Fin

I feel a little bittersweet about this 239th post. Sad that this blog is over. Happy that I don't have to post 34 times a day.

I have created a new blog in order to satisfy my blogging needs. It already has a first post, and since I'm introducing it here, it's not the typical "first post" that usually says something about your experience with blogging, your intentions with the blog, and a "we'll see if I actually keep this up."

I just dove right into it. So here is some of what the typical first post might say, if I were to have one for my new blog. At first I just picked the first template that came up, with intentions to change it later, once I had some time/content, but now it's growing on me, and I might leave it the way it is. We'll see.

Anyway, here is what I plan on for this blog:
1. I won't post every day. I will try to post frequently, though.
2. In order to push myself creatively, I am going to try to have a picture accompanied by words in every post.
3. In another attempt to challenge myself creatively, I will keep to 4 categories (which I've had since before Target started putting them on everything): Live, Love, Laugh, Learn.
4. Who knows? The sky is the limit. It will in all actuality be a lot like this blog. Let's be honest.

What do I need from you?
1. If you follow this blog, or have it in your reader (look at me using words like, "in your reader"), or whatever you do in order to remind yourself to read this blog, please change over to the new address. Start following, reading, or whatever the new blog.
2. That's it. It would be nice to get some comments every once in a while, too. But not required.

Until we meet again.

CBS

Last year (2007-2008 school year) I had the privilege and joy to be a part of Community Bible Study. I loved it, and if you've done CBS, you can probably agree with me.

When I knew we were moving, I prayed that I would be able to find a great Bible study again. One semester passed, and no such Bible study.

Then by miracle, I've been able to connect with someone who lives close by and knows all about CBS. God has placed it on her heart to bring CBS to Lithuania. As in, bringing it to Lithuanians, in their language. But meanwhile, CBS International also makes Bible studies for multicultural folks. So now I can take part of a mini-CBS! Yay, prayers answered.

But this is only background to what I wanted to post on.

Something that has been brought to my mind prior to this study, and now during it, is the idea of our actions reflecting our beliefs. If we truly believe that God loves us, how then should we respond/act?

Or, if I truly believe that sitting in a draft causes one illness (I don't), but if I truly believed it, how would I act? I would try at all costs to avoid drafts. If I walked into a room where there was an open window, I would politely ask if we could close it, or, I would assume everyone else believed like I do, and go close it without asking.

The fruit of what we do is a result of what is within.

Matthew 12:33 "A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad."

So then, how should we respond if we truly believe what we say we believe about God?

Math

Ok. Well according to my dashboard, just moments ago I made my 238th post with "Laughs."

But according to the numbers on the left side of the blog, I had only 236.

I was confused.

After some research, I realized that the dashboard counts posts that you have saved as "Drafts."

The drafts were not worth posting. I deleted them.

So now I have to post a couple more times than I anticipated.

I wish I had something inspired to make this post better than the ones that I deleted from the drafts.

Sorry.

I do really like math though. A lot. I like reading, writing, and arithmetic.

I suck at history and government.

Laughs

We watch a lot of TV via DVD. Lately I've been amazed that Debra Jo Rupp's character on Friends and her character on That 70's Show have completely different laughs. I appreciate the fact that changes it up with each character.

And since this is the second to the last post (I think) and since I'm on a video posting kick, here you can hear each laugh.

As Kitty on That 70's Show


As Alice on Friends

Colorful while blurry

Ages ago, when the sun was setting at 3:30pm, I had plenty of opportunities to take pictures of sunsets. Now, a month or two later, and the sun is setting almost two hours later in the day. It can only get better!

Anyway, I am a fan of photography that uses natural light (I don't know, I've been calling it flash-free photography for so long I don't know what it's actually called). I'm not talking about the crappy out of focus pictures that people take at a concert from too far away. I'm talking about really good photography, just without the flash. Sometimes certain things are in focus, other times they aren't. And that's ok. I'm no expert by all means (not like am with football). But I'm hoping to become more learned via reading and practicing (one of the 9 goals for 2009).

To tie the two paragraphs together, here is a picture I took of the sunset sometime in December/beginning of January. I moved the camera on purpose, because the beauty as I saw it was in the colors of the sky, and the darkness of tree (not in the yard, or the fence, or the basketball court, or anything else that you might see, were this picture in focus).

Some thoughts on The Lovely Bones

It's been a few days, and here are some thoughts on The Lovely Bones. Had I posted the second after I finished reading, I might have more to say. I might have more to say in comments, later. Also, the thoughts aren't necessarily connected. I'm typing as I think.

Brief synopsis: The story is told from the point of view of a girl who was raped and murdered and is now in her own heaven looking down on her family/neighborhood. We the reader know who did it, and we learn more details as the book goes on, but to most of the people in the book, it is still an unsolved crime.

