, just-undercooked baked goods.
73. That moment when you first wake up and your whole day balances on the precipice of the unknown.
74. Walks.
75. A body that continues to function.
76. Hugs and snuggles.
77. Cooking together.
78. Concerts at the Ryman Auditorium.
79. Windows down, music up, heat on feet.
80. The depth and breadth of human emotion.
81. Good wine.
82. Apple products.
83. Ceiling fans.
84. Time to be.
85. Local Nashville eateries and coffeeshops.
86. The ties that bind.
87. Growing up at Glenview Community Church.
88. Parents who taught us how to love well by example.
89. Organizational tools and Staples.
90. Friendreunions.
91. Basking in the beauty of nature.
92. Journaling.
93. The college community that continues to be knit together so tightly.
94. Walking alongside friends in difficult seasons.
95. Christmastime allthetime.
96. Seasons.
97. Hot water, high-pressure showers.
98. Dishwashers and garbage disposals.
99. Reminders of home(s).
100. Coming home to my immediate and extended family.

TIA Tuesday: Success in Uganda

I have the humble privilege of working at an organization that partners with some incredible leaders in Uganda to bring hope and development to their rural community. The best part about having a hand in international development is that we're all striving to work ourselves out of our jobs. What a funny concept that is! Humbling, certainly. Joyful, even more so.

The Sasser's, our sweet family on the ground in Kaihura, Uganda, wrote an update over the weekend about the wells they've had a hand in building through donations on Know.Think.Act. over the last year or so.

They wrote the following on Global Support Mission's Blog Abroad:

On November 17th, Bringing Hope to the Family held a well handover ceremony in the village of Kisangwa to celebrate the completion of a new shallow well pump. Kisangwa is a small village on the outskirts of Katooke town. This well has provided clean water to over 160 people!

Over the last few well constructions, we at GSM have been transitioning out of the lead role where wells are concerned. In order to have this well program fully succeed, Bringing Hope has to own the project fully. We are still involved, but in a minor role. A young man, Peter, who works for Bringing Hope, has been doing a great job taking the lead. We are excited to continue to equip and train him in order to be the lead in our clean water and sanitation program. It is an exciting time as we empower more local leaders!

Check out this beautiful well dedication in Kisangwa!
Do you see any outside Americans there? No way, Jose.

Praise the Lord for raising up men and women like Peter who understand the problem of unsanitary water in their community and are passionate about effecting change. What an encouragement it is to see sustainable international development work carried to this point. TIA(frica): where God continues to raise local leaders to bring Glory to their communities. It sure ain't easy, but today, 160 more people in this world have access to clean water. Hallelujah.

Nashville Nugget No. 13.5: The Cocoa Tree:Revisited

My, oh my. Remember when I was told in September that it was not Hot Chocolate Season yet? And we had to order this crazy drink called a Frozen Cocoalato? And it was knock-your-socks-off amazing? And I vowed to return once Hot Chocolate Season hit?

Praise the sweet Lord - 'tis the Season (though I don't think I'll ever understand why some people don't celebrate year-round...kind of like Christmas. Shouldn't we celebrate the birth of our Savior and the creation of God's favorite drink every day? I digress...)! And praise His name for a sister who will venture out for some with me!

The lovely Sister

The Cocoa Tree website boasts in eleven mouth-watering flavors of award-winning hot chocolate: Classic, Americana, Mayan, Carmella, S'more, Passion, Cocoa Mocha, Pepperminty, Confetti, Lavender, and Simplicity. However, it appears that this season, they're only offering up two flavors: plain and Mayan. Lest you become disappointed and vow never to visit the Cocoa Tree, read on.

When we arrived at their humble shop in Germantown, they were just starting a fresh batch of cocoa. While we were waiting, we were handed homemade Graham cracker cookies dusted in sugar. "To dip in your hot chocolate - it's divine!" we were told. My word, it takes a lot of restraint to not gobble down a fresh cookie when it looks this tasty. But we were glad we exercised self-control because dipping fresh cookies in hot chocolate sure is divine.

