today is done
here comes tomorrow...
staff meeting, flight to Florida
then two-years with Joshua
then Thanksgiving
meeting his extended family
then visiting my family
and maybe some friends
and then coming home...
all in time to start another week all over again.
so tired right now
but tomorrow this will all be exciting :)
Monday, November 24, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
A car
Potentially I could say a lot right now.
Because God gave us (Joshua and I) a car today.
But I think that it will do to say that God is faithful and bigger than I can ever imagine. :)
Because God gave us (Joshua and I) a car today.
But I think that it will do to say that God is faithful and bigger than I can ever imagine. :)
Saturday, November 22, 2008
.tired.
So basically Heather Heather was in town for one day, and that day was today. I'm taking her bright and early to the airport tomorrow morning. We had to make the most of this one day together.
It consisted of:
.sleeping in.
.going to Chick-fil-A only to discover we had missed breakfast hours.
.deep and long discussion over grilled cheese (me) and breakfast (her) at IHOP.
.delivering lunch to Joshua.
.a trip to Wal-Mart to buy provisions for spelunking (read: crackers and cheese and headlamps).
.hiking up Rumbling Bald.
.spelunking.
.picking up Josh and meeting Phil and Victoria at Texas Roadhouse for dinner.
.a visit to the Grove Park Inn to see the renowned gingerbread house competition and dueling piano bar.
.dropping off Josh.
.coming home and collapsing into bed.
It consisted of:
.sleeping in.
.going to Chick-fil-A only to discover we had missed breakfast hours.
.deep and long discussion over grilled cheese (me) and breakfast (her) at IHOP.
.delivering lunch to Joshua.
.a trip to Wal-Mart to buy provisions for spelunking (read: crackers and cheese and headlamps).
.hiking up Rumbling Bald.
.spelunking.
.picking up Josh and meeting Phil and Victoria at Texas Roadhouse for dinner.
.a visit to the Grove Park Inn to see the renowned gingerbread house competition and dueling piano bar.
.dropping off Josh.
.coming home and collapsing into bed.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Bloggerooni
My dear friend Heather Heather is in town. Tonight the temperature is in the teens and Joshua and I took her downtown to the Prayer Gallery. I think she was wearing ten layers and three hats. And still cold.
Joshua and I have this really bad habit of leaving our car headlights on and then we come out later and try to start the car and realize the battery is dead. It's an old Tercel and there is no dinging or light flashing to give you warning that you've left the lights on. Today, for at least the fifteenth time, we had to get someone to give us a jump because we had done it again. (Thank God the Worthys put a pair of jumper cables in the trunk.) So we were late picking Heather Heather up from the airport. But she's reading Twilight so I don't think she minded too much.
We tried to do the whole rolling start thing since the Tercel is a manual, but I was in the driver's seat and couldn't get it to work. I think I was supposed to pop the clutch or something once I had it in second gear, but I don't know what that means and I didn't do it. Poor Joshua had to push the car up a hill and I think he might have given himself a hernia.
It was snowing this morning. :)
Joshua and I have this really bad habit of leaving our car headlights on and then we come out later and try to start the car and realize the battery is dead. It's an old Tercel and there is no dinging or light flashing to give you warning that you've left the lights on. Today, for at least the fifteenth time, we had to get someone to give us a jump because we had done it again. (Thank God the Worthys put a pair of jumper cables in the trunk.) So we were late picking Heather Heather up from the airport. But she's reading Twilight so I don't think she minded too much.
We tried to do the whole rolling start thing since the Tercel is a manual, but I was in the driver's seat and couldn't get it to work. I think I was supposed to pop the clutch or something once I had it in second gear, but I don't know what that means and I didn't do it. Poor Joshua had to push the car up a hill and I think he might have given himself a hernia.
It was snowing this morning. :)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Symphony of shooting stars
Tonight Joshua and I went star-gazing up on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Bundled up in quilts and afghans from Grammy Doris' house, we sat on the hood of the car (yay for warm engines) and stared up into the heavens. An inky black sky dotted with diamond-like stars with a blanket of clouds rolling in from the south.
As the clouds moved over the patch of sky we were watching, lots of cold air came with them. The side of my body that was exposed to the south suddenly felt like it was being crystallized with ice at one point, which was really cool. I've never actually felt a cold front move in like that.
Josh and I started singing old hymns and some different worship songs that we know, and as we did the symphony of shooting stars began. The brightest one shot through the sky in the middle of us singing Rich Mullin's famous tune Awesome God and Josh laughed and said, "He really likes that one." I said that it was probably Rich up there that nudged God and said, "Hey, give them a good one, they're singing my song!"
As the clouds moved over the patch of sky we were watching, lots of cold air came with them. The side of my body that was exposed to the south suddenly felt like it was being crystallized with ice at one point, which was really cool. I've never actually felt a cold front move in like that.
Josh and I started singing old hymns and some different worship songs that we know, and as we did the symphony of shooting stars began. The brightest one shot through the sky in the middle of us singing Rich Mullin's famous tune Awesome God and Josh laughed and said, "He really likes that one." I said that it was probably Rich up there that nudged God and said, "Hey, give them a good one, they're singing my song!"
Another late great blog post
I have no idea why I am up at 1:30 a.m. I've been up since 6:00 a.m. and haven't even wanted a nap. I have a feeling this is going to bite me in the butt tomorrow.
Apparently there's a lot to update you on in the world of books, movies, and reality television.
a) I read The Shack by William Young today. I had heard mixed reviews of the book, and the most common was, "It's a good read as long as you remember it's a novel." Here's a pretty unbiased article from USA Today on the subject. My thoughts... as a novel, it is pretty good. Compelling read, although sometimes the writing was a little overdone. (I frequently overdo writing, so I can recognize when it's overdone.) Theologically sound? I don't have a degree or a whole lot of head knowledge on doctrine, but there were a few things that I could definitely pick out as being off track. Overall, I enjoyed the open-mindedness of the book and the beauty of grace that was portrayed.
b) Revision on Crazy Love... I like the online video segments. Francis Chan is a cool guy.
c) Josh and I went over to a friend's house tonight and watched the Ben Stein documentary Expelled. It was really interesting, and if you are into documentaries I would definitely recommend that you rent it/Netflix it/watch it online. The gist is that in the United States, academic freedom is being lost in the scientific community because of pressure to conform to the majority. Darwinian evolution has become the only acceptable origins of life theory and as a result, if you are a career professional in the scientific field and even mention Intelligent Design, you can lose your tenure or lose your grant funding or even lose your job. The whole argument of the documentary is not in support of ID but rather in support of the freedom for all ideas to be scientifically explored, not only ideas that fit in with what the humanist academic community deems worthy.
