Segways, Mini Horses, Great Family & Friends: A Year of Thanksgiving

In about a month I will say farewell to 29 and welcome my 30s. My 20s have been great. I’ve met people I never thought I would, done things I never thought I’d do and learned more than I care to admit on most days. Twenty-nine was a great year, but as with each one that passes it brought a new set of challenges. However, it also brought a new set of blessings…unexpected blessings. No, I’m not talking about an unplanned pregnancy, or for that matter a planned pregnancy…no pregnancy! It’s those blessings that maybe I didn’t know I needed or anticipated I’d ever have.

So, this year I’m thankful for those unexpected blessings. I’m thankful for those calls from friends that came at just the right time and cards that show up on days my apartment mailbox is just filled with coupons or postcards advertising energy saving windows for the home I do not own. The flowers that showed up at work or the skirt that was surprisingly on sale when I made it to the register are thrown in there. Even the texts that came after the loss of an election can be added to the list. I’m thankful for the things that happened and those that didn’t.

I’m also thankful for the lasting blessings as well. I’m thankful for those friendships I didn’t know I needed but am so glad I have and that are so much stronger now than they were a year ago. I’m thankful for the people in my life who continually live like Christ and encourage me to do the same. I’m thankful for the people God uses in my life…who realize that their walk with Christ isn’t just about themselves, but affects the people in their lives as well. I’m thankful for those people who show up when they know you need them, they pray for you and wish so badly they could just pray harder to fix the challenge you’re facing. The people who God put in my life who actually carry the burden with them because they know it will make it a little bit lighter for me are irreplaceable. I’m thankful for parents who taught me that the truths you learn in the great times in life are still true in the hardest and bitterness, while it seems appealing at the time, never leads to joy.

I’m thankful for dinners with great friends and family, calls accepted even at the least opportune times (looking at you, Mom) and the encouraging messages that made even the most challenging days bearable. The people who turned their world upside down without thinking twice to visit are just a few of the ones I’m thankful for this year. I’m thankful for the impulse book purchase I made from Lifeway…I know, it is getting out of control when I’m thankful for things related to Lifeway.

To be clear, not every day of 29 was challenging, hardly even, and I’m thankful for those days as well. There were beach trips, mountain vacations, ridiculous days with my nieces and nephew, last minute trips home, an Olympic party that made all of you wish you’d been there, Segways, mini horses and goats and a van carrying a sign that says, “We don’t eat where Mama can’t smoke.” There were trips to see friends, a Homegoing celebration (RIP Whitney - gone too soon), Honor Flights, a wedding guest book with a Senator, my first appearance on a jumbotron, Titanic Remembrance Day at the Potomac Nationals Game, puppies - so many puppies, and a boat ride on the Potomac. This year brought countless other great times that are also not archived in a facebook album and likely for the best, I’m thankful for that as well.

Most of all, I’m thankful that there is an Almighty God who knows what I need better than I do. I’m thankful He directed my 20s and I’m excited to see what he does in my 30s…wow, 30s. God has a bigger dream for my life than I do and I’m so looking forward to seeing what it is and I’m happy to trade in mine for His. So, yes, I’m thankful for 29 because it drove me to Him and made me appreciate the blessings I didn’t even know I needed to ask for this year.

As Louie Giglio puts it, “When you have nothing left but God, you find He’s all you really need.” I’ve hardly lived 29 with “nothing left but God,” but I did learn He is in fact all I really need and for that I will be eternally grateful. Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Ten Years

I love music. I love everything from country to Motown, pop, Christian, rap (gasp) and yes even hip hop. There’s a special place in my heart for Lupe Fiasco’s The Show Goes On, I know I’m not alone in this. I was texting (seated indoors) with a friend the other day about American Idol. I know texting and about American Idol, it’s like I’m a 13 year old. Anyway, we talked about one of the contestants and how when they sing it’s so emotional. The contestant is a Christian, has been very open about it and leads worship in his church. So, it’s not surprising that when he sings a song that could be interpreted as a Christian song, Christians would feel emotional about it. I know many of us have songs that remind us of school dances, a first love and even winning national championships (“The ball is tipped…”). I was driving back from an Easter visit home last Monday with my iPod on shuffle. A song came on that is one of my favorites but I can hardly get through it yet when it pops up usually play it on repeat.