Throw away whatever you think is incorrect about a "personal heaven" and pretend you're reading Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter (you know the worlds in these books don't completely exist, but you forget about that for the sake of the story).

It's such a great point of view to read from, because it's in first person, but can be as knowledgeable as a book narrated from the third person, because she sees everything.

Upon hearing the synopsis before reading this, I was intrigued by the fact that it was told from the point of view of the girl who was murdered. I was leery about the fact that she was raped and cut to pieces. I don't like to read those kind of graphic details. I don't like to think about them, and I have a hard time looking past them (I can look past "personal heavens" but I can' look past graphic-ness). All that to say, while I wouldn't let someone with a child's mind read this, I myself with an adult mind thought that it wasn't too graphically described.

I thought the story was so intriguing that I read it over the course of two evenings. The first 3/4 of the book went really fast, and I was completely engrossed. The last quarter seemed to lose steam (much like me last week). Most of the chapters were not titled, but there was one about 3/4 through that was titled "snapshots." It seemed like an epilogue, and I would've been glad to set the book down and finish the story there.

But then it went on. More story. More things that seemed like the author wanted it to have a happy ending.

Two thoughts: perhaps everything that was after the "snapshots" chapter was her story as told from her personal heaven point of view.
or
perhaps the author wanted to show that life does go on, eventually, after death (for the people left behind).

I don't know.

Anyway, it is interesting and sad to read about the way her family and neighborhood mourn/deal with her loss.

Use(d) to

Never do you question grammar more than when you read something written by someone who doesn't take for granted the same grammar rules you take for granted (sorry if that sounded redundant).

I'm just going to get straight to the point (rather than ramble on and on, and give myself ample time to make a grammatical error while complaining about grammar). I have recently started second guessing the use of "use to" and "used to."

Not necessarily when spoken (they sound quite similar), but when written.

I couldn't make a decision about which was proper and which was improper...or if they both are proper/improper depending on the circumstance.

So I looked it up. Some sources gave a whole bunch of examples to show the meaning of use(d) to. This is not what I was looking for. I know when to use it in a sentence. I know what it means. The only thing the list of examples gave me was the answer to the question, "Are both proper sometimes?" The answer is yes.

Another source suggested that you use "used to" for something in the past, and you use "use to" after "did" or "didn't."

Examples: "I used to live in Minnesota."

"Did you use to live in Minnesota?" and "I didn't use to live in Canada."

Another source says that it is always "used to" because you are always talking about the past.

A great deal more sources thought I needed to know the difference between "I used to smoke" and "I am used to smoke." Thank you, but that's not my question. I know the different meanings.

This source gives probably more information than you want, but backs up the "did" and "didn't" rule. I tend to agree with this.

At any rate, you're probably questioning the whole thing. "Use(d) to" is such a weird pairing of words anyway.

Oh the things I will look up just to have another post.

Who am I kidding. I would look it up anyway.

Hawaii Chair

For those of us who can't currently be in Hawaii, we have to settle for the Hawaii Chair. Or even better, we get to watch someone else benefiting from the Hawaii Chair.

I always have a difficult time answering the age old question, "If you could pick anyone, living or dead, to sit and talk with over coffee, who would it be?"

I think it would be great to sit down for coffee and chat with Ellen. That, and everyone else is already in line to sit down and have coffee with President Obama.

Please enjoy this:

Futures

I'm sitting here wondering how I will possibly come up with more interesting things to post about in the next few days.

And then I remembered that after Tuesday I will have to decide whether or not to continue blogging on this blog, or start a new one.

Things the new blog could have:
Average three posts a week (I know, I know, 11 less than this one. But I think that's ok in a less obnoxious way)
Labels (I love putting things into categories...I would have to challenge myself to limit the amount of categories).

Things I will miss about this blog:
The title
The Get Fuzzy cartoon at the top


See this is difficult.

And when will I have time to work on the other one to make it welcoming enough that everyone will want to add it to their list of blogs they read?

Super bowl predictions from the expert

Stillers: 46
Other Team: 34

Now I will be sleeping through this, and will have to rely on other sources the next day to find out if it's true...but since I am an expert, I probably won't even look it up.

I'm just going to trust my instinct.

Other predictions: ***SPOILER ALERT***

75% of all commercials will have animals in them (down 5% from last year)
Number 88 will break a bone. Probably his leg.
Number 11 for the other team will make 2 touchdowns.
In Pittsburgh, the Steeler's theme song is probably already playing on repeat on all the streets, and will continue to do so well into 2009.
The Boss will only have a minor wardrobe malfunction, so minor that only fashion experts like myself (my expertise is not only limited to sports) will notice.
Some coach will get some energy drink full of electrolytes dumped on him at the end (sorry if I ruined the end for you).

