And they shall call it... THE DECEMBER HOLIDAY

I posted this last year on Facebook, and as I was putting up my tree again this year, I thought about it again.

I think one of the greatest fears for my parents who raised their children overseas was that their kids would miss out on life back here in the states. They feared we would miss out on strong relationships by not living near grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins. Around holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter that fear was heightened and so I think they may have overcompensated a bit. Not in the magnitude of gifts given, but in the traditions they created for our family, and the traditions we participated in within our community. My mom and her friend Danielle threw an immense Christmas tea. My parents gave us tree ornaments that in someway represented things we had done, or seen, or places we had traveled, or our life in the Middle East that year. We caroled with our youth group at peoples houses. We had dinner with other families before or after the Christmas eve service, depending on what time it was. My mom cooked an immense amount of cookies. We read Christmas books. We had the visitor from the north. I even wrote him a letter about how to break in through the sliding door since our houses didn't have chimneys. This morning at church my pastor was talking about the Lottie Moon fund which supports foreign missionaries, and for which the southern baptist convention collects funds during December. I couldn't help but think about the annual Dorcas bizarre and chili cook off put on by the women of the fellowship I grew up in. Because we lived in a country where Christmas decorations and such were pretty much not available, the women spent most of the year meeting weekly to craft their own. They used everything and anything imaginable, from beautiful fabrics and laces to paperclips and the metal tops of frozen juice concentrate cans.

Paper clip ice skates :)

The orange juice lid, one of my all time favorites.

This may look like an ugly cat with a jacket, but when I look at this ornament, I think of Arpy Tarakjian. Anyone who knows Ms Arpy, knows that every time I look at this ornament, I smile.

I was reminded of the hours of time my mother and her friends spent crafting as I decorated my tree this afternoon. As I placed ornaments on the tree, I thought of specific women who created various items, I thought about the time they had spent on those things, which ultimately raised funds for missions in places like India, thousands and thousands of dollars, and I thought about the time those women spent on me, teaching me things like a love for God's Word, His Work, and His people. I was reminded of the anticipation that built as the sale grew closer, and the men started to organize their contribution, the chili and cornbread dinner. I remembered helping my mom and her friends frantically finish pricing items as women lined up outside to come into the sale. It was our own small scale version of black friday. I thought about the Thanksgiving and Christmas mornings after Desert Storm, when we would stand in the "cold" waiting for the 3 or 4 service men we would have in our home for my mom's unbelievable roast and the fun it was to take those members of the US military to the beach. I remember showing some of them the ocean for the first time in their lives. I remember the first time I went to a mall at Christmas time here in the States. I was 15, it was an overwhelming experience. Yes we may have missed out on crazy shopping frenzy, and mall traffic. We may have missed out on snow. I never spent a holiday with my paternal grandfather, ever, before he died, maybe the 1 thing I wish could have been different. But I am grateful, for the experiences and memories we did have. And I am grateful that every year I can pull out my Christmas decorations, and put names, faces, and memories to so many people who helped shape me. Thanks

Thankful Thursday 11/24/2011

836. staying connected with people even though I've been traveling a lot
837. Not having to drive
838. being able to be at friends' wedding
839. The show teenage and pregnant leading to the Gospel
840. Safe Clarence the driver
841. candles
842. Spiritual conversations while on the road
843. watching God move in peoples' lives
844. an unexpected care package from my family
845. trusting my gut and making a friend go to the hospital
846. a friend's 10 day old baby making it through heart surgery
847. Quiet places and a park to run through in the downtown of a city
848. encouragement and perspective from a friend
849. sweet notes from a friend to remind me that I am not alone
850. people responding when I blow my bicycle horn
851. safe travel
852. a day to celebrate being thankful
853. family, real and fictive
854. "that's completely rational for a girl brain, life isn't reality, it's a romance novel with Fabio on the cover"
855. accountability
856. this song

857. silence
858. working headphones

The Ducks

This morning I went for a run in downtown Huntsville, AL. After any beach, anywhere, it's one of my favorite places to run. There is a great park, and though it is a city, it is not an excessively busy city so having to cross streets isn't really a problem. It's pretty clean and safe looking also.

Often I do a lot of thinking when I run. I figure out a lot solutions to problems. I think about what I have been reading in God's Word. I pray a lot for people and about situations while I run.

This past weekend some friends got married. I am extremely happy for them, and I am thankful that throughout their relationship, they have chosen to honor God, choose His best. To some of our other friends, who are not Christians, this was very confusing. Some weren't exactly understanding, some were outright mean about it all.

So as I was running I was thinking about how hard it is sometimes to choose God's best in a world that tells us to do what we want, what feels good, take what we want.

Discipline, self-control, selflessness, these are not traits that our society holds high.

