GIRL, PUT YOUR RECORDS ON
I'm sitting here on the couch, just listening to music. I should be doing something productive, like figuring out the rehearsal schedule, or cleaning house, or packing, or doing laundry, or putting away the dishes, or cutting ribbon, or changing the sheets on my bed or vacumming or making the sheets that will have the directions from Trinity to the Vineyard, or any number of things like this. Or I suppose some people would even say sleeping. What a novel idea.
Instead, I'm just listening to music. Today was entirely too long, but punctuated by a lovely lunch with a good friend. ;-) Just the way I wanted to spend this Wednesday afternoon...
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
BOB IS A GENIUS.
Bob posted directions to all of the wedding places on his website, and that seemed like a pretty good idea. After giving directions to some of my people tonight, I realized though that my people need a little more detail (sorry Oz readers, but it's true for some of you. You're just a little more needy than 13 Month'ers). So, here you go. Enjoy!
From Grove City to Trinity United Methodist Church:
Take I-270 to the Georgesville Rd (exit 5)
Turn south at Georgesville Rd (away from Walmart) - go 1.5 mi
Turn left at Norton Rd - go 0.7 mi
Turn right at Bausch Rd - go 0.9 mi
Bear left at Alkire Rd - go 5.0 mi
Bear right at Lilly Chapel-Georgesville Rd - go 1.8 mi
Arrive at 8530 Lilly Chapel-Georgesville Rd, London, OH 43140
From Trinity United Methodist Church to Minnelli’s Pizza
(where the Rehearsal dinner is, Thursday, Sept. 21, 7:30-10:30PM):
Bear left at Alkire Rd - go 5.0 mi
Bear right at Bausch Rd - go 0.9 mi
Turn left at Norton Rd - go 0.7 mi
Turn right at Georgesville Rd - go 1.4 mi
Bear right into the I-270 N entry ramp to Dublin - go 3.4 mi
Take the I-70 E/I-70 W exit 8 to Indianapolis/Columbus - go 0.2 mi
Take the I-70 E ramp to Columbus - go 1.2 mi
Take the Wilson Rd exit 94 - go 0.3 mi
Turn right at N Wilson Rd - go 0.4 mi 0.4 mi
Arrive at 1189 N Wilson Rd, Columbus, OH 43204
From Minelli’s Pizza back to the Hotels in Grove City:
Turn right out of parking lot onto Wilson Rd.
Turn left into the I-70 E entry ramp to Columbus - go 4.9 mi
Take the I-71 S exit 99A to Cincinnati - go 5.5 mi
Take the Stringtown Rd exit 100 to Grove City - go 0.4 mi
Turn right at Stringtown Rd - go 31 ft
Arrive at 1800 Stringtown Rd, Grove City, OH 43123
__________________
From Trinity United Methodist Church (where the Ceremony is, Friday, Sept. 22, 6:30PM) to Vineyard Christian Fellowship (where the reception is after the ceremony).
Turn left from Lilly Chapel-Georgesville Rd - go 1.8 mi
Bear left at Alkire Rd - go 5.0 mi
Bear right at Bausch Rd - go 0.9 mi
Turn left at Norton Rd - go 0.4 mi
Turn right at Alkire Rd - go 1.3 mi
Turn right at Holt Rd - go 1.4 mi
Arrive at 3005 Holt Rd, Grove City, OH 43123
Bob posted directions to all of the wedding places on his website, and that seemed like a pretty good idea. After giving directions to some of my people tonight, I realized though that my people need a little more detail (sorry Oz readers, but it's true for some of you. You're just a little more needy than 13 Month'ers). So, here you go. Enjoy!
From Grove City to Trinity United Methodist Church:
Take I-270 to the Georgesville Rd (exit 5)
Turn south at Georgesville Rd (away from Walmart) - go 1.5 mi
Turn left at Norton Rd - go 0.7 mi
Turn right at Bausch Rd - go 0.9 mi
Bear left at Alkire Rd - go 5.0 mi
Bear right at Lilly Chapel-Georgesville Rd - go 1.8 mi
Arrive at 8530 Lilly Chapel-Georgesville Rd, London, OH 43140
From Trinity United Methodist Church to Minnelli’s Pizza
(where the Rehearsal dinner is, Thursday, Sept. 21, 7:30-10:30PM):
Bear left at Alkire Rd - go 5.0 mi
Bear right at Bausch Rd - go 0.9 mi
Turn left at Norton Rd - go 0.7 mi
Turn right at Georgesville Rd - go 1.4 mi
Bear right into the I-270 N entry ramp to Dublin - go 3.4 mi
Take the I-70 E/I-70 W exit 8 to Indianapolis/Columbus - go 0.2 mi
Take the I-70 E ramp to Columbus - go 1.2 mi
Take the Wilson Rd exit 94 - go 0.3 mi
Turn right at N Wilson Rd - go 0.4 mi 0.4 mi
Arrive at 1189 N Wilson Rd, Columbus, OH 43204
From Minelli’s Pizza back to the Hotels in Grove City:
Turn right out of parking lot onto Wilson Rd.
Turn left into the I-70 E entry ramp to Columbus - go 4.9 mi
Take the I-71 S exit 99A to Cincinnati - go 5.5 mi
Take the Stringtown Rd exit 100 to Grove City - go 0.4 mi
Turn right at Stringtown Rd - go 31 ft
Arrive at 1800 Stringtown Rd, Grove City, OH 43123
__________________
From Trinity United Methodist Church (where the Ceremony is, Friday, Sept. 22, 6:30PM) to Vineyard Christian Fellowship (where the reception is after the ceremony).
