Day 25 of 25!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Day 24 of 25

Day 23 of 25: It was not a starry night...

 

Day 22 of 25: Heading Home...

Day 21 of 25

I'm hoping to be around snow while I'm up north for Christmas... in honor of that, Snow from White Christmas!

Day 20 of 25

There's something about Nat king Cole singing this that makes me wish for a cozy home with a warm fireplace, drinking a cup of tea or cocoa and watching snow gently falling to the ground...

Day 19 of 25: For Me

Over the last few years, this has become my favorite Christmas carol...

Day 18 of 25: For My Dad

Day 17 of 25: For My Mom

Today on this rainy day…

-I wish for my comfy bed, for my copy of A Christmas Carol.
-After I finish reading it, I wish I could watch the George C Scott version.
-I wish for my new crafting things to be here today instead of tomorrow so I could play at home with them.
-I wish for my biggest mug filled with my favorite tea and just the right amount of honey.
-I wish for one of those days we used to have when my former roommates and I lived together and we got to be bums and sit around in pj’s and watch dumb movies.

It sounds dreamy right now…..

Day 16 of 25: James

Have you ever listened to James Taylor croon out Christmas songs? It's an expierience...

Day 15 of 25!

I love Meet Me in St. Louis. A lot. I watched every Christmas for years with my mom and then for a while my best friend lived in St Louis so we jokingly made referrences to the movie... It's something I enjoy and in my mind, no one can sing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas quite like Judy Garland. But I wanted to share this clip with with you even though it's a bit longer because I crack up at the scene after Judy sings when her little sister runs downstairs and outside to kill the 'snowpeople' they made that day. It's really a kind of touching moment, but still it makes me chuckle... =o)

Day 14 of 25: The Chipmunks!!

Day 13 of 25: Christmas Carol Part VI

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this ending to Scrooge. A musical version of A Christmas Carol. ENJOY!!!

Day 12 of 25: Christmas Carol Part V

There were not a lot of options on youtube for The Ghost of Christmas Future, this has to be THE FUNNIEST!!! My friend R and I were laughing our way through it... I'm sure when my aunt acted in a play in high school as the Ghost of Christmas Future, she did a much better job. haha =o)

Day 11 of 25: Christmas Carol Part IV

Now, this is my favorite version of A Christmas Carol, and I suppose that makes me biased... but this is definitely my favorite Ghost of Christmas Present:

Day 10 of 25: Christmas Carol Part III

The Ghost of Christmas Past...

Wordless Wednesday

Day 9 of 10: Christmas Carol Part II

I'm having my second Christmas celebration this weekend and we're going to watch multiple versions of A Christmas Carol. In getting ready for that, I'm going to share with you all the story of Dickens great novel in several short clips. Yesterday you got to see how greedy Scrooge was, today how Scrooge was visited by the ghost of Jacob (and Bob!) Marley!! Here they are from The Muppet Christmas Carol!

Day 8 of 25: Mr. Magoo

I've always enjoyed Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol! It's such a fun cartoon =o) Here's a scene towards the beginning of the movie... maybe with all of the different Christmas Carol's out there, we'll watch most of the 'main' scenes in the next 17 days ;o)

Day 7 of 25: Better Late Than Never

There is a Christmas movie called This Christmas. It came out a couple of years ago, and I really like it!! Here's a clip from the movie... Chris Brown singing the title song...

Day 6 of 25: I Have No Words.

Day 5 of 25: We Elfed Ourselves

Day 4 of 25: The Town Where I Live

In honor of 'roommate' Christmas tonight (in which all four of us celebrate together) I'm posting a video of a house in the town where I live. This house is pretty close to mine and it will most likely be the first stop when we go out to look at Christmas lights tonight. I love the house on Hamilton and I was hoping that it would be going on Thanksgiving night so I could show my parents in person when they were here for Thanksgiving, but instead, Dad and Mom, here's what it looks like =o) Maybe I'll try to take my own video tonight so you all can see a different song this week =o)

Day 3 of 25: Handel's Messiah

George Frideric Handel, they say, wrote the Messiah in 24 days! Pretty intense considering the effort it must have taken. It is based on the Bible from the prophecy of Christ through His birth and future Glorification! I used to go with my parents every year to watch it performed at a church in the Chicagoland area and one year I watched my best friend perfom as a soloist in it at Moody Church in Chicago!

The story goes that when King George II saw the Hallelujah Chorus performed he was moved so much that he stood up for the entirety of it and when he stood, all that were there stood with him. So it's now a multi-century old tradition to stand when you hear... This video of the Hallelujah Chorus has gone completely viral and I know millions have seen it, but I think its worth watching again and hearing about Jesus. My King of Kings and Lord of Lords. HALLELUJAH indeed!!

Day 2 of 25: Happy Hanukkah!

I know, I know... this is supposed to be a blog of Christmas and all that that entails, but I couldn't let this golden opportunity pass me by. This song can get stuck in my head for days at a time, but I still love it!

Day 1 of 25!

