Sunday, August 31, 2008
(A Few of) My Favorite Things
So in no particular order:
1. Rain on a tin roof...oh how I miss my little cabin in the woods some days
2. "Homemade" peanut butter from Whole Foods Market
3. Cold sheets at night...the thought of them each night is all the motivation I need to make my bed each morning
4. Ice cream...particularly Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
5. My puppy's ears
6. The Office...as in the one starring Steve Carell; not the one I go to 5 days a week
7. Music
8. The Summer Olympics...2012 is so far away
9. Good conversation
10. Naps...I'm a better person because I take them
11. Chocolate milk
12. Shoes
13. Grace...should probably be at the top of my list, but since there's no particular order here, it's ok that it's not
14. Good books
15. Laughing
Thursday, August 28, 2008
My Fellow Americans
I'm Sorry. I Can't Hear You.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Return to Oz
It's kind of hard to get the full effect given the terrible glare in the picture that resulted from the sun but nonetheless my mind immediately went back to Dorothy and the hallway of heads. So now I really need therapy and I'm sharing it with you all so we can be in the same group!
Monday, August 25, 2008
Heart
Heart. It is essential to life. And I'm not simply referring to the organ that beats as it pumps blood throughout the rest of the body. I'm also talking about determination and drive as well as experiencing emotion...heart. It's really quite a powerful thing if you think about it. Or maybe I'm the only one who thinks about these kinds of things. Maybe I'm just weird. Maybe I'll wonder about that another day and get back to my point...
I'm going to address the whole experiencing emotion component of heart because well I'm a girl and that's what we gals love to do, right? ...Sit around and talk about our feelings. Or I just like to think of it as sharing my heart. How is it that a heart filled with love and happiness and hope can also be broken with pain and hurt and despair? Sometimes simultaneously. What's a person to do when the storm clouds roll in and our parade is not just rained on, it's rained out? I've actually tried two different tactics.
During the first storm (involving a boy of all things) I completely ceased communication with God. What was the point of maintaining this relationship with Him, if I had prayed about something so fervently and remained in His will only to have that door slammed shut when things were rolling along great? As a result of allowing dust to collect on the cover of my Bible and gaining an extra couple hours of sleep on Sunday mornings, this little heart of mine began to harden and shrivel up like a raisin. And raisins are only cool if they are California Raisins. In the grand scheme of things it didn't take me very long to realize what was happening. Well, really when I was able to watch The Notebook without shedding a tear, I knew that something had to give. I wanted to experience emotion again in its rawest form not just for myself but for others as well. I believe that's what we are supposed to do: celebrate with the happy and mourn with the weary. So the prodigal daughter returned to her Father who just wrapped me up in love. Talk about filling the heart with emotion. Whew.
When the second storm came (almost losing my dad), I tried a different tactic. I clung to God and His promises. DISCLAIMER: I'm not sharing this to make me sound like I'm some great Christian who learned from her mistake the first time and was all prepared the next time. Not at all. There were days when dad was sick that I didn't have the energy to pray or even know what to pray, but during those first moments when I was all alone by myself in my apartment on a rainy Sunday night without the composure to drive safely, I had no choice but to cling to Him. Mom, my usual source of comfort, was performing CPR so needless to say she was a little tied up. When I finally stopped turning in circles in the middle of my floor, I knew I was going to be fine. I had no idea if my daddy was going to live and I had never in my life experienced such a scary uncertainty, but I was certain that God was with me and had no plans of leaving. And that simple fact alone is what got me through those next 5 weeks. That time my heart almost exploded with emotion.
Storms are inevitable. Jesus tells us that in John 16:33 when He said "...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Heart...quite powerful indeed. And the healthier the heart (physically, spiritually, and emotionally), the healthier the body and more importantly...the soul.