The Lovely Bones

After a recommendation, I read the Lovely Bones. It is quite the read. I'm still chewing on it. I can't decide if I want to write a review on it, or write my thoughts on it as if I were discussing it with someone who has already read it.

I will give it until Sunday or so. That way, if you want to read it before I write about it, you have some time.

Trust me, you can read it by then, and you won't be able to put it down.

PS...It's a book for grown-ups. If you must, look it up on amazon. I'm not putting a link here, because you know how to use amazon.

Confession

I joined a group on Facebook that was something about not going on Facebook for the whole month of February. Then I invited everyone on my friend list to join, challenging them. Then I realized that February is starting on Sunday and thought, am I mentally prepared for this?

So I left the group.

Then I noticed that people started joining it after I sent the invite.

I'm kind of amused with my sudden flakiness.

Oh well. No one will ever find out if they're truly in the group. And don't read this blog post.

Oops.

I think I can

I'm totally losing steam on this posting 2 times a day every day thing.

Or I'm just totally losing steam anyway. For the past week I have not been sleeping well. Can't fall asleep at night. Totally tired during the day. Haven't been napping. Feeling completely wiped out when my alarm goes off.

Thank God it's Friday, and even now, it's the middle of the night and I can't fall asleep.

I'm not usually an insomniac. I'm a night owl, yes. But I've always prided myself in being able to fall asleep with no problems.

Maybe it's because I'm afraid I will have another prophetic dream that indicates that I have 12 months to figure out what I really think about believer baptism.

dream

This morning in between snoozes I dreamed that I was being believer baptized.

And it was this whole big show. Fancier than a wedding. Or maybe fancy isn't the word. It was certainly an event though. It was outdoors, and I was wearing a long white dress. In the dream I was watching myself. At the beginning was all this fanfare. The coolest part was these little pockets of confetti that were launched in a similar way to fireworks. They were shot off, and then when they were just above everyone's heads they would burst and confetti would be everywhere. After it was over, Steve whispered in my ear, "You only have 12 months to figure out what you actually believe about all this."

That's it. When I woke up, I couldn't stop thinking, "That was ridiculous." When I told Steve this, he asked, "Why, because of all the ceremony, or the fact that you were wearing a white dress that would be see-through when you were done?"

I hadn't thought of that second part. Both in and out of the dream.

Anyway, I'm not sure what 12 months means either. Other than 1 year.

Overfed and Under-exercised

What happens when people are overfed and under-exercised?

Sluggish, lazy, fat, tired, etc are words that come to mind.

What happens when a church is overfed and under-exercised?

What happens when people hear the Word and don't do what it says?

James 1:22-25 says, "But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."

I love to indulge in the Bible, in God's Word. I just hope I'm exercising my faith enough so I don't become a fathead know-it-all Christian that can't relate to anything.

One step in the right direction

The other night as I was going to sleep, I envisioned in my head a nice dish of beef stroganoff. I love stroganoff. Growing up it was the only hamburger helper that I really loved.

Side story: I would always pick out the hamburger and eat all of the noodles. My mom, wanting to not waste money on meat, made it once without the meat. It did not taste very good.

Anyway, as a grown-up, I'm realizing that those boxed meals aren't really saving you that much time (you still have to provide your own meat, for one) or energy (you still have to boil noodles and mix ingredients)...and they don't taste nearly as good as the same thing made from scratch.

So, for a little bit of extra time and energy (but not that much), the average person can make tasty meals without having them taste like the cardboard box they came in.

Anyway, the other night, as I dreamed about beef stroganoff, I thought: we should make it.

We were in luck, because:
a) they don't sell very much convenience food here, if you know what I mean
b) we can find all of the necessary ingredients at the store to make it from scratch

So the next evening, on our way home from church (seriously, I'm getting so hungry just thinking about it) Steve asked what I would like to do for dinner.

I said I would like to stop at the store, get some ingredients, and make beef stroganoff (I have a feeling I keep misspelling this word. Sorry if I am).

We didn't have a specific recipe in mind, but guessed on what we would need. I'm not going to share the recipe here, because that's not what this post is about. If it were, the title would be "great recipe" but instead it's about taking a step in the right direction. I'm getting to that part. Hopefully.

Steve loves loves loves loves mushrooms, and eats them as often as possible. I don't like mushrooms, and I avoid eating them as often as possible.

Typical made-from-scratch (hyphens for Warren) stroganoff calls for mushrooms. I can't deny it.

So we got a whole bag of mushrooms. Steve promised he would chop them up really finely. And he did.

It took a while to get over the smell. To me, it all just smelled so strongly of mushrooms.

