tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18913852761596118872024-03-05T04:52:14.672-08:00Truly Virginiatruly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-19897323011732353552014-01-17T09:59:00.000-08:002014-01-17T09:59:04.334-08:00the trouble with online dating...<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
Hey blog. I'm back again. It's been a while.<u></u><u></u></div>
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I'm all over the place with my thoughts. I realize I made a list of my goals a few weeks ago with the start of a new year {2014} that I meant to post here. Not really for anyone else (because who seriously reads my blog? no one) but as a reminder for myself. and to have something to go back to and look at from time to time. I should probably go find that in my email somewhere and post it here.<u></u><u></u></div>
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What's been going on? Well, I gave up facebook for the next 21ish days or so. I read somewhere a few nights ago "it takes 21 days to break a habit." or it's something like "it takes 21 days to start a habit." I can never remember which it is.<u></u><u></u></div>
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but really, it's the same to me. I feel like starting a new habit has got to be breaking some sort of bad habit at the same time. you're probably replacing the new thing for the old thing. or breaking some sort of bad habit is really starting a new habit. the new habit is not doing the old habit. I don't know if that makes sense but in my mind it does.<u></u><u></u></div>
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the motivation to write an entry is because I want to document something silly. </div>
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completely silly and creepy and just weird! strange. odd. unnecessary.<u></u><u></u></div>
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so here goes:<u></u><u></u></div>
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it's a little something called <b><i>eharmony</i></b><span style="font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div>
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a few months back while hanging in my bedroom with 2 close friends, one of them goes "this is what I would write in my 'about me' section on a dating site if I were Virginia…." and it got my attention. "alright, this is going to be good…I want to write these things down. you know, in case some day I join." so I was about to grab my computer to email these things to myself when Trace said to me "wait, what are you doing? log on and we will create an account for you right now…"<u></u><u></u></div>
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well ok then.</div>
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and that began the time I signed up for eharmony. but the free version. so all that means is basically I made an account, answered some questions about myself (which, by the way - if you're going to make an account, do it with a couple friends over. it is a lot easier to hear things about yourself and write them down that maybe you don’t notice in yourself. or it's especially easy when there is a section like "what would your friends say are your best qualities…" you can ask them right then and there and they can answer for you. easy peasy). so I made a free account. I go on here and there and check out people I'm matched with. but basically that means I judge whose account to look at based by their name/age because I can't see any pictures and you're matched with a hundred people a day. not being able to see pictures is good because it enables me from being completely shallow and only looking at the guys who i find attractive. but knowing what someone looks like would be nice too. so I play a little game: "ohhh. Jef. that looks like a cool name. 27? that's a good age i'd say" or "hmmm. Spencer. that's a little weird. 35? probably too old for me" and I don’t look. what the heck do i know anyways? </div>
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I'm not taking this thing seriously. but if I were, I would love to pay for an account and have access to the whole thing and see who has viewed my profile and all that jazz.<u></u></div>
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but you know what stinks about it? it's basically like a resume. but instead of people reading it and deciding if you are qualified for a job, they read it and see if you are interesting/exciting/holy enough to date you. you want to say all the good qualities about yourself. you want to prove you're likable. or even worse, that you're a good, modest, sweet, christian woman with a "gentle and quiet spirit." and they want to prove the same. only about being a good christian man.<u></u></div>
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and it just turns me off.<u></u><u></u></div>
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turns. me. off.<u></u><u></u></div>
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because whenever someone tries to impress me, I am so not impressed. the complete opposite of being impressed. because I notice the little things in the opposite sex. I like to observe someone when they're not paying attention or when they don't notice I'm looking and find things I like about them that way. not read a list of their qualities on their best day and decide that way. I want to know people's character. I want to know what their friends think of them. I want to know if they even have friends! how they interact with children. things like that. and a quick profile glance doesn't show me those things. it might tell me. but I have always hated the idea of pumping myself up and not being myself on paper all so that I would get the job or even an interview. I would much rather just have a conversation with someone and get to know them that way. because I know personally, I can't write. I don't know how to make myself sound good. and the whole idea of trying to make myself sound good is just dumb anyways.<u></u><u></u></div>
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but back to eharmony. you hear all about how "great of a christian they are. how much they love their bible and can't live without it. (literally...there is an option to answer 5 things you can't live w/o) and how Jesus Christ is the personal savior of their life…" and all those things are good things. I know that. someone who believes in Jesus and calls him savior. or someone who values his teachings and reads the word. good things. But I'd rather just get to know those things about you. on paper you sound a little too much.<u></u><u></u></div>
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and I'd rather you not tell me the kind of woman you want me to be.<u></u><u></u></div>
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maybe that should get me to look at my profile and reconsider some of the things I wrote for something I'm looking for in a guy. maybe it would turn people away who don't own a boat or like the beach. but I feel like I wrote it loosely, like "and hey! if you <i>happen</i> to want to take me for a walk down the beach with my dog or take me for a boat ride…I just might die." - it's how I really feel. but is it a deal breaker? no. I have to be open to the fact that maybe what I think I want might not be what I need. or what I think I want might actually not be all that enjoyable and God knows that…so someone who will surprise me with by different activities and be into different things might just not only be what I need…but what I'd enjoy more as well.<u></u><u></u></div>
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if I've learned anything in life it's that I {often} don't know what I need/want. I hype something up in my mind thinking it's going to satisfy me and then when I get it…or when I don't get it and realize how thankful I am for not having been given it…I can see that I don't know what the crap I'm talking about.<u></u><u></u></div>
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but that's scary and also stinks because sometimes I'd like to know what I'm talking about and I'd love to be like "this is what I've always wanted and dreamed up and prayed for and BAM…God answered" and maybe it will be that way. but maybe it won't. and I have to trust that God knows best. because he also knows my heart.</div>
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but enough about that. the point of this blog was to write about some of the nonsense you find with online dating. here is a glimpse. i sent this in an email to a friend a few months back and must have blocked it out of my memory. for real. because today she told me she had a funny story to share and began to tell me about one of her friends who joined eharmony as well. and how she was matched with this person...</div>
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[the following is an exact quote from someone's eharmony profile that i sent to my friend a few months ago. apparently her friend who recently joined came across the same profile and had to share with her friends...]</div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">"I'm looking for a person who is passionate about her life: her relationships, her life goals, and her favorite activities. We should be able to have spiritual/philosophical conversations about life as well as funny conversations about less serious topics.<b>Definitely not as important as what I wrote above but still worth mentioning, a woman who enjoys having her feet touched is a turn-on for me. I give great foot massages. If you want to have your feet pampered, I'm your man."</b></span></div>
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i wish i was kidding. but i think this speaks for itself.</div>
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it's tough being single and looking for a quality man in the year 2014. whether it be from church or a friend introducing you to someone. it can be awkward. it can cause fear and anxiety that maybe no one will come along. and in cases like this, it can especially be tough going through an online dating source.</div>
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<b>WHY</b> must you talk about wanting a woman who wants her feet touched? really.</div>
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that is all. </div>
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say a prayer for me and all my single lady friends. because they are awesome. and i'd love to see them have some quality dates with some quality men.</div>
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truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-19894514917594531572013-03-18T20:06:00.004-07:002013-03-18T20:06:56.989-07:00letting go of the leash<div style="text-align: center;">
yesterday i took Misty for a walk down the beach. as we were walking on the sand i decided i wanted to let her off the leash. i've done this before and she is always just fine. she doesn't really run off without me and every so many steps she takes a look back at me to make sure i am following.</div>
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i really love letting her loose because she goes CRAZY and has such a fun time. the sand makes her mental and she gallops and runs around like a crazy lady and cracks me up.</div>
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but there's always that part of me that panics. PANICS. i always fear the worst. that she will run off and get attacked by another dog. or get hit by a car. die in front of me. i have issues and always expect the worst of almost any scenario.</div>
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so i made sure no one was around. no other dogs. and i let go.</div>
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but i simply let go of her leash and let her run free and explore rather than taking her leash off for her to run free.</div>
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{i do this just in case i have to grab for her quick or i am chasing after her. i will have something to grab for rather than her collar. the poor thing - she runs a little funny because she is dragging the leash behind her trying for it to not get in her way}</div>
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and yesterday i was reminded (yet again) of just how tightly i hold onto things.</div>
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when i walk with Misty i almost always have the leash wrapped around my hand a few times. i hold onto it tight and then wrap it an extra couple times just in case.</div>
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i do this to ensure i'm in control. and although in this case it is probably ok that i want to be in control and i want to make sure Misty is alright and doesn't get into any trouble, it's not ok that i do that when it comes to God. silly me never realized my how great my desire for control over my life is until a few months ago during redemption group.</div>
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all that to say - i have to let go. and not just let go of the leash so it trails behind as a way to guarantee i can be fast enough to run for it and grab it back again in case of an emergency (like i do while walking Misty) but i have to be willing to let go by taking the leash off completely. and give up stinkin control. and trust God with my life</div>
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what the heck is my problem?!?! i don't know best. at all. at all</div>
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couple reminders that i always go back to.</div>
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[yes i talk to myself]</div>
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Virginia, remember how you saw that house in Winthrop that you so desperately wanted to live in? you loved it because of the location, down the public stairs to dunkin, in your favorite town close to the yacht club, a few steps away from a rocky beach, ocean views in every room on one side of the house, hardwood floors, beautifullll in every way. but it just wasn't right. you asked everyone you knew to live there with you but it just wouldn't work out. well, that's because you didn't know what God had in store just about one year later. you didn't know how He'd allow for you to save some money and pay off extra on your loans while living with your parents for a while. you would have never imagined an apartment being as perfect for you as the one you thought was perfect in Winthrop but Malden turned out to be even better in completely different ways: super close to new friendships, wonderful neighborhood, BEST landlord, awesome neighbor, exposed brick, BESTTTTT bedroom, where you can have Misty. wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. and as great as you thought Winthrop would have been, God knows you love to have people to share your home with and he knew you'd be meeting a whole bunch of new people from a church hadn't started attending yet and knew nobody would probably ever wanna drive all the way to Winthrop to hang out with you. but in Malden? you'd have people over all the time. you'd love it. it would be a gift. a gift specific to your heart and desires. and it would be a blessing. and He knew it would be. </div>
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He knew better.</div>
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as He often [always] does.</div>
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and Misty!</div>
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Remember how mmaadddddd you were that mom and dad were getting a new dog just days after Lightning? gosh. you were YELL-ing at them. yelling. you thought they were rushing it. you didn't even think she was that cute. ???? you did not want her.</div>
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WHAT WAS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!?!?!!?</div>
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you had no idea that upon meeting her you would be ashamed you ever thought that about her.</div>
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you didn't know she would be the answer to your prayers for wanting "your very own dog someday" and although she isn't technically only yours, she really seems it. you have the sweetest bond and she's the first dog you've ever had that has given you hope of your future working with dogs&children and she has affirmed your dreams on so many occassions and given you glimpses of what you really enjoy doing. </div>
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if it were up to you, Misty would not be your dog. and that is scarrrrryyyyyyy to think about.</div>
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because boyyyy, did you have NO IDEA just how much of a blessing she would be. </div>
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i can't even believe it. she is the most wonderful thing.</div>
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point is, i'm thankful that God knows.</div>
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even when i act like a know-it-all.</div>
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even when i beg for something and am not given what i want at that very moment.</div>
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i'm thankful that he provides.</div>
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and in these two cases, he provided with big gifts.</div>
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the gift of a wonderful apartment that i would never have imagined would top the one i so desperately wanted in Winthrop.</div>
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and another gift in the form of a dog i really did not want at first because i had something else in mind for the perfect dog.</div>
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i'm glad God knows. </div>
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and cares.</div>
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i often have to remind myself of all the ways He has shown this because i am so quick to forget or just think lies about Him.</div>
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He just wants our trust.</div>
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and i want to and need to just let go. and trust Him. </div>
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my sweet girl last summer while walking one of our favorite spots: Deer Island. notice her "off the leash"</div>
truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-9060906975664231012012-11-05T21:24:00.002-08:002012-11-05T21:24:39.125-08:00deliverance to dependence<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Redemption</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> Chapter 5: Demanding Manna<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Oh, how I can relate to the Israelites. I am just like them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I have really enjoyed reading about the Israelites for a
while now because I can so relate with their interactions with the Lord.