Well, here it is! 25 days of Christmas videos!!! Are you excited? Well, I am. I do enjoy Christmas music and movies... especially some of the older movies. Like Christmas in Connecticut. Have you seen it? It's one of my personal favorites! It's about a sailor and a writer and a crazy chef and then there's the determined boss and the annoying architect. Let me explain... no... there is too much... (you'd get that if you'd seen the movie) So go see it already! Here's a snippet to warm up to...

Wordless Wednesday

Prepping

I know... I haven't really blogged more than a song since Thanksgiving day!* But here's the thing, blog friends, I'm getting ready. And this year is taking some preparation.

*how was your Thanksgiving, blog friends? I really want to know, really!

Ready for what you ask? Well, if you've been following my blog for the last couple of years, you may remember what's coming up. Yep! My annual Christmas video blogging! An this year? This year it's going to be the 25 days of Christmas! 25 VIDEOS!!

I have no idea how I'm going to come up with 25, and I'm promising there will be some duplicates, but I'm looking forward to posting away and keeping up with a master list for all to see!

What's your favorite Christmas song/movie/video?

I'm Not Starting Yet

My multiple days of christmas videos, that is... but I heard this today and it prompted me to want to watch Holiday Inn and White Christmas both tonight! So take a listen and enjoy Bing...

Thankful Thankful Thankful!

I started this blog in 2007 (hard for me to believe its been that long!) and every year I do a Thanksgiving post.

See... 2007, 2008, & 2009.

Well, blogging friends, this year is no exception to that truth and here I go again!

Things I'm Thankful For:

1.God. I'm thankful that He saved me, and I'm thankful that He hasn't given up on me. I'm even thankful for the growing pains I seem to be feeling lately ;o)
2. My parents! They're here visiting me this year for Thanksgiving and while I'm so thankful for Godly parents, I'm also thankful that they're being my guests for Thanksgiving. There is nothing that comes close to holidays with family!
3. My brothers and sisters-in-law... I really love them so much!
4. The kiddos! CG, DC, CJ, & EB... I'm so thankful for happy and healthy niece and nephews. And I"m thankful that I'll get to see them in less than a month!! =oD
5. The smell of pumpkin pie baking in my oven while I type this out. Yum!
6. Work. Not only for having a job considering so many people don't, but for a job I like working for truly the best boss I've ever had.
7. Freedom of religion. What a good reason to come to America, pilgrims! I'm grateful that they risked their lives to come to a strange place and that I'm able to celebrate Thanksgiving and pray for a meal and worship God with others because of their tenacity.
8. America's Armed Forces. Thank you for missing Thanksgiving with your own families so that I can sit with mine and pray over a meal together. You're keeping our freedom secure and risking your lives for it. Thank You.
9. Not working retail on black Friday. If you've read the other lists, you should know by now that this shows up on them all.Ha. This will be my 4th black Friday since I worked my short stint in the retail industry, but I'm still so thankful to be out of it!
10. Sisters ;o)
11. Friends who are my family.
12. My church home. It really is a home and a place I like to go. I love serving there alongside so many and it's truly an honor to spend so much time teaching and playing with "your" kids. They are wonderful and I love that I get to make that a part of my Sunday as well. 
13. Books that kick my but into gear and make me want to be more for Christ.
14. This renewed desire to read my Bible...
15. Being halfway done with Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving. It goes against my strong like of Thanksgiving, but I love that I'll be able to relax a bit more over the next few weeks because of it!
16. Thanksgiving day leftovers. I know that it will all taste better on Friday. ha
17. Perhaps last on the list, but not least my any means. I'm thankful for you, blog readers. You keep me writing ;o)

I hope you enjoy these lists as much as I do. And I hope even more that you're at least mentally making a list of your own! Happy Thanksgiving, blog friends! I hope you're enjoying a very wonderful holiday!!  =o)

Wordless Wednesday: Thankful

Thankful for a New Perspective

So yesterday I tweeted. I said, "I need to stop being surprised when God answers prayer..."

It was, in the grand scheme of things, something trivial that I was so thankful for. My laptop was acting up and I needed to get photos to people I did a couple of shoots for. I couldn't copy the photos. Both the family and the couple were friends of mine and they would have understood. But there I sat in my chair staring at my laptop and praying. I restarted my computer. Everything worked.

 I praised God, there was some happy dancing while I was getting ready for church, and I tweeted. "I need to stop being surprised when God answers prayer..."

A short while later, I got this tweet back from my friend Riley, "@JoyMelinda haha I feel ya! But I sometimes feel that if I lose the surprise factor, I'll lose excitement. And that I never wanna lose!"

It really got me thinking (and can I say how much I love it when twitter gets me thinking? 140 characters or less...). We always say God answers prayers. It's a yes or a no, sometimes its (my least favorite) a wait. And then we hear things about how we should always realize that He will answer and why are we so surprised when He does?

Would we lose excitement? Would we lose some of the extra joy we feel when He does answer?

And then I started wondering if I really feel that kind of joy even when God tells me no. Joy in the difficult times...

I don't have any answers... I haven't gotten any farther than this.

But it's Thanksgiving week.

And today?

Today I'm thankful for a new perspective.