But seriously, all mushrooms aside, it was so good. Everything about it turned out so so good. And from start to finish, it took less than an hour from the time we started browning the meat to the time we were sitting and praying for our food.

And I ate it, mushrooms and all.

It's a really big step for me, as far as food goes. I still don't love mushrooms. But it's a step in the right direction.

Hey, that's the title of the post.

I looked up some reasons to eat almonds

A fitness "superfood" (I paraphrased the main 4 points)
1. Lowers your cholesterol; good for your heart
2. Nutritionally dense -- good source of fiber (which could account for less tp), and an excellent source of vitamin E and Magnesium.
3. May help maintain or lose weight (let's be honest. I'm not in the market to lose weight)
4. Almonds are tasty, satisfying, and versatile.


Confirmed.

Top 3 unresearched reasons to love naked almonds

They taste so good
They save you on toilet paper
They're always available by the kg at Iki

I'm sure there are more reasons to like them...they're probably good for you and have certain vitamins that you need. But the 3 that I listed I came up with on my own. I didn't look anything up.

Of brown sugar and Jesus

Sometimes it's easier for me to preach the gospel of brown sugar and to introduce chocolate chips than to preach the Gospel of Jesus and to introduce Christianity.

Although, sometimes it's easier for people to ask questions about chocolate chips than to ask questions about Jesus...and if people don't care for brown sugar, who cares? I still like it, but it doesn't have an effect on eternity.

Benjamin Button Your Fly

Ok, Ok, cheesiest title for a post ever. But it's past my bedtime, so you'll have to get over it.

I was sitting here, reading the news and suddenly came up with something to post about. And since I must average 2 a day, I can't pass up an opportunity like this.

Apparently my old* friend Brad Pitt was promoting his latest film unaware that his zipper was down. Maybe it was to take away the attention from his mustache?



Oh well. It happens to the best of us. I would just like to take this time to lament over the fact that Benjamin Button will not grace our theater here until February 6th. Over a month after it came out in the states. No wonder missionaries always come back dressed weirdly. How can we keep up with the styles if we can't even watch Benjamin Button at Christmastime like the rest of the world?

I will tell you this much though. I won't come back with a denim skirt and fanny-pack. I may however be wearing skinny jeans and knee-high boots (pants tucked in them of course). We shall see.



*He and I had a falling out after he and Jennifer Aniston called it quits.

anticipation haiku

daydreaming all day
of the possibilities
what will be diff'rent

Names

It's no secret that I've always liked looking up name meanings. It's always interesting to me, even if I look up the same names more than once...or 3,552 times.

Every time I look up my own name, I'm told it means something along the lines of Latin, a crown of laurel leaves. Feminine form of Lawrence. Some take it a step further and say it means "victorious." I'm guessing this is probably because crowns of laurel leaves were given to Olympic victors in the olden days. A laurel leaf is also known as a bay leaf. Blah blah blah. I could go on and on, and this is all off the top of my head.

Anyway, I decided to look up my name in the dictionary. Why not. You know it's not the first time and it certainly won't be the last.

Here's the definition, and it's one that I don't remember seeing before...so that's why it's interesting enough to me to post about.


Laura–noun Greek Orthodox Church. a monastery consisting formerly of a group of cells or huts for monks who met together for meals and worship.

I like it.

Two Quotes that I deleted off my facebook in an effort to wean myself from its grasps.

"I think that the choice is clear. Oprah Winfrey. You can see a lot of similarities. We're both geniuses, we're both incredibly wealthy, and we've both started schools in Africa." (on who would play herself in a movie on her life)
-Mary Lynn Rajskub


"How long have you been working here?"
"I don't know. Time is a cruel mistress."
(Spinal Tap Live Earth Tour)

Of Porches and Networks

Last night while watching "That 70's Show," I was struck by the detail that Red and Kitty sit outside with each other in the evening. Their neighbor (whether they like him or not) Bob comes and visits with them, sharing a problem (the comedy is that Red is behind the problem, but that's not what this post is about).

I like that kind of community. I don't know that I'm necessarily at the point in my life where Steve and I spend our evenings out on the porch (1. We currently don't have a porch 2. If we did have a porch, we'd share it with 150 other people 3. It's January in Eastern Europe 4. We don't speak the same language as our neighbors), but I would like to someday be there.

Am I developing the habits that I need to develop in order to be the type of person who has a porch and utilizes it?

I don't want to be the old lady who has to check her facebook before she can go enjoy an evening out on the porch with her husband and neighborhood. But I also get the feeling that the neighbors might be doing the same.

It's with this that I wonder how much longer this facebook will last? For me? I think it's a great way to keep in touch with people you haven't seen in forever or won't see in a while. I think it's a great way to share pictures and experiences...and has even come to replace email in certain aspects. It's definitely great for those people who don't love to talk on the phone (there are more and more of us). But is this the future?

