acres of hope...east of eden

Dog is a school crossing guard.

2012-01-13T08:16:00.001-06:00

Another awesome dog! If only Cali could be this obedient!

If Cali were a flip book cartoon...

2012-01-08T08:42:00.000-06:00

Cali is a very smart dog that knows what she wants. She often tries to present herself as innocent. She will lay down with her head all sweet and when you least (or most) expect it she will inch forward revealing her true motive. Her head gets closer to the plate of food or the piece of cardboard she wants to get her mouth on. Before you know it she is right where she wanted to be all along.

Although Cali is not the least bit sneaky, and I always know what she is up to, she often gets away with her ploy because she is just so darn funny to watch. I like to watch and she what she is going to do when she thinks she is being perfectly sneaky.

One of things she loves most is the front seat. She hates being in the back seat of the car and if there is a front seat passenger it is a bonus because she loves being with the people. She doesn't know that 54 lbs is a little heavy to be a lap dog. The other day Amy was in the front seat and Cali began the ride in the back. Well it didn't take long for her to make her first move, which is pictured below...

She ever so gently places her head on your shoulder and waits the appropriate amount of time before her next move, which is pictured next...

As you can see, the head has moved further forward and her entire neck is now resting on the passenger, again, waiting for her next move.
Here we have the head even further forward and you can begin to see that she has reached the limit of her neck stretch and her next move will involve getting her front legs to the front seat.
And she has done it folks. The front legs have made it to the front seat and she is almost there.
And here is the final product...what she intended all along, but didn't want you to know. She is now officially a front seat passenger. I am not sure why she prefers this, since in the back she has the whole seat to herself and in the front she must stick her head up into the sky in the window, which does not look comfortable. This is one funny dog.

raynaud's update...

2012-01-06T08:25:00.000-06:00

I am pretty sure my Raynaud's disease is getting worse instead of better. It is such a nuisance. This is what my feet looked a few weeks ago in close to 40 degree temperatures with warm socks on after only a few minutes outside...

I can feel it happening....the foot feels like a block of ice and it starts to go numb. The only thing that makes it stop is taking my shoes and sock off and getting them in front of a heat source. It is such a bizarre little disease. Maybe I need to get some fur lined shoes or something. This is Georgia.....I would never survive in the North...all my toes would fall off.

Cornhole Christmas

2012-01-05T08:14:00.001-06:00

My sister and I are both pretty good at coming up with creative presents to give to other people. My mother is greatest beneficiary of this. She normally gets pretty great presents. At Thanksgiving this year we decided that we were going to make my mom and Vance a Clemson/Carolina corn-hole set. They also decided to make a set for Trey's parents. Lauren and Trey did some research. Trey, like the true carpenter he is (love you brother), constructed them with relative ease and only a few mis-measured boards. Lauren painted them white and I was in charge of painting the detailed images.

Here is the vision...

And here is the vision realized...

I am pretty impressed with our handiwork. I think we did a good job. Trey's mom liked it so much she cried. My mother didn't show quite that much enthusiasm for the gift, but I do think she liked it a lot. Great job Lauren and Trey!

Heaven came to Atlanta!

2012-01-04T11:30:00.004-06:00

I moved to Texas in August of 2006 and lived there until January of 2009. In that time, I discovered that out of every state I have even spent time in, Texas, by far, has the best to offer in the way of food. There are so many good places to eat in that gigantic state! They offer an array of Tex-Mex places that are nothing like the mexican food that can be found in the rest of the country. I didn't even like Mexican food before I moved to Texas and now I LOVE it! Not having access to good Tex-Mex is one of the things that is sad about living in Atlanta. I miss YUMMY tex-mex.

Now one of things I discovered when I moved to Atlanta, is that they have Uncle Julio's, which is a very good Tex-Mex place that I enjoyed while living in Fort Worth. This was a very exciting discovery for me, and although I would say that the one here in Atlanta is not as good as the one in Texas, it is (or was) as good as I could get.

Atlanta does offer a place called Los Hermanos, which I love as well. They have very yummy fajitas, and thought they are not exactly Tex-Mex, they are also not like all the other mexican restaurants found throughout they country. It is a very yummy place.

But...in the last month, something extraordinary has happened! Atlanta got a Chuys! Now Chuys is by far my favorite Tex-mex place of all and is located in Houston. Every time I go back to Texas that is the place I want to go the most. I went to the Chuy's Atlanta for the first time last night and it was awesome! The food was just as good as it is in Texas. It is not quite the same as having it in Texas, but it was very yummy and I am so excited it is here! Here is a picture of it...

Reason # 5792 I love dogs.

2011-12-07T07:25:00.001-06:00

Craigslist "Free" Section Part 4

2011-11-07T20:49:00.002-06:00

For all of you who are have been searching high and low for your very own concrete sewer manhole, you're in luck! Today is your lucky day! Oh wait...maybe you aren't in luck...the owner isn't actually sure that this large, cylindrical, hollow piece of concrete that is sitting in his yard is actually a manhole. I am really not sure how a concrete sewer manhole makes it into your yard without your consent, but I suppose stranger things have happened.
If you decide to go see this item to verify its identity yourself, and you determine that it is, in fact, the concrete sewer manhole of your dreams, you will need your very own crane to get it home, since the current owner specifically says that not even a Bobcat will lift this gem.

the Craigslist "free" section Part 3

2011-10-24T10:15:00.000-05:00

A list of the reasons I think this post is ridiculous:

Thing #A) Who doesn't know how to spell "deer?"
3) Who thinks, "I know what I'll do today! I'll collect acorns, so that others can feed deer. And then I'll post an ad on Craigslist because surely someone is online searching for free deer feeding acorns.
H) Deer are actually able to find and feed themselves acorns. They do not require the help of human acorn retrievers.
%) This cat collected enough acorns that a bag or bucket is necessary for pick-up
8) What would you say when you called the number? "Ahhhh, yeah, I, uhhh....I'm interested in your acorns? My deer really like acorns."
Thing # Last) This world might just be crazy enough that someone actually responded to this ad and traipsed out to Kennesaw, bucket in hand.

the Craigslist "free" section part 2

2011-10-14T07:22:00.000-05:00

Because you may not be able to read this to get the full affect, I will quote it for you. It says, "Homemade pencil tray, made from sheet metal. Made in shop class. Includes some bonus pens to go with it. Easy porch pickup."

If the pencil tray itself was not enough, and the bonus pen offer just tipped you over the edge and you just must have this item you may drive all the way to Decatur from where you live, saunter up to this person's porch and without dropping any cash whatsoever (that is if you don't count the gas and time it took to pick up the item) this little gem can be yours. Ahhhh....the joy of the free Craigslist free section.

the Craigstlist "free" section.

2011-10-13T10:43:00.000-05:00

Lately, I have been doing a lot of Craigslist browsing. I've been looking for a new place to live, looking for a new car and looking for a job. It wasn't until a few days ago that I discovered the joy of browsing the section marked, "free." I think every now and then you may actually find a decent item that you are looking for, like free moving boxes or free firewood. Other times, you may find some real entertaining "treasures."

First up we have this tantalizing treasure...I almost can't believe it's free...

Please note that "free" is a reduced price from $2 each. I am so glad he reduced them because though they are absolutely worth every penny of the $8 total, I must have them and on the unemployed budget, $8 is just too much to spare.

This is just the first of several posts to come on this topic....stay tuned.

renewed hope

2011-10-12T07:48:00.000-05:00

I interviewed for a job yesterday that I really, really want to get. This was my second high school English teaching interview. The first one, as documented here, went horribly and left me feeling so discouraged for trying to be a teacher. They really made me feel like I was an idiot for even trying to do alternative certification to get a teaching job...like it was an absurd idea. When I got the email that this most recent school wanted to interview me, I was really nervous that it would turn out the same way. For some reason, when I got to the school today that feeling was gone. I felt confident and hopeful that this time was going to go well.

The assistant principal who interviewed me had done alternative certification himself and now had his PHD. He was so encouraging during the whole interview. He told me that in his experience those who take an alternate route to teaching have been the best teachers. The interview went so well and though I may not be the candidate that they choose at the end of the process, I feel like I am in the running and I have a renewed sense of hope that this idea to teach is possible.

I would really like to teach and coach. I really want this job...so we'll see. Pray for me! If I get it...I am going to NEED it! I should start googling, "How to be an English teacher."

Clemson

2011-10-10T17:58:00.005-05:00

I love this place...

And I love these friends...

I was so blessed at Clemson to have an amazing group of friends. I miss them and wish I got to see them more. This was my second Clemson game this year and there might just be one more! Go Tigers!

5 months

2011-09-20T16:25:00.002-05:00

This past week I hit the 5 month mark without a job. 5 months is a long time, but it feels like even longer. I wish that I could say that I did something awesome with those 5 months, like traveled to beautiful places that I have never been, but I didn't. I have spent a lot of time sitting in the house that I live in. It is hard to think about traveling when you have no income. I suppose when I get a job, that I will look back and wish I had done some more fun things with all of that free time.
In the last 5 months I have had moments and days where I felt hopeful that all of this was going to work out for the better and I have also had many days of discouragement and sadness. I have spent countless hours thinking about the path that brought me here and replaying in my head that fateful 10 minutes that seemed to have changed everything. It has not been easy and I have not enjoyed it, but maybe, just maybe, there is some light at the end of this tunnel.
After 5 months of filling out lots of applications, writing dozens of cover letters and emailing dozens of resumes with NO phone calls and NO interviews, I finally got some response. In the last 2 weeks I have had 2 initial interviews and a meeting with someone who is pushing my resume along in their organization. Tomorrow, I have second interview with one of the opportunities. And, I passed the GACE, which is SHOCKING to me. I swore up and down that I failed that test and I absolutely believed it. Passing that test opens up the door for me to Sub and to pursue alternative certification in the future if I want to teach.
I am by no means on a sure and steady career path, but at least I am on a path.
I would not have thought that I would be 28 and still have no career to speak of. Most people my age have been whatever they have been for about 6 years now, but that I just not how it has been for me and maybe that is okay. I am just glad to be a little closer to some kind of job with some kind of income. We will see soon enough!

Happy Birthday Sister!

2011-09-13T13:29:00.003-05:00

Happy 26th Birthday to my amazing sister, who blesses me in so many ways and has every year that she has been alive! To an amazing 27th year! I love you!

Fall is officially here.

2011-09-08T10:26:00.002-05:00

How do I know that it is fall, you ask? Well, I know for the following reasons...

Reason #A) The windows are down in my house, letting in the 60 and 70 degree temperatures in the middle of the day.....they are also letting in the flies because there are no screens on our windows, but that is beside the point.

Reason #Next) I attended a NCAA college football game on Saturday-the Clemson season opener against Troy State. And though the temperatures were not in the 70's (more like scorching high 90's), I maintain it is a reason that fall is here.

Reason #last) This...

That's right! I had the season's first Pumpkin Spice Latte yesterday. The seasonal favorite returned to stores nationwide on Tuesday and you best believe I was ready when it did!
I would also not be opposed to someone buying me one of these and loading it up with Moola seeing as Starbucks is quite out of the range of this unemployed girl's budget....

I am greatly looking foward to all of the upcoming things that will usher in the rest of the fall season......leaves changing, sweatshirts, more football, hiking, apple picking and festivals. I LOVE FALL!!!!!

Dogs are AMAZING! Such a sad story

2011-08-26T08:47:00.002-05:00

This dog wouldn't leave the casket of his owner, one of the navy seals killed in the helicopter crash in Afghanistan.
Click here for the full story. Dog mourns at casket of fallen Navy SEAL

How you know you didn't get the job.

2011-08-19T21:27:00.004-05:00

So I had an interview on Wednesday; my first interview since I lost my job. I am trying to work towards my alternative certification, which in the state of Georgia you cannot do until you have secured a teaching job....I find this a little backwards. If I could get a teaching job without being certified (having any qualifications) then why would I need to get my alternative certification? But they didn't ask me how to set-up the system, so you work with what you've got. I suppose I will just have to keep applying for jobs I don't qualify for and hope someone takes pity on me and trusts that I would be a good teacher just because I say so.
So, I got an interview for a high school English teaching job at a local Title 1 school. I saw the opening and emailed the principal. I told him I was not certified, but sent him my resume and my credentials and to my surprise, he told me to set-up an interview. Though I was hopeful, things did not go all that well. Below are the top 3...4 reasons I know I did not get the job:

Reason # 1) I interviewed with the principal and the 2 heads of the English department. For the first awkward minute they all reviewed my resume and the first words that were spoken to me went something like this, "Now it might be on here and I might just be missing it, but are you not certified in English?" Strike # 1

Reason # 2) They asked a total of 6 questions. The principal only asked 2 and didn't even really look at me. Strike 2

Reason # 3) The interview started at 11am. When I cranked up my car to leave the clock said 11:15am. Everything I read said the interviews normally last around 45 minutes. Strike 3.

Reason # 4) As if there needed to me a 4th strike, they were going to make a decision by today and I got no phone call or email....text message....telegraph....nada. Struck Out.

Oh well. Like I said, I have been out of a job for quite a while now and I have applied for lots of things and contacted lots of people and I haven't gotten a single bite, so at least it was nice to have an interview, even if it bombed. I am not really use to bombing things...I don't really like the feeling, but it happens to everyone.

I am just about at the end of my tolerance for unemployment. I do not handle idleness very well. I am getting quite stir crazy, so hopefully something will change soon.

August MyMission article

2011-08-08T18:50:00.002-05:00

August article for MyMISSION Fulfilled. Tips for Meeting Your Running Goals. Click Here.

Do you speak Christian?

2011-08-01T09:57:00.001-05:00

Interesting article from CNN.com What do you think?

Do you speak Christian?

Editor's note: Kirby Ferguson is a New York-based writer, filmmaker and speaker who created the web video series Everything is a Remix. His videos, like the one above, can be found on Vimeo, an online community where artists share their films.

By John Blake, CNN

(CNN) - Can you speak Christian?

Have you told anyone “I’m born again?” Have you “walked the aisle” to “pray the prayer?”

Did you ever “name and claim” something and, after getting it, announce, “I’m highly blessed and favored?”

Many Americans are bilingual. They speak a secular language of sports talk, celebrity gossip and current events. But mention religion and some become armchair preachers who pepper their conversations with popular Christian words and trendy theological phrases.

If this is you, some Christian pastors and scholars have some bad news: You may not know what you’re talking about. They say that many contemporary Christians have become pious parrots. They constantly repeat Christian phrases that they don’t understand or distort.

Marcus Borg, an Episcopal theologian, calls this practice “speaking Christian.” He says he heard so many people misusing terms such as “born again” and “salvation” that he wrote a book about the practice.

People who speak Christian aren’t just mangling religious terminology, he says. They’re also inventing counterfeit Christian terms such as “the rapture” as if they were a part of essential church teaching.

The rapture, a phrase used to describe the sudden transport of true Christians to heaven while the rest of humanity is left behind to suffer, actually contradicts historic Christian teaching, Borg says.