What was interesting to me is that the Darwinian evolution vs. ID debate isn't about science at all. It is intrinsically deeper and clearly an ideological and spiritual disagreement at its core. The arrogance and venom of some of the leading proponents of Darwinian evolution was astounding to me. One biologist named Richard Dawkins (who authored The God Delusion) argues vehemently against even a remote possibilty of any sort of deity existing that could be at all responsible for intelligently contributing to the design of human life. However, he asserts that the origins of human life could be attributed to aliens on other planets that could have evolved in such superior ways that they had the technology to "seat" human life on the planet Earth. (This, by the way, is the theory of Intelligent Design.) Aliens, but not God? Obviously, the issue is farther reaching than scientific evidence.
There was some interesting linkage to the Holocost and Hilter's obsession with enhancing natural selection by eradicating all "inferior" peoples. That could open up a whole can of worms, but the documentary handles it in a very realistic manner, not a sensationalist one.
Two thumbs up.
d) Biggest Loser. Vicki, the contestant who I really wanted to be voted off because she is mean and manipulates the game, managed to stay in the game even though she was up for elimination this week. I was disappointed to see Coleen go, because she was in it for her health, not the $25,000 grand prize. At least that's what she said.
e) America's Next Top Model is over... I don't know whether to be sad or glad, because I like the show but really I could spend that hour in a better way every week. Mckey Sullivan won, which was good, because she deserved it, I think.
So now it's coming on 2:00 a.m. and I think I should probably try to go to bed. What time should I wake up tomorrow? Let's take a vote and we'll see who gets closest to the time I actually roll out of bed.
Apparently there's a lot to update you on in the world of books, movies, and reality television.
a) I read The Shack by William Young today. I had heard mixed reviews of the book, and the most common was, "It's a good read as long as you remember it's a novel." Here's a pretty unbiased article from USA Today on the subject. My thoughts... as a novel, it is pretty good. Compelling read, although sometimes the writing was a little overdone. (I frequently overdo writing, so I can recognize when it's overdone.) Theologically sound? I don't have a degree or a whole lot of head knowledge on doctrine, but there were a few things that I could definitely pick out as being off track. Overall, I enjoyed the open-mindedness of the book and the beauty of grace that was portrayed.
b) Revision on Crazy Love... I like the online video segments. Francis Chan is a cool guy.
c) Josh and I went over to a friend's house tonight and watched the Ben Stein documentary Expelled. It was really interesting, and if you are into documentaries I would definitely recommend that you rent it/Netflix it/watch it online. The gist is that in the United States, academic freedom is being lost in the scientific community because of pressure to conform to the majority. Darwinian evolution has become the only acceptable origins of life theory and as a result, if you are a career professional in the scientific field and even mention Intelligent Design, you can lose your tenure or lose your grant funding or even lose your job. The whole argument of the documentary is not in support of ID but rather in support of the freedom for all ideas to be scientifically explored, not only ideas that fit in with what the humanist academic community deems worthy.
What was interesting to me is that the Darwinian evolution vs. ID debate isn't about science at all. It is intrinsically deeper and clearly an ideological and spiritual disagreement at its core. The arrogance and venom of some of the leading proponents of Darwinian evolution was astounding to me. One biologist named Richard Dawkins (who authored The God Delusion) argues vehemently against even a remote possibilty of any sort of deity existing that could be at all responsible for intelligently contributing to the design of human life. However, he asserts that the origins of human life could be attributed to aliens on other planets that could have evolved in such superior ways that they had the technology to "seat" human life on the planet Earth. (This, by the way, is the theory of Intelligent Design.) Aliens, but not God? Obviously, the issue is farther reaching than scientific evidence.
There was some interesting linkage to the Holocost and Hilter's obsession with enhancing natural selection by eradicating all "inferior" peoples. That could open up a whole can of worms, but the documentary handles it in a very realistic manner, not a sensationalist one.
Two thumbs up.
d) Biggest Loser. Vicki, the contestant who I really wanted to be voted off because she is mean and manipulates the game, managed to stay in the game even though she was up for elimination this week. I was disappointed to see Coleen go, because she was in it for her health, not the $25,000 grand prize. At least that's what she said.
e) America's Next Top Model is over... I don't know whether to be sad or glad, because I like the show but really I could spend that hour in a better way every week. Mckey Sullivan won, which was good, because she deserved it, I think.
So now it's coming on 2:00 a.m. and I think I should probably try to go to bed. What time should I wake up tomorrow? Let's take a vote and we'll see who gets closest to the time I actually roll out of bed.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Discoveries
I am definitely sitting here in my PJs freezing my butt off in the Worthy's basement because it's like 19 degrees outside. And I am listening to Christmas carols (currently one of my favorite versions of Winter Wonderland is playing, performed by Jason Mraz... it's fun, you should download it and by "download it" I mean pay for it, not steal it off of Limewire). And I am waiting for my bed to get warm, per my usual I'll-blog-while-my-electric-blanket-heats-up habit.
I have discovered/am in the process of discovering several things lately. I'm going to try to tell you about them, but I've had a headache since this afternoon (maybe the weather change?) so I'm not sure it's going to come out coherently but I'll proofread this tomorrow and make changes if necessary. So if this makes no sense at all, come back tomorrow.
Discovery #1: I am horrible at returning phone calls. If you have any sort of experience with this, I'm sorry. I would like to tell you that I'm going to get better at it, but it's not exactly in the top five priorities right now so that means maybe I'll start working on it in January when I make a new resolutions list and vow to be a better friend. Besides, it's genetic and it's hard to work against genetics.
Discovery #2: If I have a health problem when I'm an old lady and the doctor tells me I'll have to exercise if I want to survive, you might as well pick out my gravestone. I'm 23 and I can barely work up the motivation to work out now... I can't imagine how bad I'll be by 70.
Discovery #3: God has this absolutely insane love for me. As I said last night, I'm reading Crazy Love, newly gifted to me (awesome). I'm enjoying it although the writer keeps referring me to look at the book's website to watch videos that correlate with certain things, and I don't think I'm the target audience for that sort of thing. I'm one of those old-fashioned gals that actually enjoys reading... you know, the feel of a book in your hands, the smell of new pages, being able to get in a comfy chair and focus for a few hours without any interruptions. Being redirected to the website every ten pages is getting on my nerves. That said, I'm liking the content, and it's just resonating within me because it's echoing a message that God has been driving home lately... which is a) that He is HUGE, b) that He loves me more than I can imagine, and c) the magnitude of His love for me demands a response. I told Joshua tonight that I think that it's not that I'm apathetic to God's crazy love for me, I think it's that I've never really believed it. But I'm getting closer and closer to taking that head-long leap of complete abandonment into a crazy, infatuated love relationship with Jesus and it makes me... joyful. That's a new element in my spiritual journey, and it's one that I've been searching for and it makes me happy to have found it. True joy. Joy that wells up within from the mutual satisfaction of being completely, overwhelmingly desired and loved and giving myself entirely in love in return.
Discovery #3 is my favorite.