Holy Roar by Christy Nockels reminds me of someone we said goodbye to ten years ago. After months of fighting cancer my aunt lost her battle and went home to meet her Creator. Aunt Nita was very independent. Her husband died when their daughter was in her teens and she’d raised her, made her mortgage, paid all her bills and retired. Before retiring she challenged an unethical proposal by the Mayor of Atlanta and won. Aunt Nita was a strong Southern woman. She looked for opportunities to help other people, often without wanting any acknowledgement in return…simply doing what was right or meeting a need because she could and it was the right thing to do.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Southern women, when you walk into their home they offer you a glass of tea, something to eat and invite you to make yourself at home. They invite you to dinner and slave for hours over the meals so no one, except themselves, has to lift a finger to get anything and can just enjoy the evening. Southern women also typically pretend making a meal for eight guests was no big deal, they just, “threw a few things together.” These women love to host and consider it an insult when their hospitality is rejected or it is implied or outright stated that they need to allow someone else to help. It’s in our blood, we can’t help it and you all know you wouldn’t want it any other way.

My mom’s family is filled with these women (and blessed to have some men as well), who have the natural response to serve and give. So, when Aunt Nita was diagnosed with cancer, they took action. There were schedules for making sure she was accompanied at the doctor’s visits, cutting her grass, making her meals, doing her laundry and caring for my grandmother who also lived with her. But, as I mentioned Aunt Nita was a true Southern woman. She was the one who wanted to serve and wasn’t interested in being served.

Shortly after she was diagnosed with cancer and the schedule was in full swing, I had a call with my aunt that I’ll never forget. I knew she didn’t like all the help she was getting, but we both knew she was getting it either way. We talked about all the people I knew of who she’d helped. We prayed and I told her she was an Aaron. In Exodus 17 there’s the story of the Israelites fighting Amalek. Joshua is leading the battle and Moses is on a hill overseeing the fight. When Moses’ arms are raised Joshua is winning, but when they’re down, Joshua is losing. As the battle goes on Moses gets tired and can’t hold his arms up anymore. Aaron and Hur get on each side of him and each man holds one of Moses’ arms. Joshua and the Israelites won the battle. My aunt held a lot of arms.

Over the next several months our family had the honor of holding her arms in her fight against cancer. While we didn’t see her win that fight here, I am confident we will see her again.

Ten years ago I wasn’t interested in children. I knew they were necessary for humanity to continue, but I didn’t really want to be around them, was definitely not interested in having them and thought it was best that other people involve themselves in parenting. I was 19. However, two months to the day after my aunt died, I was blessed with a niece. While I don’t love every child who pops up in my newsfeed or shares a flight with me and I’m not interested in knowing the ratio of your unborn child to items in the produce aisle, I couldn’t love my three nieces (Tatiana, Makenzie and Perla) and brave nephew (Jimmy) more. There is rarely a day that goes by that I don’t think of Aunt Nita and hope I’m even half as great to them as my she was to me and so many others. She along with my parents and many in our family during those really difficult months taught me what it means to be an Aaron and I pray that God continues to show me how to be one.

