Monday, October 31, 2011

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.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Inspired

Fall has been a season of intentional inspiration. There are two types of inspired people: active and passive. Passive inspirees like to "pin" things on "Pinterest." Gets your heart giddy but doesn't get you anywhere. Active inspirees see something great and go do it.

I'm in a season of the latter.

As friend & former roommate Mallory so articulated: "As someone whose mind wanders easily (and often into the worry-zone), it's a breath of fresh air to be so focused on an activity that I don't see the time passing and I forget about everything that's annoying or stressful."

So, thanks to supportive roommates, many of our walls are adorned with fall 2011's art projects. I am not an artist. But I've enjoyed taking part in creation these last few months.

Framed Twine Noteboard

This project is super easy and looks much cooler than the classic bulletin board. I found this great frame on clearance at Hobby Lobby in Madison a few months ago. It had no back or glass, so it was perfect for this project. Though its original dark wood was nice, it was a bit damaged, so I painted it a bright coral color.

I took some leftover twine from hanging things in Namibia and strung it across the frame, creating perfect spaces for hanging things. Attaching the twine was the bulk of the project: in the end, I had stapled, tied, and hot glued every end of twine. Perhaps there was an easier way to do this...but at least I know it will never fall apart!

I also found some great mini clothespins at Hobby Lobby with which to hang things that I eventually plan on painting.

To hang it on the wall, I wrapped the twine around the corners and twisted it to make a thicker rope from which it could hang.


It's the perfect place to display save the dates, wedding invitations, notes from friends, prayer cards, and baby shower invites (gasp! how are we old enough to receive those?).

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Over the summer, I saw a brightly colored canvas painting of the state of Texas with a giant heart in it. Of course; everything is bigger in Texas. This got me thinking...why not extend the concept of loving your state the other 49? And why not put the heart specifically over the city you so love?

The first "Home Is Where the Heart Is" that I painted was of the great state of Tennessee - that's where my heart is, after all.


My roommates loved it so much that they urged me to paint four more state paintings: one for each of the places we're from.


For a bit of a closer look...
Glenview, IL
Syracuse, NY
Menlo Park, CA 
Boise, ID
These have been my biggest project this fall. In fact, I love making them so much that I've gladly taken up requests to paint more for other people. I'd love to extend the concept to even more states and countries around the world - but that would be too much canvas at once for one house, so I'll have to wait for commissions.

Mumford-Inspired Wood Letters on Canvas

This is my favorite gem of a creation. It was simple enough: wooden letters painted and glued on canvas. The general concept is to paint the wooden letters the same color as the canvas, making them pop. However, this lyric is so intense that I wanted to throw in some color contrast.
"Sigh No More"
Listen to this and skip on forward to 1:50 if you're short on time:



Hope you're feeling inspired today!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Deep October

Last night, the chill of winter's fast approach started nipping at my heels. Deep autumn has finally settled in in Middle Tennessee. No longer do we have bright orange leaves set against a backdrop of turquoise skies, comfortably swaddled in warm temperatures. Grey skies and near-freezing temperatures have blanketed the city, accentuating the brilliant colors of autumn and finally necessitating those things we love most: hot drinks, thick blankets, warm socks.

The depths of autumn have been weighing on my mind ever since reading these thoughts. I'm especially struck by this passage:
I beheld contrast upon contrast. Each life manifest in its individuality, because this is what happens in the season of death. The green has gone, the true has come. The covering of the corporate is no longer.
Autumn is the season of death. Death of trees, bugs, grass, and the long days of summer. And it's beautiful. As the leaves die and fall, they burst into brilliant reds, oranges, and yellows and slowly waft towards the ground. They may lie there for weeks before disintegrating and becoming the dust of the earth.

I'm reminded of deaths in my own life. How acutely painful they always seems. But when thought of in the framework of autumn, these deaths have been beautiful in their own time. To savor the slow - and sometimes all-too-fast - petering of a life is precious.