Turn left from Lilly Chapel-Georgesville Rd - go 1.8 mi
Bear left at Alkire Rd - go 5.0 mi
Bear right at Bausch Rd - go 0.9 mi
Turn left at Norton Rd - go 0.4 mi
Turn right at Alkire Rd - go 1.3 mi
Turn right at Holt Rd - go 1.4 mi
Arrive at 3005 Holt Rd, Grove City, OH 43123
Monday, September 18, 2006
THERE'S A BREAK IN THE ACTION ON THE FIELD!
Did I mention that I still don't have a job? Yeah, isn't that funny? I've been working on various graphic design projects since May, and somehow that's just been paying the bills. I completed 70% of the FAMJAM website and project last week, and that paid pretty well, and will pay another chunk when we get back from our honeymoon(s). It was also great fun to be working with those folks again. They emailed me last week and said that the site and new brand we helped create together were doing exactly what they needed it to do - giving the show an older feel and that they even had some junior high kids come up and ask how they could get involved (the same kids who last year said that the show was too BABY for them). So Awesome!
Then last week, my youth pastor, Pastor Brad, called and asked if I wanted to do his church's site. They've been kicking around a redesign forever, and have talked with me all the way through as they've researched companies and church build programs, sort of consulting with me about the various options, but keeping me as an option the whole time. Well, they finally just asked me to do it. AND, the budget for it is enough that I'm golden for another few months (which is GREAT news. I can keep looking for a FT job without having to freak out!). What a relief. AND, they obviously know I'm getting married this week, so I can't get started right this moment and they're ok with that. They're going to spend that time getting together some copy and graphics I'll need. They don't want it finished until Dec. 15, but I told PB that if he agrees to the what I think I'm going to quote him, then he's basically paying me a full time salary for two months, in which case there's no reason to think that it will take that long. He got excited at that idea, because I could hear his gears cranking out this thought, "OH...so maybe you could get the website done in the first month, and then in the second month we could have you do all sorts of OTHER things. I mean, why don't we just consider this hiring you on staff for two months in the Communications Department, and the website can be just ONE thing you do?" I was right, that's what he was thinking because he said it just a second later. He's so funny. I love that guy.
Did I also mention that if my dad doesn't show up for the wedding (HUGE change he's not) that Pastor Brad will be walking me down the isle? Yup.
Speaking of this wedding this weekend, I need to get in the shower. I have candle votives to stuff, bags to roll down and then hole punch once Robert gets here, a hosue to straighten up (again), I need to tanning (again), make yet another list of things to do, look over the guest list to see who really DOES need directions places, email Tanya to go buy flowers on Tuesday, take clothes to Goodwill, (oh and apparently smelly crack boy also rode in our van the day before yesterday when Mom took the dying dog to the pound, so his smell was stuck on me all day yesterday and I couldn't figure out why until about 5:30PM yesterday when I was on the verge of throwing up because his FUNK was stuck in my nostrils. We had to stop and vaccum and armorall the van which made us late for dinner), make a diagram of the church set up, write a schedule for the rehearsal, the day of, and the ceremony, figure out who is taking all of the stuff where after the wedding, cal the pharmacy to make sure they got my prescription refill correctly, find jewelry for me and my girls, find someone to drive with me on Thursday to go pick up my granny in Waverly (but NOT my mom...because that would make Granny's evil plan come true, right Mom?), sew hems into the fabric that will drape Hannah's basket, go get our marriage liscence today, make the ceremony program and the children's coloring books for the reception, find my crayons, too,...
well, you get the idea. I need to get in the shower.
Buy plates, plastic wear, napkins, cups, plates for the reception. Get the chafing dish from Tammy. If we're having the lime sherbert punch, get punch bowls. Meet up with Corrine to pick up the cake table candles and possibly the buckets. Get the trees from Robert for the ...
Did I mention that I still don't have a job? Yeah, isn't that funny? I've been working on various graphic design projects since May, and somehow that's just been paying the bills. I completed 70% of the FAMJAM website and project last week, and that paid pretty well, and will pay another chunk when we get back from our honeymoon(s). It was also great fun to be working with those folks again. They emailed me last week and said that the site and new brand we helped create together were doing exactly what they needed it to do - giving the show an older feel and that they even had some junior high kids come up and ask how they could get involved (the same kids who last year said that the show was too BABY for them). So Awesome!
Then last week, my youth pastor, Pastor Brad, called and asked if I wanted to do his church's site. They've been kicking around a redesign forever, and have talked with me all the way through as they've researched companies and church build programs, sort of consulting with me about the various options, but keeping me as an option the whole time. Well, they finally just asked me to do it. AND, the budget for it is enough that I'm golden for another few months (which is GREAT news. I can keep looking for a FT job without having to freak out!). What a relief. AND, they obviously know I'm getting married this week, so I can't get started right this moment and they're ok with that. They're going to spend that time getting together some copy and graphics I'll need. They don't want it finished until Dec. 15, but I told PB that if he agrees to the what I think I'm going to quote him, then he's basically paying me a full time salary for two months, in which case there's no reason to think that it will take that long. He got excited at that idea, because I could hear his gears cranking out this thought, "OH...so maybe you could get the website done in the first month, and then in the second month we could have you do all sorts of OTHER things. I mean, why don't we just consider this hiring you on staff for two months in the Communications Department, and the website can be just ONE thing you do?" I was right, that's what he was thinking because he said it just a second later. He's so funny. I love that guy.
Did I also mention that if my dad doesn't show up for the wedding (HUGE change he's not) that Pastor Brad will be walking me down the isle? Yup.
