767 Good talks with a new believer
768 answered prayer
769 bonfire with the girls
770 Sunday potluck at church
771 conviction
772 this video
how can you not laugh
773 a good Monday night chat
774 catching up on sleep
775 awesome morning run with my running buddy
776 male peacocks with real feathers
777 lunch with an old friend from Saudi
778 awesome crockpot recipes
779 a long chat with Arwen
780 sweet goodnight texts from good friends
781 the reminder of the great privilege it is to live in a country where we are free to worship God without fear
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
How far will you drive?
Yesterday I had lunch with a friend whom I grew up with.
She lives in Texas now, but was visiting Nashville, so after a bit of figuring out, we met for lunch halfway. It was just over an hour for me, 45 minutes of driving for her. In all honesty, it was a very short drive, a drop in the bucket. I have gone much further for just breakfast, and probably will again.
I remember when I was in boarding school, I would get so excited when we were playing at certain schools, St Andrews for example. I had several friends (Jodi, Emily, Lacy, Anne) who all went to school there. When I went to play soccer there, I would often see Jodi. When we swam there, I would swim against Emily, Lacy, and Anne. Even if we didn't have long to catch up, even if we were on opposing teams, it was comforting for me just simply to have seen them.
I find myself so frequently having to, or feeling the need to, explain myself. But with those girls, there is not need, they have all been there, on the bus to khobar to shop, to Rahima to grab shwarmas, on the random "field trips" to the beach with Mr. Drum.
I hear so often "wow you have had so many crazy experiences," or "wow, you have been so many places."
With them, I hear "hey remember the 9th grade trip to the Red Sea when ..." or "hey remember how we used to.... on the plane from London" and it feels completely normal. I don't feel like my life is an anomaly.
God has blessed my life with so many people, from so many places. I love so many people here in my small town, and I love so many people in New England, and so many former students and athletes and coworkers from Michigan.
But there is just something so special and comforting about the other Aramco Brats, even if we weren't super close friends growing up.
And it is for this reason that I will always drive, always take time off from work, always make it work, if there is an opportunity to see them, even if it's just for lunch.
I mean seriously, how many groups of people can have in depth conversations on the use of golf carts for off roading in sand dunes, or the difference in cleanliness of the bathrooms at the old Dhahran airport and the new Dhahran airport? Or the pros and cons of the Al-Shula mall as opposed to the Al-Rashid mall? (before the shula burned down after being on fire for several days of course)
She lives in Texas now, but was visiting Nashville, so after a bit of figuring out, we met for lunch halfway. It was just over an hour for me, 45 minutes of driving for her. In all honesty, it was a very short drive, a drop in the bucket. I have gone much further for just breakfast, and probably will again.
I remember when I was in boarding school, I would get so excited when we were playing at certain schools, St Andrews for example. I had several friends (Jodi, Emily, Lacy, Anne) who all went to school there. When I went to play soccer there, I would often see Jodi. When we swam there, I would swim against Emily, Lacy, and Anne. Even if we didn't have long to catch up, even if we were on opposing teams, it was comforting for me just simply to have seen them.
I find myself so frequently having to, or feeling the need to, explain myself. But with those girls, there is not need, they have all been there, on the bus to khobar to shop, to Rahima to grab shwarmas, on the random "field trips" to the beach with Mr. Drum.
I hear so often "wow you have had so many crazy experiences," or "wow, you have been so many places."
With them, I hear "hey remember the 9th grade trip to the Red Sea when ..." or "hey remember how we used to.... on the plane from London" and it feels completely normal. I don't feel like my life is an anomaly.
God has blessed my life with so many people, from so many places. I love so many people here in my small town, and I love so many people in New England, and so many former students and athletes and coworkers from Michigan.
But there is just something so special and comforting about the other Aramco Brats, even if we weren't super close friends growing up.
And it is for this reason that I will always drive, always take time off from work, always make it work, if there is an opportunity to see them, even if it's just for lunch.
I mean seriously, how many groups of people can have in depth conversations on the use of golf carts for off roading in sand dunes, or the difference in cleanliness of the bathrooms at the old Dhahran airport and the new Dhahran airport? Or the pros and cons of the Al-Shula mall as opposed to the Al-Rashid mall? (before the shula burned down after being on fire for several days of course)
Sunday, October 23, 2011
When you do what you are suppose to do.
When I was a junior in college I was asked to lead a small group Bible study for freshman in the campus ministry I was involved in. I felt weird about it, I was nervous. I reluctantly agreed, a leader was needed, I was a junior, it was time for me to step up.