“The rapture is a recent invention. Nobody had thought of what is now known as the rapture until about 1850,” says Borg, canon theologian at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Portland, Oregon.

How politicians speak Christian

Speaking Christian isn’t confined to religion. It’s infiltrated politics.

Political candidates have to learn how to speak Christian to win elections, says Bill Leonard, a professor of church history at Wake Forest University’s School of Divinity in North Carolina.

One of our greatest presidents learned this early in his career. Abraham Lincoln was running for Congress when his opponent accused him of not being a Christian. Lincoln often referred to the Bible in his speeches, but he never joined a church or said he was born again like his congressional opponent, Leonard says.

"Lincoln was less specific about his own experience and, while he used biblical language, it was less distinctively Christian or conversionistic than many of the evangelical preachers thought it should be,” Leonard says.

Lincoln won that congressional election, but the accusation stuck with him until his death, Leonard says.

One recent president, though, knew how to speak Christian fluently.

During his 2003 State of the Union address, George W. Bush baffled some listeners when he declared that there was “wonder-working power” in the goodness of American people.

Evangelical ears, though, perked up at that phrase. It was an evangelical favorite, drawn from a popular 19th century revival hymn about the wonder-working power of Christ called “In the Precious Blood of the Lamb.”

Leonard says Bush was sending a coded message to evangelical voters: I’m one of you.

“The code says that one: I’m inside the community. And two: These are the linguistic ways that I show I believe what is required of me,” Leonard says.

Have you ‘named it and claimed it'?

Ordinary Christians do what Bush did all the time, Leonard says. They use coded Christian terms like verbal passports - flashing them gains you admittance to certain Christian communities.

Say you’ve met someone who is Pentecostal or charismatic, a group whose members believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as healing and speaking in tongues. If you want to signal to that person that you share their belief, you start talking about “receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost” or getting the “second blessings,” Leonard says.

Translation: Getting a baptism by water or sprinkling isn’t enough for some Pentecostals and charismatics. A person needs a baptism “in the spirit” to validate their Christian credentials.

Or say you’ve been invited to a megachurch that proclaims the prosperity theology (God will bless the faithful with wealth and health). You may hear what sounds like a new language.

Prosperity Christians don’t say “I want that new Mercedes.” They say they are going to “believe for a new Mercedes.” They don’t say “I want a promotion.” They say I “name and claim” a promotion.

The rationale behind both phrases is that what one speaks aloud in faith will come to pass. The prosperity dialect has become so popular that Leonard has added his own wrinkle.

“I call it ‘name it, claim it, grab it and have it,’ ’’ he says with a chuckle.

Some forms of speaking Christian, though, can become obsolete through lack of use.

Few contemporary pastors use the language of damnation - “turn or burn,” converting “the pagans” or warning people they’re going to hit “hell wide open” - because it’s considered too polarizing, Leonard says. The language of “walking the aisle” is also fading, Leonard says.

Appalachian and Southern Christians often told stories about staggering into church and walking forward during the altar call to say the “sinner’s prayer” during revival services that would often last for several weeks.

“People ‘testified’ to holding on to the pew until their knuckles turned white, fighting salvation all the way,” Leonard says. “You were in the back of the church, and you fought being saved.”

Contemporary churchgoers, though, no longer have time to take that walk, Leonard says. They consider their lives too busy for long revival services and extended altar calls. Many churches are either jettisoning or streamlining the altar call, Leonard says.

“You got soccer, you got PTA, you got family responsibilities - the culture just won’t sustain it as it once did,” Leonard says.

Even some of the most basic religious words are in jeopardy because of overuse.

Calling yourself a Christian, for example, is no longer cool among evangelicals on college campuses, says Robert Crosby, a theology professor at Southeastern University in Florida.

“Fewer believers are referring to themselves these days as ‘Christian,’ ” Crosby says. “More are using terms such as ‘Christ follower.’ This is due to the fact that the more generic term, Christian, has come to be used within religious and even political ways to refer to a voting bloc.”

What’s at stake

Speaking Christian correctly may seem like it’s just a fuss over semantics, but it’s ultimately about something bigger: defining Christianity, says Borg, author of “Speaking Christian.”

Christians use common words and phrases in hymns, prayers and sermons “to connect their religion to their life in the world,” Borg says.

“Speaking Christian is an umbrella term for not only knowing the words, but understanding them,” Borg says. “It’s knowing the basic vocabulary, knowing the basic stories.”

When Christians forget what their words mean, they forget what their faith means, Borg says.

Consider the word “salvation.” Most Christians use the words "salvation" or "saved" to talk about being rescued from sin or going to heaven, Borg says.

Yet salvation in the Bible is seldom confined to an afterlife. Those characters in the Bible who invoked the word salvation used it to describe the passage from injustice to justice, like the Israelites’ liberation from Egyptian bondage, Borg says.

“The Bible knows that powerful and wealthy elites commonly structure the world in their own self-interest. Pharaoh and Herod and Caesar are still with us. From them we need to be saved,” Borg writes.

And when Christians forget what their faith means, they get duped by trendy terms such as the rapture that have little to do with historical Christianity, he says.

The rapture has become an accepted part of the Christian vocabulary with the publication of the megaselling “Left Behind” novels and a heavily publicized prediction earlier this year by a Christian radio broadcaster that the rapture would occur in May.

But the notion that Christians will abandon the Earth to meet Jesus in the clouds while others are left behind to suffer is not traditional Christian teaching, Borg says.

He says it was first proclaimed by John Nelson Darby, a 19th century British evangelist, who thought of it after reading a New Testament passage in the first book of Thessalonians that described true believers being “caught up in the clouds together” with Jesus.

Christianity’s focus has long been about ushering in God’s kingdom “on Earth, not just in heaven,” Borg says.

“Christianity’s goal is not to escape from this world. It loves this world and seeks to change it for the better,” he writes.

For now, though, Borg and others are also focusing on changing how Christians talk about their faith.

If you don’t want to speak Christian, they say, pay attention to how Christianity’s founder spoke. Jesus spoke in a way that drew people in, says Leonard, the Wake Forest professor.

“He used stories, parables and metaphors,” Leonard says. “He communicated in images that both the religious folks and nonreligious folks of his day understand.”

When Christians develop their own private language for one another, they forget how Jesus made faith accessible to ordinary people, he says.

“Speaking Christian can become a way of suggesting a kind of spiritual status that others don’t have,” he says. “It communicates a kind of spiritual elitism that holds the spiritually ‘unwashed’ at arm’s length."

By that time, they’ve reached the final stage of speaking Christian - they've become spiritual snobs.

Dog Tease Video

2011-07-27T09:58:00.001-05:00

I LOVE this. It has made me laugh very very hard!

July 25th

2011-07-25T12:58:00.004-05:00

July 25th. It's the last day of the trifecta of days that are difficult. It is my dad's birthday. He would be 55 today. Even after 5 years it's difficult. 5 years is a long time right? Should it be easier now than say, 3 years ago? I am not sure that while we are here, on earth that is, we ever really stop missing those who come in and out of our lives. I think that is part of the fall. We were not made for death, but now that death is a part of this life it leads a void in us when we find it on our front doorstep. Goodbye was never supposed to be in our vocabulary, but that is the world we find ourselves in. So today, instead of celebrating year 55 of my dad's life, I mourn his death and look towards the future where death is no more.

Why my sister is awesome.

2011-07-18T06:41:00.001-05:00

A) She is exceptionally gracious, kind and loving. People adore her.
3) She is extremely smart, but doesn't think so. She will be starting a PHD program in the fall for special ed. She was approached by her Master's professors about applying.
T) She is a great teacher. Her student's love her. She is great at what she does and she loves those kids well even when they are hard to love.
Y) She has always looked out for the underdog. She has always had a heart for the kid or the person on the fringes and she has never cared what anyone thought about her reaching out to those people.
2) She has Bassett Hounds.....3 of them...she had 8 (5 puppies) and now she has 3....and they are funny.
8) She is about to do a 100 mile bike ride with JDRF on July 30th in Vermont. She did a 70 mile bike ride in Tahoe last year to raise money for JDRF and fight back against Diabetes.
hh) She is very creative and very thoughtful. Growing up, she gave me some of the most creative presents I have ever gotten!
X0) She is super funny and very fun to be around. She can always make you laugh.
U) She loves me well and sometimes (especially as a sister) I can be very hard to love.

Thank you sister for being you! For being awesome! For loving me the way that you do!
I love you and I am very thankful for you!

Chick-fil-A First 100 Event!

2011-07-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Chick-fil-a opening was SOOO much fun. I had been eating at Chick-fil-a a few weeks before with my sister and my friend Heather Lacy (who is a Chick-fil-a addict) and she started talking about how she had gone to one of these grand opening events a few weeks before. As she was telling us about it we all agreed that it sounded like so much fun and that we should go the next one in Georgia, which just happened to be my birthday week. Here is how it works. You arrive at the Chickfila by 6am the morning before the grand opening. They give everyone a raffle ticket and draw 100 names. Those 100 people win the grand prize of free Chickfila for a year....52 free meals. They then draw 10 alternates who move up if any of the 100 leave and then from those alternates left they draw 1 name to win 52 free meals. The trick is, to claim your prize you must stay in the parking lot for 24 hours (until the store opens the next morning). There were 5 of us, which increased our chances of winning. I was the first one called at #63 and I was inside nervous and lonely as they got up into the 90's and nobody else from our group had been called. Finally, Heather (with last minute flare) was called at 97 and then Lauren was called as alternate 108. Lauren ended up being 1 out of only 4 alternates left by the next morning and won the raffle for the free 52, giving us 3 winners and 30ish free meals each. So, for 24 hours we stayed in the parking lot, played games, ate lots of free chicken, sweated to death, played more games, read some books, played more games, sweated some more and slept on the concrete in tents until 4:30ish the next morning.

Here is a picture of our set-up.

Some people are apparently Chick-fil-a Grand Opening pros and have very elaborate set-ups with generators, projectors, video games and even cots, but I think we did pretty good for our first time. The pop-up tent was a life saver! That and we got the money spot in the lot that was behind a high wall with tall trees on the other side and we had a good bit of shade the first half of the day. Some people were in spots with full sun all day and no hope of shade.

A picture of one of the many silly games they had us play. Many of them yielded prizes non of us were interested in (like cheesecake....who wants cheesecake when you have been eating fried chicken all day and sitting in the 100 degree heat?) but were still fun anyway. We were supposed to slide an oreo off our forehead and into our mouths. Lauren was successful, but the only place I slid it too was on the ground.

Here is us the next morning, a little worse for the wear, but lots of free Chicken richer. (not pictured due to no desire to be seen in her condition- Heather Lacy)

This is my I'm in an oversized t-shirt and silly hat, but I just won free chicken face!

Here is us with our spoils!

It really was a lot of fun! We have already looked to see if there are any more close by in the near future. Some of these people are chick-fil-a opening junkies and seem to follow these events all over the country. A couple beside us had attended over 10 of these events. We were even asked by someone if we were going to the one in Texas. I don't think driving to Texas for free Chick-fil-a is very cost efficient, but maybe.....Birmingham?

Birthday Week

2011-07-16T10:23:00.009-05:00

I had a fantastic Birthday week. I could not have asked for a more fun-filled, friend-filled week of events. I have great friends and family (both here and elsewhere) that made me feel so special and loved! Here is a breakdown of the weeks events by day.

Monday, July 11th- Stone Mountain Laser Show and Picnic.

This was an event that I haven't attended since I have lived here and have been wanting to go to. They do it every night during the summer and apparently this is the first summer they have "updated" the show since they started it in the 80's. It was really fun. We tried to play frisbee before it started, but it was crowded and I hit an old lady in the arm and she was non too happy about it, so we just sat and talked.

Tuesday, July 12th- Six Flags over Georgia.

I have also not been to Six Flags since I moved to Atlanta. It had been a few years since I had been to a theme park. Amy surprised me and took me on Tuesday. The only downside was that it happened to be the hottest day of the year to date and they were warning people to stay inside, but we thought we would to the opposite and ride roller coasters in the heat.

We were drenched (I was drenched) about an hour in and we were both a little nauseous probably due to the heat and roller coaster motion combo. 3 rides in they shut all the rides down due to thunder, lighting and drizzling rain. I do appreciate their caution because I don't really want to die on a coaster, but I found the bad weather a little unfortunate. We left the park for about an hour and rode around and then came back to see if the rides were back on. They were and so we lined up for the first coaster and after the sent one cart they shut it down again.....more "inclement weather." We stood there for about an hour until they finally decided there was no more thunder (which we never heard anyway, but oh well). All-in-all the bad weather worked in our favor because it cleared out the park and cooled things down. We road everything we wanted to ride and some things twice and then realized we had had enough and didn't want to push the nausea feeling any further. SO FUN!

Taking a break from the extreme heat.

Bumper cars.

Wednesday, July 13th and Thursday, July 14th - Chick-fil-a Grand Opening First 100 Event.

This was SOOO much fun. We (5 of us) arrived at Chick-fil-a in Dallas, Ga by 6am (which means we got up in the 3 o'clock hour) and stayed there, camping in the parking lot until 6am the following morning. Two of us won the raffle and Lauren got an alternate spot and ended up winning the drawing for 52 free meals. After 24 hours of eating free chicken, games, sweating buckets (this day beat the previous day out for hottest day of the year), and camping in a parking lot we each walked home utterly exhausted, but with 30ish free Chick-fil-a meals in hand. It was such a fun and different thing to do....if only it had been cooler. More details to come about this event in my next post.

The gang waiting to get raffle tickets.

Excited faces.

Winners!

Thursday, July 14th- Chick-fil-a, naps, nerts, La Madeleine and The Lincoln Lawyer

We woke up way too early on the concrete on Thursday morning to get in line and collect our prize. The original plan for Thursday was to leave from the Chick-fil-a event and go camping up at Jack's river in North Georgia. But it was so early and we were so tried that we came home and took a nap. The weather was rainy and non-cooperative for much outdoor activity so lunch and nerts it was for some of the afternoon. For dinner Amy took me to La Madeleine, which is one of my favorite places that I haven't been too since I moved from Texas. It is an amazing little french inspired cafe that I first discovered in Texas. I found out a while back that they have 2 in Atlanta, but neither are very close to my house. She knew I have been wanting to go so she took me and she fell in love with it too. It is so yummy!!!!! We then got The Lincoln Lawyer (a movie I have been wanting to see) from the Redbox and watched it at home. It was very good.

Friday, July 15th- The day of my birth!- Blueberry picking, blueberry pancakes, more nerts, birthday dinner and a dessert party.