Holy Roar by Christy & Nathan Nockels

Trees of life are blooming
Your word plants the seed and we feel it growing
Your kindness leading to repentance
We see traces
Of deliverance
Lord, thank you for mercy

Oh, can you hear it?
It’s the song of the redeemed
The pursuit of passion for the one who set us free

Oh, can you hear it?
We’re crying out for more
Listen to our song
It’s turning into a holy roar

Rivers of renewal
Spirit whisper a revival
And send us rushing
Open hears with hopes of unity
Servants to love in lost humanity
Lord, send us reaching

Oh, we come rejoicing and singing and crying out to you, Lord
Can you hear the Holy Roar

A Few of My Least Favorite Things

There are beliefs worth fighting for, things people feel passionately about, then there are also things in life that are simply annoying. They are those crazy things that you’re not going to go to the mat on, but you do wish they were simply different or nonexistent. Honestly, I have been known to climb on top of my soapbox and rant about my items from time to time. I like to think my rants make the world a better place, or are at least a little entertaining. In an effort to positively impact the world or at least garner a few laughs I’ve listed the top four below. Please note, I realize these are on some level very superficial and do not ultimately have any eternal significance.

4. Cooking Competition Shows – The fact these shows have an audience truly baffles me. You don’t get a copy of the recipe, the opportunity to smell the food they are making and certainly don’t get to taste it. So, for an hour (or so) you sit at home, watching people throw a bunch of random ingredients together and wait for the final moment when someone other than you goes over and taste the food. You don’t even know the person tasting the food. Chances are they themselves look unkempt and if a friend took you to their house for dinner you’d likely request to stop for fast food on the way home. So, in brief, you spend approximately 50 minutes watching all of this go down, building up to the finale where some rando decides if they like the way it taste or not. Yeah, that’s definitely on the list of my least favorite things.

3. Bad Tippers – It’s so nice to go to dinner with friends. It’s not nice to go to dinner with cheap friends. My parents taught me that if you’re going to go out make sure you have enough money to tip a person. Oh and tipping should start at 20%. There are only the most severe of situations that justify dropping below this amount. Waiters and waitresses only make about $2.13 before tips. It is simply rude and irresponsible to stiff them. Perhaps the most annoying thing about this is when someone in your group offers to pay, which is nice but then proceeds to only leave 10% all the while flashing the bill in front of you. This is very awkward, do you embarrass this person who just bought your dinner by leaving more money on the table or do you leave without this poor waiter/waitress being compensated? These people bring you your food, they’re just trying to make some money and they aren’t doing anything illegal. Compensate them appropriately. Ultimately it only ends up being a couple of extra dollars. Also, don’t pray before your meal and then tick off the staff by stiffing them in the end, you’re not helping anyone. Yes, you just earned a spot on the list.

2. When Guys don’t Give Up their Seats on the Metro – Call me old fashioned or tell me I’m crying out for chivalry, but in the end it’s simply common courtesy. I realize I grew up in the South where people are generally nicer (bless their hearts), but common courtesy should be just that, common. Many a southerner has ridden the Metro and been anything but a gentleman though. I ride the Metro (subway for those of you not in the D.C. area) often and it blows my mind that guys will not get up to let a girl or older person sit down. Not once have I seen a guy ask a girl if she wants to sit down and that girl turn around, accost him declaring woman’s rights and start burning her bra. I’ve also never seen a guy ask an older person if they want to sit down and then that person start yelling about ageism. These things don’t happen, so get up. Ugh, it’s staying on the list.

1. Local News – Wow, Jodie has heard many a rant on this one. I really can’t stand local news. There’s one station here in particular that has the worst advertisements for their news broadcasts. Popping up on the screen and saying, “Man shot at 11:00,” is not appropriate. Do you plan for the man to be shot at 11:00? I’m confused. This is the same news station whose anchors switched clothing during a commercial break because they “thought no one would notice,” yeah we noticed and we called about it…twice. In general local news is terrible. They don’t tell you anything you want to hear. It’s rare they share anything that’s truly news or you couldn’t simply find out on the internet. The main reason for watching local news is so you can find out the weather; however, you have to sit through 10 minutes of reporting on the weather that has already happened and then finally get a report for the next day (that will likely be wrong) and last a maximum of 30 seconds. Local news is totally number one on this list.

I’ve been told I’m idealistic yet believe I’m a cynic. I know, it’s an interesting world in which I’m living. I’m fine with it.