Speaking of this wedding this weekend, I need to get in the shower. I have candle votives to stuff, bags to roll down and then hole punch once Robert gets here, a hosue to straighten up (again), I need to tanning (again), make yet another list of things to do, look over the guest list to see who really DOES need directions places, email Tanya to go buy flowers on Tuesday, take clothes to Goodwill, (oh and apparently smelly crack boy also rode in our van the day before yesterday when Mom took the dying dog to the pound, so his smell was stuck on me all day yesterday and I couldn't figure out why until about 5:30PM yesterday when I was on the verge of throwing up because his FUNK was stuck in my nostrils. We had to stop and vaccum and armorall the van which made us late for dinner), make a diagram of the church set up, write a schedule for the rehearsal, the day of, and the ceremony, figure out who is taking all of the stuff where after the wedding, cal the pharmacy to make sure they got my prescription refill correctly, find jewelry for me and my girls, find someone to drive with me on Thursday to go pick up my granny in Waverly (but NOT my mom...because that would make Granny's evil plan come true, right Mom?), sew hems into the fabric that will drape Hannah's basket, go get our marriage liscence today, make the ceremony program and the children's coloring books for the reception, find my crayons, too,...
well, you get the idea. I need to get in the shower.
Buy plates, plastic wear, napkins, cups, plates for the reception. Get the chafing dish from Tammy. If we're having the lime sherbert punch, get punch bowls. Meet up with Corrine to pick up the cake table candles and possibly the buckets. Get the trees from Robert for the ...
Sunday, September 17, 2006
5:21AM EGR REPORT.
The cool, arty, indie, punk, rock neighbors are REALLY no longer cool, arty, or rock. They're just punk neighbors.
And I found out just now that the teenaged kids are not brother and sister as my mom reported. They're dating. The boy just pounded on their door and ours until I answered. I HATE answering the door at 5AM (I really shouldn't probably, it's dangerous, and really could have been this time, too). He said, "Hey uh, I locked myself out and wondered if I could use your phone. They're not answering, and well, uh, I don't have any other place to go if they don't answer."
I noticed that he smelled that particular smell that I'm somehow familiar with (God only knows how) that one obtains when one hasn't showered in approx. six days, hasn't washed ones clothes in at least 10 (he was wearing the same ones he has been for the past four), and when one passes around a particular brand of rolled "cigarette." Yesterday, mom noticed a lot of scabs on his arms and legs, which she said she knows to be indicitive of crack use, but I said they could just be flea bites and wondered why she had to jump to such conclusions. I wondered a little less last night at midnight when I heard him outside the apartment screaming and hollering at someone all sorts of nasties about all sorts of things.
Oh, but back to the story. I told him that even if they didn't wake up, I had a number he could call for Emergency Maintainence where they would come let him in. He said, "Well, I'm not on the lease or anything like that. See I'm just seeing her daughhter who lives there, and we kind of had a fight and I got locked out earlier tonight, and so I'm not sure they're gonna let me in, and if they don't, I don't have any other place to go, so I hope they do (as he hangs up they phone), but they're not answering." I told him, "Well, you can keep knocking. They're probably just asleep. I heard you, I'm sure they will too."
The smell is wafting up the stairs and sticking itself into my nostrils. Is there a special febreze nasal version for that?
The cool, arty, indie, punk, rock neighbors are REALLY no longer cool, arty, or rock. They're just punk neighbors.
And I found out just now that the teenaged kids are not brother and sister as my mom reported. They're dating. The boy just pounded on their door and ours until I answered. I HATE answering the door at 5AM (I really shouldn't probably, it's dangerous, and really could have been this time, too). He said, "Hey uh, I locked myself out and wondered if I could use your phone. They're not answering, and well, uh, I don't have any other place to go if they don't answer."
I noticed that he smelled that particular smell that I'm somehow familiar with (God only knows how) that one obtains when one hasn't showered in approx. six days, hasn't washed ones clothes in at least 10 (he was wearing the same ones he has been for the past four), and when one passes around a particular brand of rolled "cigarette." Yesterday, mom noticed a lot of scabs on his arms and legs, which she said she knows to be indicitive of crack use, but I said they could just be flea bites and wondered why she had to jump to such conclusions. I wondered a little less last night at midnight when I heard him outside the apartment screaming and hollering at someone all sorts of nasties about all sorts of things.
Oh, but back to the story. I told him that even if they didn't wake up, I had a number he could call for Emergency Maintainence where they would come let him in. He said, "Well, I'm not on the lease or anything like that. See I'm just seeing her daughhter who lives there, and we kind of had a fight and I got locked out earlier tonight, and so I'm not sure they're gonna let me in, and if they don't, I don't have any other place to go, so I hope they do (as he hangs up they phone), but they're not answering." I told him, "Well, you can keep knocking. They're probably just asleep. I heard you, I'm sure they will too."
The smell is wafting up the stairs and sticking itself into my nostrils. Is there a special febreze nasal version for that?
Saturday, September 16, 2006
SAFFRON DANCING WITH THE EUTHANIZED PITBULL
It's tminus 6 days and counting and I have a headache, and have for days. I just can't get it to go away.
I have so many things to tell Oz readers, but I think I'll just start with these things. I have new neighbors! (Bob doesn't know yet). It's a mom, and her two teenaged kids (who look so much older than teenagers, I thought perhaps they were a married 20-something couple with their elderly mom living with them). I remarked to one of my friends how neat it was going to be having the cool arty indie punk rock neighbors living next to us now.
But then I saw their decidedly UNCOOL dog about five minutes later. A PIT BULL. Not cool at ALL! They can leave now. I have a theory that Dogs Bite, because well, they do. And in my theory, Pit Bulls give the commands to all other dogs "BITE, Bite!" So how sad when the next day arty indie punk rock girl comes up to our door and says with the look of a little girl whose dog had just been run over by a speeding train, "I know we just met yesterday and all, but I was wondering if you could take me to the Animal Shelter. My pit bull got loose today and picked up by the pound, and then when he got home, he tried to snip at me a few times, so, we have to take him to the shelter."