P.S. It was snowing today, but nothing stuck. I can't wait until I wake up one morning and everything is covered in white.
I have discovered/am in the process of discovering several things lately. I'm going to try to tell you about them, but I've had a headache since this afternoon (maybe the weather change?) so I'm not sure it's going to come out coherently but I'll proofread this tomorrow and make changes if necessary. So if this makes no sense at all, come back tomorrow.
Discovery #1: I am horrible at returning phone calls. If you have any sort of experience with this, I'm sorry. I would like to tell you that I'm going to get better at it, but it's not exactly in the top five priorities right now so that means maybe I'll start working on it in January when I make a new resolutions list and vow to be a better friend. Besides, it's genetic and it's hard to work against genetics.
Discovery #2: If I have a health problem when I'm an old lady and the doctor tells me I'll have to exercise if I want to survive, you might as well pick out my gravestone. I'm 23 and I can barely work up the motivation to work out now... I can't imagine how bad I'll be by 70.
Discovery #3: God has this absolutely insane love for me. As I said last night, I'm reading Crazy Love, newly gifted to me (awesome). I'm enjoying it although the writer keeps referring me to look at the book's website to watch videos that correlate with certain things, and I don't think I'm the target audience for that sort of thing. I'm one of those old-fashioned gals that actually enjoys reading... you know, the feel of a book in your hands, the smell of new pages, being able to get in a comfy chair and focus for a few hours without any interruptions. Being redirected to the website every ten pages is getting on my nerves. That said, I'm liking the content, and it's just resonating within me because it's echoing a message that God has been driving home lately... which is a) that He is HUGE, b) that He loves me more than I can imagine, and c) the magnitude of His love for me demands a response. I told Joshua tonight that I think that it's not that I'm apathetic to God's crazy love for me, I think it's that I've never really believed it. But I'm getting closer and closer to taking that head-long leap of complete abandonment into a crazy, infatuated love relationship with Jesus and it makes me... joyful. That's a new element in my spiritual journey, and it's one that I've been searching for and it makes me happy to have found it. True joy. Joy that wells up within from the mutual satisfaction of being completely, overwhelmingly desired and loved and giving myself entirely in love in return.
Discovery #3 is my favorite.
P.S. It was snowing today, but nothing stuck. I can't wait until I wake up one morning and everything is covered in white.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Miracle of miracles
Joshua and I seriously did bust out with Handel's Messiah today when we drove past this sign. He snapped a picture of it while I went inside the store to grab some supplies for Megan Monday. Have I told you all about Megan Monday yet? I cook every Monday night, and since alliterations are fun, we call it Megan Monday. Tonight was stuffed shells... a Worthy girls favorite. Is there anything cuter than a five-year-old looking up at you imploringly and asking, "Are you gonna make shells?" I think not.
I can't REMEMBER the last time gas was under $2.00 a gallon. I have no idea why the sudden drop in prices (just a month ago we had a gas shortage here and people were waiting in line for hours and paying upwards of $5.00 a gallon) but I'm not complaining.
I think that it's time for me to put all my Christmas tunes back on my iPod. I am a fan of shuffle, so I have to remove them after the holiday season because it irks me to have Winter Wonderland come on in May. But it's close enough to Thanksgiving that I think it's safe to add them back to the repertoire. Josh and I have been singing carols since August, anyway. We like the harmony parts.
New book: Crazy Love. I'm starting it tonight, so I'll let you know what I think.
'Till next time...
Peas and carrots.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Manly Movie Night II
In the middle of Braveheart with Josh and his roommate, Phil.
"They may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"
Love this movie.
Also, totally want to do an equitour of Scotland one day.
"They may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom!"
Love this movie.
Also, totally want to do an equitour of Scotland one day.
I haven't slept yet...
... so technically this counts as Saturday, November 15.
While my heating blanket warms up and gets my bed all cozy:
Somewhere in the world it is pineapple season, and that makes me very happy.
It might snow tomorrow, and it's definitely cold enough for it tonight, so I'm a-praying.
I am so dead tired, I can hardly keep my eyes open. Almost to the sandpaper stage, yum.
Today I made my first cake from scratch, a la the recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa box.
The Biltmore at Christmas time would be nice.
Sleep would be nice.
It's been like two minutes, so my bed is probably still like ice, but I can't wait any longer.
'Till tomorrow (later today), folks.
While my heating blanket warms up and gets my bed all cozy:
Somewhere in the world it is pineapple season, and that makes me very happy.
It might snow tomorrow, and it's definitely cold enough for it tonight, so I'm a-praying.
I am so dead tired, I can hardly keep my eyes open. Almost to the sandpaper stage, yum.
Today I made my first cake from scratch, a la the recipe on the back of the Hershey's cocoa box.
The Biltmore at Christmas time would be nice.
Sleep would be nice.
It's been like two minutes, so my bed is probably still like ice, but I can't wait any longer.
'Till tomorrow (later today), folks.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Well...
I don't have much to say tonight
and I'm busy
but I did go on a fabulous date
with ex-roommie, Michelle
:)
and I'm busy
but I did go on a fabulous date
with ex-roommie, Michelle
:)
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Feels like today
These are some of my favorite red things: strawberries, roses, toenail polish, autumn leaves, lipstick, marinara sauce, rubies, pashminas, and patent leather heels.
What are some of your favorite red things?
There are times when Josh calls me Girlfriendzilla. He calls me that when I have a knee-jerk reaction that is waaaaayy out of proportion and out of the norm for me. This morning was a Girlfriendzilla morning. Whooo eee.
Thankfully, he is a patient and kind and forgiving man.
But suffice it to say that today wasn't the best day.
It was, however, my friend Victoria's birthday. And I had already agreed to go out with her and some friends tonight. I wasn't in the best of moods when I left the house, especially because I was running late. By the time I got to The Lucky Otter for dinner (which is a very Ashevillian place) and I met up with everyone, I was in desperate need of a pick-me-up. What better way to lift your spirits than to celebrate someone else? It was a fun evening... good food, good friends... yay.
Now I'm off to bed. You should be, too. It's late.
What are some of your favorite red things?
There are times when Josh calls me Girlfriendzilla. He calls me that when I have a knee-jerk reaction that is waaaaayy out of proportion and out of the norm for me. This morning was a Girlfriendzilla morning. Whooo eee.
Thankfully, he is a patient and kind and forgiving man.
But suffice it to say that today wasn't the best day.
It was, however, my friend Victoria's birthday. And I had already agreed to go out with her and some friends tonight. I wasn't in the best of moods when I left the house, especially because I was running late. By the time I got to The Lucky Otter for dinner (which is a very Ashevillian place) and I met up with everyone, I was in desperate need of a pick-me-up. What better way to lift your spirits than to celebrate someone else? It was a fun evening... good food, good friends... yay.
