romance

Christmas: Catch Up in Pictures

2012-01-28T06:30:00.000Z

Ok. It's been a little ridiculous that I haven't posted in so long and have left out the best part of our time here in London so far: Christmas with my fam. I can't fully explain all that we did (I was posting obnoxiously on fb, so check there if you're curious). But here is a bit of our Christmas Experience: London Edition 2011 in pictures.

Our Christmas Tree (or shrub)

Mama at Oxford Street

Mama at The Georgian in Harrod's

Me and Mama in the Harry Potter section of Harrod's

Harrod's at Christmas

The Heaths at Heathrow

The Heaths at Heath Court (just by our flat!)

Oxford

The Eagle and Child

This cracks me up.

The Church-turned-Library outside Mimi and Syman's place

{thanks for letting us stay!}

These 3 Gentlemen and Scholars

The Radcliffe Camera
Oxford

Oxford

The Perch

Oxford

The Perch

Oxford

The Perch

Oxford

The Perch

Oxford

Hungerford Bridge

London

Hungerford Bridge

London

Hungerford Bridge

London

Holiday Downtime

London (our flat)

Went to ZSL London Zoo and found these two meerkats.

Camden Market

Camden Lock

British Museum

St. Paul's for Evensong

Had Evensong on the steps out front after a bomb threat forced an evacuation of St. Paul's

Winter Wonderland

Hyde Park

The Globe Theatre

Methodist Hall

Westminster Abbey

Tower of London

Christmas

Tower Bridge

Oxford Street

And after my family left (and I cried the entire way back from the airport) Grant took me to
The Nutcracker at the English National Opera's London Coliseum.

English National Ballet
{it was fabulously done}

The End!

Blog Tag!

2012-01-27T10:31:00.000Z

My sweet friend, Cara (former neighbor in Atlanta), tagged me in a little blogger game. And because I'm "it" you get to find out 11 fun facts about me :)

The Rules:
1. You must post these rules.
2. Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
4. You have to choose 11 people to tag and link them on the post.
5. Go to their page and tell them you have linked him or her.

The Questions:
1. If you could have someone do one chore for you for the rest of your life,
what chore would it be?
Washing clothes, dishes, or windows. Hate each and every one of those.

2. Which song do you always sing at-the-top-of-your-lungs-super-loud-yelling style in your car?
Any power ballad or Beatles song. Most likely, something I've recently heard on Glee.

Sing seems to do the job.

But other past contenders have been Unwritten

Don't Stop Believing

and, of course, Defying Gravity.

3. Publix or Kroger?
Publix all the way.

4. What instrument do you wish you could play?
Guitar. I can only barely play piano after years of lessons 100 years ago.

5. What did you eat for breakfast?
...nothing... I should probably get on that.

I'm a local at a little coffee shop around the corner. The guy that owns it with his wife is from Cambodia and he's always smiling. He begins to make my usual caramel latte and hot buttered croissant when he sees me walk through the door and he gives me half off because I come in most days. It is so nice the simple joy of being a local and having your usual favorite every-day order ready (and 50% off!).

6. If you had to buy your clothes from one store for the rest of your life,
what store would you choose?
Banana Republic (I'm such a prep.)

7. What is one quirky thing you do that others may find strange?
I bite my nails. Grant hates it!

8. What TV show is your guilt pleasure?
So many.... Dawson's Creek, Felicity, My So-Called Life... are we sensing a late-90s trend... anyone...? Bueller?

9. What is your favorite season of the year?
Autumn. All the colors, the turning leaves, and the fashion: layers, sweaters, boots, scarves... need I go on?!

10. When was the last time you felt homesick?
All the time--are you kidding? London is a fun place to visit, but it's a difficult place to live. I miss the slow Southern drawl, smiles, charm, and kindness, the sense of community and unapologetic evangelism of the South. I miss the warmth of the weather and even more so the people. Lord, take me home!

11. If you could be best-friends with a celebrity, who would he/she be?
Jennifer Aniston. We're practically besties already.

TAG YOU'RE IT!
Stephanie @ All Dressed Up in Dreams
Jordan @ The Guerra Gang
Mandy @ Keeping Up with the Kimseys
Sal @ Baby Bukes
Jessica @ Jacob and Jessica

And here are your 11 Questions:
1. What's your favorite Christmas/ Birthday gift or story (good or bad)?
2. What's your favorite memory from college?
3. What's your favorite place you've been?
4. What's the next place you'd like to visit?
5. Lake, beach, mountains, or dessert?
6. What's your favorite cuisine/ meal?
7. Would you rather be on Survivor, American Idol, or Jersey Shore (they're about all the same to me)?
8. Would you rather head up a flash mob dance party or sing along?
9. What's your favorite childhood movie? (You know I love me some Disney!)
10. What's the best thing you've learned from your mother?
11. What's your favorite pic (please post and add a caption)?

Catch Up - Almost

2011-12-29T00:41:00.000Z

Hey blog world. I will catch you up soon in pictures. But for now, my family's here and we're enjoying London at Christmastime. They embrace the whole 12 Days of Christmas thing, so the holiday spirit is still going strong! And we are loving it.

I'll leave you with this:

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2012!

The Jesus Story

2011-12-18T22:43:00.000Z

Kids are the best. This rendition of Jesus's birth is both hilarious and cute.

Amen.

North Point Ministries

2011-12-12T09:34:00.001Z

This is the church we left in Atlanta. So proud to have been a part of it.

North Point Ministries' Be Rich. Do More. Give More Campaign.

Be Rich 2011 Celebration from North Point Media on Vimeo.

I fell flat out... twice last week... true story!

2011-12-05T23:51:00.001Z

1. Ice skating at Somerset House. I was mid triple-sow-cow when I was suddenly flat on my face. It was funny and my sweet hubs was right there beside me to help me up and laugh about it over hot coco later. {pics to come!}

2. Wet steps in the rain. True. It was pretty spectacular, actually. I had just gotten a coffee... so when I slipped, fell backwards, then continued down several steps, my backside was wet and dirty from the steps, my front was wet and dirty from coffee--in the hair... down the coat... on my knee... into my boots. Spectacular is the only word for it.

Word to the wise: be careful around me in cold and or wet settings. {nothing was even remotely hurt... except my pride.}

5 Minute Friday: Tired

2011-12-02T12:41:00.001Z

Well this week certainly got away from me. It's already time for another 5 Minute Friday Linkup with The Gypsy Mama! You know the drill.

For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not.

Link back here

Most importantly: leave a comment for the person who linked up before you – encouraging them in their writing!

TIRED

I'm so tired. A really great Beatles song starts with this line.... Let's not got there. I really am tired. Yesterday was my last day of class for the semester. It feels like I've poured out all my brain on papers and group work and I have very little left with which to think and write and converse.

I wonder when there will be a day when I'm not tired. We stay up late, enjoy each other and the city of London, we sleep in (sometimes, depending on classes), we rinse and repeat. When are the days of 12 hour nights plus naps? Was that only for a brief moment, sophomore year in college? I long for days when I don't feel tired. Or braindead. Or frustrated. Or short-tempered.

I need some perspective. Someone once told my Mama right before she had me that hopefully she had cherished a good night's sleep because she wouldn't have another one for 18 years...! If these are the good days of restful nights free of care and worry and limited responsibility, I need to feel less tired!

I guess the tiredness affects my attitude and sleep deprivation doesn't help, so I will try to, a) get more sleep and, b) adjust my perspective. It's Christmastime and in the words of Kevin McAllister's mother, "The season of perpetual hope." Amen.

5 Minute Friday: Grateful

2011-11-25T18:51:00.001Z

From The Gypsy Mama Blog
For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just writewithout worrying if it’s just right or not.

Link back here

Most importantly: leave a comment for the person who linked up before you – encouraging them in their writing!

Grateful

I am grateful for many tangible things on this earth. I havethe best husband in the world, the sweetest most supportive family, and thekindest and steadfast friends a girl could hope for. Hugging their necks, holdingtheir hands, sharing life over dinner, or grabbing a coffee together—these arethe real ways I can love on these tangible people.

But I am grateful for intangibles, too. I am grateful for myLord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Godhead three-in-one, and the fellowship ofbelievers.

I am also eternally grateful for music.

Where would I be without it? Very few things can change mymood as quickly and effectively as a song. Very few things can express thethoughts or yearnings of my heart the way a song can. Words can be so limiting—butwords and melody can come together to compensate for the burden I sometimesfeel stirring in my soul.

Music is my muse. Music is my inspiration. Musicmakes ordinary things seem extraordinary—riding to school on the tube, doingthe dishes, dinner with my sweetheart. Music can represent the best and worstof things simultaneously and still be beautiful.

Music appeals to the dancer inme—the dancer that will exist long after the days of dancing, when I am stoopedand arthritic.

Music brings color to my world when circumstance threatens tobleed it dry, leaving only shades of gray.

Music is incredible—its depth and its intricacies—and forit, I am grateful.

City University London

2011-11-18T12:28:00.001Z

There are a few things you should know about City.

People call "college"/ "university"/ "school" "Uni" over here. So when I'm on campus, I might text a classmate saying, "I'm at uni. Where are you?" {I'm still getting used to this}

We have a student Union, like Tate at Georgia or the Ferg at Alabama, only this one is a replica of Saved By The Bell's the Max. Let's compare:

The Max

City Uni

Neon lights? Check.

Gaming tables? Check.

Bright colors? Check.

80s/ 90s music? Check.

Totally cool kids hangout? Like, totally.

But there are some really cool aspects to campus life. We have a square (like a quad) and it's beautiful in the fall.

Northampton Square

{that little shack in the bottom right corner serves the best coffee}

View from the Library

It can be quite picturesque. And that's what you need to know about City University. That, and there are so many undergrads, a trip to the library is more often an educational experience in overhearing awkward pick-up lines and teen angst than anything else. That part of school translates globally.

Masquerade Pics

2011-11-18T12:15:00.001Z

I'm a little bit over facebook right now, so I'm posting stuff on here,

rather that setting up new albums there. Enjoy!

Alex, Martin, and Shara

Dancing Divas

{friends from church}

Alex, Martin, Shara, and me

{my mask was a big hit, but it looks ridiculous in most of these pics. Oh well.}

Alex, Martin, Shara

Dance floor

{upstairs}

GG, GG's friend, Charlie, and Me

{GG's mask had feathers!!}

Katie and Me

{love}

Our table

{downstairs}

Shara and Me

{two americans in london. love her!}

Paris in Pictures

2011-11-17T00:22:00.001Z

We arrived at Gare du Nord station

Found a McDo and some freedom fries ;)

Walked over to Montmatre and Sacre Coeur

Stayed near la Tour Eiffel

{and took a lift to the top!}

Le Metro

Toured the City of Lights at night on bike - amazing!
Best way to see the city

Look them up: Fat Tire Bike Tours

Academie francaise {home of the immortals}

Blurry, but the Eiffel Tower from the Boat Cruise we took. On the hour, la Tour Eiffel sparkles {magical}

Street Art - River Seine

lovely

The Pantheon

Jardins Luxembourg

Saint Sulpice

les cafes, un pain au chocolat, et un eclair

Notre Dame de Paris

We went to the vespers {a sung service... like evensong} on Sunday.

One of the most incredible and moving experiences - to understand so little of the language, but understand so much with the heart.

It's beginning to {feel} a lot like Christmas

Saint Nick!

Departing for jolly ol' England.

London... and Paris!

2011-11-04T00:07:00.000Z

We've been busy!

Halloween came and went with several parties (people here love Halloween... who knew?). Hult rented out a bar near the Gherkin for a full-on costume party.

{Grant was a 1970s soccer star. He was a big hit!}

We went to a Swedish birthday party from my classmate Elin--so fun!

I attended a Hillsong London Sisterhood event and met Mrs. Anna Smith, got a signed copy of her book(!) and explored Surrey (perfectly English!).

Wednesday we had dinner first at Wahaca (the only decent Mexican food in London) with Grant's Peruvian classmates, Alejandro and Fiorella. Then we made our way to the dazzling Lyceum in West End/ Covent Garden.

Grant and I have had a packed week with school, but managed to see The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre (beautiful, moving, powerful, and awesome).

Tomorrow night Grant has tickets to see Incubus at the Alexander Palace (aka, "The People's Palace," aka, "The Ally Pally") with a fun group of guys from church.

I am attending Hillsong's VELOCITY Masquerade Boat Party!! The tickets sold out earlier this week!! {There should be 300+ people at this kick-off event!!} I have several classmates coming! And the usual fun crowd from church. It should be amazing, with drinks, nibbles, a DJ, masks, and fireworks on the Thames as we cruise from Embankment to Putney Bridge!!!!

And now for the best bit: WE'RE SPENDING THE WEEKEND IN PARIS!Yep. Can't wait. We've booked our eurostar tickets from King's Cross/ St. Pancras to Gare du Nord, Paris {from the center of London to the heart of Paris!} Oui oui!

We're staying in the Eiffel Tower District and plan to see as much as we can before returning Sunday night. I can't wait! I've written too much already. I'll give you the details of Paris when we get back!

Guilty Pleasure: My So-Called Life

2011-10-31T12:05:00.000Z

So can we talk about My So-Called Life? I love it. It is exaggerated, ridiculous, and has hilariously characteristic 90's high school banter - sprinkled with plenty of "umm... you know"s, pregnant pauses, and "like"s.

Here are my Top 10 Favorite Things about My So-Called Life {sad that it only had one 19-episode season}.

10. The awkwardness is palpable and the tension in some strained relationships on the show is painful {in a good way}.

9. 1994 was the year of combat boots, over-sized plaid shirts, and grunge bands.

8. The issues of identity and searching for self are legit.

7. It's set in Pittsburgh.

6. The parents' relationship is embarrassingly real.

5. The hair.

4. The clothes.

3. The frienemies that the girls morph into - catty one minute, bffs the next.

2. The melodramatic nature of unchecked high school emotions.

1. How the show miraculously portrays a youthful Jared Leto (whose character, Jordan, is on the verge of dropping out, is habitually indifferent and makes little/ no effort with Angela {Claire Danes}, and who can barely read) as irresistible boyfriend material in true high school form.