An Update

You can clearly see based on the date of the last post that it has been a while since I've posted an update. The last year has been a year of growth. I changed jobs. My family welcomed a new person into the world and found yet again a baby is always a blessing. My mother was diagnosed with, fought and beat breast cancer! We learned even in the most unpredictable of situations God is still in control and will continue to give you what you need to make it through each day. I traveled to Vietnam (oh my days in 'Nam) and China yet learned what Dorthy has been telling us for years, "There's no place like home," is true. In the last week after learning via text message (thanks Jade) that Union had been struck by a tornado and then watching the television reports I learned that God is faithful and when the people of God act as they should and show love to one another John 13:35 is proven true.

I've heard life described before as a series of snapshots shaping who you become. I haven't decided if I actually agree with that or not, but I do think there are instances in our lives that get us to a crossroads (of sorts). It's an opportunity to live out our lives in worship of the Almighty or to reject him completely. It is becoming abundantly clear to me that the last year has been a time where I have clung to what Louie Giglio says in his book The Air I Breathe, "If all you ever know about God is what you know right now, you still know enough to praise Him forever." There are days in all of our lives when we simply do not think things could be worse...sometimes that's true. My friends and I have always tried to play the "What would make this worse" game...it seems to help, it also tends to get outrageous.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Union University community. I am pulling for another tornado T-shirt to come out of this.

"When we can't tell what God is up to, and we can't see Him working around in our circumstances, we can still praise Him simply for who we know Him to be. Even if our circumstances don't reveal it, God is still all of who He is. No matter what life sends our way, we focus our attention on Him. He's still God." - The Air I Breathe, Louie Giglio

It's a Christmas Miracle

Well, over five months have past since my last entry and I'm sure I'm now only writing for readers who accidentally type in the wrong web address and end up on my site. I could update you on my life, I could tell you what I've been doing for the past five months that has kept me from posting on this site for all to see, but I'm not going to do so. Okay, maybe a brief update. I've traveled some...the highlights are Georgia, NYC, Cincinnasty (spelled correctly), Kentucky (Yeah for Corn Festival!), Tennessee, and Hawaii. I've rented a lot of movies, drunk a lot of Diet Coke, worked a lot of hours, turned 24 (yeah, yeah, I know I'm old), and still found the time to lose my cell phone. In the words of my roommate, I left my heart in San Francisco but my cell phone in Hawaii...she laughs a lot when she says it. We've had a number of visitors, some have stayed at the apartment so much we've started referring to the couch as DC's couch...okay, maybe not that much.

According to the song, "Christmas comes this time each year..." which is helpful, that way we all know when to celebrate. I couldn't be more excited it's Christmas. I've seen families shop together, eat together, and fight while shopping and eating together...it's been extremely enjoyable. I love the music, but could live without "Little Drummer Boy" and "I Wonder why I Wander"...what does that song mean anyway? I love the magic that happens at Christmas. This magic has noting to do with reindeer, holly, and certainly not eggnog or fruit cake. It's the magic that happens when people decide to give. Somehow, in our busy schedules and disorderly check books we find the time and the money to give to other people. I love to hear the stories of people giving to others. There's something about Christmas that brings out a spirit of giving unlike any other time.

I also love getting together with family. Christmas at my parent's house has become so much more fun with little kids to share it with. My niece and nephew have really made the holidays exceptionally special. Each family seems to have their own traditions (some even have a tradition to not have tradition) and ways of celebrating the holidays. My family goes to my parent's house Christmas morning and opens presents. As we've gotten older the time we start the opening of gifts has become increasingly later in the morning. While opening gifts Mom brings around breakfast casserole for everyone to enjoy. Later in the day after all the gifts are unwrapped (although there is typically a moment when Mom looks at all of us and says something like, "Oh, I forgot to wrap something. Give me a bag, I'll be right back.") we then begin to eat lunch. We typically make an assortment of finger foods. These selections are prepared by the people who know how to make them between the time we finish unwrapping gifts and the time we start eating lunch. Well, at least that's how it has worked in years past. This year we decided to try something a little different. My Mom and older sister, Jenny, decided we would make a list of all the items we would have on Christmas, put each item on a slip of paper, and each pull the items out of a hat that they were going to prepare. Yes, we are all thinking the same thing...this is going to be a disaster.