Since we were supposed to be waking up on the 15th in the woods somewhere and weren't we had to come up with a plan B. We decided to go pick blueberries at a farm about 30 minutes away. It takes a long time to pick a gallon of blueberries....they are tiny...and a gallon is a lot....and we are very selective. They are delicious and we can officially make blueberry pancakes for the next year without running low. So, if push comes to shove and I can't find a job I will be living off of blueberry pancakes and Chick-fil-a.....and by 29 I will be as big as a house. The pancake breakfast (at lunch time) was awesome. We played some more nerts. Late that day Lauren cooked me a meal of my request, which was chicken poppyseed, "dirty" mac and cheese and green beans. It did not disappoint. We then drove over to my house where Amy had set-up a surprise dessert party with some of my favorite people. There was a Coke Cake (YUMMY) also made by my sister, an ice cream sundae bar, some glass bottled Cheerwine, games and presents. It was a FANTASTIC birthday (week)! I felt very loved!

My yummy birthday dinner.

Thank you Amy and Lauren for everything you did this week! I love both of you very, very much! Thank you friends and family that I didn't get to see who sent presents and cards and texts and phone calls. Thank you acquaintances and those I barely know for seeing it was my birthday on Facebook and taking a second to post on my wall....you flooded my inbox with emails....and also made me feel special....all 100 of you.... ;-)

To another year....here we go 29.

Writing for My Mission Fulfilled.

2011-07-03T08:10:00.000-05:00

A few months ago an old student of mine emailed me and asked me if I was interested in writing articles for a website run by the WMU. She was not the editor of an initiative called My Mission Fulfilled and they were looking for more writers. I thought it sounded like a fun opportunity so I said yes. The website features articles in 4 main categories related to missional living and targets women in their 20's. Their goal is to help equip women to fulfill their call in Christ. My first two articles have been published there and I am currently working on the third one.
The website can be found by clicking here.
The first one is entitled Community: Exhortation and Impact.
The second one is entitled Poverty and Abuse Among Children: The Facts and The Call.

This has been a really fun thing for me. I enjoy writing and it is an opportunity that just fell in my lap. Check out the website. It has got some neat stuff on it.

A Recap of June and Dreams for July

2011-07-02T12:38:00.003-05:00

I find it very hard to believe that it already July. It seems like yesterday that July 2010 was rolling in and I was asking the time to slow down. It really is crazy how time flies by.
In the month of June I was supposed to be in Peru for 3 weeks, but due to my being let go from Grace I was not able to lead that trip and instead spent my time doing other random things.
When I first found out I wasn't going to be going on that trip I really wanted to go somewhere fun. I wanted to get in my car and head out west or up north and see so many of the things that I have yet to see....Niagra Falls, camp in Glacier National Park (dream), hike in Wyoming, etc. Instead I spent it here. I went to North and South Carolina, which is not near as "exciting," but in some weird way it was perfect.
1) In the first part of June Amy's mom came. I got a new ceiling fan in my room (See previous post), and we got a new kitchen faucet and a grill. The grill has been really fun....the 3 times we have used it.
B) We went to the mountains after that, to one of my favorite hikes and slid down Turtleback falls...super fun. There is video footage somewhere....maybe I will work on posting that. But for now here is a picture from the internet.
8) After that it was beach time with the family. My mom and her husband rent a house in Ocean Isle, NC, so we headed there for almost a week and it was a very fun and relaxing time. I managed to not get burned, which is a miracle.
C) After that, came home for a day and it was time to head out to Camp Sunshine in Greenville, SC. This will in the future be referred to as "Little Kid camp" mostly because I was unaware that this camp was only for little kids this week. It was a very fun, very tiring week that did, indeed, remind me why I prefer working with high schoolers. And one of those little "Carrier Monkeys" as Rachel McMichael would call them, gave me their sick germs and I have now been sick for several days.
Lastly) The last Hoorah of June was a whitewater rafting trip down the Ocoee on Thursday. Several of my friends and I bought Groupons for half off rafting in June and went on Thursday. It was very fun and hilarious because of the people who went. A photo can be viewed here.

What did not happen in June?
Well, other than Peru....me finding a job. Yep, still jobless and not sure what the future holds. I am finding it more and more difficult to hold onto the "there is something better out there" mindset, when there is no movement. I also did not win the lottery, but then again I didn't play....so can't complain much about that.

What Dreams are there for July? Well, so far not many. I would love for Fall to set in and stay until November. It is so dang hot here. At the top of the list would be finding a job...preferably, one that I would like to have, not just one that brings in money. There is talk of visiting a Chickfila opening somewhere close to here....maybe this would yield 52 free Chickfila meals...that would be fun. Oh, and it is my birth month. Yep, the big 28. Hard to believe. Not sure where the last few years have gone....doesn't feel like I have done much with them, but maybe that is just the unemployment talking. As always, I am curious about what 28 will hold that the previous 27 did not. I guess we will see.

dog activities.

2011-06-28T09:33:00.000-05:00

When your dog disappears from your sight for a while and you hear no noise from her, there are several options as to what she may be up to.

Option # A) She might be sleeping. If your dog is old or tired from a full and rigorous day of laying around then you might find her sleeping innocently in the house somewhere.

Option 2) She might be quietly playing with a toy or chewing a bone back in her lair of solitude, so as to not be disturbed.

Option next) There really is no option next, as there are actually very few activities dogs do other than sleep and play with toys, unless you have a Lassie type dog, who may be out saving humans from utter peril.

Option actuality) Or your dog could be doing this...

I realized the other day that Cali had been missing and way too quiet for the middle of the day and the moment I asked Amy if she had seen Cali, Amy walked into her bedroom and saw this.....Cali sitting among the remnants of what use to be a very nice bath sponge.

House Projects.

2011-06-10T11:45:00.006-05:00

For a while Amy and I were lobbying for her mother to come up and visit. Her mom is like the female version of Bob Villa...she is very good at handiwork and we had a running list of things we wanted fixed/added to the house. First on the list was a way to hang the hammock that Amy owns. I love a hammock and if I were to have one, that would be the location I could be found in most days. I mean what better way to spend unemployment than in a hammock, though now it is quite warm (and by that I mean freakin' hot) with no shade in our yard.

Anyway, her mom finally found some time off and came to visit. She successfully completed several projects including; putting in a new kitchen faucet, painting part of the kitchen, planting some plants, and my favorite....hanging a ceiling fan in my room. My room is on the front of the house, which happens to face East and when the sun comes up in the morning it literally feels like I am sleeping in the middle of the front yard. It is so bright and so hot and I am already a very hot sleeper, so the fan is a much welcomed addition. Here is a picture...and I must also mention that Amy helped assemble (parts of) this.

We also found something in Lowes that we believed we just had to have.....a grill. We bought, assembled and then cooked on our brand new grill all in one day. This was very much a purchase on a whim, but one that I have already appreciated (all except for cleaning it.....not a fan of cleaning it).

Amy's mom assembling the grill.

The finished product

Cali enjoying the spoils of the new purchase.

The feast.

The first meal on the grill was quite good, though all the info about grilling times online was terribly inaccurate. I am not the world's best griller yet, but with time maybe I will improve.

Thank you Mrs. Becky for COMING TO VISIT and for all of your hard work! I am impressed with your skills!

Pet Butler

2011-05-18T19:10:00.002-05:00

I was driving back from the city today when I passed a truck belonging to a business called "Pet Butler." It was painted green and covered in slogans and info about the business. Curious about what they do? They clean up after your pet. That is right....they scoop poop. Their slogan is "Got Poop? We Scoop!"

Who hires someone to scoop up their pet's poop? Who has that kind of money or enough dogs that that task would just be too much of an undertaking? All you need is 5 minutes and a Kroger bag....and that is only if you clean up once a week. If you do it daily the time diminishes to 1 minute and a Kroger bag.

I was so intrigued that I had to visit their website because of course, they have one. It is ridiculous. It is filled with "poop puns." They even have a section for testimonials. Here is what George R. from New Jersey had to say about their services: "You smell that? Me neither, thanks Pet Butler! :)" They even have a "Pet Butler Turdometer" that keeps a running count of the number of poops they have scooped. And if you are so inclined to join the movement there are franchise opportunities.

I just don't understand why some businesses exist. Call me old fashioned, but I will pick up my own dog's poop.

my first tri

2011-05-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

On Sunday I finished my first triathlon. I participated in the 2011 IronGirl near Atlanta. The race is a fundraiser for Aflac cancer center for children. It was a sprint triathlon, which consists of a 1/3 mile swim, 18 mile bike and a 3 mile run. In hindsight....and to be honest, in foresight, I should have trained, but I really didn't. I only did 2 of those activities in the same day 3 times and with large breaks in between and I never did all 3 activities in the same day. I swam maybe 6 times, biked twice and ran maybe 10 or so times. Before the race I was the most worried about the swim because I have never swam like that before and as it turns out I should have been. The swim was awful. I got maybe 3 sets of strokes in and could barely breathe. People later said that the swim was much worse than it has been the past....something about the current being bad this year. I don't know the reason...I just know it was bad. I finished it without drowning and was on to the bike. Now I don't really like biking. I try to, but I hate biking up hills. As it turns out, however, the bike was my favorite part of this race. I did really well in it, biked it really fast and passed tons of people, which made up for my bad swim time. It was a very pretty bike course, which helped also. I had not done a transition from biking to running ever and when I finished and stepped off the bike in transition I almost fell over. My legs felt like jello. I had to pull myself together though because I was about to have to run 3 miles. I greatly appreciated the people who made that 3 mile run mostly uphill....that was real sweet.
I did finish though and they named me an IronGirl as I passed over the finish line and adorned me with a bright pink medal. Overall, it was pretty fun. My roommate came and was an excellent supporter...cheering us on and taking pictures to update my facebook status, which makes it look like I carried my phone during the entire race to give my "followers" the play-by-play.
Here are some of the pictures. Pictures of my in the swim cap will not be appearing here or anywhere else in public space....they are pretty rough. Below is transition 1 between the swim and bike.
I think this picture is hilarious. Amy didn't mean to take it, but it is after the bike before I headed out on the run. I was eating a GU, which turned out to be nasty. It tasted like I was shoving melted tootsie rolls in my mouth and the last thing I wanted right then was melted tootsie rolls. The face is priceless.
Here is the all done photo. I was very glad to be finished. There are more pictures on facebook of the event.
I feel pretty accomplished this year. Since last May I have completed my first 10k, half marathon, full marathon and triathlon. I never planned it that way, but that is what happened. I've really enjoyed it.

i love my dog.

2011-05-16T11:01:00.002-05:00

I love my dog. She is the cutest and sweetest. She is a faithful friend, a gifted sleeper, a great snuggler and super smart. Lauren says she is too smart to be so bad and sometimes she is bad. But most of the time she is just a good girl. I always wanted a dog and I ended up with a good one. She use to hate her crate. She would salivate the moment you put her in it and when I would return the crate, and she would be soaked...gross. Now she is so good in her crate. Below is a picture of her today. I was working at home in the office and she just got in her crate and curled up to take a nap. So cute!

pictoral representations.

2011-05-08T16:37:00.005-05:00

It is difficult to be in a place where you do not know the language. You can't communicate with people. You can't read signs, or labels or menus. This is why I appreciated places that not only had words, but visual representations of those words. Pictures are a lot more universal than languages. I found this picture below to be particularly helpful. I am not sure I would have known how to proceed without it.

Thank you Amsterdam airport....just another way you have raised the bar on customer service. Except, next time you might want to show the water not shooting away from the stick person.

Fishing with Lauren's kids

2011-05-07T08:14:00.000-05:00

Three weeks ago, Lauren invited me to go fishing with her special ed class....it might have been one of the most amazing things I have ever been a part of. Some of them were scared to death of worms. Some of them were scared to death of fish. None of them could cast or bait a hook. One kid in particular just liked to continuously reel his in. But every kid caught a fish and most kids caught multiple fish. It was a GREAT!!!!

Yummy Strawberry Cake

2011-05-06T09:56:00.000-05:00

Something great happens in April around these parts.....the Strawberry fields open. They are within walking distance of my house, which is very exciting. I love this time of year. I love going and getting a huge bucket of amazing smelling, giant strawberries for $10. We just finished our second bucket already. Last year we found this amazing cake recipe that we used some of strawberries to make and this year we have already recreated this once. If you like strawberry cake (or any cake with cream cheese icing), you will love this.

You can find it by clicking here.

Homemade Strawberry Cake

Adapted from Paula Deen’s Hummingbird Cake

Nonstick vegetable spray
All-purpose flour, for pans
3 cups self-rising flour
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup pureed strawberries, strained*
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
4 large eggs, beaten
red food coloring**

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray and flour three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, tapping out excess flour; set aside.
- Prepare the cake batter; in a large bowl, stir to combine self-rising flour, sugar, oil, pureed strawberries, vanilla, lemon zest, and eggs.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing with an offset spatula. Bake, rotating pans halfway through, until the tops spring back when gently pressed with your fingertips, 26 to 28 minutes.
- Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto wire rack. Re-invert cakes and let them cool completely, top sides up.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting (recipe below); frost as desired and refrigerate until ready to serve.

* You can use fresh or frozen strawberries. If you use frozen, let them defrost on a cookie sheet. Then place in a food processor and pulse until pureed. Run through a medium-sized strainer to remove the seeds. If you have some extra strawberries, try whipping up a quick batch of strawberry scones!

** While I did manage to avoid using red colored gelatin, I did add some food coloring to achieve that perfectly pink color. If you don’t care about getting the pink color, feel free to leave it out. I used about 5 drops, but you should add them one at a time until you achieve the color you are looking for.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz package of cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
~ 3 cups (approx. 1 box) confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1 TBL milk (if needed)

Directions:

- Beat cream cheese and butter together until smooth.
- Slowly add the sugar in 1 cup batches until desired sweetness is achieved. You may need less than 3 cups if you like your frosting less sweet.
- Stir in vanilla. Add milk slowly if you need a looser consistency.

a surprise ending

2011-05-05T16:31:00.003-05:00

I have always kind of liked surprise endings. Some surprise endings are good...while others are bad. I am always impressed in the movies when something completely unpredictable happens in the end. Lately, I have realized how often there are "surprise endings" in life. Most of the time days go by in a normal, predictable fashion, but we have no idea that tomorrow is going to throw us this massive curve ball that we never saw coming. The month of April came with a surprise ending. I spent some time in Europe visiting old friends and traveling around, which was amazing. It was one of those highlight of the year experiences. I got back from that trip and went back to work, assuming my new role in the student ministry at Grace and jumping back into emails, phone calls and planning. I worked 3 days and at the end of the 3rd day I was called into an impromptu meeting with my boss and head pastor and I was let go. A surprise ending. I never saw it coming, but who really ever sees something like that coming? I was shocked, and still am. It has been 3 weeks since that day and I have run back and forth through the full gamut of emotions so many times. I have done the "Why me?" and the "This isn't fair!" and all the other things you think. I have had 1000 conversations in my head with the people who let me go, thinking of all things I should have said (most of which are better unsaid). Mostly, I miss people. I miss my coworkers...some truly great people that I love. I miss my students and wonder if they wonder why I just suddenly disappeared. I am sad to have spent over a year doing something I didn't love, to have finally moved into something that I do love and to have lost the opportunity so quickly. The reason for the pink slip was financial, but no reason ever really makes you feel better.
In the days following the event I received lots of emails, texts and phone calls, which have been a great encouragement to me. I have been well supported by my family, friends and coworkers and have felt loved in a time of uncertainty and despair. In all of this the Lord has provided several conversations and people who have been able to lay a foundation of hope underneath the present feelings of sadness. This is a place where there is huge opportunity for lies to be spoken and to take root, which means it is also a place where truth can be spoken and I blessed to have some good people combating those lies with exhortation. I do believe that the Lord is leading me to something "better." Something that is a better fit for me....something that is more in line with my gifting....something that He has uniquely wired me to do. I think that in a few months or years I will look back and be amazed at how this "surprise ending" has led me into a greater story. Right now I am still grieving....moving forward, but still grieving. What is it that Matchbox Twenty says?....."Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." I suppose we will see.