I wasn't exactly allowed to watch it {at the time, I was in 4th grade} but as I caught up on the reruns in high school, my Dad thought the name "My So-Called Life" was fetching for a maladjust teenage show.

Speck and Plank

2011-10-27T21:50:00.000+01:00

My own blindness astounds me.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in someone else’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from the other person’s eye." {Matthew 7:3-5}

It's amazing the things that seem so clear in me someone else's life but I'm blind to that very thing in my own life. I recently said:

"How does she not know that faith is grown life, not in bible studies?!"

Wisdom, knowledge, discernment, identifying and drawing near to the Character of God, the Person of Christ, the Miracle of the Holy Spirit all happens in bible study--and bible studies are great! But faith is something that is grown in the everyday--the good and the bad, but especially the bad...

How did I miss God growing my faith (~~even~~ especially in my doubt and anger) by all this in my life?? How??

So I've made up with God and we're on speaking terms again; things are good and I'm now open to instruction (whereas before I had serious bouts of throwing my toys on the floor and stamping my feet around like a toddler). We all have our moments. And thankfully, in God's grace, we can have them unedited--He can take it.

But when we are ready to grow up a bit--and I am ready--we can learn from the pulling and stretching, the pruning and circumcising, when we are ready to accept both the new wine and the new wineskins, our covenant (like a reconciled marriage) is a beautiful and intimate one.

That's where I find myself most of the time these days. The difficult, graceful, new, frustrating, reassuring place of faith-growing life here in London.

Ungrateful

2011-10-26T13:15:00.000+01:00

I cringe as I write that word. It's true of me: I'm ungrateful.

This came crashing into my reality only recently when I read this quote:

"What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"

My response was: I would have nothing.

That got my attention. Finding things--searching outside myself--to focus on that I am truly grateful for really pours water on the fire of anger and bitterness.

I struggle most days with choosing joy and contentment over selfishness and circumstance. But I have learned that a thankful heart is rarely self-centered and a grateful attitude rarely contains anger. So I focus on being thankful.

Please be my strength

2011-10-18T19:43:00.000+01:00

Gungor

Recoup

2011-10-12T22:51:00.000+01:00

Things are going well. Grant actually had strep throat over the weekend {with 102* fever!} but he saw the doc on Monday and is on penicillin. Things are looking up!

We're both busy with school and group work and presentations and find that our "exploring" phase of London has dwindled significantly - but not completely! Other than trying new venue, pubs, and restaurants, we pretty much crash at home - reading, studying, emailing, facebooking, or blogging. We do have some fun things coming up, though!

My class is having a Halloween party in Seven Sisters (North London)
We're helping plan this Masquerade Boat Party in November
My family is coming to play in December for Christmas!
Hillsong is having a ridiculous NYE party that we get to help plan and organize
In January we're having a massive Murder Mystery Party
In February we're teaming up with Hillsong's The Gathering for a Valentine's Day Party
In March we're heading to Bulgaria for a snowboarding/ ski trip!!

I can hardly contain myself. That's about all that's new with us. What's new with you??

I'm on the mend!

2011-10-07T14:35:00.000+01:00

The nurse said she wouldn't have to see me again for 6 weeks! That was just news too good to not pass along!!

We--Mama, Grant, and I (with the doctor's permission)--have been able to do some really fun stuff:
The Mousetrap at St. Martin's Theatre--amazing!
Driving Miss Daisy at Wyndham's Theatre--who knew a touching story of a jewish lady and a black man would make us miss Atlanta so? Beautifully done--it was Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones's finest hourHigh Tea with friends; drinks at the Holly Bush with more friends (I had a Coke... I was still very much on meds but loved the company and setting)
Dinner with Londoner Katie (from Church)
Lunch with Aussie Gimyana (also from Church)
Tea with family-friend Katia and her new baby!!
Mama squeezed in the British Museum and a few other "touristy" things without me {and Grant went to class}

I have learned much about myself and about where I put my trust and my hope. There was much newness and little/ no comforts of the familiar: new place, new school, new flat, new healthcare system, no family except my exceptionally patient and kind husband who attended to me with limitless care. It showed me how much I value comfort and ease over the new and unfamiliar and difficult--how blessed and lucky we are to have to much support even in a new place and strange circumstances. It also taught me that you can create friendship and family with people all around you. The body of Christ is a beautiful thing in action.

We are grateful. We are healing. We are going to be ok.

Just in case you're one of the few who have not seen this {64 million others beat you to it} this is treat from me to you:

Something about the eyes and the nose and mouth... remind me of Georgia. Happy Friday!

NHS - Surgery

2011-09-28T12:58:00.000+01:00

Yes, I had appendicitis and an appendectomy.
Yes, I survived the National Healthcare Service and I was in the hospital for 6 days.
No, I did not like it.
Yes, my mama is here taking care of me (with Grant's patient and attentive care, of course) and I seem to be recovering well, albeit slowly.

I really don't like talking about it and am ready to be done with the whole experience, to be honest.
Wednesday through Monday I was in the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead. Having been woken up every hour of the night with by-the-book symptoms of appendicitis, a neighbor offered to drive us! Praise the Lord! I was examined by a med school student and an EMT in training. It was a little disconcerting for him to be examining me in so much pain, asking questions like, "So should I begin by pressing here? and applying about how much pressure?" I did NOT want to be his guinea pig. Oh, also, I was literally on a cot in a storage room. Seriously. People would come in and out to get gloves, IV bags, etc while I was being examined, each one shocked to find a patient in that room!

Hours later they told me that it probably was appendicitis, but they wanted to get a Gyn opinion and an ultra sound. Oddly enough, many departments in NHS work M-F 9-5. At this point, the ultrasound department had just closed, so they put me to bed to wait it out. When I asked What if it should burst, releasing toxins into the incredibly compact area of my abdominal cavity? They reassured me: If it bursts, we will know...!

Thursday, they operated.

Friday, I was told the surgery was successful. I have two scars: the laproscopic approach didn't work, so I have the typical appendectomy scar, too. I was detained Saturday, Sunday, and most of Monday. I never saw my surgeon again. I won't dwell on the negative, but the care and overall experience was sub-par. Please pray for healing, for a full recovery {the woman next to me had been back FOUR TIMES for post-op complications after her initial surgery 8 months ago....} and for restoration.

Mama's here now! Yay! She arrived on Monday and got to experience first-hand a bit of the NHS with me until I was released. Her timing has been perfect because this is a really busy week at school for Grant!

As for me now, I am still struggling to get up, sit up, stand up, and walk - but I'm doing it! My wounds throb, and daily things have become exhausting: taking a shower, drying my hair, getting dressed may take hours...! But sleep is good for healing so I sleep as much as possible.

A few positives, so as not to end on a negative with NHS:

They serve you tea every day, twice a day in the hospital at 10 and at 2.
The food is actually really good and you have a full menu to choose from for up to a full 3-course meal, if you so choose (and are able).
You are in "wards" which means your bed is one of 4, 6, or 8 in one room. This may seem like a negative, and sometimes it can be, but visiting hours are STRICT! so for the majority of the time you are alone, except for your fellow companions, and the conversation is usually easy and it all makes you feel less lonely.

Your prayers are much appreciated!

Times and Seasons

2011-09-19T00:09:00.001+01:00

"Jesus said to them, 'It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by His own authority.'" (Acts 1:7)

I realize that this was in response to the disciples' question about the second coming of Christ and the restoration of Israel, not in direct response, to say, my ~~equally important~~ question. But I feel I am in the middle of a season of when and why not now and I find myself pleading with God all the time.

Nothing wrong with that!

The disciples understood this and came from a long line of Jews asking desperately how and when and how long, oh Lord?! Most of the Old Testament is sprinkled with the groaning of people - the Israelites in the desert, the people striving to establish justice through judges, the nation crying out for a king, the prophets lamenting Israel's wayward heart, the "remnant" of the Babylonian captivity, the revelation of the coming Christ Messiah - the waiting, the disbelief, the confusion, the crucifixion, the three days, and finally the resurrection! There is hope and a promise and salvation as a result of all that, but what a history to have come out of.

So we, too, as believers corporately step into this long line of patiently waiting for the revelation of something to come. There is a powerful spiritual implication for each of us, if we can grasp it, accepting the season of already, not yet.

Today at Hillsong, I was reminded of this verse, and it seems that God is speaking right to my soul: Lucy, it is not for you to know times or seasons that I've fixed by My own authority.

There is a purpose.

I am God. You are not. {It's better this way.}

I don't need your permission; I have all authority.

I am trustworthy.

It seems to be much easier expelling energy (to my detriment, I might add) fighting the whole thing, but to what end?

He has designed it - any season of waiting - as a time to either struggle against the not-knowing and pout like a child {me, mostly} or to revel in the journey. Do I let Him lead me or do I seek my will, missing what could be something beautiful? Am I stiff-necked, proud, and untrusting or pliable, teachable, and moldable? Do I value the known over the unknown - no matter the cost; regardless of the One who goes before me and behind me?

It is a simple and frustrating question: Do I trust Him?

I want the answer. He wants my heart.

I want independence. He wants my humility.

I want knowledge. He wants my trust.

I want the destination. He wants the journey.

And he gave a cry, saying, "I have faith; make my feeble faith stronger!" (Mark 9:24b) Lord, help me learn to wait.

A Treat for You

2011-09-18T12:59:00.000+01:00

Just for those of you who read and follow my blog. Here's a shot of the Lady Chapel {aka: Albert Memorial Chapel} of St. George's Chapel at Windsor. Stunning, isn't it?

And a few Guards just walking around on duty in the Lower Ward of the palace.

And finally, we have had a guest in our backgarden today. I was sitting in bed reading this morning, when something outside caught my eye... a fox! I'm pretty sure it was just perusing the garden for things to snack on, but still....

I have limited iPhone evidence. After I show it to Grant, I'll see if he confirms or denies my claim that a fox is what I saw. {I wish you could have seen me trying to record this darting, quick little creature outside the french doors of our bedroom.... He was a good distance away, I was perched on the edge of the end of our bed, trying to get a shot that worked, all the while battling the curtains to stay open without dropping the phone... that could've been a noteworthy sight in and of itself, had you been here this morning...!}

One Month

2011-09-18T00:12:00.000+01:00

It's officially one month today: we've lived in London, dealt with the transition of moving, found a flat we call home, ~~mastered~~ survived public transport, and seen some pretty awesome sights.

London is amazing and intoxicating and the energy here is vibrant.

There is this beautiful combination of Old World and New World here where you can plan an outing to the largest occupied castle in the world {more on that later!} or just wander around randomly and have an equally intriguing encounter with this great city and its surroundings. We love it.

Today, we went to Windsor.

Private apartments of the Queen

Back Gardens and State Rooms

We got a deal on tickets and got to be a part of history, too! They just reopened The Round Tower for the first time in 30 years - it's a trial run for August and September only - and we got to be in one of the groups.

Loved it. The view was unparalleled!

You can see all of the surrounding royal grounds, gardens, and park, as well as the Thames River Valley and London skyline. We took the train out there, packed a picnic lunch (yum!), and toured the castle - tower, state rooms, upper and lower wards, St. George's and Lady Chapel {aka: Albert Memorial Chapel}. Followed it up with a quick jaunt through Great Park - The Long Walk to George III's statue - and a look around the charming and picturesque town. I know why it's the Queen's favoured residence.

My Favourite Part: The Norman Gate

The Sweetest Thing

2011-09-15T08:33:00.003+01:00

Every once in a while, I'll come into that twilight sleep/wake of morning to discover that at some point Grant's hand has sought mine as we lie sleeping, and our fingers are still entwined.

This is becoming a trend (I first noticed it around our 3rd anniversary) and one I treasure.

The delightful problem of a good book

2011-09-13T20:35:00.005+01:00

The delightful problem of a good book is that I can't put it down. I have read 5 such books since we've been settled in our flat. Two weeks tomorrow and one MONTH in London!! Time's flying! I find I read constantly while out and about - even (and especially) at home.

Herein lies the second problem: nothing to read on the tube/ bus. I have seriously started out my day, realized I have nothing to read because I've finished my recent read, stopped into a bookshop on the way to the tube, only to repeat the process two days later.

A delightful problem indeed. However, not sure my sweet, caring, handsome hubs appreciates me buying several books every few days, what with both of us on the verge of purchasing many heavy books of the graduate degree persuasion... Perhaps these minor buys - like my lunches out - will remain a mystery to him. Yes, he reads my blog...!

Cheers!

Lingo

2011-09-12T16:56:00.003+01:00

Forgive me, but I must write these phrases down so I don't forget our funny and sometimes embarrassed or flustered transition into the local lingo.

British : American

Jumper : sweater
Pants : underwear
Trowsers : pants
Ice lolly : popsicle
Knickers : ladies' panties
Left luggage : baggage check (a good one to know!)
Chips : fries
Crisps : potato chips
Fag : cigarette
Frogs : French people (ha!)
Fanny : vagina
Mate : friend (boy or girl) this has replaced the old-fashioned "bloke"
Bangers and Mash : sausage and potatoes
Scottish egg : hard-boiled egg, wrapped in a sausage meat mixture, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried
Holiday : vacation
Let : rent
Flat : apartment
Lift : elevator
Loo : toilet
Toilet : bathroom/ powder room
Licenced : restaurant that sells alcohol (ie, all of them. And yes, Mama, that's how they spell it ;)
Off-Licence : liquor store
Afters : dessert
Snogging : making out
Rubbish bin : trash can
On offer : for sale
Torch : flashlight
Wellies : (rain) boots
Petrol : gas
Pissed : drunk
Half eight : 8:30 (not 7:30)
Cheers : hi, bye, thanks, and many other conversational uses (when in doubt, say Cheers!)

9/11 Ten Years Later: We Remember

2011-09-11T10:35:00.004+01:00

It is strange to be over here in London and look both back and across (to America) as we remember.

A decade ago, my cousin was killed in the Pentagon, leaving his pregnant wife behind. We mourned the national tragedy and personal loss deeply. She has since happily remarried and has had other children, but she'll tell you that moving on and raising a kid as a single mom was the hardest thing she's ever had to do. She wouldn't wish that inner turmoil on anyone-- that mixture of grieving over love lost and hoping for new life; a blessing to come and heartache to bear. (I think she'd also tell you that God has redeemed what the locusts have eaten (Joel 2:25a) and God has brought abundant joy and family out of a situation meant to destroy her sense of family.)