Reading about how God delivered the Israelites, tonight I learned that their
deliverance </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">wasn't</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> the end of their story. God was setting them free so that
they could experience Him in a way they </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">couldn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> while living in captivity.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">They were on a journey of deliverance to <b>dependence</b>. Much like we all are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What we often do, like the Israelites – is we forget too
quickly. God mightily delivered the Israelites through the sea. He walked with them. He fought for them. He led them to the other side, through raging waters and away
from their captors, and so quickly after arriving to the wilderness, they lost
trust. They soon forgot what He had already done and they had thoughts that He
was going to just leave them to die in the wilderness. And even worse, they looked back to where they
came from, setting their eyes to Egypt, forgetting how horrific and harsh their conditions were. Forgetting just
how bad it was under the rule of Pharaoh. Forgetting how enslaved they were. Forgetting
enough that they wished to go back, thinking they were better off to die there
rather than out in the wilderness where they thought they would starve to death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And then God gave them manna. Enough for each day. Providing for
their every need. Trying to teach them to trust. Every time they were to think
of their need and their hunger, they would have to turn to God. He was longing
for their dependence on Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because that’s all He really wants. Relationship with us and for
us to daily depend on Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We are delivered to depend on Him every day and so that we
learn to <b>trust </b>Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But the Israelites grumbled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“What if we don’t have enough?” “What if He doesn’t provide?”
“Let me grab for more, even though He told me to take only what I need…just in
case.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I grumble.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“What if He doesn’t provide?” “What if He doesn’t take care
of this?” “What if He doesn’t give me life on my terms – husband and children?”
“What if He doesn’t take care of my parents/my family/their marriage?” “Let me
try to control.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I lack trust. I don’t believe He has my best interests in
mind. Or that He knows them. {distrust}<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I try to control. I try to be God and save my family. I take
it into my own hands because I fear that without my work it will crumble. Not
trusting that the Lord is the only one to redeem and the only one to save. {pride}<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My affections go towards the created rather than the Creator.
I worship good things that can’t satisfy my heart like only He can. I give good things the place in my heart that only He should have. I look for other things to satisfy what only He can. {idolatry}<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I forget.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">I forget how He has shown me redemption & reconciliation
in a special friendship before. He worked out a miracle. Why can’t He do the
same work within my family? I forget how He has provided me with a wonderful job
when I really needed one and that I did nothing to receive. Pure grace and
kindness. I forget how quickly He gave me a housing situation when I really
needed one. Not only with friends to live with, but in an awesome apartment
with specific little things that excite my heart. Close to my job and even
closer to new friendships. An incredible blessing that I honestly </span></span><span style="line-height: 18px;">couldn't</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> have
written up because I </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">didn't</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"> see how there would be a way for me to move out. And
a church. A church to call home and experience community and learn from – all
of which I desired. And with people that fill my life with such joy and that I can
have lunch with every Sunday when just months before I left another
church and cried almost each week, desiring to belong and wishing they’d want
me to join them to their lunch plans but never being invited. I’m not even sure
if I even asked God for that, something as silly as to have people to enjoy
lunch with, and yet He gave it to me anyway. And it means so much.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I have no reason not to trust Him. I’m foolish.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m going to trust Him. Because He is trustworthy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Tonight I confessed my sins. I confessed and asked Him to
take the weight I have been carrying. He wants to take it from me. I don’t have
to carry it anymore. I handed it over. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m a long ways away I’m sure. I have a lot of changes I need
to make that are practical ways for me to not be distracted. But I gave Him the
weight I have been carrying about my future – husband, children. I’m not going
to worry about it. I’m not going to give it the time I’m used to giving to
thinking about it. I gave Him the weight of worrying about my family and trying
to hold it together. I can’t hold it together. I’m not strong enough. I don’t
want to carry these things. I gave them to Him. And I don’t want to look back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I want to trust Him, day by day, moment by moment, for him to
provide for all I need. Trusting and remembering that He always knows best. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I want to stop grumbling. And start trusting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Start calling out to him for my daily needs. My daily
satisfaction. Trusting in Him to provide my manna for each day. And seeing what
relationship will look like with Him like that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Pretty crazy that He wants to take our burdens and carry them
for us. And He just wants relationship with us. He just wants us to depend on
Him. That should bring relief to be able to call out to Him in need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Oh how I need to learn trust. And how I need to practice
surrendering. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="line-height: 18px;">Praying for a posture of hands opened up towards Him - giving it all to Him.</span></div>
truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-70232743090796729482012-05-20T19:46:00.002-07:002012-05-20T19:51:45.348-07:00You can’t see something that you’re not looking at<br />
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(I started writing
this post a few Sundays ago but was never able to post it due to my lack of
internet at home!)</div>
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<br /></div>
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--</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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DERR! Sounds easy
enough. Makes perfect sense. But it didn’t dawn on me until today during
church. I thought to myself “Virginia, you can’t see something if you’re not
looking at it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today’s sermon was
just what I needed to hear. I am so thankful for it. And while I’m on a
thankful note – man, am I thankful for GENESIS. I’m so thankful that about ½ a
year ago Rachel began to tell me about a sermon her pastor had spoken that was
really relevant to my heart. And she invited me to check out her church
sometime and I have been back every Sunday since. I’m thankful for the
teaching, for the community, for the friends I have made, the things I am
learning, and the cutest darn children. I’m tremendously encouraged and for
that, I’m thankful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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---<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have a real issue with idols in my life.
Sometimes I think I tend to not see the severity in this issue, other times I
don’t even know how to begin to battle them, and more times I am just so
consumed and discouraged by them and how distant I feel from God as a reult. The
thing(s) I worship are not bad things.
But that’s just the thing – they are good things, desirable things even, but I
have let them take the place of God in my life and that is not ok.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
It wasn’t until
sometime in 2010/beginning of 2011 that I even realized I was worshiping any
idols. Sure, I knew there were things that consumed my thoughts and heart, but
I never knew the place they took over God. That was until I was given a book called
“Idols of the Heart.” It was then that I realized just how bad my [heart] condition
really was.<o:p></o:p></div>
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---<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have so much on my
mind. So many things that go together and I am not organized at all. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So many things that I
think God could be trying to teach me/talk to me about.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Everything ties
together. Like the realization I had after being introduced to that book: that
there are some idols in my heart that I need to deal with. And how the reason
why I ever even wanted to hear more about GENESIS was because of the sermon
Rachel told me about- a sermon asking the question “what are your false
husbands?” – essentially, (and yet again) what am I worshipping? And then how one
of my “asks” for this year is to be freed from the enslavement to my idol
worship and to experience life as a result of this freedom. And ultimately joy
that I believe will flow with that life - once I am freed. And even another
thing I want to be tackling – my insecurities. I’m beginning to read Beth Moore’s “So Long
Insecurities” and she mentions the idea of “false positives” that we believe –
again, addressing these lies that I believe about certain idols. Things that I
let take the place of God in my life. Things I think will satisfy more than
Him, when really, they cannot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Oh brother. That’s a
lot of stuff having to deal with the same issue- my idolatry.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
So back to the
sermon.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Today Brance spoke on
King David and how he was considered a man after God’s own heart. He spoke
about how David wasn’t a man after God’s heart because he had everything
together and lived a near perfect life. In fact, that was not the case at all.
David was a sinner. He committed adultery and in an act to cover up his own
mistake, he went to have this woman’s husband killed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
But he was still
considered a man after God’s heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Why? Because of his response to his sin. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
We see some of his
response in Psalm 51 (which again, this is another piece that ties together
with everything else I have been thinking about over the past 2 years. Psalm 51
has been my favorite psalm/a favorite passage from the Bible ever since I came
across it sometime around the time I was realizing all my idol worship. It is
all so relevant to me.) Anyways, David recognized his sin. He recognized that
he had sinned against God. King David turned away from God to a false
promise/false god – the woman he committed adultery with. But he didn’t stay
there.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Brance said that sin
is when we turn away from God to the things He has created and love them more
than Him. This is something that dawned on me this past fall – I tend to
worship the created more than I worship the Creator. I worship the idea of something
he created (marriage) more than I worship the creator/author of that thing
called marriage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
He spoke about
repentance and this is what was the most impactful part of the sermon for me. I
have heard of repentance before, of course, but I need to get in the practice
of repenting on a daily, moment to moment basis. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Repentance is turning
from my sin and to Jesus. It’s turning our backs on our sin and facing Jesus.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Maybe in turning to
Jesus, then would I finally be able to see him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another thing that is
so specific to what I’ve been asking lately. I have been journaling something
like “Lord, help me to see you. I feel like I can’t see you. Give me eyes to
see and ears to hear. I want to see. Please help me to see.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
Why am I not seeing?
BAM. Maybe it’s because I’m not looking!! My gaze is somewhere else. How in the
world can I possibly be seeing if I am not even looking in His direction?
Seriously! It makes perfect sense. I need to be repenting and turning my back
on my idolatry (on the false promises I believe. On the idols I am turning to)
and turn to God. Turn my back on my sin and look to Him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
Psalm 51: 16-17 says
“You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt
offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a
broken and repentant heart, o God.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
Brance also mentioned
how it would be a lot easier to give a bull or a dove as a sacrifice. It’s a
lot harder to give our hearts as a sacrifice. And God wants our hearts.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
Reminds me of the
beginning of a proverb I came across a few days ago: “O my daughter, give me
your heart.” He wants my heart. He wants our hearts. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
So, I need to repent.