I think I knew in my heart, that this venture wasn't going to be awesomely successful before it had even started. I had been in small groups throughout college, I had been part of authentic community, but I was nervous about my ability to foster it.
I won't say it was a complete disaster, there were some good things and a couple relationships that came out of it. I don't think there is ever a way to go completely wrong when studying God's Word.
What started out at the first meeting with 7 freshman women, ended with 2 at Christmas break. We made a Christmas mix cd, I still listen to it. It was an awesome CD. And those 2 freshman are still good friends, I think the 3 of us stuck it out because we all have curly hair. They live in different states now and it makes me smile when I see them scheduling phone dates with each other on facebook.
(It was a really cold New England spring afternoon, I was freezing)
But I have always been a little leery of leading a small group again.
So at the beginning of this semester when I felt like God was nudging me "Cate, start a small group Bible study with this group of women, these recent college grads," I threw a temper tantrum. I said "no God, this isn't how You gifted me, I'm not good a leading small group Bible Studies. I am good planning and organizing retreats. I'm more like Martha, doing doing doing." I stomped my feet.
And then I reluctantly said "hey do you guys think you would like to start getting together for small group Bible study."
And then they said "YES WE WOULD LOVE TO." and then I actually had to follow through and do it.
And this time it is a different story. It's a story that is so confusing to me. It's a story that has many more chapters, we are just at the beginning. It's a story of God using me, me who is completely inept at these types of things. And therefore it is God's story. His story of working all things together for good.
Friday night one of the girls had a bunch of people over for a bonfire at her apartment. There were lots of young women, and a few guys. I had one of those moments where I felt really old, I was sitting there thinking "wow, I'm 30, all of these people are under 25" and then I watched as these women continued to interact and bond and share life, they way they have been doing over the last month.
I am so thankful that He has blessed me, I am so thankful that for once I listened and did what I was asked to do.
I am so grateful that I get to be a fly on the wall as I watch them genuinely care about each other as they are all walking through big transitions.
And I am thankful that they can be ridiculously silly also.
And as I drove home, I had to smile and say "God you are amazing, simply amazing."
I think I knew in my heart, that this venture wasn't going to be awesomely successful before it had even started. I had been in small groups throughout college, I had been part of authentic community, but I was nervous about my ability to foster it.
I won't say it was a complete disaster, there were some good things and a couple relationships that came out of it. I don't think there is ever a way to go completely wrong when studying God's Word.
What started out at the first meeting with 7 freshman women, ended with 2 at Christmas break. We made a Christmas mix cd, I still listen to it. It was an awesome CD. And those 2 freshman are still good friends, I think the 3 of us stuck it out because we all have curly hair. They live in different states now and it makes me smile when I see them scheduling phone dates with each other on facebook.
(It was a really cold New England spring afternoon, I was freezing)
But I have always been a little leery of leading a small group again.
So at the beginning of this semester when I felt like God was nudging me "Cate, start a small group Bible study with this group of women, these recent college grads," I threw a temper tantrum. I said "no God, this isn't how You gifted me, I'm not good a leading small group Bible Studies. I am good planning and organizing retreats. I'm more like Martha, doing doing doing." I stomped my feet.
And then I reluctantly said "hey do you guys think you would like to start getting together for small group Bible study."
And then they said "YES WE WOULD LOVE TO." and then I actually had to follow through and do it.
And this time it is a different story. It's a story that is so confusing to me. It's a story that has many more chapters, we are just at the beginning. It's a story of God using me, me who is completely inept at these types of things. And therefore it is God's story. His story of working all things together for good.
Friday night one of the girls had a bunch of people over for a bonfire at her apartment. There were lots of young women, and a few guys. I had one of those moments where I felt really old, I was sitting there thinking "wow, I'm 30, all of these people are under 25" and then I watched as these women continued to interact and bond and share life, they way they have been doing over the last month.
I am so thankful that He has blessed me, I am so thankful that for once I listened and did what I was asked to do.
I am so grateful that I get to be a fly on the wall as I watch them genuinely care about each other as they are all walking through big transitions.
And I am thankful that they can be ridiculously silly also.
And as I drove home, I had to smile and say "God you are amazing, simply amazing."