Seriously, I know I don't like dogs and all, but that's kind of sad. So I told that I personally couldn't driver her, but if she could get directions, my mom would. Oh, and she's only 16 (and her husband isn't her husband - it's her brother). They had the dog put down, and my mom said that the girl cried a lot.
And then last night for my bachlorette party, we went to Cafe Istanbul (among other things ;-) ). It's a Turkish restaurant here in Columbus that I've wanted to go to for a while. (This was actually a really well thought out and thoughtful place to go - Bob and I have tried two different Turkish/Middle Eastern restuarant in Columbus, so now this makes three). i still had my hip scarf with my from the night's earlier belly dancing lesson as we walked through the restaurant. No sooner had we been seated, than a female manager came and talked with us. She said to me, "Are you to be married soon?" And I said, "Yes, next Friday, how did you know that?" She said, "Where I am from, in my country, if you wear one of those scarves, it means that you are to marry, only it would be red. And you would wear it around your face during dinner with your friends, and then you would cry. And that would mean you would be married. And then you would tie it around your waist, and you would dance. Like this...And you would take off your shoes and dance on the table."
I just loved it! I loved that this woman came up and talked to us about the customs in her country! And she kept coming back and talking to us over and over again! I wanted to just sit down with her and say, "Will you tell me more?" She was actually FROM Turkey. And THEN, come to find out, that our server was getting married week, too!, but he never told us where he was from.
Isn't that fantastic!?
It's tminus 6 days and counting and I have a headache, and have for days. I just can't get it to go away.
I have so many things to tell Oz readers, but I think I'll just start with these things. I have new neighbors! (Bob doesn't know yet). It's a mom, and her two teenaged kids (who look so much older than teenagers, I thought perhaps they were a married 20-something couple with their elderly mom living with them). I remarked to one of my friends how neat it was going to be having the cool arty indie punk rock neighbors living next to us now.
But then I saw their decidedly UNCOOL dog about five minutes later. A PIT BULL. Not cool at ALL! They can leave now. I have a theory that Dogs Bite, because well, they do. And in my theory, Pit Bulls give the commands to all other dogs "BITE, Bite!" So how sad when the next day arty indie punk rock girl comes up to our door and says with the look of a little girl whose dog had just been run over by a speeding train, "I know we just met yesterday and all, but I was wondering if you could take me to the Animal Shelter. My pit bull got loose today and picked up by the pound, and then when he got home, he tried to snip at me a few times, so, we have to take him to the shelter."
Seriously, I know I don't like dogs and all, but that's kind of sad. So I told that I personally couldn't driver her, but if she could get directions, my mom would. Oh, and she's only 16 (and her husband isn't her husband - it's her brother). They had the dog put down, and my mom said that the girl cried a lot.
And then last night for my bachlorette party, we went to Cafe Istanbul (among other things ;-) ). It's a Turkish restaurant here in Columbus that I've wanted to go to for a while. (This was actually a really well thought out and thoughtful place to go - Bob and I have tried two different Turkish/Middle Eastern restuarant in Columbus, so now this makes three). i still had my hip scarf with my from the night's earlier belly dancing lesson as we walked through the restaurant. No sooner had we been seated, than a female manager came and talked with us. She said to me, "Are you to be married soon?" And I said, "Yes, next Friday, how did you know that?" She said, "Where I am from, in my country, if you wear one of those scarves, it means that you are to marry, only it would be red. And you would wear it around your face during dinner with your friends, and then you would cry. And that would mean you would be married. And then you would tie it around your waist, and you would dance. Like this...And you would take off your shoes and dance on the table."
I just loved it! I loved that this woman came up and talked to us about the customs in her country! And she kept coming back and talking to us over and over again! I wanted to just sit down with her and say, "Will you tell me more?" She was actually FROM Turkey. And THEN, come to find out, that our server was getting married week, too!, but he never told us where he was from.
Isn't that fantastic!?
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
FOR THE JOY SET BEFORE HIM...
This is my Happy Jesus video. It was the first video I ever made (we used it for Easter 2002 at East Lake, and the music wasn't canned, the band played it live). People were saved through this, did you know that? People didn't know what Jesus looked like, and after this, they did. And I don't mean, "they didn't know he looked like a sunny white guy from Texas," because probably he didn't. I mean, they didn't know that he looked like he actually WANTED to save them. Normally, he looks all pissed off about having to come get us, right? But what if he wasn't like that? What if everything he did here was marked by incredible joy (NOT HAPPINESS - don't be stupid), even in the hard stuff, because of the JOY he knew would be his afterwards when his people were reconciled to him. I mean, look at Hebrews 12, and all the instructions he gives us after telling us about he lived, knowing about the JOY that would be his afterwards. Shouldn't we be the same? How THEN should we live, knowing the joy that we will be ours after here? (Well, and let's just be real. The Kingdom has spilled over here now so this joy is ours now in part!).
This is my Happy Jesus video. It was the first video I ever made (we used it for Easter 2002 at East Lake, and the music wasn't canned, the band played it live). People were saved through this, did you know that? People didn't know what Jesus looked like, and after this, they did. And I don't mean, "they didn't know he looked like a sunny white guy from Texas," because probably he didn't. I mean, they didn't know that he looked like he actually WANTED to save them. Normally, he looks all pissed off about having to come get us, right? But what if he wasn't like that? What if everything he did here was marked by incredible joy (NOT HAPPINESS - don't be stupid), even in the hard stuff, because of the JOY he knew would be his afterwards when his people were reconciled to him. I mean, look at Hebrews 12, and all the instructions he gives us after telling us about he lived, knowing about the JOY that would be his afterwards. Shouldn't we be the same? How THEN should we live, knowing the joy that we will be ours after here? (Well, and let's just be real. The Kingdom has spilled over here now so this joy is ours now in part!).