Wordy After a Wordless

I know. I already posted my wordless Wednesday. But here I go, typing out words and posting them up for the world … who am I kidding… for you guys to see.

I just feel the need to write today, blogging friends. It could be the holidays being right among us, or the sleepiness I’m experiencing from a lack of sleep followed by a long drive… whatever the reason, blog friends, bear with me because I just don’t know what will come out of my brain today.

I miss my family. I do. I miss ‘home’. My youngest nephew E started walking more than a couple of steps this week and I think based on photos, that my niece C grew a foot since her birthday party (when I last saw her). I miss playing the occasional game of pool with my dad and watching movies with my parents; and don’t get me started on all the hugs I’m missing.

And I know, blog friends, that my parents are coming next week. That we’ll spend all kinds of time together while they visit for Thanksgiving going to some historical sites and playing cards. We’ll have conversation and hang out for a couple of days and I’ll get to cook my second ever Thanksgiving dinner for them. And I’m looking forward to it. I really am.

But right now I just miss ‘home’.

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. For as long as I can recall, I enjoyed that it was still a big holiday and my family would all be there and it was literally centered around spending time with family. Not presents. But if I was to be truly honest with myself this year, I think this is the first time ever in my life that it’s not yet Thanksgiving and I’m looking forward to Christmas. Not for presents, because frankly I’d be ok without them (God gives me all I need – Psalm 23:1); but because as time marches on and as I become more and more at home in Tennessee, I find myself realizing that Christmas means spending time with family more than Thanksgiving does.

Christmas means going to IL for a week or so. It means spending a lot of time with my parents and siblings and the kids. It means seeing extended family that I only end up seeing once a year. It hopefully means some snow. It means time spent with friends who’ve known me for over a decade and people I’ve known for over a decade that I’m calling friend again…

I still love Thanksgiving. And I love that I’m going to get about 2 ½ days of time with my parents. And I love cooking a Thanksgiving meal. And I love remembering the spirit of thankfulness that God gives us and we don’t show often enough (at least I don’t).

But I think I’m ready for Christmas………………………

Wordless Wednesday

Speaking of Wanting to Get Married Someday...

I like the band Train a lot. I know they're kind of poppy and that's not a norm for me, but ever since high school I have really dug their music. I admit to not being thrilled with their new album at first, but it has completely grown on me & this could be one of the most beautiful songs they've ever had. So guys out there, play this for your wife or for your future wife. And to the guy that I will marry someday, whoever you might be and wherever you are right now? Someday you should play this for me, too...

Reading Blogs

It’s no secret, blog friends, that I not only blog, but I also read and follow several blogs. A lot of them are blogs written by friends of mine. And the one I’m about to mention is one of those. My friend G (we all know I like using initials) blogs; and while we like to tease him that its pretentious to only blog in Europe, about a year ago he started a non-Europe blog.

He’s only written a dozen or so blogs since then, but he’s trying =o)

One of the blogs he posted Tuesday this week included song lyrics, and we all know I love good song lyrics. These aren't the lyrics he blogged about but here they are:


And lackluster in dust we lay
Around old magazines.
Fluorescent lighting sets the scene
for all we could and should be being
in the one life that we’ve got.
                    (Wait It Out – Imogen Heap)


I feel like it describes my life. Maybe not lately, but for years. Decades. Of course it describes it in a lovely lyrical way, but it does, nonetheless.

I feel like for years I waited around while life passed me by.

I waited for things to happen to me. For me. I want so much for my life. I want to honor God in it, but for so long it would happen someday when I got married.

Well, blog friends. I’m 30. And while I still do think it is in my future that I will get to be a wife and sometime after that a mother, I realized (not recently) I can’t just sit around and wait for life to come my way and then watch it pass me by.

It’s one of the reasons for the 101 in 1001 list.

I’m just sad it took me so long to realize it. I wish it had happened at 25 or maybe younger.

But oh well! It’s time now and I’m so grateful that God finally knocked some sense into me and that I’m getting to do things that I always wanted to do ‘someday’.

I’m hoping that “Fluorescent lighting sets the scene/for all we could and should be being/in the one life that we’ve got.” Doesn’t stay the truth for my life.

I hope that someday this life leads me to outdoor worlds of sunlight and rain and that I stop hoping for what could be and start being who I should be being…

Thanksgiving Songs

I have some coworkers who are starting to gear up for Christmas, including Christmas songs for ringtones on their phones. It's fun teasing each other (I often tell them Happy Thanksgiving) about the holiday's, but one of them asked me the other day if there were any Thanksgiving Carols. So, to Beth and Lauren, The Thanksgiving Song...

Wordless Wednesday Part II

Wordless Wednesday

Still Reeling From the Weekend

But amused at Jason's Deli. I ordered this at lunch today:

Yummy French Onion Soup! And in the bag with it?

4 MINTS!! I guess they thought I'd need 'em... =o)

I Can't Watch This Without Tears

Can you?

Why Love Orphans? from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Yesterday was Orphan Sunday for a lot of churches around the globe and my church was one of them.