What about our neighbors? I still think that real life interaction is better than online interaction. It's easier, yes, to check your facebook and see what others are up to. But sometimes it seems emptier that way as well.

I would like to say that by the time I'm 30, I will no longer check my facebook more than once a week. That will give me more time for real life interactions (review: more difficult sometimes, but always better).

What about blogging? I can't say that I will give that up anytime soon. I like it because it allows me to write things down, and to read things that other people bothered to write down. It seems a little deeper to me than updating your status every 3 minutes.

Couch sleeping

I don't know that I'd want to spend the whole night there, but the couch is a superb place for a nap. Comfort for your back and your side. And your back side. Excuse me. I must go now.

Mind over matter

The feeling you get when one bug/insect/creepy crawly is discovered. The feeling like they're all over you.

The feeling you get when you hear that someone you were just around has something highly contagious. The itchy-ness that you suddenly notice; the feeling of sand in your eye; a tickle in your throat.

The feeling you get when you try to eat something with a difficult* texture. The feeling of your throat closing and suddenly your mouth is dry.














*difficult as in difficult to convince yourself that it feels ok in your mouth

Also

Where is everyone?

I realize when you have a goal to accomplish and you need to post a million times a day that it will seem like no one else hardly ever posts anything.

After Feb 3rd, it will probably be the opposite.

Made it.

I made it 26 hours without chapstick. My lips did not feel good. Had I upped the challenge to 48 hours it would not have been pretty. But I survived.

Balm

You know the question that goes something along the lines of, "If you were trapped on an island, and didn't know how long it would be before you'd be rescued (or if you were rescued), what or who would you like to have with you?" There are many variations, but the clever and obvious answer always has something to do with the person or object that helps you to build a boat or call for safety.

Lame.

The point of the question is not to be clever, but to really analyze what or who is important to you. What or who can't you live without?

I've thought about it in this way recently. What if I had no home and no income (and presumably no family or friends that would let me stay with them until I could get back on my feet)? I'm thankful to say that there's a better chance for me to be deserted on an island, but for the sake of question, what if?

If I had no home or income...or if I had no where to stay and my full time job was asking people for spare change, what is the one thing that I would try to save up for (after I'd bought my piece of bread and some water)?

The answer is easy. Lip Balm. I can't live without it. I really can't. I think some people think it's a want and not a need. And maybe that's true for them (how very postmodern of me). But it's not true for me.

A few years back, another person and I were in competition with each other to see who could go the longest without chapstick (not necessarily the brand...but I'm getting sick of calling it lip balm. It's like calling Kleenexes tissues).

After a mere couple days my lips were swollen, scabby, cracked, bloody, and purely awful looking. (I lost after one week).

Some suggested I wasn't getting enough water. But seriously. I drink more water than the average person. I loves it.

Anyway. On to the point (and you thought there wasn't one).

The computer says it's 10:28pm. It's Wednesday. I have just applied some lip balm.

One of my 2008 resolutions that I failed at was to go one day without lip balm. The reason I failed was because I didn't even try. I procrastinated, thinking that the start of the year is way too cold and dry to go without. I would wait for a humid summer day, I said. Never happened. I think I'm up to the challenge though. I mean, it's already been two minutes and so far so good. Only 23 hours and 58 minutes to go.

My Most Frequent Spelling Mistake

Calendar.

I spell it wrong every time. It's like a disorder. And I'm shocked by the frequency that I use the word in writing. You'd think I would learn by now.

Calander.

Calendar.

Hey you!

Yeah, you! You, with your protest sign, standing outside of the clinic screaming, "All babies want to get borned!"

Would you be willing to, instead of protesting, go into the clinic and offer to adopt the child that the mother wants to get rid of? Could you be that dedicated? Instead of having your own biological children...could it be your ministry to have someone else's?

(This is not a thought I came up with all on my own. I am blogging about it, though.)

What would the pros and cons of this kind of commitment to beliefs be?

I'm not worried

I'm not.

I know there's the ever-looming issue of President Obama's stance on a woman's right to choose to kill her unborn child.

And I don't agree that that's ok. I don't. But do I think the nation will be in ruins at the end of 4 years (any more than it already is?)? That's not for me to say.

What is for me to say? I've never been one to get too into politics. I've never fully agreed with or wholeheartedly followed any candidate. And this time is no exception. I've exercised my right to vote every chance I have had, and I've tried to base my decisions on who to vote for based on where they stand on the issues I think are important and relevant (irregardless of what party they are apart of). And I have to confess that there are issues that I don't understand...and there are issues that I don't care about.

I just now realized that this post could go in so many different directions and so many different tangents (in fact, just deleted a whole couple of paragraphs).