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Thankful Thursday 10/20/2011
754 people actually doing what they said they were going to do
755 celebrating birthdays for friends
756 learning about the cheetos cure for nausea
757 a free Saturday morning
758 kitchen experiments that turn out awesome
759 good advise from people with more knowledge than myself
760 three different stories about Mary and Martha the same week
761 God's Word making sense of my life
762 Jon Acuff blogs
763 crock pot food
764 undisrupted, focused class
765 an amazing morning run
766 Ryan Hall videos
755 celebrating birthdays for friends
756 learning about the cheetos cure for nausea
757 a free Saturday morning
758 kitchen experiments that turn out awesome
759 good advise from people with more knowledge than myself
760 three different stories about Mary and Martha the same week
761 God's Word making sense of my life
762 Jon Acuff blogs
763 crock pot food
764 undisrupted, focused class
765 an amazing morning run
766 Ryan Hall videos
LIFE CHANGING
Disclaimer: If you are on a diet, don't continue reading...
One time my friend Andy said "self-contol begins in the grocery store." And he was completely right. When you don't buy junk food at the grocery store, you don't have it at home to eat. Andy is one of those sickening individuals that is fine with all that.
I on the other hand sometimes need some brownies, or a piece of chocolate cake.
The problem is that if I buy a brownie mix, I have to make the whole brownie mix. Being single and living alone, well, that leaves 1 person to eat the brownies. THAT MY FRIENDS IS DANGEROUS.
For the last several years I have just completely forgone these types of items, unless I am at a gathering. I won't even make these types of items to take with me to gatherings, because everybody knows that at the end of the night, you have to take whats left of what you brought home. If there is a lot of my gooey delish left, I am taking it home, to my house, where there is only me to eat it. Instead of making chocolate cherry fudge bars, or rocky road fudge bars, or any of the long list of amazing recipes I have inherited from my mom, I take things like, fruit and fruit dip, or edamame, or salad.
And just to clarify, there is nothing wrong with fruit dip, edamame, or salad. I love those things, someone has to bring them.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, my students introduced me to StumbleUpon...
Fast forward to this past week; I Stumbled Upon THE MUG RECIPES!
I can't even begin to tell you how this is going to change my life.
It's mind blowing really.
Did you know there is a recipe for one serving, made in a mug, of brownie!
I added ice cream, just for good measure.
Did you know there is a recipe for one serving, made in a mug, of ooey gooey chocolate cake?
DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A RECIPE FOR 2 WHITE CUPCAKES? JUST 2?
ME NEITHER!
So after I stumbled upon them, I have slowly over about a 2 week period been trying the recipes out.
They mainly take ingredients that I have around anyway.
And lets just discuss the whole chocolate chip situation. I have come to realize that IT DOES MATTER. Ghiradelli chocolate chips are WAY better than the generic kroger brand. WAY BETTER, it's worth the extra dollar or 2.
The recipes are all pretty simple.
Throw the dry ingredients in your favorite mug. My favorite mug is from the San Diego zoo, I got it while I was in grad school, it's huge and has pandas. I love pandas, they have been my favorite animal since I was 2 and went to China.
Anyway back to the brownies
Add the wet ingredients.
Microwave for 1 minute. ONE MINUTE that's it.
Ta Da, delicious brownies, they didn't really even have gross hard edges.
These recipes have changed the life of this single girl, I tell ya.
One time my friend Andy said "self-contol begins in the grocery store." And he was completely right. When you don't buy junk food at the grocery store, you don't have it at home to eat. Andy is one of those sickening individuals that is fine with all that.
I on the other hand sometimes need some brownies, or a piece of chocolate cake.
The problem is that if I buy a brownie mix, I have to make the whole brownie mix. Being single and living alone, well, that leaves 1 person to eat the brownies. THAT MY FRIENDS IS DANGEROUS.
For the last several years I have just completely forgone these types of items, unless I am at a gathering. I won't even make these types of items to take with me to gatherings, because everybody knows that at the end of the night, you have to take whats left of what you brought home. If there is a lot of my gooey delish left, I am taking it home, to my house, where there is only me to eat it. Instead of making chocolate cherry fudge bars, or rocky road fudge bars, or any of the long list of amazing recipes I have inherited from my mom, I take things like, fruit and fruit dip, or edamame, or salad.
And just to clarify, there is nothing wrong with fruit dip, edamame, or salad. I love those things, someone has to bring them.
Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, my students introduced me to StumbleUpon...
Fast forward to this past week; I Stumbled Upon THE MUG RECIPES!
I can't even begin to tell you how this is going to change my life.
It's mind blowing really.
Did you know there is a recipe for one serving, made in a mug, of brownie!
I added ice cream, just for good measure.
Did you know there is a recipe for one serving, made in a mug, of ooey gooey chocolate cake?
DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A RECIPE FOR 2 WHITE CUPCAKES? JUST 2?
