This was my third election that I've had the privelege to participate in. I am 28, so the first election I voted in was Bush v. Kerry. You know, the infamous "hanging chad" election. Except I wasn't in Florida at the time-- I was living in the dorms at Moody as a junior. (Edit: Bestie Jr.'s husband reminded me that was the election BEFORE Bush v. Kerry. Oops. They all run together, apparently.)
I had an absentee ballot from my hometown of Midlothian, Illinois. I was voting for Bush (not that it mattered in Illinois anyway), and super excited to vote for the first time. I filled out everything on my ballot, put it in the "privacy sleeve" (what a joke) and envelope, signed and dated it, and put it in my bag to mail.
*****
In my whole life, I've only really had two things stolen from me: once, I left my small white purse in the band room in high school. My Christian high school. It was gone and I lost my favorite lip gloss and eye shadow. Waaaaah. And then I had my bag stolen from outside the SDR (student dining room) at Moody. The day I had my ballot inside.
Yeah... it just so happens that that was the beginning of a string of thefts at Moody, all from kids that Moody students would bring in from Cabrini Green (read: ghetto). The video surveillance showed a little kid stealing my bag from among dozens. Maybe she liked the pattern? Who knows.
All I know is I lost my dog-eared and marked-up copy of Jane Eyre, my class notes, my new cell phone (my first cell phone), my R.A. binder (later returned by a man who called himself "Prince Ali Ababua."),.... and my ballot.
I didn't really know what to do about that. I was pretty sure this theif wasn't going to mail my ballot for me. So on election day, I went down to the local voting location and voted in person.
Later I found out it didn't count. :(
Good thing it all turned out in the end... but man, what a bummer on your first election! Since then, I vote by mail and turn it in just a couple days before the actual election. Way less stressful, and I don't even have to pay for stamps.
And we all know we have to guard our stamp money, what with the economy taking a nosedive and all.... ;)
xoxo, A
11.06.2012
On Voting... Like Everyone Else
Everyone is writing about voting. Everyone. Everywhere. I swear, I heard my neice say "Obama." OK, maybe that was baby talk, but still. Everyone. Everywhere. My facebook, TV, blogs I follow-- everything is and has been about the election for about three months now.
Thank God it is over (hopefully) today.
I have deliberately stayed pretty silent on all things political, unlike the last election. Four years ago, I was involved in the Greater Pinellas Young Republicans, a group that has since dissolved into something else and I just sort of eased out of it. I voted for John McCain, and I didn't care who knew. I told everyone on facebook why they should do the same. This year, I think I "liked" Paul Ryan on facebook and that was the extent of my political voice to the masses this time around.
Why?
Because I don't know about you, but I have never, ever been swayed by anything anyone has posted on their facebook/twitter/blog. I have never, ever been swayed by a political ad. So those who rant and rave against one option and glorify another are essentially wasting their breath unless they also post informative, non-biased facts, statistics, etc. In fact, those are the only things I find helpful (and sometimes not even then). I understand why they do it-- we all want sounding boards while we're up on our soap boxes. Oh do I ever have soap boxes. But at this point, when everyone is so fed up with political ads and all the hooplah, I kind of figure that my soap box will be simply pushed away like everyone else's. So I don't waste my breath anymore. Instead, I discuss it with others in person, which is, I believe, the only way people are ever really swayed. And by "others," I don't mean strangers. I mean people I know. Because another annoyance is having strangers who know nothing of your life tell you who you should vote for.
I'm not at all apathetic. I have very strong convictions. I'm just sick of hearing everyone's all at once, and I know you are too. But I voted, and I'm very thankful for that opportunity. There was a time when women weren't allowed to; I'm very glad that has changed.
This election wasn't easy, however. Here come my convictions:
I have tremendous respect for President Obama. He has filled his role with dignity, and that is something I appreciate across party lines. However, I personally don't agree with what he thinks will improve our economy, I think he lacks experience, I think he hasn't fulfilled his promises, and I disagree with his stance on abortion. I'm not a huge fan of Mitt Romney as a person. I think he's hidden some potentially shady business deals, etc, and that doesn't smack of integrity to me. Yet, he isn't a believer in Jesus Christ, so I can't expect him to act like one. I do think he would have integrity in office, however, because it helps to have the accountability of a Cabinet. I think he can handle money well and will turn our economy around, and I believe he will do his best to try to preserve unborn lives. I'm not wild about either candidate, but not voting is the coward's way out. I voted for Mitt Romney, not because I love him; not because I think Obama is terrible, but because he aligns more with the idea of less governmental control over my life, and more importantly, he aligns with what I believe is one of the biggest issues of our time, that God will judge people for: abortion.