I need to keep battling and fighting against these lies, these false promises I
believe. I need to turn my back on my idols and give back to God the place he
deserves in my heart. I need to seek him because he says He can be found. And
in seeking him, my prayer is that I will find Him. And that in facing toward
him, I will begin to have this sight that I have been asking for. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br />
I need to remember
the most obvious of obvious: Virginia, you can’t see something that you’re not
looking at. So shift your gaze. Start looking towards him. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />
And maybe then you
will see Him.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Actually, believe you
will see Him.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
And believe it will
make all the difference.<o:p></o:p></div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-88510897009689105072012-02-27T20:43:00.001-08:002012-02-27T20:43:09.917-08:00an unexpected testimony<div class="MsoNormal">Tonight I came home and like I do every night, I walked into my parent’s room to check that they were both in the same bed. But only my dad was in bed when I asked “Where’s mom?” (expecting the worst…that they had an argument and she was sleeping upstairs) I was greatly surprised to hear my dad’s response “She’s at church.” Church? On a Monday night? At 9:30 pm? My parents are in bed by like 7pm. But sure enough, my mom was at some women’s meeting and I thought that was pretty cool. And a relief. A relief that I would have never imagined or expected.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So she comes home , I’m in the bathroom and she asks if I’m going to be out soon. “Well I’m naked.” So I hopped in the shower, had her come in and she wanted to read me something. “Turn the water off” she says. “Don’t worry, I can hear you” I say. She begins to tell me “I wrote down my testimony.” Total suds in my hair, I turn off the water in the shower, crouch down in my shivers and she reads.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">“Dear Jesus,<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Today I feel like it’s a new beginning for me because I feel in my heart that what I need in my life is you in it. Sunday at church I feel like you were reaching out your hand for me to hold onto and never let go, something I never felt before and you were telling me to trust in you and nothing else. For the longest time I wanted what everyone else has and that is peace and joy in my heart and head that no pills can do or smoking pot because it is no real. So I’m laying down the walls I have up and reaching out for you to help me and not fear anymore and change me inside. So please Jesus make me new and release the chains. I am giving you my life to mold me and let me feel joy and peace that I never had so I am reaching out in faith and asking that there is true peace and joy that I can experience it too. So Jesus I am giving this to you because nothing can fill my voids but you and guide me every day and as I walk through life don’t ever let go of my hand that I am reaching out for. I am fed up with going to bed empty and waking up empty. I need to be filled with you Jesus. So I am going to put one foot in front of me and start a new beginning and never look back to the old me. I go from one medication to another looking for happiness but my daughter said “what do you have to lose? Jesus has something for you that I will never know until I take the chance.” So here I am Jesus. I give you myself and all my hurts, depression, sadness, emptiness so you can fill every part of me from head to toe and that I never felt in my life before. So this is why I feel like this is a new beginning for me and my life. You say if I believe you I will follow you and deny myself so I can give up smoking pot, that is nothing compared to what you did for me. So please help me and I will try to do all I can to please you so you will be proud of me and let my light shine for the whole world to see what Jesus can do for me. I saw your light shine in Maureen Sunday and I want that too. So thank you Jesus. From the hand that reached out and grabbed yours and have me hope. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">Love, Laura.”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m sharing this because it’s pretty crazy. I’m writing this down in case she ever loses the papers she jotted down her testimony one lunch break on February 27, 2012. I’m writing this down as a reminder of the work of God. I’m sharing this so you may praise our God with me for how cool he is and for the things he is up to and the ways he reaches out to individuals. I’m writing this as a way to praise Him myself, as a way to thank Him. I’m sharing this because I can’t believe the words that came out of my mother’s mouth/from within her heart. I’m sharing this because I am in shock of the way he simply but radically spoke to her one random Sunday at church yesterday. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">God, I’m thanking you for the work you are up to, even when I don’t see it on a daily basis and even when/especially when I doubt you are in the midst of it all. I’m thanking you that you work in ways that are far beyond my understanding. I’m thanking you for reaching out to my mom and in a way that is very tangible to her and encouraging to her soul. I’m thanking you that you reach out to us, such messed up people, and you call us. You tell us to come to you, to return to you, despite our rebellion. I’m thanking you that you just want to be with us and that you seem to use whatever it takes to get us to return to you. I’m thanking you that although my mom’s story and journey is often filled with very dark and challenging days, she now is catching a glimpse of your presence in the story and she is seeing your hand reaching out to her. I’m thanking you that in you reaching out your hand to grasp hers, that you are filling her with hope, something she often lacks. I pray that you will overwhelm her with your presence, with your hope. That you, the God of hope, would fill her with all hope and joy. I pray that each morning as she wakes, she will ask for you to satisfy her with your unfailing love so she may sing for joy to the end of her days. I’m praying that she will seek you and find that you are able to be found. I pray that she will know you as the father she never really had growing up but always longed for her whole life. I pray that you will show her that you are the ultimate father to her, your daughter- tender and compassionate. I pray that you will be filling her. Filling her with joy that overflows. Filling her with a knowledge of you. I am asking especially for life. Life with you in eternity where all her sadness and tears will be no more, but life here as well. Will you fill her with gladness and joy as she goes about her days. I pray you will help her to enjoy the gifts she has in her life like she so desires – her family, husband, children, animals, home. Will you replace her sadness with rejoicing, her despair with hope, her death with life. Will you break the chains that keep her in bondage and slavery and will you set her free. Free to truly live, truly trust, truly enjoy. Free to give you praise. I’m asking for freedom from the bondage to her depression and that as you fee her, she would see your kindness walking with her each day on the road to new life. Remove her from the pit, and as I just heard from Kait yesterday and another Saturday night – pull her out and help her to never look back.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I ask that you will be continually changing her. Continually working on all of us. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I thank you Lord for what you are up to. For the things you are up to that I can see and witness and hear about. But I especially thank you for the things you are up to that I don’t even know about, that I’m not aware of this very moment. Thank you for the encouragement this is. Thank you for reaching out to my mom in such a real way and for her sharing her testimony with such authenticity. It’s pretty crazy. In such a good kind of crazy.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Don’t stop here. Continue to do a miracle in our lives and hearts every day. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And thank you for a moment at 9:45pm on a Monday night that I would not be able to experience if I were elsewhere. Thank you for the beauty that is around me. Thank you that you know what you’re up to despite my thinking otherwise. Thank you for the gift and the beauty in “home” right now. For the time I get to be here and how if I would just surrender to where I am, I would be able to catch glimpses of the beauty in today. Thank you for the beauty. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">praising you for your work. for your power. for your ability. for your pursuit. for your love and kindness to your children. for reaching out a hand. for reaching out your hand after your already gave your life. </div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-23770923243394821882011-12-26T10:15:00.000-08:002011-12-26T10:15:21.919-08:00{i'm a change in the making}<div style="text-align: center;">really loving this song:</div><div style="text-align: center;">Addison Road - Change in the Making</div><div style="text-align: center;">it's bringing much hope.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br style="background-color: #b8bcad; color: sienna; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">There’s a better version of me</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">That I can’t quite see</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">But things are gonna change</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Right now I’m a total mess and</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Right now I’m completely incomplete</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">But things are gonna change</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Cause you’re not through with me yet</span></span><br style="background-color: #b8bcad; color: sienna; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><br style="background-color: #b8bcad; color: sienna; font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">This is <i>redemption’s story</i></span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">With every step that I'm taking</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Every day, you’re chipping away</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">What I don’t need</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><b>This is me under construction</b></span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">This is my pride being broken</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">And every day I’m closer to who I’m meant to be</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">I'm a change in the making</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Wish I could live more patiently</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Wish I could give a little more of me</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Without stopping to think twice</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Wish I had faith like a little child</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Wish I could walk a single mile</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Without tripping on my own feet</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">But you’re not through with me yet</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">And this is redemption’s story</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">With every step that I'm taking</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">And every day, you’re chipping away</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">What I don’t need</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">This is me under construction</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">This is my pride being broken </span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Every day I’m closer to who I’m meant to be</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">From the dawn of history</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">{You make new and you redeem}</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">From a broken world to a broken heart</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">You finish what you start in everything</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Like a river rolls into the sea</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">We’re not who we’re going to be</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">But things are going to change </span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">I'm living redemption’s story</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">With every step that I'm taking</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">And every day, you’re chipping away</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">What I don’t need</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">And this is me under construction</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">This is my pride being broken</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">And every day I’m closer to who I’m meant to be</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">I'm a change in the making </span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">I'm not who I'm gonna be</span><br style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;" /><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 12px; text-align: -webkit-left;">Moving closer to your glory</span></span> </div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-55367403230707872322011-09-13T09:45:00.000-07:002011-09-13T09:45:39.615-07:00I CARRIED A WATERMELON?!?!?!<div align="center">please tell me you've seen Dirty Dancing. </div><div align="center">oh how i love Dirty Dancing! it is definitely my longest-favorite movie of all time.</div><div align="center">i wish i knew how many times i have seen it because it would be a lot.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">i often laugh with my friends when the topic of Dirty Dancing comes up. or Disney movies. because i always tell them that while they were all watching the Little Mermaid or the Lion King, i was watching Dirty Dancing.</div><div align="center">{yes...probably 4-years old.} in fact, what i really wish i knew is not necessarily how many times i have seen the movie but how old i was when i first saw it. </div><div align="center">so ya, while they all quote every Disney movie and sing every theme song, i can never join in. <br />
because i was the little girl watching Dirty Dancing.</div><div align="center">i was the little girl pulling out my couch so that i could try to walk on the back of it like Johnny and Baby do on the log.</div><div align="center">and i'm still the girl who will put the DVD in the player or go to youtube just so i can watch the last 5 or so minutes of the movie...the scene i wait for while watching the entire movie.</div><div align="center">when Johnny says "nobody puts Baby in a corner" and grabs her hand to take her to go dance on the stage.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">and i'm still the girl who pathetically can get tears in her eyes when i hear the final song and wish and pray that someday i'll dance to that song at my wedding. i'm not saying i have to do the whole dance, although that would be so freaking cool and i've seen it done on youtube. <br />
BUT i definitely want that to be my last song of the night. <br />
"now i'veeeeee had the time of my lifeeeee....and i owe it all to youuuuuuuuuu!"</div><div align="center">a girl can dream.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">ANYWAYS! enough about the end scene. </div><div align="center">if you've seen the movie before you can remember the scene where Baby sneaks out one night and finds Johnny's cousin (who i forget his name now! what a fan i am!) walking up to where all the "dirty dancing" takes place. and up the stairs he is carrying 3 watermelons.</div><div align="center">eventually Baby take one and is led up into the room which much surprise at what all happens after work hours are over.<br />
and Johnny walks in, eventually saying about how she got there and she responds with <br />
"i carried a watermelon."</div><div align="center">and i just love her face afterward and her embarrassment as she says to herself "I carried a watermelon?!?!" because this is often my life.</div><div align="center">i get nervous. say something ridiclous. and then afterward say it back to myself with such horror and embarrassment.<br />
<br />
example:</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">so here's a little story. i sent this email to my friend Kait weeks ago knowing that she'd get a kick out of it. <br />
hopefully you can understand the way i talk because that is the way i type - <br />