I was thinking about how counter cultural it has become, to not sleep with someone until you are married to them, or to ask the dad's permission, or to put the needs of someone else before your own. I was thinking about how quick people are to form opinions, because I choose not to swear, because I choose not to drink, because I would prefer not to speak harsh things about others or to others, make fun of others.

At the very end of the run, I came across this group of ducks.

It was God's reminder to me, that yes, sometimes it's hard, but ultimately, if we are His children, we are called to a higher standard. We are called to stand out.

Thankful Thursday 11/17/2011

818 safe travels
819 really fun basketball games
820 contentment
821 the gift of tickets to good, God honoring concert

822 good talks with my road roomie

823 laughing so hard I can't breath
824 camp people
825 the reminder that He isn't done with me yet
826 music that reminds me of truths about God's faithfulness


827 awesome sunsets

828 a broken heart for hurting people in a world where it's easy to be numb
829 the gift of teaching a group of students who love learning
830 Polo
831 hard rain during the night
832 Godly men who love, lead, and provide for their families, or want that in the future
833 looking back and seeing all that God has done in a friend's life
834 answered prayer
835 generosity

Pilgrims

This morning I was having a good old session of wallow. I was sad that next week is Thanksgiving, and that for the first time in 5? years, I will not be in a hotel somewhere with a team, but will not have enough time off to be with family, or to drive 3-4 hours to any one of a few friends from Saudi to spend the day with them. I felt sorry for myself.

Then I went on a run. It was a very windy run. As I put one foot in front of the other, at times making little progress, I thought about Thanksgiving, the holiday.

This past summer my mom and I took an impromptu, spontaneous trip to Plymouth Rock. I was mad about it at first, I had intended to spend the day with my brother and his family, but there had been some miscommunication. I cherish my time in New England because it is so limited and I was mad that I wasn't able to spend the day with friends or family who live up there. Once I got over my frustration, I realized it was some one on one time with Mom, which I also cherish and don't get very much of.

So off to Plymouth Rock we drove.
We viewed the rock itself.

We walked around.

That's Burial Hill where several of the original pilgrims are buried, as well as Squanto.


Plymouth is really not that exciting and I don't recommended it as a high priority when touring New England, but it was good to hang out with my Mom. I made her do "crazy" things like stop in the middle of the road with no cars behind us to take a picture.

As I was running on my lunch break, I thought back to that day in Plymouth. I thought about how good it was to be with my Mom, and how I would have missed that had I not quickly had an attitude adjustment.
I thought back to the people who crossed over the Atlantic, on the original Mayflower back in 1620. They started out with 102 passengers plus crew who were looking to go to a new place where they could have freedom to worship God in ways they felt they should.

That is the Mayflower II, a replica of the original.

The first Thanksgiving in the fall of 1621 there were 53 surviving pilgrims. More than half of the people who originally set out to come to a new land, to pursue religious freedom had died. And yet they gave thanks, for the ways God had provided for them. They celebrated their first harvest in a new land. Edward Winslow said it like this "And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

I cannot imagine all the hardships and fears that those remaining 53 had endured over the course of the previous year. I cannot imagine the loss they felt as so many had died. And yet their perspective was that because of the goodness of God, they were so far from want.

Recently there has been a phrase tossed around a lot at work. We comment that this or that is a first world problem. For example, the spotty internet on the bus while traveling down the interstate, keeping me from imbedding YouTube videos into PowerPoint presentations is a first world problem. First world problems are miniscule when compared with third world problems, like having clean water to drink.

Today I read this blog by one of my favorite authors.


I was reminded of 1 Thessalonians 5 where we are commanded to rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

How many times do I spend my time wallowing, ungrateful for what I have been given, only to miss the blessing because of my shortsightedness?

I have no idea what next Thursday will look like. I do know that He will be there with me, and I don't want to miss whatever circumstance He gives me to be grateful for because my eyes were focused on the wrong thing.

Thankful Thursday 11/10/2011

801 my "little" brother who makes me laugh
802 long runs
803 running into friends while running errands
804 impromptu movie nights
805 the reminder that most of my problems are first world problems, so really they aren't actual problems

806 Hilarious moments that keep me laughing for days
807 that I am a citizen of a country that allows me to vote
808 an opportunity to teach my students about how to vote in my exercise science class
809 old school youtube videos of Christian musicians
810 amazing weather
811 amazing talks with my running buddy
812 my Sunday school class, love them, so thankful for them
813 music to live to my life to
814 the realization that had I not stepped out in faith, I would have missed out on so much blessing
815 realizing a God moment and taking time to be in it

816 hearing a good friend talk about an opportunity to share a hard part of her past with another sister in Christ who is walking through a similar hard place right now

817 getting to give rides to church :)

The Commissioner of Agriculture

It is not lost on me that though I grew up in the Middle East, I was born a citizen of the United States. I am incredibly grateful that I have a say in deciding who is going to run the government that runs my country. While women in the country where I was raised are still fighting for an opportunity simply to drive a car, I am given the opportunity tomorrow to get in my car, well truck, drive to the polls and cast my vote.