I cannot, in good conscience, vote for someone who doesn't have a problem with killing unborn babies. I will admit a problem though-- I don't understand how someone could be against abortion except in cases of rape and incest. In those cases, does the baby cease to be a baby? Certainly not. The fact of the matter is, yes, it is a woman's body, but not hers alone. It is also the body of a baby that cannot speak up for itself. Abortion is the largest case of genocide, and it is continuing, unchecked. Again, I simply cannot vote for a leader who would support the murder of unborn children.
So that's who I voted for, and why, and why I haven't been in your face about it. You can certainly disagree with me, as this is America. Ultimately, I know God is my King and in control-- no human leader will ever mess up his plans, and for that, I am truly thankful.
xoxo, A
Thank God it is over (hopefully) today.
I have deliberately stayed pretty silent on all things political, unlike the last election. Four years ago, I was involved in the Greater Pinellas Young Republicans, a group that has since dissolved into something else and I just sort of eased out of it. I voted for John McCain, and I didn't care who knew. I told everyone on facebook why they should do the same. This year, I think I "liked" Paul Ryan on facebook and that was the extent of my political voice to the masses this time around.
Why?
Because I don't know about you, but I have never, ever been swayed by anything anyone has posted on their facebook/twitter/blog. I have never, ever been swayed by a political ad. So those who rant and rave against one option and glorify another are essentially wasting their breath unless they also post informative, non-biased facts, statistics, etc. In fact, those are the only things I find helpful (and sometimes not even then). I understand why they do it-- we all want sounding boards while we're up on our soap boxes. Oh do I ever have soap boxes. But at this point, when everyone is so fed up with political ads and all the hooplah, I kind of figure that my soap box will be simply pushed away like everyone else's. So I don't waste my breath anymore. Instead, I discuss it with others in person, which is, I believe, the only way people are ever really swayed. And by "others," I don't mean strangers. I mean people I know. Because another annoyance is having strangers who know nothing of your life tell you who you should vote for.
I'm not at all apathetic. I have very strong convictions. I'm just sick of hearing everyone's all at once, and I know you are too. But I voted, and I'm very thankful for that opportunity. There was a time when women weren't allowed to; I'm very glad that has changed.
This election wasn't easy, however. Here come my convictions:
I have tremendous respect for President Obama. He has filled his role with dignity, and that is something I appreciate across party lines. However, I personally don't agree with what he thinks will improve our economy, I think he lacks experience, I think he hasn't fulfilled his promises, and I disagree with his stance on abortion. I'm not a huge fan of Mitt Romney as a person. I think he's hidden some potentially shady business deals, etc, and that doesn't smack of integrity to me. Yet, he isn't a believer in Jesus Christ, so I can't expect him to act like one. I do think he would have integrity in office, however, because it helps to have the accountability of a Cabinet. I think he can handle money well and will turn our economy around, and I believe he will do his best to try to preserve unborn lives. I'm not wild about either candidate, but not voting is the coward's way out. I voted for Mitt Romney, not because I love him; not because I think Obama is terrible, but because he aligns more with the idea of less governmental control over my life, and more importantly, he aligns with what I believe is one of the biggest issues of our time, that God will judge people for: abortion.
I cannot, in good conscience, vote for someone who doesn't have a problem with killing unborn babies. I will admit a problem though-- I don't understand how someone could be against abortion except in cases of rape and incest. In those cases, does the baby cease to be a baby? Certainly not. The fact of the matter is, yes, it is a woman's body, but not hers alone. It is also the body of a baby that cannot speak up for itself. Abortion is the largest case of genocide, and it is continuing, unchecked. Again, I simply cannot vote for a leader who would support the murder of unborn children.
So that's who I voted for, and why, and why I haven't been in your face about it. You can certainly disagree with me, as this is America. Ultimately, I know God is my King and in control-- no human leader will ever mess up his plans, and for that, I am truly thankful.
xoxo, A
11.05.2012
My Husband, the Gamer
I may have just stood in the tamest gamer line ever. I lined up for a ticket for Hband to come back later and claim his special edition of "Halo 4." There were a gaggle of really nerdy maybe nineteen year olds ahead of me, complete with some kind of glowy mask that played "Halo" music. There were two grumpy twentysomethings behind me who made cracks about everyone. And at the beginning of the line were some old people there for their children, sitting in chairs as if they were going the be there all night. We're talking like, 45 minutes, people.
At any rate, it got me thinking about one thing I am very thankful for.
Hband has a lot of self control when it comes to gaming. I know how much he really loves it, and also how much he used to play. And I know that part of the reason he doesn't play as much now is simply that he doesn't have time. But I am beyond thankful that my husband chooses to spend time with me or time in ministry rather than allow games to suck the life out of him.