God has given me a heart for orphans and adoption, so expect me to show you things like this, blogging friends. And pray for all of these children and those that work with them, And pray for me as I seek God's direction...

Please.

10-7

Those are my hours for work this week and I LOVE THEM!

I may be one of the only people who think so, but I think these are the very best hours to work. At least for a single girl with no family to go home to ;o)

Here’s the thing. 7 is early enough to go out with friends after work or work out. It’s early enough to relax and chill out at home and get laundry done (on laundry night). It’s still enough time to feel like I have time to do something or nothing after work.

And starting at 10? Well now, that’s just legit! I still tend to get up around 7:30 (except for this morning, ha!) spend time reading my Bible, shower, get ready for work and tidy up my house. It’s great and it’s leisurely and I just love the calm of my morning. AND did you know that when you start at 10, 2:30 in the afternoon appears before you know it? It’s like my day is flying by!

And I won’t leave out that I’m working with yet another awesome team at the financial institution I work for =o)

*sigh*

I get to work here next week too…

*dreamy*

Wordless Wednesday

Before I start writing….

#66 on my list is to participate in NaNoWriMo. November is National Novel Writers Month! Which means I’ve just signed up with the organization to try my best to write 50,000 words by midnight of November 30^th! I’m glad I didn’t say I’d complete NaNoWriMo, just try it unlike my former roommate A! So, I thought before I started trying to write a bunch of words in a frenzy, I’d let you all know that I’m starting! Maybe my constant trying to write there will keep me going here =o)

Also, I just this weekend filled out an application to be a volunteer at Heaven Sent Children. It’s a non-profit adoption agency here in the town where I live. I mentioned earlier this year that adoption (both spiritual and physical) is something that has been on my heart, and while I didn’t follow through with blogging on it (it just feels like I don’t need to right now) I have decided to do something about it. So, hopefully soon I’ll be volunteering in a place that helps families with adoption. I’m looking forward to it.

That’s it for this Monday! I hope you all had a safe and fun-tastic Halloween!

The Sky

Some mornings I think God creates sky art just for me. Not that I'm seeing shapes while I drive around (I pay a little better attention to the road), but the glory that fills the sky... just look at this!

Can you beat that! That was the sunrise this morning as I drove out to Shelbyville. Amazing. And this cell phone photo doesn't do it any justice. The sun was beaming through the clouds like it was lighting up the city of Murfreesboro! I wish I was running early so I could have pulled over and taken some photos with my good camera... just to see what I could have gotten... But maybe that was just for me. Or not... here are some more cell phone shots. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did on my ride in this morning! =o)

74. Watch 26 movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the Alphabet.

Another one from the list completed. 

And in case you can't read my tiny little handwriting, you can see the list here.

(side note: in no way is this a recommendation for any of these movies. If you want to watch any of them, you can ask and I'll let you know the ones that might be worth it...) 

Wordless Wednesday

I Love This time of Year

That title... it's actually a line from a country song I love. It throws out images of fireflies and dancing barefoot... Otis Redding playing on the radio... an ode in a way to spring or summer. I love spring and summer, but there's something about fall that makes me sigh. I want to breathe in the air and take in every color...

 

 

 

 

 Can you blame me?

Wordless Wednesday

Taking breaks

I’ve taken quite a break on you, haven’t I blogging friends? I’ve really just left aside my laptop and relaxed and haven’t thought. I’ve lived life with friends and had some great conversations with friends that I don’t usually get to spend enough time with. I’ve enjoyed some much needed alone time and walked most of a 5k.

I started reading Radical which led me to unplug my TV in an effort to stop wasting time in my life. I always called it background noise, but really it sucks me in and music is just as good for noise. Radical is not an easy read. I’m only 2 chapters in, and I already put it down a few times. If you are feeling the tug of God wanting more from you (or even if you’re not) go ahead and pick it up. You’ll put it down a few times, but it’ll be worth it (says the girl who’s only read two chapters).

We’re 2/3rds of the way into the month and I’ve only chatted with you a handful on times and this is where I normally say that I’ll do better and that I’ll try to blog more often, but blog friends… I just don’t think I can say that right now. I will, however, try to show you some belated photos that I hadn’t posted before. You know… the ones I just got done editing from the 4th of July (and some from January and February). I know those aren’t very current. They don’t necessarily say what’s going on with me today, but we’ll just think of it as a trip down this year’s memory lane, how about that? And I’ll keep my Wordless Wednesday’s current… probably… =o)

Bear with me friends. I think my life is taking on a whole different direction I don’t really understand.

Wordless Wednesday

A Sabbatical

I'm taking a break. From blogging. Probably only for this week, but I'm not even going to post a Wordless Wednesday this week. I need to clear my brain and focus on some things going on in my life. All this when I've gotten a cold means there's no extra room in my brain for this typing (you should see how many typos I've made already).

So, blog friends, I will be back sometime after I walk my very first 5k... until then, I wish you a wonderful week filled with blessings and joy even in the difficulties.

Wordless Wednesday

Things for a Tuesday (a.k.a. Some Very Scattered Thoughts!)