The Amsterdam airport/security process in full review:

2011-04-20T10:19:00.000-05:00

1) When we landed we taxied so long I thought that maybe we landed in Germany and were slowly making our way over to Amsterdam. It was so much time that Amy was able to take another very good nap before we got to out jet way.
2) Starbucks in America is expensive, but Starbucks in Europe is robbery. The drinks are priced higher to where even if the dollar was on par with the Euro a latte would still cost more, but if you throw in the fact that the Euro is 1 and a half times stronger than the dollar, your already expensive Chai Tea Latte will cost you $7.50.
3) Do not worry about buying a drink you plan on taking on your next flight or filling up your water bottle, you will be required to dump out all liquids an innumerable amount of times.
4) Do not think that your ticket or the electronic screens are incorrect when they tell you your boarding time is an hour and a half or more before your scheduled departure time….it is not incorrect. It will take you every minute of that time to get through the rigorous security process, which I will explain below.
5) You arrive to your gate area to find all of the seats empty and a VERY long line. You promptly assume that this is the line for a flight leaving before yours (as any thinking person would, considering it is a very long time before your flight takes off). However, your assumption is incorrect and you find yourself at the back of this VERY long line, which you then promptly notice, is not moving.
6) Half a lifetime later, you find yourself at the front of the line on the other side of a roped off area of “interrogation podiums.” Before you are let through the rope area you are asked if you are traveling alone or with someone. If you are traveling with someone they two of you are given a pre-interrogation interrogation, including questions like; “How long have you known each other” and “Have you been with them your entire trip?”, to which I would love to respond, “Well there was this one time she went to the bathroom without me, does that count?”
7) Once that interrogation is over they let you through the rope, direct you to your podium and take your passport and boarding pass for the first “swipe in.”
8) Once they have allowed you some time to sweat it out at the podium, they join you and begin asking you another series of questions about your trip, your relationship and your luggage handling while in the airport. (Some sidebar commentary: I think this is an exercise in futility. If I am a terrorist of if I am carrying things that I should not be transporting on a plane I will likely not answer “yes” to questions like, “Have you accepted anything from anyone that was not yours?” or “Have you let your bag out of your sight?”
9) Once you sufficiently answer their questions and they believe you are not a threat to national security they put you in the next security line, where you will dump out your water, AGAIN, take off your jacket, shoes, belt, etc…empty your pockets, put your bags back through the xray machines, step through the “swivel around your body” X-ray machine and then get a pat down. All of this mind you, after getting straight of a plane from another country where you just did this whole routine. I mean, I can see the water fountain I filled my bottle up in from here, do I really need to dump it out….in the same fountain?
10) Once you and your bags have been thoroughly X-rayed, scanned, patted down and violated, you can then take your seat, wait there aren’t any, in the small gate area, but don’t get too cozy, because you only have 10 minutes before the plane boards, even though you arrived at your gate nearly 2 hours before now.
11) After you are rested from your 10 minutes of sitting you will join all of humanity in the small gate area and herd your way like cattle down the world’s longest jet way to the seat you will spend the next 10 hours of your life in. Happy day.
12) Don’t worry, if you are still nervous and feel like this process might still not have led to a safer America, you will repeat all of this in the Atlanta airport, including picking up your checked luggage and sending it, as well as yourself back through security and X-rays…..so that you can get in your car…….and drive to your house.

In honor of being in Prague...

2011-04-19T10:05:00.001-05:00

the world's smallest smoking closet?

2011-04-16T11:52:00.000-05:00

If ever I thought that the smoking room in the Atlanta airport was bad, the one in the Vienna airport in Austria is far worse...I think you could watch the years tick off your life just standing close to it. Someone opens the door and smoke comes pouring out. Yuck.

The Prague Bridge Band

2011-04-15T11:35:00.002-05:00

I have mentioned before on here that I have some friends that I traveled Europe with after college that have since then started a hostel in Europe. My pictures from that trip are some of the first posts on this blog (January 2006) and I posted some pictures of their hostel a few months ago. It was what they felt the Lord calling them to do and though it seemed like an impossibility, it has come true. I have been lucky enough to come back and see this dream in reality; in fact, I am currently typing this from their hostel, Mosaic House. It has been amazing to catch up with them and see their world over here in Prague. April 9th was my roommate, Amy's birthday and she wanted to do something epic for it and Europe was the top of her list. We came over here and have traveled to a couple of amazing places. I have a lot of pictures and a lot to say about this in the future, but right now I just wanted to post this video of the "Bridge Band." One of the famous spots in Prague is the Charles Bridge. The Bridge is always bustling with tons of tourists, vendors and musicians. This band was my favorite for several reasons. Reason #A) There is a very old man playing a washboard with thimble like metal fingertips and he is darn good it. Thing # next) The man playing the trumpet is simultaneously smoking a cigarette, which I find hilarious. Hope you enjoy!

Lent Day 29

2011-04-06T17:51:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Lord,
you reward virtue
and forgive the repentant sinner.
Grant us your forgiveness
as we come before you confessing our guilt.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Isaiah 49:8-15; Psalm 145; John 5:17-
Intercessions:
Let us give thanks to God, our Father:
through the power of the Spirit he purifies our heart and strengthens us in love.
Let us humbly ask him:
Lord, give us your Holy Spirit.

Help us to receive good things from your bounty with a deep sense of gratitude;
-and to accept with patience the evil that comes to us.
Teach us to be loving not only in great and exceptional moments,
-but above all in the ordinary events of daily life.
May we abstain from what we do not really need,
-and help our brothers and sisters in distress.
May we bear the wounds of your Son,
-for through his body he gave us life.

Closing Prayer:
Loving and merciful God,
I am so aware of my sins and weaknesses.
But as painfully aware of my faults as I am,
Let me also remember your tender love,
your gentle and limitless forgiveness.
I come before you filled with pain and guilt
but look into your eyes and see the forgiving love
I so long for in my life.
Help me to forgive the same way.
Teach me to love as you love.

Lent Day 28

2011-04-05T07:47:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Father,
may our Lenten observance
prepare us to embrace the paschal mystery
and to proclaim your salvation with joyful praise.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Ezekiel 47:1-9, 12; Psalm 46; John 5:1-16
Intercessions:
God the Father has given us his only Son, the Word made human,
to be our food and our life. Let us thank him and pray:
May the word of Christ dwell among us in all its richness.

Help us this Lenten season to listen more frequently to your word,
- that we may celebrate the solemnity of Easter with greater love for Christ, our paschal sacrifice.
May your Holy Spirit be our teacher,
- that we may encourage those in doubt and error to follow what is true and good.
Enable us to enter more deeply into the mystery of your Anointed One,
- that our lives may reveal him more effectively.
Purify and renew your Church in this time of salvation,
- that it may give an ever greater witness to you.

Closing Prayer:
Joyful praise in Lent?
I'm not sure I always feel that.
I ask you to help me prepare to understand
and embrace the paschal mystery in my life.
I don't always see the beauty and mystery of this season
and often I run from the pain.
Help me to see how your saving grace
and your loving touch in my life
can fill me with joyful praise of the salvation
you have sent to me.

Lent Day 27

2011-04-04T05:50:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Father, creator,
you give the world new life by your sacraments.
May we, your Church, grow in your life
and continue to receive your help on earth.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Isaiah 65:17-21; Psalm 30; John 4:43-54
Intercessions
Blessed be God the Father for his gift of this sacrifice of praise.
In the spirit of this Lenten season, let us pray:
Instruct us, Lord, in the ways of your kingdom.
God of power and mercy, give us the spirit of prayer and repentance,
- with burning love for you and for all mankind.
Help us to work with you in making all things new in Christ,
- and in spreading justice and peace throughout the world.
Teach us the meaning and value of creation,
- so that we may join its voice to ours as we sing your praise.
Forgive us for failing to see Christ in the poor,
the distressed and the troublesome.
- and for our failure to reverence your Son in their persons.

Closing Prayer:
God who created me,
You offer me new life through your Son
and through the gift of your sacraments.
While I see new life all around me,
I don't always recognize the new life you offer me.
Help me to grow this Lent in an awareness
of the gifts you place in my life
and in a greater appreciation for your care.
Give me the courage to ask for help.

Lent Day 26

2011-04-03T06:44:00.001-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Let us pray
for a greater faith and love.

Father of peace,
we are joyful in your Word,
your Son Jesus Christ,
who reconciles us to you.
Let us hasten toward Easter
with the eagerness of faith and love.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings 1 Samuel 16:1,6-7, 10-13; Psalm 23:1-3, 3-4, 5, 6; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41

Intercessions
Let us give glory to God, whose kindness knows no limit.
Through Jesus Christ, Who lives for ever and ever to intercede for us,
let us pray:
Kindle in our hearts the fire of your love.

God of mercy, let today be a day rich in good works,
-a day of generosity to all we meet.
From the waters of the flood you saved Noah through the ark,
-from the waters of baptism raise up to new life those under instruction.
May we live not by bread only,
-but by every word falling from your lips.
Help us to do away with all dissension,
-so that we may rejoice in your gifts of peace and love.

Closing Prayer:
Loving Father of mine,
I feel the pace quicken, the time draw near.
I am filled with joy as I move toward Easter
and the promised reconciliation with you.
Teach me to follow the example of your Son,
to be worthy of being called one his people: a Christ-ian.
Help me to live each day as he did
turning hatred to love and conflict to peace.
I await the new life with eagerness, faith
and a deep gratitude.

Lent Day 25

2011-04-02T07:11:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Lord,
make this Lenten observance
of the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ
bring us to the full joy of Easter.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Hosea 6:1-6; Psalm 51:3-4, 18-19, 20-21ab; Luke 18:9-
Intercessions:
To make us his new creation, Christ the Lord gave us the waters of rebirth
and spread the table of his body and his word. Let us call upon him and say:
Lord, renew us in your grace.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, clothe us with compassion, kindness and humility,
- make us want to be patient with everyone.
Teach us to be true neighbors to all in trouble and distress,
- and so imitate you, the Good Samaritan.
May the Blessed Virgin, your Mother, pray for all those vowed to a life of virginity,
- that they may deepen their dedication to you and to the Church.
Grant us the gift of your mercy,
- forgive our sins and remit their punishment.

Closing Prayer:
God of Mercy and Understanding,
I know that with help
I can open my heart more fully
to the mysteries of the suffering and death
of your son.
Help me to be humble in this journey
and remember that any mercy and compassion I feel
is a gift from you.
I await the joy of Easter with new longing and patience.

Lent Day 24

2011-04-01T07:10:00.001-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Merciful Father,
fill our hearts with your love
and keep us faithful to the gospel of Christ.
Give us the grace to rise above our human weakness.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.

The Readings Hosea 14:2-10; Psalm 81:6-8, 8-9, 10-11, 14, 17; Mark 12:28-34
Intercessions:
Thanks be to Christ the Lord, who brought us life by his death on the cross.
With our whole heart let us ask him:
By your death raise us to life.

Teacher and Savior, you have shown us your fidelity and made us a new creation by your passion,
- keep us from falling again into sin.
Help us to deny ourselves today,
- and not deny those in need.
May we receive this day of penance as your gift,
- and give it back to you through works of mercy.
Master our rebellious hearts,
- and teach us generosity.

Closing Prayer:
God of Mercy,
I feel my heart overflowing with your tenderness.
I sense your loving touch deep within my soul.
I ask for your help in my weakness
that I might be faithful to your word
and I am so grateful
that your mercy for my failings
is as strong as your unbounded love for me.

Lent Day 23

2011-03-31T07:09:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Father,
help us to be ready to celebrate the great paschal mystery.
Make our love grow each day
as we approach the feast of our salvation.
We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings Jeremiah 7:23-28; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; Luke 11:14-23
Intercessions:
Christ our Lord came among us as the light of the world, that we might walk in his light,
and not in the darkness of death. Let us praise him and cry out to him:
Let your word be a lamp to guide us.

God of mercy, help us today to grow in your likeness,
- that we who sinned in Adam may rise again in Christ.
Let your word be a lamp to guide us,
- that we may live the truth and grow always in your love.
Teach us to be faithful in seeking the common good for your sake,
- that your light may shine on the whole human family by means of your Church.
Touch our hearts to seek your friendship more and more,
- and to make amends for our sins against your wisdom and goodness.

Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
I hear your invitation, "Come back to me"
and I am filled with such a longing to return to you.
Show me the way to return.
Lead me this day in good works I do in your name
and send your Spirit to guide me and strengthen my faith.
I ask only to feel your love in my life today.

Lent Day 22

2011-03-30T07:07:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Lord,
during this Lenten season
nourish us with your word of life
and make us one in love and prayer.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9; Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20; Matthew 5:17-19

Jesus' prayer at the Last Supper for
"for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. "
John 17:21

Intercessions:
Blessed be God, the giver of salvation, who decreed that mankind should become a new creation in himself, when all would be made new. With great confidence let us ask him:
Lord, renew us in your Spirit.

Lord, you promised a new heaven and a new earth; renew us daily through your Spirit,
- that we may enjoy your presence for ever in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Help us to work with you to make this world alive with your Spirit,
- and to build on earth a city of justice, love and peace.
Free us from all negligence and sloth,
- and give us joy in your gifts of grace.
Deliver us from evil,
- and from slavery to the senses, which blinds us to goodness.

Closing Prayer:
God, you love me as your own child.
May I bend my life and will toward you
so that I might accept your teaching and guidance.
I am so grateful for your support in my life,
now and in the eternal life you are preparing for me.
I beg for your help and Spirit in my life today.

Lent Day 21

2011-03-29T07:06:00.002-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Lord,
you call us to your service
and continue your saving work among us.

May your love never abandon us.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen

The Readings Daniel 3:25, 34-43, Psalm 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9, Matthew 18:21-35
Intercessions:
Praise to Christ, who has given us himself as the bread from heaven. Let us pray to him, saying:
Jesus, you feed and heal our souls; come to strengthen us.

Lord, feed us at the banquet of the Eucharist,
- with all the gifts of your paschal sacrifice.
Give us a perfect heart to receive your word,
- that we may bring forth fruit in patience.
Make us eager to work with you in building a better world,
- so that it may listen to your Church and its gospel of peace.
We confess, Lord, that we have sinned,
- wash us clean by your gift of salvation.