The Cocoa Tree's hot chocolate is beyond decadent. Fresh whipped cream, whole milk, melted Cocoa Tree chocolate. They have cozy chocolate brown chairs by their front windows surrounded by fall decor, setting the scene for the perfect mid-afternoon break. I ordered the regular with whip while Jen ordered the Mayan sans whip. Their regular hot chocolate was thick and full of so much chocolatey flavor that I am unable to find the right words to describe it. The Mayan hot chocolate was surprisingly tasty, too - it added just enough extra heat, but not so much as to light your sinuses on fire.

This hot chocolate is by far the best hot chocolate in Nashville. Though I have to admit, it is so rich that I would not normally opt for it as my daily hot chocolate. But if I'm ever looking to indulge, this is the first place I'd go.

It is so worth a visit. Get over there while the Season is upon us to enjoy Nashville's (and America's?) best hot chocolate - and take me with you, please?

The Cocoa Tree is located in Germantown near 5th and Madison at 1200 5th Ave. N.

The Long Day Is Over

These days, my favorite bedtime routine is slipping into my favorite full-bodied winter pajamas, heating up an oversized mug of something warm, and snuggling under the covers to an episode of "The Wonder Years." But the highlight of it all is listening to this song while I get ready for bed. Be still, my soul, and unwind knowing that this long day is over.

Feeling tired by the fire;
The long day is over.


The wind is gone, asleep at dawn
The embers, they burn on.


With no reprise, the sun will rise.
The long day is over.

TIA Tuesday - Success Story

Ask any ex-pat in a developing country: will I lose weight while I'm living here? I bet you N$140 that they will tell you that all men lose weight while all women gain weight. While I did not find any scholarly articles on the topic in the five minutes that I tried, a simple search showed me that this is nearly a fact. At the very least, it's 100% observable. At our mid-service country, our guys had lost weight and many of our girls had gained. A friend in Kenya further confirmed this fact when in an email, he was woeful about how much weight he was losing, admitting that all the women were mad at him because they were gaining weight.

Hey, we get it. Guys win. 

Not only am I a woman, but I also easily succumb to stress eating. Namibia was...um...stressful. My diet was all over the place and pretty much on "survival mode."

It was challenging to return to America and officially see that I had gained 20 real pounds in only six months. Thus began the Summer of Loose Sundresses and Nike Shorts - no real pants or shorts for me, please. Fall turned into me admitting my problem and investing in jean that actually fit.

I'm proud to announce that today is the first day of the rest of my life: I busted out the pre-Nam jean and they fit! Glory hallelujah.

I probably could have lost it more quickly. I probably definitely could have exercised more ever. But it's on its way out. TIA(merica) - where you strangely lose weight while eating things like Kraft Mac & Cheese and Oreos.

Ode(s) to Burritos

I am an award-winning poet.

On Thursday, coworker Adam gasped as this was tweeted:

So began the great inter-office competition of the morning. Nashville-wide, really. We were up against a lot of avid Baja fans...all being judged by distinguished Rabbit Room author Jonathan Rogers. Naturally, I could think of nothing other than devoting my morning to writing as many burrito haikus as possible. When you combine my salary and my love for Baja burritos, I had to win.

Enjoy these twelve separately submitted haikus. Which is your favorite?

Deep fall's setting in

Chicken, beans, cheese, and veggies

Snuggling in a sack.

Return from abroad?

Baja B is all I need.

Cheese cheese cheese cheese cheese.

Wednesday lunch date's here

It's the hotbed of romance

Baja loves the love.

Cheese on cheese on cheese;

Vats of queso fill my soul.

Uh oh - more chips please?

My heart aches deeply

Without Baja in my tum

Please bring me back home.

I'm no wordsmith, but

For a sweet, free burrito

I'll pour out my soul.

Even Mexico

Smiles on your tasty delights.

You have won, Baja.