Life has gotten busy again, blogging friends! I went from a crazy hectic summer right into a crazy hectic fall. The difference is my focus. Where my time is being spent. My goals. Sometimes I think I might be going crazy, but I think it’ll be worth it all in the long term.

You see, I’m focusing on God. On what He wants for me; and part of that is my health. I’ve talked about this before, I know, but here I go again.. I’m sure you must be getting used to that =o) But here’s the latest… haha

I’m walking:

A 5k in Germantown (in Nashville) on October 9th

The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5 mile walk on October 30th (If you want to donate to our team, we’ll……. love you forever? You can donate here or here)

The 5k Strides for SIDS on November 6th

I also read this quote in Fitness Magazine and it’s been helpful and motivating:

“Thinking ‘I don’t want to be fat’ never got me to the gym. It was only when, at 200 pounds, I told myself ‘I am thin’ that I quit living by imaginary boundaries and began dropping pounds. – N. Wakhlu

So from here on out, I’m telling myself ‘I’m thin’!! No more limiting myself with negativity!!!

That’s why I’m spending two or three days a week out walking with Beverly, and not much time at home editing photos or blogging. And forget about facebook… maybe I’ll check it quickly in the morning or on lunch (both on my cell phone) but I don’t have the time to really see what’s going on with my friends.

I need to edit photos still from the 4th of July, a Murder Mystery Train ride, the Zoo, My niece’s b-day party, a Cub’s game, a day of photos around Murfreesboro, and the flea market (I *heart* my flea market finds) but more excitedly, I have some upcoming shoots to plan for some families I know and my former roommate C (who is the third friend of mine to end up with a guy who’s name starts with D! I’m spotting a trend!). She and I talked about it and I think it’s going to be fun to get to know this guy while I’m snapping some photos of them!!

I’m also thinking about starting an etsy storefront. Does anyone out there know about taxes? I just don’t know how to work that all out… hrrmmm….

What else. The flea market finds… my other former roommate A introduced me to this glass selling man at the gigantic Nashville Flea Market and he sells this beautiful purple glass. I caved and bought a vase and a jar… it makes me smile every time I see them on my counter. And it makes me thing I need to buy myself a flower or two =o)

Oh, and I’m still avoiding reading Radical and Instruments in the Redeemers Hands…

Tell me friends, what’s going on with you?

Wordless Wednesday

Nimrod

Have you ever called someone a nimrod or maybe heard someone called that? Hearing that taunt that essentially calls someone a dimwit... have you ever wondered what nimrod really means? Here’s the answer I got from the Free dictionary online.

nim•rod
n.
1. also Nimrod A hunter.
2. Informal A person regarded as silly, foolish, or stupid.

Do you think it’s funny that the two definitions given seem so different? I do!

I’m working on #4 from my list and I’m trying to make it daily. I’ve definitely missed days, but by the grace of God I’m reading.

This morning I was reading in Genesis 10. Here are verses 8 & 9:

Cush fathered Nimrod; he was the first on earth to be a mighty man. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD. Therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD."

So, the word nimrod was really a compliment back in the day. He was mighty! Here are a couple of other verses about him…

1 Chronicles 1:10-
Cush fathered Nimrod, who was the first to become a great warrior on earth.

Micah 5:6-
They will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword,
   the land of Nimrod with a drawn blade.
   So He will rescue us from Assyria
   when it invades our land,
   when it marches against our territory.

A drawn blade; apparently just having a sword wasn’t enough of a threat for the people in the land he inhabited. He was a tough man!

Do you know where the other definition comes from? ‘They’ say it comes from Bugs bunny. It seems Bugs used the “hunter” definition when referring to Elmer Fudd as a “poor little Nimrod”. I guess people dropped the might hunter part but keep the foolish.

Interesting tidbit, isn’t it? I just thought I’d share…

Struggles and Burdens

Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

I have friends that do this for me often, but right now there is one in particular that comes to mind…

Beverly has run half marathons. At least 3 (that I know of), and wanting to train for one in December and then I’m assuming the country Music half next April.

She laughs when I tell her she could run circles around me, but I still think it’s a legitimate statement.

But, when I realized my need for accountability when I decided to again start training for a 5k I asked Beverly to run/walk with me. She agreed and she has been a great support to me!

Even when I feel like I hold her back, or my knees or back start to hurt. She was the one that suggested that we take time just to walk for a while so my knees can get used to the pavement and get stronger.

And they are.

But we’re going to pace ourselves so that while she’s running the 5k in October, I’ll be able to walk it. And then maybe we’ll start up running again so I can at least possibly run/walk the 5k I’m doing with fleet feet in November. And Then I’ll be able to keep going and finally actually run a 5k.

She’s so motivating that she’s starting to convince me that I might be able to train with her for the Country Music Half in April. Although I still half think that that’s just a pipe dream…

But while we walk I feel like I’ve gotten to know her better and we’ve been able to fellowship. Talking about our lives and struggles; what God is teaching us.

So while I’ve been struggling physically during this, and while I feel like I’m holding her back, Bev is being an awesome sister in Christ and bearing my burdens. And I am extremely grateful.