Closing Prayer:
God of infinite love,
I thank you for this reminder of your love
and your call that we be more patient,
gentle and compassionate with others.
Here in the middle of Lent,
I turn to you to beg for your help.
Please soften my heart.
Help me to let go of judging others.
I ask you this, in Jesus' name.

Lent Day 20

2011-03-28T07:04:00.001-05:00

Opening Prayer:
God of mercy
free your Church from sin
and protect it from evil.
Guide us, for we cannot be saved without you.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings 2 Kings 5:1-15; Psalm 42:2-3, 43:3- 4; Luke 4:24-30

My soul is thirsting for the living God:
when shall I see God face to face?
Psalm 42

Intercessions:
Praise to Jesus, our Savior; by his death he has opened for us the way of salvation. Let us ask him:
Lord, guide your people to walk in your ways.

God of mercy, you gave us new life through baptism,
- make us grow day by day in your likeness.
May our generosity today bring joy to those in need,
- in helping them may we find you.
Help us to do what is good, right and true in your sight,
- and to seek you always with undivided hearts.
Forgive our sins against the unity of your family,
- make us one in heart and spirit.

Closing Prayer:
Merciful God,
Free your Church from the sins of this world
and protect us from evil we see
and the evil we prefer to ignore.
We need your guidance, Lord
for we cannot do this alone.
Only with your help can we be saved.
Thank you for your desire to save us and love us.

Lent Day 19

2011-03-27T06:00:00.002-05:00

Father,
you have taught us to overcome our sins
by prayer, fasting and works of mercy.
When we are discouraged by our weakness,
give us confidence in your love.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
The Readings: Exodus 17:3-7; Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9; Romans 5:1-2, 5-8; John 4:5-42

Intercessions:
Let us praise our loving Redeemer, who gained for us this season of grace.
Let us pray to him, saying:
Lord, create a new spirit in us.

Christ, our life, through baptism we were buried with you and rose to new life with you,
- may we walk today in newness of life.
Lord, you have brought blessings to all mankind,
- bring us to share your concern for the good of all.
May we work together to build up the earthly city,
- with our eyes fixed on the city that lasts forever.
Healer of body and soul, cure the sickness of our spirit,
- so that we may grow in holiness through your constant care.

Closing Prayer:
Loving Father,
So many times I turn away from you
and always you welcome me back.
Your mercy and love gives me confidence
Thank you for the invitation to share, fast and pray
so that you can form a new heart within me.
Your powerful compassion for my weaknesses
leads me to ask for mercy
and await with great hope the Easter joy you share with us.

raynaud's.

2011-03-26T18:31:00.003-05:00

I have a disease. It is called Raynaud's syndrome. It is where my extremities will periodically turn white and tingly. It is normally just 1 or 2 fingers at a time or 1 or 2 times or even sometimes spots on the bottom of one of my feet. It has something to do with poor circulation. It happens a lot in the winter time when it is cold. It even happens when I have really good socks and shoes on and I can always tell when it is happening. I didn't know what it was until one day my roommate, who is a nurse, told me it was Raynaud's. I didn't believer for the longest time and she would give me a hard time about it when it happened. Then she showed me pictures and sure enough the pictures looked just like what happens to me. Here are my fingers today...

It wasn't even that cold. It was high 50's and rainy, but not really cold...and it wasn't like those fingers were the only two exposed. It is the strangest thing. It always takes a while for the color and feeling to come back. It looks freaky. I freaked some students out today. They thought it was weird. I agree...it is very weird.

Lent Day 18

2011-03-26T06:42:00.002-05:00

Opening Prayer:
God our Father,
by your gifts to us on earth
we already share in your life.
In all we do,
guide us to the light of your kingdom.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: 7:14-15, 18-20; Psalm 103:1-4,9-12; Luke 15:1-3,11-32

The Lord is loving and merciful,
slow to anger, and full of love;
the Lord is kind to all, and compassionate
to all his creatures.

Intercessions:
Let us always and everywhere give thanks to Christ our Savior, and ask him with confidence:
Lord, help us with your grace.

May we keep our bodies pure,
- as temples of the Holy Spirit.
May we offer ourselves this day to the service of others,
- and do your will in all things throughout the day.
Teach us to seek the bread of everlasting life,
- the bread that is your gift.
May your Mother, the refuge of sinners, pray for us,
- and gain for us your loving forgiveness.

Closing Prayer:
God of infinite love,
you shower me with limitless gifts in my life.
In my every thought and action today
guide me to the bright and loving light of your kingdom.
Help me to be aware of
the many ways you allow me
to share in your life so intimately today.
Thank you for the gifts you have placed in my life.
Let me be grateful every moment of this day.

Lent Day 17

2011-03-25T08:16:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:

Merciful Father,
may our acts of penance bring us to your forgiveness,
open our hearts to your love,
and prepare us for the coming feast of the resurrection.

Today's Readings: Genesis 37:3-4, 12-13, 17-28; Psalm 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21; Matthew 21: 33-43, 45-46

Daily Meditation:
Help us open our hearts to you.

We hear of the vineyard owner whose tenants killed his servants and then his son.
Let us be called open our hearts and lives
to the challenge of your Gospel.
It is possible to say it every day

"Therefore, I say to you,
the Kingdom of God will be taken away from you
and be given to a people that will produce its fruit."
Matthew 21

Intercessions:
Let us pray to Christ our Savior, who redeemed us by his death and resurrection::
Lord, have mercy on us.

You went up to Jerusalem to suffer and so enter into your glory,
- bring your Church to the Passover feast of heaven.
Lord, have mercy on us.
You were lifted high on the cross and pierced by the soldier's lance,
- heal our wounds.
Lord, have mercy on us.
You made the cross the tree of life,
- give its fruit to those reborn in baptism.
Lord, have mercy on us.
On the cross you forgave the repentant thief,
- through which we are cleansed of our sins.
Lord, have mercy on us.

Closing Prayer:

Loving God, Caring parent,
I am a child who so often turns my back
on your love.
Please accept my small acts of sorrow today
and help to release me from the self-absorption
that closes my heart to you.
As I journey through Lent,
let me remember the feast you have prepared for me
in the resurrection
and let me be filled with thanks to you.

Lent Day 16

2011-03-24T08:11:00.001-05:00

Opening Prayer:

God of love,
bring us back to you.
Send your Spirit to make us strong in faith
and active in good works.

Grant this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Readings: Jeremiah 17:5-10; Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6; Luke 16:19-31

Daily Meditation:
Bring us back to you.
We beg to be open to the workings of the Spirit,
that we might not settle for the consolations of this life alone.

Jesus then said, "I am the one who raises the dead to life!
Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die.
And everyone who lives because of faith in me will never really die.
Do you believe this?"
John 11

Intercessions:
God has revealed himself in Christ.
Let us praise his goodness, and ask him from our hearts:
Remember us, Lord, for we are your children.

Teach us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Church,
- that it may be more effective for ourselves and for the world as the sacrament of salvation.
Lover of mankind, inspire us to work for human progress,
- seeking to spread your kingdom in all we do.
May our hearts thirst for Christ,
- the fountain of living water.
Forgive us our sins,
- and direct our steps into the ways of justice and sincerity.

Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
I hear your invitation, "Come back to me"
and I am filled with such a longing to return to you.
Show me the way to return.
Lead me this day in good works I do in your name
and send your Spirit to guide me and strengthen my faith.
I ask only to feel your love in my life today.

Lent Day 15

2011-03-23T08:07:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:

Father,
teach us to lead good lives,
encourage us with your support
and bring us to eternal life.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Jeremiah18:18-20; Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16; Matthew 20:17-28

"The Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Intercessions:
Let us give thanks to God, our Father:
through the power of the Spirit he purifies our heart and strengthens us in love. Let us humbly ask him:
Lord, give us your Holy Spirit.

Help us to receive good things from your bounty with a deep sense of gratitude;
-and to accept with patience the evil that comes to us.
Teach us to be loving not only in great and exceptional moments,
-but above all in the ordinary events of daily life.
May we abstain from what we do not really need,
-and help our brothers and sisters in distress.
May we bear the wounds of your Son,
-for through his body he gave us life.

Closing Prayer:
God of Love,
through this Lenten journey,
purify my desires to serve you.
Free me from any temptations to judge others,
to place myself above others.
Please let me surrender even my impatience with others,
that with your love and your grace,
I might be less and less absorbed with myself,
and more and more full of the desire
to follow you, in laying down my life
according to your example.

Lent Day 14

2011-03-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:

Lord,
watch over your Church,
and guide it with your unfailing love.
Protect us from what could harm us
and lead us to what will save us.
Help us always,
for without you we are bound to fail.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Isaiah 1:10, 16-20; Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23; Matthew 23:1-12

Daily Meditation:
Protect us from what could harm us.
Again, we turn to our God for help, our God whose love is "unfailing."

To the upright
I will show the saving power of God.
Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?
To the upright
I will show the saving power of God.
Psalm 50

Intercessions:
God the Father has given us his only Son, the Word made man,
to be our food and our life. Let us thank him and pray:
May the word of Christ dwell among us in all its richness.

Help us in this Lenten season to listen more frequently to your word,
-that we may celebrate the solemnity of Easter with greater love for Christ, our paschal teacher,
-that we may encourage those in doubt and error to follow what is true and good.
Enable us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Anointed One,
-that our lives may reveal him more effectively.
Purify and renew your Church in this time of salvation,
-that it may give an even greater witness to you.

Closing Prayer:
God in heaven and in my life,
guide me and protect me.
I so often believe I can save myself
and I always end in failure.
Lead me with your love away from harm
and guide me on the right path.
May your Spirit inspire the Church
and make us an instrument of your love and guidance.
Thank you for your care for me.

Lent Day 13

2011-03-21T13:58:00.001-05:00

Opening Prayer:

God our Father,
teach us to find new life through penance.
Keep us from sin,
and help us live by your commandment of love.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Daniel 9:4-10, Psalm 79:8, 9, 11, 13, Luke 6:36-38

Daily Meditation:

Lord, do not deal with us as our sins deserve.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
Lord, do not deal with us as our sins deserve.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name's sake.
Lord, do not deal with us as our sins deserve.
Psalm 79
Intercessions:
Blessed be God the Father for his gift of this sacrifice of praise.
In the spirit of this Lenten season, let us pray:
Instruct us, Lord, in the ways of your kingdom.

God of power and mercy, give us the spirit of prayer and repentance,
-with burning love for you and all mankind.
Help us to work with you in making all things new in Christ,
-and in spreading justice and peace throughout the world.
Teach us the meaning and value of creation,
-so that we may join its voice to ours as we sing your praise.
Forgive us for failing to see Christ in the poor, the distressed and the troublesome,
-and for our failure to reverence your Son in their persons.

Closing Prayer:
Lord,
your commandment of love is so simple
and so challenging.
Help me to let go of my pride,
to be humble in my penance.
I want only to live the way you ask me to love,
to love the way you ask me to live.
I ask this through your son, Jesus,
who stands at my side
today and always.

Lent Day 12

2011-03-20T07:14:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Let us pray
for the grace to respond to the Word of God.

God our Father,
help us to hear your Son.
Enlighten us with your word,
that we may find the way to your glory.

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Genesis 12: 1-4; Psalm 33: 4-5, 18-19, 20, 22; 2Timothy 1: 8-10; Matthew 17: 1-9

Daily Meditation:
Listen to him.
It is wonderful to begin this week
acknowledging that we need God's help in listening and hearing.
It is so powerful to ask for the "gift of integrity" -
to express our desire for wholeness.
And, we humbly ask for light in the midst of whatever
might "shadow our vision."
This is the God who allows Jesus
to be transfigured before his disciples,
to prepare them for what they were about to face.
This is our God, who can give each of us
the change of heart we ask for.

May your kindness, LORD, be upon us,
we have put our hope in you.
Psalm 33:6

Intercessions:
Let us give glory to God, whose kindness knows no limit. Through Jesus Christ, Who lives for ever and ever to intercede for us,
let us pray:
Kindle in our hearts the fire of your love.

God of mercy, let today be a day rich in good works,
-a day of generosity to all we meet.
From the waters of the flood you saved Noah through the ark,
-from the waters of baptism raise up to new life those under instruction.
May we live not by bread only,
-but by every word falling from your lips.
Help us to do away with all dissension,
-so that we may rejoice in your gifts of peace and love.

Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
there is so much darkness in my life
and I hide from you.
Take my hand
and lead me out of the shadows of my fear.
Help me to change my heart.
Bring me to your truth
and help me to respond to your generous love.
Let me recognize the fullness of your love
which will fill my life.
Free me from the darkness in my heart.

Lent Day 11

2011-03-19T08:34:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Eternal Father,
turn our hearts to you.
By seeking your kingdom
and loving one another,
May we become a people who worship you
in spirit and truth.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Deuteronomy 26:16-19; Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8; Matthew 5:43-48
Daily Meditation:
Turn our hearts to you.
The Saturdays of Lent have a grateful and uplifting tone to them.
Our lesson today reminds us of the covenant God made long ago:
you be my people
and I will be your God.
In the new covenant, without condition,
God is faithful to us, even if we are not.
Jesus calls us to a new way of being -
loving others as we have been loved -
which includes loving those who do not love us.
We are to be as pure in our love,
as God is pure in loving us.
God loved the world so much,
he gave us his only Son,
that all who believe in him
might have eternal life.
John 3:16
Intercessions:
To make us his new creation, Christ the Lord gave us the waters of rebirth
and spread the table of his body and his word. Let us call upon him and say:
Lord, renew us in your grace.

Jesus, meek and humble of heart, clothe us with compassion, kindness and humility,
- make us want to be patient with everyone.
Teach us to be true neighbors to all in trouble and distress,
- and so imitate you, the Good Samaritan.
May the Blessed Virgin, your Mother, pray for all those vowed to a life of virginity,
- that they may deepen their dedication to you and to the Church.
Grant us the gift of your mercy,
- forgive our sins and remit their punishment.
Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
Sometimes my heart
turns in every direction
except towards you.
Please help me
to turn my heart toward you,
to gaze upon you in trust
and to seek your kingdom with all of my heart.
Soften my hardened heart
so that I might love others
as a way to glorify and worship you.
Grant me this
with the ever-present guidance of your spirit.

Lent Day 10

2011-03-18T11:32:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Lord,
may our observance of Lent
help to renew us and prepare us
to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God for ever and ever.

The Readings: Ezekiel 18:21-28; Psalm 130:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8; Matthew 5:20-26

Daily Meditation:
Renew us and prepare us.
Our Lord forgives us all our sins -
nothing can separate us from the love of God for us in Jesus.
And we are called to forgive others
with the same compassion, mercy, patience and love given to us.
Our Lenten practices help us to
experience the renewing love of God,
and they prepare us for our journey to Easter
to celebrate the mystery of our death to self
and rebirth in the new life Jesus won for us.
I do not wish the sinner to die, says the Lord,
but to turn to me and live.
Ezekiel 33
Intercessions:
Thanks be to Christ the Lord, who brought us life by his death on the cross.
With our whole heart let us ask him:
By your death raise us to life.