If you think I'm being dramatic about the pull of video games, I'm not. I've experienced first-hand elsewhere how one can allow gaming to overtake their reality, and therefore miss out on all the important things in life in favor of a game. It can destroy relationships and lives.
But Hband doesn't let that happen. That's why I was so happy to stand in line for him today, and why I hope he'll take an entire Saturday and enjoy his game. He deserves it. I only wish I was good enough to play with him. But apparently I lack the fine motor skills that "Halo" requires.
Happy gaming!
xoxo, A
At any rate, it got me thinking about one thing I am very thankful for.
Hband has a lot of self control when it comes to gaming. I know how much he really loves it, and also how much he used to play. And I know that part of the reason he doesn't play as much now is simply that he doesn't have time. But I am beyond thankful that my husband chooses to spend time with me or time in ministry rather than allow games to suck the life out of him.
If you think I'm being dramatic about the pull of video games, I'm not. I've experienced first-hand elsewhere how one can allow gaming to overtake their reality, and therefore miss out on all the important things in life in favor of a game. It can destroy relationships and lives.
But Hband doesn't let that happen. That's why I was so happy to stand in line for him today, and why I hope he'll take an entire Saturday and enjoy his game. He deserves it. I only wish I was good enough to play with him. But apparently I lack the fine motor skills that "Halo" requires.
Happy gaming!
xoxo, A
11.03.2012
Dumb yet Awesome Stuff I Did in College
A couple weeks ago, Hband and I were in the car, and he said this: "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not as fun as I used to be."
Now, I think Hband is still a really fun guy. I mean, he uses a silly voice for our dog, and that's pretty fun. Even if he denies that he does it. He does it. Are you reading this, Hband? I'm calling you out. Regardless, I responded, "You're not less fun; you're just growing up."
I've already realized I'm less fun than when I was in college. Don't forget, I'm a whopping 4 years older than Hband. Four years, one month, and three days. He's now beginning to comprehend that post-college means post-fun. Not really, but kind of.
Last week, Bestie Jr. and I were driving home from a sister date, on which we saw Pitch Perfect (yes, it was very good!). On the way home, we cackled about all the dumb yet somehow awesome stuff we did in college. It was all so fun. Then I spilled my water all over myself as I was driving and we laughed until we were silent. You know why? Because even post-college, we're still fun. :)
The dumb yet awesome stuff we did in college includes but is not limited to this list:
1. Rolling our upper lip over our teeth and slumping against the wall in the hall of our floor, pretending we died that way, with our eyes open. We wanted to see how long it would take for people to notice/laugh/prod us. Only one person even acknowledged us. But we loved it.
2. Sledding down a tiny hill next to train tracks in downtown Chicago... on garbage bags.
3. Pretending to get beaten up by Bestie while we were roommates, just to see who would come by, alarmed. No one ever did. They knew better.
4. Knocking over a red candle that was sitting on a candle warmer... and having your room look like a murder scene. Then posing like dead bodies for pictures.
5. Pretending to be conjoined twins by sharing a shirt and tying our legs together.
6. Creating an a cappella bluegrass band that played the air fiddle, air banjo, and the "vocalizer." We specialized in singing "Happy Birthday" to students, sometimes in the dining room (SDR).
7. Having an all-day Bro-Sis outing, during which we visited four museums, I think, and then when to Chinatown. I also left my video camera in the Planetarium and had an athsma attack, all on the same day.
8. Dragging Bestie down the hall on a blanket in the middle of the night.
9. Creating valentines for our brother floor that went something like this:
Majestic
Illustrious
Kid-friendly
Ever-present.
10. Having a bro-sis overnight at Inner-City Impact, where we made a horror movie in the middle of the night.
11. Walking to Jewel in the hood at 10 p.m. in the cold, just to get break-and-bakes to aide our studying.
That's not the half of it, and pretty tame compared to others. But for me, those were dumb, awesome, fun days. But today is pretty fun too-- just maybe less dumb. :)
xoxo, A
Now, I think Hband is still a really fun guy. I mean, he uses a silly voice for our dog, and that's pretty fun. Even if he denies that he does it. He does it. Are you reading this, Hband? I'm calling you out. Regardless, I responded, "You're not less fun; you're just growing up."
I've already realized I'm less fun than when I was in college. Don't forget, I'm a whopping 4 years older than Hband. Four years, one month, and three days. He's now beginning to comprehend that post-college means post-fun. Not really, but kind of.