often not making any sense to anyone unless you can actually hear me saying it as you read.<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">{so the man taking the shredded bins is here and just introduced himself to me. he was telling me he was gonna go bring the other bins down and come back for the rest... yada yada. and he says something like "ok and then I'll be right back, <em>Virginia</em>" -- (he was acknowledging my name because of my name thing on my desk.) and then he says something about his name being Rafael and shakes my hand, introducing himself. and then says "you have beautiful eyes by the way…" and I say "thank you, you do too…<strong>I've been noticing them</strong>." OH MY WORDDD.. I've been noticing them?! that's like in dirty dancing when she says "I CARRIED A WATERMELON???!!!"}</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">fyi: he did have beautiful eyes. beautiful enough that it probably wasn't odd for me to point them out in response to his compliment. he was hispanic and had eyes that he shouldn't have is the only way i know how to describe it. the dark skin with like clear crystal blue/green eyes. you don't see that everyday. and when you do, they stand out. apparently enough to make me notice them.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">more than once! haha</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">so there was my "I carried a watermelon?!?!" moment.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">i was freaked because a) i was talking to a guy and feeling like he was being extra friendly and i have issues and b) he was complimenting me and i got nervous...therefore making c) my nervousness got the best of me making it extra easy to say something stupid.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">so i went on to tell the story to my friend and co-work Katy and we laughed together.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">and i go on to tell the story here so i can laugh some more.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">the thing is is that he DID have beautiful eyes. where i went wrong was with how i worded it in a panic...</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">i had not been NOTICING them. although yes, i DID notice them. just once though. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">this is what happens when I'm nervous. and there's nothing to be nervous. he's simply saying something nice about me but I just almost freak a little everytime something like that happens.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">and to top it off, to end it on the same kind of note:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">he says to me as he is leaving the office- </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"you're really beautiful by the way." </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and i awkwardly say thank you. twice. once looking at him i think?! and the other not looking at him, but nervously looking down. and then he waves to me as he's getting in the elevator.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">story of my life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">story of a 14 year old (if that) being stuck in the body of a 23 year old.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">for now.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">i will get better at this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and for now i will just try to make you laugh with me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><br />
</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-71095128661114350882011-09-13T07:01:00.000-07:002011-09-13T08:45:44.684-07:00Psalm 103<div align="left"><strong> Let all that I am praise the L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span>;</strong><br />
<strong> with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.</strong><br />
<strong> Let all that I am praise the L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span>;</strong><br />
<strong> may I never forget the good things he does for me.</strong><br />
<strong> He forgives all my sins</strong><br />
<strong> and heals all my diseases.</strong><br />
<strong> He redeems me from death</strong><br />
<strong> and crowns me with love and tender mercies.</strong><br />
<strong> He fills my life with good things.</strong><br />
<strong> My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! </strong></div><strong> The L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span> gives righteousness</strong><br />
<strong> and justice to all who are treated unfairly. </strong><br />
<strong> He revealed his character to Moses</strong><br />
<strong> and his deeds to the people of Israel.</strong><br />
<strong> The L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span> is compassionate and merciful,</strong><br />
<strong> slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.</strong><br />
<strong> He will not constantly accuse us,</strong><br />
<strong> nor remain angry forever.</strong><br />
<strong> He does not punish us for all our sins;</strong><br />
<strong> he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.</strong><br />
<strong> For his unfailing love toward those who fear him</strong><br />
<strong> is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.</strong><br />
<strong> He has removed our sins as far from us</strong><br />
<strong> as the east is from the west.</strong><br />
<strong> The L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span> is like a father to his children,</strong><br />
<strong> tender and compassionate to those who fear him.</strong><br />
<strong> For he knows how weak we are;</strong><br />
<strong> he remembers we are only dust.</strong><br />
<strong> Our days on earth are like grass;</strong><br />
<strong> like wildflowers, we bloom and die.</strong><br />
<strong> The wind blows, and we are gone—</strong><br />
<strong> as though we had never been here.</strong><br />
<strong> But the love of the L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span> remains forever</strong><br />
<strong> with those who fear him.</strong><br />
<strong> His salvation extends to the children’s children</strong><br />
<strong> of those who are faithful to his covenant,</strong><br />
<strong> of those who obey his commandments! </strong><br />
<strong> The L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span> has made the heavens his throne;</strong><br />
<strong> from there he rules over everything. </strong><br />
<strong> Praise the L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span>, you angels,</strong><br />
<strong> you mighty ones who carry out his plans,</strong><br />
<strong> listening for each of his commands.</strong><br />
<strong> Yes, praise the L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span>, you armies of angels</strong><br />
<strong> who serve him and do his will!</strong><br />
<strong> Praise the L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span>, everything he has created,</strong><br />
<strong> everything in all his kingdom. </strong><br />
<strong> Let all that I am praise the L<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">ord</span>.</strong><br />
<br />
<div align="center">: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">reminding myself of how i ought to be praising him. </div><div align="center">in this psalm alone it says it so many times - "let all that i am praise the Lord."</div><div align="center">but reminding myself will not do me much good if i then do not choose to praise him.</div><div align="center">the state of my heart is too often such disaster that i don't just praise him for who he is,</div><div align="center">that i don't just gladly praise him out of love and adoration for him.</div><div align="center">and for this i am in need of much forgiveness.</div><div align="center">so this is another prayer of my heart - for my heart to be continually changing and softened.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">i'm praying that i will not harden my heart as he is calling.</div><div align="center">i'm praying that as he is calling, i will have ears to hear his voice.</div><div align="center">that i will recognize his voice. recognize his care for me.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><strong>Listen, O heavens! Pay attention, earth!</strong></div><div align="center"><strong>this is what the Lord says:</strong></div><div align="center"><strong>"The children I raised and cared for have rebelled against me. Even an ox knows it's owner, and a donkey recognizes its master's care - but Israel doesn't know its master.</strong></div><div align="center"><strong>My people don't recognize my care for them."</strong></div><div align="center"><strong>Isaiah 1:2-3</strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">i read this a few days ago and it hit me.</div><div align="center">i pray to know my master. to recognize his care for me.</div><div align="center">to put aside my rebellion and worship him.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center"><strong>Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled.</strong></div><div align="center"><strong>Hebrews 3:15</strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">i'm praying for understanding as i read about his compassion and mercy.</div><div align="center">about his forgiveness and unfailing love.</div><div align="center">how he is slow to get angry and how will not constantly accuse me or stay angry with me forever.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">i need to remind myself of these things and take them to heart. know that they are true and believe them.</div><div align="center">they are not just words on a page. they are truth.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">what the heck don't i understand about these things? why don't i just get it?!</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">i liked <strong>"The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him."</strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">i pray to have the right kind of fear for him.</div><div align="center">and to know and accept the kind of love he has for me - love like a father would have for his child.</div><div align="center">what gets me is that i know the love of an earthly father. i have been so blessed with a dad who loves me and goes out of his way to do special things for me just to show that he cares. but for some reason, i don't see God like this. nevermind the ultimately more because God's love is so much greater than my dad's love for me ever could be.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">so i pray to know him.</div><div align="center">i pray to diligently seek him that way i can actually know him.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">i pray for my heart.</div><div align="center">that he will be diligently working on it.</div><div align="center">taking it out. giving me an extreme makeover - heart addition.</div><div align="center">tearing things down. rearranging things. cleaning it up. removing the mess and ugly.</div><div align="center">and rebuilding into something new.</div><div align="center">something beautiful simply because he is the one rebuilding it.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">this verse gives me much hope.</div><div align="center"><strong>Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. and I will put my spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.</strong></div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">so have at it, Lord. sprinkle the water on me and make me clean. wash away my filth and help me as i work on this whole idol worship thing. please give me this new heart you talk about, and this new spirit. Take my old, stubborn and stony heart out. remove it - i don't need it. and replace it with this tender, responsive heart you talk about. place the new spirit in me so that i will follow your decrees and be careful to obey your regulations.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">amen.</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-34831859373474039492011-07-26T09:42:00.000-07:002011-07-26T12:14:18.732-07:00My {lack of} love life<div align="center">is pretty humorous at times.</div><div align="center">pretty dang humorous.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">well <em>after</em> the fact. like when some time has gone by and i can actually think about it and laugh. </div><div align="center">but just moments after an incident has occurred, it is too embarassing for me to even think about and i often cringe at just how awkward and nervous i was.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">i will recap just an example of this from earlier in the summer:</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">out to dinner with a friend in Boston. after dinner we head to a random local bar to finish watching the rest of the Bruins game. i am in no way wanting to pick up a guy. after all, i'm at a random bar. it was the middle of the week. what's the chance i'll meet anyone anyways? it is in no way even on my mind! so of course the oneee time i'm not thinking about it, randomly a guy starts talking to me and before i know it, it's been over an hour. he and his friend are just talking to me and Jess. and it was actually nice. nice conversation. i wasn't acting like a complete fool. i was actually a piece of myself - joky, sarcastic. i wasn't overwhelmed by my nervousness and this made it enjoyable. i couldn't believe how natural (as natural as can be in a bar, i guess) the conversation happened. they seemed like nice guys. guys that were just innocently fun to hang out with and talk with.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">so it's getting late. we are all about to leave. i should have known it was coming (this is what happens in the normal world, Virginia) - one of them seemed really into me (again, as into someone as you can be just having met them in a bar an hour ago) and so <strong>he asks for my number</strong>.</div><div align="center">me, being Virginia Rose D'Olimpio - having never given out my number and having never just talked to a random guy in a random bar - i freak a little. i am SO reluctant to give out my number. my thoughts go something like "what?! give out my number? what's the point - you live in California anyways. you're a guy. i don't even date. i cannot get a phonecall from a random guy on the phone! how awkward! i will die. (of embarassment at my awkwardness) and anyways, christians don't give out their numbers to random men, do they? is that alright? is that a sin? WWJD"</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">haha. ohhh brother. talk about psycho</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">so i sort of grab for jessica's arm for some sort of comfort. literally. i grab it and hold it </div><div align="center">(again, can you say p-s-y-c-h-o)</div><div align="center">and what stinks about this is that as much as i respond externally to my internal thoughts, no one else but meeeee can see those internal thoughts. i seem to always forget this. and then i do something or say something and people don't understand me. and then when i go into my virginia-like, very lloonngg and confusing explanation, that only makes things worse.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">so i forget that this kid doesn't know me. he doesn't know i don't date. (not that i don't want to - just that it isn't a normal occurence for me. and by normal i mean any kind of occurrence for me. but hey! i'm workin on this) and so he also doesn't know i don't give out my number because i have never really thought about what it would mean to give out my number. and all the logistics. how maybe it is not <em>thatt</em> bad/evil/sinnish. if only i had had that dang conversation with Katy the day before meeting this kid instead of the day after during our lunch break, maybe i would have more normally given him my number.</div><div align="center">but instead, i clutched on to jess some more. looking to her for comfort and relief saying "i don't do this." kind of like "jess! help a sista out!! you know i don't do this..." and then back to the poor guy who i actually did enjoy talking to and under more normal circumstances (like me not being Virginia and him not living in California) i would have given my number to w/o hesitation and gone out on a date if the occassion ever arose.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">so on to the [even more] embarassing part.</div><div align="center">i may or may not have said something about him getting in touch with me through facebook.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">ya. i now know you don't do that! you just don't use facebook. you either reject or give your number.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">and then i may or may not (out of my nervousness) told him that my number was the rejection hot line and then said "just kidding."</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">but to me...that was not me rejecting! that was actually me (relucantantly - YES!) but willingly giving him my number. and then me being myself with the jokes.</div><div align="center">but does he know that? no! because he does not know me.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">so point of the story - the freaking Jonas Bro look-alike kid never called me. all that work and not one call/text! what's up with that?!</div><div align="center">did he feel rejected even before doing the real work and getting up the guts to call me and then me not answer or something? if so - be a man! call the girl! risk the rejection!</div><div align="center">orrrr, is he just a guy and got my number cause he felt it necessary after talking to me for a while. if so, spare me the time! don't talk to me then! and it would ahve been totally fine if you left w/o asking for my number. if i really wanted it i'm sure in some odd world i would have asked for it.</div><div align="center">or did my freakishly awkward behavior tell him to run before it was too late.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">who the heck knows.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">another point: i have a long way ahead of me. it makes me laugh. it really does.</div><div align="center">i know i have many more awkward and nervous days/moments ahead of me.</div><div align="center">but i guess that is just a part of life and interacting with men for me.</div><div align="center">i'm nervous and scared. and it takes me a while for me to feel like myself and be my normal joking/fun/loud/silly dancing/making friends laugh - self. </div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">this is just a glimpse into the life of a 14 year old teen stuck in the body of a 23 year old woman.</div><div align="center">or at least on the road to woman becoming a woman.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">for now all i can do is laugh.</div><div align="center"><br />