GSM loves food

Baja fills us every week

Soulmates til the end

A new corner sign?

"Will haiku for free Baja."

Send love to the streets

Queso hits the floor

Tears welling in my sad eyes

Cry over spilt cheese.

Six months in Namib

Black beans were not to be found

Baja's all I craved

The day's end is nigh

Poetic burritos are

Floating through my dreams.

Later that day, dreams came true:

Don't worry: Adam won a free burrito, too ("cover me in guac / wrap me in tortillas soft / home away from home"). Global Support Mission swept 1/5 of the burritos. Talk about winning.

A Tennessee Thanksgiving

Last Saturday night, this happened:

Eighteen dear friends from the Volunteer State gathered on Montrose to celebrate an early Thanksgiving feast - from Knoxville to Memphis, from old friends to new significant others, all bringing gifts of great joy for our potluck Thanksgiving feast. We indulged in such delicious dishes as corn casserole, famous sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, cheesy cornbread, cranberry delight, pumpkin dip, a variety of pies, and a mouth-wateringly tasty brined turkey.

I value these friends from the bottom of my heart. I cherish the Nashville ones that I have the privilege of seeing weekly. I eagerly await weekend reunions of the ones who live in the far corners of the state. Most of all, I treasure the times we get to spend en masse and the conversations that ensue. Before diving into dinner, we snuggled into the living room and shared things that have been easy to be thankful for...and things that have been hard. What a great way to hear about the ways God has been moving in each others' lives throughout the past year.

We were reminded of the common saying that you can't choose your family, but you can choose your friends. In reality, we were set in each others' lives at a particular time for a particular reason. We didn't choose to go to Vanderbilt so we could be friends with these people. We didn't choose our hallmates, sorority sisters, roadtrip buddies, or spouses. God set us here in this season for specific reasons...what a reminder of how He controls our steps and will continue to set us in right places in the future.

Bless my soul...these friends most certainly have.

TIA Tuesday - Where in the World is Matt Lauer? Edition

Yesterday morning, I was was greeted by a barrage of texts at work from various friends all asking the same question: "have you seen the Today Show?!"

In fact, I have been an avid "Today Show" watcher for the majority of my life, but yesterday morning in particular, I opted to watch DVR-ed shows with my roommate instead. TIA.

My favorite annual segment had just begun and for the tenth time, all of America was asking itself, "Where in the world is Matt Lauer?"

I still vividly remember Matt Lauer visiting Victoria Falls during this week-long segment in 2004. The majestic wall of water behind him is not something you'd soon forget, and I can't say I didn't think about that shot often as I rued not having the opportunity to visit Vic Falls while I was in southern Africa.

Well...guess where Matt was on Monday?? You guessed right: Namibia, Land of the Brave. Wow! Is Namibia really starting to become a household name?

While I did not have the opportunity to watch it live, the seven videos on the Today Show website are breath-taking to say the least. I don't think I'm remiss in saying that Namibia is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and strangest countries in the world.

But I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a little - okay, very - strange to see these sights on American TV and hear such a well-known American host say the name "Namibia" and talk about my country. I realized that the only time I ever hear anyone say "Namibia," it's in a conversation that I've initiated.

Matt did a great job of displaying the great tourist and environmental attractions - and as my dad reminded me, this is a "fluff piece" - but I was disappointed at how Namibia was skewed. Having read other commentaries on his segment, everyone is touting the great environmental efforts, support for education, and happy relations within Namibia. But having lived there for six months - with many dear friends there even longer - I will aver that this is only the shiny exterior of Namibia. There is still a great deal of complacency, ambivalence, uneasiness, and isolation in Namibia. Race relations are still strained and the political surface is tender as it's such a young country. As Matt mentioned, there is a lack of rain in the country, but he failed to acknowledge the horrifying effects of what are soon becoming devastating yearly floods in the central north. He failed to mention the central north at all. Over half of the country's population lives there, for heaven's sake. I was only further tempted to roll my eyes when he solely mentioned the Himba - a people group already greatly recognized, photographed, and gawked at by the Western world. Oh wait, I think I spotted some Oshiwambo dresses among that group of women dancing behind him in the desert...