Last week, Bestie Jr. and I were driving home from a sister date, on which we saw Pitch Perfect (yes, it was very good!). On the way home, we cackled about all the dumb yet somehow awesome stuff we did in college. It was all so fun. Then I spilled my water all over myself as I was driving and we laughed until we were silent. You know why? Because even post-college, we're still fun. :)
The dumb yet awesome stuff we did in college includes but is not limited to this list:
1. Rolling our upper lip over our teeth and slumping against the wall in the hall of our floor, pretending we died that way, with our eyes open. We wanted to see how long it would take for people to notice/laugh/prod us. Only one person even acknowledged us. But we loved it.
2. Sledding down a tiny hill next to train tracks in downtown Chicago... on garbage bags.
3. Pretending to get beaten up by Bestie while we were roommates, just to see who would come by, alarmed. No one ever did. They knew better.
4. Knocking over a red candle that was sitting on a candle warmer... and having your room look like a murder scene. Then posing like dead bodies for pictures.
5. Pretending to be conjoined twins by sharing a shirt and tying our legs together.
6. Creating an a cappella bluegrass band that played the air fiddle, air banjo, and the "vocalizer." We specialized in singing "Happy Birthday" to students, sometimes in the dining room (SDR).
7. Having an all-day Bro-Sis outing, during which we visited four museums, I think, and then when to Chinatown. I also left my video camera in the Planetarium and had an athsma attack, all on the same day.
8. Dragging Bestie down the hall on a blanket in the middle of the night.
9. Creating valentines for our brother floor that went something like this:
Majestic
Illustrious
Kid-friendly
Ever-present.
10. Having a bro-sis overnight at Inner-City Impact, where we made a horror movie in the middle of the night.
11. Walking to Jewel in the hood at 10 p.m. in the cold, just to get break-and-bakes to aide our studying.
That's not the half of it, and pretty tame compared to others. But for me, those were dumb, awesome, fun days. But today is pretty fun too-- just maybe less dumb. :)
xoxo, A
11.02.2012
Go-To
Do you have your "go-to"s? You know, your never fail, trusty, first thing on your mind in any given situation? Here are some of mine:
Go-to song to sing if one is stuck in my head: "Yesterday" by the Beatles. Hband prefers some kind of weird and stupid song he found on YouTube comparing dog and God. I HATE IT. I also don't know how he has memorized it so quickly. I know one day our children will hate it too.
Go-to song to sing if one is stuck in my head: "Yesterday" by the Beatles. Hband prefers some kind of weird and stupid song he found on YouTube comparing dog and God. I HATE IT. I also don't know how he has memorized it so quickly. I know one day our children will hate it too.
Go-to outfit: anything with a cardigan. Cardigans make everything better and make my muffin-top less visible.
Go-to meal: chicken in the crock pot with roasted or smashed and roasted potatoes. Can't lose. But if we're talking quick meal, that would be quesadillas. Hband said he'd eat them anytime, ever, forever.
Go-to saying: I know it's bad, and I never mean it, but I often respond to Hband with an insincere "You're stupid." It always makes us laugh. Also, I say "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" a lot when I'm frustrated in traffic, under my breath, or when I'm venting loudly-- a.k.a. "yelling."
Go-to Bible verse: this is not trite, and not because it's one of those easy verses you memorized when you were seven, so when someone asks your favorite Bible verse you spout out whatever you have memorized, like "Jesus wept." No-- these are my life verses, chosen during the most difficult struggle of my life thus far (singleness), and I imagine will carry me through every other challenge in my life: Psalm 27:13-14.
Go-to feel-good song: anything from "Glee" that I can belt out, loudly. Or "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls. Stop judging me-- I grew up in the 90s.
Go-to feel-good movie: "You've Got Mail," "The Wedding Singer," or "While You Were Sleeping." They make me feel all warm inside.
Go-to TV show: somehow I always end up watching "Bridezillas," or some sort of creepy "Snapped" type show about people who go crazy and kill other people. I don't know why I watch those shows! They're awful!!
Go-to hairdo: when I had long hair, it was the messy bun (God bless the genius that made that hairstyle fashionable!). These days, it's a ponytail stub.
Go-to takeout: Subway. we used to get these coupons that basically gave us two meals for like, $6, plus we'd get a free cookie with each survey we did on every receipt, so I think we were robbing them blind. We don't get those coupons anymore. But we still enjoy ourselves some bland ol' Subway!
Go-to mood-improver: shopping. I don't really have money anymore (when I got married, my disposable income disappeared along with my ability to control my food intake), but going shopping still lifts my spirits. I love to browse Target or HomeGoods like I actually have the means to take something home.