Well, after the picking was complete we each had four items to make (that's right a total of 16 items to prepare). Mom, Jenny, and I started working on our little bits of joy for Christmas. My younger sister, Julie, did not (we will get to that part of the story later). The first issue came when I started making pinwheels and left out one of the ingredients. Subsequently, green peppers were added to the vegetable tray. Then, Jenny started making some sort of dessert involving a pretzel topped with a Rolo and a pecan. I know what you're thinking...that sounds simple, how could you mess that up? She found a way. Jenny left the pretzels topped with the Rolos in the oven a bit too long causing the caramel to go all over the baking sheet making it extremely difficult to get the pecans to stay a top the Rolos.

Then, during the 20 most crucial minutes of this preparation escapade Mom leaves. Yes, she leaves the inmates in charge of the asylum. Mom was cooking sausage on the stove, I was making fudge, and Jenny was attempting to redeem herself with another batch of pretzel creations. I'm busy stirring when it comes time to put the chocolate in the fudge. Because God did not gift me with four hands I must get Jenny to help. She starts pouring the chocolate into the pan and it's sticking to the side of the plastic bag. This would be due to the fact it was left a bit too close to the burner. The fudge solidifies and I fear a disaster will occur if we do not start pouring it into a pan. I tell Jenny she has to find a pan fast or it's going to burn. She is feverously searching for one in the cabinets and finds two small square metal pans. She sets them on the stove. I pick up the pan I'm using and start to pour. Jenny reaches to grab the baking pan we're pouring the fudge in only to find it is hot. This is due to the fact she has left the pan on the original burner used to cook the fudge. We finally start pouring and I realize after pouring in the first batch I'm supposed to put pecans in the second. So, because time is running out, I simply grab two handfuls of pecans (unchopped) and throw them in the pan, stirring them around. Jenny is laughing and telling me I should've cut them. I respond by telling her there's no time and remind her of her pretzel creations.

Just when we think the disaster is over we look at the sausage and it is about to burn. I turn it down quickly, grab a plate and some paper towels and start putting the sausage on the plate only to realize that due to it being a styrofoam plate it is melting. Jenny starts laughing again and I tell her "This is crazy, where's Mom, we have no business being left in charge...the inmates have taken over the asylum."

Now to Julie, if you remember she was nowhere around while the rest of us were cooking. Julie was upstairs asleep. One member of the group downstairs kept sending Tatiana (the 4 year old) upstairs in an effort to wake her aunt up by telling her she was ruining Christmas. These attempts failed, but were enjoyable for all but Julie. Julie starts working on her little Christmas creations at about midnight on Christmas morning. She gets a call from a couple of friends asking if she wants to hang out. She tells them, she can hang out with them only if they come over and help her make the things she's supposed to for Christmas. These two boys show up and are given the option of working on a vegetable tray or making cinnamon pecans. The three finally finished their preparations at 5:00 am. One poor boy had to take a one hour nap before going home. It was truly a Christmas to remember. The frightening thing is everyone wants to do it again next year.

I hope each of you enjoy a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year!