I'll never forget where I was: Mrs. Gonzales's pre-cal class when someone from the front office told us about it. Mrs. G didn't believe the aide and continued teaching. Only after both Towers were hit did we make our way to the library with so many others and watch... And wait. That day is forever suspended in time, burned into memory.

In the shocking aftermath we watched our country come together. Neighbor helping neighbor, friend helping friend, American helping American.

I have so much pride in our great nation; it is difficult to be away on days like today, when the rest of the world could not understand. But the distance doesn't change or waver our hearts. We're still as present as we can be and we still remember. We are still

One nation under God,
Indivisible,
With liberty and justice for all.
Amen.

Hillsong: Our Home away from Home

2011-09-08T15:33:00.003+01:00

{The other 1/2 of that previous post's excerpt}

Hillsong London has been the other surprise.

We love it. I mean, we knew the reputation that precedes it: awesome worship, solid theology. What we did not know was THE PEOPLE. Oh my goodness, the people. I cannot explain to you the full extent of my gratitude for their welcoming openness.

We filled out the requisite "Welcome Card" thinking it would be weeks before either of us heard anything. Nope. People had called us and set up coffee for later that week! We have met more people and made new contacts in this otherwise overwhelmingly huge city. We've attended drinks (several times), dinner (twice), a Hillsong party (amazing. they rented out an entire bowling alley/ 2-story bar and maxed out its occupancy), a birthday party (South African braai!), and a clothes swap with tea and cakes (just the girls).

These people are completely open with their hearts, homes, experiences, contacts, and calendars. It makes me wonder why we tend to be so guarded in our relationships and friendships. It seems to me (looking back) that I would almost expect people to prove their worth--jump through a few hoops at least--then I would take the time to invest in them. Not these people. You want a look at first century church... it is here. And it is beautiful. And humbling. It will absolutely bring you to your knees when you witness giving, sharing, and generosity at someone else's expense (making cupcakes from scratch just for you; going out of his way to include you in his birthday party; journeying across town to meet you just because you're new and don't know the area; making a special trip to the store to be sure they have enough -- for you).

We find ourselves, in the still darkness of night, asking, "Why do they do it? Why do they give and give and give and then give some more? Have they never been burned? Do they not end up with crushed expectations? Is there ever a return on their investment?" {If I'm honest, I'm still trying to figure out how they do it without being constantly disappointed, constantly heart-broken over people and things that didn't turn out the way they thought.} I know why they do it. I know it's because the love of Jesus in them runs over into the lives of others.

Here's another happy surprise: knowing that His love spills over and being the recipient of that love are two entirely different things. Wow. Blown away is an understatement.

We're adjusting quite nicely and I have to admit, at least 95% of that has to be because some sweet, real, authentic, raw, un-churched church people decided to take us under their wing and share their world with a couple of strangers who, honestly, may not even be here a year from now... which makes their commitment to us all the more dear. How do they do it? I'm amazed {and am learning MUCH about myself and my motives and my heart}. London and God's grace is treating us well. Thank God for Hillsong London. Seriously.

God has done great things for us and we are filled with joy! {Ps 126:3}

Daily Life Excerpt

2011-09-08T15:28:00.002+01:00

Here's an excerpt from an email I recently sent out. I think it just about sums up daily life (at least at first).

As for daily life, things have been surprising. London, for being a world power and the seat of Europe's academic and financial business, can seem like basically a third world country when it comes to customer service (none), processing paperwork (weeks and it may have to be restarted), finding a place to live (a fanatical, fear-driven "get-what-you-can-when-you-can" supply/ demand), and standard of living (crazy expensive plus the unfavorable exchange rate).

There have been plenty of frustrations--many of which, yes, would be the case no matter where in the world we were living because moving is a huge and incredible headache; some of which are completely unique to London life.

But really and truly, that is to be expected and God has been gracious with us and the transition: we didn't lose any luggage, we found a flat and moved in within one week of landing, we have bank accounts set up with access to our money in pounds, our flat is cheery with lots of light, our flat included all kitchen accessories (cutlery, plates, glasses, and basic cookware), we ended up living less than 1/2 a mile from our friends Claude and Mary Elizabeth (KD with me at UGA!)... the list goes on and on and on.

Great is His faithfulness.

Our Flat: After

2011-09-08T15:19:00.003+01:00

Ok. So the full list of pics are here.

I was going to include a few on here, but the blogger uploader was taking FOREVER! We like it; it's a work in progress ;)

Flat 2: First Night

2011-08-30T14:38:00.005+01:00

So here's a quick vid of our new flat. It is a very rough cut of a very rough "before" apartment, but I just didn't want to forget what moving REALLY looks like ;) And I have no shame, so I decided to share it with you all, too. Move-in date: 24 August 2011. Tomorrow marks one week.

A few things about this video:

1. Notice the Coke--in our hearts, no, we have not left Atlanta ;)

2. Notice the music. We're an eclectic pair (Counting Crows and Brad Paisley. Impressive, I know).

3. Notice the "neutral" color palate {read: apparently, completely white-washing everything makes it "neutral"}

4. Notice the incredibly attractive tall man. I kinda love him a lot.

5. To answer your question: No, I have not yet figured out the washing machine. Nor have I attempted another load of laundry since. Pity the kind and very patient tall man.

There will be pics of the "after" coming soon. Bear with me and my slow/ spotty internet connection.

London Life

2011-08-28T14:37:00.002+01:00

Life is busy but oh so good. We just got done with church: Hillsong London. The worship is amazing and I think we may have found our church home here. At least for now.

Pics are hard to share because I've used up my allocated Internet usage for the MONTH on my phone and we won't have Internet at our flat until MID-September...! But I'll do my best to show you the before and after of our little place as soon as I can!

Life is so different here, but were taking each day and every experience as a gift from God to learn more about this curious little corner of the globe. Historically speaking, so much of the American government, mindset, and Anglican/ Episcopal church came from over here, there is MUCH to learn and observe... And were not even in school yet!

London with its 13 million people is truly a melting pot of language, culture, religion, philosophy, color, and ideas. It's all fascinating really--if you hold it up to the light and look at it from the right perspective: Choosing joy and embracing the little daily difficulties with a smile, knowing that our lives are being changed and molded by each of them in great and tiny ways that we may never know but will forever appreciate.

Life is so good and God is so faithful. What more could one ask for??

Flat: Found!

2011-08-24T10:36:00.002+01:00

Ok, so not only did we find a flat - lovely! - but because of some dear friends who are helping us into the whole situation, we are moving in TODAY! How great is that???

It's a perfectly tiny one bedroom with a washer and drier! (which is unheard of over here) with a "fully fitted kitchen" which means it has a sink, oven, stove top, and coffee/tea maker (of course!). I'm already planning out how to rearrange the living space to maximize the (almost) floor to ceiling, gorgeous bay windows (14 ft. ceilings, too!). In our bedroom, we have lots of natural light and french doors that open out to a private garden - private meaning shared by the 8 or so tenants in our building. We have a beautiful old house (lots of curb appeal) that has been turned into different flats.

Don't get me wrong: it is Tee-Tiny! But it is really elegant-looking for some reason and it's in a wonderful location in a quiet little row of houses-turned-flats containing gardens and green-space.

We can't wait to move in!

I'll keep you posted when we get things set up and I can take some pics so you can see. Another alternative: come visit and see for yourselves!

Cheers!

First Impressions: Fashion

2011-08-20T16:59:00.002+01:00

Two ways to wear your makeup: au naturale or over the top.

Wear black.

Wear mis-matched monochromes with uncomfortable looking shoes. For example, grey, khaki, and navy layered tops (bra strap showing, optional), black jeans, high-healed gladiator sandals with a) spikes, b) tassels, c) chains, d) all of the above.

Exist in sizes: 0, 2, 4, or 6.

The wilder the nail color the better.

In all seriousness there really is so much untouched beauty.

We're having a blast over here!!! And not just the people watching... But that's entertaining for these two Americans for now.

We might have found a flat...! I'll keep you posted! We've gotten iPhones (VIBER anyone??) and set up bank accounts. We're adults. That's what we're telling people ;)

There is history around every corner and modern amenities in this bustling metropolis of 13 million people.

I'll post more later to answer many of your questions about moving internationally. But first: putting in an offer on a flat!!

Tomorrow: London

2011-08-16T15:02:00.000+01:00

In the words of The Gypsy Mama:

"And tomorrow I take flight with this team to go and be guests in someone else’s country, community and home. To learn what makes them laugh and where they live and what stories they treasure in their hearts. To share food and faith and look deep into each other’s eyes and discover through the grime and accents and distances that we are all beautiful."

That's why we're going.

We are captivated by the people of this earth. We want to experience and embrace the reality that we are all made in God's image. We want to visit and live - to taste and see that it is good and that we are all beautiful.

technically

2011-08-02T03:46:00.003+01:00

Technically, this is not a new post... I'm just sharing a blog I love and what I'm learning through it - what I want to remember from it:

"But it’s not those occupational demands or our circumstances that make our days crazy or calm. I’m beginning to realize that peace and simplicity is a choice, not something that is handed to you—or not.

It’s in the attitudes I choose, the inspiration I uncover or ignore, the priorities and thoughts and conversations I pick to fill those moments and those hours that make the majority of my days, and—essentially—who I am."

Identity and knowing Who's you are - Who you belong to - makes all the difference. I learned this simple truth as a 19 year old study-abroad student in the South of France:

You can be miserable anywhere - under the best of circumstances. You can happy anywhere - in the worst of circumstances.

Contentment is a choice.

I'll leave you with this from Pinterest (my new fave):

Knowing who you are - and Who's you are - makes all the difference in the world.

hiatus

2011-07-31T20:25:00.001+01:00

Hey! We're in the throes of moving and so the blog will be a bit on hiatus until...

Check back mid-August!

Conversation without Words

2011-07-23T15:32:00.006+01:00

It's been a little heavy on here lately - rightfully so with the move and all, but still. This is just a fun bit from the concert we went to last night at the Tabernacle.

We heard the John Butler Trio - a fanciful, funky, hippie jam band with roots in banjo and appalachian picking. To say that these guys are immensely talented would be an understatement and they put on a great show.

All that to say, I dont know if he loves Jesus, but he has the love part nailed. He gets it. He has this song, titled Ocean, he introduces with this:

"This is a song that says everything I believe about the world and Australia and you and me and the future and love."

Ocean is an instrumental.

It was a conversation without words and it was beautiful. And if you listen to it - it's a happy, complex song - you'd pick up on his worldview. And as I'm thinking about this, hearing it live last night, I think, how amazing would it be, if we - if I - approached life in the same way: conveying our worldview without words but in a way that all nations hear it and receive it.

That could change everything.

{PS. John Butler also said things like we were a love generator and that the energy in this place is electrifying... He also may or may not have used air quotes around the words "their reality" in reference to the matrix we're escaping as we create our own reality... He discussed world politics, religion, honored the soldiers of all flags, and pretty much covered everything in a few short hours. He closed with an attack on big oil saying they need to get their needles out of the arm of beloved Australia and get their fix elsewhere, as they seek to draw out the life blood of mother earth for profit. Just sayin'. But last night rocked.}

Our Story: London, Part 3

2011-07-22T22:15:00.002+01:00

"Let them give glory to the Lord and declare His praises in the islands [UK]" - Isaiah 42:12

We just wanted to be sure, that if anyone hears anything about our story, they know one thing: God made it all possible and deserves all the glory.

God made provision for us financially.

God created community for us in London.

God gave us prayer people, direction, and guidance—He spoke to us through Joshua 3.

God made a way for us and proved Himself faithful.

We just happen to be the grateful recipients of His relentless love.

So now you know the details – well, the basics, at least – of our impending move to London, why we’re going and how it all worked out.

Understanding

2011-07-20T22:24:00.005+01:00

Spiritual Warfare. There are two things warring in my heart, vying for my attention and belief. In which will I choose to daily place my faith?

Understanding: I understand that the beginning of wisdom is admitting: I don't know. I did a whole study on it. According to both the Old and New Testaments, when we admit that we don't have all the answers, we turn our gaze outward seeking truth, we open our minds to God's wisdom and look outside ourselves for insight. This is where wisdom begins. It takes coming to this realization for our hearts and minds to be malleable enough for God to mold with His wisdom - it's a beautiful thing.

Feeling: I feel completely lost. Incompetent. Naive. Inexperienced. Too young. Wrong. Constantly. From the VISAs to the money and budgeting - even to the idea and reality of moving and setting up life on a new piece of earth.

Understanding: I understand that this is exactly where God wants me, that He can teach me things through this season unlike He can in any other. I know that this dependency on Him creates in me an intimate connection with God that I cannot experience apart from it. I am convinced that even in the midst of all these otherwise negative emotions, there is so much more going on here, so much more of the story - my story - being written. There are subtleties that I do not want to miss in the name of self-pity and lamenting.

Feeling: I feel like a little girl. I am old enough but not experienced enough. I have knowledge, but know enough only to be dangerous with the idea of change - not the actual change itself. I am a walking contradiction and am hyper-emotional.

Understanding: I have this mantra running through my head all day - which is only as often as I need to hear it:

"The destination is set, it's how you get there that matters. Will you take time for others, find joy in the journey, and soak up every moment of your time here? Or will you choose to focus on yourself, how hard it is, how little you know, how ill-prepared you are for it all and miss this precious time that you'll never get back?
The choice is yours."

Honestly

2011-07-20T22:05:00.002+01:00

I feel I must be honest with you about this whole moving thing in case any of you attempt this same venture.

First and foremost, I know that this is - without a doubt - exactly what we should be doing exactly when we should be doing it.

But this is how it feels: It feels overwhelming. It feels like much too much. It feels like I have been running a marathon since January and can't catch my breath. On monday, I had a list of things to do so long that when Grant (in an attempt to soothe me) offered to just go see a movie, the thought was immediately rejected by my brain. I couldn't do one more thing. Not even a movie.