Go-to time-waster: duh. Pinterest! I literally spend hours there. Not that it's all wasted time. Sometimes I actually get good ideas that I use later. But let's be honest. Mostly I just look at pretty homes and lovely clothes, and laugh at stupid memes.
Go-to nickname for Hband: "darling." It makes me feel like Laura Petrie and so old school.
Go-to date idea: takeout and a night in, watching whatever TV show we're currently viewing. Right now it's the miniseries "Rome."
Go-to story to tell: Mike's completely crazy and utterly creepy college roommate. Anytime a funny story needs to be told, this one shines!
Go-to story to tell: Mike's completely crazy and utterly creepy college roommate. Anytime a funny story needs to be told, this one shines!
I'm sure I have more. These make me look super lame/boring, don't they? What are your "go-to"s?
xoxo, A
11.01.2012
I Don't Like It
Have you ever wanted to NOT like something just because everyone else DOES like it? I have. And I don't think that makes me a hippie or a hipster, because it's not that I take pleasure in being counter-culture-- it's just that sometimes, I find mass adoration of things annoying. The most prominet examples of this are two wildly popular book series: Harry Potter and Twilight.
Please don't hate me.
See, I gave Twilight the old college try. My jr. high discipleship girls were reading the books, and I wanted to be "in the know," as they say (just kidding; no one says that), so I read the first one. Aside from the poor writing, Bella was a really terrible excuse for a girl. She was moody, clingy, and needy. And she's OK with a freaking vampire watching her sleep. I didn't finish the next book. I. just. couldn't. I even gave the first movie a try. I laughed out loud literally the whole time. Calm down, we rented it, so I didn't disturb the pre-pubescent girls and creepy cougarliscious women in the theaters. But seriously. I couldn't handle it.
I never read Harry Potter, though I've heard they're well-written and well-developed. But somehow, the enormity of the books' subculture turned me off. I don't know why-- it's not that I have a moral objection to reading about the supernatural. I mean really-- my favorite shows of the moment are "Supernatural" and "The Walking Dead." But I did allow myself to watch the movie. It wasn't horrible, like Twilight, but I'll be honest: I was bored. It seemed like just another movie about magic, without anything exceptional to boast about. Plus the guy with no nose was really starting to creep me out.
Another confession: I never finished The Hunger Games trilogy. *gasp*!!!! I really did like the first book, though I'll admit it didn't suck me in as much as everyone warned me it would, and I'm a voracious reader. I've yet to see the movie, but I'm looking forward to it.
It's just some sort of weird aversion I have to the obsessions people get with pop culture. I like pop culture as much as the next girl; I watch E! occasionally and I really love to hunker down under the covers with a new People magazine, but when people start tattooing a lightning bolt on their foreheads and wearing fake fangs, I kind of want to run, and run fast. In the other direction.
I dislike reality TV, too. But don't tell anyone that I watch "Bridezillas."
xoxo, A
Please don't hate me.
See, I gave Twilight the old college try. My jr. high discipleship girls were reading the books, and I wanted to be "in the know," as they say (just kidding; no one says that), so I read the first one. Aside from the poor writing, Bella was a really terrible excuse for a girl. She was moody, clingy, and needy. And she's OK with a freaking vampire watching her sleep. I didn't finish the next book. I. just. couldn't. I even gave the first movie a try. I laughed out loud literally the whole time. Calm down, we rented it, so I didn't disturb the pre-pubescent girls and creepy cougarliscious women in the theaters. But seriously. I couldn't handle it.
I never read Harry Potter, though I've heard they're well-written and well-developed. But somehow, the enormity of the books' subculture turned me off. I don't know why-- it's not that I have a moral objection to reading about the supernatural. I mean really-- my favorite shows of the moment are "Supernatural" and "The Walking Dead." But I did allow myself to watch the movie. It wasn't horrible, like Twilight, but I'll be honest: I was bored. It seemed like just another movie about magic, without anything exceptional to boast about. Plus the guy with no nose was really starting to creep me out.
Another confession: I never finished The Hunger Games trilogy. *gasp*!!!! I really did like the first book, though I'll admit it didn't suck me in as much as everyone warned me it would, and I'm a voracious reader. I've yet to see the movie, but I'm looking forward to it.
It's just some sort of weird aversion I have to the obsessions people get with pop culture. I like pop culture as much as the next girl; I watch E! occasionally and I really love to hunker down under the covers with a new People magazine, but when people start tattooing a lightning bolt on their foreheads and wearing fake fangs, I kind of want to run, and run fast. In the other direction.
I dislike reality TV, too. But don't tell anyone that I watch "Bridezillas."
xoxo, A
10.31.2012
Halloween Done Right
"Fun-size" (because really, what's fun about less candy?) Kit-Kat bars in an enamel pumpkin bucket outside my door? Check.