Teacher and Savior, you have shown us your fidelity and made us a new creation by your passion,
- keep us from falling again into sin.
Help us to deny ourselves today,
- and not deny those in need.
May we receive this day of penance as your gift,
- and give it back to you through works of mercy.
Master our rebellious hearts,
- and teach us generosity.
Closing Prayer:
Creator of my life,
renew me: bring me to new life in you.
Touch me and make me feel whole again.
Help me to see your love
in the passion, death and resurrection of your son.
Help me to observe Lent
in a way that allows me to celebrate that love.
Prepare me for these weeks of Lent
as I feel both deep sorrow for my sins
and your undying love for me.

Lent Day 9

2011-03-17T07:47:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Father,
without you we can do nothing.
By your spirit help us to know what is right
and to be eager in doing your will.
We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Psalm 138:1-2, 2-3, 7-8; Matthew 7:7-12

Daily Meditation:
Help us to be eager in doing your will.
We hear with a freshness how sincerely Jesus invites us to:
ask and receive
seek and find
knock and find the door opened.
Dependence is not a virtue we ordinarily admire.
Today we grow in our sense that we need God's grace very much -
even to know what is right -
but certainly to fan our desires into a flame.
Lord, on the day I called for help,
you answered me.
Psalm 138
Intercessions:
Christ our Lord came among us as the light of the world, that we might walk in his light, and not in the darkness of death.
Let us praise him and cry out to him:
Let your word be a lamp to guide us.

God of mercy, help us today to grow in your likeness,
- that we who sinned in Adam may rise again in Christ.
Let your word be a lamp to guide us,
- that we may live the truth and grow always in your love.
Teach us to be faithful in seeking the common good for your sake,
- that your light may shine on the whole human family by means of your Church.
Touch our hearts to seek your friendship more and more,
- and to make amends for our sins against your wisdom and goodness.
Closing Prayer:
Lord,
I’m not always eager to do your will.
I’d often much rather do my own will.
Please be with me on this Lenten journey
and help me to remember
that your own spirit can guide me
in the right direction.
I want to “fix” my weaknesses
but the task seems overwhelming.
But I know that with your help,
anything can be done.
With a grateful heart,
I acknowledge your love
and know that without you,
I can do nothing.

Lent Day 8

2011-03-16T07:29:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Lord,
look upon us and hear our prayer.
By the good works you inspire
help us to discipline our bodies
and be renewed in spirit.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Jonah 3:1-10; Psalm 51:3-4, 12-13, 18-19; Luke 11:29-32

Daily Meditation:
Hear our prayer.
Our longing intensifies.
We know we have to work hard to resist temptation
and to change some of our bad habits.
We know that spiritual renewal won't come easy.
But we know that all we will ultimately be able to do
will come from God's inspiration - as a gift.
So we ask from a deeper and deeper place in our hearts.

My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit;
a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.
Psalm 51

Intercessions:
Blessed be God, the giver of salvation, who decreed that mankind should become a new creation in himself,
when all would be made new. With great confidence let us ask him:
Lord, renew us in your Spirit.

Lord, you promised a new heaven and a new earth; renew us daily through your Spirit,
- that we may enjoy your presence for ever in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Help us to work with you to make this world alive with your Spirit,
- and to build on earth a city of justice, love and peace.
Free us from all negligence and sloth,
- and give us joy in your gifts of grace.
Deliver us from evil,
- and from slavery to the senses, which blinds us to goodness
Closing Prayer:
Dear Lord,
I know you receive what is in my heart.
Let me be inspired by your words
and by the actions of your son, Jesus.
Guide me to make sacrifices this Lent
in the spirit of self-denial
and with greater attention to you
and to those around me.
Help me to believe that you will grant me this
because of the sacrifice Jesus made for me.

double DOG dare.

2011-03-15T18:56:00.004-05:00

Let me set up the scene. The window in the dining room was open because I put a house plant through it, onto the ground earlier that day. There is no screen on the window. Amy is throwing the ball and playing fetch with Cali in the house.

The conversation went something like this:
Amy- I wonder if I throw the ball out of the window what Cali will do. I wonder if she will just jump out the window after it.
AJ- I have no idea...you could try it.
Amy- I want to try it.
AJ- Well hold on, let me get my phone so I can record what happens.

I get the phone camera ready. Amy rears back her arm and throws....and below is what happened.

Lent Day 7

2011-03-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Father,
look on us, your children.
Through the discipline of Lent
help us to grow in our desire for you.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Isaiah 55:10-11; Psalm 34:4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19; Matthew 6:7-15

Isaiah 55:10-11
10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Daily Meditation:
Help us grow in our desire for you.
We are learning the intimate connection
between the "discipline" we choose these days,
and the growth of our desire.
If our desire for our Lord is weak,
if it has to compete with so many other desires that choke it out,
then we need to re-form our desiring.
We want to be disciples -
those who love Jesus, are with Jesus in our desires,
and choose to follow Jesus.

In today's lesson we learn the Lord's Prayer again.
As children, we turn to our Loving Father in prayer.

Intercessions:
Praise to Christ, who has given us himself as the bread from heaven.
Let us pray to him, saying:
Jesus, you feed and heal our souls; come to strengthen us.

Lord, feed us at the banquet of the Eucharist,
- with all the gifts of your paschal sacrifice.
Give us a perfect heart to receive your word,
- that we may bring forth fruit in patience.
Make us eager to work with you in building a better world,
- so that it may listen to your Church and its gospel of peace.
We confess, Lord, that we have sinned,
- wash us clean by your gift of salvation.

Closing Prayer:
Father of my soul,
Mother of my heart,
I know your love for me is limitless beyond imagining.
You care for me as a loving parent.
Through my smallest Lenten sacrifices,
help me to become less selfish
and more aware of your ways.
Fan the flame of my desire
to draw ever closer to you.
Guide me to seek your love.

Lent Day 6

2011-03-14T07:53:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
God our savior,
bring us back to you
and fill our minds with your wisdom.
May we be enriched by our observance of Lent.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18; Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15; Matthew 25:31-46
8 the precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the LORD is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the LORD are true,
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.

Daily Meditation:
Bring us back to you.
We repeat our desire that God bring us home from our wandering.
We know that in the confusion that surrounds us and can fill us,
we need the gift of Wisdom.

It is fitting that our very first "lesson" in our faith,
is the last judgment scene that Jesus paints for us.
We will be judged on whether we:
fed the hungry
welcomed the stranger
clothed the naked
comforted the sick
visited the imprisoned.
It is powerful to re-learn this wisdom -
Jesus identifies with each of these "least" cared for.

Who might we feed, welcome, clothe, comfort or visit this week?
As my heart might "resist" this mission,
I might beg to be brought back, with all my heart.

Intercessions:
Praise to Jesus, our Savior; by his death he has opened for us the way of salvation.
Let us ask him:
Lord, guide your people to walk in your ways.

God of mercy, you gave us new life through baptism,
- make us grow day by day in your likeness.
May our generosity today bring joy to those in need,
- in helping them may we find you.
Help us to do what is good, right and true in your sight,
- and to seek you always with undivided hearts.
Forgive our sins against the unity of your family,
- make us one in heart and spirit.

Closing Prayer:
Loving God,
you call us back to you with all of our hearts.
I feel your call for me deep in my heart
and I know you want me back
as much as I want to return.
Please, Lord,
give me the wisdom to know how to return.
Make my journey back to you this Lent
one of grace, forgiveness and gentle love.

Lent Day 5

2011-03-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

Opening Prayer:
Let us pray
that this Lent will help us reproduce in our lives
the self-sacrificing love of Christ.

Father,
through our observance of Lent,
help us to understand the meaning
of your Son's death and resurrection,
and teach us to reflect it in our lives.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

The Readings: Genesis 2:7-9; Psalm 51:3-4;5-6,12-13,17; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11

Romans 5:12-19
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.
15 But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. 16 And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. 17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
18 Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. 19 For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
A clean heart create for me, O God,
and a steadfast spirit renew within me.
Psalm 51

Intercessions:
Let us pray to our loving Redeemer, who gained for us this season of grace.
Let us pray to him, saying:
Lord, create a new spirit in us.

Christ, our life, through baptism we were buried with you and rose to life with you,
- may we walk today in newness of life.
Lord, you have brought blessings to all mankind,
- bring us to share your concern for the good of all.
May we work together to build up the earthly city,
- with our eyes fixed on the city that lasts forever.
Healer of body and soul, cure the sickness of our spirit,
- so that we may grow in holiness through your constant care.

Closing Prayer:

Loving God,
there is so much darkness in my life
and I hide from you.
Take my hand
and lead me out of the shadows of my fear.
Help me to change my heart.
Bring me to your truth
and help me to respond to your generous love.
Let me recognize the fullness of your love
which will fill my life.
Free me from the darkness in my heart.

Lent Day 4

2011-03-12T08:44:00.000-06:00

Opening Prayer:
Father,
look upon our weakness
and reach out to help us with your loving power.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Today's Readings: Psalm 86:1-6; Isaiah 58: 9b-14; ; Luke 5: 27-32

Psalm 86: 1-6
1 Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am godly;
save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
3 Be gracious to me, O Lord,
for to you do I cry all the day.
4 Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Intercessions:
Let us always and everywhere give thanks to Christ our Savior, and ask him with confidence:
Lord, help us with your grace.
May we keep our bodies pure,
- as temples of the Holy Spirit.
May we offer ourselves this morning to the service of others,
- and do your will in all things throughout the day.
Teach us to seek the bread of everlasting life,
- the bread that is your gift.
May your Mother, the refuge of sinners, pray for us,
- and gain for us your loving forgiveness.

Closing Prayer:
Loving creator,
I am not asking to overcome my weakness,
but to use it in some way to glorify you.

Let me be aware of
the many ways you reach out to help me today
and let me stand in awe of the power
that you use in such loving ways.

Lent Day 3

2011-03-11T08:32:00.000-06:00

Opening Prayer:
Lord,
with your loving care
guide the penance we have begun.
Help us to persevere with love and sincerity.

Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
Today's Readings: Isaiah 58: 1-9a; Psalm 51: 3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19; Matthew 9: 14-15

Isaiah 58: 1-9a
“Cry aloud; do not hold back;
lift up your voice like a trumpet;
declare to my people their transgression,
to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 Yet they seek me daily
and delight to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that did righteousness
and did not forsake the judgment of their God;
they ask of me righteous judgments;
they delight to draw near to God.
3 ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not?
Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’
Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure,
and oppress all your workers.
4 Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight
and to hit with a wicked fist.
Fasting like yours this day
will not make your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is such the fast that I choose,
a day for a person to humble himself?
Is it to bow down his head like a reed,
and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him?
Will you call this a fast,
and a day acceptable to the LORD?
6 “Is not this the fast that I choose:
to loose the bonds of wickedness,
to undo the straps of the yoke,
to let the oppressed go free,
and to break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?
8 Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,
and your healing shall spring up speedily;
your righteousness shall go before you;
the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.
9 Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;
you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’

Intercessions:
Let us pray to Christ our Savior, who redeemed us by his death and resurrection:
Lord, have mercy on us.

You went up to Jerusalem to suffer and so enter into your glory,
- bring your Church to the Passover feast of heaven.
You were lifted high on the cross and pierced by the soldier's lance,
- heal our wounds.
You made the cross the tree of life,
- give its fruit to those reborn in baptism.
On the cross you forgave the repentant thief,
- forgive us our sins.

Closing Prayer:
Lord,
I know how much you love me.
It’s hard for me to feel it sometimes,
but I know your love is always with me.

Help me to use your love as a way
to persevere in my Lenten intentions.
I am weak, but I know with your help,
I can use these small sacrifices in my life to draw closer to you.

Lent Day 2

2011-03-10T08:41:00.000-06:00

Opening Prayer:

Lord,
may everything we do
begin with your inspiration,
continue with your help,
and reach perfection under your guidance.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, you Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

Readings: Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6; Luke 9:22-25, Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Deuteronomy 30:15-20 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. 16 If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, 18 I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

Intercessions:
God has revealed himself in Christ. Let us praise his goodness, and ask him from our hearts:
Remember us, Lord, for we are your children.

Teach us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Church,
- that it may be more effective for ourselves and for the world as the sacrament of salvation.
Lover of mankind, inspire us to work for human progress,
- seeking to spread your kingdom in all we do.
May our hearts thirst for Christ,
- the fountain of living water.
Forgive us our sins,
- and direct our steps into the ways of justice and sincerity.

Closing Prayer:
Lord,
Let everything I do this day and in this season of Lent
come from you, be inspired by you.

I long to be closer to you.
Help me to remember that nothing is important in my life
unless it glorifies you in some way.

It's so easy to get caught up in the day to day of my life and keep saying,
"Tomorrow, I will spend more time in prayer,"
but now my longing meets your love and I want to do it now.
Help me to rely on you for help.

The prayer asks you that I reach perfection.
Please, Lord, remind me that "perfection"
isn't the crazy, "successful" way I try to live my life,
but a perfection of my most authentic, real self.
My "perfection" might be holding my many flaws in my open hands,
asking you to help me accept them.

Heal me, Lord, and help me to find you in the darkness of my life.
Let me reach out in this darkness and feel your hand and love there to guide me.

A Liturgy for Ash Wednesday

2011-03-09T16:25:00.000-06:00

Opening Prayer

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good
His love endures forever

Into your presence we come, Lord
a few moments of quietness
in a busy world
that demands our attention
Breathe on us now
that we might know your presence
and your power
to see this day though

A Psalm
Psalm 51

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
According to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight,
that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Confession and Forgiveness
In the blazing light of your love
our failings are illuminated
our failure to give
our failure to love
our failure to follow
our failure to serve
our failure to be the people
you would have us be.
Forgive us and renew us.
You know our nature
know our failings
Enfold us in your arms
that we might daily know
your forgiveness and healing love.

The Lord is full of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and of great kindness. Psalm 103.8

The Lord’s Prayer

We say together the words of the Lord's Prayer.
All: Our Father…

Reading - Matthew 6:1-21

Lord, grant us simplicity of faith
And a generosity of service
That gives without counting cost
A life overflowing with Grace
Poured out from the One
Who gave everything
That we might show
The power of love
To a broken world
And share the truth
From a living Word
Lord, grant us simplicity of faith
And a yearning to share it

Affirmation

May we know the love of the heavenly Father deep in our hearts
May we understand our significance in the centre of His family,
and the bonds that hold us so close as brother and sister
May we understand the lengths that He was prepared to go for all mankind
and freely respond in the Today which he has given for us to cherish.
All: Amen
Let us bless the Lord.
ALL: Thanks be to God.

coffee cup.

2011-03-09T08:06:00.002-06:00

This is my new coffee cup from Peru. It tells you, in Spanish, how to make a latte on this side....

and Turkish coffee on this side.....
I do not speak Spanish, so I have no clue what it says, but I like it. It makes me happy.

klepto kitty.