It is great to be doing this together - with Grant.

It is nice to know that this is not forever - it is a one time thing with a beginning and an end.

It would be impossible without prayer.

It has made me undeniably dependent on the Lord.

It has humbled me in ways I never could've imagined.

It has already made me better.

Five Minute Friday Link up: Loss

2011-07-15T21:40:00.002+01:00

Want to take five minutes with me and just write without worrying if it’s just right or not? Here’s how we do it:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat with no editing, tweaking or self critiquing.

2. Link back here and invite others to join in {you can grab the button code in my right side bar}

3. Go and tell the person who linked up before you what their words meant to you. Every writer longs to feel heard.

OK, are you ready? Give me your best five minutes for the prompt: LOSS

I feel I am in a bit of a season of loss. My Gram died less than a month ago (I've blogged about it on here). We are closing chapters here in Atlanta - which has been our home for our whole married lives! Today marked my last day working with a company I couldn't believe in more - a job I could't have loved more.

There have been many tears.

Much sadness and grieving and letting go - forcefully sometimes - in loss.

But I have come to found something else to be true. Somehow, there is a great comfort in knowing just how much it all has meant, just how meaningful and transformational and soul-touching and mind-changing and eye-opening and heart-stretching. If it hurts that much to leave, if there is pain associated with the loss, it seems that there is much to be celebrated for how much it all has meant - how precious it really has been.

Without the tears, without the pain, without the beginning and ending, we might not have ever known just the height and width and depth Love could truly be.

So I will be thankful in the midst of loss - not because of it - but because the hurt highlights the healing that has been happening all along.

TIME!

{excerpt}

2011-07-14T22:43:00.002+01:00

This is an excerpt from a message I just wrote. It's been almost a week since I've posted... Sorry! This is my last week working (sad!) and at home we've been up to our eye-balls in paper work, preparing for our move. But I thought I'd post this little excerpt so that you at least have a snippet of my life this week.

"My women's group just recently read For Women Only and discussed the implications in the book and what shocked me most was not the content, but the fact that I had read it before and yet had FORGOTTEN SO MUCH OF IT! I was rereading it thinking,

"OH YEAH! I should do that! How did I forget about that one??!"

So I'm trying to be more mindful of him and his needs and being sweet and expecting the best of him and respecting him and choosing not to argue. My goodness. The world would be a better place if I could be more agreeable ;)

Well, you know how that goes: I treat him better so he treats me better. So we're currently circling cloud 9! Things are great and I feel like we're right where we need to be with each other before this big move. So despite the hectic nature of VISAs etc, I feel calm and grounded.

God is so good to us."

Our Story: London, Part 2

2011-07-08T18:12:00.003+01:00

God is faithful.

Basically, from September 2010 through January 2011, there was something every single month that we prayerfully considered and took into account for preparing to move to London.

Then we read this:
Just know that when God opens up doors for you to step out and be brave, He takes you, moves you, pushes you, changes you, and loves you.
Do it.
When you get the chance, do it.
If you want the chance, ask for it.

So we continued to seriously ask for it. And in prayer, we hear this from the Lord (ref. Psalm 37:4):

What is the desire of your heart? Decide on that desire. Figure it out. I will give it to you and I will receive My glory in its fullness.

Just after Valentine's Day, a word came to us from Joshua 3 - specifically for me and Grant, right now, in our story. We realize that this is not a message for everyone to live by, but is hand picked to reveal something new to us intentionally. There are several main points that surface and come together in my mind, but “leave their tents” and “get their feet wet” were two of the big ones for me and Grant. I apply online that night. Grant applies in March.

Things start to solidify for us.

"And your many hopes
and your many fears
were meant to bring you here
all along…"

Our Story: London, Part 1

2011-07-07T16:03:00.004+01:00

The whole London thing did not just happen. There was a lot of prayer and preparation and listening and waiting.

The Old Testament says over and over again, "Write down and Remember all the Things The LORD has Done for you." We did not want to forget any step of the process [that's my new word]. We did not want to forget all the things the Lord has done, threads He's strung together, doors He's opened and closed, and promises He has placed in our hearts and then fulfilled.

So we wrote it all down along the way.

Sep 2010: Thoughts of living abroad really surface after trip to Italy. I look up everything I can online and we talk about how ACE has an office in London and think and plan—school and work; what options do we have living abroad? We quickly realize that school is the best option to finance the whole thing with student discounts, student housing, and student rates on the Tube and buses.

Sep 17, 2010: A friend announces her plan to live in Scotland for a month on her blog… a pretty sweet idea to us… her reasons for going are simple: seeking, listening, praying, waiting. {she's such an inspiration.}

Oct 2010: We'd kinda been looking to buy a house, but after the 3rd and final house offer Grant’s only comment was, “Does this mean we can’t live in London?” Our hope was still very much alive. And God chose this season to give us wings - the roots would have to wait!

Dec 20, 2010: That same friend, Annie, put words to ~~her~~ our yearnings in this post. I think it’s the best explanation of what we’re looking for, too. {as it turns out, she's going back and we'll be in the UK at the same time!!}

In exactly 30 days, I land in ~~Scotland~~ [we've changed it to London here] for an adventure that I have anticipated, on some deep-in-my-knower levels, for so long I don’t even know how to talk about it.

I have so many questions for God. I hope [London] holds those answers. Maybe not the place itself, but the time. The distance. The lonely moments without any of my friends. The quiet moments. The conversations with the new friends I'll make. Conversations with my God.

So I’ll pack my things and I’ll stuff my questions in side pockets, shoes, and other tiny spaces.

I have questions about art.And creating. And worship. And how life is art and how I want to grow in understanding that.

I have questions about my future. Is it [here]? I hope so. Is it [there]? I hope so. Is it some hybrid of the two + more? Is this trip about clarity or deeper longings? I want to know what’s next.

I have questions about God. And me and God. And who we are as a unit, if that makes any sense at all. I want to know Him and I want to know what our next adventure will be.

I have questions about friendships. About why some work, about why some don’t, about why some have to be sacrificed on the altar of God Knows Best. About how to cultivate the kind of community that breathes really great friendships.

I have questions about my dreams. The ones that I shout from the rooftops and the ones that I barely can whisper to my closest friends.

I have a lot of questions. Many of them I am almost too afraid to ask.

In the end,
I hope I don’t have all the answers.
I hope I am not looking for answers.
I hope, instead, that I can no longer contain the questions.

24 Days

2011-07-06T15:53:00.004+01:00

We're leaving Atlanta in 24 days.

It's so weird to think that we've been here for over 3 years - Grant's been here for over 4! We have had the very best friends one could ask for and have had a community that is like family in this sprawling metropolis. We have started our careers here, we've started our lives together as young newly-weds. We have found two churches that we have loved and a small group that will forever hold a piece of our hearts.

It has been quite a journey.

But this time is quickly coming to an end. 24 more days here. We're making the most of it, seeing the people we really want to spend time with. Living in the present while making arrangements for the future. We'll leave here July 31st, then spend one week in Augusta with Grant's family and a week in Huntsville with mine. Then, Lord willing and the VISAs come through in time...

We'll be moving to London August 16th!!

We're pretty excited about it. The whole process has been absolutely super-natural. This will forever be a testament to God's grace and power and provision in our lives and we will always look back and say, "Look what God did on our behalf."

The Basics:

Who: Lucy and Grant
What: Moving to London
When: August 16th--??? (we're hoping the UKBA grants us VISAs for 18 months... we're also hoping to extend that later... but we'll see!)
Where: London, England (we'll be foreigners and will have to learn all the lingo!)
Why: grad school and life adventure - why not?!

Grant will be getting his MBA from the internationally ranked Hult International Business School (the international business is 5th in the world, according to the latest Financial Times). I'm super proud of him and pumped to embark on this learning experience together!

I will be getting an MA in Publishing Studies from the City University London School of Journalism (google it. I'm psyched at all the press it's received lately!). So that's about it... just finalizing the last of the VISA paper work and sending it off this week!

Pray for the process.
Pray for our families.
Pray for our future home and community.
Pray for our classes and schedule as we make time to explore our new city and take time for us.
Pray for our marriage, that it would infinitely strengthened through the whole deal.
Pray for our minds, that they would be awakened to school work again.
Pray for our hearts, that they would be opened to new faces, places, and cultures.
Pray for our souls, that they would be completely in-tuned with the leadings of the Holy Spirit and that we would remain desperate for more of Him.

5 Minute Friday: Link Up

2011-07-01T20:46:00.003+01:00

Linking up with Gyspy Mama today with her 5 Minute Friday.

Want to take five minutes with me and just write without worrying if it’s just right or not. Here’s how we do it:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat with no editing, tweaking or self critiquing.

2. Link back here and invite others to join in {you can grab the button code in my right side bar}

3. Go and tell the person who linked up before you what their words meant to you. Every writer longs to feel heard.

It’s a great way to exhale at the end of a beautiful week.

Today's Word: "WELCOME"

go...!

Welcome to my mind, where things shuffle through and flip by in ways sometimes even I don't understand.

Sometimes it's like Six Flags with crazy rides flying by at the speed of light, making loops and twists and hardly pausing long enough to grasp.

Sometimes it's like a rolodex rotating through the same thoughts all day: scripture, I love that dress!, work stuff, where is that in the Bible?, paper work, email, prayer, husband, blog, scripture, where the heck did the day go?, what's for dinner?, joy, work stuff, Grant.

Sometimes it's like a box that I put things into, storing up treasures in a safe place, taking them out and pondering them again and again.

Sometimes it's like a garden, planting things that dig deep, take root, and then blossom - some immediately and others years later.

Sometimes it's like a blog post: descriptive and wordy.

Sometimes it's like a movie, things playing and replaying before the screen of my mind's eye.

Sometimes it's a hot mess, where only a book or silence or a movie (if I'm lazy) can give it the time and space to simmer down, become safe enough to touch and mold and open again.

TIME!

I'm not sure any of that is actually "welcoming"... but it sure conveys how my mind works - scary, huh?

I really enjoy reading the link ups on Gyspy Mama's blog. You should check them out and link up, too!

Remembering Lucille Johnson

2011-06-28T15:30:00.007+01:00

This is what Stahler and I read at her Celebration of Life.

We want to tell you about someone who taught us so much about life and love.

This special person—funny, witty, hilarious, and always quick with a smile—rode jet skis with us on the Elk River, zipped across the 100-foot zip-line in the backyard of the house we grew up in, took annual roadtrips to the beach—“just the girls”—and traveled all the way to Alaska and the University for family. This woman was none other than our grandma, Mary Lucille Gann Johnson.

We shared a name—Lucy—and, I’m happy to say, so much more. She was at every dance recital, play or musical, function, ball game, dinner soiree, and parent’s weekend, for as long as I can remember. Driving well into her 80s, she never missed a family occasion. But that’s not why I loved her—though it was certainly and added bonus. I love her for the woman she was—the woman she represented—and the woman she raised my mother and me to be.

She was classy—in the real, genuine sense of the word. She was a child of the Depression, yet she completed higher education—which, for a woman, was before her time. I never questioned her wisdom or counsel. She had advice for every situation—often packaged in zingy one-liners! A few of our family favorites are, “You’ll poke your eye out,” “You’ll freeze your ding dong off,” “Pretty is as pretty does,” “You’ll attract more flies with honey than vinegar,” and, “Kill them with kindness.” Just this week, she told me to be somebody, like my mama and my daddy. She was still encouraging us and comforting us to the end.

She let me sleep over, stay up late, eat peanut butter on everything, beg for water to get out of bed (100x). She taught me the great joy that comes only from eating cornbread with a spoon out of a glass of cold milk or sipping a cold “Co-Cola” straight out of the bottle (the little bottles are the best).

She let me climb too high in the magnolia tree in her front yard, and ride my bike too far through the neighborhood. She let me stay out until twilight in the summer months and would help me chase fireflies with a mason jar well into the moonlit hours of evening.

I wanted to know everything she knew and do everything she did. We spent many days and nights cooking, baking, and exploring the lost arts of crocheting, knitting, conversation, and card-playing. My grandmother was something else. She would teach you how to play a game, then beat you at it all night ;) All in good fun. She also claimed that she wasn't a very good bridge player—though her regular weekly bridge crew would beg to differ.

She was humble. She was generous. She would give and give and give and then give some more if you’d let her. She would fill our mouths full of food, our minds full of thought, our hearts full of love, and our pockets full of treasures. She once gave me one of her dearly beloved Herman’s WWII medals without blinking simply because I’d asked.

When it came to the most important things, Grandmama never held back. Kind words and warm memories were shared around the table as freely and expectedly as fried okra, green beans, boiled new potatoes, asparagus casserole, pot roast, biscuit, and chess pie—a few family favorites. There was a freedom that came when she was near—a comforting safety—that was both merciful and empowering. She taught me much of my basic Bible stories—not in any formal setting, but while we were stirring boiled custard at the stove or washing dishes in the sink.

Her house was like one huge adventure zone for hiding, discovering buried treasure, finding things lost or forgotten, and counting coins. She had a lot of mechanical iron piggy banks, but what intrigued us more than the antique collectors items were the coins inside. She had an awesome collection of pocket change, and we used to get in the floor, all five of us—me, Lucy, mama and daddy, and Gram—and count coins and talk.

I can honestly say I’ve never known any one who valued her family more. This is a priceless gift that she’s passed onto her daughter, her grandchildren, and the rest of her legacy to come.

There is so much to remember, so much to be treasured, and so rich a heritage represented in her life—well-lived and well-deserved. We now have the opportunity to join in with heaven as we celebrate her relationship with Jesus—all glory to God. She is now standing before Him, seeing Him face to face. What a God we serve that He would have mercy on us that, when we were yet sinners, Christ died for our salvation. Death has lost its sting in Christ’s resurrection and we can walk fully in that hope and resurrection power to fear not, for Christ has overcome this world; the grave is not the end, but the beginning of the next and better chapter of our lives, as we dwell in the presence of the Lord eternally.

It will never be the same. We will miss her dearly and will continue to feel the absence of her in our lives, but we’ve been changed for the better because we knew her and she will live on in our thoughts, in our memories, and in our hearts.

She has held and will forever hold an irreplaceable piece of my heart.