ME NEITHER!
So after I stumbled upon them, I have slowly over about a 2 week period been trying the recipes out.
They mainly take ingredients that I have around anyway.
And lets just discuss the whole chocolate chip situation. I have come to realize that IT DOES MATTER. Ghiradelli chocolate chips are WAY better than the generic kroger brand. WAY BETTER, it's worth the extra dollar or 2.
The recipes are all pretty simple.
Throw the dry ingredients in your favorite mug. My favorite mug is from the San Diego zoo, I got it while I was in grad school, it's huge and has pandas. I love pandas, they have been my favorite animal since I was 2 and went to China.
Anyway back to the brownies
Add the wet ingredients.
Microwave for 1 minute. ONE MINUTE that's it.
Ta Da, delicious brownies, they didn't really even have gross hard edges.
These recipes have changed the life of this single girl, I tell ya.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Thankful Thursday 10/13/2011
740 a great meeting about moving forward with some big changes
741 people who walk you step by step through scary processes
742 Friday night plans
743 Small children trying to ride sheep
744 an awesome run before church
745 awesome conversations with people I work with
746 New life in Christ
747 people offering encouragement when I am stressed out
748 working with really positive people
749 the reminder that this world is not my home
750 knowing that projects I am working on will have a major impact on someone else's life
751 That my dad can be reached via email even though he is in the middle of the ocean
752 friends who are athletic trainers at other schools and will give me straight answers
753 the recipe for mug brownies
741 people who walk you step by step through scary processes
742 Friday night plans
743 Small children trying to ride sheep
744 an awesome run before church
745 awesome conversations with people I work with
746 New life in Christ
747 people offering encouragement when I am stressed out
748 working with really positive people
749 the reminder that this world is not my home
750 knowing that projects I am working on will have a major impact on someone else's life
751 That my dad can be reached via email even though he is in the middle of the ocean
752 friends who are athletic trainers at other schools and will give me straight answers
753 the recipe for mug brownies
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Compassion
I have been thinking a lot lately about the word compassion, and what it means, and what it means to live it out.
When I think of the word compassion, I generally think about the organization Compassion International. Which always leads me to the little girl I sponsor.
I googled the word compassion and came up with several definitions, the most basic being "to suffer together with."
David repeatedly cries out to the Lord in the Psalms, that God would show him His compassion. He also calls the Lord's compassion great, that He is full of compassion (Psalm 119.)
Many times the prophets talk about the Lord showing compassion, even though the people of God are not deserving of it.
Many times the Gospel writers talk about Jesus having compassion for people. He had compassion for large crowds who were without food and leadership and teaching. He had compassion for individuals who were sick or blind or lame.
Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son and says that when the father saw his son a long way off, even though the son had squandered his inheritance, the father had compassion for him.
In Colossians Paul tells us to clothe ourselves with compassion, and a few other attributes as well.
What does that mean though? What does that look like?
There are a lot of hurting people in this world, there are a lot of needs. There aren't enough hours in the day or dollars in my bank account to help all the people in need around me, or for the causes I care strongly about.
Recently I was talking about homeless people with some friends, and how we always feel a little weird giving them money, I mean I know there are some people out there who pose as homeless people and basically con you. And I know a lot of homeless people tend to spend their money on alcohol and such. And there are the people who are homeless because of really poor choices they have made.
Several years ago though, something my brother said really changed my view. He had recently started working in San Diego, where they have a very large homeless population, and he was interacting with several of them on a regular basis due to his job, and he was learning their stories. And that's what changed me, their stories. They all have them.
And what about hitchhikers? I mean, I know that for safety reasons it is not wise for me, a single woman, often driving alone to pick them up. In college though, I got to know a guy, who I worked with at camp, who loves to hitch hike, for the adventure. He isn't a creep, he actually studied youth ministry at a Christian college, he actually has worked in full time ministry and as a youth pastor. He will choose to hitchhike from the East Coast to the West Coast instead of buying a plane ticket, just for the adventure and to meet people. I am not suggesting this is something we should all try, but knowing him has changed my perspective when I pass a hitchhiker on the road.
I don't think it's possible for us to give of our time, money, effort, emotions to every cause. I have friends who are passionate about stopping the sex slave trade, and friends who are passionate about orphans, and friends who are passionate about helping the homeless. And I think it's important to give somewhere.
But what does it mean to posses the character trait compassion?
What about the everyday occurrences that provide us the opportunity to show compassion, not for a cause, but for a person, or for a family. How do I develop a more compassionate heart in this callous world, when I often find myself closed off in an effort to protect myself?