Now I'm off to bed. You should be, too. It's late.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
$6.00 date
There's a new Regal Cinema opening up in Asheville (with stadium seating, ta da!) and the "official" opening is this Friday. But this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday they showed older movies and tickets were $1.00. Popcorn also $1.00, as well as soda. So tonight Josh took me to the movies, which I consider special because he hates going to the movies, and we only spent $6.00. I skipped dinner so that I would be able to fill up on that buttery goodness called movie popcorn.
We saw WALL-E, which Josh missed when it was out earlier this year because he was in India at the time. It's a fun one, although not my Pixar favorite. Finding Nemo still reigns as #1 in my book.
The weeks are just flying by... this weekend is Josh's birthday, then next weekend Heather Heather will be here, then the following weekend is Thanksgiving weekend. Then just a few more weeks until Christmas, and then it will be 2009. Craziness.
I'm flying home for Thanksgiving on this really cheap airline called Allegiant and because it costs like $30.00 for a checked bag, I'm just going to try to survive with a carry-on. I notoriously overpack for every traveling occasion, so I have no idea how I am going to accomplish this. Any tips?
The Worthys have a group of people over and the kids are going crazy upstairs. I'm fully expecting Sammy to come crashing through the ceiling and land in a pile of dust on my bed any minute now.
We saw WALL-E, which Josh missed when it was out earlier this year because he was in India at the time. It's a fun one, although not my Pixar favorite. Finding Nemo still reigns as #1 in my book.
The weeks are just flying by... this weekend is Josh's birthday, then next weekend Heather Heather will be here, then the following weekend is Thanksgiving weekend. Then just a few more weeks until Christmas, and then it will be 2009. Craziness.
I'm flying home for Thanksgiving on this really cheap airline called Allegiant and because it costs like $30.00 for a checked bag, I'm just going to try to survive with a carry-on. I notoriously overpack for every traveling occasion, so I have no idea how I am going to accomplish this. Any tips?
The Worthys have a group of people over and the kids are going crazy upstairs. I'm fully expecting Sammy to come crashing through the ceiling and land in a pile of dust on my bed any minute now.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
A stolen meme
I stole this meme. But I had to do a meme. Because they are fun to do, and tonight I should do something fun because I am celebrating the victory of good triumphing over evil on Biggest Loser. Somehow along the way all the mean people in the house got lumped together on one team and they had been winning, which was killing me! Tonight, they got a big wake up call when one of their own was unexpectedly sent home. Now it's anyone's game. Ah, the wonders of reality television.
Seriously, though, one of the contestants acts in a particularly horrid manner, and I have to admit that it makes me laugh that the editors of the show chose to include some parts that depict her being utterly spiteful.
So onto the meme, stolen from Ms. Marie:
Round One
1. Who did you spend at least two hours with today?
Joshua... yay. :)
2. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks?
Hmmm... celebrating Joshua's birthday this weekend; Heather Heather's visit; a trip home for Thanksgiving to see my family and Shell-Bell, my sister-in-love, who will be in Florida then; celebrating my two-year anniversary with Joshua by going to the new PF Chang's that's opening up down the street; Christmastime!
3. Who was the last person you called?
That would be Josh.
4. What were you doing at 12am last night?
Sleeping in my warm, snuggly bed.
5. What did you fear was going to get you as a child?
I can't remember. Guess it wasn't that scary.
6. When did you last see your mom?
In June! :( But I will see her very soon.
7. What are you wearing right now?
One of Josh's shirts and some Umbro shorts that I stole from Breanna a long time ago.
8. Where is your favorite place to be?
The right place at the right time. Otherwise, it would be impossible for me to choose.
9. Where is your least favorite place to be?
In rush hour traffic.
10. Where would you go if you could go anywhere?
I'd like to bop around Europe for awhile.
11. Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years?
I have no clue. Hopefully married and running after Jesus with reckless abandon.
12. What was the last thing that really made you laugh?
Josh doing a happy dance at the end of Biggest Loser.
13. What cities/towns/villages have you lived in?
All the places I've made my home...
. Tampa, FL .
. Wilmore, KY .
. Burgin, KY .
. Dade City, FL .
. Fort Pierce, FL .
. Orlando, FL .
. Fort Lauderdale, FL .
. Corinto, Nicaragua .
. Asheville, NC .
14. Are you a social person?
With close friends, yes. I don't do well with large groups of strangers, and even with my closest friends I still need alone time.
15. What do you like about winter?
. snow .
. hot beverages like apple cider and hot chocolate .
. winter wear .
. snowflakes on windowpanes .
. Christmas lights .
. breath that comes out in puffs of frost .
. carols, ornament-laden trees, and presents .
. using my electric blanket .
. pink sunrises reflecting on snow-covered mountain peaks .
. frozen ponds .
. made-for-television holiday movies .
. shopping at the mall .
. Pisgah National Forest covered in perfect white snow and icecicles .
. and much more .
Round Two -
Unconscious Mutterings:
I say … and you think … ?
Coverage :: news - thank God the election is over
Cynical :: most of the population
Gust :: of wind - soon it will be icy cold wind
Improvised :: Heather Heather and her amazing comedy skills
V :: Victoria's Secret - duh!
Guests :: The Red Rocker Inn in Black Mountain... it's a bed and breakfast and wonderful!
Brutal :: reality television
Grant :: LaFever - an old friend
Pull :: the trigger - yikes!
Streaming :: raindrops down my windowpane - it was more of something that I saw in my mind's eye rather than words I thought
Alright, I'm calling it a night. 'Till tomorrow, taters.
Seriously, though, one of the contestants acts in a particularly horrid manner, and I have to admit that it makes me laugh that the editors of the show chose to include some parts that depict her being utterly spiteful.
So onto the meme, stolen from Ms. Marie:
Round One
1. Who did you spend at least two hours with today?
Joshua... yay. :)
2. What do you look forward to most in the next six weeks?
Hmmm... celebrating Joshua's birthday this weekend; Heather Heather's visit; a trip home for Thanksgiving to see my family and Shell-Bell, my sister-in-love, who will be in Florida then; celebrating my two-year anniversary with Joshua by going to the new PF Chang's that's opening up down the street; Christmastime!
3. Who was the last person you called?
That would be Josh.
4. What were you doing at 12am last night?
Sleeping in my warm, snuggly bed.
5. What did you fear was going to get you as a child?
I can't remember. Guess it wasn't that scary.
6. When did you last see your mom?
In June! :( But I will see her very soon.
7. What are you wearing right now?
One of Josh's shirts and some Umbro shorts that I stole from Breanna a long time ago.
8. Where is your favorite place to be?
The right place at the right time. Otherwise, it would be impossible for me to choose.
9. Where is your least favorite place to be?
In rush hour traffic.
10. Where would you go if you could go anywhere?
I'd like to bop around Europe for awhile.
11. Where do you think you’ll be in 10 years?
I have no clue. Hopefully married and running after Jesus with reckless abandon.