We love you, Gram.

Daily Dose of Truth

2011-06-22T16:46:00.003+01:00

I must say, the whole "ask and it shall be given unto you" thing is true, you know (whether you like it or not... as in my case). I have been really praying about the purpose in Gram's painful-kind-of-half-life at this point and God woke me up with answers.

He basically said that He's teaching each of us what we need to learn. For me, that's appreciating the PROCESS of things--all things in life. We live (and I am so geared this way) in an instantaneous world where major decisions are tweeted back and forth and huge things are created and passed on in seconds, it seems, always with the end result in mind. But the growth of a tree, the opening of a flower, and most things in nature take TIME and are a PROCESS. It's like He said to me, "Who the heck cares about the end result if you can't say you witnessed or were a part of the process? The process is your story. The process is your road map. The process is whole deal, and if you miss it you're missing everything. Jesus taught along the way; if you'd have been a disciple, it's like you'd rather have hopped in the car, gotten on the phone, read a blog or sent a message, picked up a starbucks, and then met them and Jesus at the next conference--and MISSED the most intimate teaching times. What the heck?"

Um, ok. Ouch.

So I'm learning about the truly organic, life takes time, joy in the journey PROCESS that makes life worth living (even in death, which is... a process).

He's also teaching me about how selfish I am. So selfish. It's ridiculous, actually. I wonder how mothers purge themselves of this selfishness to be self-sacrificing for their children... then again, it's probably a PROCESS :). At least 90% of my concern for the "timeline" of everything happening to Gram was about her--her pain, her anguish, her ability to have a certain standard of living and keep her dignity. But if I'm honest... hate that... As much as maybe 10% was me. It's too hard FOR ME to be there. It's too difficult FOR ME to think through and participate in. It's taking too long for what I THINK should happen. It'll be a whole different ballgame when she passes, because THEN I'LL begin the grieving process... Ugh. Sin is gross.

So within 2 minutes of that precious, semi-awake morning sleep that happens right before you consciously wake up, God spoke truth into me and lovingly convicted and reprimanded me. And I feel relieved and better about the whole deal, with a new perspective--not only on Gram and all that, but on the darkness lurking in my own heart. Yuck. And praying through removing that with Jesus's help.

The first step? God provided that, too. He's so faithful when correcting us, not to leave us in that pit of yuck. He reminded me of this quote, which I posted here few days ago:

"Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work." --Mother Teresa

SERVICE breaks the bondage of SELFISHNESS. My daddy has told me that for years... "Wanna know how to feel better and quit your own pity party? Find someone else who needs something done, and serve others. You'll forget about yourself and will feel more connected to others in the process." I love my Dad. Anyway, now my Father in heaven has to bring this back to light. So my new thing is, "What can I do for you today?"

I'm working on it... I'm a fussy mess of a work in progress, but such is life--and that makes it better, not worse, believe it or not. Anna read me an excerpt from the book, Jesus Calling today {Thanks, Anna!!}. It says, "Thank Me today for your suffering and your hardships," for in the intimate vulnerability they bring, I can teach you the true gifts of humility and compassion.

Amen.

Mother Teresa

2011-06-13T21:48:00.004+01:00

What a lady - pairing words and wisdom together.

"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies."

"Even the rich are hungry for love, for being cared for, for being wanted, for having someone to call their own."

"Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness." {ouch - that hits close to home!}

"If we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

"Each one of them is Jesus in disguise."

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."

"Intense love does not measure, it just gives."

"Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work."

"The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread."

"Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better, because of them."

"Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within reach of every hand."

"We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass - grows in silence; see the stars the moon and the sun, how they move in silence. We need silence to be able to touch souls."

I want to...

2011-06-13T21:28:00.002+01:00

I want to be thankful everyday.

I want to be faithful in the little things, pay attention to the details of life, and soak in the minutia that will never again exist.

I want to see Jesus in every person.

I want to make time.

I want to find something to love in every heart.

I want to be present.

I want to visit every piece of earth God created and discover the truth and beauty in each culture.

I want a global perspective that is so much bigger than me.

I want to embrace as many arms, kiss as many faces, and hold as many hands as there are orphans.

I want so much more than this life has to offer, but I want to seek and find as much good as there is to witness in this place.

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord's goodness while I am here in the land of the living - Psalm 27:13

Making a Cake

2011-06-09T20:42:00.003+01:00

For our anniversary I cooked a simple but tasty dinner. I had some time before Grant came home, so I was just idly looking through our kitchen cabinets and found a box of cake mix. I had never made a cake—ridiculous, but true. I looked at the box and thought, How hard can it be?

So I mixed the few ingredients together, got out my spring form cake pan, and dug up the cake stand wedding gift we’ve never used. As I checked on the timer and peaked into the oven, I thought, This looks and smells really good. Maybe I can pull this off!

For whatever reason [perhaps I neglected to grease the non-stick pan…] the beautiful cake I pulled out of the oven would not free itself from the container.

It stuck.

And stuck.

And stuck.

By the time I finally scraped the majority of what was formerly known as the cake from the “non-stick” pan, it existed as a heap—a mound of yellow goodness—on the overly adorned cake stand. Ridiculous.

It was not pretty. In fact, it was quite ugly. Trying to ice it only made matters worse.

I was figuring out what to do next when Grant walked in and—much to my surprise and pleasure—began to laugh hysterically! It was perfect. Laughter is salve to the soul. Having never made a cake before he lovingly assured me, “It’s the most beautiful cake you’ve ever made me.”

It tasted like a cake—moist, warm, sweet, and thick. We savored every bite as we ate it in hand fulls through giggles and globs of icing standing barefoot in the kitchen together. Delicious.

This whole cake-making process is such a reflection of our lives together.

We have this awesome adventurous idea of something. In a moment of spontaneity, we set out with determination, learning as we go. Then something ridiculous happens that—if we were other people in another marriage, perhaps—would ruin the whole thing.

It does not look pretty.

It does not turn out the way we thought.

But we laugh.

We have fun through the process. We enjoy it together. And it still tastes just as good—if not better.

Because appreciating the un-perfect, the disappointing, and the minor flaws in our plans is somehow more beautiful than we ever could have planned or made for ourselves.

You see, with us, God has this delightful sense of humor that blesses us in the midst of perceived failure, and as a result, we trust Him more, we love each other more, and we laugh a whole lot more along the way.

That cake was some of the best I’ve ever had. And, for what it’s worth, the best I’ve ever made.

2011-06-06T15:45:00.001+01:00

3rd Annual Celebration of Marriage

2011-05-31T19:00:00.002+01:00

Today marks 3 years of wedded bliss for me and Grant - and it has been awesome. If I could sum up our love in one word it would be: adventurous.

We just came back from 2 weeks abroad and as we explored the Republic of Ireland and the South of England, I just had to marvel at how blessed I am to have him. We'd be on a train or in a car or on a plane, and it would hit me: I get to spend the rest of my life with this guy. He's so easy to be with.

There's a comfortable kind of love that comes with a deepened intimacy that only gets sweeter with time.

Sure, in the beginning who doesn't love the butterflies and jitters that come with new and uncharted territory? But as that season passes, and a new one takes its place, there's a lasting peace and an abiding joy that comes with knowing each other - and being known - on a cellular level and a cosmic one.

This new phase is more of finishing each other's sentences, reading each other's minds, and sharing a whole paragraph in a quick glance or tiny gesture. There is a oneness that I wouldn't trade for all the butterflies in the world!

And yet...

The one who swept you off your feet can do it again and again. He can still surprise you. And when he does, all the jitters and butterflies come flooding back in a heady mixture of together-forever and who-knows-what's-next.

There may be nothing more precious than dancing bare foot together in the kitchen in the dark.

Grant: I've always loved you and I always will.

Sabbatical

2011-05-17T21:24:00.003+01:00

I'll be taking a tiny break from blogging for the next few weeks. But I'll be back with fresh ideas and (hopefully) a renewed perspective on life and writing!

See you in June!

Lucy

Love this...

2011-05-10T21:23:00.001+01:00

Man boys

2011-05-10T15:08:00.002+01:00

Have you encountered the phenomenon of the Man boys?

They are men by age but boys by action.

They are the 29-37 year-olds who still game, who still drink too much, who still party too hard - trying to relive or revive their college experience. They refuse to hold down a legitimate relationship and fill their days with reminiscing and looking backward not forward.

There is a specific breed that reside in Jackson Hole - an enlightening, tongue-in-cheek article about them can be found here.

It's all fun and games and not of any real consequence, except that Andy's recent message highlights this scripture:

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me"
- 1 Corinthians 13:11

He spoke about the importance of putting childish ways behind you, growing up, and taking on the responsibilities of manhood. It was a pretty powerful message. I'm eager to see what his next message highlights.

Do you know any Man boys? Are you dating one? I would advise waiting for the real thing, so if you marry, you'll have hooked your wagon to a man, not a boy still indulging in the ways of childhood.

Lucille's Mountain Top Inn

2011-05-06T17:26:00.004+01:00

I have a fun new place to tell you about: Lucille's Mountain Top Inn. I figured since it's my birthday week and this B&B shares my name, I'd highlight it.

How dreamy is this locale?

you could be here

or here

{there are 10 rooms to choose from}

Nestled at the foot of the Appalatian Mountains, Lucille's is just outside Helen:

and (of course) it has a spa...!

26 years and none the wiser

2011-05-03T19:58:00.004+01:00

Today's my 26th Birthday!

Here are the birth announcements that my Mama made by hand and sent out from our home in Alaska 26 years ago.

My daddy was an Air Force pilot flying A-10s (as pictured) and Mama was a teacher.

A lot has changed since then, but a lot has stayed the same: love, family, hope, joy, and faith.

Royal Wedding!

2011-04-29T20:33:00.004+01:00

Kate's dress was certainly beautiful with classic lines framing her petite figure perfectly. She wowed and waved to the masses of people as they welcomed their new princess with cheers and celebration.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Royal Wedding: Lords and Ladies

2011-04-27T15:37:00.002+01:00

Hello all! I'm not as obsessed as some people about the Royal Wedding this Friday... but, ok, I am a little excited. This doesn't happen every day; it's making history!

Mama sent told me about you have to have a Lord/ Lady name to attend as Gentry, so here's the formula:

Lord/ Lady
+ {a name of a grandparent}
+ {the name of your first pet}
+ hyphen
+ {the name of your first street address}

Mine could be one of the following:

Lady Lucille Lexi-Caplewood

Lady Mary Lexi-Caplewood

Stahler's could be one of the following:

Lord Herman Sasha-Greenwyche

Lord William Ledbetter Sasha-Greenwyche

Mama's would be:

Lady Beulah Fiddles-Madison

Pretty fun! What's yours??

Ok Go!

2011-04-25T14:45:00.002+01:00

Remeber these guys?

Well they have a new vid out that could possibly be my new fave:

Amazing!

Enjoy!

Maybe you can relate...

2011-04-18T16:35:00.003+01:00

7:25 - alarm goes off. Cuss - it's Monday.

7:45 - get up and look for toiletries

8:10 - four boxes later... no shampoo

8:13 - get in the shower... ice cold - look forward to warmth of hair drier

8:19 - shiver out of the shower... no hair drier to be found

8:47 - take care of Georgia. Look for keys

8:52 - no keys... call Grant (they're in his car - where else?) He'll come back home to lock new apartment while I use spare car key to drive to work

9:02 - take wrong turn out of new neighborhood. Realize I am going to be excessively late

9:12-9:37 - hit every.single.stoplight.

9:42 - stop to get ink - big print job at work today

9:59 - get to work. Discover I've left my computer somewhere between the two apartments - probably with my shampoo and hair drier

10:13 - meet Grant to get keys

10:37 - back at apartment. Find computer (and one great dane on our bed... bad girl)

11:09 - back at work

Item - Cost
Stress of moving - 1.5 grey hairs
2 hours in the car - 0.6 tank of gas
Embracing Monday morning with arms wide open - Priceless

Blessings

2011-04-14T19:54:00.002+01:00

Have you heard the song "Blessings" by Laura Story? I love the lyrics:

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

The Bible has so much to say about the "trials of this life, the rain, the storms, the hardest nights" - {James 1:2-4,12, Job 42:12, Matthew 5:10, 1 Peter 1:6-7, 2:19-21, 3:14, 4:1,12-13,16,19, countless others} - producing such good things within us and around us, I have to believe that they are God's "mercies in disguise." My life and the scripture I read have too many examples of this to believe any different.

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-12T21:26:00.002+01:00

We are packing up and clearing out.

This has been a great home to us for three years. I can't help but sing The Jefferson's theme song [Moving on Up!] in my head... but this is no penthouse ;)

The smell of pinesol lemon-freshness is pungent.

Georgia, of course, is completely terrified of the vacuum cleaner {ridiculous}.

I, of course, am completely terrified of the dust bunnies {around every corner}.

I have a mound of laundry to do and all I want to do is watch Netflix.

Ho hum.

Back to cleaning...

... and watching Netflix....

Secrets: Part 3

2011-04-11T04:08:00.002+01:00

There’s a lot to being known—really, truly, on a deep and intimate level being known. But that usually only happens in a very few relationships over the span of a lifetime and under the veil of mutual trust and intimacy.

Facebook, twitter, blogs, and other social media would like you to believe otherwise: “Share every detail of your entire life with everyone—immediately!” it screams.

But you and I know better.

What would you rather discover: the details of everything your friend ate last night on her facebook status; yet another link shared by your friend on twitter; the announcement of a big event in your friend’s life—complete with pictures—on her blog; or a quiet conversation with your friend that no one will probably ever know about, discussing the details (big and small) of a piece of her life that very few others may ever get?

My friend Ben Reed already said it: blogging’s not cool anymore; too many people are saying too many things.

The speakers at Catalyst said it: slow down and quit posting your life before it happens.

Beth Moore said it at the Deeper Still conference: (re)learn the art of treasuring things in your heart (Luke 2:19, 51b)—don’t give the things meant to be treasured away to the noise and chaos of the world.

And now I’m saying it: there are secrets worth seeking out, hidden treasures, worth discovering—there are truths that God alone allows us to find.