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. 2We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God's throne in heaven. 3Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don't become weary and give up. 4After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin.
5And have you entirely forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you, his children? He said, "My child, don't ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don't be discouraged when he corrects you. 6 For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children."[b]
7As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children. Whoever heard of a child who was never disciplined? 8If God doesn't discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children after all. 9Since we respect our earthly fathers who disciplined us, should we not all the more cheerfully submit to the discipline of our heavenly Father and live forever[c]?
10For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always right and good for us because it means we will share in his holiness. 11No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.
12So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs. 13Mark out a straight path for your feet. Then those who follow you, though they are weak and lame, will not stumble and fall but will become strong.
BE NEAR
Click here to download the song.
big and small
beautiful
and wonderful
to trust in grace through faith
but i'm asking to taste...
for dark is light to You
depths are height to You
far is near
but Lord, i need to hear from You
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good
Your fullness is mine
revelation divine
but, o, to taste
to know much more than a page
to feel Your embrace...
for dark is light to You
the depths are height to You
far is near, but Lord
i need to hear from You
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good
Click here to download the song.
But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign LORD my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. (psalm 73v28)You are all
big and small
beautiful
and wonderful
to trust in grace through faith
but i'm asking to taste...
for dark is light to You
depths are height to You
far is near
but Lord, i need to hear from You
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good
Your fullness is mine
revelation divine
but, o, to taste
to know much more than a page
to feel Your embrace...
for dark is light to You
the depths are height to You
far is near, but Lord
i need to hear from You
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good
be near, oh God
be near, oh God of us
Your nearness is to us our good, our good
NOW THIS IS IMPORTANT
I'd forgotten I'd made this. Enjoy! (especially since he's out of town this week!)
I'd forgotten I'd made this. Enjoy! (especially since he's out of town this week!)
CONVINCING MYSELF IT'S IMPORTANT.
(written after initial posting: this is NOT a post about money!)
I went tanning yesterday and today, for the first time ever. Can you believe it? Yeah, that thing I said I'd never do, I'm doing. I want my pictures to look nice for the wedding, so I plopped down $35.00 for the lotion and got a week free of tanning. It would have been $35 for the week of tanning, too, but I had a coupon. I mean, you HAVE to look good in your WEDDING pictures, RIGHT?
I found out today that we're going to have to rent some additional tables for the church, because we're not allowed to use the extra rectangulars ones that the church has, and that we're not allowed to use their linens for the rounds they DO have, so we have to figure something else. So, we'll rent 8 rounds and 4 rectangulars. Not a HUGE deal; it just means that the only money I had for decorations has to now go to renting tables (and it will use all of that). Not a big deal - I mean, it's AWESOME that we have that money, right. God's been just making things appear out of the air! And we're not going to rent linens because that IS money we don't have (they're EXPENSIVE!), so we'll figure something out for all 20 rounds and all the rectangular tables we do have. Probably we'll buy a bolt of fabric from Hancocks and use that ($45 for one roll, we'll maybe use two). OR maybe white or brown butcher paper?! What do you think?! I looked today, and it looks like we can get that for $35, and one roll would work.
And the thing is - since we're HAVING a wedding reception, you HAVE to have tables, you know? 130 and counting of our closest friends and family are coming to celebrate with us with dancing, laughing and toasting (with just eight weeks notice no less! Imagine if we'd given them ACTUAL notice! We might have gotten the other 120 to show up!) and it's only right that we give those 130 and counting a place to sit and put their cake and light fare. And if you have tables, they have to be covered with SOMETHING. Really they do. It's only proper.
So as I'm sitting at home tonight pondering all of this, and wondering exactly what we're going to decorate with now (don't fret - we HAVE stuff, someday I'll tell you the story of how theknot brides decorated our wedding) - but as I was thinking of all this, I started thinking about our city, and what's going on there. I surfed over to one of the sites where I get news about that region, and I saw this article about the chemical attacks on a Kurdish city in 1988. (This is not our city, btw, it's just in that area of the country). I read the article, and as I was reading, my mind drifted far away from tanning, table rentals and toasting. I watched this video which shows actual video of the attacks (not for the southern belles among you), and was drawn so far away the wedding...
They have a saying, "The Kurds have no friends but the mountain." I'm here wondering if a pumpkin centerpiece matches my bridesmaid dresses and meanwhile, there really are people there who are scared to tell their family members about their decision to follow Jesus. Or they HAVE told their families about it, and it's simply CHANGED their lives. I love what's happening here, but I want to be there. I want to know them. I want to be their friend. This feels like marking time. ;-)
I'm thankful for my 130 people who are going to celebrate with me. They love us so much and that is SO obvious by everything that has been done for us. As someone said to me, "This is the wedding I've been wating for since you starting dating him." But I just spent $35.00 on tanning, and I'm going to spend $60 or so on fabric to cover the tables that will cost another $87 to rent...all the while, I need still $200 to cover my core training to GO to these people. I TANNED when I could have saved that money and put it towards GOING. And it's not the only thing I've spent money on like that. What's wrong with me!?