Mass amounts of candy corn consumed (though stale, is it has been sitting in a leaf-shaped dish for a month)? Check.
Last-minute cowgirl outfit on, complete with foam pistol from the costume box in my classroom? Check.
Hot dog costume ready to be worn by my very own hot dog: Lucia? Check.
Mom-made Star Trek Captain's uniform (gosh I hope I got that right so Hband doesn't correct me) ready to come to life on Hband? Check.
Good friends with a cute baby prepared to trick-or-treat? Check.
A dinner of $2 burritos from Chipotle waiting for us later because we're dressed up? Check.
THAT is Halloween done right. Pictures will follow! Meanwhile, keep the adorable little kid costume pictures coming! I can't get enough! I saw a baby as a little giraffe, and a toddler as a monkey-- so cute I might die. To hold you over, here is a picture of me on Halloween years ago. As you can see, I'm adorable.
xoxo, A
Mass amounts of candy corn consumed (though stale, is it has been sitting in a leaf-shaped dish for a month)? Check.
Last-minute cowgirl outfit on, complete with foam pistol from the costume box in my classroom? Check.
Hot dog costume ready to be worn by my very own hot dog: Lucia? Check.
Mom-made Star Trek Captain's uniform (gosh I hope I got that right so Hband doesn't correct me) ready to come to life on Hband? Check.
Good friends with a cute baby prepared to trick-or-treat? Check.
A dinner of $2 burritos from Chipotle waiting for us later because we're dressed up? Check.
THAT is Halloween done right. Pictures will follow! Meanwhile, keep the adorable little kid costume pictures coming! I can't get enough! I saw a baby as a little giraffe, and a toddler as a monkey-- so cute I might die. To hold you over, here is a picture of me on Halloween years ago. As you can see, I'm adorable.
xoxo, A
10.30.2012
Some Clarity
I've learned some things about myself in the last few months I haven't been blogging.
1. I don't want to blog for a living. If scores of people want to follow me and read what I write (dubious), let them. But I am not cut out to compete with those who make it their living. The planning, the pressure, the networking, the giveaways... it's just not my bag. I love writing and I love sharing things that have been meaningful or helpful to me. However, I really kind of hate the pressure of making it a career. So, it will be what I want it to be: a place where I spout whatever random things come into my head, or any lovely pictures I happen to share. The end.
2. I have a love-hate relationship with blogs. I love that lots of them are encouraging and most of them have awesome photos. I hate that all of their lives seem perfect. I love that so many of them give me great ideas. I hate that some of them are really vapid.
3. I want to do three things for a living, and combine them in any three possible ways:
A. Sell my doodles on etsy
B. Take great pictures of beautiful moments and get paid for it
C. Write devotionals for women and humorous fiction... and have it published
However, all of these things require either extreme startup costs or lots of wait time. I'm a little poor and a little impatient. So that makes it more challenging. Still, hopefully in the future, some combination of those three will be my full-time job.
4. I have a feeling one of the lifelong lessons I will have to continually learn is about God's faithfulness. Why, after his proven trustworthiness, do I continue to worry, fret, and even get angry when things don't go my way, as if my way were better than God's? Why do I throw temper tantrums when God has something infinitely better in store? I pray God would mature my faith so that my first instinct will be trust and obedience rather than anger and disappointment.
5. I desperately need to savor the moment. I am looking so far into the future that I fear I will miss the beautiful moments in front of me. A sampling of these beautiful moments are as follows:
A. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and sometimes Hband stirs as well. And sometimes he takes my hand and squeezes it and I fall back asleep. And he never remembers it in the morning.
B. Lucia makes little groaning noises when we wake her up-- all warm, salty puppy smelling, and cuddly.
C. Autumn has arrived in Florida. It is windy and beautifully cold. I say cold, because my Chicago blood has left me, and this Florida blood can't handle temps below 70 without shivering! I love it though!
D. My little apartment has a coziness to it that I know will bring me warm nostalgia long after we've moved out. It's our little love nest, full of mis-matched IKEA and hand-me-down furniture.
I know I've been gone a while. I don't know if anyone still reads. But at least now I'm okay with that. I can't compete with the big girls of blogging, and frankly, I don't want to. I'm just me, and I just like to write. That's why I started a Xanga years ago. Remember Xanga, you oldies? :)
Before I go, here are a few images from my last few photo shoots. Enjoy!