2011-03-07T16:00:00.001-06:00

These are hilarious!

surprise trophy, yet again.

2011-03-03T10:42:00.002-06:00

Every year Young life puts on Run the Reagan; a half marathon, 10k, 5k and 1 mile fun run to raise money. Grace helps sponsor it. One of my coworkers and I decided to run the 5k just for fun since we get free entries. I also talked my sister into running it, though she hates to run. We started and a few minutes in my sister decided to drop back and slow down (which she told me she would do) and about the 1.2 mile mark my other friend decided to walk a little, which left me on my own. I was feeling pretty good, so I just kept running and finished the race. We talked for a while and then left. I jokingly said that maybe I should stay and see if I won an award. Two weeks later I am talking with my sister when she says, "Hey. I saw that you got third place in your age group! Good job!" I laughed so hard. I had no idea and she had no idea that I didn't know. The main reason that this is so funny is that this is the 3rd race that I have done, with zero intention or expectation of winning anything, that I have won a "surprise trophy." If Lauren hadn't told me I probably would have never known. It isn't like I even ran these races all that fast.
This is so funny to me. Here is my trophy. I am going to have to start a surprise trophy wall in the spare room in my house.

spring forward baby!

2011-03-02T05:32:00.000-06:00

My favorite day of the year is rapidly approaching and I could not be more excited about it. What is it you ask? You guessed it.....Day Light Savings Time! It is March 13th and I am thrilled! I know...I know...you lose an hour of sleep, but who cares? What is one hour of sleep on one day of the year in comparison to nearly 2 more hours of sunshine? Go to bed an hour early if it makes you feel better. I will happily hand over my hour of sleep, and sleep like a baby for the hours I do have, knowing that I get to see sunshine at 8pm the next day. LOVE IT! CANNOT WAIT!

coffee with grandpa.

2011-03-01T07:00:00.000-06:00

I am sitting in Starbucks (a different one from yesterday) waiting for a meeting, and in walked this girl probably college-aged with an elderly man. My assumption is that this is grandfather and granddaughter, but I could be wrong about that. They ordered coffee and breakfast and sat down. It was weird, but I couldn't stop watching them and for some strange reason it triggered this emotional response in me. Not a negative response, but more of a "wow, what a beautiful picture that is....a grandfather spending time with his granddaughter and how sweet that is for both of them." It seemed like such a treasured moment. I don't know about you, but I don't often see people with such a huge generation gap spending time together. My personal experience was not one of spending time with my grandparents at all. I don't know if it was the lack of this picture in my life or the beauty of what that moment was that triggered the almost teary (I did not start crying in Starbucks) response in me or a combination of the two. I do know that for a moment I wished I could be sitting down in front of my granddad, sharing a coffee and talking about life; past, present and future.

There is this couple that has really taken hold of their role as grandparents leaving a legacy in the lives of their grandchildren. Every summer they do a grandparent's camp for their grandkids and she has written a book about how to do that. They are an amazing couple. To learn more about their story click here.

1 year later

2011-02-28T07:58:00.000-06:00

I am currently sitting in the same spot, in the same Starbucks, that I sat over a year ago now, hearing about the possibility of moving to Georgia and working at Grace Fellowship Church. It is a weird feeling. This place, that at that time felt strange and unfamiliar, now feels familiar. I was living in Houston at the time, unemployed, with no direction and no idea what was going to happen. As I met with these people they told me about job possibilities that I had no interest in...Women's ministry? I don't want to do women's ministry. I want to work with students. That is what I have always done. That is what I just finished going to seminary for. I have now been here, working at Grace, for more than a year in this job that I didn't really want, but felt I was supposed to take. And though I have never felt that the Lord really brought me here for this specific "job" the Lord has been faithful to open up a door for me to transition into the job that I want. I am on the cusp of moving into a position with the student ministry department.

It has been a long hard year in some regards. I am sure that I will begin looking back and processing all that happened and hopefully begin to realize all that I have learned. It is in seasons of trial and winter that we learn more than in seasons of blessing and fruitfulness. Right now, I am just thankful that this opportunity has come and that it has come so quickly. Though a year can seem like a long time, it really isn't in the grand scheme of things. I certainly didn't imagine getting this chance this quickly. Over a year ago, when I sat in this spot in Starbucks I would not have imagined that I would be sitting her now, saying these things, nor can I imagine now what the next year will look like. I could be sitting in this same spot a year from now, saying the same things. I guess we will see.

February 27th

2011-02-27T13:21:00.003-06:00

It is February 27th and the afternoon temperature has been above 65 for the last week and a half!

It is February 27th and the Dogwood trees are in FULL bloom....fully pink or white trees!

It is February 27th and I just went for a run at Tribble Mill park in shorts and a tank top!

It is February 27th and SPRING IS HERE!!!!

It is February 27th and all of the above things make me very happy.

(Note: I have spelled the word "February" wrong in this post every single time, including the title)

dog owner "why?" moments

2011-02-17T16:31:00.003-06:00

There are certain moments as a dog owner where I have to ask myself, "Why? Why do people own dogs again? Why do we love them so much?" A prime example is when my dog is busy gobbling up cat poop as if it's a long lost delicacy. I swear she can smell it for miles because some times she runs right to it and before I know what is happening she has consumed every bite. It makes me feel sick and I often tell her, post cat poop snack, that if she licks me I'll kill her. Now I would never kill her, but I would consider a serious smack down.

I had another moment recently where I really pondered the above questions. My roommate and I had taken Cali to the park to play frisbee. We were walking back to the car by a pond and she was off leash. She stopped to smell something so I looked back to see what it was and then suddenly she was on her back flailing herself in the white gooey substance with this look of grand pleasure. I yelled and ran over and yanked her up to find the substance caked on her neck. It looked like caulk, but it smelled like death. I am not kidding, it is the worst smell I have ever smelled. It smelled worse than any type of poop I have ever smelled. I have a strong gag relux and I almost threw up on the spot. Amy could smell it from 10 feet away. I dragged Cali to the water and tried to soak it down. I found leaves and tried to pull some of it off, but it was sticky and I was not about to touch it. We dragged her to the car and rolled down the windows before we got in, but as soon as we shut the doors the entire car filled with the stankness. We both gagged and stuck our heads out of the window. I am sure we looked crazy. We could barely breath it was so bad. What is really unfortunate is that is at least 10 mintues to our house if now more. Because I was in the passenger seat I was able to stick my entire head out of the window and though that was helpful I COULD STILL SMELL IT. Poor Amy was driving so her only relief was a tube of peppermint lip gloss that she kept shoved under her nose the whole way home. It took my scrubbing her neck 4 times to remove that smell. I still have no idea what that was or what possessed my dog to cover herself in it. I mean really, what are dogs thinking? "That smells rancid...I think i'll cover myself in it." Yuck.

Today, I was at the same park with a friend and Cali stopped to roll herself in something. I screamed because my nose instantly filled with the memory of that smell and I thought that if she had done it again I might just leave her there. Fortunately, it was not the same goo, unfortuantely my dog is still an idiot because this time she decided to roll herself on top of a dead bird. I repeat, "Why do people own dogs?"

sorry Cali.

2011-02-11T14:02:00.003-06:00

This past week I scheduled Cali a vet appointment. She went to the vet in Houston right before I moved here, so it had been a year since she had gone. I called around to all these vets and got different prices. Most of the vets were well over $100 just for the one year visit and shots. There was one that was right around $90 and then there was one, Loganville vet that quoted their price at $50. I stopped for a second and thought, "Huh....$50? That is close to $100 less than most other vets. Is this a vet in a box? Some kind of vet service out of the trunk of a car in a back alley?" I read some reviews and as reviews go there were some good and some bad on each one. There was no website for this cheap vet and now I know why. I decided to try it out. I mean it is hard to beat $50 and if it was terrible I would never have to go back. Well, I will say that this vet was the most ghetto vet I have ever been to and I have a few pictures to document my experience.

Here is the building. First, you have to follow these little plastic signs stuck on the corners of several streets with arrows pointing to the office. It was as if nobody really wanted you to be able to see what it looked like from a distance. There was not a soul in the parking lot. The shrubs and flower beds were filled with dead things. It looked like an abandoned building.

The inside also left something to be desired. There was nobody inside except for the one receptionist and apparently the one vet. This was on the front desk and I thought it was a microwave, but upon further inspection I realized it was an ancient radio with dials.
There was no computer system and actually, no computer in the entire building. They do the old school paper folder file system, which is pictured below.

To put the labels on these files they use a typewriter....that is right....an actual click, click, click, ding....typewriter.

And if first impressions in the waiting room were not enough, the Dr. came around the corner and I thought, "Oh my, where have I come?" This guy looked like Dr. Frankenstein for dogs. He was a VERY large middle aged man, with raggedy scrubs on. When we got back to the exam room I saw his face closer and the guy had a BLACK EYE! A black eye! The whole left side of his face was yellow and blue.

This is a picture of the shelves in the room. They were extremely junky with crap all over them. Note the dirty spray bottle with the word "Roccal" written on it in the bottom left corner of the picture. What in the world is in that nasty bottle?

When I came out to pay the receptionist was on the phone. She was quoting the visit price for the person she was talking to and I heard her say, "Yes, most vets are more expensive, but we are kind of a no frills office." I wanted to say..."No frills is an understatement!" She put this guy on hold so she could check me out and when I handed her my card she said, "Oh, well I actually have to clear the line to run your card." Seriously? Dial up? Unbelievable.

The man was nice and he was sweet with Cali. We got out of there alive and only paid $50 to do it. I appreciate the price, but I am just not sure whether it was worth it.

I had no idea.

2011-02-08T14:14:00.003-06:00

Groundhog day...a holiday I have never given any thought to...until recently. I was around a group of people at work recently who were talking about Groundhog day and whether or not he would see his shadow. As I was listening, I began to realize how truly bizarre this idea was and I started asking more questions. Quickly, I realized that there were a lot of things about Groundhog day that I didn't know. For instance, I had no idea there was actually "A" groundhog that yearly we all eagerly await a shadow sighting from. Not only that, but there are 2 of them and they have names. Punxsatawney Phil and General Lee. Another thing I was unaware of is that I live in the backyard of one of these said Groundhog super stars. General Lee lives at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn, GA, which I have passed driving maybe 50 times and had no idea that it existed. Their slogan is something about being like a zoo but better. I am not really sure how I made it 27 years without knowing any of these things. I still don't really understand this holiday at all, but I feel a little more informed than I was before. Regardless, I am glad that he "didn't see his shadow" and I really do hope that spring is right around the corner. I am weary of the winter cold and if it lingers much longer and I am still unable to run outside I may need a new wardrobe.

"our booth"

2011-02-02T07:07:00.002-06:00

Every Wednesday morning at 8am for a long while now I have been meeting with some girls at Panera. Sometimes it is just me and one girl, sometimes it is 5 or 6 and sometimes it is just me. Regardless of who shows, there are some things that never change: First, what I order. I order a cinnamon crunch bagel, sliced and toasted with honey walnut cream cheese and a coffee in a mug. I have ordered this so much that the staff knows what I get and they start fixing it when I walk in. The second thing that never changes is where we sit. There is this one half sided booth with an outlet near it and that is where we always sit. Now this morning I walk in and go to set my stuff in "our booth" and low and behold there is a bag and jacket there. It belongs to a man who just walked in seconds before me and apparently doesn't know how things work at this Panera on Wednesday mornings...he must be unaware that that is "our booth."

What is funny about this is that I would probably say I am just kidding, but in all honesty I did feel a little bit like that when I first saw his stuff. I had that feeling you have when you are a kid when someone has taken your desk, your seat at lunch or your place in the car and you really do believe in your heart of hearts that it is your possession and that everyone should be aware of that and act accordingly.

So, I am in another (less comfortable) spot facing they guy is intruding on my morning and giving him a look of disaproval every now and again in hopes that he will pick up on the hint and in the future plop himself elsewhere.

a beautiful day.

2011-01-30T06:35:00.004-06:00

This is where a spent yesterday...

It was 70 degrees yesterday and when it's January and it has been a winter filled with snow, ice and lots of cold any day with temperatures over 55 degrees sounds fantastic. It was an absolutely beautiful day and it was taken advantage of. I EVEN WORE SHORTS!!!!! It was a much needed day of peace and refreshment in the beauty of the outdoors. And today is also going to be 70...if only it wasn't Sunday.

2011-01-28T13:15:00.000-06:00

So this is pretty crazy and random. Not sure what I would think if I wondered up on this. How is it possible to drag a piano from your house to the ocean and nobody notice?

It's only been a week?

2011-01-27T17:18:00.003-06:00

It was a week ago today that my friend and coworker Becka, died. It has been the longest week (really season) in the life of this church. I was talking to someone yesterday about Becka's death and I mentioned that it had been 6 days and then I had to stop myself and think about that because it felt like it had been months. It was an exhausting and trying week. As a staff we are still very much grieving, but we are also having to have those tough "who is going to pick up which part of her job" conversations and I hate that. It feels as if you are moving on and I don't want to move on yet. I don't want her name to come off everything. I was handing a family a ministry sheet on Sunday and circling this group that meets close to where they live and as I did that I noticed that Becka was the contact and I had to scratch off her name and email and add mine. Those types of things are not okay with me. Multiple times a day at work I have those moments where you go "Wait, surely that didn't happen." You know what I am talking about? Those moments where you mind is trying to catch up to reality, or grasp it?

I have been impressed with how our body at Grace and our staff have responded in the wake of this tragedy and I really do hope to see God bring some good things out of this. My biggest prayer is for the kids and Shane....for the tough road I know they are going to be on for a long time.

This is Becka and I in December in our tacky Christmas attire. It's blurry, which makes me sad, but I still like it.

a very sad week.

2011-01-23T08:30:00.003-06:00

This past week was a tragic week in the life of my church and community. One of my favorite staff members; a coworker, a friend, a young mom of 3 kids, died suddenly from complications with kidney stones. I want to write more about this and all that it means, but that is really too hard right now, so here is the write-up the church sent out to the body.

Dear Grace Family,
We are deeply saddened to announce that Becka Etheridge Mullennix, our dear friend and staff member at Grace, passed away this morning due to complications related to a kidney infection. We know that Becka is in the presence of Jesus right now, and we ask you to join us in praying for her husband, Shane and three children, Daniel, Amy and Mitchell. We are all deeply grieving over this huge loss to our church family and community.

The funeral for Becka will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 22nd at Grace in Snellville. Visitation with the family will be held in the High School room after the service.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Young Life Southern Gwinnett (memo line Becka Mullennix).

We know that many will want to show love and support for the family over the coming days and weeks, and we will provide information about the best ways to help as soon as possible. If you are 'Facebook friends' with Becka, you may want to honor her family and friends by posting your sentiments on her page.