12. What was the last thing that really made you laugh?
Josh doing a happy dance at the end of Biggest Loser.
13. What cities/towns/villages have you lived in?
All the places I've made my home...
. Tampa, FL .
. Wilmore, KY .
. Burgin, KY .
. Dade City, FL .
. Fort Pierce, FL .
. Orlando, FL .
. Fort Lauderdale, FL .
. Corinto, Nicaragua .
. Asheville, NC .
14. Are you a social person?
With close friends, yes. I don't do well with large groups of strangers, and even with my closest friends I still need alone time.
15. What do you like about winter?
. snow .
. hot beverages like apple cider and hot chocolate .
. winter wear .
. snowflakes on windowpanes .
. Christmas lights .
. breath that comes out in puffs of frost .
. carols, ornament-laden trees, and presents .
. using my electric blanket .
. pink sunrises reflecting on snow-covered mountain peaks .
. frozen ponds .
. made-for-television holiday movies .
. shopping at the mall .
. Pisgah National Forest covered in perfect white snow and icecicles .
. and much more .
Round Two -
Unconscious Mutterings:
I say … and you think … ?
Coverage :: news - thank God the election is over
Cynical :: most of the population
Gust :: of wind - soon it will be icy cold wind
Improvised :: Heather Heather and her amazing comedy skills
V :: Victoria's Secret - duh!
Guests :: The Red Rocker Inn in Black Mountain... it's a bed and breakfast and wonderful!
Brutal :: reality television
Grant :: LaFever - an old friend
Pull :: the trigger - yikes!
Streaming :: raindrops down my windowpane - it was more of something that I saw in my mind's eye rather than words I thought
Alright, I'm calling it a night. 'Till tomorrow, taters.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Miscellaneous Monday*
* Title stolen from Mrs. LC's blog.
In the office where I work (read: Bryan's office down the hall) there's a basketball underneath the desk that I roll around with my feet while I edit video. Every night when I sit down at the desk in my room to blog, I go to put my feet on a nonexistent basketball. I think I have one out in the garage and I might go bring it in just to keep underneath my desk for said purpose.
Mission accomplished. Except that it's a little flat. Easily fixed (said in a nonchalant British accent with accompanying hand wave).
Give thanks with a grateful heart...
Today I am thankful for:
Waking up in a warm, snuggly bed.
Chilly autumn air.
The opportunity to talk to God all day long.
Hot chocolate.
Airplane tickets to Florida for Thanksgiving.
A new journal, full of blank pages to fill.
Memories.
Anticipation.
Laughter, hugs, and kisses.
Yummy food to eat all day long.
Going to sleep in a warm, snuggly bed. :)
Think I might watch The Matrix tonight. I've been wanting to watch it again ever since I wrote The Vision post.
First, though, I am going to call Joshua Geiger and tell him goodnight.
Ciao, bellas.
P.S. Has anyone besides me noticed how the musical score from Gladiator is nearly identical to that of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie?
In the office where I work (read: Bryan's office down the hall) there's a basketball underneath the desk that I roll around with my feet while I edit video. Every night when I sit down at the desk in my room to blog, I go to put my feet on a nonexistent basketball. I think I have one out in the garage and I might go bring it in just to keep underneath my desk for said purpose.
Mission accomplished. Except that it's a little flat. Easily fixed (said in a nonchalant British accent with accompanying hand wave).
Give thanks with a grateful heart...
Today I am thankful for:
Waking up in a warm, snuggly bed.
Chilly autumn air.
The opportunity to talk to God all day long.
Hot chocolate.
Airplane tickets to Florida for Thanksgiving.
A new journal, full of blank pages to fill.
Memories.
Anticipation.
Laughter, hugs, and kisses.
Yummy food to eat all day long.
Going to sleep in a warm, snuggly bed. :)
Think I might watch The Matrix tonight. I've been wanting to watch it again ever since I wrote The Vision post.
First, though, I am going to call Joshua Geiger and tell him goodnight.
Ciao, bellas.
P.S. Has anyone besides me noticed how the musical score from Gladiator is nearly identical to that of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie?
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Manly Movie Night
Tonight Joshua and I were bored, so we popped in Gladiator. Joshua is infinitely patient with me and will generally sit through my selection (for example, yesterday it was Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman). Tonight we went for something a little more manly. I love movies like Gladiator and Braveheart, although Josh makes fun of me because I close my eyes during all the gory parts. But it is the essence of the stories that I find moving.
Midway through the movie tonight, Joshua and I looked at each other and with a shame in our expressions we vocalized how grateful we were to be at home bored on a Sunday night instead of standing in the Colosseum ready to be executed by gladiators or eaten alive by lions. I marvel at the fact that sometimes I am hesitant to speak about my relationship with Christ when all I might have to suffer is rejection or someone's rudeness. The apostles were summarily exiled, beheaded, burned alive, crucified, or drawn and quartered. And countless disciples of Christ died in front of a Roman mob that was hungry for bloody entertainment. (Although, when I went to Italy in 2002 our tour guide denied that Christians were ever murdered in the Colosseum or something like that... bad PR, you know.)
I also marvel at the fact that in spite of this knowledge, I am still incredibly self-absorbed.
I've got Braveheart at the top of my Netflix queue because Josh has never seen it. I think the only two movies that have ever made me cry are Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ. I don't know if I'll get teary-eyed with this viewing, but it's a definite possibility.
Tomorrow's Monday. I'm excited for a new week. :) Fun things in store.
Midway through the movie tonight, Joshua and I looked at each other and with a shame in our expressions we vocalized how grateful we were to be at home bored on a Sunday night instead of standing in the Colosseum ready to be executed by gladiators or eaten alive by lions. I marvel at the fact that sometimes I am hesitant to speak about my relationship with Christ when all I might have to suffer is rejection or someone's rudeness. The apostles were summarily exiled, beheaded, burned alive, crucified, or drawn and quartered. And countless disciples of Christ died in front of a Roman mob that was hungry for bloody entertainment. (Although, when I went to Italy in 2002 our tour guide denied that Christians were ever murdered in the Colosseum or something like that... bad PR, you know.)
I also marvel at the fact that in spite of this knowledge, I am still incredibly self-absorbed.
I've got Braveheart at the top of my Netflix queue because Josh has never seen it. I think the only two movies that have ever made me cry are Braveheart and The Passion of the Christ. I don't know if I'll get teary-eyed with this viewing, but it's a definite possibility.
Tomorrow's Monday. I'm excited for a new week. :) Fun things in store.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Today
This quote by Rich Mullins sums up my life today:
"I'd rather fight you for something I don't really want than take what you give that I need."
I'm ready to go to bed and wake up in tomorrow already.
"I'd rather fight you for something I don't really want than take what you give that I need."
I'm ready to go to bed and wake up in tomorrow already.
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Vision
So this guy comes up to me and says "What's the vision? What's the big idea?" I open my mouth and words come out like this…
The vision?