However, all that aside, it was heartwarming to see these magnificent sites from my country and fun to be able to identify them all from this side - something not many Americans have the privilege of doing. I loved seeing Bismarck St. in Luderitz, the bread factory in Kolmanskop, and the great Namib Desert. I giggled when Savannah Guthrie was drinking a Savanna Dry in the bush (oh, how I miss that). I giggled when the tour guide told them they would see the elephants "just now," only to arrive at their destination three hours later. And I was reminded of what a struggle it is for most people to say Namibia as Ann stumbled over its pronunciation every time.

Check out these videos from the "Today Show" - really, I'm serious. You won't be sorry.
(and if you're reading thru Google Reader, click open this post to view the videos)

Skeleton Coast, dunes

More Namibia overview

Dunes, shipwreck, NWR (yay!)

Himba Tribe

Animals (and as my dad said, "Okay, that baby elephant is cute!")

Diamonds, sights from Kolmanskop and Luderitz

Dunes and Namibia's extreme sports

Crazy creatures in the desert

I Bleed Blue & Gold

This is the coolest video I've seen in a while - well worth dedicating 11 minutes of your life to watching it. It comes straight from my alma mater, Glenbrook South High School, and was created as an intro to their overnight telethon to benefit Youth Services in Glenview, IL.

Love seeing neighborhood kids, kids I used to babysit, and friends' siblings in this. I can't believe the enormity of this project - they really pulled it off!

So proud to be a Titan!

We Need Each Other

Last night, I was having a heart to heart with a dear friend in the Matrix (because honestly, there are few better places to have those). As someone I've leaned on a lot, it was a blessing and sweet time to share in her struggles and offer encouragement.

Afterwards, I felt so keenly aware of how deep our need is for others. Can you imagine walking through life alone? Praise the Lord for His presence in our lives; we never are fully alone. But I've been so reminded in this past year of our deeply ingrained need for others. For companionship on earth. For people who can share our burdens.

Even more so, I praise God for knitting our paths in such a way that when one of us hits a difficult day or week or season, the others are able to hold us up and help us through, and vice versa. We are rarely all in our darkest hours at the same moment, even as we walk through similar seasons together.

This is what made my time in Namibia impossibly hard, and what makes my recuperative time in Nashville ever so sweet. Praise God for kindred spirits with whom we can shoulder each others' loads.

Vote for the Giving of Life Grant!

Guess what, y'all? Global Support Mission is currently in the running to win a Giving of Life grant! The Giving of Life grant will be going to organization that are giving life to people throughout the world - something that GSM embodies in everything it does. This year, they're giving away 20 grants ranging from $2,000-$50,000. In order to be eligible for the three biggest grants, you must be in the top 20 organizations in terms of votes on their website.


Today, we're at #31. We're dreaming big and planning on making it to the top 20 and winning a grant. It's your turn to help us get there!


Here are the simple eight steps to optimize your votes. Track with me - these are so simple:

1) Go to http://www.givingoflife.com2) In the top right corner, click on "Register for More Votes!"
3) Fill out the form, including your email address, and submit.
4) Go to your Inbox, find the email that Giving of Life sent you, and click the link in it to confirm your email.
5) Go back to Giving of Life and sign in.
6) Find Global Support Mission (or click directly here: http://www.givingoflife.com/browse/global_support_mission/ )
7) On the left panel, click "Vote!" three times (you get three votes when you register your email).
8) You can register your Twitter handle (or use mine: karenemcgee) to get two more votes! To do that, after you have voted 3 times for us, click on "get more votes" in the upper right corner. Enter your Twitter handle, go back to GSM's page, and vote two more times.