</div><div align="center">more to come about another story that took place today at work.</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-78399728775717525272011-07-24T11:26:00.000-07:002011-07-24T11:27:20.191-07:00Still Thankful<div style="text-align: center;"><ul><li>loving this song "Forever Reign" by Hillsong. but listening to a version by Kristian Stanfill. we sang it at church today and tears started streaming from my eyes as it starts out "you are good, you are good, when there's nothing good in me." </li>
<li>loving my new pup Misty Mist. she's so sweet and is just a love bug. one of my new favorite things to do is come home and plop down on the kitchen floor so she can plop down on me like she's a lap dog...even though she isn't. and i just rub her belly and kiss her. and i love mornings when i yell to my mom for her to open my door and Misty comes running in, jumping up on my bed and plopping down on my head and we just cuddle. truly. lots of kisses are given by both of us and i cherish these moments.</li>
<li>loving that it's summer time. enjoying boating and jet skiing and sun tanning and spending time with my family and friends. it's been really special. i'm still so thankful to be home and am still in disbelief (almost) when i think about my last summer compared to this summer. i am just so thankful for this "season" of joy and specialness with my family and i am going to take it and continue to be thankful for it!</li>
</ul>yesterday while on the boat i hear my brother say "oh - my - word" and i almost die. just because it is so untypical to his usual language. so i smile big inside because i know he must have got that from me and then i laugh. and then i say "did you just say 'oh my word?'" and then his friend Mike goes "Ya! and he's been saying 'DANGIT' a lot too."<br />
and so i laughed some more. because he obviously got that from me too.<br />
and because just a few days ago i heard him say 'dangit' myself and for some reason it just made me smile inside. i really do love him.<br />
i love that when he's out having fun on the jet ski we all just look at him and say "look at him and his smirk. he has no changed one bit since he was a kid." <br />
<br />
<ul><li>loving warm weather and working in Boston and lunch breaks with old and new friends/coworkers.</li>
<li>loving seeing my mom enjoying her summer and her days. especially especially thankful for the joy she is experiencing. praying it will continue to surround her. and loved seeing my dad taking pictures of us all having fun on the island yesterday. it was really special. i'm really thankful for the hope only Jesus can bring - to our brokenness and darkness and for the power he has to restore and bring beauty from pure mess</li>
</ul><ul><li>praying for change to be happening within my heart. praying for my gaze to be shifted from the things i tend to worship - to above. praying for just a glimpse of God's glory and just a taste of relationship with him so that it keeps me coming back for more. praying for a better understanding of the depth of my sin and wretchedness while also praying for a better understanding of the depth of grace and love i receive despite my filth. praying for more intentionality</li>
</ul><ul><li>looking forward to a wedding this weekend. to seeing one of my good friends marry her best friend this weekend and being a part of the celebration. glad to be sharing it with other friends and excited to be wearing that tangerine dress of mine</li>
</ul>i was on a positive roll here but just have to add a negative. i was just playing with my hair as i am typing and i come across something hard that makes me think "what is that?!" and so i pull it out only to drop it immediately because it was a bug! NOT COOL! how in the world did a beetle get in my hair and how long was it in there for?!? disgusting! now i'm just a bit paranoid and checking my head for more bugs<br />
<br />
reminds me of the time Becca woke up with gunk in her hair wondering how in the world it got there and what in the world it was. only to find out jenn, while i think giving her a massage or doing somethinggg nicee.......had sneakishly placed chocolate chips in her hair. apparently forgetting to tell her/take them out, becca was already asleep with them in her head and woke up pretty concerned. it was really funny :) brings back such good memories living in 351 :)<br />
<br />
thankful to be on a thankful note. praying i will be able to remember this time or season of "relief" or "joy" when the sometimes crummy comes along. and also praying that in those times of crummy i will still know there is much to be thankful for and reason to praise - not just when things are nice. </div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-23449099964433804922011-06-18T08:29:00.000-07:002011-06-18T08:29:25.224-07:00Reflections on my Babe Lightning<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">Lovely Lightning:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Lightning, I’ll pretend you are human and I’ll write this to you, as I reflect on all the years spent with you. But then again, you pretty much were human – as stubborn as can be. You were human because you just “knew” sometimes. You knew like a human would, when things weren’t good. You just were almost human, it’s so hard to explain. Out of all our dogs, you were most like human and a part of the family, and least like just our pet.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So I reflect on the past 14 and ½ years. Just how routine it was to see you everyday. And that’s why it’s so sad coming in the house after leaving you at the vet and not seeing you. I was looking for you on the dining room floor or on the couch but you were nowhere to be found. It’s so odd and sad.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Man. I don’t remember much about you when you were a pup. I do remember I was in the 3<sup>rd</sup> grade and I think one time I took you out in the driveway and dropped you or something. And I was afraid I was going to get in trouble so I don’t think I told anyone. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I remember that once in your day, you were skinny and buff! But that soon faded as you aged and we got other dogs and your main concern was food. You fought for it and were so concerned. This I never understood because it was not as though you have never been fed before and or that you weren’t ever going to be fed again. You eventually became very plump. Fat, actually. No offense. And then you even became lumpy. Why? I have no idea. Tumors? Maybe! Who the heck knows. I just know you acquired quite a few pounds and lumps along the way.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And I remember you also used to have dark brown spots but I can’t seem to remember them very well. It’s hard to believe you were once skinny and not graying unless I look back at old pictures and say “dang! You’ve aged!” </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I remember when you were younger and you’d sleep with me, you’d do this weird digging thing with your paw to make me move my legs so you could sleep right in the middle of them! It was very uncomfortable actually, but because I loved you so much I’d always put up with the discomfort to have you so close to me. And you were comfortable, so that was that. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I loved so much that you ALWAYS knew when things weren’t ok. Maybe that’s what all dogs do but then again it’s not what Scoob and Gracie did so I think you were just special. Like mom was saying to you earlier, you always knew when she was feeling sad and you’d just come to her and be by her side and kiss her. And the same with me. You’d sometimes kiss me or even paw me/claw me down just so you could get those kisses in to wipe away my tears. Dang you were special. Truly. What a blessing you were.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And when things got rough in the house and loud and a little out of control with fighting, you’d always come running in my room shaking on the bed. You hated when we fought.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You also HATED, despiseddddd baths. Come on Lightning! You were always such a baby, it was unbelievable. One sound of the word “bath” and you were up shaking and running out of the room. We’d have to almost hold you down in the bathroom and bribe you with a bajilion bones. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And your ears! “Lightning…I’m gonna clean your ears!!” and up you went running again, as though it was torture for you. Maybe it was. But it just doesn’t seem so bad. Sometimes we’d say it to you just to mess with you and it was funny. Sorry for that. You were just too much of a baby though, it was hard to resist.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You know what I loved? Seeing John come home and everyday, you were the first one he greeted. And that’s what he was saying he was going to miss about you most. That there’s no one else you come home to that is always excited to see you. But you Lightning, you were that one thing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Remember you used to get so excited to see us that you’d wag your tail so hard and intensely that it would bleed from hitting the kitchen stove? You poor thing! We’d have to try to calm you down once we saw the tip of your tail all bloody.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh and gosh! Remember you’d stinkin PEE ON MY BED from excitement when John thought it was funny to show his friends “hey look guys, I can get my dog to pee on my sister’s bed when she’s really excited and it’s so funny…look” and then he’d say something like “Lightning! PEE ON VIRGINIA’S BED. PEE ON VIRGINIA’S BED” and our came the pee, onto my bed. Ya, disgusting! Thanks Lightning! NOT! I wonder just how many mattresses I had because of you. Either tearing them to pieces or peeing on them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I was often annoyed at this but really loved that whenever I had my friends over you always had to come out from mom and dad’s room and be with me and my girlfriends! You were just one of the girls. You loved us and loved being a part of all the excitement.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Remember when you used to HUMP my PILLOW? Ya, I do! Lightning, you are a girl. Why are you humping?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I remember the time one of John’s friends thought it would be funny to put the pool triangle thing around your head. Well that was funny only until you decided to try to walk down the attic stairs with it on and ended up falling down the stairs. And then mom and dad come running out all mad and I think make everyone leave and I don’t even remember how they got it off your head.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Speaking of your head, you poor thing. Just how many times did you have to go to the vet for either some ear problems or because your sister decided she wanted to attack you to the point of almost killing you, over like a water bottle, and you were left with holes all over your poor head. I really thought you were going to die that last fight.<span> </span>I think will always be the most horrific thing I have ever witnessed. I’m so glad you didn’t die that day, but instead hung around for almost 3 more years. I swear this is what you were thinking towards Grace that day “LISTEN BII--ATTCH!! I ain’t going anywhere!! Attack me all you want but this was my home first!” and then you hung on until somehow, miraculously, she let go. And then since then, you’ve stubbornly hung on because I don’t think you could bare the idea of leaving us. And now I don’t know how I can think about life without you.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You just make up my childhood. I can’t think of my life without you. You are and always have been a part of it. You’ve been around for more than half of it and now it’s so sad to think about you not here.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But I’m left with a piece of you, always. In my heart, that’s for dang sure, but also all around your room. Why’s that you may ask? It’s because I have your freaking white fur infested ALL over my room. I came home to see it on my dark blue pillow today and was reminded of how sad it’s going to be to not have you around. Part of me was annoyed that after living in Amherst all these years and for the first time ever, having a bed w/o the smell of dog and the fur as evidence, I now had to deal with it all over again. But as much as I wasn’t the biggest fan of those things, I wouldn’t ever take back all the times sleeping in a bed with you for a nice and always fresh smelling bed. So ya, I’ll be reminded of you for the next who even knows how long because I bet even if I move out someday I will still be finding your fur all over my things. I would find it at college. I swear sometimes I would be eating in the dining common and look down and be like “how is Lightning’s fur on my food?!? Here? In Amherst!” It just traveled far. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You know that sometimes I felt bad for how pathetic you looked and must have felt with that dang huge-ash cone on your head! It musta been embarrassing, huh? For all the other dogs to walk by and look through the gate and be like “what’s up with her? Why is she always having to wear that cone? Wait…wasn’t she in that last summer too?” – ya, you were. But it’s cause you loved to attack your rear end area until you would bleed and have no more fur and raw, so that was the only solution. Although I’m sure it wasn’t the only solution. I’m sure you could have been bathed more or had some flee medicine or something but it sure did do it’s job, just at the expense of your reputation.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh man I’m just thinking of the summer and how odd it will be to not have you in the backyard anymore. Always annoyingly crying by the picnic table for some meat. Always running around and lately within the past couple years, panting and resting a lot more. But when you weren’t lounging you were always eating grass and trying to catch flies. That kept you in shape. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And the hose! It was so fun spraying you with the hose because you always loved it so much. You loved being sprayed in the mouth and attacking the water. You’d come leaping for it sometimes. I can just hear your teeth hitting e/o as you’d bite down on the water. You loved to do that. That, and wait for the water from the pool to come overflowing from the filter and we’d yell at you to stop drinking it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You went in that pool a few times, but were never a fan, as much as I wanted you to be.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And summer days eating popsicles. I loved sharing my popsicles with you. And feeding you your bones. And always asking you to sit and give me your paws. You were good.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Lightning, you really were the best with our other animals. Well especially when they were puppies/kittens. You were always momma Lightning. I always thought you would have made the best momma dog, you just had those instincts. It has been especially fun seeing you interact with our new kitten and watching you play with her. I’m glad I have those videos I took on my ipod most recently, just licking the cat to death. And I always loved seeing you interact with Oreo. I think one of the saddest things right now is thinking of Oreo later, wanting to come in the house looking for you. To cuddle with you and lay in between your two front paws just so he is as close to you as he can be. He’s fresh sometimes and not so friendly to the kitten, but with you! I swear he thinks you’re his mom or something. You’d always let him suck your mouth until the point of being too annoyed and then you’d get up and move. He loves you. I’m thankful for some of the cutest pictures of you guys literally spooning.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Even though I hated letting you out in the middle of the night (not like I had to do it often, I’ve been gone for so long now, but even still—letting you out can be so annoying!) I sure will miss it now that you’re gone. Although you took the longest time! You took your sweet time doing who knows what and sometimes I’d have to go out and retrieve you and grab your collar, yelling at you probably. You never seemed to care when I told you to hurry up.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I still keep thinking about a few days ago when I was taking a shower and a couple fireworks go off. I finish my shower and open the curtain to you! Just sitting on the bathroom floor cause you must have gotten scared so you somehow banged the door open. I was not expecting you there at all! But it was a nice surprise.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I loved kissing you. Especially your ears, when they were cold. Probably to the point of annoyance for you. And I loved blowing in your face until you tried to bite my tongue. It was so cute. We always had so much fun.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m just gonna miss you so much. Your presence in the house. It won’t be the same without you. But I’m so thankful for all the joy you’ve brought. I just never expected this day to come, silly as it seems. Well actually I felt like it would be coming soon, but I just can’t believe all of a sudden you’re not here. I knew your time was coming, you were getting up there! You were definitely a grandma. But I just can’t believe it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m glad you were outside with us as we were playing badmitten last night. I knew there was no way we were going to all be outside without you. That’s the thing. You were so stubborn you’d cry til you got your way. And because you were so annoying and loud when you cried and didn’t let up, we’d always just give in.