Happy Tuesday. :)
xoxo, A
1. I don't want to blog for a living. If scores of people want to follow me and read what I write (dubious), let them. But I am not cut out to compete with those who make it their living. The planning, the pressure, the networking, the giveaways... it's just not my bag. I love writing and I love sharing things that have been meaningful or helpful to me. However, I really kind of hate the pressure of making it a career. So, it will be what I want it to be: a place where I spout whatever random things come into my head, or any lovely pictures I happen to share. The end.
2. I have a love-hate relationship with blogs. I love that lots of them are encouraging and most of them have awesome photos. I hate that all of their lives seem perfect. I love that so many of them give me great ideas. I hate that some of them are really vapid.
3. I want to do three things for a living, and combine them in any three possible ways:
A. Sell my doodles on etsy
B. Take great pictures of beautiful moments and get paid for it
C. Write devotionals for women and humorous fiction... and have it published
However, all of these things require either extreme startup costs or lots of wait time. I'm a little poor and a little impatient. So that makes it more challenging. Still, hopefully in the future, some combination of those three will be my full-time job.
4. I have a feeling one of the lifelong lessons I will have to continually learn is about God's faithfulness. Why, after his proven trustworthiness, do I continue to worry, fret, and even get angry when things don't go my way, as if my way were better than God's? Why do I throw temper tantrums when God has something infinitely better in store? I pray God would mature my faith so that my first instinct will be trust and obedience rather than anger and disappointment.
5. I desperately need to savor the moment. I am looking so far into the future that I fear I will miss the beautiful moments in front of me. A sampling of these beautiful moments are as follows:
A. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and sometimes Hband stirs as well. And sometimes he takes my hand and squeezes it and I fall back asleep. And he never remembers it in the morning.
B. Lucia makes little groaning noises when we wake her up-- all warm, salty puppy smelling, and cuddly.
C. Autumn has arrived in Florida. It is windy and beautifully cold. I say cold, because my Chicago blood has left me, and this Florida blood can't handle temps below 70 without shivering! I love it though!
D. My little apartment has a coziness to it that I know will bring me warm nostalgia long after we've moved out. It's our little love nest, full of mis-matched IKEA and hand-me-down furniture.
I know I've been gone a while. I don't know if anyone still reads. But at least now I'm okay with that. I can't compete with the big girls of blogging, and frankly, I don't want to. I'm just me, and I just like to write. That's why I started a Xanga years ago. Remember Xanga, you oldies? :)
Before I go, here are a few images from my last few photo shoots. Enjoy!
Happy Tuesday. :)
xoxo, A
9.28.2012
Oh. My. Goodness.
Have mercy-- I have simply NOT been tending to my blog. I'm sorry, folks. Let's just say this school year has been a challenge so far. Or rather, life has been a challenge recently.
I have lots of pictures to post, and will do so before too long.
But it might be a little while before I get back into my blogging schedule.
For right now, let me be totally honest with you. The Bible tells me that godliness with contentment is great gain. And it just so happens that those are the two areas in which God is growing me right now. And just like when I was a kid, growing pains hurt.
Regarding godliness: I had gotten into a passionless routine with the Lord. I spent time with him, and truly, I wanted to become more godly. But I wasn't making it a priority. Hband and I had the opportunity to go to the Ekklesia conference in Jupiter, Florida, and it was so refreshing for my soul in many ways. I was reminded that everything except Jesus is superfluous. And that helped me tremendously, though it's not easy. I was bombarded, again and again, with the truth from God's Word that God picked me to belong to him from before time began, plucking me from my headlong race to hell. He chose me to love him, and because of that, eternity with him is mine. How can I then not make him my priority? He gave his everything for me. How can I be so ungrateful? This refocusing of my soul has also brought with it trials, as trials tend to produce the most fruit in my life. And that's where contentment comes in.
I told Hband yesterday that I just feel "stuck." "I'm just stuck," I told him, through tears. "No, not stuck," he said. "Placed." He's right. I'm only here because God placed me here, with specific things to do. Where is here, you may ask? The here that I'm struggling with is in Florida (the heat, my God, the heat!! And absence of fall...), away from my family, friends far away, in a job I'm not wild about anymore, in an apartment and not a house, and an indefinite amount of time before we can have kids because we need to pay off our debt and Hband needs a better paying job. I'd like to have a house, start a family, and move somewhere where it's just Hband and me, on our own little adventure (somewhere where the leaves change). But that's not where God placed me right now. Right now he placed me in a little apartment with a high-maintenance dog and a low-paying, difficult job in the heat of Florida's Gulf Coast, with no wiggle-room in our budget and no definite time we can start a family.
And I am choosing to be grateful and have joy in it, because that same God that plucked my from my headlong race to hell has also placed me in this moment, for some reason I can't see.
Godliness with contentment is great gain. And so I will persevere, if only out of thanks to my Savior.
xoxo, A
I have lots of pictures to post, and will do so before too long.