Oh, and this is our ‘running’ verse (well, 1 is… I just like 2 so much I added it for all of you!):

Hebrews 12:1-2

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Talk Too Much Thursday

Clever title, huh? Or not. It’s whatever.

I’ve just been quite silent this month, not posting much of anything & hearing about it from others. It’s the hearing about it from others that prompted this post! So enjoy. I promise I have some posts that I’m working on and I’ll try to finish out the month of September better than I started it! I just need to find the time to edit photos.

Maybe I shouldn’t have picked on my brother so much when he hadn’t edited in a while. Nah. What else are little sisters for? =o)

I’ve had some really great/exciting/fun stuff going on in my life, but more importantly God has been working in my heart; making me see more and more the need for Him in my life. That part hasn’t been easy.

At all.

It’s part of the reason for my silence… some of it. Sometimes I can’t explain it or it feels to personal. Things that I don’t even understand.

But, there is enough going on in my life in other areas that I can easily share… especially if I get those photos edited… and I should and I will. Maybe someday I’ll even share the really fun 4th of July photos I took! Or maybe instead (like Christmas in July) I’ll celebrate the 4th in December =oP

Have I mentioned that I see grasshoppers everywhere? I know I mentioned it on my 365 Blog. I do. They’ve been on my car, on my house, in my house; the other week while I was mowing it seemed like there were hundreds of tiny ones all over the yard. Today there is 1 on my window at work. I’ve been at other offices where there have been a half dozen.

Let’s see… Beverly and I are now more walking than running. My knee has been hurting so until it gets stronger we’re working on distance instead or running. That way I’ll be able to walk a strong 5k in October. Yep, I’m still going to do it! And I’m looking forward to it, too! Although part of that is looking forward to the festival in Germantown afterwards with friends. After that 5k, we’re going to start run/walking to lead to running because by then, hopefully, my knee won’t hate me anymore in time for. Bev told me she thinks I’d be ready to train in time to do the Country Music Half, but I think I’ll just take it one step at a time =o)

I’ll write some more on that, perhaps this weekend and I’ll try to me a photo editing nut over the weekend so I can post some more tings over the next couple of weeks…

Sorry I’ve been so lame, blogging friends. I really have missed you!


P.S. I just realized it, but I can't believe yesterday was the 6 year anniversary of my moving to Tennessee! Happy anniversary, Me! =o)

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Transported

I took a bite into a Macintosh apple today and I was instantly taken back…

…to fall days playing in the backyard.
…to the smell of fall so crisp in the air.
…to playing football with my dad and brothers.
…to climbing our apple tree in the yard to pick apples (were they even Macintosh's? I don’t remember)
…to playing with friends outdoors savoring the last of it we could before winter stung the air.
…to new jackets being worn.
…to raking leaves.
…to jumping in piles of raked leaves.
…to raking leaves all over again.
…to stone and leave ‘soup’ made in our wagon.
…to planning Halloween costumes (that were sometimes worn under jackets)
…to school starting.
…to the excitement of new friends and teachers.
…to playing ‘don’t step on a crack’ while walking there.
…to popping popcorn with my dad for movie nights.
…to making caramel apples with my mom.
…to the sun setting sooner.
…to the days getting cooler.

I love those memories & I love the fall.

What are your favorite memories of this beautiful time of year?

Wordless Wednesday

Discipline, or Lack Thereof

I have a hard time with discipline… I know this all ties into the blog I posted the other day, but I’ve been talking with friends lately about this and I feel the need to blog (that’s just not uncommon, haha).

It’s not just being lazy, although I know some of it is, but partially, I think I have a fear of failing so when I don’t do some things, at least I don’t fail at them. It’s so illogical.. or maybe it’s too logical… maybe I over thought myself?

I’m really good at talking myself into and out of things. Recently I switched cell phone providers and I had myself all talked into doing it when I stopped and realized that it could actually be a terrible idea, so I stopped and e-mailed people I knew checked their e-mails regularly to ask them for prayer, I talked to my brother and I talked to my dad. It was a good decision (and one that cut my phone bill in half), but I wonder if I do the same thing when it comes to something I think I could fail at?

In May I joined a group at Fleet Feet. A beginner 5k training similar to those you may have seen called Couch to 5k. I did well, at first. Then I had to miss a couple of group runs and then I got busy over the summer. Before I knew it I stopped going and I didn’t even go and walk a 5k. I think I was able to talk myself out of walking it because it was so hot and I just wasn’t prepared to walk in that humidity.

Lame. I just needed to push myself. To trust that God could take me the whole way.. which leads me to this:

ACCOUNTABILITY

I need it. Without someone asking me how I’m doing… without that, I can easily convince myself to stop doing things. Easily. Which is why I had my hesitations when my coworker asked me to rejoin the group and retrain for a 5k (thins one in November). Who was going to push me during the week? Answer? My friend Beverly! She and I are meeting twice a week and she’s even convinced me to at least run/walk another 5k in October. Nuts? Maybe. Do-able? Yes. Because I have a Godly friend to run with and keep me going, parents who are excited for me (well, my dad’s not a fan of running, but he’s a fan of me!), a 'sister' that's going to join the run, a “life group” (aka family) at church (and formerly from church) praying for me, coworkers asking me about it, and you (my blogging friends) to tell about it.