It's hard to convince myself that anything beyond the bare minimum is important for our wedding when my people are waiting for us just around the corner. Why buy any more decorations than simply candles if JUST candles can be beautiful? Or, so...what if they're not the MOST beautiful thing in the world? Is it worth it when there's a people waiting for us? And in the end, are Bob and I and our guests going to remember more our centerpieces and what covered our tables? or are Bob and I and our guests going to rememberhow it DIDN'T matter what covered the tables? I've also already had one person tell me, "I love that you're doing your wedding the way you are (talking about how my wedding dress was given to me, and that I'm okay with that). It says a lot about how you and Robert are starting out your marriage that you aren't willing to spend a ton of money on your wedding when you don't really have it, and that this is still okay with you guys" or something like that.
*sigh* or MAYBE...just this once, it does matter. Maybe this isn't the occassion to start having it matter. Maybe it IS important and I need to FIND the money for a "more than candles" centerpiece and "more than butcher paper" table covering. Who knows. The whole thing has been a blessing in the first place, and the reality is that we will have only and exactly what God wants us to have. If that means that someone gave us money for the WEDDING, and I want to look nice in my wedding pictures? Then I suppose that means I can go tanning.
And then I pray that God will also supply all our needs as it relates to quickly taking us to our people. I love them and I haven't even met them.
(written after initial posting: this is NOT a post about money!)
I went tanning yesterday and today, for the first time ever. Can you believe it? Yeah, that thing I said I'd never do, I'm doing. I want my pictures to look nice for the wedding, so I plopped down $35.00 for the lotion and got a week free of tanning. It would have been $35 for the week of tanning, too, but I had a coupon. I mean, you HAVE to look good in your WEDDING pictures, RIGHT?
I found out today that we're going to have to rent some additional tables for the church, because we're not allowed to use the extra rectangulars ones that the church has, and that we're not allowed to use their linens for the rounds they DO have, so we have to figure something else. So, we'll rent 8 rounds and 4 rectangulars. Not a HUGE deal; it just means that the only money I had for decorations has to now go to renting tables (and it will use all of that). Not a big deal - I mean, it's AWESOME that we have that money, right. God's been just making things appear out of the air! And we're not going to rent linens because that IS money we don't have (they're EXPENSIVE!), so we'll figure something out for all 20 rounds and all the rectangular tables we do have. Probably we'll buy a bolt of fabric from Hancocks and use that ($45 for one roll, we'll maybe use two). OR maybe white or brown butcher paper?! What do you think?! I looked today, and it looks like we can get that for $35, and one roll would work.
And the thing is - since we're HAVING a wedding reception, you HAVE to have tables, you know? 130 and counting of our closest friends and family are coming to celebrate with us with dancing, laughing and toasting (with just eight weeks notice no less! Imagine if we'd given them ACTUAL notice! We might have gotten the other 120 to show up!) and it's only right that we give those 130 and counting a place to sit and put their cake and light fare. And if you have tables, they have to be covered with SOMETHING. Really they do. It's only proper.
So as I'm sitting at home tonight pondering all of this, and wondering exactly what we're going to decorate with now (don't fret - we HAVE stuff, someday I'll tell you the story of how theknot brides decorated our wedding) - but as I was thinking of all this, I started thinking about our city, and what's going on there. I surfed over to one of the sites where I get news about that region, and I saw this article about the chemical attacks on a Kurdish city in 1988. (This is not our city, btw, it's just in that area of the country). I read the article, and as I was reading, my mind drifted far away from tanning, table rentals and toasting. I watched this video which shows actual video of the attacks (not for the southern belles among you), and was drawn so far away the wedding...
They have a saying, "The Kurds have no friends but the mountain." I'm here wondering if a pumpkin centerpiece matches my bridesmaid dresses and meanwhile, there really are people there who are scared to tell their family members about their decision to follow Jesus. Or they HAVE told their families about it, and it's simply CHANGED their lives. I love what's happening here, but I want to be there. I want to know them. I want to be their friend. This feels like marking time. ;-)
I'm thankful for my 130 people who are going to celebrate with me. They love us so much and that is SO obvious by everything that has been done for us. As someone said to me, "This is the wedding I've been wating for since you starting dating him." But I just spent $35.00 on tanning, and I'm going to spend $60 or so on fabric to cover the tables that will cost another $87 to rent...all the while, I need still $200 to cover my core training to GO to these people. I TANNED when I could have saved that money and put it towards GOING. And it's not the only thing I've spent money on like that. What's wrong with me!?
It's hard to convince myself that anything beyond the bare minimum is important for our wedding when my people are waiting for us just around the corner. Why buy any more decorations than simply candles if JUST candles can be beautiful? Or, so...what if they're not the MOST beautiful thing in the world? Is it worth it when there's a people waiting for us? And in the end, are Bob and I and our guests going to remember more our centerpieces and what covered our tables? or are Bob and I and our guests going to rememberhow it DIDN'T matter what covered the tables? I've also already had one person tell me, "I love that you're doing your wedding the way you are (talking about how my wedding dress was given to me, and that I'm okay with that). It says a lot about how you and Robert are starting out your marriage that you aren't willing to spend a ton of money on your wedding when you don't really have it, and that this is still okay with you guys" or something like that.
*sigh* or MAYBE...just this once, it does matter. Maybe this isn't the occassion to start having it matter. Maybe it IS important and I need to FIND the money for a "more than candles" centerpiece and "more than butcher paper" table covering. Who knows. The whole thing has been a blessing in the first place, and the reality is that we will have only and exactly what God wants us to have. If that means that someone gave us money for the WEDDING, and I want to look nice in my wedding pictures? Then I suppose that means I can go tanning.
And then I pray that God will also supply all our needs as it relates to quickly taking us to our people. I love them and I haven't even met them.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Two Queens in 24 Hours.