But it might be a little while before I get back into my blogging schedule.
For right now, let me be totally honest with you. The Bible tells me that godliness with contentment is great gain. And it just so happens that those are the two areas in which God is growing me right now. And just like when I was a kid, growing pains hurt.
Regarding godliness: I had gotten into a passionless routine with the Lord. I spent time with him, and truly, I wanted to become more godly. But I wasn't making it a priority. Hband and I had the opportunity to go to the Ekklesia conference in Jupiter, Florida, and it was so refreshing for my soul in many ways. I was reminded that everything except Jesus is superfluous. And that helped me tremendously, though it's not easy. I was bombarded, again and again, with the truth from God's Word that God picked me to belong to him from before time began, plucking me from my headlong race to hell. He chose me to love him, and because of that, eternity with him is mine. How can I then not make him my priority? He gave his everything for me. How can I be so ungrateful? This refocusing of my soul has also brought with it trials, as trials tend to produce the most fruit in my life. And that's where contentment comes in.
I told Hband yesterday that I just feel "stuck." "I'm just stuck," I told him, through tears. "No, not stuck," he said. "Placed." He's right. I'm only here because God placed me here, with specific things to do. Where is here, you may ask? The here that I'm struggling with is in Florida (the heat, my God, the heat!! And absence of fall...), away from my family, friends far away, in a job I'm not wild about anymore, in an apartment and not a house, and an indefinite amount of time before we can have kids because we need to pay off our debt and Hband needs a better paying job. I'd like to have a house, start a family, and move somewhere where it's just Hband and me, on our own little adventure (somewhere where the leaves change). But that's not where God placed me right now. Right now he placed me in a little apartment with a high-maintenance dog and a low-paying, difficult job in the heat of Florida's Gulf Coast, with no wiggle-room in our budget and no definite time we can start a family.
And I am choosing to be grateful and have joy in it, because that same God that plucked my from my headlong race to hell has also placed me in this moment, for some reason I can't see.
Godliness with contentment is great gain. And so I will persevere, if only out of thanks to my Savior.
xoxo, A
Hello, My Name is Amanda and I'm a Published Author.
Finally.
After years of writing and many queries, I'm published.
But let's be real here: it's just Chicken Soup for the Soul. Hahaha! Everytime I think of it, I laugh. I mean, there are plenty of people who are really blessed by the Chicken Soup books, but they have never really been my thing, you know? Still, the story I wrote is one of the most important of my life, and they chose it, and for that I'm grateful.
What's most amazing about this is that God is continuing to use my late youth pastor, years after his death. That is a legacy. I pray someday that God will use me even after my death.
Another amazing thing is that this was totally unexpected, and very encouraging. God has words for me to write, and this gives me encouragement to keep writing them.
So if you're interested, my story "My First Ebenezer" is published in Chicken Soup for the Soul:Finding My Faith. I don't get any royalties though. Hahaha! Still, there could be some other good stories in there, so take a look, if you're so inclined! The Kindle edition is available now on Amazon, but it won't be on the shelves until some time in October, I believe.
Meanwhile, I got several copies in the mail. And my father in law wants me to sign his, just in case I become the next Mark Twain. Hahahaha. As if (channeling my inner Cher from Clueless there. 90s girls: wasn't that just a great movie?! Haha!).
But seriously. Thanks, God. This is an awesome thing to happen. :)
xoxo, A
After years of writing and many queries, I'm published.
But let's be real here: it's just Chicken Soup for the Soul. Hahaha! Everytime I think of it, I laugh. I mean, there are plenty of people who are really blessed by the Chicken Soup books, but they have never really been my thing, you know? Still, the story I wrote is one of the most important of my life, and they chose it, and for that I'm grateful.
What's most amazing about this is that God is continuing to use my late youth pastor, years after his death. That is a legacy. I pray someday that God will use me even after my death.
Another amazing thing is that this was totally unexpected, and very encouraging. God has words for me to write, and this gives me encouragement to keep writing them.
So if you're interested, my story "My First Ebenezer" is published in Chicken Soup for the Soul:Finding My Faith. I don't get any royalties though. Hahaha! Still, there could be some other good stories in there, so take a look, if you're so inclined! The Kindle edition is available now on Amazon, but it won't be on the shelves until some time in October, I believe.
Meanwhile, I got several copies in the mail. And my father in law wants me to sign his, just in case I become the next Mark Twain. Hahahaha. As if (channeling my inner Cher from Clueless there. 90s girls: wasn't that just a great movie?! Haha!).
But seriously. Thanks, God. This is an awesome thing to happen. :)
xoxo, A
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