Friday, August 22, 2008
School Daze
Why am I even in school, you wonder? I ask myself this question at least once a week. But then I remember the answer: Because my mama told me to. What???? I know, I know. The mother who raised me to think for myself and be independent and all of that jazz. Suddenly my non-meddling mother was all in my business by telling me to go back to school. I was appalled. What nerve. It was almost 2 years ago when she took the liberty of telling me what to do with my life and it was not like I said "ok!" immediately and started studying for the GRE that day. However my mother in all of her wisdom could see what I could not (or would not) see for myself at that time in my life. I needed a change. I needed to stop living my life based around an idea of what I hoped/thought/prayed was going to happen and start living my life in a more productive manner. (Do they inject mothers with wisdom when they go into the hospital to deliver their babies or what? I pray for a double dose if that's the case. I'll need it.) So here I am beginning my second year of grad school. I really do enjoy it. The truth is, I would be a moron for not taking advantage of this opportunity considering I pay for nothing but my books. (We'll ignore the fact that my cost of living nearly doubled when I moved from Dahlonega to Athens.) And let's be honest, having an advanced degree can't hurt in the event that I don't land that spot on SNL as the Weekend Update anchor gal. So until Lorne calls or an even better offer comes along, you can find me in Athens. That is, if you can find Athens, the most out-of-the-way town in Georgia. I'll be the one wrestling my book away from my dog (yes, that just happened...the cover has the teeth marks to prove it). Off to read...
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Circle. Circle. Dot. Dot. I really need a cootie shot.
My Coke Zero and another Coke Zero. Houston, we have a problem. Here is my first question: Why in the world did some college student allow me to pick up his or her drink while he or she had obviously just sat it down on the counter to sign for a check and watch me take a swig like I had just run for the Gold in women's 100 meter final over in Beijing?
Next question: What in heaven's name have I possibly contracted??? College students are... germy. I don't drink after anyone. Ever. And who all has that person drank after??? Dear Gussie - suddenly my mouth had become a science experiment.
Of course upon this discovery of the mystery drink my throat immediately started burning and I self-diagnosed myself with SARS just because that was the first highly communicable disease that came to mind. I'm sure that person whose drink I yanked was registering their car, the Delorian, and had just returned from China in the year 2003. Whatever. Psychosomatic symptoms at their best here ladies and gentlemen.
But like most things in life, there is a lesson to be learned from this experience: Don't drink while on the job.
Home Friends
Friday, August 15, 2008
Dog Tired
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Things That Make You Go Hmm...Part Deux
It's like Pretty Woman meets Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. The Lady Chablis would be so very proud. Hmm.
Monday, August 11, 2008
Out of Body Experience
Now I've always known that Greek Life at North Georgia is a very different world than what it is at major colleges and universities. But this afternoon when I walked into that house, I seriously felt like I was in an episode of Beverly Hills 90210 (come on...admit it, you know which one I'm talking about) and I was Andrea Zuckerman wearing the Star of David necklace around my neck. Rush (er...Recruitment) begins on Wednesday so all the girls were there and there were signs with pictures of Rushees (er...Potential New Members) plastered all over the walls. As I was meeting some of the girls, I remembered the pimple on my chin and regretted not powdering my nose and applying a fresh coat of lipstick. Suddenly I was conscious of my pasty white (aka, skin-cancer free) legs and wished that I had worn pants instead of a skirt. As I scanned the parking lot I thought about how most of these nice young ladies had cars much nicer than one I will probably ever drive (unless that whole red Volvo SUV thing works out). What was my problem? For the love of all things shallow and materialistic...I'm 10 years older than these girls!!! I'm at a completely different stage in life. I should be past all that comparison nonsense, shouldn't I? I wonder if women ever completely outgrow it though. Unfortunately I don't think we do. The comparisons just transition as we transition into different stages in our lives, or the things that we are comparing are dependent upon the situation. We are all still silly, silly girls at the end of the day. Each of us have something that others envy, yet it's really easy to forget about our greatness when we're too busy focusing on what "she has that I don't have". But things could be worse...we could burp and scratch and smack each other on the backsides.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Grow Old Gracefully? I Think Not!
- Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings of this week I was greeted by a lone silver-gray (not auburn-red-brown) strand of hair in the top of my head when I looked into the mirror. Do they seriously turn gray overnight? And will this ever start happening to multiple strands of hair at the same time? I need to have Miss Clairol #523 on hand in the event that I wake up one day and I'm completely gray. Although I swore I would never under any circumstance color my hair, I'm pretty sure that as a female it's my prerogative to change my mind on that matter. Those never say never statements are getting me in trouble yet again.
- I started taking a Glucosamine-Chondroitin dietary supplement each evening. I'm probably in the best shape right now than I've been in since high school when playing sports was a priority in my life. Evidently all that walking back and forth to the Chow Hall in college sure did a number on my joints though because they ache after each and every workout. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that my joints are 11 years older than they were when I graduated from high school.