First the cross dressing wonder-Joe, then a beauty queen dog? Will wonders never cease? (That was just a poor excuse to tell you that my mom blogged yesterday for the first time in forever and posted a picture for the first time since she's been blogging - of her VERY cute dog Comet).
First the cross dressing wonder-Joe, then a beauty queen dog? Will wonders never cease? (That was just a poor excuse to tell you that my mom blogged yesterday for the first time in forever and posted a picture for the first time since she's been blogging - of her VERY cute dog Comet).
THIS WAS JOE'S BIG SECRET?
I already knew that. Apparently, Brandi sent Joe, Cristi and Devan an email to ask them something top secret to reveal at the wedding (or bachelorette party or something like that), and Joe, in the spirit of love and sharing, shared this. Brandi relates his response back to me like this, "Oh Angie, if Joe's response to me is any indicator of who Joe really is, then I'm sure that I'm going to love him, because it made me laugh out loud! BUT, I can't tell YOU what it is until after the wedding." (As she proceeded to show everyone else in the room, much to their delight).
I found out later that THIS was his big reveal: He loves cross dressing. Duh. I knew that already. I've SEEN that with my own eyes. Christmas 2002? A Very Girly Christmas??
Geez. That wasn't worth the build up. Try harder next time.
(and Joe - be sure to leave the wig and pumps at home, please. Your first time meeting my friends and family, you should really come as Joe, not "Ho" Jo Jo. ;-)
I already knew that. Apparently, Brandi sent Joe, Cristi and Devan an email to ask them something top secret to reveal at the wedding (or bachelorette party or something like that), and Joe, in the spirit of love and sharing, shared this. Brandi relates his response back to me like this, "Oh Angie, if Joe's response to me is any indicator of who Joe really is, then I'm sure that I'm going to love him, because it made me laugh out loud! BUT, I can't tell YOU what it is until after the wedding." (As she proceeded to show everyone else in the room, much to their delight).I found out later that THIS was his big reveal: He loves cross dressing. Duh. I knew that already. I've SEEN that with my own eyes. Christmas 2002? A Very Girly Christmas??
Geez. That wasn't worth the build up. Try harder next time.
(and Joe - be sure to leave the wig and pumps at home, please. Your first time meeting my friends and family, you should really come as Joe, not "Ho" Jo Jo. ;-)
Friday, September 08, 2006
Down with Fraggle Rock...and Brandi Meeker
I've decided that the Thing Living In My Stomach Looks like one of the Fraggles. The one on the lower right. But that's not why I'm writing. I have more important news to tell you about.
On our wedding website, there is a guest book, and it seems that my soon to be sister-in-law, Brandi is plotting to kill Robert and I and all of our guests at the reception! I KNOW! She publicly posted that she is going to "toast us with Kool Aid" which many of you will recognize as a reference to Jim Jones and the mass suicides at Jonestown in '77. And to think, she's my maid of honor? I should have known better...
*the links above will show you the resemblance between Brandi and Jim Jones. I'm sure you'll agree.
**
I've decided that the Thing Living In My Stomach Looks like one of the Fraggles. The one on the lower right. But that's not why I'm writing. I have more important news to tell you about.
On our wedding website, there is a guest book, and it seems that my soon to be sister-in-law, Brandi is plotting to kill Robert and I and all of our guests at the reception! I KNOW! She publicly posted that she is going to "toast us with Kool Aid" which many of you will recognize as a reference to Jim Jones and the mass suicides at Jonestown in '77. And to think, she's my maid of honor? I should have known better...
*the links above will show you the resemblance between Brandi and Jim Jones. I'm sure you'll agree.
**
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Open Letter to the The Thing Living In My Stomach
You know when you meet that "special someone?" They make you laugh over the silliest things because of just the WAY they tell their stories (it could be some story about getting a Diet Coke instead a Coke at Burger King, and suddenly it's funny just because of the WAY they told it!). They're interested in being with you just because you ARE who you are - you don't have to DO anything special or change who you are. You just BE, and that's pretty great for them. Some people say you just know - you just KNOW IT the moment that you meet them and from that moment on, no matter how hard it gets sometimes, you know that you want to be with them for the rest of your life.
I think that you, Thing Living In My Stomach, think that I am YOUR "Special Someone." On Friday, Sept. 1, you were out and about...doing your own, single Stomach Bug thing, and you spotted me. Clearly, I'm already taken (have you no eyes on your big Stomach Bug head? I have a ring on and everything?!) Maybe I was laughing the way I do, which at times CAN be cute, I've heard. Maybe you saw me making fart noises on Matthew's chest (Robert's nephew) and found that somehow attractive? (You would.) Or maybe I was slurping up salad noodles at Oodles and that disgusting noise did it for you. Whatever it was, you fell for me, and you fell hard, didn't you?
Well, I have news for you. I'm not in love with you, Thing Living In My Stomach. I don't want to continue this thing we have going. I don't feel the same way for you that you do for me. My stomach never went flip flop for you the way yours does for me until YOU MADE it go flip flop for you, and listen...no Stomach Bug wants a girl for whom he has to MAKE her stomach go flip flop. You deserve better than that! Somewhere out there is a girl who will get butterflies in her stomach just because she thinks you're great! Not because you've attached yourself to her the walls of her intestines and won't let go!
Now please, if you ever loved me at all, you'll get the hell out of my stomach. The past three days, all I've had to eat is 19 tortilla chips, 11 tater tots and a small sloppy joe, two bananas, and bowl of rice; and whatever I had the three days before that didn't much matter now, did it? You've let the bowl of rice and a banana stay with me today, but I can tell it's not going to last. I need to you pack your bags and get out, right now. You've become abusive, and I'm not gonna take it anymore. I never did love you, and that's just the truth, Thing Living in My Stomach.