The vision is JESUS – obsessively, dangerously, undeniably Jesus.
The vision is an army of young people.
You see bones? I see an army. And they are FREE from materialism.
They laugh at 9-5 little prisons.
They could eat caviar on Monday and crusts on Tuesday.
They wouldn't even notice.
They know the meaning of the Matrix, the way the west was won.
They are mobile like the wind, they belong to the nations.
They need no passport. People write their addresses in pencil
and wonder at their strange existence.
They are free yet they are slaves of the hurting and dirty and dying.
What is the vision ?
The vision is holiness that hurts the eyes. It makes children laugh and adults angry. It gave up the game of minimum integrity long ago to reach for the stars.
It scorns the good and strains for the best.
It is dangerously pure.
Light flickers from every secret motive, every private conversation.
It loves people away from their suicide leaps, their Satan games.
This is an army that will lay down its life for the cause.
A million times a day its soldiers
choose to loose
that they might one day win
the great "Well done" of faithful sons and daughters.
Such heroes are as radical on Monday morning as Sunday night.
They don't need fame from names.
Instead they grin quietly upwards and hear the crowds chanting again and again:
"COME ON!"
And this is the sound of the underground
The whisper of history in the making
Foundations shaking
Revolutionaries dreaming once again
Mystery is scheming in whispers
Conspiracy is breathing…
This is the sound of the underground
And the army is discipl(in)ed.
Young people who beat their bodies into submission.
Every soldier would take a bullet for his comrade at arms.
The tattoo on their back boasts "for me to live is Christ and to die is gain."
Sacrifice fuels the fire of victory in their upward eyes. Winners. Martyrs. Who can stop them ?
Can hormones hold them back?
Can failure succeed? Can fear scare them or death kill them ?
And the generation prays
like a dying man
with groans beyond talking,
with warrior cries, sulfuric tears and
with great barrow loads of laughter!
Waiting. Watching. 24 – 7 – 365.
Whatever it takes they will give. Breaking the rules. Shaking mediocrity from its cozy little hide. Laying down their rights and their precious little wrongs, laughing at labels, fasting essentials. The advertisers cannot mold them. Hollywood cannot hold them. Peer-pressure is powerless to shake their resolve at late night parties before the cockerel cries.
They are incredibly cool, dangerously attractive
inside.
On the outside? They hardly care.
They wear clothes like costumes to communicate and celebrate but never to hide.
Would they surrender their image or their popularity?
They would lay down their very lives - swap seats with the man on death row - guilty as hell. A throne for an electric chair.
With blood and sweat and many tears, with sleepless nights and fruitless days,
they pray as if it all depends on God and live as if it all depends on them.
Their DNA chooses JESUS. (He breathes out, they breathe in.)
Their subconscious sings. They had a blood transfusion with Jesus.
Their words make demons scream in shopping centers.
Don't you hear them coming?
Herald the weirdos! Summon the losers and the freaks. Here come the frightened and forgotten with fire in their eyes. They walk tall and trees applaud, skyscrapers bow, mountains are dwarfed by these children of another dimension. Their prayers summon the hounds of heaven and invoke the ancient dream of Eden.
And this vision will be. It will come to pass; it will come easily; it will come soon.
How do I know? Because this is the longing of creation itself, the groaning of the Spirit, the very dream of God. My tomorrow is His today. My distant hope is His 3D.
And my feeble, whispered, faithless prayer invokes a thunderous, resounding, bone-shaking great "Amen!" from countless angels, from heroes of the faith, from Christ himself.
And He is the original dreamer, the ultimate winner.
[Author unknown, although I think British]
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Long day
Today was perhaps the most perfect autumn day yet. The weather is really warm (unusually, maybe?) and the full explosion of color has reached the city streets of Asheville. Everywhere you look there are crimson, orange, and golden leaves twirling off tree branches and swirling on the pavement. I crunched through quite a few today. I was sitting with some friends on someone's back porch praying today, and I couldn't bear to close my eyes. I'm not really one to close my eyes while praying anyway, but today I couldn't tear my eyes away from the wind and sunlight moving through the trees in the woods behind the house. It was breathtaking. Literally. Made me want to shout praise to God.
It has been a very long day for me, and I don't even really know why. My emotions have been rather topsy turvy lately and I am attributing it to being a woman. But it makes my days feel long.
So, I will leave you with a meme:
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Living free.
2. What is your greatest fear?
Bugs.
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
I deplore my fleshly self... there's a lot of bad traits that go along with that.
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Indifference.
5. Which living person do you most admire?
I admire my brothers and sisters in Christ who are persecuted and killed for their faith and still stand firm through torture, pain, and death.
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
The occasional massage or pedicure (just got one, as you might have noticed from the picture above). Probably eating out would be a better answer though, because I love to go to restaurants and I do that far more often.
7. What is your current state of mind?
Tired physically and emotionally, but hopeful.
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
If political correctness is considered a virtue these days, I think that needs to be thrown out of the book.
9. On what occasion do you lie?
Usually when I'm embarrassed. But I get so incredibly convicted upon the spot that I have to confess right then. Which makes my embarrassing situation more embarrassing. So I avoid lying altogether.
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
My ridiculous complexion.
11. Which living person(s) do you most despise?
I don't. I dislike some. But I'm working on that.
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
Loyal love.
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Trustworthiness and stalwartness.
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"Yo" after I finish a sentence, and I'm annoying even myself.
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Jesus, and I actually mean that, although it sounds like a Sunday school answer. :)
16. When and where were you happiest?
I am very happy right now. For the past several years, I always had this nagging dissatisfaction that there was something more, that my life was meant to be something different. That feeling is gone now... replaced with excitement and hope.
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
I'd like to be able to play the dulcimer.
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd be more disciplined.
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I don't know what to answer for this one.
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
A cat. I'd like to lounge around on the deck all day stretching in the sun, then pretend I'm a lionness and stalk a squirrel. Then I'd like to come inside and allow people to pet me. :)
21. Where would you most like to live?
Here, Chicago...
22. What is your most treasured possession?
I think it might be some of my jewelry, or my journals, or my keyboard. I dunno.
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Shame and condemnation.
24. What is your favorite occupation?
The one I'm doing now!
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
Hmmm... I'll have to ask around. Maybe my pointy nose?
26. What do you most value in your friends?
Vulnerability and loyal love.
27. Who are your favorite writers?
I think my two favorite fiction writers would be Ted Dekker and Francine Rivers.
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
Haddassah from A Voice in the Wind.
29. What is your favorite movie quote right now?
"What's the matter with you? Your life's going down the toilet!" - Moonstruck
30. What is your favorite blog to read?
Aaron's usually makes me laugh. I also like to read Elyse Sewell's, who is a model who was on America's Next Top Model, Cycle One.
31. What are your favorite names?
I don't have a list... not that close to baby world yet.
