The Nifty Fifty States

Ok, I haven't seen all fifty.
There are some I probably don't ever need to see.
But I think I've done pretty well for thirty years.


create your own visited states map

I'm kinda partial to a couple of those red places.
Thanks, Rachel, for the link!

It's a Dinner Party...

And you're invited.
Guaranteed awkward conversation.
I can't wait.
April 10th on NBC.

Pass the potatoes.

Organizational Overload

Hello, all!
Time is FLYING, as I'll be leaving for California on Friday and counting down 5 weeks 'til the big fiesta! Chris and I just returned this weekend from Moorhead, where Chris' mom and friends threw me a wedding shower. It was wonderful meeting some of the moms that have memories of Chris as a kiddo, and several women came quite a distance to join the party. I felt "showered" with love...and gifts. However, after a shower, one typically feels clean. I'm feeling quite dirty (or, at least the house is!) as I sit here amongst boxes, bags, tissue and heaps of envelopes. I suppose it's a good problem to have! Now comes the daunting task of finding space for everything- throwing out the old and replacing with new. We're seriously lacking some storage in the kitchen, which creates a dilemma when trying to two new sets of dishes, serveware, LOTS of glasses and the family-sized griddle that Chris HAD to have. Oy.

Do I look like a Stavenger yet? This is Chris' sister, Carrie, me, Chris' mom and Alissa, Chris' sister-in-law. She has beautiful eyes...you'll have to take my word for it. :)

Happier Things.

"Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."
Philippians 4:8

Here is my list of happy things for thought:

Commitment
Hugs
Love
Alice Springs Chicken at Outback
Hot Showers
Light Snowfalls
New Tennis Ball smell
Good conversation with girlfriends
Starbucks
(oooh...I shouldn't have gone there. Now I can't think of anything else.)
umm...
uhhhh....
A good haircut
F.R.I.E.N.D.S
Disneyland
Pomegranate Mojitos
Brooke singing "Let it Be" on American Idol
Snow covered trees
Patience
California sunshine
The upcoming return of "The Office"
New Socks
God's Grace

Your comments.

Poor Choices

...leave those who love you bruised.
...leave those who love you confused.
...leave a wake behind you that will cause ripples for years and years.
...can shake the foundation of faith for those starting on their journey.
...WILL bring conviction that you will not be able to evade for long, like those credit collectors that call and call and call until you pick up the phone and take care of it.

Like other Revolutionaries (former and current) that have posted their thoughts about recent events, I am HURT and I am DISAPPOINTED by the personal decisions of this man. I remember this being posted on David's blog a couple months ago:

When you leave your family, your ministry, your life...
When you do so for another woman, a MOM who leaves HER family, HER life...
When you are no longer employed, have no support, no friends to turn to,
You are NOT THINKING. I thought this was a strength of yours.
And apparently 84% Judging was not enough, because it left 16% open for gruesome misinterpretation.

David, your poor choices have left a church family crippled.
You've left your children in tears.
You've betrayed friends who would have had your back in trial and confusion...
who would have walked through darkness with you.

You've traded it all in for the ultimate in selfishness.

There's a tattoo on your wrist to remind you of that...every day.

Family at Revolution, I am praying for your solidarity during this difficult storm. In many ways I wish I was there to walk through it with you. Christopher, Christina, and the rest of the lead team: may God anoint you with supernatural doses of energy and endurance so you can carry on His vision for this ministry.

Little Things that Make Me Happy.

Collecting change in a jar.
Dumping them out on the floor.
Counting the quarters.
Finding 40 different state quarters.
Arranging them alphabetically.
Making a weird face at Chris when he ridiculed me for the above.
Turning all of it in for a cool $78.00.

Hey...it's the only income I've got.

Calling All Word Nerds...

If you are the wordy sort and enjoy a good game of Scrabble or Boggle, then this game will be highly entertaining for you. A word of warning though: it's addicting.

http://club.live.com/spelling_bee.aspx?icid=spelling_bee_spotlight

JD- be warned.
I've been practicing and you will once again fall victim to my speed scrabble skills.
It's on.

Haven't Done This in A While.

Brrr...my ipod is cold!
The last 5 tunes to roll through:

X&Y- Coldplay
You Found Me- Kelly Clarkson
When My Heart- Matt Redman
Nowhere Man- The Beatles
Simple As It Should Be- Tristan Prettyman

I suppose I should start putting together a playlist for the wedding.
Any suggestions?

Reading Can Be Hazardous to Your Health.

There's a reason why I don't often read novels.

It's not that I don't read. I read friendly things like the Biography of Mister Rogers. Or I read introspective things like Donald Miller's deep thoughts or the challenging reflections of C.S. Lewis. But I steer clear of novels. To say that I don't have time to invest is usually a lie. For this reason only, I read a best-selling novel of the secular sort lent to me by a friend here. Having trudged through 300 pages of adultery and scandal, I am again reminded why it's dangerous for me to read.

I get nightmares. The kind that feel so real that you wake up in a cold sweat. It sends my brain into this superactive frenzy of imagination that I can't shut off at night. Consequently, I've lost sleep and fight the urge to be irrationally paranoid. I did laugh a lot as I related to the "heroine"s perspective on turning thirty (if you can still call her a heroine after she hooks up with her best friend's fiance).

The last set of novels I read were the LaHaye/Jenkins "Left Behind" series. Those books produced some of the strangest and scariest dreams I've ever experienced. I can still describe them in detail (and if you want a good story, ask me about the time I got in a fight with Jesus Christ). Most of the time, I prefer not to remember them. Nothing gets my mind active like reading a good story.

It's easy to see why reading does wonders to keep the brain agile.

Any other bookworms out there?

Spoken Like a Real Joker.

Desperate times call for desperate measures?
Blech.