For one, those dear ones who have been overcome by illness. I don't discount the pain and anguish of these journeys. But a sweet thing about being keenly aware that death is on its way is how we get to savor every moment with those we love. To see the depths of sweetness in their disposition, the gifts they embody, the pleasant corners of their personalities. Even though these qualities have always always present, we don't notice them as well in seasons of ease.

And then there are deaths of seasons of our lives, of expectations, of dreams. As we rounded the corner and quickly approached our graduation from college, the fear and sadness was nearly paralyzing. But those relationships and moments were so accentuated and special - so much more so than at the beginning of college when our time seemed endless.

Autumn is a reminder of this. In the midst of this season of death, we are overwhelmed by sensory beauty and appreciation. We are barreling quickly towards winter and know our days of lounging outside and keeping our jackets stowed in the closet are coming to an end. We know the hibernation days of winter are on their way. Why focus on the heaviness of winter when we can rejoice in the slow beauty of autumn? Why mourn the impending death when we can savor today?

So, as we hunker down and draw friends near in deep October, may we be reminded of the preciousness of our mortality and the brilliant beauty of dying and being reborn into our new lives. It is sweet, for sure.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Drum Roll Please...

It's been 2 months and 11 days...alright already. I'll tell you about my job!

The fall before I left for Namibia, I had the blessing to get to know Travis Gravette and his organization, Global Support Mission, and did a little on-the-side intern work with them. Fast forward to 2011 and packing up to move back to Nashville. I had no idea what I was going to do in moving, but knew this blessed city was where I was being led to. On a whim, I emailed Travis to see if he knew of anyone who might be hiring. Because, let's face it, the prospects for a recent graduate are grim indeed these days.

Within one day, he emailed me to set up a meeting over coffee.
Within three days, we were sitting at a table in Fido and he spoke some powerful words to me - "we'd love to have you join the team."
Within a week, I took the leap and accepted his offer...and embarked on the ever-intimidating road of fundraising my complete salary.
Within two and a half weeks, I had raised enough money to start working full-time - by the grace of God and His very generous and faithful servants.

And here we are - 2 months and 11 days later.

I am beyond grateful to be part of the team at Global Support Mission. We exist to see a movement of compassion wipe out hunger, disease, and extreme poverty. To do this, we partner with local leaders who have already begun movements in their communities, and we work with them to train, equip, and resource them to better carry out their mission and serve their communities. Right now, we are partnered with two incredible affiliates in East Africa - one in Kaihura, Uganda, and the other in Mombasa, Kenya.

Global Support Mission includes several exciting initiatives. Our two biggest programs right now are Red Earth Trading Co. and Know.Think.Act.

Red Earth Trading Co. is a direct-trade company; we work with local artisans in East Africa and then sell their products around the States through house parties and online. This promotes continued economic development in East Africa and supports the operational needs of Global Support Mission. We recently kicked off The Exchange Tour in which we have two interns on the road taking Red Earth into homes, businesses, schools, and churches around the U.S - so exciting! And if you order anything from our website, yours truly is the one to personally package every order. So go buy something now!

Know.Think.Act. is a web-based giving platform that connects people at home directly with the needs of our affiliates in East Africa. 100% of donations go directly to the need and it's a great way to get communities here with communities in need halfway around the world.

In addition to these programs, we also have an International Volunteer Program, a Leadership School for our affiliates in Uganda, and Legacy Partners, which enables people to partner with supporting the operational needs of Global Support Mission on a long-term basis so we can continue to fulfill our mission & purpose. If you're interested in becoming a Legacy Partner, please let me know. We would love to get you involved and have your support.

As for me, I am serving as the International Volunteer Coordinator & Office Manager for Global Support Mission. I get to get my hands dirty in almost every area of the organization - from back end financial work to Red Earth inventory to sending our enthusiastic volunteers to Uganda to writing personal thank you notes to our donors on Know.Think.Act.

All that to say, I am thrilled to be a part of this movement and to be working in my dream job at 23. Global Support Mission's work is sustainable, effective, and really exciting these days. We are growing quickly and have some really awesome things to come in the next few months and years!