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I remember just a couple weeks ago you trying to get on my bed but couldn’t. And even though I tried to help you, right before I grabbed you to give you a lift it was as though you just knew it was too much. And in the same exact second, it was so odd, we both thought to go get your bed. So you walked over to it in the living room as if to sleep out there but I dragged it into my room and plop you went. You slept on my floor for the night. But I’m thankful (as much as I was annoyed at the time because you’d wake me up from my precious sleep) for the times in the past few weeks where you’d come in and cry for some help up on my bed. It was so odd seeing you like that. It was so evident you had aged. And sometimes I would laugh because you looked so pathetic as your legs wiggled and I wouldn’t even be able to help you I was laughing so hard. But then other times I’d be like “come on babe. Just jump up, I’ll help ya.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">For some reason I called you “babe.” Don’t ask me why, but I did. I don’t know when I started but it just came out. And I remember thinking “man I hope I can call a man babe sometime. And that it sounds just as normal as me calling you babe” haha</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I will miss you dearly, my lovely Lightning. I will miss coming home to you. I will miss getting down on the floor to just lay with you and kiss you. I will miss your eyes. I’m sure I’ll miss you trying to get food from the cabinet as I’m looking for a snack, as much as that annoyed me too. Dang, you sure did annoy me. But I just have so much love for you because of it. And you will be missed by so many more. SO many more. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But I have loved you and have a place for you in my heart. And I am thankful for the possibility of a new place in my heart for a new addition to our family. Never to replace you, but only for another chance to love another dog like we have loved you. Because it has been a true joy and gift.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’d say you have had a pretty dang good life. Lots of food. LOTS of food. Many steak tips stolen from the table when we weren’t looking. And many more given to you as you sat by our side waiting for all the scraps or fatty pieces that me and mom wouldn’t eat. You were spoiled, that’s for sure.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That’s all I can think of for now. I love you lightning. And sure do hope there are some wet noses at the pearly gates, yours being one of them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Thanks for the gift you have been. And thanks for the unconditional love you have given. For that I am truly thankful.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And while I’m thinking of the positive, I’m thankful to have been home and not in Amherst when this happened. And I’m especially thankful to have all gone as a family to see you off.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Love you babe,</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">your sister.</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-65930616866494892552011-06-04T08:22:00.000-07:002011-06-04T08:22:14.211-07:00Thankful, Thankful, Thankful<div style="text-align: center;">just a list of some things i have been so truly thankful for in the past few weeks.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><ul><li>a stinkin JOB! a real, adult job. in Boston. with just a short 30 minute commute door to door. walking to the train station and seeing the beach everyday. not waking up sad at the thought of going to work but waking up energized with the sun in my room, ready for the day. working with a friend. seeing people throughout my day and going for walks during my HOUR LONG lunch break. hour long lunch breaks. delicious lunches. laughing/smiling at the thought of having a job and working with Katy everyday after a whole year of joking about it every time i saw her. a really nice interview with such an odd feeling of peace afterward and a trip to finagle a bagel thinking "man i could get used to this!" and then getting hired! being able to decorate my desk area with jars for my pens and pictures. meeting new girls at work.</li>
<li>living at home. just a year ago this time my world seemed to be crumbling. the thought of home and my family seemed so scary and seemed to be breaking. i feared the worst. i feared i wouldn't have the typical "family" that i was so used to and valued. i feared never having a place to go home to. i feared how my heart would react to that, being full of such hatred and bitterness and lack of forgiveness. but God is capable of taking the broken and glueing the pieces back together. he takes the disgustingly ugly and somehow, miraculously makes it beautiful again. i've seen him so that with friendship before, and it seems he has done it with my family (or so i pray) and i'm thankful for that. i'm thankful to be home. i'm thankful to be with my parents and my brother. i'm thankful to wake up on the holiday and be asked by John if i wanna go for a ride to the tool store with him. i'm thankful for affection from my parents and to have parents who truly care and love me. i'm just thankful to be home, and for that i'm thankful for! </li>
<li>i'm thankful for the sweetest year i couldn't have even came up with if i tried to imagine, living with my dear friends and roomies Kait and Jenn. i'm thankful for last summer and how fun it was. to have Katy living there. to have Allie there for some time. for the time at puffers, for the times on the porch, for the walks. for the place our home was and how the doors were always open to visitors. for how pretty and cutely decorated it was. for all the meals prepared and eaten together. for ALL the laughs, ALL the pranks, ALL the silly and ridiculous things that happened. for my friends understanding my humor and enjoying it and joining in with me. for all the freakin dance parties and all the dance moves learned. for all the preparation for Matt&Ashley's wedding that we all practiced for which was the beginning of all the dancing craziness. for all the times at the ABC playing pool. for coming home everyday to two awesome friends and sharing about our days and being listened to. for all the encouragement. for all the love. for all the fun. for a beautiful and colorful room. for all the crafts worked on in that house. for all the times we just sat and laughed watching Golden Girls. for all of our lists of fun things to do and then crossing each thing off as we accomplished them. for it being Becca and Katy's home away from home. for the day we moved in and all the help we got, i still can't forget that day and the service of our friends. for being woken up my last morning in the house to Kait and Jenn blaring Justin Bieber and squirting me with squirt guns. and then crying. i'm tearing up as i type now. for just a beautiful year of such sweet friendship and company that cannot be put into words. there were so many things i loved about the year there and so much of it was all the little things that are slipping my memory now. for 351 Main Street and all that it meant to me my 5th year living in Amherst.</li>
<li>being by the ocean!! walking the beach and smelling the smell of the ocean.</li>
<li>all the potential for summer as it is just beginning. all the excitement for boating and sun tanning and tubing and JET SKIING!! and camping on the island and ice cream eating and sitting outside late. that it gets dark so late now. for the joy summer brings to my year. for nights at the yacht club just sippin some wine on the deck and looking into Boston. for all the BBQs and all the beach days. </li>
<li>for the hope i feel at the thought of connecting with God and really working on some things</li>
<li>colorful furniture and inspiring people and blogs</li>
<li>a sweet last day at Sue's where the kids who do not usually show up on Thursdays came for one final lunch with me. they all made me cards and it was just so sweet. hugging some of the kids i had to hold back the tears or they would have just kept streaming down my face. and a gift card that all the parents chipped in for me where they treated me to $125 to ANTHROPOLOGIE!!</li>
</ul>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-61389388344335864992011-05-06T09:48:00.000-07:002011-05-06T09:58:30.798-07:00the things they say... {continued}<div style="text-align: center;">often when i'm with the kiddos and they say something ridiculously funny i run for a piece of paper and pen and jot it down. then i put that piece of paper in my wallet so i can share the silly sayings with my roomies and friends. and then my hope is to always write it down on here so that someday i can go back and read it again. and laugh. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">here are two more things i've had sitting in my wallet for quite some time now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">i was talking with one little boy i babysit for about what he was going to be when he grows up.</div><div style="text-align: center;">the conversation went a little something like this -</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">n: I'm going to be everything when i grow up.</div><div style="text-align: center;">me: oh ya? what are some of the things you are going to be?</div><div style="text-align: center;">n: like a fireman... and a doctor... <b>i would like to be a <i>dad</i> but i'm too <i>shy</i> to ask someone to be my <i>wife</i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i> </i></b>i'll just call him n. he is 4 1/2 years old. he is too sweet, don't ya think? <br />
haha oh brother. i can't even remember my response now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">------</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">the kids at Sue's preschool are all about pirates and throwing innocent people (like myself, and now their favorite target, Kait) into the ocean and killing them and yada yada.so Loving, right? i like to hope this is indeed their love language. it's all i can hope when i walk in and immediately am being told to <b>walk the plank</b> and being called mean, piratey things. </div><div style="text-align: center;">but anyways, they have a little play structure that they climb on and usually the "pirates" are telling the ordinary folk that they can't come on their ship for some reason or another.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">sometime last week i hear one little boy <i>yelling</i> to one of the cutest and sweetest little girls at the school:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>NO BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE ALLOWED ON THE SHIP!!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>NO BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>AND YOU'RE ONE OF THEM!!</b> (as he points to the girl)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">this made me chuckle.</div><div style="text-align: center;">although it was sweet what he was saying or implying, that she was beautiful, my boss pointed out how funny it was that he was using such kinds words to still KEEP HER from being able to climb on the play structure.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">ohh these kids. they kill me sometimes.</div><div style="text-align: center;">with laughter but also energy wise.</div><div style="text-align: center;">they definitely suck all the energy that's within me.</div><div style="text-align: center;">i'm definitely reconsidering whether i have the energy for kids anymore.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">with that said, only 6 more days working at Sue's, with the kids i have spent the majority of my days with this year. i don't know where the time has gone.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">and less than three weeks left in amherst.</div><div style="text-align: center;">i'm excited but scared that reality is going to hit me once the transition takes place and i find that all the things i'm excited for are so fleeting. i'm expecting the worst, i guess, assuming i should feel more sadness over excitement but that's not the case. or i think i have not thought about what leaving here will mean but have considered all the possibilities of being near Boston. i'm just scared that i'm not full of sadness. </div><div style="text-align: center;">but i'm trying to tell myself it may be because it's a perfect time for transition. and because it's not a surprise/shocker, i knew it was coming. or because summer is around the corner and summer is my favorite season. and because it sounds nice to be able to have just one home instead of feeling torn between two and having to miss things in certain places when i'm at the other.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">but reality hit me last night as i was sitting on the couch with jenn next to me, so graciously using her time to help me with my resume and cover letter. i will not have that at home. or at least living with my parents. i will have nothing like that there...the friendships, the community. i mean, i will have those things a r o u n d, just not in the place i go to bed. and that makes me sad. and i think that will be the hardest part, for sure. not having such sweet friends to share your nights with, going to zumba class, or watching tv with, or telling stories to. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">i don't know what i feel exactly but i need to start thinking about it. and being sad over it, because it's ok to be sad about it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">amherst has been lovely.</div><div style="text-align: center;">and i don't know what my life would be like w/o the influence it has had on me.</div><div style="text-align: center;">the friends, the experiences, the memories.<br />
how it's shaped me. the independence i've had.<br />
the people i've met.<br />
the way i've seen people follow Jesus.<br />
the life God's given me here. <br />
it has been really sweet and something to be thankful for.<br />
<br />
i'm not quite sure what life will look like at home. but i hope it can be just a piece of here, moved to boston. that i'll take the things i've learned and bring them wherever i go. and start fresh there.<br />
because although i'm moving home fir a bit, i still want it to be like a fresh start to something new. <br />
and that friendships will stay, yet change as we all grow and move to different places.<br />
<br />
i hope this is just the beginning of something really exciting.<br />
i'm 23 for goodness sake! life should be exciting!</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-32581862873103279152011-03-21T18:24:00.000-07:002011-03-21T18:24:04.339-07:00Dream Bathing Suit<div style="text-align: center;">i've been wanting a vintage bathing suit like the ones worn in the 40s or 50s.</div><div style="text-align: center;">when what was considered beautiful was a little bit of meat on your bones and the cut went above the belly button. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">wishing this one from Anthropologie was only about $35 and not $100.</div><div style="text-align: center;">dang you prices at the most beautiful store ever!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">beautiful though, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">and floral.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">just how i like it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwpSz1JnPpLgY-1bK2WIiBdTAhUwG1h57d0HtfI0Wwy8q46QepQYn-iTYqVGgpmkrkNycJ6YMKplQT8j7fjqbI_GwVGBJsqoLE8UX0z0hJ415L34akh0ffzsQFlPk1J_mrgJMpmxuSIU/s1600/bathing+suit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-18118808490816495502011-03-19T09:04:00.000-07:002011-03-19T09:04:25.448-07:00Wanna Hear Some Funny Jokes?<div style="text-align: center;">Kait and I were on the train last weekend and to kill some time, we started making up some <i>funny</i> jokes.</div><div style="text-align: center;">here they are:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>How many monkeys does it take to open an ice cream container?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">just one.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What do you do when a hippo shows up at your front door?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">option 1: you say "HIP HIP HORRAY!!! it's<b> </b>a HIPP-O-POT-A-MUS!!"</div><div style="text-align: center;">option 2: you say "what took you so long?"</div><div style="text-align: center;">option 3: you do some hip hop moves</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What do you do when a toilet bowl meets a cotton ball?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">option 1: before they can answer say, really fast..."i don't know! you tell me!"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b> </b>option 2: toilet bowl says "nice to meet you, wanna dunk?"</div><div style="text-align: center;">option 3: cotton ball says "i think we're gonna need another cotton ball."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What happens when a toy block meets a waffle?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">option 1: toy block says "Heyy! i don't fit!!"</div><div style="text-align: center;">option 2: waffle says "Hey, are you a LEGO?!? cuz i'm an EGGO! YO!"</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">get them? aren't we funny?</div><div style="text-align: center;">we at least crack ourselves up and that's all that really matters ;)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-48614883065298428772011-02-23T09:31:00.000-08:002011-02-23T09:31:31.155-08:00Man, I feel like a Woman.<div style="text-align: center;">Today marks a very special day for me.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Wednesday, February 23rd.