So stay tuned… In October and in November (and who knows when else) I’m going to be telling you all about some 5k’s.

(that’s all for now… I need to go work on my homework for Bible Study tonight that I should have been working on for the last week… *ahem* I’m going to work on that discipline, too, Tiffany)

Trying for Transparency: Take II

Here goes nothing… or something… or just me putting me out there. Again.

I have a hard time following through with things. Well… not everything, but definitely things that are fitness or diet based; and often time things of my faith. It seems like these are the two biggest struggles for me and two things that seem to correlate the most in my life.

I’ve started going to a Beth Moore Bible study on Revelation this week and during the video we watched, she was talking about her dog. Her dog has a favorite ball. It’s obsessed with it. To the point, Moore says, that the dog will put its ball in the middle of its food dish and eat around it. It will then move it to its water dish and drink around it. It runs, having a hard time breathing because the ball is in its mouth… it sleeps with it…  

Her point was, that ball is like us not wanting to let go of the things we want to control in our lives. The things that, if we let go of them, God could take over. He could be in charge of them and we would be able to breathe easier. If we could just let go of them. 

For me, one of the big ones is losing weight. I need to lose weight. More than that, I want to lose weight. I want to be healthy. And more than that, God wants me to be healthy. And it seems like those little times I am really able to give up the control I want over it, God gives me this ability to lose seemingly without trying. And I’m able to breathe easier and go farther because He is in charge. And then I start to take it back again… to want to control it… and it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

I want to give this up. Completely. Totally. But it’s hard… so pray with me, blog friends. Because this is bigger than me.

1 Corinthians 10:31 - So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Wordless Wednesday

Wondering How I Am?

Please see Day 60...

I'm Hiding

I got a cold yesterday... the kind that likes to hang out in your sinuses... so I'm hiding under blankets with either: soup, tea, sprite zero or a popsicle.

I hope to see you soon when my brain starts functioning properly. Until then, enjoy the following photo of my niece (who turned FIVE today!) and nephew at the zoo. Happy Birthday, CG! Auntie Joy loves you so very much!  =o)

Wordless Wednesday

a quiet place to hide...

I spent an evening in Nashville with A and she introduced me to what might be my new favorite place in the city. A courtyard in the Nashville Public Library. It's open and lovely with stonework and a fountain. You can go outside with a book or a laptop and the wifi picks up.

Just remember:

A Rooftop in Nashville

The downtown Nashville office of the company I work for is fairly new. It wasn't opened for very long when the Nashville Flood filled every level of our underground parking garage. On one floor (the 7th?) there is an open outdoor area that is the start of a lovely garden . The view is lovely...

37. Start a photography blog.

I hadn't considered it so, but I have had several people mention that I've completed this task on my 101 in 1001 list. I guess when I wrote that on the list I didn't picture that being my 365 Blog. But I suppose on some level its true. The 365 Blog really is a photography blog. So, I'm sure much to the happiness of list makers like myself, it's checked off the list!

Plus, and I hope you are too, but I'm really enjoying the daily photo blog! It's been really fun! Did you know my friend Rachel is also doing a 365 blog? You should check it out. We were talking the other day about how much fun it is to take these photos everyday even when they're silly (like all of the photos of my tomato plants!). So, who knows what will happen. I'm only 53 days in, and I have a feeling it will last longer than 365...

3BC

That's my church. Third Baptist Church. I can't  begin to tell you how blessed I am by this place of worship! Of all the things I am most thankful for in Tennessee, this wonderful church family I've been given is at the top of the list.

Today I was blessed to spend a lot of my time at church within our children's ministry. I helped as an extra pair of hands during extended session (a rotation of mostly parents that serve about 1 Sunday a quarter during service) and then I filled in to help teach the 3's for life group. We have such an AWESOME group of kids at my church! I wish more people realized it. I know that's a normal wish amongst places of worship, but its true! I wish people knew how great these kids were. I wish people were knocking down doors to be able to spend time teaching the kids about Jesus. Just hearing them answer questions about what they learned about the Bible. Today we learned about Paul and Barnabas. About how they were missionaries and excited to tell others about Jesus. I love that these kids got that! And I hope its truth they keep with them forever =o)

Tonight I was expecting to spend the two hours I was there with 'Trail Mix Jr.", teaching but was instead blessed during the first hour to be able to go to a class instead =o) We have a Titus 2 ministry at 3BC. Women mentoring women. And since I'm normally spending time with the awesome kiddos, I haven't had a chance to go. But tonight, one of the awesome ladies in our church came in to my class and said I'm here to help! It was SO exciting to hear!!! And I was SO blessed to be able to start this 6 week session with ladies of all different age groups and stages of life. I can't wait to see what God is going to do =o) I already got to meet a new 'single' and invite her to our life group on Sunday mornings... God is good.