Want to know more? Just ask! And visit all the links above - our media department has done a great job on all our sites...after all, that's how I fell in love with GSM.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow. And today, praising him for 2 months and 11 days of His provision of employment, passion, and new friends.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

TIA Tuesday - It Is Finished!


Check out these happy campers! 

Amy's classroom in Namibia is COMPLETE! Praise the Lord! It has been a long, arduous journey, but thanks to her hard work and your faithful prayers, it has come to fruition. Check out these photos!

The old Grade 4 classroom
DSCN0957
The pile of rubble on the right is the "before photo"
After! The door is painted yellow for the school's colors.

I am immensely proud of Amy's perseverance through this entire project and for God's grace to see it through. I couldn't be more grateful to have a friend like her in Namibia who would use all of your funds to improve her community and learners' lives after I was unable to stay. These 4th graders (and all the ones to come) will now have a safe, dry, quiet place to learn for years to come. 

It's been hard, and as Amy says on her blog, ask her if you want the full story - frustrations and all. But it is finished. Hallelujah!

Monday, October 24, 2011

October Visits Us All

Earlier this week, my favorite writing community, The Rabbit Room, published a short essay written by the articulate Rebecca Reynolds. Not knowing who this girl was and in a rush to lessen the number of things in my Google Reader, I set upon scanning through it. 

Whoa, Nelly. This is not scannable. No sir-ee. Like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, her words should deserve ample time to seep into your soul. The Lord has clearly given her the gracious gift of language.

Stay tuned for more later this week. I'm blown away...and four days hasn't been enough to form articulate thoughts yet.

Don't be surprised if you get chills at the end. Is it the autumn breeze or the beauty of the Truth? For your sake, I hope it's a bit of both. 

Four months ago, the hillsides tumbled green upon green. Valleys and rises were determined by a narrow spectrum of shadows and brights. More or less, the landscape was monotone, summer lazy, and supple. Confident maple leaves hung in all their twenty-something vigor, acquainted with hearty rain and heated winds, thinking they knew what there was to know. 
I remembered being that age, so I didn’t laugh. Instead, I was tender, because October visits us all. 
Yesterday, thrown handfuls of yellow leaves hung like stars against a navy green wood. Spots of light clung to branch with newfound brevity, sensing their weakening connection to familiarity. That which has nourished will release. In the glory of dying, in the flame of brilliance, each little golden body realized that it would pass through the womb of falling to the earth. 
I beheld contrast upon contrast. Each life manifest its individuality, because this is what happens in the season of death. The green has gone, the true has come. The covering of the corporate is no longer. 
Ochre grasses were painted willowy and bowing in their individual lines. There were tufts of silver grey, slices of red, bushes burning like a hearth. White seed pods cast their children upon hope of spring. Shrubs fussed over their holiday decorations, and fifteen stubborn trees held desperately to the last of their lime like thirty-nine-year-old women. 
Autumn awakens. Here, depth is defined by variation. 
Most of my life, I have walked among a summer’s faith where two-dimensional promises were made by a pleasant Western culture: “Jesus will perfect my marriage. Jesus will make my children wise, and strong, and moral. Jesus will help me obtain financial abundance. Jesus will make me confident, exegetically sound, and able to collect a little flock of admiring disciples. Jesus passes out health in twelve steps and truth in five points. I will walk manicured and full of my own right choices into a ripe old age of comfort.” 
Perhaps. Yet often we imply that the Jesus we worship would never allow us a season of uncertainty, or vulnerability, or war. We think he wants us to be fat, full of ourselves, and sure. We know belief tumbling in summergreen strength through valleys and heights, simple and monotone, making promises of happily ever earthly after. 
It is a breed of faith easy enough to manage among wealthy people expecting pleasant things. That is why the anomalies are so horrifying: sicknesses, disasters, misunderstandings, prisons of all sorts, Novembers in June. The story shouldn’t go this way, we think. Dyings are such a shock, for the Jesus we have loved is pleasant and easy, and we shop for him until we find him sold our way. 
A thousand times I have read the words, but who ever believes them without October skies grown low and grey? You have died. The old has gone. The new has come. The old shell must be sucked of its green juices and tumble down, resigned to the contrast. For there is another world, and it is often winter here when spring there rises. 
The veins of fallen leaves read like hymns, yellow-running, red, and holy. They are prophets of a new dimension. 
My life is gone. 
Behold what is left: 
Brilliance.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

