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.

Don't Work Too Hard

unknown original source

A simple google search has told me that this is not real. But it secretly gave me quite a giggle at work yesterday. I hope that in our tiny, one-room, 6-person office, hard work is noticed - and that someone would realize if I was sitting dead at my desk.

TIA Tuesday - Another Update from Namibia

If This Is America, then we would have probably finished building a one-room school building by now. That is, unless we caved into our American ways of laziness and procrastination.

But This Is Africa, where many other wants & needs get in the way of building a new classroom. When your family struggles to work and eat every day, you may not have the energy to volunteer your labor. When you doubt the project being finished, you may lose enthusiasm and drive to help out. When you desperately need money, you may demand payment for your labor even if you're being asked to volunteer. When you're weary from the great needs in all other areas of your life, you may not be a supportive community member.

There are a lot of challenges to Amy's classroom-building project at her school. This week, she's challenged by a contractor that's decided to take another job instead of finishing his work on the new building. She's challenged by parents and learners who are demanding money. She's challenged by people from all sides blaming her for the inefficiency of the project, when they are responsible as well. From a community development standpoint, it's imperative to actively involve the community in your efforts...but when the community refuses to help after enthusiastically asking for this to be done, what do you do?

Be praying for Amy and her community as they strive to finish this building so grade 4 finally has a place in which they can learn!

Amy by the front door to her new building - the walls are complete!

Nashville Nugget No. 13 - The Cocoa Tree (also known as "Nashville's Best Hot Chocolate")

While I was away in Namibia, a friend sent me a list of the top 50 hot chocolates in the US with the disclaimer, "one of these is in Nashville!" Be still, my heart...I wonder if it's on my list! Considering myself a hot chocolate connoisseur, I have tried nearly every hot chocolate in this city over the last few years. But what to my wondering eyes did appear but a hot chocolate that I had NEVER tried!

(don't worry: this factored into my decision to expedite my return to the States)

Travel & Leisure lists The Cocoa Tree as on of America's best hot chocolates, boasting in its 12 different flavors and homemade marshmallows. I've been drooling since January over this and finally found a friend who was daring enough to venture to Germantown for this delectable treat.

Unfortunately, it's not "hot chocolate season." What?? There's a season? I tried to tell the girl at the counter that I indulge in hot chocolate year round, but she wasn't buying it. "You'll have to wait until later this fall," she told us. "Maybe in a couple of weeks. Do you want a Frozen Cocoalato instead?" Fellow cocoa lover Jon and I exchanged excited and questionable glances and unabashedly asked, "what is THAT?" She boastfully declared, "it's our very own homemade frozen chocolate drink."

Yes and yes. Duh.

We paid $4.29 for these suckers...quite the pricetag. But as soon as we lifted our drinks from the counter, Jon laughed and said, "We should have been working out before this!"

[photo cred]

This drink was substantial in weight, size, and deliciousity. I didn't write this post yesterday because it's taken me almost 24 full hours just to process what my taste buds experienced and try to put words to it.

The Frozen Cocoalato is a thick, rich chocolate drink with a blast of cinnamon (and other spices?) and a generous heap of homemade whipped cream on top. It is nearly as thick as a milkshake - but definitely not a milkshake. It is decadent to the core and left my tummy full and happy for the rest of the afternoon. And it is totally worth the pricetag.

There are a few other notable things about The Cocoa Tree:
- It's located on the picturesque streets of Germantown and has a small area of patio seating out front. So enjoyable on a warm fall day.
- The store smells absolutely divine. I have been unable to confirm whether they actually make (cook? bake?) all of their chocolates in-house, but it certainly smells as if they do.
- They have big comfy chairs inside. The teal and dark chocolate decor is very warm & inviting.
- One review admits that they have a whole room in the back dedicated to bridesmaids. I don't know what that means, but I want it.
- Their truffles are famous and said to be legendary! We didn't venture past the Frozen Cocoalato on this visit, but all of their chocolate creations looked delicious.

I added myself to their mailing list while I was there, so expect a follow-up post when we're finally able to return and try all 12 flavors of hot chocolate at The Cocoa Tree. In the meantime, while it's still warm out, venture over and grab yourself this crazy Frozen Cocoalato creation - you won't be sorry!

As owner Bethany Thouin writes, "Chocolate is evidence that God delights in our pleasure!"