I'm sorry you had to hear it this way, but it's better coming from me than from my friend Dr. George Barnett. He wouldn't have been so nice. He would have killed you altogether.
-and still will if you don't get out by end of the weekend. :-)
Regrets,
Management of the Body You're In Love with but Destroying.
You know when you meet that "special someone?" They make you laugh over the silliest things because of just the WAY they tell their stories (it could be some story about getting a Diet Coke instead a Coke at Burger King, and suddenly it's funny just because of the WAY they told it!). They're interested in being with you just because you ARE who you are - you don't have to DO anything special or change who you are. You just BE, and that's pretty great for them. Some people say you just know - you just KNOW IT the moment that you meet them and from that moment on, no matter how hard it gets sometimes, you know that you want to be with them for the rest of your life.
I think that you, Thing Living In My Stomach, think that I am YOUR "Special Someone." On Friday, Sept. 1, you were out and about...doing your own, single Stomach Bug thing, and you spotted me. Clearly, I'm already taken (have you no eyes on your big Stomach Bug head? I have a ring on and everything?!) Maybe I was laughing the way I do, which at times CAN be cute, I've heard. Maybe you saw me making fart noises on Matthew's chest (Robert's nephew) and found that somehow attractive? (You would.) Or maybe I was slurping up salad noodles at Oodles and that disgusting noise did it for you. Whatever it was, you fell for me, and you fell hard, didn't you?
Well, I have news for you. I'm not in love with you, Thing Living In My Stomach. I don't want to continue this thing we have going. I don't feel the same way for you that you do for me. My stomach never went flip flop for you the way yours does for me until YOU MADE it go flip flop for you, and listen...no Stomach Bug wants a girl for whom he has to MAKE her stomach go flip flop. You deserve better than that! Somewhere out there is a girl who will get butterflies in her stomach just because she thinks you're great! Not because you've attached yourself to her the walls of her intestines and won't let go!
Now please, if you ever loved me at all, you'll get the hell out of my stomach. The past three days, all I've had to eat is 19 tortilla chips, 11 tater tots and a small sloppy joe, two bananas, and bowl of rice; and whatever I had the three days before that didn't much matter now, did it? You've let the bowl of rice and a banana stay with me today, but I can tell it's not going to last. I need to you pack your bags and get out, right now. You've become abusive, and I'm not gonna take it anymore. I never did love you, and that's just the truth, Thing Living in My Stomach.
I'm sorry you had to hear it this way, but it's better coming from me than from my friend Dr. George Barnett. He wouldn't have been so nice. He would have killed you altogether.
-and still will if you don't get out by end of the weekend. :-)
Regrets,
Management of the Body You're In Love with but Destroying.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Sunday, September 03, 2006
...etc
Special thanks to Cristi who this afternoon removed from my apartment 834 hangers, 14 boxes of belts and dishes, 1 blender and a foodsaver, and for leaving five more of those cool glass bowls that I didn't even know were here! AND, for taking me to Walmart to buy a new electric wet/dry razor. My ladies' razor broke in London, and I hadn't purchased a new one yet. And thans for taking me BACK to Kroger later to buy batteries for the extra thing that came with it, and pineapple, apples, bananas, and "lettuce." The check out clerk at Kroger (a former student of mine, Brandon, who totally didn't recognize me because he hasn't seen me in a year!) looked at the Boston lettuce and said, "Uh, is this "lettuce?" and I said, "Well, yes, it's a TYPE of lettuce, but it wouldn't be listed as just LETTUCE," and laughed. Brandon said, "Oh. Yeah. Well, uh..." and then I'm pretty sure he typed it in as iceburg lettuce anyway ;-). High schoolers are funny.
My apartment is less one bookshelf after Cristi's visit today, too. It wasn't intentional really, but we were cleaning out her closet upstairs and went to move this bookshelf - then almost lost Cristi in the process as the bookshelf collapsed on her. So, rather than try to salvage the bookshelf, I decided to just move the books to a practically empty, much smaller bookshelf, and trash* the big one.
*and by "decided to trash", I mean, it's still in the hallway, broken down and needs taken to the dumpster.
(Aimee - awesome postcard. Thanks love. Good timing.)
Special thanks to Cristi who this afternoon removed from my apartment 834 hangers, 14 boxes of belts and dishes, 1 blender and a foodsaver, and for leaving five more of those cool glass bowls that I didn't even know were here! AND, for taking me to Walmart to buy a new electric wet/dry razor. My ladies' razor broke in London, and I hadn't purchased a new one yet. And thans for taking me BACK to Kroger later to buy batteries for the extra thing that came with it, and pineapple, apples, bananas, and "lettuce." The check out clerk at Kroger (a former student of mine, Brandon, who totally didn't recognize me because he hasn't seen me in a year!) looked at the Boston lettuce and said, "Uh, is this "lettuce?" and I said, "Well, yes, it's a TYPE of lettuce, but it wouldn't be listed as just LETTUCE," and laughed. Brandon said, "Oh. Yeah. Well, uh..." and then I'm pretty sure he typed it in as iceburg lettuce anyway ;-). High schoolers are funny.
My apartment is less one bookshelf after Cristi's visit today, too. It wasn't intentional really, but we were cleaning out her closet upstairs and went to move this bookshelf - then almost lost Cristi in the process as the bookshelf collapsed on her. So, rather than try to salvage the bookshelf, I decided to just move the books to a practically empty, much smaller bookshelf, and trash* the big one.
*and by "decided to trash", I mean, it's still in the hallway, broken down and needs taken to the dumpster.
(Aimee - awesome postcard. Thanks love. Good timing.)
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