Hitchhikers.

I don't get them.
They stand on the side of the road on the edge of whatever town I happen to be driving out of (or into).
All scruffy and rapist-like, with their arm extended and thumb pointed out.
How on earth did they get there in the first place, and where are they going (clearly not to my house or to work, which is where I am likely going)?
No sir, I cannot give you a ride.
Go make a phone call at the business or payphone that is steps away.

Absolutely

Belief and truth are not reliant upon each other. Believing something with all your heart does not make it true. Not believing something that is true does not make it less true.

There is nothing like being home...

...for the holidays, or anything, for that matter.

Top Eleven Things I Love About Minnesota.

11. Restaurants are smoke-free
10. People have actually heard of the Evangelical Covenant denomination.
9. Roads get plowed
8. Scandinavians
7. You can actually see the sun setting
6. Lakes
5. Landscape
4. Minnesota Nice
3. The accent
2. The seasons
1. It's where my family is


This list is neither creative or comical. But it is true. Also, it's where I was this past week, hence no posting.

One more week until Christmas Eve!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care.

Airport

On the way back from the airport today, I realized that I was just there last Friday. And then I thought to myself, I'll be there once again next Friday. Three Fridays in a row! It gets better. The next time I will be there after that will be the following Thursday evening. And then December will be over. And then I'll go back the following Friday. Soon there will be a time that I won't remember not going to the airport.

Christmas Shopping...Five Things I Noticed.

All the cool toys are made for people over the age of three.
If it doesn't jump off the shelf and into your cart/buggy, then it's not worth getting.
If you're not excited to give the gift, it's not worth getting.
If it's too big to fit in your luggage, don't even think about it.
Everything will seem like a lame gift if you're hungry.

Dear Splandi*,

You absolutely drive me nuts. You don't have to talk all the time. I would be more forgiving if you actually said something worth my while -- something intelligent, witty, or even mildly relevant. I know God put you in my life to teach me patience, and I'm thankful. But seriously.

Thanks,
Laura



*Name may or may not have been changed.

Relieved

It's so much easier to breathe when the big things on your to do list get checked off. I almost want to cry, I feel so relieved.

Christmas Songs.

Maybe it's because I'm sitting with a blanket around me planning a Mexican Christmas Coffee Seminar, or maybe it's because I'm also listening to Vince Guaraldi's most wonderful "A Charlie Brown Christmas," but I felt compelled to take a quick break and share with you my two favorite Christmas songs and their lyrics. While both of them are unashamedly about Christmas, they are each my favorite in a different categorie. "The Christmas Song" is my favorite Christmas song that you probably won't sing in church, and "O Holy Night" is my favorite Christmas song that you would sing in a church, but even people who don't go to church have heard of it.

The Christmas Song
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire,
Jack Frost nipping at your nose,
Yuletide carols being sung by a choir,
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe,
Help to make the season bright.
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow,
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa's on his way;
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh.
And every mother's child is going to spy,
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

And so I'm offering this simple phrase,
To kids from one to ninety-two,
Although its been said many times, many ways,
Merry Christmas to you


O Holy Night
O holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees, O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!
He knows our need—to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!

Goal to achieve by age 30.

To live my life in such a way, that when I'm invited to a party in which a white elephant gift is required, I will have absolutely nothing to bring.

24 Hour Superlatives (Least Wordiest to Most Wordiest)

Nicest thing I’ve done in the past 24 hours:
-Before I went home, I brushed the all the snow off of my co-workers’ cars after my shift was over (it was a great workout, and if I actually exercised, I would count it as my “30 minutes a day”).

Dumbest thing I’ve done in the past 24 hours:
-Last night I put in the movie Singin’ in the Rain to have on in the background while I was doing my Bible study. This afternoon I saw the box on the floor in front of the TV and realized that I must have forgotten to watch it somewhere between putting it in and walking the 3 steps to the couch.

Best Customer Service I’ve received in the past 24 hours:
-Today at Giant Eagle, I couldn’t find any salt to put on the sidewalks and steps. So instead of going to the self-checkout lane, I was forced to interact with a cashier. I asked her if they had salt to put on the sidewalks and steps, and she said, “Yes, it’s out front. I can ring it up for you, and then you can get it on the way out.” And then she rang me up and said, “Will you need a buggy* to carry the salt to your car?” You see, I had only a basket with me, as I was only picking up a few things. I said, “Yeah, that would be a good idea, wouldn’t it?” And then she went and got me a cart. I said thank you. But she wasn’t finished. She asked if I would need help, and even though she was already making her way to the door, I was like, “I should be fine.” But she didn’t hear, and walked all the way out, around three or four other shoppers, got the bag of salt, and then rushed back to my cart and put it in there for me. I said, “Thank you, I think I can make it from here.” And I really meant it. She went above and beyond. Good thing I didn’t go through self-checkout, like usual, eh?


*in some parts of the United States, people call shopping carts buggies.

Providence

Why do we think that if we stay in one spot God will take care of us more than if we were to go on an adventure? Don't you think that if God wants us to take the adventure, he would fully equip us beyond our wildest dreams?

Field Trip

Yesterday while it was snowing in Minnesota and the surrounding states, it was clear and sunny in Western Pennsylvania. Cold enough to bundle up, but clear and sunny nonetheless. Which was a nice departure from the normal gloom (see: today).
Anyway, we decided to take a field trip just under 2 hours away from here to go and see Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece Fallingwater. It was a pretty fascinating piece of architecture. We weren't allowed to take pictures in the house and on the tour, but we were allowed to take pictures outside the house and of the waterfall. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to post them. I guess you'll just have to read about it on the Fallingwater Website, and then come visit us so we can take you there.

Free Concert

Tonight we went to a free concert at Geneva College.
Ryanhood.
Two guys and their guitars.
One of them with the first name of Ryan, and the other with the last name of Hood (hence their name).
Very talented.
And entertaining.
But don't take my word for it.