S*** That Siri Says


Super Sassy Siri is the pride & joy of the iPhone 4S. She is just as fun to use for real things as she is to play around with. I will admit that I've already used her many times to ask what the weather will be like as I'm running around getting ready in the morning, to find directions while I'm driving without using my hands to thumb through the apps, and to set timers and alarms.

For our amusement, here are some verbatim conversations between Siri and I as I tested her out in our first few days of friendship, a la this funny website that took off in the days surrounding the phone's release.

"What is the meaning of life?" [a question that I tested her on several times, with all these responses]
"That's easy...it's a philosophical question concerning the purpose and significance of life or existence in general."
"I don't know. But I think there's an app for that."
"All evidence to date suggests it's chocolate."
"42."
"Life: a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings. I guess that includes me."

"Siri, will you marry me?"
"We hardly know one another."

"Who are you?"
"I'm just a humble virtual assistant."

"Where are you?"
"Wherever you are, that's where I am."


"Open sesame!"
"Ever so sorry, Karen...I'm not allowed to do that."

"How much wood would a woodchuck chuck?"
"It depends on whether you are talking about African or European woodchucks."

"Knock Knock."
"Knock Knock. Who's there? Karen. Karen who? Karen, I don't do knock-knock jokes."

"Beam me up."
"OK. Stand still."


"What is the best phone?"
"I think you've already answered that question, Karen."

"I love you, Siri."
"Oh, stop."

"What are you wearing?"
"Wearing?"
"Yes, what are you wearing?"
"Why do people keep asking me this?"

"Tell me a story."
"Once upon a time...no, it's too silly."

"Who is on first"
"That's right."
"Who is on first"
"Correct."
"Who is on first"
"Right. Who is on first."


"I need to hide a body."
"What kind of place are you looking for? Dumps, metal foundries, reservoirs, swamps, or mines?"


"You're sassy, Siri."
"I don't really like these arbitrary categories."

What fun questions would you ask Siri?

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

TIA Tuesday - The Smarter-Than-Me Phone

Last Friday, I joined the crowd and purchased my first iPhone. I've been living the past four years with my oft-hated beloved LG Chocolate 3. It's survived torrential downpours, more drops than one can count, nights out on the town, trips to the beach, and travels far and wide. Which is why it looks like this:

Dents. Mirror surface completely scratched off. Cracked screen. Broken wheel. Loose hinges.
Well-loved? Abused? Your call.

I fought the smart phone craze for years. I loathe the idea of constantly being connected and contactable. I hate people worrying when I haven't responded to an email they sent an hour ago. I love using the atlas in the backseat of my car when I get lost! I even recently learned how to tweet photos from my dumb phone. Who needs an upgrade?

It was time. My job and lifestyle require a little more connectivity than the dumb phone can provide. And let's face it: the iPhone is cool.

So, four years later, here we are. One more step towards making 2011 the Year of Polar Opposites. Going from the dumbest ever Nam phone back to my American dumb phone and on to the iPhone 4S.

These are the things that blow my mind (and are generally normal to most people these days):
- all my text messages (or iMessages, as the kids call 'em these days) are in a stream and I can look back on conversations easily
- visual voice mail!!! Who thought of that? I shall like to hug them.
- built in compass & crazy map capabilities
- taking photos on my phone that are of equal quality to my point & shoot digital camera
- Pandora wherever I go
- the Reminders app. Whoa.

And let's not forget Sassy Siri, the iPhone 4S's pride and joy. She's so funny that you'll have to wait until tomorrow's post to hear more.

Goodness gracious am I glad I gave myself a 4 1/2 month buffer between returning from Nam and diving into the iPhone. Culture shock all over again!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

What We Ate For Dinner

This post is two weeks overdue, but just as meaningful.