I would rather know the well-kept secrets of a few good friends than the minute-by-minute life of a once-friend. Secrets grab something inside of us. Knowing that there's more - if only you could seek it out - makes you more involved than you would be otherwise; makes you invest more, care more, listen more. I think that's the point - and that's why "it gives God glory" to keep secrets.

Grant and I have a secret (no, we’re not pregnant). A few good friends will know it and the rest may discover it after the fact.

What conversation are you dying to hear?

What secrets of God are you seeking out?

Do you have secrets that only you and your friends/family treasure in your heart?

Secrets: Part 2

2011-04-08T14:10:00.002+01:00

There’s a scriptural basis for this notion of secrets.

God has secrets (Deuteronomy 29:29, Psalm 25:14, Job 11:6a, Revelations 10:4, 1 Corinthians 2:10)—hidden treasures (Isaiah 45:3, Romans 11:33, Colossians 2:3). We can seek them out (Proverbs 3:32b, Proverbs 8:17, Jeremiah 29:13, Matthew 7:7).

We are hidden in Him (Psalm 17:8, Psalm 31:20, Psalm 27:5, Isaiah 49:2, Colossians 3:3). He delights in the intimacy we share, “You are My private garden, My treasure, My bride, a secluded spring, a hidden fountain” (Song of Solomon 4:12).

Wisdom is hidden (Job 28:20-21).

Manna is (still) hidden away (Revelation 2:17).

His power is hidden (Habakkuk 3:4).

God has had a secret plan since the beginning of time (Romans 16:25b, 1 Corinthians 2:7, 1 Corinthians 12:1, 1 Corinthians 13:2, Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:26-27).

There is a secret place of the Most High God (Psalm 91:1).

God says, “I will tell you new things, secrets you have not yet heard,” (Isaiah 48:6b) revealed like a “secret whispered in [your] ear” by God (Job 4:12). Just ask Him (Jeremiah 33:3).

He loves a good secret. In fact, “It is the glory of God to hide things in secret; the glory of kings to seek the matter out” (Proverbs 25:2).

How does it make you feel to know that it is the glory of God to keep secrets? It makes me eager to get on with finding them out.

I picture Him up there excitedly hiding Easter eggs like a child, vibrating with anticipation at which of His children will take the time to seek them out - to know the Lord and discover His secrets.

Secrets: Part 1

2011-04-06T21:15:00.002+01:00

Father and son

At lunch today, I listened as the guy behind the counter called to most everyone who walked in by their first name—and smiled. Joe is very friendly and he, like the place, is loud. Several TVs with mostly sports and news were on and people sat around crowded tables conversing—happy to have a place to sit in the lunch rush.

The tables are close together, and I ended up sitting perpendicular to a father and son.

Their body language suggested the intensity and trust that comes only through that unique relationship (another post for another day). They were leaning towards one another over the table, arms folded comfortably on the table’s edge, and their eye contact was unyielding in an urgent but completely loving and accepting kind of way. There was a sports highlights reel playing, a pretty girl who walked by, and continual motion all around them—but it seemed that they were completely unaware of it.

They were honed in on one thing: their own private conversation.

This kind of intentionality is distinct in and of itself in this age where phones serve as mini-computers that constantly buzz, vibrate, and ding with social media’s latest distraction—there were no phones on the table that I could see. But their personal connection or lack of disturbance was not what drew me (not usually an eavesdropper) to their conversation.

It was their quietness—their stillness—and the distance between them and the world.

They were talking the entire time… I just couldn’t hear what they were saying. And that intrigued me.

I could hear 18 other conversations, but the one I wanted to hear was precisely the one I couldn’t.

They modeled what you and I already know: there is something more attractive than the obvious, than the easy, than the amplified. Less is more and sometimes the hidden things, the secret things, the treasures that you store up in your family or for yourself can be the most important, leaving the world in the dark.

There’s a scriptural basis for this notion.

Updates

2011-04-06T16:00:00.002+01:00

1. We've been so busy!

2. We've found a new apartment! It's near where we are now - not too much of a change, but looking forward to our new digs.

3. Grant's mama and my mama have had birthdays! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

4. Last weekend we spent Sunday in Helen, GA with Grant's family - it was so nice hanging out!

5. This weekend, we're headed to the lake - and hopefully seeing my parents.

6. Coco and I have a standing Tuesday night date - we're going to try out all the places on Scoutmob until we've been all over the city trying chic new places for 50% off. Last night we went to Gekko Sushi in Old Fourth Ward - awesome! We tried 3 different rolls, fried cheesecake and fried bananas, a la mode. Scrumptious!

7. Our small group is doing a study of Song of Solomon and we're loving it.

8. It's spring break around here - several friends are on mission trips!

9. I have the best husband in the world.

10. We have so much stuff to pack up before we move the 15-16th... I should get back to packing...

Weekend Update

2011-03-28T18:11:00.004+01:00

This weekend was crazy busy but filled with fun.

Friday Grant and I headed to the lake - moved a dresser and lots of clothes (no more packing to take off to the lake! we have stuff there permanently!) We woke up, got in the hot tub in the early morning grey, over looking the water - perfection.

At Grandmama's house in Athens, we found some photos of Mama and Daddy in college - so fun! - some letters from Granddaddy to Grandmama during the War - priceless - and other memorabilia from mine and Stahler's childhood - precious. All in all, we worked a lot, played a lot, and laughed a lot.

Back in Huntsville and showered, we 5 visited Grandmama at Big Springs before heading to dinner at Watercress - delectable! - where we celebrated both Stahler's and Mama's birthdays (March 7th and April 4, respectively).

My longtime friend, Tinsley Davidson, is getting married! To help her celebrate, Grant and I attended an engagement party in her honor on Saturday night.

Isn't she lovely?

We think so, too!

The party was lovely and we got to see a bunch of old friends and reconnect with several family friends I hadn't seen in ages.

Sunday morning we went to my parent's Sunday School class and heard Mark Stearns speak about a local mission opportunity. Lincoln Village is a rough patch of Huntsville that one could never know exists, never know needs help, never know could be redeemed. It's awesome and I completely support what they're doing. Check it out - they are truly being Christ's hands and feet on this one: http://www.lincolnvillageministry.com/Home.html

After lunch and seeing Grandmama again, my friend Emily had a baby shower for her soon-to-be son, Lochlan Edward {I love that name. lovelovelove it!}. We had the best time.

I gave her the Anthropologie pop-up book: The Little Prince. It was Em's favorite in high school French.

Loch will certainly be a little, awesome, rough-and-tumble prince.

So that was our packed-to-the-max weekend.
Huntsville still feels like home.

Piping Hot Starbucks

2011-03-25T15:34:00.003Z

This was painful to experience but funny to write about. Here's a peek into my day.

Sometimes (against Grant's wishes and my better judgment) I go to the Starbucks drive through in the morning on the way to work.

Do they have exceptional service? Not particularly.

Do they have exceptional coffee? Not really.

But they are on the way to work and that's about it: convenience wins.

This morning, they filled my grande skinny vanilla latte to the brim (and then some). I asked for two splendas and got them with no stirrer and no napkin. I proceeded to pull out of the line and to the parking lot exit, where I thought I would doctor my coffee.

Nope.

Someone was immediately behind me - and waiting to pull out on a Friday morning at 8:00 does not make for a happy driver. So I exited the parking lot and pulled up to the red light.

I thought I'd just slip the lid off, dump in my splenda, replace the top smoothly, and continue with my morning.

Not happening.

What did happen was this: at the hint of freedom, the coffee ~~spilled~~ raced over the edges of the cup, drenching me, my jeans, my car, my seat, and even my shoes with scalding hot coffee and foam - lots of foam.

It was completely ridiculous. My mind jumped for a moment to that lawsuit about the guy in the McDonald's drive thru... it made me laugh.

I did, however, have to return home before work - I was not going in with a coffee-smelling stain on my jeans... and my shirt... and my shoes....

Happy Friday!

Jeremiah 17:7-8

2011-03-21T14:05:00.002Z

But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.

The Ever-Illusive Perfect Moment

2011-03-16T19:16:00.004Z

Do you ever have those purely perfect moments?

Each of these moments have happened over the past couple of months for me, and despite the circumstances—grandmother in poor health, Grant studying intensely for the GMAT, people not making room for us in their lives, continually searching for a new place to live as we prepare to move out of our apartment—they have provided me with a little peace and a lot of perspective. Most days, things aren’t all good and they certainly aren’t all bad, just busy and tiresome—but these moments bring me back to the love story into which my Love has called me… and it’s perfect.

Like when you’re driving in your car on the first day of spring—windows down, sunroof open, and the heat's on (because it’s not really warm enough yet). Your favorite song is on the radio and you singing loudly, hair flowing wildly—you don’t care. It’s the kind of freedom that brings back the vitality of youthfulness and sheer joy; the kind of rare liberation that takes you to a time and place where you had less responsibility, fewer obligations, and a more open calendar—a simpler time that you can only taste again for a moment… and it’s perfect.

Like when you wake up on Christmas morning and you look outside and see—much to your surprise—thick tufts of snow coming down, covering a winter wonderland. White snow blankets everything in sight, making it clean and pure… and it’s perfect.

Like when you take the first sip of coffee of the morning, sitting out on your back porch with a blanket and a good book, ready to wrap yourself in the warmth of the still quiet and crisp pages. You can escape for just a moment… and it’s perfect.

Like enjoying a really great date, and after dinner, drinks, and easy conversation for hours, it starts to sprinkle. As you dash out towards the car he grabs you and reminds you that he can still surprise you. He sweeps you up in a kiss in the rain. The world stops for a minute… and it’s perfect.

Like when you’re determined to hike a mountain to watch the sunrise and you step out into the early-morning grey, anticipating nothing more than a little exercise. As you climb, you realize that God is painting a picture just for you. And with every minute and each step His brush creates a new color—each one more stunning than the last. And as you reach the summit, breathless, the sun bursts forth in all its radiance. His love is relentless and overwhelming… and it’s perfect.

Like when you realize that you two have created an elegant dance out of your morning ritual—like two planets in orbit that move in relation to one another, pulled ever close by patterns and habit. The comfortable ease that exists between you makes even the most basic of things special. And as you brush your hair, and he his teeth, the loveliness of it washes over you and you realize in that moment what love looks like … and it’s perfect.

I think moments like these, however few and far between—and illusive—can give us enough perspective to continue on in the day-to-day. I think they give us peace and contentment and joy even in the midst of joyless circumstances. I think they provide our souls with a little piece of heaven and our minds with a respite long enough for a reprieve. I think they give us the ability to breathe deeply, if but only for a moment, savoring the present, regardless of the past and (especially) the future.

I will accept these little moments as gifts and treasure them away in my heart (Luke 2:19; 51b).

What are some of your perfect moments?

Words of Wisdom from My Grandmama

2011-03-15T20:03:00.001Z

My grandmother once told me a lesson that pertained to both cooking and life:

“All you need is a little water, a little butter, and a little salt.”

That quote has become a family favorite for some time now, because it’s so simple and so true. The cooking application is easy—with those three ingredients you can enjoy most vegetables and many cuts of meat. The life part is a bit less obvious, but equally important.

A little water
Water is a powerful, life-altering phenomenon that affects so many different aspects of the world we live in; yet in its simplicity we find complexity. The same water that can nurse a small plant into health can cause devastation and destruction in the form of natural disasters. Too little, and things will wither away; too much and they will drown. There is an amazing equilibrium and tension even that comes into play with water. One of the few molecules that expands when it freezes, water is a truly exceptional thing.

A little water, to me, represents the right amount of water needed to sustain our lives. What is essential to our lives, I believe, is the water that comes in baptismal rebirth, the cleansing power of tears, the healing process of purifying past wounds, and learning from the unstoppable tide that rolls in and out—ebbing and flowing and teaching us about the seasons of life, love, and loss.

A little butter
Butter is produced out of a process of churning—a flavorful substance that comes out of much toil and work to better the taste of the current meal or saved with the foresight of meals to come; however, there is a shelf-life on butter. It’s a continual cycle of working, producing, enjoying, saving, using, and repeating. Out of an uncomfortable and undesirable process comes something worth savoring—there’s a life lesson in that.

A little butter means knowing the difference between a flavorful addition to a meal and fatal amounts of an otherwise good thing. It represents knowing the difference between work that produces something worth savoring and empty work.

We need a little butter in our lives. We need to recognize the long-term benefit of purpose-filled work that produces a seemingly small supplement to a seemingly bigger thing. We need to take pause—to stop long enough to enjoy the short-term rest and sabbath that can come in small packages. We need to appreciate the cyclical nature of sowing and reaping that may continue throughout life because it is good to work with perseverance and good to relish things with true value.

A little salt
Jesus says that “salt is good for seasoning” and we are the “salt of the earth” (Luke 14:34a; Matthew 5:13a). Salt is one of the oldest, most basic, and plentiful elements on the earth and is distinctive among other spices. Like water and butter, salt is essential for animal life in small quantities, but is harmful to life in excess. Salt helps in preserving things; it makes food last longer. Salting involves looking into the future and perhaps forfeiting the short-term for the long-term satisfaction.

To me, a little salt means making the most of some things now, remaining faithful and distinctive as a follower of Christ, and having the foresight to preserve or protect some things meant only for future enjoyment.

There is so much wisdom in my Grandmother’s simple little saying. I hope to internalize what she meant to impart to me and remember to add “a little water, a little butter, and a little salt” to all the areas of my life.

The Pioneer Woman comes to Atlanta!

2011-03-11T18:45:00.002Z

A blog that many of us follow and have for years is that of Ree Drummond, aka the Pioneer Woman. She has written several books--a cookbook, a children's book, and most recently a love story based on her real-life romance!--but she claims she wrote them "by accident" meaning she blogged them first and happened to collect the pieces along the way!

She lives on a ranch in Oklahoma ("Okalhoma, OK!"... anyone... Bueller...?) with her honey (aka "Marlboro Man") and her 4 lovely children--2 boys and 2 girls. She's really funny and very insightful and writes about everything... seriously... everything. If you're new to the blogging world, you'll definitely want to check her out. She is a mainstay of bloggy goodness.