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

TIA Tuesday - Nants Ingonyama Bagithi Baba Edition

Tonight, some friends and I went to see "The Lion King" in 3D. Yes, I know 3D isn't worth the $14.75 price tag, but the chance to see a childhood movie in theaters again is priceless. In fact, it's the first movie I remember seeing in theaters. This movie has left an indelible mark on our generation, as proven by the masses of twentysomethings in our theater.

"The Lion King" is very American. I'll even go so far as to say that it has shaped every American's vision of Africa. Admittedly, when I traveled to Africa for the first time, I saw everything through the lens of "The Lion King." The name of my blog? Rafiki's chant: "Asante Sana Squash Banana." The baobab tree in Kaole? So "Lion King." Every moment of my first safari? You get the picture.

Even in Namibia, when the WorldTeach 2011 crew took our first safari in Etosha, "The Circle of Life" just happened to start playing right as we rounded the corner to see a springbok giving birth. What's more "Lion King" than that?

This was my first "Lion King" viewing since Namibia. I was confused when everything seemed different. As they panned over the savanna in the opening scene, I saw the road past Engela. When Mufasa takes Simba to the top of Pride Rock to survey their kingdom, I saw the Kavango River looking out over Angola. The dried ground where Timon and Pumbaa found Simba was Sossusvlei. And that baobob tree? It was the same baobob tree that I passed every day on the way to school at our basketball court.

You see, "The Lion King" is Africa, but Africa is not "The Lion King." Disney was brilliant in their portrayal of this distant land, their creative use of Swahili, and their accurate animation of those beautiful vistas. But there is so much more. There are people, for one. There is culture beyond the mysticism of Rafiki. There are not lions running through the Saharan Desert in East Africa...huh?

But I remain appreciative of the way it exposes Africa to Americans in the tiniest sense. Of the way it helps people identify with your stories and pictures. Of its lessons that translate to so many seasons of life. And of its catchy sing-alongs.

"The Lion King." TIA.

Worship in Unexpected Places - Part 1

On Sunday night, some friends and I had the luckiest of chances to go to a secret show in Nashville featuring NEEDTOBREATHE & Ben Rector. The former has been a big and ever-changing part of my Life Book for many years.

One thing is always true: they never fail to put on a foot-stomping, roof-raising show - and it takes a lot for me not to jump on the opportunity to see them in an intimate setting. We were pumped about this show: we knew we would sing loudly; we knew we would dance until we hurt; we even knew it would tug on some heartstrings, since their music has meant so much to us as individuals and friends in many seasons. What I didn't expect was what a worshipful experience it would be.

I could write for hours about their songs. How I fell in love with "Something Beautiful" for its 7/4 time signature, but how it resonates so differently today. How we passionately and tearfully blasted "More Time" in the days leading up to graduation. Every "Washed By the Water" acoustic performance in Nashville. And many, many individual lyrics.

In these post-Namibia, start-of-adulthood times, I have found myself more broken than I imagined possible - and have subsequently found solace in places I didn't expect. Hearing things like...
- "give me the faith to believe in these hard times"
- "leave your hurting on the road behind you, let the wind go with you til the morning comes"
- "all you burdened and broken down, bring all of your troubles, come lay 'em down"
- "your chains will never fall until you do"
- "I know pain is just a place, the will has been broken"
- "grace, she comes with a heavy load"
...opens deep wounds and soothes forgotten scars. Watching each of them worship - even tear up - to Truths sung in such powerful and lyrically impressive ways is big stuff.

In case you haven't heard, they're coming out with a new CD tomorrow. I'm going to be bold and say that this is their best record yet. These guys carry Jesus on their tongues & hearts, and that bursts through these songs more than ever before. Having recently gained such immense popularity, they carry an imminent and important ministry and it's encouraging to see them not shy away from that in their writing. Selfishly, I'm grateful for a lot of really, really great songs to chew on and play on repeat.

They closed Sunday's show with a stripped-down, fully acoustic version of a song off their new record called "A Place Only You Can Go." I wept out of that deep soul place the first time I heard this song and still get goosebumps when the accordion chimes in. The combination of Truth and music carries it all. If I were a savvy enough blogger to know how to embed this song in my post, I would. But alas - you'll have to search it out when the album hits stores tomorrow.

Worship doesn't just happen in church on Sundays. It sometimes happens in a crowded, sweaty bar surrounded by best friends and loud music. Tonight, I rest in God's grace and His persistance to tug on my heart when I least expect it.