I know this is an area where God is working on me, where 2 years ago I would have tried to stealthily take a photo of an ildressed individual to send to friends for a good laugh, I now find myself wondering what her story is. I wonder what the hurts are in her life, that have caused her to seek attention by wearing what she is wearing. I am left wondering whether she knows that there is One who created her, who loves her completely, and whose heart is breaking with hers as He watches her, knowing that He is the only thing that can fill the hole in her heart that she is trying to so desperately to fill.
When I think of the word compassion, I generally think about the organization Compassion International. Which always leads me to the little girl I sponsor.
I googled the word compassion and came up with several definitions, the most basic being "to suffer together with."
David repeatedly cries out to the Lord in the Psalms, that God would show him His compassion. He also calls the Lord's compassion great, that He is full of compassion (Psalm 119.)
Many times the prophets talk about the Lord showing compassion, even though the people of God are not deserving of it.
Many times the Gospel writers talk about Jesus having compassion for people. He had compassion for large crowds who were without food and leadership and teaching. He had compassion for individuals who were sick or blind or lame.
Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son and says that when the father saw his son a long way off, even though the son had squandered his inheritance, the father had compassion for him.
In Colossians Paul tells us to clothe ourselves with compassion, and a few other attributes as well.
What does that mean though? What does that look like?
There are a lot of hurting people in this world, there are a lot of needs. There aren't enough hours in the day or dollars in my bank account to help all the people in need around me, or for the causes I care strongly about.
Recently I was talking about homeless people with some friends, and how we always feel a little weird giving them money, I mean I know there are some people out there who pose as homeless people and basically con you. And I know a lot of homeless people tend to spend their money on alcohol and such. And there are the people who are homeless because of really poor choices they have made.
Several years ago though, something my brother said really changed my view. He had recently started working in San Diego, where they have a very large homeless population, and he was interacting with several of them on a regular basis due to his job, and he was learning their stories. And that's what changed me, their stories. They all have them.
And what about hitchhikers? I mean, I know that for safety reasons it is not wise for me, a single woman, often driving alone to pick them up. In college though, I got to know a guy, who I worked with at camp, who loves to hitch hike, for the adventure. He isn't a creep, he actually studied youth ministry at a Christian college, he actually has worked in full time ministry and as a youth pastor. He will choose to hitchhike from the East Coast to the West Coast instead of buying a plane ticket, just for the adventure and to meet people. I am not suggesting this is something we should all try, but knowing him has changed my perspective when I pass a hitchhiker on the road.
I don't think it's possible for us to give of our time, money, effort, emotions to every cause. I have friends who are passionate about stopping the sex slave trade, and friends who are passionate about orphans, and friends who are passionate about helping the homeless. And I think it's important to give somewhere.
But what does it mean to posses the character trait compassion?
What about the everyday occurrences that provide us the opportunity to show compassion, not for a cause, but for a person, or for a family. How do I develop a more compassionate heart in this callous world, when I often find myself closed off in an effort to protect myself?
I know this is an area where God is working on me, where 2 years ago I would have tried to stealthily take a photo of an ildressed individual to send to friends for a good laugh, I now find myself wondering what her story is. I wonder what the hurts are in her life, that have caused her to seek attention by wearing what she is wearing. I am left wondering whether she knows that there is One who created her, who loves her completely, and whose heart is breaking with hers as He watches her, knowing that He is the only thing that can fill the hole in her heart that she is trying to so desperately to fill.
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Thankful Thursday 10/6/2011
725 Dumping things in a crock pot in the morning and coming home to an awesome meal
726 A quiet uneventful weekend for fall break
727 hanging out with friends laughing
728 productivity at work
729 watching a group of women start to form authentic community
730 my favorite candle
731 a really great Saturday morning run
732 this song by Laura Story
733 getting to swim with the swim bike runners
734 Colombian coffee
735 Easy solutions to big problems
736 good sleep on crisp nights with the window open
737 Dropkick Murphys at a football game in west Kentucky
738 three days in a row of sleeping in
739 James chapter 3
726 A quiet uneventful weekend for fall break
727 hanging out with friends laughing
728 productivity at work
729 watching a group of women start to form authentic community
730 my favorite candle
731 a really great Saturday morning run
732 this song by Laura Story
733 getting to swim with the swim bike runners
734 Colombian coffee
735 Easy solutions to big problems
736 good sleep on crisp nights with the window open
737 Dropkick Murphys at a football game in west Kentucky
738 three days in a row of sleeping in
739 James chapter 3
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