She is coming to Atlanta tonight! as part of her book tour and I will get an autograph and hopefully a pic with her. She's ultra-cute and has deep red hair that I adore. She seems great on her blog, so it will be fun to meet her in person.

Happy Friday and have a wonderful weekend!

Mint.com

2011-03-02T19:07:00.002Z

Mint.com is my new favorite website. It tracks EVERYTHING - every online account you have, 401k, investments, payments, debt, etc... All in one place. This is great for us especially right now, because we have half of our accounts switched over to Wells Fargo, and several still through Wachovia.

Mint's amazing. You can track spending trends, set goals, and figure out a budget that works. It has pie charts and graphs and transaction ledgers - you can view them all together or separate by account, type, category of expense... Me oh my! The list goes on.

One of my favorite features is the "split" feature. It allows you to view a transaction... like "Walmart $106.29" and split it up by category according to amount: $10.12 groceries; $24.57 home goods; $14.00 meds/pharmacy; and $57.60 electronics... Amazing.

I always used to get mad at budgeting (even though I know how important it is). I would still dread doing it because, a) it was time consuming and, b) I never could get all those categories to accurately represent how we really spent.

No longer!

Mint.com is my new best friend and is really helping us get extra-set for traveling to the UK in May.

!!!!!

Confession

2011-03-01T02:07:00.005Z

I'm reading Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow right now and I'm loving it! She hooks you from the very beginning, quoting a missionary who made a vow not to complain (even about the weather)... powerful stuff.

I had a pretty sucky day - you name it and it all came at me at once today - but in keeping with all that I'm learning from this book, I decided not to list my complaints, but instead list my confessions. When was the last time we actually confessed our sins? Other than Catholics, I don't know many who do this. We might admit to a past sin; now that we're all saved and fire-proofed, we can mention it without pause. But what about the sin we're walking around in right now?

I had quite a list - selfish, disrespectful, impatient, slow to forgive and quick to get angry, unloving - this is the abridged version; the real one is 4+ pages long.

So what's the point? to wallow in some sin and shame and guilt? ABSOLUTELY NOT. It's to remind myself a) of the importance and place that confession has (a discipline God tells us to do for our own benefit), and b) to never believe the lie that I'm "kinda doing ok" with sin - like I can "manage" it somehow without actually having to confess or own up to it. That's the worst. You know who that characterizes in the Bible? The Pharasees. I do not want to look in the mirror and see a Pharasee.

The whole point of confessing is fully owning up to it so that the next step - a crucial one to the process - repentance can be fully embraced. If you never quite admit that you did something wrong, it's hard to fully turn from what you didn't exactly claim to have done. It's a healthy part of the whole spiritual wellness thing if we truly move from confession to repentance and walk fully in the forgiveness that we know we've had since Christ said, "It is finished," over 2000 years ago.

It was done then and it is done now. We are forgiven. Period. Someone once said that living in sorrowful guilt (which is NOT what God intended as part of the process of maturation) is like hanging Jesus back on the cross every time you sin, and then begging for the forgiveness He's already given you. He was crucified once. He was buried once. He is resurrected. He is risen. And if we believe, our old selves are crucified with Christ and it is not us who live, but Christ in us, living and accomplishing His will for our lives.

All that to say, it was a really great exercise: instead of listing my complaints to God, I confessed my many sins and shortcoming before God. He already knew. They're already forgiven. I'm fully accepted. I'm loved unconditionally.

It turned around my sucky day and I feel better and a wee bit more mature in my faith. It moved me from a "I'm mad because the world owes me and things should be better than all this" list to a "I'm grateful that You love me and give freely of Your life and love and grace" list - a vast improvement.

London

2011-02-28T05:25:00.001Z

Me: What are you most looking forward to about London?

Grant: Dancing on roof tops with brooms.

Me: ...

Grant: Watching nannies come in and out with the changing wind.

I love my husband so much. He gets me.

fun

2011-02-27T14:40:00.002Z

Grant and I have had so much fun over the past few days.

Thursday we headed to 5 Paces to support a charity event benefitting the Susan G. Komen search for the cure. A few of our friends - Kellan,Rob, and another guy - played and sang everything from Jack and Diane to Rihanna and Bribed. It was immensely entertaining and the singing wasn't bad either.

Friday night we set my friend Coco up with one of my boss's friends, Matt. The six of us went to dinner in the Highlands at Surin of Thailand first around eight. It was really good and the portions were so big we each had a little of everyone else's. Very tasty. Around ten we made our way to Dark Horse Tavern for a few low key drinks only to discover that in the basement they had live rock band karaoke. This was not the game, but a real live rockin' band and when you sing you are the lead singer. To say it was amazing would be an understatement. We. Were. Rockstars. Shannah sang "Welcome to the Jungle," Matt sang "Bohemean Rhapsody," I sang "Anyway You Want It," and Coco sang "Living on a Prayer." All were crowd pleasers. We're trying to immediately set up when we're going back.

Saturday, Coco and I met up with Leen in Piedmont park. We ran into the Altmixes in the dog park where Georgia and Stella got some play time and headed over to Park Tavern for a leisurely late lunch in the sun. Phenom.

Saturday night we went to dinner with Brian and Kendra at Noche in the Highlands. It was really good. They serve tapas, so again we got to taste a little bit of everything and it was mmm mmm good.

This morning we're going to Grace Midtown and after the past few days, I'm seriously questioning why we don't just move yo Midtown. Well, out lease is up in April, so maybe we'll see!

What have you been up to lately?

Moses and Joshua

2011-02-21T16:40:00.009Z

We know pretty well the story of God parting the Red Sea to save Moses and the Israelites from impending death as they escape from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 14:13-31).

Some take aways from this miracle:

It took the faith of one man: Moses
It took space - the people stood back and watched from a distance
It took time - "the wind blew all that night" (v. 21)

The story we hear less about is the second time God parts the waters for the salvation of His people Israel (Joshua 3). When God moves He ~~rarely~~ never does the same thing twice; so, even though these two stories are similar, there are striking differences.

This took the faith of the leader, Joshua, the 12 leaders of the 12 tribes and the levitical preists
This was a much more close encounter: the people had to leave their camp and come to the water's edge and the priests had to get their feet wet (v.14, 8)
This was immediate - "as soon as the feet of the priests touched the water... [it] backed up a great distance..." (v.15-16)

What can we learn from this? God is faithful; He will move on our behalf and to His great glory; earlier in our walk He may show up in huge ways that require very little on our part; as we mature and walk deeper into sanctification He may ask more on our part - more faith, more commitment - we may have to get our feet wet before we even see a hint of the miracle to come, but He is able and powerful to move and He will make a way where there was no way before (Psalm 77:19b).

In case you're wondering,
What's His motivation...? I mean, other than the fact that miracles bring glory to His name, why would He move on my behalf?

The answer is simple:
"He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me." (Psalm 18:19)

Speaking of Love

2011-02-18T16:30:00.003Z

Brandon and Elizabeth are getting married this weekend! Grant's in the wedding and we're headed out of town today at lunch. The place where they're getting married is beautiful and the whole ceremony, reception and weekend should be pretty awesome.

In the words of my infinitely wise (and newly engaged) friend, Megen:
"Weddings are the best!"

Amen.

Valentine Repost

2011-02-17T20:25:00.002Z

Remember this from last year's Valentine's Day?

valentine 2/14/2010

a note from mama today:
-------------------------------------

Way back when, Warne wrote me the following little verse:

If I could make us something else
to be forever more,
I'd make us two forgotten spoons,
left cuddling in a drawer.

Today, I woke up to find this poem from my love:

My Valentine 2/14/2010

When I was 19 years of age
I wrote a poem for you,
A simple statement of my love,
a rhyming line or two;

I hoped we'd be forgotten spoons
left cuddling in a drawer.
Now years have passed and I can say
It's all been so much more.

We've flown, and grown, and lived a life
together, you and me,
that most folks only dream about
but never comes to be.

So here we are, and life is good
and love grows even stronger,
and these two spoons, while not forgotten,
will cuddle much, much longer.

-------------------------------------
my father is a really really good man. i'm thankful, grateful, and proud to have grown up surrounded by their love. what a testimony.

Bonus Round Answers

2011-02-16T16:21:00.002Z

a) Lovely Rita
b) Martha My Dear
c) Old Brown Shoe

Hope you all had a lovely Valentine's Day and can really feel the love with all the Beatles lyrics. I know I can!

Beatles Love Song Trivia – Answers!

2011-02-15T14:10:00.003Z

Here they are!

1. Because
2. All You Need is Love
3. All My Loving
4. And I Love Her
5. Dear Prudence
6. Do You Want to Know a Secret
7. Don’t Let Me Down
8. Eight Days a Week
9. Good Day Sunshine
10. Got to Get You Into My Life
11. Hallelujah! I Love Her [this was originally written by Ray Charles, but is performed by the Beatles on Anthology 1... tricky tricky]
12. Hello Little Girl
13. Here, There, and Everywhere
14. I Saw Her Standing There
15. I Want to Hold Your Hand
16. I Will
17. It Won’t Be Long
18. Like Dreamers Do
19. Love Me Do
20. Real Love
21. She Loves You
22. She’s a Woman
23. Something
24. The Word
25. The End

And here's a helpful article about the songs of the Beatles. Enjoy!

PS: As a replacement for #11, here's a bonus round:

a) When it gets dark I'll tow your heart away

b) Silly girl
Take a good look around you
Take a good look you're bound to see
That you and me
Were meant to be
For each other
Silly girl

c) I may appear to be imperfect
My heart is something you can't reject
I'm changing faster than the weather
If you and me should get together
Who knows baby
You may comfort me
I want that love of yours
To miss that love is something I'd hate
I'll make an early start
I'm making sure that I'm not late

Beatles Love Song Trivia – Valentine’s Day 2011

2011-02-14T19:23:00.006Z

See if you can guess the titles of these 25 Beatles' Songs. Happy V Day!

1. Love is old
Love is new
Love is old
Love is you

2. Love
Love
Love

3. Close your eyes and I’ll kiss you
Tomorrow I’ll miss you
Remember I’ll always be true

4. A love like ours
Could never die
As long as I
Have you near me.
Bright are the stars that shine
Dark is the sky
I know this love of mine
Will never die

5. The sun is up
The sky is blue
It’s beautiful
And so are you

6. Listen
Do you want to know a secret
Do you promise not to tell
Closer
Let me whisper in your ear
Say the words you long to hear
I’m in love with you!

7. I’m in love for the first time
Don’t you know it’s gonna last
It’s a love that lasts forever
It’s a love that has no past

8. Love you everyday, girl
Always on my mind
One thing I can say, girl
Love you all the time

9. Then we lie
Beneath a shady tree
I love her and she’s loving me
She feels good
She knows she’s looking fine
I’m so proud to know that
She is mine

10. Oh! You were meant to be near me
Oh! And I want you to hear me
Say we’ll be together
Everyday

11. Let me tell you about a girl I know
She’s my baby and I love her so
Every morning when the sun comes up
She brings me coffee in my favorite cup

12. I often wonder
What you’re thinking of
I hope it’s me
And love, love, love

13. I want her everywhere
And if she’s beside me I know I need never care
But to know her is to need her
Everywhere
Knowing that love is to share
Each one believing that love never dies
Watching her eyes
And hoping I’m always there

14. Well she looked at me
And I, I could see
That before too long
I’d fall in love with her
She wouldn’t dance with another
When I saw her standing there

15. And when I touch you I feel happy inside
It’s such a feeling that my love
I can’t hide, I can’t hide, I can’t hide

16. Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we’re together
Love you when we’re apart

17. So everyday we’ll be happy I know
I’ll be good like I know I should
You’re coming home
You’re coming home

18. You came just one dream ago
And now I know
That I will love you

19. Love, love me do
You know I love you
I’ll always be true
So please
Love me do

20. From this moment on I know
Exactly where my life will go
Seems that all I really was doing
Was waiting for love

21. She says she loves you
And you know that can’t be bad
Yes, she loves you

22. Only ever has to give me
Love forever and forever
My love don’t give me presents…

23. Something in the way she moves
Attracts me like no other lover
Something in the way she woos me…

24. It’s so fine
It’s sunshine
It’s the word: Love

25. And in the end the love you take
Is equal to the love you make

V'Day Coming Up!

2011-02-12T17:53:00.002Z

Well, my hunny bunny made me breakfast this morning... awesome. We had eggs and bacon and the wonderful aroma that lingers smells oh so good. He also cleaned up and washed the dishes--quite the catch! I know!

I sent out Valentine's Day cards today. I got excited over selecting and writing the few we sent out, like a little kid in grade school. It was fun!

Thankful for all the love that we are surrounded by, lavished with, given freely, and get to call home. Life is good and God is great.

Jeanette Miller

2011-02-11T15:44:00.002Z

A beautiful pillar of strength and grace passed into the arms of Jesus yesterday. She's survived by her husband Doug, and their two teenage children.

As hard as it is for those of us left behind when a loved one passes, Jeanette is now living in true glory and is praising God face-to-face, not with sadness or regret--only love. Jeanette and I talked and prayed a lot over the issue of peace and rest. Now she has both, thanks be to God.

It's interesting to me, but not at all surprising, that many of the verses God gives us about peace involve also our hearts. I think He knows how much the two are connected and I know that there is an emotional response in our hearts to the peace that comes only from Christ. Here are a few verses I'm praying and using to renew my mind with Truth as I honor and remember Jeanette, seeking out God's peace and searching for His voice to comfort my heart:

Jeanette
Isaiah 57:1-2
Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.

Revelation 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!"

2 Timothy 4:5b-8a
... Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you [what a ministry Jeanette had to me, to her family, to each of us who knew her. What a walking example of the Good News that comes in Christ alone]. As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God.... I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me--the crown of righteousness, which the Lord will give me on the day of His return...

Rest
Hebrews 4:10
For anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from His.

Comfort
Isaiah 49: 9b-10
The Lord says..."Come out into freedom!"... They will neither hunger nor thirst. The searing sun will not reach them anymore. For the Lord in His great mercy will lead them; He will lead them beside cool waters [and give them comfort and rest].

Peace
Philippians 4:7
You will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Isaiah 48:18b (Jeanette heard and listened to the Lord)
... you would have peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea.