32. What is it that you most dislike?
Injustice. Complacency. Nuts.
33. What is your favorite color?
Green.
34. What are you most looking forward to in life?
Transforming into the woman God created me to be, marriage, community, Jesus coming back.
35. What is your motto?
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Philippians 3:10-11
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Perfunctory post
A moment in history:
Today, November 5, 2008...
A gallon of gas is selling for $2.25.
Barack Obama is the President-Elect.
Palestine is firing missiles at Israel and Hamas is claiming the Gaza strip.
Josh is singing, "It's the end of the world as we know it..." and he's making me laugh.
Today, November 5, 2008...
A gallon of gas is selling for $2.25.
Barack Obama is the President-Elect.
Palestine is firing missiles at Israel and Hamas is claiming the Gaza strip.
Josh is singing, "It's the end of the world as we know it..." and he's making me laugh.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Election Day
Well, I haven't turned on the news tonight, so I have no idea who looks to be winning the election at this point. I have an inclination that it probably looks like Barack Obama.
But, tomorrow I will go to Google News and see who won. Or maybe I'll turn on the TV tonight if I just can't wait. But it might be kind of fun to let it be a surprise.
Which of you are glued to the TV tonight, and who is waiting for the morning? What's your election day style?
But, tomorrow I will go to Google News and see who won. Or maybe I'll turn on the TV tonight if I just can't wait. But it might be kind of fun to let it be a surprise.
Which of you are glued to the TV tonight, and who is waiting for the morning? What's your election day style?
Monday, November 3, 2008
Some honesty for all of us Christ-followers out there
You know, when I started this blog, I tried to be careful about what I wrote. I wanted to cater my posts to a wide variety of people, but lately that idea just isn't working for me. I once read that if you are going to have a successful blog, you need to write to an intended audience. There are so many good blogs out there related to health, nutrition, and all sorts of other fun things, but I'm just not the girl who is going to write about them. I don't know who reads my blog aside from the people who comment, and I think that most of those people profess to be Christians.
I've taken to calling myself a "Christ-follower" instead of a "Christian." Today, "Christian" seems to be synonymous with "American," "good person," or "someone who goes to church once in awhile and says they believe Jesus is the Son of God." Dude, even the demons believe that. It's about following Christ. It's about letting him rule you, be your master. I bet something inside you just rankled when you read that. My flesh still rears its ugly head at those words of Lordship.
I've been studying the book of Philippians with some friends and today I ran across this: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.
Paul of Tarsus wrote this letter, and in those sentences he was talking about Christians who lived lives of worldly indulgence. He said they were living as enemies of the cross of Christ. If you've ever had an encounter with Jesus of any magnitude, there has to be a part of you that at least cringes at the thought of living as an enemy to the One who let His skin be ripped off for you. Living like you hate Him, because that's how you feel about your enemy, right? Enemies are hated, considered with condescension and derision.
If I was the one reading this blog, I would be all huffy by now, especially by the line "lives of worldly indulgence." My huffiness would be caused by the fact that it bothers me when people try to squeeze all the joy out of life by considering some things indulgent that I consider fun, and also by the fact that something within me twinges at those Scriptures above. So first of all, let me say this: I am all about enjoying life. I love chocolate, movies, cute shoes, vacation, novels, restaurants, and international travel. Am I about to condemn the blessings God has given to us, especially as Americans? No. What I'm about to do is expand on the qualities of a Christian who is living as an enemy to the cross, so that we can all know what it might look like in our own lives.
They are destined for destruction. Well, that one seems self-explanatory.
Their god is their stomach. Or, in some translations-- their god is their appetite. What are your appetites? Money? Possessions? Self? The question that I read in a commentary really got me on this one... it was, "who do you serve first?" When I held myself up against that question, it is apparent that often I do seek to serve myself first before thinking about anyone else, or even Christ. I can so easily make self my god.
Their glory is in their shame. I really like the poetic sound of that. But boiled down it means, "they brag about shameful things." I started off by thinking "well, 'shameful things' is relative." But it's not. There's a standard. It's set in Christ, and there's no way around it. We may wheedle our way out of following it now, but there will be an account.
Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. You know, sometimes life is really stressful. Bad things happen, there are inconveniences, there is heartache and offense and hurt. Sometimes life is great! There are things to look forward to, trips to take, dreams to realize. But you know what is a reality check? The fact that we are eternal beings and every single person we encounter is an eternal being... that our lives here are a flickering shadow of what is to come... that there will be an account and a judgment before the Lord... that there is a spiritual battle going on all around us, and we are citizens of the Kingdom of God and we are a part of that battle whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.
If you are a Christian, Christ-follower, member of the Kingdom of God-- it's time to wake up. There is no more room for the apathy and complacency that has rooted itself so deeply within us. I say this all to myself, as well as to all of you.
The Holy Spirit has really been impressing upon me that we need to be prepared. We need to know the Word so that we might not be deceived. We need to pray. We need to intimately know Jesus, and learn to hear His voice.
Prepared for what? I don't know. He hasn't told me that part. Maybe within a few months of this post, it will be obvious. Maybe it will be years, or decades. It doesn't really matter. What matters is following Christ. To do that will cost everything. But it will be worth more than anything.
I've taken to calling myself a "Christ-follower" instead of a "Christian." Today, "Christian" seems to be synonymous with "American," "good person," or "someone who goes to church once in awhile and says they believe Jesus is the Son of God." Dude, even the demons believe that. It's about following Christ. It's about letting him rule you, be your master. I bet something inside you just rankled when you read that. My flesh still rears its ugly head at those words of Lordship.
I've been studying the book of Philippians with some friends and today I ran across this: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven.
Paul of Tarsus wrote this letter, and in those sentences he was talking about Christians who lived lives of worldly indulgence. He said they were living as enemies of the cross of Christ. If you've ever had an encounter with Jesus of any magnitude, there has to be a part of you that at least cringes at the thought of living as an enemy to the One who let His skin be ripped off for you. Living like you hate Him, because that's how you feel about your enemy, right? Enemies are hated, considered with condescension and derision.
If I was the one reading this blog, I would be all huffy by now, especially by the line "lives of worldly indulgence." My huffiness would be caused by the fact that it bothers me when people try to squeeze all the joy out of life by considering some things indulgent that I consider fun, and also by the fact that something within me twinges at those Scriptures above. So first of all, let me say this: I am all about enjoying life. I love chocolate, movies, cute shoes, vacation, novels, restaurants, and international travel. Am I about to condemn the blessings God has given to us, especially as Americans? No. What I'm about to do is expand on the qualities of a Christian who is living as an enemy to the cross, so that we can all know what it might look like in our own lives.
They are destined for destruction. Well, that one seems self-explanatory.
Their god is their stomach. Or, in some translations-- their god is their appetite. What are your appetites? Money? Possessions? Self? The question that I read in a commentary really got me on this one... it was, "who do you serve first?" When I held myself up against that question, it is apparent that often I do seek to serve myself first before thinking about anyone else, or even Christ. I can so easily make self my god.