Pack Lightly

As if I couldn't be any more naturally tan, I decided to go lay by the pool today. Before leaving the apartment I wanted to make sure I was amply prepared. Having returned from this little "adventure" though I think I was preparing for an impending hostage situation. Perhaps it wasn't necessary to take two bottles of water, one would've been enough...two books were certainly not necessary (and to think I actually thought more of myself for leaving the third on my nightstand), yet again one would've been quite enough. I definitely did not need the portable DVD player with three unwatched episodes of Gimore Girls either given I also had two CD's to listen to. So, while both CD's were used, one bottle of water drunk, some pretzels and pineapple eaten I think it's safe to say I was a bit overprepared. While reading my book about terrorism and totalitarianism (interesting irony considering I was laying by a pool you have to be a member to come to) I found myself thinking, "Why can't I listen to a CD, read a book and watch a DVD all at the same time? I mean, I have all of them here with me now." This pool adventure isn't solely focused on me though. There is a lifeguard at our pool. Jodie and I have discussed that we don't particularly like the fact there is a lifeguard there. While I am aware you can drown in less than two inches of water...the deepest the pool gets is 4 ft 6 inches (yes it is printed that way). I also don't know what I think about people who sign up for a job where their sole duty is to stare at half-dressed soaking wet people...strange or do I feel sorry for them...can't decide. No one had to worry about our lifeguard making too many lingering glances in their direction though. For the majority of the time I was down there he was passing the time by SLEEPING!!!! That's right, this alleged protector was sleeping away while two children were swimming away in the pool. I would like to note, I do not believe all lifeguards are like this and I do believe lifeguards can be useful in crisis pool situations. If you have been a lifeguard, know someone who is or have ever been saved by a lifeguard do not take my comments personally...you do a noble job protecting people in the water.

Dreams

DISCLAIMER: THIS POST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS, IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THAT GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.
When I was a kid I wanted to be a professional basketball player. This dream was perpetuated when in late elementary school I played on a rec league basketball team and was chosen to the the center because I was the tallest person on the team. I was also later chosen to play catcher in softball due to my height. Yes, it's funny now given I haven't grown any taller since the 6th grade. Thus, my dreams were quickly crushed at a young age after realizing basketball players were tall, I was not and there wasn't much hope to be found in my gene pool. Still I hoped that I would triumph over the nature and be the exception to the genes my parents passed down to me. If I could say that this happened then it would be a miracle all its own, but for those of you who have actually seen me you know stature us not my strong point. On a good day I stand 5'2.5" tall, and yes the .5 inch is important to me.

It's interesting to me how your dreams change throughout your life. Some dreams are crushed and others are simply traded in for new dreams. In college I was actually nicknamed "Dream Crusher" by Kari, a roommate. This is all due to the fact that I did actually crush her dream of working in construction (she wanted to hold the stop/slow sign on the side of the road during road construction) and having the federal government pay off student loans. By stating these road construction projects are actually contracted out and not directly completed by government employees. (She now works at a well-airconditioned office in Charleston, SC. She also is moving into a house, on the beach where the front porch faces the ocean. I believe I no longer should be call a Dream Crusher but my name should be changed to Life Director or something like that, I'm happy to take your suggestions.)

There are some dream crushers we all face in life...those people who don't really know you yet see a snapshot of your life and then crush your dream with one inconsiderate comment. Sometimes it doesn't even take that much, it can be a look or grade that send you back into reality and out of the world of dreams.

I recently asked my 4 year old niece what she wants to be when she grows up. She quickly responded by saying "A Sugar Cooker," to which her aunt said, "I don't know what that is, what would you do?" Of course the all knowing Tatiana was ready with a response. She would make sugar cookies and anything involving sugar...this is a great life to her and I wish I'd thought of it for myself (although I don't think I would make any money and would be literally eating all of my profits). I wonder what happens to that innocence though. What happens to us as we grow up that takes away the ambition to make the unrealistic reality?

I will be the first to admit this last year has been greater than I ever dreamed it would be and the unrealistic has become reality, but I wonder what keeps it from happening for other people. My roommate told me that sometimes people don't simply give up on their dreams, they trade them in for new ones. I hope this is true...I'd hate to live in a world void of dreamers and void of dreams coming true (that sounds like it came from a Disney Movie...everyone sing, "When you wish upon a star..."). So, I would like to know, what do you want to be when you "grow up"? What's keeping you from doing it now (given most of you are actually "grown up")? I'm sure there is some Dream Crusher out there who is dying to say, "She's just an idealistic 23 year old." I have a response for you, "Okay, how's your life going?"

I hope this has been interesting to more than just me. If not, I can start posting what I ate today if you'd prefer.