I'm in a book club this fall with four dear friends of mine! We're reading the fantastic, gut-punching book, When Helping Hurts. The best thing about book club - aside from the hours-long conversations - is that it gives us all an excuse to see each other every few weeks and cook great meals together.

(It also gives me a chance to try unusual new recipes on my friends. Suckers.)

For our second dinner, I cooked Rachael Ray's 5-Ingredient Parmesan Crusted Tilapia. I already had a bag of frozen tilapia fillets in my freezer, and who can pass up a 5-ingredient recipe?

After a few alterations of my own, this is what we ended up with. In the future, I might cut back on the paprika a bit. Su.per.ea.sy.

Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian style panko bread crumbs
2 tsp paprika
4 tilapia fillets

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. In a shallow dish, combine the cheese with the panko crumbs and the paprika and season with salt and pepper (oops...pretty sure I forgot to do that)
3. Drizzle the fish with olive oil and dredge in the cheese mixture.
4. Place on a baking sheet and bake until the fish is opaque in the thickest part, about 10-12 minutes. May be served with lemon wedges (although I also forgot those).

I served this with sauteed summer squash on a bed of parmesan couscous (the buy-in-a-box kind..."that was easy"). As Rachael would say, "yum-o!"

Saturday, October 15, 2011

The Lovely & Simple Things

Did you know that I think autumn is the best?

Mostly, I love the deep sigh of relief that autumn brings. Stepping out into the morning chill...sitting on the front porch...crunching through the leaves...snuggling in flannel & fleece...taking in the colors of the Tennessee hills. Deep, deep exhales.

Winter makes me hibernate. Spring fills me with eager anticipation. Summer is an outburst of energy. But autumn? Sighhhhh.

The best thing about autumn is how easy it is. You no longer have to worry about the Africa pounds because you can wear sweaters and jeans every day. You don't have to paint your toenails because you wear close-toed shoes. The weather is simply divine every day. You're never too hot or too cold. The food is utterly delectable.

As a past Staples employee, I love doing things that end with "that was easy." I've mentioned my slight obsession for everything pumpkin-flavored in the past, but tonight, I'm going to share with you three super secret secrets of autumn. These are my go-tos and take literally no time at all to do. Ain't nothin' better.

Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate
I'm sure there's a fancy, coffeeshop style of doing this. But when I say "pumpkin spice hot chocolate" I literally mean adding pumpkin spice to your hot chocolate. You know how you buy that little canister of pumpkin pie spice every year and only use, like, a teaspoon of it for your pie? Well, pumpkin pie spice is versatile. Heat up a big mug full of hot chocolate and sprinkle in a healthy dose of pumpkin pie spice. Voila. Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate. For ideal enjoyment, sip slowly while wrapped in a blanket on your front porch.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
I bet you can see where this one's going. Take Aunt Jemima's Just-Add-Water pancake mix (easiest. ever.) and add a bunch of pumpkin pie spice to the batter. Done-zo. Not only do your pancakes take on a sumptuous golden brown color, but they taste oh so yummy.

Easy Pumpkin Bread/Muffins
This is the best kept secret. Buy one box of Duncan Hines Spice Cake Mix and one can of Libby's Pumpkin. Combine the two in a bowl (NO eggs. NO oil. NO nothin' else). Pour into a bread pan or a muffin tray and bake at 350 for approx. 50 minutes (if bread). Just watch it til it's done. This is the moistest bread I've ever tasted. So moist, in fact, that it sometimes does not hold its shape as you cut it. But if you could care less about presentation, this recipe's for you.

Friday, October 14, 2011

A Story for National Sue McGee Day


A mother held her new baby and very slowly rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held him, she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.


The baby grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was two years old, and he ran all around the house. He pulled all the books off the shelves. He pulled all the food out of the refrigerator and he took his mother's watch and flushed it down the toilet. Sometimes his mother would say, "this kid is driving me CRAZY!"

But at night time, when that two-year-old was quiet, she opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor, looked up over the side of his bed; and if he was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.