</div><div style="text-align: center;">The day when i went from a silly girl who won't go swimming with my friends down at the river,</div><div style="text-align: center;">to a woman who will be the first to dive on in!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">summers will be so lovely now.</div><div style="text-align: center;">nothing will be stopping me from getting in my bathing suit and jumping in that ocean!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">this day also confirmed some of my fears about truly being a woman. </div><div style="text-align: center;">i still have to have one of those horrific examinations that i am DREADING...but at least i feel more comfortable now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">i just feel like a woman today.</div><div style="text-align: center;">well not really, but it sounds funny.</div><div style="text-align: center;">and hopefully i don't find my "womanhood" in all the wrong places like i sometimes tend to believe.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">just a little excited about something that finally occurred today.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> it's about freaking time!</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">ps- big shout out to my friend Becca.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> thanks for all your love and support along the way.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">haha.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-41456368656706864222011-02-22T18:31:00.000-08:002011-02-22T18:31:44.398-08:00Sleep Texting and other Funny Texting<div style="text-align: center;">a few days ago i was scrolling through my "sent texts" and came across one i did not recognize. it was addressed to a woman i have never texted before. a mom of one of the little boys i babysit from the preschool i work at. the mom who just a few days earlier had called to see if i could sit for her sons but because i was lazy and waited til the next day to call back, had already found someone else. so the mom who i now feel a little weird about because i feel guilty and stupid for being my lame-self sometimes. i should just call people back for the 27 seconds it often takes. anyways...you get the point. i don't text her. i have never texted her! and this is what i send her at 2:51 AM. yes. 2:51 in the morning. she must think great thinks of me now. like that she's never going to ask me to babysit again because 1) i don't call her back and 2) i obviously get "drunk" and randomly text the moms of my kids at school.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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only i was in no way drunk. just TOTALLY asleep.</div><div style="text-align: center;">here's the text exactly-</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>I hops u dirnt listrn to me cuz I fell asleep n woke ip at aljost 3! <i>in dry land</i>. Im sry bout that. Be safe n srr ya later</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">love that i added the exclamation point!</div><div style="text-align: center;">and don't ask me what the "in dry land" part is about cause i have no idea.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">guess all i can do is hope and pray she doesn't get texts, right?</div><div style="text-align: center;">this is definitely the first time i have ever done this. or at least i think. kinda scary to think what i could potentially be texting to people...and random people in my phone! that i possibly never even talk to.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> what's so funny to me is that texting on my touch screen phone is actually kind of tricky and requires a lot of steps so i don't know how i managed this. but now that i think of it i vaguellyyy remember randomly squinting and looking at my phone but maybe that's me making that up. but i would definitely be squinting if i were texting in my pitch dark room at 3 in the morning because my phone lights up BRIGHT!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">as for a text that definitely made me laugh, it's one from my brother John.</div><div style="text-align: center;">i'm sure he'd be embarrassed if he saw me writing this on here but it's in no way a determinant of his smarts, cause he's definitely got a lot of those. but in other areas besides spelling.</div><div style="text-align: center;">he calls me a few days ago while i'm at work so i text him back i can't answer and the whole "what's up? is everything ok?" and he responds with:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>wat is proper spelling for ockword.</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">i laugh and send him the correct spelling back. how funny, right? i mean he's got a point though- the way he spelled it definitely sounds like you say it. </div><div style="text-align: center;">i later asked him what the deal with the text was- asked him if he was sending a text to some girl and before sending it wanted to spell correctly so he didn't look like a dummy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">his response was "got me kid. lol alot"</div><div style="text-align: center;">i'm too good! too too good!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">but hey! i would have done the same.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-19447619755628355372011-02-20T21:04:00.000-08:002011-02-20T21:04:00.850-08:00Week Recap<div style="text-align: center;">Some treats to my week:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Valentines Day/Monday night spent at the ABC playing pool and watching the Bachelor. Yes, the Bachelor! it was so dead in there we got the workers to turn it on for us. it was pretty funny. we would play during the commercials and then stop when it came back on. there were probably a total of like 7 people in there, including workers.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">My Aunty June and cousins Ashlee and Amanda came to visit for the weekend. we shopped a little and watched a movie and some tv. i found some cute things at the Salvation Army, like a beautiful mirror that i'm really excited about. Ash and Aunty June started knitting, Kait played Scrabble with Amanda, Amanda painted a picture frame. we ate yummy food and cooked a successful chicken brocoli and ziti alfredo. all in all it was great! so glad to have had them.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">a sweet phone call from one of the little preschoolers from Sue's, Ben. He called to tell me all about his vacation in Florida and later i was told by his mother that i was the first person he shared his trip with. i felt so special! and unlike every other little kid i've talked to on the phone for about 30 seconds and then they pass it on to their mom, he talked my ear off for a good 5 minutes i'd say. he's so sweet and just made me smile the whole time. and then he even called me a little while later and left a voice message on my phone because i missed his call. [i SO saved that message on my phone} and i called back today and talked to him AGAIN! too sweet. i love him.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Cumberland Farms!! i should be in their commercial because i think they are great:</div><div style="text-align: center;">they have a no fee atm in there! </div><div style="text-align: center;">the cheaptest gas in Amherst besides if you have some good Stop and Shop points!</div><div style="text-align: center;">a red box outside!</div><div style="text-align: center;">a gallon of milk for $2.69! beat that</div><div style="text-align: center;">and... any size coffee, hot or cold, for only 99cents a cup. yes 99cents a cup. that includes flavors and all. </div><div style="text-align: center;">amazing. i will be getting my iced coffees there from now on. only thing is i wish they had a seating area for me to sit down and read/journal. if eel weird going somewhere with a drink already</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">these sweet boots:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBmO0pctSBmhZSgVplmxyUzrkGhxL4C6cL_wN0trS9qwGbOS_Nz3reVaio5fxG6nJfkMWGR-aZXK-AbUTdAaxmmZW43tAtjeUxasYu3OZCW0ymrd0t037HJJGjXnEt8cxrYeKxJfxFGM/s1600/boots.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBmO0pctSBmhZSgVplmxyUzrkGhxL4C6cL_wN0trS9qwGbOS_Nz3reVaio5fxG6nJfkMWGR-aZXK-AbUTdAaxmmZW43tAtjeUxasYu3OZCW0ymrd0t037HJJGjXnEt8cxrYeKxJfxFGM/s320/boots.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">they caught my eye right away. i've always wanted a pair of boat shoes because of my dad. in the summer that's all you can find him in and i've always wanted a pair just to match him. so these definitely caught my attention. i think him and my bro are going to love them</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;">hearing that my brother wants to leave a plunger with every customer he does a job for. with his company name "Johnny Pipes" on it and his phone number.</div><div style="text-align: center;">how amazing is that? he's so creative that guy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">a fun and free night of pool at the ABC again tonight. gotta love their free sunday night pool.</div><div style="text-align: center;">i totally stunk tonight though! definitely not my night. not one bit.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">doing silly tae bo with Kait.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">and knowing that i have a week of vacation from work. </div><div style="text-align: center;">but truly hoping to get some babysitting gigs because i need to make up for the lack of work going on this week!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">hopes for the upcoming week:</div><div style="text-align: center;">be productive.</div><div style="text-align: center;">spend some good quality time with God.</div><div style="text-align: center;">be creative and start some crafts for people.</div><div style="text-align: center;">exercise.</div><div style="text-align: center;">cook.</div><div style="text-align: center;">enjoy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-11841127360923981562011-02-15T18:13:00.000-08:002011-02-15T18:17:28.011-08:00The THINGS these kids say...<div style="text-align: center;">i'm here to share some more of the things these crazy little kids i work with everyday SAY.</div><div style="text-align: center;">because some of the things they say truly do make me laugh.</div><div style="text-align: center;">i find myself running for a piece of paper and pen to jot down some of the crazy things that come out of their mouths so that i can go home remembering and tell my roomies.</div><div style="text-align: center;">so here are a few i have written down in the past couple weeks</div><div style="text-align: center;">.</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">talking with one little girl from Sue's about how she is sick, she tells me she is on medicine.</div><div style="text-align: left;">J: Wanna know what the medicine is called?</div><div style="text-align: left;">me: YUP! what's it called?</div><div style="text-align: left;">J: <b>GRAPE</b>! with extra pronunciation of the PPP.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">how cute. her medicine is "called" grape.</div><div style="text-align: left;">gosh do i remember the disgusting grape flavored medicine i always had to take as a kid. especially the children's tylenol. you'd think the grape flavor would make it a bit tasty but i remember crying and begging not to have to eat those chalky grape flavored tylenol that literally made me gag. it was torture. </div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">---</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">sometime last week i was babysitting another little boy from the Common School. It's time to brush his teeth and get ready for bed so we're in the bathroom. he drops the toothpaste cap on the floor and it lands behind the toilet. he says "it's webby back there." i say "spider webby?" and he says yes and points to another corner of the bathroom where it is also "webby." that other corner was near a sliding closet in the bathroom and he tells me that behind those doors are "the buttons that control the house." and then the best of all...the part that made me literally run out of the room laughing to grab a piece of paper and pen to write it down so i didn't forget. he says:</div><div style="text-align: left;">"<b>and sometimes when i'm on the toilet <i>pooping</i> i talk to that door. and i pretend it's <i>scary</i>!</b>" </div><div style="text-align: left;">and so when i return to the room laughing i tell him that he's so funny and explain what i'm doing with the paper and pen. and then i repeat what he told me saying something like "oh ya? you talk to that door and pretend it's scary?" and he says "YAaa. and i pretend i'm scary back."</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">tell me that doesn't make you laugh? i'd love to be there for one of those moments to see what it looks like.he kills me.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">---</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">today, one little boy from Sue's asked me if i wanted to see a Magic Trick. his magic trick was to take his beloved teddy bear/giraffe puppet that he brings with him to school everyday and stick it down his pants and then make it "reappear." he stuck it down his pants and then literally asked "do you want to see it reappear?" so i said yes, of course. but then a minute or two later as he's sticking it down his pants again he says something but i can't make it out. he says it again and i catch something...so i ask him "something came out of your underwear?" and he says something like "ya, my <b>penis</b>." i'm kind of shocked at what's coming out of his mouth and then i do the typical response of "ohh ya?" but then add "well you better put it back in!" -- what else do you say to that? haha and then the best part...he pauses for a second and then says "<b>I can't find it</b>."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">i told my boss this a bit later and we both laughed.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">---</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">one little boy randomly said his mom was "handsome" today. how cute</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">---</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">and another one that just killed me today! one of my favorite little boys from the Common School points out a plant in the room that's in a pot. he's talking about how pretty it is and then walks over to lift it up. before the woman i work with can tell him not to pick it up he already has it in his hands. and then he says</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>"it's not very heavy. it's only <i>3 minutes heavy</i>." </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">the woman i work with and i just look at each other and start laughing! she says to him "Oh ya, 3 minutes heavy?" and then he goes "YA! <b>and that's not heavy</b>."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">HOW FUNNY! 3 minutes heavy? that's gotta be one of my favorites yet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">---</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">so ya, some of these kids have ridiculously funny things that come out of their mouths. and hopefully i will be there to keep writing them down to share.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"> hope you get a kick out of them like i do.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-51560934911697625352011-01-29T11:10:00.000-08:002011-01-29T11:10:43.648-08:00I Want<div style="text-align: center;">one of these!!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XoUySwOZsazIwa0afmt3clFVW112iQTMYmxZ7NMPqPFnyoYbDeziyKOhU2dsAZHOR5Irfwu9aAwqErWDlWX7yJD_qDTrPAUkF5caD4IaAS3PhO9UfmSSpT4mSMVyjRgoWG-U0SITdws/s1600/boston+terrier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3XoUySwOZsazIwa0afmt3clFVW112iQTMYmxZ7NMPqPFnyoYbDeziyKOhU2dsAZHOR5Irfwu9aAwqErWDlWX7yJD_qDTrPAUkF5caD4IaAS3PhO9UfmSSpT4mSMVyjRgoWG-U0SITdws/s320/boston+terrier.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTyttPrARdsUwXoYzoyN2uYit19pAGKhOMalkV05cqbIXqtDRCIhXRO-B-ok9P2QZj-tvo6boI_Ib3zuEddTNng6kt-4_4CwDVDAbQLEpVi1TnMNPIDo0Dqyl7h6UUwrK9nFsC3eO5xU/s1600/bt+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJTyttPrARdsUwXoYzoyN2uYit19pAGKhOMalkV05cqbIXqtDRCIhXRO-B-ok9P2QZj-tvo6boI_Ib3zuEddTNng6kt-4_4CwDVDAbQLEpVi1TnMNPIDo0Dqyl7h6UUwrK9nFsC3eO5xU/s1600/bt+2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;">so badly. oh so badly. </div><div style="text-align: center;">they make my heart melt.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifQACYHsVK2SqrzMMKdWTBv8DEZDVvmb8sNDEV8Xag7_9sADXWby6YiYs97rtiP1aAF-qK2Eq2FMpoFrnV3IhSoJcvqewPSO96oAmHfieskmVwRz9IkjeRfKZUxzAl6imBLF5FsdQNjM/s1600/boston_terrier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifQACYHsVK2SqrzMMKdWTBv8DEZDVvmb8sNDEV8Xag7_9sADXWby6YiYs97rtiP1aAF-qK2Eq2FMpoFrnV3IhSoJcvqewPSO96oAmHfieskmVwRz9IkjeRfKZUxzAl6imBLF5FsdQNjM/s320/boston_terrier.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> just look at how cute they are as pups.</div><div style="text-align: center;">my goodness.</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-29343495231261110172011-01-13T16:17:00.000-08:002011-01-13T16:57:17.533-08:00oh, Preschoolers<div style="text-align: center;">some days i think i really don't enjoy working with preschoolers.<br />part of that is due to my constant discontentment with all things in life (something i need major work on) so i think my job is not "ideal" -- therefore making preschoolers not ideal.<br />but part of it is also due to just how stinkin hard it can be on some days!<br />days where they don't wanna help clean up any of their messes so i end up picking up after them all day. or days when they can't seem to pull up their sleeves on their own or turn on the water to wash their hands on their own. or days where washing hands takes what seems like 10 minutes per child when it should be a 1 minute thing. or days when they simply <span style="font-style: italic;">don't wanna wash their hands</span>- even after they have just peed and <span style="font-style: italic;">not even wiped themselves</span> before pulling up their pants!! those kind of days.