- In a conversation with my friend, Allison, I made a reference to the fashion choices of high school girls, particularly shorts. However my statement came out exactly like this: "Well, you know how the young girls today are wearing them - so short that their panties are hanging out." OMG...in one single solitary statement I became my grandmother. Not my mom. Nope, I completely skipped that whole turning into my mother stage. I transformed myself into a granny in a matter of seconds. Don't get my wrong, I love my MuMu (yes, we call her MuMu) and she's sassy and cool for a grandmother. In a bake-a-casserole-and-take-it-to-the-funeral-home-when-someone-in-the-church-passes-away sort of way that I'm not quite ready for yet.
- I have vacuumed twice in less than a week because my vacuum is new, and I'm really excited about having a new vacuum. What???
Hmm...since the Fountain of Youth is not easily accessible maybe I'll go buy a new graphic tee and download a Miley Cyrus song to counteract the aging that is happening.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
World Wide Web = Time Waster
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Consistently Inconsistent
Naturally it's the big things in which I am most inconsistent. Well, not even things...more like one thing. Probably the biggest of all things: My relationship with God. Seriously, it really shouldn't be that hard, and of course I'm the one responsible for making it seem that way. It's not like this is some new revelation in my life either. I've known it for longer than I am comfortable confessing. I can say that regardless of the circumstances in my life, God has always been faithful to me. Even during the times when I couldn't for the life of me see how He was working, sure enough He was. Unfortunately I cannot say that I have always been faithful to Him in return. I'm great at asking for things...terrible at giving thanks for those things once they are given. Hence the inconsistency. The other night as I was getting ready for bed I looked over at my nightstand and saw my Bible and thought "I'm so tired right now that it really wouldn't do me any good to read anything tonight." And then I had the most interesting thought: How in the world would I react if that's how God responded to me some days? He's a heckuva lot busier than I am. Time for me to check myself before I wreck myself.
So on Sunday at church this little lesson I'm learning went a bit deeper. Once again, the church bulletin should have had written "this one's for you, Heather" across the top. The passage of scripture that the whole message was based around is Jeremiah 29:11-14. Now anyone who grew up in church or drove past a church with one of those old school signs on a regular basis can probably quote Jeremiah 29:11. It's a pretty warm-fuzzy verse, but then when you really start to think about it and read the verses that follow, it is obviously not a one-way street where God is just going to set all of these plans that He has for us into motion while we just sit around like knots on a log. I especially like verse 13: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." All of my heart? Yep. The whole thing. To me that means not waiting until I'm about to fall asleep standing up to have my quiet time (which fortunately has gotten a bit better now that I'm an early riser, but it's still a work in progress). It also means not getting distracted or discouraged. It's easy to seek Him with all of my heart for a couple of days. But then if I don't start seeing some progress, some of that fervor dissipates. (wow...2 big words back to back...I wonder if I used them correctly) Hence the inconsistency. Rome wasn't built in a day, Heather.
I know that God has plans for me. I love that He does even if it scares the wits out of me to know that His plans may not align with mine. It is my choice that God's will is done in my life so these plans can unfold. Yet, sometimes it's the very choices that I make on a daily basis that causes a disruption in the plans being carried out. Hence the inconsistency.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Caroline's Dedication
Sunday, August 3, 2008
SPAM...not the kind you find in your inbox
Ewwww....SPAM? Being sold in single serve packets?? Ok, don't get me wrong, I did experience fried SPAM as a child. However I gave it up for good around the same time I eliminated bologna, hot dogs and Steakumms from my diet. I was 5. Now it might not be so shocking to see single servings of SPAM in a gas station in oh... Hawaii (where one can get SPAM at McDonald's) or Ludowici, GA (no offense to the great citizens of Ludowici) where I'm sure you can also get pickled pigs feet and pickled eggs out of those big glass jars, but I was in Dunwoody right across from Perimeter Mall. Who in Dunwoody eats SPAM? Seriously. Naturally my curiosity was peaked so I came home to do some internet research in order to find an image of today's topic for the blog post. But I never anticipated that I would also find this: A website devoted to SPAM Singles. What will they think of next?