I don't think I'm qualified to tell you what to think about the president whether you voted for him or not. I think that there are a lot of issues that I agree with him on. There are some that I don't agree with him on. One thing I do know, is that he will need a lot of prayer. He needs a lot of prayer. Anyone in his position would.

A verse that comes to mind is:
Proverbs 28:2 When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.

It comes to mind not because I think he will lead the nation down the path of moral rot (I think a lot of people are already there, and have been prior to his leadership), but because I would pray that he would be a wise and knowledgeable leader. I pray that there would be some stability and unity. A nation divided among itself will not stand.

And I pray for that one issue that so many people get stuck on. I pray that women (and men) would make the right choices before, during, and after pregnancy. That they would be educated about it. (I just thought of something for another post...good thing I need to have a couple of posts a day).

31 Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

31 Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise.

Little bit of soapbox* for my last Proverbs 31 post.

It's always nice to let your actions speak for you. It's nicer to have other people speak well of you than to have to do all the work yourself.

Proverbs 27:2 Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—
a stranger, not your own lips.








*Oh wait. Isn't that what blogs are?

What if

What if people who led music in church, particularly the vocalists, were not up front, but spread out and sitting among the congregation, leading not with a microphone, but with their voice?

They could practice just as much, but they would not be up front.

I still haven't figured out how to make instrumentalists less showy without drastically changing the physical layout of the already existing church.

Anyway, then it would seem less like a performance, and more like you're singing with each other for God.

What would it look like?

Before break, a colleague of mine (It seems weird to me that I can call myself her colleague. I have this much experience and expertise to contribute [fingers at one centimeter apart], and she has this much [arms straight out at either side]) gave me a book to read. She prefaced that the story (a true one) was really good, but it could be written better. I agreed to read it for the story and not for how it's written.
Break has come and gone, and now I am sitting on the couch starting to read the book.
I am not even to the first chapter yet, and already I have something to blog about.
The book is called Tumbling Walls (weird, now it won't let me underline anything), by Walter E. James with Christy Hawes Zatkin. Like I said, I'm only in the stuff you read before the book begins, so I can't tell you much more than what's written on the back. So, if you must know what it's about, here is what it says on the back of the book:
"A youth of partly Jewish heritage, who endured the uncertain day-to-day existence of the World War II years as a member of Holland's underground, encounters the disillusioned rage of a former Nazi youth leader when they meet on an international work crew helping to rebuild a battered and broken Germany.
It all started when Walt James and a few venturesome collegians in the U.S. determined to do whatever it would take for them to come alongside a defeated people and work with them as God's emissaries 'midst the rubble of the post-World War II years."

Here are some of the words that got me thinking (Italics and spacing are my own):
"The youth of our nation and the world are hungering and thirsting for answers that satisfy the deep needs of the human spirit,
for answers that give them a sense of direction and hope for the future.
I submit that God and God alone has the answers both to the contemporary needs of the world
and to the spiritual needs of the world's people.
Tumbling Walls is the story of people who have found that to be true in the rough and tumble of everyday life.
It's the story of how God uses ordinary people in extraordinary ways
when they make their lives available to Him.
It's my recorded account of the actual experiences of people who decided to try the way of Jesus.
They asked themselves, "What would be the result if I were to make myself wholly available to God? If I were to make myself expendable in the service of Jesus Christ?"

As I sit here on the couch reading this, I wonder what it would look like for me. And then my brain kicks in and says, "Hello, you live in Lithuania. That's what it looks like."

But sometimes I forget this. In the ordinary day-to-dayness, I forget that it's extraordinary to go where God wants you to go, to be on the adventure He called me on. More often than not, I lump myself into the group who are hungering and thirsting for something that satisfies me deeply. Not that I doubt God. Rarely if at all. But I doubt myself, and what I think. And I doubt others. A lot. I'm a skeptic sometimes. The only thing that can satisfy this hunger is the Word of God.

Last night I was reading in John. And I was comforted (oddly) by these words:
"Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. But Jesus didn't trust them, because he knew human nature. No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like." (John 2:23-25)

Anyway, I'm thinking this story, hoping, no matter how poorly written, will resonate with me.

We shall see.

I'm thankful for my brain, don't get me wrong

But I wish I didn't dwell on things so much.

Check

500 Pieces
Sorry for the glare over North America
Also, for whatever reason, everything is underlined, and it won't let me take it away.
Now onto other things that I need to accomplish in 2009.

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.

Nothing wrong with charm (unless they're lucky charms...not the cereal), nothing wrong with beauty. In and of themselves.

But if charm and beauty are the only things you have going for you, you're in for a shock. Because sometimes we use our charm to be manipulative. It can be deceptive. And outward beauty doesn't always last. Unless you're one of those charming old ladies in the dove campaign for real beauty.