Their glory is in their shame. I really like the poetic sound of that. But boiled down it means, "they brag about shameful things." I started off by thinking "well, 'shameful things' is relative." But it's not. There's a standard. It's set in Christ, and there's no way around it. We may wheedle our way out of following it now, but there will be an account.
Their mind is on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. You know, sometimes life is really stressful. Bad things happen, there are inconveniences, there is heartache and offense and hurt. Sometimes life is great! There are things to look forward to, trips to take, dreams to realize. But you know what is a reality check? The fact that we are eternal beings and every single person we encounter is an eternal being... that our lives here are a flickering shadow of what is to come... that there will be an account and a judgment before the Lord... that there is a spiritual battle going on all around us, and we are citizens of the Kingdom of God and we are a part of that battle whether we choose to acknowledge it or not.
If you are a Christian, Christ-follower, member of the Kingdom of God-- it's time to wake up. There is no more room for the apathy and complacency that has rooted itself so deeply within us. I say this all to myself, as well as to all of you.
The Holy Spirit has really been impressing upon me that we need to be prepared. We need to know the Word so that we might not be deceived. We need to pray. We need to intimately know Jesus, and learn to hear His voice.
Prepared for what? I don't know. He hasn't told me that part. Maybe within a few months of this post, it will be obvious. Maybe it will be years, or decades. It doesn't really matter. What matters is following Christ. To do that will cost everything. But it will be worth more than anything.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Thank God for Billy
I'm not sure if I have mentioned my thankfulness for Billy yet in the history of this blog. I think I might not have made it through college without Billy. I certainly would have failed my core requirements for math and science without his assistance. And he's still correcting me. :P
Daylight Saving Time. And supposedly it was created because of energy, not farmers. Fine.
I hate it when I'm wrong. It's just because I always think I'm right. It's part of my personality. If you don't believe me, you can consult my Meyers-Briggs personality description, which states it plain and simple. Of course, it adds that I usually am right, and I know it. Cheeky grin.
This weekend was my first Halloween in Asheville. I was actually downtown for awhile, which I will admit made me nervous on my way there. I hate it that I'm a fear-based person, but it's true. Generally, you are either a fear-based person or an anger-based person.* Both are debilitating if you let them rule. I'm learning to beat those fearful thoughts into submission. But Halloween was an incredible juxtaposition of my new nature in Christ and my flesh, duking it out within.
On Friday night I went downtown with some friends to spend two hours at the Prayer Gallery. There were a dozen of us or so and we worshiped, prayed for our city and for the lost, and declared the glory of Jesus-- that the enemy has been defeated, and that Christ made a public spectacle of him through His work on the cross (Colossians 2:15). The Holy Spirit was seriously revving within me as I prayed those Scriptures aloud, in the midst of a city glorifying darkness and a host of pagans celebrating evil in the woods around Asheville. It felt so good to declare God's victory! I left the Gallery feeling triumphant in Christ and unafraid.
Daylight Saving Time. And supposedly it was created because of energy, not farmers. Fine.
I hate it when I'm wrong. It's just because I always think I'm right. It's part of my personality. If you don't believe me, you can consult my Meyers-Briggs personality description, which states it plain and simple. Of course, it adds that I usually am right, and I know it. Cheeky grin.
This weekend was my first Halloween in Asheville. I was actually downtown for awhile, which I will admit made me nervous on my way there. I hate it that I'm a fear-based person, but it's true. Generally, you are either a fear-based person or an anger-based person.* Both are debilitating if you let them rule. I'm learning to beat those fearful thoughts into submission. But Halloween was an incredible juxtaposition of my new nature in Christ and my flesh, duking it out within.
On Friday night I went downtown with some friends to spend two hours at the Prayer Gallery. There were a dozen of us or so and we worshiped, prayed for our city and for the lost, and declared the glory of Jesus-- that the enemy has been defeated, and that Christ made a public spectacle of him through His work on the cross (Colossians 2:15). The Holy Spirit was seriously revving within me as I prayed those Scriptures aloud, in the midst of a city glorifying darkness and a host of pagans celebrating evil in the woods around Asheville. It felt so good to declare God's victory! I left the Gallery feeling triumphant in Christ and unafraid.
Then I got home and realized I would be home by myself, and became a sissy and made Joshua stay with me until they returned.
Christ versus flesh. I haven't received a spirit of fear, but a spirit of adoption that makes God Almighty my Daddy. Somehow I thought Josh could protect me and the God that created the earth couldn't? Silly girl.
Oh, to grow in Him.
* this fact brought to you a la Mary, the therapist
Christ versus flesh. I haven't received a spirit of fear, but a spirit of adoption that makes God Almighty my Daddy. Somehow I thought Josh could protect me and the God that created the earth couldn't? Silly girl.
Oh, to grow in Him.
* this fact brought to you a la Mary, the therapist
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Thank God for Daylight Savings Time
The reason that Daylight Savings Time exists is not that interesting to me-- so uninteresting, in fact, that the Queen of Trivia cannot remember it, aside from the fact that it has something to do with farming. However, this does not stop me from being inordinately grateful that it does exist and that every autumn there is one glorious night when I can catch an extra hour of sleep (or if I'm feeling daring, do something nonsensical with that hour because it's a freebie).
I have a lot of thoughts ruminating in my head that I'd like to blog about... but last night it was nausea and tonight it's just plain exhaustion that are keeping my mind from getting them out onto the page. Perhaps tomorrow I will try to blog earlier in the day when I'm on top of my game.
Tonight we had Skyline chili night at the Worthy household and most of the Highland staff came over to partake in this beloved tradition. It was my first time trying the infamous Skyline chili, which includes interesting ingredients like cinnamon, cumin, and bitter chocolate. 'Twas good, though altogether different from the Texas chili I'm used to. This chili had no beans, was served over spaghetti and is only complete with a liberal helping of cheese on top, plus oyster crackers.
Tomorrow is Sunday. I still have work to do before then. Better go. I promise future blog posts with some actual substance soon.
I have a lot of thoughts ruminating in my head that I'd like to blog about... but last night it was nausea and tonight it's just plain exhaustion that are keeping my mind from getting them out onto the page. Perhaps tomorrow I will try to blog earlier in the day when I'm on top of my game.
Tonight we had Skyline chili night at the Worthy household and most of the Highland staff came over to partake in this beloved tradition. It was my first time trying the infamous Skyline chili, which includes interesting ingredients like cinnamon, cumin, and bitter chocolate. 'Twas good, though altogether different from the Texas chili I'm used to. This chili had no beans, was served over spaghetti and is only complete with a liberal helping of cheese on top, plus oyster crackers.
Tomorrow is Sunday. I still have work to do before then. Better go. I promise future blog posts with some actual substance soon.
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