I read this morning that officials are expecting less than 25% of the population to come out to the polls. This to me is a great travesty. It completely blows my mind.

I remember one time, I think it was a presidential election, I had to stand on line and wait. There were two very tall men who were friends on either side of me, they were talking above me. This is fairly common for me, considering that I'm am incredibly short compared to my family, and I work with very tall people.
Anyway, the night before I had gone through and made myself a cheat sheet to take to the polls so I would remember who I wanted to vote for in the local races, and whether I wanted to vote yes or no on item 72. Anyone who has ever voted knows that there are always local items on the ballot, and if you don't prepare, you have no idea what to vote. Unfortunately many people often vote based on name recognition or party without actually knowing who or what they are voting for. Because my parents always voted absentee when we were kids, I actually got to watch them read the directions, and go through and punch holes in the right squares. I knew before the first time I ever voted that there would be more than just the question about the president.

Back to the taller than me men, one of them looked down at my organized paper and said "we have to vote on all that?"
"yes"
"can I borrow your paper?"
Ummm...
So this morning, with an election tomorrow, I was working on my list. There isn't too much on the ballot this time. I especially appreciate the website that has the spreadsheet with each candidates' ideals. I don't appreciate the candidates that don't answer the questions. I mainly ignore the campaigning until about the week before and then go read about all the candidates.
A side note, I think a great way to reduce the cost and waste associated with campaigning would be to just have everyone answer the questions, and then have people vote based on that info. Candidates could create their own websites too and call it a day. It would be pretty much free.
Back to the election. This year I will be voting on the commissioner of agriculture, which in Kentucky seems to be a decently important position. With the horse industry in the middle of the state and the corn, soy bean, wheat, and tobacco production here is west Kentucky, agriculture is a big source of state revenue.
So I was reading about the two candidates, which I previously knew nothing about. Let me break it down for you. The democratic candidate is a guy whose last name is Farmer. He has worked in private business, in marketing and advertising. He has no farming experience, he said so himself. He wants to heavily market the agricultural industry. He also has never held a public office before, another thing he stated himself. As I drove home for lunch I noticed his catchy "Farmer Bob" signs. A little misleading I think.
The other guy, the republican candidate, has a nondescript name. He has always worked in farming. He has also held office in the state house of representatives. He has held other leadership roles within Kentucky agriculture. I think he raises beef cattle, but don't quote me. He wants to increase export of Kentucky products, increase rural development, protect Kentucky agriculture, and lastly, one small statement about using social media and other modern marketing techniques to market Kentucky agriculture better.
My co-worker and I were discussing this, and the other candidates in the other races. He, thankfully, takes voting seriously, he will probably wear an "I voted" sticker all day tomorrow. He said "yeah because so many farmers check facebook as they drive their tractors."
But then I got to thinking about it. The guy that first helped me figure out how to use my iphone is an Ag major, he is from a soybean and corn growing family. He actually gets daily texts about the market value of wheat, corn, and soybeans. I am not kidding. My East Coast, and West Coast, and Canadian friends are probably laughing. He has also fixed my internet in hotels on team trips.

I'm not sure for sure who to vote for yet, I need to talk to some people.

But my question is this, of the 25% of people (or less) who will actually show up to vote tomorrow, how many of them will think about who they are voting for on any item other than governor before arriving at the polls? And how many of them will vote for the guy named Farmer, just because of his name?

Thankful Thursday 11/3/2011

782 crisp clear night with bright stars
783 bonfire with friends
784 peace about the future
785 contentment to just be here, where I am at, for the time He has me here
786 the perfect analogy
787 a great Saturday morning chat with Arwen
789 conversations that involve eternal perspective
790 smart wool socks
791 a month devoted to giving thanks
792 this song by Matt Maher on the radio


793 rain
794 sisters looking out for each other
795 sweet times with the Lord during quiet times this week
796 friends around the world who I would do almost anything to get together with (note ALMOST anything)who I can stay in touch with via facebook
797 finally finding a decently priced plane ticket for Christmas with the fam
798 birthdays
799 some awesome runs, with and without my running buddy
800 my Monday night girls

Give Thanks

Several years ago, while shopping in Nashville, I came across an awesome November calendar in Pottery Barn kids. The calendar was quite expensive for what it was, so I showed it to my mom, knowing that she could do better. Originally it was a gift idea for my niece and nephew, but the next fall, a giant box arrived at my house, with one from my mom for me.

Ever since I have displayed the calendar in my office window during November and written something I'm thankful for to put in each of the pockets.

Last year I didn't take out the slips of paper when I put it away in December, so I pulled them all out this morning.