May the Kingdom Come,
Buddy and the Grace Staff

Clemson Girls Weekend 2011

2011-01-18T09:27:00.007-06:00

There are a lot of days where I miss Clemson. It was truly one of the greatest times in my life and I think that it always will be. I love that place; the campus, the school, football games, but most importantly, the people. I was BLESSED with the most amazing group of 20 or so girls to do life with while I was there. Many of them have moved to other states and gone on to other things (I was in this category for the last 3 years or so), but a small remnant still get together once a year over Martin Luther King weekend to fellowship, catch up on current life and reminisce about old life. This past weekend was the third annual Clemson girls weekend and the first I have ever been able to attend. I was only able to be there Friday and Saturday, but I enjoyed every minute of that short time.

Here is the Whole Gang: Left to Right:
Me (of course), Stephanie Roberts Watts, Kristin Retallick Irwin, Angela Holder, Rachel Hinson Edwards, Sandy Pirkle Anfin, Kristin Boynton Beaufort, Jennifer McElveen Foster, Sarah Prothro

Sandy, Me, Stephanie. They both just had their first child in April.

The old roomies (minus Tifany, who was at home with her new baby) Sarah, Jennifer, Me...2 of my favorite people on the planet. I loved every minute of living with them.

Jennifer and I. Seriously, she is one of the world's best people. I have met few people that care more about others than she does.

The sunset over the lake. I miss Clemson sunsets...there is nothing like them.

Bowman Field....I played a lot of frisbee on this field. It is a favorite Clemson spot.

The whole group again in front of Tillman

wielding a snow shovel.

2011-01-11T17:38:00.005-06:00

Today, I did something I have never done before...I snow shoveled a driveway...my driveway. On Sunday night Atlanta got hit with the "Arctic blast of 2011" and the entire city has been shut down ever since. There was 6-8 inches of snow and all the roads are iced over. There is no milk, bread, produce or RedBox DVD's left in all of suburban Atlanta.
I came home today from my sister's house and turned into my driveway to go into my garage and got stuck halfway up. I backed down as far into the street as I could and hit the gas to try again and still could not get up. I did not want to leave my car in the driveway, so I decided something must be done. Here is what my driveway looked like before...

This was my instrument of choice.
Yep, it is an ACTUAL snow shovel. You might be wondering why any good Georgian would actually happen to have one of these lying around. It just so happens that my roommate's old roommate moved to Minnesota and as a parting gift some friends gave here this lovely snow shovel, which she loved so much she forgot to back and it has ever since been gracing the closet of my current home. It is actually covered in signatures and sweet little parting notes. Today it earned its keep because I have been watching people for days clear their driveways with tiny little garden shovels and I guarantee they wish they had this bad boy to do the duty. So, thank you Avivah...your shovel came in handy.

Here is a photo of the halfway mark.....

And since I figured my roommate would also appreciate being able to get into the garage, I went ahead and did the whole thing....though you can tell which side I started on...it seems I was a little lazier with the left side. But I was sweating and my arms were getting tired by then, so I did the best I could. Just for fun...here is the sign at the front of my neighborhood.

Well, and here is Cali playing in the snow.

More baby bassett photos

2011-01-06T17:50:00.003-06:00

Sweet little Amos Boy

The cutest picture EVER! The end of Harvey's yawn! He looks like he is smiling!

Amy with Amos...he is her favorite.

Off to a good start?

2011-01-05T14:55:00.001-06:00

This is a soon to be restaurant right around the corner from where I work. There is a banner like this on each of the 3 sides of the building.

2+6=8

2010-12-31T15:55:00.004-06:00

Lauren and Trey recently decided to become fosters for the Bassett Hound Rescue of Georgia. A few years ago they adopted their 2nd Bassett Maddie from there. When they go....they go big. Their first foster experience didn't just bring them 1 dog, it brought them 6....a mama and 5 puppies. 4 boys and 1 little girl.

Here is the proud family.

This is Sampson

Maddie with Amos

No name boy

So Stinkin' Cute

Sugar and very hungry pups

The little girl: Maybe to be named Zoey

So sleepy

Grace staff.

2010-12-27T08:08:00.001-06:00

This is a picture of some of the great people that I work with at Grace. I missed this picture (and the Starbucks card that apparently came with it) because I was out in the lobby with some other staff breaking down things. So, this picture is not all of the staff.

Christmas in the Arena

2010-12-26T08:59:00.004-06:00

In 2009 Grace did 12 Christmas Eve services. The last 2 years they have rented out the Gwinnett Arena for the service. 10,000 people, gathering together in one place on Christmas Eve....it's pretty amazing. Music, teaching, tons of Baptisms, a personal story of God's goodness amidst tragedy....there were salvations....there were even over 50 Muslim refugee families in attendance. Did you hear me? Muslim families at an event thats purpose is to celebrate Jesus.....ha. Here are some pictures of the event.

Giving Blood.

2010-12-21T20:01:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, I donated blood for the first time in 11 years. The first and only time I ever donated blood was when my high school had a blood drive when I was a junior. When my coach found out I had given blood he was ticked because we had a game that day. It was mid season, so I was in really good shape, but that day I felt like I had never run a day in my life. So you might be asking what made me end my 11 year blood donating hiatus? Well, Amy...that is what....or rather who. She is a nurse for kids with cancer and her kiddos often need platelets, so she goes and donates when she can. She wanted me to go with her back when I first moved here, but I had just gotten back from Africa and well...they don't let you donate for a while if you've been to Africa. I went with her just with the intention of letting them draw a tube of blood so I could donate platelets later, but she convinced me that if they were going to stick me anyway to take a tube of blood I might as well let them take a bag while they are in there. I am good if unexpected pain happens to me, but I cannot stand anticipated pain. Shots fall into this category. I sat down in the ominous chair. I made the mistake of watching the process unfold on the guy next to me. The needle was the size of an arrow (well maybe this is a bit of an exaggeration, but that is what it felt like). I said to the lady, "This is going to hurt isn't it?" And instead of doing what nurses normally do where they make it seem okay and try and distract you when they give you the shot she said very bluntly, "Well, yeah its gonna hurt. Of course it is." She stuck the needle in my arm and Amy (and apparently the man beside her giving platelets) thought that I screamed very loudly. I maintain that it hurt....and that I didn't scream all that loudly.
I was reminded when I was done that I had just saved 3 lives. It is hard to argue or complain when they say something like that.

ridiculous 6th grader

2010-12-17T20:56:00.001-06:00

Ummm...this is ridiculous. This is a 6th grade kid at this school talent show. He recently appeared on Ellen.

#6 Generation Salaam Thanksgiving Feast

2010-12-08T06:47:00.000-06:00

I decided a few months ago that I wanted to plan some type of outreach event for the women's ministry at Grace. I wanted it to be connected to a place the church was already involved in so I talked to Erin who runs our Infusion ministry about doing something at for the Muslim refugee families they work with. We decided to gather together a group of people who knew a lot more about the Muslim culture than we did and out of that meeting came the idea to do a traditional Thanksgiving dinner at Grace for refugee families. The idea was that each refugee family would be paired at a table with a Grace host family. The ultimate goal was that the Grace family would build lasting relationships with the family they were hosting. We set a menu, recruited volunteers to cook and serve and host and sent out invitations. It was a massive undertaking. I spent all of my Thanksgiving break working on it. I now know why people prefer to get dinners catered rather than have people bring food. If it wasn't for my wonderful sister and my dear friend Amy (as well as a man named Paul with lots of catering experience) I might have cried.
The event ended up going off perfectly. I could not have asked for a better turn out. We had 80 Musilm refugees and well over 100 Grace volunteers. Our pastor, Buddy has called it one of the top 3 things that Grace has ever done. The event has already been reciprocated. The manager from one of the complex who helped with some of the program called 2 days later and said they wanted to invite us to eat in the mosque. I mean really? What church has the opportunity to share a meal with 80 Muslims in their building and gets invited to their mosque? Crazy.
Below are some pictures of the event.

Serving

Buddy talking with the translator

a lot of pie

ummm...just crazy.

A family with the family they hosted.

# 5 My first Black Friday

2010-12-07T07:41:00.000-06:00

I experienced my first American phenomenon known as "Black Friday." When I first told Amy that I had never done Black Friday before she acted as if I had just said I had never heard of chocolate. Apparently, Black Friday has always been a big deal in her family and she was very bummed when she realized she had to work that day. The only upside to working that day though is that she gets us super early anyway, so she decided why not get up a little earlier and drag me along with her and even though she might regret it at 7pm when she is at work this is exactly what she decided to do. The alarm went off in the 4 oclock hour, which is just not okay, I rolled out of bed, threw on some clothes and off we went with the masses. Our first and only stop was Target, and by the time we got there the doors had already been busted down, all the "punch someone out" worthy deals had been snagged up and the line was wrapped to the back of the store around both sides. I have really never seen so many people in a store in my life. People had these giant TV's that didn't come close to fitting in their carts, so they were coming dangerously close to knocking people around with every turn. Target workers were trying to direct traffic the best they could and huddling around yelling things like "Stand there and don't let people cut."(Really? Cutting in line? I had flash backs from childhood...I mean I know that adults in this type of situation do this, but it still shocks me that we are that childish and that self-centered.
We decided against the cart since I refused to try and steer it through the herds and went for the basket, which turned out to be a good choice. Our first stop was the movie section to pick up several $3.99 classics (not sure Elf is a classic, but it should be). We then headed to the electronic section where we got a few $25 itunes gift cards that were $20. I decided to go ahead and get in line and let Amy do some more paroozing, since she had less than an hour (and God only knew how long that line would take to move) and I wasn't keen on her leaving me in that line to prance off to work. As I stood there waiting and looked down at a basket that looked like this...
I told Amy that I was going to need us to find a more sought after, expensive item to put in that basket for me to think this ordeal was worth it. As much as I enjoy movies....they were also $3.99 on Amazon.....and there is no mile long line on Amazon. She continued to remind me that it was the experience that was fun, not really what you get. I am still unsure. Here are our "how we feel about Black Friday faces"...

While I waited in line she picked up a few other random things, including several things my sister wanted for gifts like a coffee pot and an Easy Bake oven. We made it out of Target before she had to go to work and after she left I headed over to Gap because I was already awake, everything was 50% off, I wanted jeans and I didn't think the masses would be fighting over cardigans. All in all, my first Black Friday was not too bad.....but don't tell Amy ;-).

# 4. Thanksgiving Day Atlanta Half Marathon

2010-12-06T08:58:00.000-06:00

This year has been one of accomplishing goals, mainly in the area of running. I ran my first 10k, 2 half marathons and a full marathon, all of which were things I have always wanted to do. Last week I ran the Thanksgiving day half marathon. I had nothing else to do Thanksgiving morning and I could run it without training since I just ran the full marathon on Halloween, so I decided why not? Another cool shirt...another race medal...another race to say I've run...a chance to beat the 2 hour time mark and a way to off set the 3,000 calories I would consume later that day. So my sister and I got up way too early (she is a saint for coming with me) and drove down to Tuner Field. The traffic was heinous...NOT MOVING off of the exit and if it wasn't for Lauren's prodding me to get out of line and come back the other way (and the fire truck that blazed a trail through the line that I followed...whoops) we would not have made the start even though we were at the exit an hour early.
It was perfect race day weather; overcast and in the high 60's. I did run it faster than my first half in Chicago, but I did not beat the 2 hour mark, which was my goal. I made it in 2:02, which I was still pleased with. For now I am done with races. For one, it is way too cold to run outside and I can't afford a gym membership. I also just think my body needs a break. I would like to run if I want to, not because I have to...although, with all of the cookies and sweets I have been eating maybe I should sign up for something else.

# 2 Thanksgiving Feast 2010

2010-12-05T06:12:00.000-06:00

I went out of order. This post was supposed to go before the one about Florida, but since I got behind uploading pictures we will just go with it. So, this is #2....Thanksgiving Feast. Amy would tell you, "It started with napkins" and it really did. She saw cute Thanksgiving napkins she liked in Hobby Lobby one day and then out of that this was birthed an amazing idea to have a Thanksgiving feast at our house. We bought the plates and napkins, which committed us to the ordeal, sent out invitations and started planning. We decorated the house. I borrowed tables and chairs from Grace and we set them with our fun plates and napkins.

We took on the cooking of the turkey...really Amy did. It was her first turkey and it turned out amazing. Here he is. We lovingly named him Gordo because well, it takes a 21 lb turkey to feed a lot of people and we had a lot of people.

We have planned parties where people were supposed to bring food and nobody really did and we all went a little hungry, but this time people showed up. The food was AMAZING! Everything was so good. Mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, stuffing, dessert...all delicious.

We even through in Thanksgiving trivia and gave out prizes to the winners. It was so much fun that by the end of the night there was already a request for Christmas Feast 2010. This, of course, can only happen if the proper plates and napkins can be found.

#3- Florida Trip

2010-12-03T06:34:00.000-06:00

My grandfather (Mom's dad) has been actively involved in the Boys and Girls club since the 60's. He recently received this award for his work with the club and my family went down to Florida for the ceremony (I referenced this in a previous post). Here are some pictures from the event.

The Whole Gang...
From Left to Right: My Uncle Mike, Mom, Suzanne (my granddad's wife), Granddad, Me, Lauren, Trey

My sister, Mom and I.

My sister and I being goofy of course.

acres of hope...east of eden

Dog is a school crossing guard.

If Cali were a flip book cartoon...

raynaud's update...

Cornhole Christmas

Heaven came to Atlanta!

Reason # 5792 I love dogs.

Craigslist "Free" Section Part 4

the Craigslist "free" section Part 3

the Craigslist "free" section part 2

the Craigstlist "free" section.

renewed hope

Clemson

5 months

Happy Birthday Sister!

Fall is officially here.

Dogs are AMAZING! Such a sad story

How you know you didn't get the job.

August MyMission article

Do you speak Christian?

Dog Tease Video

July 25th

Top 10 reasons I am ready for Fall

Why my sister is awesome.

Chick-fil-A First 100 Event!

Birthday Week

Writing for My Mission Fulfilled.

A Recap of June and Dreams for July

dog activities.

House Projects.

Pet Butler

my first tri

i love my dog.

pictoral representations.

Fishing with Lauren's kids

Yummy Strawberry Cake

a surprise ending

The Amsterdam airport/security process in full review:

In honor of being in Prague...

the world's smallest smoking closet?

The Prague Bridge Band

Lent Day 29

Lent Day 28

Lent Day 27

Lent Day 26

Lent Day 25

Lent Day 24

Lent Day 23

Lent Day 22

Lent Day 21

Lent Day 20

Lent Day 19

raynaud's.

Lent Day 18

Lent Day 17

Lent Day 16

Lent Day 15

Lent Day 14

Lent Day 13

Lent Day 12

Lent Day 11

Lent Day 10

Lent Day 9

Lent Day 8

double DOG dare.

Lent Day 7

Lent Day 6

Lent Day 5

Lent Day 4

Lent Day 3

Lent Day 2

A Liturgy for Ash Wednesday

coffee cup.

klepto kitty.

surprise trophy, yet again.

spring forward baby!

coffee with grandpa.

1 year later

February 27th

dog owner "why?" moments