<br />or days when they don't wanna pull up their pants after going to the bathroom. so they sit on the floor, bare butt, yelling "NOOO" to me as i try to get them up and help them. but then i become insecure at what i'm doing and feel like i am doing something horrific because they are screaming as though i'm murdering them. those kind of days.<br />or days when they don't wanna nap so refuse to. those kind of days make the day so much more difficult.<br />or days when i'm eating my lunch (in about 10 minutes tops) while having kids come over to talk to me but end up spitting their crackers or whatever they are eating at the time, all over my face. this actually isn't so bad- gross, indeed. but kind of funny. and on a good day for me, i enjoy them being all over me. but sometimes it can be challenging to not get 10 mins of freedom of attention giving and constant interaction.<br />i don't know how my boss does it. all day.<br /><br />and i guess how parents do it?! this is indeed part of parenting. but on such a lighter scale. and yet still so tiring. oh boy. and i wonder if i will ever be able to handle parenting.<br /><br />but i have to remind myself that this does not mean i don't enjoy preschoolers in general.<br />as little beings.<br />just maybe i'm not set out to work with them. because they require so much energy and i'd much rather be working with early elementary. and doing math and spelling.<br /><br />but despite all those things, they are pretty DANG funny!<br />examples:<br /><br /><br />today while playing with one little boy, i get a strong whiff of some pee. i take a look down at his pants and realize he is wet all over the front. turns out he was wet all over his behind too when he walked away to get changed. but this was our lil conversation-<br />Me: Did you go to the bathroom? Did you go to the bathroom <span style="font-style: italic;">in your pants</span>?<br />J: [looks at me for a few seconds] i <span style="font-style: italic;">already went</span>......[pause] woooops!!<br /><br />i couldn't help but laugh. his response with the "woooops" just killed me.<br />things like this really do make my job enjoyable. i just laugh at them.<br /><br />another interaction with the same kid {once he got his pants changed.}<br />we were playing with these things (don't know the name for them) that basically remind me of big straws. so he put two together and said something like-<br />J: Look! a fishing pole!<br />Me: Ohh, cool! {and i do the motions to rail it in. and then ask him} is there a fish on the end???<br />J: No, i just caught a BOOT!<br /><br /><br />a boot? and he said it so loud and emphasized the "t" on the end. <span style="font-weight: bold;">BOOT</span>.<br />i died again. where did that come from. i just wasn't expecting a boot.<br />it killed me.<br /><br />and the final, best of all. best of all because it's the <span style="font-weight: bold;">grossest</span> of all.<br /><br />one of my favorite little girls is on the toilet today. her English isn't the best and her accent is great! i love hearing her call my name..."Va-ginnn-IAA." you obviously can't hear that in your head as you read it like i can but just imagine it. it's hilarious.<br /><br />so while on the toilet, she looks back. to see what she's dropped in the toilet i guess.<br /><br />she says: "S" Va-ginn-IA. <span style="font-weight: bold;">S</span><br /><br />confused, i go over and take a look. but before i even need to look, i can smell the poop as i entered the bathroom.<br />"aww, dang. i gotta deal with poop" is my immediate thought.<br /><br />so getting past the smell, {this is my job, i'm pretty used to it by now} i take a look and INDEED...there is her poop, in the shape of an S. it was so funny.<br />the fact that she took a look at her poop. the fact that despite her not so great english, she knew the letter S, even made by her own poop. the fact that i'm looking at someone else's poop and thinking "you're so right, it is an S." the fact that it was the longest string of poop i have everrrr witnessed! gross i know, but it was long. and unbroken. haha. so nasty i know but you had to see it.<br /><br />and then i proceed to laugh inside and out loud a little as i watch her and her little smirk, almost as though she were impressed with her work. and then i wipe her bumm.<br /><br />yes, this is my job.<br /></div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-76594021178274494282010-12-25T10:08:00.000-08:002010-12-26T10:54:56.274-08:00Merry Christmas & My Kind of Humor<div align="center">An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Jopseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, <em>for he will save his people from their sins</em>."</div><div align="center">Matthew 1:20-21</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">------------------------</div><br />Yesterday morning {Christmas morning} i was reminded of where in the world i get my humor from and why i love it so much. it most definitely runs in my family.<br /><br />example 1:<br /><br />After opening presents and while my brother was putting some things away in his room, first he asks me if i need a first aid kit for my house in Amherst (he must get this from my father.) Apparently everytime he goes over to one of his friend's house, the kid's dad always gives him a kit. So i tell him no, that we have a lot of stuff at our house, and then he hands me a pair of safety goggles. He tells me to put them on and go walking around the house til mom or dad notices. So I put them on and go walking into the kitchen, John following behind me, and my mom notices but my dad is looking straight at my face and then looking to the others because he knew something was up but couldn't quite put his finger on it. boy is he oblivious haha<br /><br />I did it because 1) it's funny. and 2) because it's something i'd do w/o his prompting anyways.<br /><br />example: Just this month while helping Kait with her thesis one night, me, jenn and Kait went down to the wood shop. While they were out of the shop for a minute or not paying attention, i see a pair of safety goggles, put them on, and go on my regular business until one of them bursts into laughter. and then i burst into laughter. <strong>my kind of humor</strong>.<br /><br />example 2:<br /><br />One of my favorite gifts that i received this year for Christmas was from my brother. He got me a sweet life jacket for one of our favorite summer activities-- jet skiing. He said something like "I got you a bunch of things so you'll know we want you around for the summer. Even though we don't really." Him being his sweet self but not being able to do it w/o being sarcastic and jerkish. but i know he means it cuz of the smirk he wears when he says it. i really do love him.<br /><br />But anyways, he says to me a little later "you know what you should do when you get home to Amherst?"<br /><br /><br />And i say, [my mind already right where his is]<br />"What? Randomly blow the horn in the house?" -- he also got me a blow horn in case of an emergency on my kayak haha, a whistle, and an awesome yellow water proof/floating box to store your phone or keys in- incase they ever fall in while on the water.<br /><br /><br />So he says, [laughing] "oh, well that too. But put the life jacket on over your bathing suit and just walk into the living room one day." <p>Perfect idea John! thank you very much. This is something I definitely would have thought of on my own if he hadn't said it first.<br />And then i began to tell him about the time i walked downstairs with just a pair of nude colored underwear, a nude colored strapless bra and my APRON. hilarious.</p><p>so you see where i get my humor from? apparently it runs in the family :) and i love it.</p><br /><br /><br /><div align="center">it's the best kind of humor. so unexpected. </div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">and i'm so glad that my roomies have caught on with me and my humor and that we all love it.</div><div align="center">we are constantly doing something like this in our house just to make the other bust into laughter.</div><div align="center">i love the laughter in our home.</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center">-----------------------</div><div align="center"> </div><div align="center"><em>Thank you Jesus for coming to this world to be born - to create new and beautiful things from our ridiculous messes.</em></div><div align="center"><em>Thank you for coming so that you could save us from our sins each and every day.</em></div><div align="center"><em></em> </div><div align="center"><em>Thank you for life, for forgiveness, for family and love, for friends, for big dogs, and for humor.</em></div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-77508051282607928652010-12-22T20:23:00.000-08:002010-12-22T20:57:23.376-08:00Fort Building & Home Alone<div style="text-align: center;">My house at 351 has a Seasonal List of things [[to do]] so that we intentionally try to make each season wonderful.<br />it's hung on the side of our fridge.<br />somehow it started with Chels, who i don't even live with, writing a list for a "fabulous summer," or something more creative than that, way before i even graduated and before summer had arrived. on that list included things like:<br />going on a whale watch in Gloucester, going to Rockport, strawberry picking, visiting Chels in Newport, hiking Mt. Sugarloaf, going for walks on the bike trail, eating summery foods, puffers pond...and so on. when i moved in with Kait we added more to that list, like making lemonade and drinking it on the front porch and making smoothies. that's about all i can remember right now but there were a whole lot of things!<br />and then what we also created was a list of things we had actually followed through with.<br />this may sounds kind of silly because we actually cross off the things on our original list, but then we go ahead and write things down again on the "done" list, acknowledging that we did them. and this is where we also write anything fun that we did that <span style="font-style: italic;">wasn't</span> on our original list, but kind of just extra.<br />get it?<br /><br />well, it's served us well. we look forward to taking down the list each season and writing a new list, all together, as <span style="font-weight: bold;">roomies.</span> oh, how i love my roomies.<br />we did this for fall. and then we did this for winter.<br /><br />wanna hear the title of our winter list?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"the list for the most wonderful wintah"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>and our [DONE] list is even better:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">"what we weathered when we wished winter would woo weverywun waesome"</span><br /><br />i think it's great.<br /><br />the <span style="font-style: italic;">point</span> of those things is that one of the MANY things on our winter list was to Build a Fort and cuddle in it. and watch Home Alone. so we combined the two this past Saturday night and i don't wanna forget about it. because it was pretty dang memorable.<br /><br />so that's why i'm writing. because...<br />1) how many times can i say i have built a fort? after the age of like 7?<br />only once so far!<br />i shouldn't say <span style="font-style: italic;">i </span>built it because basically i was too busy eating my chicken, broccoli, ziti alfredo that i had made minutes before and was too hungry/impressed with my cooking skills to put it down. i'm still amazed at how it came out because i have found that i am pretty dang too impatient to cook. or to find a real recipe and follow through with it. and have it be a success. but this time! oh this time, i was impressed and so glad. gonna make it for my fam when i'm home for Christmas. so ya, Kait and Jenn really built it. they were the ones to grab all the sheets and use all our curtains and put stools on top of chairs. and grab all of the clips in the house to hold the fabric together.<br />2) how many times can i witness a GINORMOUS knitting needle, yes knitting needle, topple over and hit my friend in the head. prob only once in my lifetime. because i don't know how many pairs of ginormous knitting needles there are in this world. BUT, it was pretty funny. Sorry, Kait. i know not so much for you and your headache. but i'm picturing it in my head right now-- you SCREAMINGG as something begins to fall and all of a sudden i hear a bonk and complete silence. you had nothing to scream about anymore. oh my gosh too funny. both Jenn and i watched it happen in slow motion almost but i just kind of froze.<br />3) the coziness of the fort. the snugness of friend. snuggling. and then sleeping in it like we are kids. what a fun way to end 2010 all together before we all go our separate ways for a bit.<br />4) again, how many times can i say i have been a part of any kind of fort building past my childhood days of building forts under my brother's bunk bed. when we would split it down the middle and we'd each have our own little room. and i'd go grab everything i could to fit in there. oh, those were the days :)<br /><br />so ya, Virginia. you built a fort. and watched a Christmas movie. and it was really fun and special :)<br /><br /></div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-40627474508803282412010-12-12T19:54:00.000-08:002010-12-19T19:12:12.574-08:00The Best Way to Spread Christmas Cheer<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Is Singing Loud for All to Hear</span></span>!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">{{ohh, Elf}}<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">Highlights from my [last] weekend:<br /><br />Navs Christmas Party<br /><br />Celebrating Laura and Ben's marriage with a bridal shower.<br />It was a success! it was fun. there were great pictures taken.<br />i'm pretty sure Laura enjoyed it! which is all that matters.<br />and then a lovely dinner in Cambridge with some pizza, yummy hot chocolate, and a stroll through the city with great friends.<br />being there made me miss home so much. and the ocean. it just feels like home.<br />i really hope that living somewhere near Boston/Revere next year is as great as i'm hoping it will be.<br /><br />and best of all, because i was not expecting it in the slightest--<br />walking down the street and looking up to see ANTHROPOLOGIE right before my eyes, sign lit up n all.<br />i almost died of excitement. i screamed. i pointed. i smiled so huge. i grabbed and squeezed Jenn. i excitedly asked to go in! and then i didn't shut up talking about it for almost the rest of the night.<br />goodness is it just so beautiful inside! i plan on going back over Christmas break and browsing for a while and hitting up the Border Cafe as well. (ahh such good food and soda! they ahve the best soda. so perfectly bubbly!) and it's so easy to find! get right off the T in Harvard Square.<br /><br />4th annual ELF NIGHT!<br />Tara cooked us such a delicious stew, it was amazing.<br />Me, Jenn, Kait, Tara, Chels and Kate sat around to a cozy dinner.<br />and then we did the typical Elf Night traditions which included:<br />hot chocolate, marshmallows, smores poptarts, fudge, gum drops, sugar, sugar & more sugar.<br /><br />we got cozy on couches and watched and laughed together.<br />it was lovely, as usual.<br />what a sweet tradition is has been to look forward to each year.<br />it truly is so special.<br /><br />and now we have been quoting the movie ever since. well even before then actually. it's just so dang funny!<br /><br />i'll leave with this:<br /><br />"<span style="font-size:130%;">SANTAAAA!!!!!! I KNOW HIMMM!!!!!!!!"</span><br /><br /></span></div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1891385276159611887.post-3307399604460580542010-11-22T20:41:00.000-08:002010-11-22T20:49:57.198-08:00Heart, Soul, Strength<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.<br />And you must love the Lord your God with<br />all your heart,<br />all your soul,<br />and all your strength.<br /><br /><br /><br />For the Lord your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">He is the </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">great</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> God, the </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">mighty</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> and </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">awesome</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> God, who shows no partiality and cannot be bribed.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">He ensures that orphans and widows receive justice.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">He shows love to the foreigners living among you and gives them food and clothing.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">You must </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">fear</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> the Lord your God and</span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> worship </span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">him and </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">cling</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> to him.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">Your oaths must be in his name alone.</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">He alone is your God, the </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">only one</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);"> who is </span><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">worthy of your praise</span><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 0);">.</span><br /></span></span></div>truly Virginiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09015839959055767718noreply@blogger.com2