Here is a sampling:

That John is alive and doing well
Last year my uncle went through a major health crisis, it was really scary. At this time last year he was out of a coma, we were grateful. He doesn't even remember last November. But this November he is still alive, and doing well, and I am still grateful

That I live in a country where I can have a say in the government

That I have a job I enjoy

My church family, near and far

Great coworkers

That I am able to run, which is a form of exercise I fully enjoy

My awesome parents

Good weather

my hilarious niece and nephew

good friends to run and swim with

my brothers

Thankful Thursday 10/27/2011

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

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)

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."

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

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.

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

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.

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

Thankful Thursday 9/29/2011

711 Running into a former student and getting to catch up
712 holding her little son while he slept through a soccer game
713 getting together with my Sunday school class for a Saturday night cookout
714 impromptu plans with friends
715 hearing someone tell about how and where God is leading them
716 a great Sunday school lesson
717 a great sermon
718 an amazing conversation with a student athlete about life
719 hearing someone talk about their passions and how God is using them
720 cheeseburger pizza, thank you Jamie
721 a short but good dinner with friends
722 standing out in the rain under an umbrella talking
723 peace
724 Godly single men

Sweet Spot

I am a planner. I have always been a planner. It has always been important to know what is coming next, to have time to prepare, both physically and emotionally.

I make itineraries, planning unplanned time into the plan.

I can't remember not being this way.

When I moved here to West Kentucky, I came without a plan. It was strange and weird for me, but I knew it was where I was suppose to be.

Throughout the years, various and assorted people have asked "how long are you going to stay here?" or "when do you think you will move on from here?"

As hard as it has been for this planner heart, I have always said "I will know when it's time."

Being here hasn't always been easy. Actually being here has never been easy. It has been downright miserable at times.

But I knew it wasn't time to go yet.

Recently I have felt God's nudging to step out in faith. Not just in one area of my life, but in several.

I know that the plan is for change. I just don't know what exactly that change is. I also know quite clearly that I am not the plan maker.

One step was to start a small group with some amazing sisters, 4 of them, all recent college grads, trying to find their way as they walk with God, without a road map. We have started meeting once a week to study His Word, and pray for each other, and hold each other accountable.

Last night we were talking about how exactly you know when God is calling for major changes in your life. Like how do you know when it's time for a new job? Or to sell your house and move into an apartment? Sometimes it can be really intimidating and scary. Some people become paralyzed by it.

As we were talking I remembered an experience I had years ago at one of my favorite favorite places.

I had this camper in my cabin, and on her medical form it said she was a "sleep runner." Interesting I thought, and that night as I put the girls to bed, I made sure to latch the door shut.

I was awoken sometime in the middle of the night, and sure enough there was my camper, running down a trail in the dark.

And I was running after her, with a flashlight, trying not to stumble and fall. It's really dark in those woods at night, especially if it's not a full moon. The tree coverage is dense. You can hardly see your hand in front of your face. There are roots and rocks and bends in the trail all over the place. It's easy to trip and fall in broad daylight. It's really hard to not trip and fall in the middle of the night. The flashlight gave just enough light to see my next step, each next step. The trail 10 feet ahead was not in view.

As I was running I remembered Psalm 119:105, and the old song that quotes it.
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path."

That is when it hit me, chasing after sleep runner.

It's a light to my feet, illuminating what is directly in front of me, keeping me from falling flat on my face.

It doesn't say "Thy Word is a road map to the rest of your life, complete with symbols and a key."

Lately there has been a lot of asking and telling about major changes on the horizon in my life, and I keep saying "I'm just putting one foot in front of the other, and trusting that He has a plan." This is not an easy thing for me to say, and it is not an easy thing for me to do. But it is good, and it is right, and I feel like I'm in my sweet spot.

You know, when you hit a baseball on the exact right spot of the bat, with the exact right timing, and even if you aren't swinging for the fences, the ball is sailing towards the fences, because everything fell into place, just as it was suppose to.

I'm not playing baseball, but I am walking forward, and I am trusting God, and I don't understand a lot of what is going on, and I couldn't tell you what things will look like a month from now, or a year from now. But I do know that I am headed in the right direction, as little logical sense as it makes.

Thankful Thursday 9/22/2011

694 a great time with friends I don't see often anymore
695 direction
696 reconnecting with an old friend
697 possibilities
698 a really fun football game
699 the old people dancing in the stands
700 celebrating a friend's upcoming marriage
701 watching people who are good at their job, excel at it
702 the athletes that always seem to be bringing me another great youtube video
703 remembering the important things about my job, and making them my priority
704 encouragement from friends
705 a new opportunity for Bible study
706 a group of young women who are excited about getting together
707 stumbleupon
708 talking to my Nana on the phone, finally after many failed attempts
709 the class I'm teaching this semester
710 being able to save all the files on my 16G jump/thumb/flash drive that stopped working