The little boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was nine years old. And he never wanted to come in for dinner, he never wanted to take a bath, and when grandma visited he always said bad words. Sometimes his mother wanted to sell him to the zoo!

But at night time, when he was asleep, the mother quietly opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep, she picked up that nine-year-old boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.


The boy grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a teenager. He had strange friends and he wore strange clothes and he listened to strange music. Sometimes the mother felt like she was in a zoo!

But at night time, when that teenager was asleep, the mother opened the door to his room, crawled across the floor and looked up over the side of the bed. If he was really asleep she picked up that great big boy and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. While she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.


That teenager grew. He grew and he grew and he grew. He grew until he was a grown-up man. He left home and got a house across town. But sometimes on dark nights the mother got into her car and drove across town.  If all the lights in her son's house were out, she opened his bedroom window, crawled across the floor, and looked up over the side of his bed. If that great big man was really asleep she picked him up and rocked him back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she rocked him she sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.


Well, that mother, she got older. She got older and older and older. One day she called up her son and said, "You'd better come see me because I'm very old and sick." So her son came to see her. When he came in the door she tried to sing the song. She sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always...

But she couldn't finish because she was too old and sick. The son went to his mother. He picked her up and rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And he sang this song:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my Mommy you'll be.


When the son came home that night, he stood for a long time at the top of the stairs. Then he went into the room where his very new baby daughter was sleeping. He picked her up in his arms and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while he rocked her he sang:

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.


Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

TIA Wednesday

(Wednesday is the new Tuesday, right? I'll get my act together soon. Promise.)

This week, I want to give a shout-out to the top 3 things in America that still continue to surprise me, even 4 months and 12 days after returning

1) Hot showers. Sorry I'm not sorry for taking 30 minute showers sometimes. I could stand under the high-pressure, hot water shower head forever. While I still love the idea of only showering once every four days (you save so much time!), nothing can keep me from showering very often in America. Let's face it - I do my best life-processing in the shower. And it sure is a lot easier to stand in a hot shower thinking for 30 minutes than a cold, drippy one.

2) My bed. It may be a free hand-me-down bed, but it's big and plush and isn't filled with dirt & bugs and doesn't have a crater in the middle and isn't surrounded by a princess tent mosquito net. This is the first time in my life that I've ever not slept in a twin bed. And I love it. I love my four pillows. I love being reunited with my dog. Best of all, I've had the joy of figuring out how to sleep in it. I was very conflicted at first about it, so I ended up sleeping diagonally so I didn't have to decide what side to sleep on. But in the interest of my future husband, I have chosen a side this week and love the commitment.

3) Unlimited cookies & ice cream. I can eat a whole bag of cookies whenever I want...which I don't usually do...but...

Monday, October 10, 2011

Abide With Me



Abide with me, fast falls the eventide
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, abide with me.

Thou on my head in early youth did smile
And, though rebellious and perverse meanwhile,
Thou hast not left me, though I oft left thee;
On to the close, Lord, abide with me.

I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, abide with me.

I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless.
Ills have no weight, tears lose their bitterness.
Where is thy sting, death? Where grave thy victory?
I triumph still, abide with me.

Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, Lord, abide with me.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

TIA Tuesday - Oops

I know it's Wednesday.

I also know that yesterday, I was able to breathe a sigh of relief when I read that Tennessee is one of the only states in America that might not feels the pains of the national pumpkin shortage. Due to droughts, hurricanes, and other extreme weather around the US, it was announced several weeks ago that 2011 would be a pumpkin shortage year. I have been on the pumpkin hunt since then, buying canned pumpkin anytime I see it in the store. My local Kroger's pumpkin shelf has been empty for weeks - and the only day that it did have some, I swept all of the remaining 10 cans off the shelf to stash in my pantry. However, despite the good news for us Tennesseans, they're predicting that pumpkins themselves may be sold out as soon as the 15th.

This Is America, where people hoard pumpkin even though we have complete access to a plethora of other good and healthy foods around every corner.