Second hour, I went back to my kids and took them upstairs where we spent time with the older group. I can't tell you how happy it made my heart to hear my 4 and 5 year olds answering questions before their older counterparts. It's a reassurance that they're listening... if you've worked with kids, you know it's nice to get that kind of a confirmation =o)

I can't wait to see what the future holds for at least these next 6 weeks... I *heart* my church, my church family, and my church 'kids'!!!

Remembering the Cold

It has been HOT this summer! So when I was going through and finishing editing some photos the other night, I ran across these icy shots and it helped me remember what it was like outside when it cooled down.

Do you remember how cold it was in January?

We here in the town where I live had a HUGE ice storm on Friday the 29th.

Thick ice covering EVERYTHING. I remember having to break apart my driveway on Saturday so I could drive my roommate to work.

Shortly after I got home from driving her to work, they closed on account of the weather, so I went back out to pick her up...

But by Sunday, the streets (at least) had melted enough that I went with a friend to a local university and took some icy photos.

I cool down just thinking about it!

Dusk

I was driving home from work tonight seeing the beginnings of the sunset, the start of the sky changing colors and it got me thinking. Do you ever feel like the sky is just for you? Like the way you see the colors, its like God said, "I know you need this tonight".

I did. It was lovely. I took this photo of it and put it here on my 365 blog.

There's something about the color in between the dark clouds. But not just that... its the way the color was seeping into the dark. hmmm... I'll keep trying for transparency...

In this area of my life where I have been questioning why, I have also been in this place of sadness. Of missing that area of my past. And I know its easy to sometimes stretch things into ways we can show God in our lives, but this is true for my today. And it's not like this is the first time He has used the sky for promises, right?

All this to say, for the last day and a half I've been feeling the break in my clouds and it's like God matched the sky just for me...

Wordless Wednesday

Trying for Transparency

I need a vacation from my vacation. I need to relax from being super busy for a few days. From fitting in as many things as I could while I was there; the zoo a Cubs game, a birthday party, pool with my dad, Wrigleyville, Portillos, Caribou... Places and people I *heart* and miss. Spending time with family and friends, and making new friends...so many things happened.

The hard thing, is saying goodbye. Especially to my family. To my niece and nephews. I know God has me in Tennessee for a reason, I know that this is the place I need to be. I have a good job, friends, a church that feels like home. But whenever I leave Chicago and come back to Tennessee, I can't help but feel sad. This time, especially, I have had a lot of moments of tears when I remember it all. My niece explaining to one of my nephews about how I 'live very far away'. One of my nephews telling me 'I'll see you tomorrow', not realizing  that I was going to that place far far away and he wouldn't see me again for a very long time...

Its times like these that I honestly question God. I want to know the 'why's' of life... why I live so very far away...

MIA

I know you'll be wondering... Where is she?

I'm in the airport.

I'm on a plane.

I'm in the air.

I'm home.

I'm visiting family and friends.

I'm playing with my niece and nephews.

I'm in a place where the temperature is 15 dregrees cooler but feels like 30.

I'm enjoying time in a place and with people that I haven't seen for 7 months.

I'm sure I'm enjoying every second of it.

I'll be back agian on Monday...

Until then...

Have a great weekend, blog friends!

Wordless Wednesday

54. Get my personal e-mail inbox to 0.

I'm not going to lie... My inbox has been between 4 to 10 messages for the last month in an attempt to complete #54. I don't know how long this will last, but I'm enjoying the ease of organization... =o)

New Orleans V: A Carriage Ride & Sting

Who knew there would be 5 posts? Certainly not me!! I just couldn't seem to shorten these up anymore =o) Saturday night we went for a carriage ride around the French Quarter. Listening to our driver tell us stories about the history of New Orleans, vampires, and Elvis... It was entertaining to say the least ;o)

Meet our driver... I don't remember his name...  I'll call him Jim (really I have the Office on in the background, so it's a quick name to pop in my head. ha)

Our first stop was a quick turn around to get a better view of Jackson Square. That great statue with the St Louis Cathedral in the background... It's the oldest Cathedral in the US that is still used for services! And it's absolutely beautiful on the inside!

Then we started to drive around... Now. I heard a lot of what 'Jim' said... but the photographer in me was just excited to take some photos of some awesome things around the city... see the next couple photos:

This is a view straight out of the front over the head of 'Bessie' (I don't remember the horses name either!) NOLA is a very lovely town with a beautiful old feel.

This is the garden area where scenes from Double Jeopardy starring Ashley Judd was filmed. It was probably the only movie not starring Elvis that 'Jim' mentioned =o)

A boat that apparently helped saved thousands of lives during Katrina...

After the carriage ride, we went to dinner at a great restaurant that I don't really have photos of... so we'll just say that we had a lovely dinner after which we meandered our way to the Ritz Carlton for drinks (this is what they served water from... we were fancy. haha)

My pomegranate martini that (in this photo) looked like either pac man or a huge smiley face!

While we were hanging out and chatting with each other, Greg leaned over to me telling me to look at the booth next to us... who was there? Sting! This is Aaron's photo from his phone, and hopefully I'll be able to add Patty's photo later... I couldn't find it this morning while I was posting =o) We didn't want to be 'those people'. Like the screaming crazy ladies that rushed him.