John 14:27
I {Jesus} am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid.

John 16:30
I {Jesus} have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world!

Colossians 3:15
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

May the Lord be with your spirit. And may His grace be with all of you (2Tim 4:22).

We love you, Jeanette. Amen.

The King's Speech

2011-02-09T21:59:00.004Z

I finally saw this movie yesterday. A+mazing.

Why hadn't I seen this sooner? I'm afraid I can't quite do it justice--it was good beyond words--but I will give you my two cents.

Stellar cast, great plot (based on a true story), and incredible characters. Bertie (short for Albert) is an unlikely hero whose stammer keeps him on the verge of fear and failure both politically and personally. The cause and genesis of his stutter is discovered through a series of unorthodox practices implemented by an eccentric speech pathologist Lionel Loague; the process is as humorous as it is revealing. As you witness Bertie's successes and minor set backs you find him to be, in fact, quite brave. It is this very visible internal struggle--the fear and the courage--that endears him to you.

I must say that the other elements that provide the backdrop and setting for the storyline are unexpectedly poignant: England on the brink of war, the commoners and the royalty, and perhaps most significant, the passing of duty and expectation from father, to son, and finally to brother.

But what kept me fighting back tears most were the actual words themselves in his speech at the end. Uttered so long ago, they still hold the weight that resonates when a leader with integrity, overcoming adversity, speaks on the issues of honesty, loyalty, impending chaos, and the faithfulness of God. As the screen shifts back and forth between the man who had conquered so much of the war inside himself and the people--the soldiers, the mill workers, the newsies on the streets--it is impossible to deny the perplexing and integral courage that both the man and the country are forced to exude in the face of possible defeat and failure. As history shows, both prevail in the end, but the journey is long and the cost is great.

This brilliant story is made all the more rich by a cast who portray the characters with a humble humanness and promising poise. I have rarely been this inspired to be better. I already want to see it again. Two thumbs up!

Steph

2011-02-08T15:44:00.003Z

Steph Underwood is my hero.

She's pretty great. Those of you who know her probably know how smart and gorgeous and kind and generous she is, but you may not know what a joy she is to be with--just be with. She's incredibly easy to be with. And I've found that this is a rare and beautiful trait.

There are people you enjoy lunching with, or just having coffee and a quick catch up. There are others that you enjoy in a deeper more intimate setting, like a bible study or church. There are some you look forward to seeing weekly--and perhaps others that you'd rather enjoy in smaller doses. There are people you love to travel with or spend weekends with; there are some you want at your parties because they're fun and others you'd prefer for more laid back times because they are ok with being still and allowing the conversation to lull into comfortable silence.

Steph is that rare breed that you want in all of the above mentioned circumstances.

I love her very much and am eternally grateful for her friendship.

Follow up

2011-02-04T16:34:00.002Z

Everything's GREAT! I can totally see, which is a miracle itself! Mama, Grandmama, Grant, and Georgia have been excellent nurses ;)

Yesterday I got to go to prayer--awesome--and take mama for the first time to meet everyone in the group--including Patti and Marty and Miss Betty and many many others. It was great and she loved it.

Now I'm off to play with Steph and (assuming I don't get snowed in at her house) I'll get to see Nida Sunday and hug her neck! Which is a much needed play date.

LASIK is awesome and everyone should get it! Don't wait a minute longer if you need corrective vision.

Intralase LASIK

2011-02-02T16:24:00.003Z

Today I will be given new eyes, Lord willing. I'm pretty pumped. They have this new technology which makes Intralase a "bladeless" procedure. I think the idea is that they use air pressure to separate tissues, rather than having a blade cut through the eye tissues. Whatever. I try not to think about all that too much. It should be quick and painless (15 min per eye!) and I should have 20/20 or better vision TOMORROW! For someone with eyes as bad as mine (-4.00, -4.75) that is good news, my friend.

Click here to see where I'm getting it done and here for an explanation of what it is (it's not gross, I promise; I wouldn't be able to post it if it were). Pretty awesome!!

Mama and Grandmama are coming to play with me for the next few days and then I'm headed to TN/KY to play with Steph!! Can't wait!

More on the results after my 1:00 procedure!!!!!

-L

Go Ask Alice

2011-01-29T23:06:00.004Z

Go Ask Alice is a new book I simply cannot put down. It is published anonymously and the note from the editors tucked just behind the title page is what initially caught my eye. It reads:

Go Ask Alice is based on the actual diary of a fifteen-year-old drug user.

It is not a definitive statement on the middle-class, teenage drug world. It does not offer any solutions.

It is, however, a highly personal and specific chronicle. As such, we hope it will provide insights into the increasingly complicated world in which we live.

Names, dates, places and certain events have been changed in accordance with the wishes of those concerned.

I'm hooked. I have been for 100 pages and will probably finish it tonight.

I think it should be required reading for high schoolers. It's that good... and that bad... and totally true.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVAN!

2011-01-28T16:12:00.004Z

Today Evan is 19! What a mile stone.

Evan's been living with us since September and we're pretty glad he was born! We hope he feels loved and celebrated this and every day!

10 Things you should know about E:

1. Evan is really funny and has a great sense of humor, laugh, and smile.

2. Evan loves to game--he and Grant and Stahler have logged in many hours playing a game I cannot for the life of me remember the name of, but it involves strategy and killing people... so you're guess is as good as mine ;)

3. Evan has a special place in his heart for Georgia girl (which in turn, has a special place in mine).

4. Evan has a ridiculously amazing work ethic. Wow.

5. Evan loves Jesus.

6. Evan understands that family is who you choose to let into your heart, and that family comes in many shapes and sizes. Family is awesome and we've created family in our little 3-bed room apartment.

7. Evan has a really fun girl friend, Gretchen, and we've adopted her, too... and her whole family... They're pretty great ;)

8. Evan is a history buff who probably knows more about American History than... well any one I've met. And he's knocking his history grades outta the park!

9. Evan likes to read. a lot. I like this about him. a lot.

10. Evan's got a good head on his shoulders and, though it's a marathon not a sprint toward self-discovery for all of us, I think he will really know himself and allow himself to be fully known--which is the best one can hope for in this life, I think.

Evan's great and we're happy to have him with us for this season of life. Through the ups and downs of two young {and stupid} 20-somethings trying to figure out how to "do" this thing called life with another, he makes us better. That's awesome. We're thankful.

HAPPY BDAY, Ev!

Next Gen is MOVING!!

2011-01-26T21:58:00.000Z

NGM IS MOVING!
New Address:
NGM
11380 Southbridge Pkwy
Suite 220
Alpharetta, GA 30022

New Work Phone #:
770. 674. 8131

my honey wrote me a love note today

2011-01-24T19:15:00.002Z

he left it on my car for me to find.
my heart is full.
that's all.
;)

Meet Patti

2011-01-21T17:04:00.004Z

{Pat speaking at church}

{Pat singing and Larry dancing}

{Pat and Larry}

{Pat with grandbaby Charlotte}

10 Things I love about Pat--

10. She's beautiful! Are you kidding me? Her good looks are matched only by her sincere heart. She gives generously of all that she has--time, money, awesome cooking ability, wisdom... you name it. She's got it and she's sharing it.

9. She loves Jesus. A Lot.

8. She loves her kids and family--there's such strength in lovely something dear so deeply.

7. She gives great advice.

6. She's my spiritual mama here in the city.

5. She loves prayer. She gets this: "not by might or strength but by the power of the Spirit" [Zechariah 4:6]

4. She knows scripture, and--get this--she really believes it.

3. She is somehow the wonderful combination of a meek and mild precious spirit mixed with a boldness and confidence in Christ, with 2 parts Baltimore and 2 parts Atlanta.

2. She makes me laugh. [and on occasion, cry, but the good kind of tears].

1. She gives really great hugs--the kind that wrap you up and make you forget where you are for a minute. And she never lets go first.

I love her very much.

workout...books

2011-01-19T14:36:00.002Z

I'm trying this new workout and it's making me soooooo sore... I don't like being sore... for days... but I do kinda like the new routine, so I think I'll keep it up.

My friend recommended a book that I've been meaning to read Water for Elephants (not to be confused with Like Water for Chocolate ;) I've only read a few of the first pages, but it seems awesome.

Any good books you're reading?

Have you read Water for Elephants?

What's next on your list?

Athens::Love

2011-01-17T04:58:00.003Z

Today G and I headed to Athens for the day just to remember and enjoy one of our favorite cities together again. It did not disappoint. We headed straight into town, and after the requisite drive through of Pineview and then the KD House, we made a bee-line for Amici's (my very favorite little Italian place) in the heart of downtown. We had mozzarella sticks and tortellini (amazing) and were joined by the lovely Maggie H before exploring more of our old haunts. We strolled across the street and checked out the deals in Masada (few and far between, if I do say so myself). We browsed looking for water-proof gear for our upcoming trip, but found their collection of (affordable) options lacking. So we made our way to the Grille for a milk shake before we and Maggs parted ways at the Arch. {Always a pleasure to spend time with you, presh.}

Grant and I walked under the Arch and made our way across North Campus, taking a few pics along the way. I just love Herty Field (the fountain was iced over, but my foot still throbbed a little anyway due to the close proximity and long memory of freshman year). It was peaceful and campus was all but deserted with the lingering ice and snow and Monday off for holiday. We visited my beloved Park Hall and snapped a few in front of Terry before meandering through the SLC (now the ZMLC: Zell B. Miller Learning Center... whatev... SLC forever) and Tate 2--crossing the road to view a snow-covered Sanford Stadium (still glorious). As we walked back to North Campus and our car, we reminisced about college, school, and what it was like during our time at UGA together and before we'd met. It was perfect.

We drove past St. James UMC and Drew and Nat's first house--now the youth building--where we all hung out so much (too much, probably) during their first year of marriage. We stopped by Kinnucan's where there was a much larger selection of affordable gear, but nothing that worked for us. We did find a new Eno hanging seat that was amazingly comfortable... maybe we'll get that later. Anyway, after driving by all our favorite places--and gawking at the changes (how could life possibly go on without us in Athens??)--we joined Benji and his gf Kristen and Wart (aka Josh) for dinner at Senor Sol. It's so fun to be in on the hip new restaurants again in Athens when you have fun young friends still living there. The food was delish and quite authentic.

We headed back and had a playlist ready when we hit 316--all the songs that reminded us of life in Athens. It was a truly perfect day, remembering a pretty fantastic season of life. Every time we go back we wonder what it would be like to live in Athens again... who knows. But visiting is very fulfilling (for now, anyway ;)

banana republic, I love you

2011-01-15T15:58:00.007Z

that is all...

The Promise of Circumcision

2011-01-14T03:18:00.004Z

Strangle title, huh? I wasn't reading about circumcision, actually, I was reading about our hearts. Strange how God pairs these two things together, but He does so in both the Old and New Testaments.

Biblical Context
The context is important because the promise is after a list of blessings (and what happens if you try to take advantage them, but defile God in your heart). Note: promises and blessings are biblically two different things... but that's for another day ;)

Deuteronomy 30:6
"The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live."

Covenant-Circumcision
According to Easton's 1897 Biblical Dictionary:
"covenant" is: a contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is derived from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a "cutting."

The symbolic separation of His people the Israelites from the rest, setting them aside, making a covenant with them bound in blood that required a transaction and a cutting, is physically manifested in this "cutting" or circumcision of the body. Then all who saw them would know that they had changed something in a rather substantial way as a sign of a much deeper covenant bond.

New Testament References
Romans 2:29b:
"...And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit..." Along with 1 Corinthians 7 and Romans 4.

Other Old Testament References
Genesis 17:10, Deut 10:17, Josh 5:2-8 among many others.

What does this have to do with me?
We (Gentiles) are included in this promise for two reasons:
1-We are Abraham's children
Romans 4:11b, 16b "....So Abraham is the spiritual father of those who have faith....Abraham is the father of all who believe."
2-Abraham's promise is our promise, honored by God
Galatians 3:29 "And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you."

The point is--returning back to the original verse, Deut 30:6--we have this image of cutting off the extra, removing what is not necessary, preparing to make something clean--even if pain is initially involved. It will hurt. But it will heal. We cannot do this ourselves. But God promises that He will do it for us. And in doing so, we will be more able to obey, serve, and most importantly love with both our spiritual and emotional beings. And the ultimate promise that gives us most hope: we may truly live. It's not a means to an end, nor is it the end in and of itself. We will reap the benefits of the process--letting God teach us, prune us, mold us into loving with our whole heart and whole soul--but in the end, we will experience LIFE. That's what it's all about and why He came: "I have come that they might have LIFE and life abundantly!" (John 10:10b).

As we enter this new year, I'm counting on that promise: that God will circumcise my heart (even if it hurts) so that I will love Him with wild abandon and so that I will truly live. Amen!

work

2011-01-12T16:21:00.002Z

I was really dreading coming in today because I was afraid it would disturb the immensely wonderful daydream-like quality of having snow everywhere and might put a damper on enjoying the snow. It's been quite the opposite! Coming in, braving the roads, falling into the work routine (breakfast, coffee, email, music, spreadsheets) has actually been really therapeutic--what is happening to me?? I love being alone. I love being in our apartment. I love staying in, cuddling up with blankets, watching movies and napping the day away. But it has been a nice change of pace to get dressed, come in, and have a bit of space of my own. A little solitude away from the solitude of home (if that makes sense). And using my brain again (other than in board games, books, and sudoku).

This snow has also brought with it some perspective. People seem to bond together in the midst of a (weather) "crisis". There must be some connection we can make between the camaraderie and unwarranted neighborly love that we've all experienced over the past few days. Is it that sometimes God allows (or even brings about) hard or difficult circumstances so that we can reach out (outside of ourselves and our often self-centered world) to human connection? Could it be that God notices the friendships (albeit some short-lived) and finds solace in the fellowship that can happen when His kids gather together--whatever the reason--and He thinks, this is good. I wonder...

We've met more people, helped more neighbors, walked through more doors, spent more time outside, and have interacted warmly more with strangers over the snowpocalypse than we have since we moved in... A bit of perspective while at work and play in the snow. I am so grateful that God provides us every opportunity to see more of Him in every circumstance here on earth.