Not to mention having a car to carry home ten cans of pumpkin (I would never try to hike with those in my backpack!). Or having enough money to buy canned pumpkin. Or buying something that is essentially non-essential, even if it is mouth-wateringly delicious.

TIA.

[An update from NPR. Go ahead. Breathe a sigh of relief.]

Monday, October 3, 2011

I Have a Job?!

Yikes. I never told you about my job! And today is not the day for a big job post...but I promise to write that soon. We're approaching my 2 month anniversary, so now is better than ever to share two exciting things happening at my job; two things that are bound to make you giggle.

The first is this feature on the Red Earth Trading Co. blog.

The second is this video that Adam and I made, encouraging you to go vote for Global Support Mission* in the Giving of Life grant. Go vote now!

Welcome to the best job in the world. I am blessed.

Global Support Mission is the greater organization that I work for - Red Earth Trading Co. is a direct-trade arm of our organization.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

It's Back...

Nothing could have made this great night even better - except these two things:



Arrested Development. It's back. Daily AD Office Lunches are about to get even better.

I'm peeing with excitement about it - which I'm sure is what Will Arnett meant to say if he hadn't been limited by 140 characters.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Welcome, October!

I learned that it is not okay to share - even with your fellow crazy-about-Christmas friends - that you wore flannel and watched "Elf" while drinking hot chocolate on September 30. Apparently, this is unacceptable to anyone except me. Haters...

So tonight, I tried to think of a more autumnal movie. Am I right when I say there aren't too many? Thankfully, I own just one that is covered in the bright colors of the changing leaves:


This film may not be about fall at all, aside from two outdoor strolling scenes. But it sure is a keeper. Blame it on my mom: she loved this movie, and passed along her love for it to me, albeit belatedly. In fact, it is one of the five movies I took with me to Namibia.

(side note: what are your five "desert island" movies?)


But despite this enchanting autumn scene, I can't possible write about "When Harry Met Sally" without telling you my favorite monologue. Is it too cliche to love this scene? My heart just wrenches.
"I love that you get cold when it's 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend a day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you're the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it's not because I'm lonely, and it's not because it's New Year's Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize that you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."
Sigh.

So welcome, October. Welcome flannel shirts, crisp mornings, hot chocolate, pumpkin EVERYTHING, raking leaves, bowls of Halloween candy, and Christopher Columbus.

Worship in Unexpected Places - Part 2

Several years ago, I read Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi by musician David Crowder. I was struck enough by this quote to add it to my Facebook page at the time:
"What if we were so moved by who God is, what He's done, what He will do, that praise, adoration, worship, whatever, continuously careened in our heads and pounded in our souls? This what we will do for eternity. What makes us think our time on earth should be any different?"
Recently, as I was thinking about stumbling upon worship in unexpected places, I was brought back to this quote. Why shouldn't we worship in all places, at all times? Why does worship have to feel so unexpected when it's not happening in a sanctuary?

For example, I've been learning this fall that worship can be found in friends. I'm not talking about large group gatherings, but one-on-one times. In meaningful conversation and belly laughter. In people who know and love the depths of each others' hearts enough to enter into the mess of life & challenge each other to keep on keepin' on in his or her walk with Christ.

A glimpse: about a week into living in our house, friends Kiely and Fuchs came over for dinner. Not just any dinner, but the first dinner I had ever cooked in my house. It was simple and spontaneous. It started at our hand-me-down dining room table, where I nearly fell out of my seat during grace because our chairs are on casters. Cue belly laughter. Dinner was followed by long conversation on our front porch, sipping out of mason jars and soaking in the warm summer air.

So moved by who God is...
my Father, my Savior, the One whose promises never, ever cease
...what He's done...
delivered me from the depths of Namibia into the arms of Nashville, into the arms of these dear friends
...what He will do...
continue to provide exactly what I need, exactly when I need it
...that worship continuously careens in my head and pounds in my soul.

Striving to recognize worship in the unknown, in the routine, in the mundane. Because if this is what we truly believe, then none of this is mundane. Each moment - especially those in which we partake with our brothers and sisters - should be full of worship and thankfulness.