I checked my stats from the last month. Did you know that if every reader from...
- the United Arab Emirates voted, we'd get 15 votes
- Namibia voted, we'd get 35 votes
- Australia voted, we'd get 45 votes
- Germany voted, we'd get 45 votes
- Senegal voted, we'd get 10 votes
- the Czech Republic, Canada, Brazil, Israel, New Zealand, Peru, the Philippines, and Russia voted, we'd get 40 votes
- the UK voted, we'd get 70 votes
- the US voted, we'd get 2,755 votes


In case you lost count, that's 3,015 votes! Even more if you vote on every email address you have (let's face it: many of us have had more than one email address since the internet debuted 20 years ago).


Please go vote for us right now! Voting ends on FRIDAY. And then tell your family to vote...and your coworkers...roommates...friends...neighbors...fellow coffeeshoppers...the car next to you in rush hour...classmates...significant other...not-so-significant other...dog...

Behold the Lamb of God: An Advent Narrative

Guess what I just preordered for $12?

(I know what you're saying: "Karen, where did you find $12?!" I didn't. But this is important enough to forego $12 of groceries this month.)

My favorite holiday tradition is Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb of God" Concert at the Ryman Auditorium. In fact, I've made a personal vow to never miss this annual Christmas concert. There are not words to explain its magic on the first of November, but come mid-December, expect a thoroughly wordy blog post about why I love this so much. In a nutshell, Andrew Peterson wrote a conceptual album of (almost all) original music, detailing the birth of our Savior from the Old Testament through the Gospels. "Moving" simply doesn't adequately describe what it does to my soul.

This week, the Rabbit Room announced that Russ Ramsey is coming out with a book to complement Andrew's album. As this post describes it, "Russ was doing in prose what Andrew had done in music with his Behold the Lamb of God album." Russ is like a legend to me, mostly because he's associated with the Rabbit Room, but also because he's a pastor at Midtown Fellowship's 12 South location and officiated at Matt & Lauren's wedding.

Of all the things to make me giddy about the holiday season (beware readers: there are many), none get me quite so excited as Advent. I tend to keep 5+ different types of Advent calendars each year. Lucky enough for people like me, this book will have 25 chapters: one for each day leading up to Christmas, each one revealing a new take on the Christmas story.

I'm going to be bold and say that this will be my favorite thing about Christmas 2011...and if we're lucky enough, beyond.

And if you're starting to feel your veins pulsing with excitement, go here and pre-order it now so we can start reading together on December 1.

(I admit the irony of posting twice on November 1 with conflicting messages about my feelings towards talking about Christmas in November. I also admit that I may not really know how to use the word "irony.")

TIA Tuesday - November?!

I only have one thing to say this Tuesday.

America. Home of Christmas in November. Starbucks Christmas cups, Christmas commercials, and even 24/7 Christmas music starting November 1. Does Christmas start this early anywhere else in the world, or can we say TIA right now?

(although I will remind everyone that Ondangwa's Christmas decorations were still up in April this year...so maybe TIA(frica), too).

Happy Halloween!

Happy holiday of jack-o-lanterns, candy galore, pudgy tummies, and costumes.

Tonight, I'm sitting in our cute, very welcoming house waiting for trick-or-treaters to arrive. It's nearly 7 and I've only handed out 7 pieces of candy so far. I'm learning the importance of living on a block with a sidewalk - something I'll definitely look for in my next residence.

All this non-trick-or-treater time has given me time to reminisce on pre-adulthood Halloweens. I loved setting up Jack in our living room - a fake jack-o-lantern with multi-colored bulbs inside that cycled through all the colors of the rainbow. I loved trick-or-treating for the full four allotted hours in our neighborhood - even if my sister refused to go with me; even if it was miserable outside, as most Chicago Halloweens are. I loved dressing up as this pink bunny, Bambi, Minnie Mouse (several times), a tree, Dumbledore, a pumpkin, a princess, a superhero, a hippie, and more. I loved stashing my candy in my closet where no one else could find it and rationing it out through Easter.

So Happy Halloween, y'all. May your evening be filled with more sugar than you initially planned on consuming.