Actually, the beauty that for sure doesn't last is the beauty that is altered in order to last. Cases in point. They look fake. And when you compare their look now to 30 years ago, you can see why they try so hard to preserve their beauty.

What lasts? What should a woman be known for besides charm and beauty? Her fear of the Lord.

5 Phots From Vilnius

Lietuva





I don't know why I like bricks.





Blue sky, smiling at me.





Bell tower. Camp should consider remodeling theirs and getting rid of Herb's House. I'm just saying.





More bricks, of red and green.


P.S. Phots is not a typo.

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200th Post

This, apparently, is my 200th post. It is January 15th.

1. January 16
2. 17
3. 18
4. 19
5. 20
6. 21
7. 22
8. 23
9. 24
10. 25
11. 26
12. 27
13. 28
14. 29
15. 30
16. 31
17. February 1
18. 2
19. 3

19 More days to reach my opus.
39 more posts.

Approximately 2 posts a day.

I'm up to it.

Lost and Found, Left Behind, Made In China

Bible Verse, then blog, then win

Here is something you can enter to win. And even if you don't win, you can read through all the meaningful Bible verses.

I was inspired by Eva. Should we share the winnings, Eva? (If one of us wins?)

visionary haiku

let us not lose sight
and forget who sent us here
to do a good work

28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: 29 "There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!"

28 Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her:
29 "There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!"

I'm not quite there yet. But hopefully someday. How great and how successful to have children that bless you, and to have a husband that says you surpass all of the other virtuous and capable women in the world!

Some definitions (again, I think):

virtuous: –adjective Conforming to moral and ethical principles; morally excellent; upright: Lead a virtuous life.

Capable: –adjective Having power and ability; efficient; competent: a capable instructor.

Have I posted on these words before? Does Proverbs 31 talk about being virtuous and capable already?

Anyway, I think they are great characteristics to try to shoot for. And even if you are a women who is not a wife or a mother, you may be someday, and these characteristics just don't happen overnight. And, if, at the end of your life, you're 90 years old, never married, no children, etc -- wouldn't it still be great for someone to say of you, "She was virtuous and capable."

27 She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.

27 She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness.





...and with that, I've GOT to get off this computer and do some dishes....among other things.

26 When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.

26 When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.

Wisdom accompanied with kindness. A difficult thing.

Progress Report -- January

1. Start and complete a 500-1000 piece jig-saw puzzle (This will be difficult. Challenging. And I may have to start now if I want to finish by the end of the year. I am not good at jig-saw puzzles).

I have acquired the puzzle

2. Work my way up to eating 5 servings of fruit per day (I've learned that I can't start cold-turkey. Mmmm.....turkey).

Not there yet, but have tried a new kind of fruit. Don't love it, but don't hate it either.

3. Reduce more, Recycle more, Reuse more (not because it's green, but because it's what I've been taught since childhood)

Been thinking a lot about how I can practically implement this. More to come on this resolution, I'm sure.

4. Continue to try to like tea. Learn more about the different kinds enough to have an educated conversation about tea with someone who loves it.

Have acquired mugs for drinking loose leaf tea.

5. Practice Lithuanian

The hardest part is hearing (understanding) Lithuanian. We have an antenna for our small TV, and I might practice listening to Lithuanian TV.

6. Learn the Russian alphabet, and some words

Have not started yet, but have the Rosetta Stone in hand.

7. Read the manual for our camera

I have a plan for incorporating this into the blog, if and when I get time (there's still a lot of 2009 left).

8. Stop touching facial blemishes

Suck at this one, but good habits take time.

9. Learn more about the church calendar

Truly an interest. I hope I don't put this one on the back burner.


Of course, there's still more of 2008 goals that I am still working on. Such is life.

Sanctuary vs Powerful Wind

In which do you most experience God?

In the peaceful quietness of a beautiful old church,

or

In the power and pain of a cold, strong wind hitting your face and with it carrying frozen moisture from the crashing waves of the Baltic Sea.

Fact.

Every time I read the word "Patio," I think about the word "Ratio."

Nine (personal, rather than professional) Goals for 2009

Yes, a far shorter list than last year....but a sincere one nonetheless. Actually 9 is a more difficult number than 239.

1. Start and complete a 500-1000 piece jig-saw puzzle (This will be difficult. Challenging. And I may have to start now if I want to finish by the end of the year. I am not good at jig-saw puzzles).

2. Work my way up to eating 5 servings of fruit per day (I've learned that I can't start cold-turkey. Mmmm.....turkey).

3. Reduce more, Recycle more, Reuse more (not because it's green, but because it's what I've been taught since childhood)

4. Continue to try to like tea. Learn more about the different kinds enough to have an educated conversation about tea with someone who loves it.

5. Practice Lithuanian

6. Learn the Russian alphabet, and some words

7. Read the manual for our camera

8. Stop touching facial blemishes

9. Learn more about the church calendar

Well, I accomplished some things.

One last look at 2008...and then onto making new goals for 2009

1. Go to Boston
2. Get new glasses
3. Visit a dentist
4. Apply for seminary (Half bold=half done)
5. Go to Washington DC
6. Write a children’s book
7. Buy a Digital SLR Camera
8. Give all the clothes you don’t wear anymore to Salvation Army
9. Go to Niagara Falls
10. Illustrate the children’s book you plan to write
11. Save a little bit of money each week
12. Write a letter or note to someone and send it in the mail once a week
13. Go Colonial Williamsburg
14. Call your Mom once a week (Sucked at this one, but got to see her every week this summer, and have called her a few times since leaving the country)
15. Enter a photography contest
16. Go one day without lip balm
17. Go to a Boston Red Sox Game
18. Learn something about each presidential candidate (I voted)
19. Get promoted
20. Go for a walk three times a week
21. Go to The Poconos
22. Organize your recipes (We were given a recipe box. A start)
23. See the Statue of Liberty
24. Go to New Hampshire
25. Grow your hair ridiculously long (did it, and already cut it...twice)
26. Call a friend once a week
27. Go to Vermont
28. Shave a little bit of your legs with every shower
29. Dress up for church
30. Learn more about investing
31. Go to Connecticut
32. Be able to do one pull-up/chin-up
33. Get an I-pod
34. Get more dress clothes
35. Go to Maryland
36. Learn some new words in another language
37. Learn some new English words
38. Put some towels away for later
39. Go to Delaware
40. Clean the oven
41. Go camping in a tent
42. Cook a meal over a campfire (I want to say I did. I know I did some sitting around a campfire. I know I cooked a snack over the campfire)
43. Go to New Jersey
44. Eat more fruits (somewhat)
45. Develop a taste for berries (I tried a strawberry on the 4th of July. I didn't develop a taste for them yet)
46. Leave the continent
47. Invent a new recipe
48-97. Read 50 books you’ve never read before
98-122. Reread 25 books you have read before
123. Reread the Bible (this will be counted separately from the 25 other books).
124. Go to North Dakota
125. Drink at least 3 glasses of water a day
126-177. Take 52 interesting photos (I'm sure I have/will)
178. Encounter some Rough Giraffes
179. Go to Canada
180. Try fish again (you don’t have to like it)
181. Plant a tree
182. Floss daily (have tried to)
183. Finish a Friday crossword
184. Plant some flowers
185. Watch 24
186. Print photos and put them in an album (No, but now have a snapfish account)
187. Move out of Western Pennsylvania
88. Paint a picture
189. Finish off the lotion you have before buying more (I'm marking this as completed, because I haven't bought anymore. I haven't bought anymore because I haven't finished what I have)
190. Go on a date weekly (Haven't succeeded in this. But trying. Still date regularly, and spend quality time together. Which is my love language, by the way)
191. Watch The Office (rented it and watched a few episodes)
192. Send Christmas cards
193. Write to your Compassion Child once a month
194. Pray for him daily
195. Get rid of two pairs of shoes for every new pair you buy
196. Find a Bible study outside of Western Pennsylvania
197. Devise a list of verses to read every day for advent (Started to)
198. Visit a lake
199. Go swimming at least once
200. Go sledding
201. Watch a James Bond movie without falling asleep (I sincerely tried to)
202. Go golfing
203. Wear earrings for a day
204. Get one more belt
205. Learn some guitar chords
206. Write a song
207. Maintain your eyebrows (sometimes)
208. Spit in a new ocean
209. Go to a Minnesota Twins game
210. Organize and update your quote calendar
211. Let bygones be bygones
212. Get rid of all the extra bags
213. Wear sunscreen (still got burned)
214. Acquire a frame for the map of the world
215. Learn how to make plum jelly (More like plum sauce or syrup, really)
216. Burn a candle until it is gone
217-226. Develop 10 new characters
227. Create your own coffee shop (This will continue into 2009)
228. Sing in front of an audience
229. Grow your own peas (Tried to. In an experiment to see if they would grow in coffee grounds. They did not. Although, I dumped it all out into a garden, so maybe eventually they will grow. I probably won't know about it)
230. Care more about people than their grammar
231. Get a manicure
232. Get a pedicure
233. Get a massage (Not a professional one, at least)
234. Research the possibility and personal practicality of owning a bicycle
235. Write a short story
236. Write a long story
237. Write an essay
238. Write a letter to an editor
239. Finish this list