2010

My friend and I recently discussed how our years are thematic in nature.  She is fortunate, in that she has, of late, been notified by God on the front end of her year, as to what will be her year’s theme.  I, on the other hand, live the great mystery of discovering my year’s theme on the back end, in retrospect.

For example, at the beginning of 2010, Nikol was enlightened that her upcoming year would be the Year of Abundance.  And it was!  It was an exciting year to spend with a friend in her Year of Abundance.

As another (harshly contrasting) example, at the end of 2009, it was confirmed that mine had been the Year of Adult Conversations.  Over the previous twelve months, several uncomfortable conversations were necessary, all of which evoked this it’s-hard-being-an-adult-sometimes sentiment.  It was a growing year.

2010 has been the Year of Brokenness for me.  It sounds dramatic, and it really wasn’t as awful as it sounds.  There was a litany of physical ailments that simply had me pinned.  I was in a position where I had no choice but to slow down, begin some serious self-evaluating, and peel away some layers.  Know what I mean?

Despite the theme, though, there are highlights to be documented.

So, here we go.  2010, in review:

favorite books (it’s been a non-fiction kind of year)

The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose

Choosing Civility by P.M. Forni

favorite new snack food

Tostitos Roasted Garlic and Black Bean Tortilla Chips

favorite new recipe
Herbed Fusilli

favorite movie
Tangled

best new travel destination
Kauai, Hawaii

best quick trip
Nashville with Deana

most challenging Bible verse
Colossians 3:17

marked off the bucket list
Learned to water ski (mostly)

proudest craft moment 
Jewelry board

spent my birthday
In Ft. Lauderdale with the whole fam

most hilarious moment
Being locked out of Lil’s beach condo in the middle of the night

most pleasant surprise
Having three Saturdays off this fall

new techno gadget
A netbook, from Mom and Dad as a birthday gift

favorite new iPhone app
Words with Friends (yes, I know I’m a year behind everyone else)

favorite new song
“Different Kinds of Happy” by Sara Groves

2010 was a good year.  Plenty more I'm sure I'm leaving out!

What about you?  What are your 2010 superlatives?

thankful thursday #7

Since the morning after Christmas, it's been just me and Mom, lounging around, braving the return lines in the days after Christmas, hitting up some excellent sales, exercising the pooches, visiting friends, and putting lots of miles on the cars.

It's been good times!

At least three times over the past week, I've been in check-out lines with Mom, and she's been granted the "senior discount."  In fact, I watched her sales bill at one clothing store drop from $79 to around $35 in a matter of seconds (she did have a coupon or two, but still).

In all instances, I sensed that the store clerk was slightly uncomfortable asking whether or not Mom qualified. They want to be helpful, but who wants to ask a lovely lady her age?

It's an awkward dilemma.

"Do you receive our senior discount?" one asked.  Another one was much more crafty (gotta love Chick-fil-A personnel).  He directed his inquiry to me instead, "Do you know if anyone with you is over 52?"

Mom loves it.  She loves that she gets a free beverage at the Chick, or that she gets an extra 20% off her department store purchase.  Better yet, she puts those uncomfortable clerks at ease, assuring them that this is a good thing.

I was feeling grateful today that my mom embraces aging with such graciousness and ease.  So many folks -- women, especially -- see silver hair, or lines on her face attesting to years of laughter, and they want to "fix" it all and go back in time.

Believe me, I know there are some not-so-fun challenges that come with aging.  I'm 32 and already feel a little stiff when I get out of bed in the mornings!

But it's refreshing to see some good-natured aging happening out there.  I hope when I'm qualifying for senior discounts, I'm happy to accept them too.

What are you appreciating today?  Go on, be grateful!

be merry

Have a very merry Christmas!

thankful thursday #6

It's bowl season.

As if the regular football season isn't long enough, empire builders of the sports world like ESPN and the BCS have made it their goal to fill our holidays with enough bowl games to make a person go crazy.

And it's a shame that in so doing, student athletes, coaches and athletic staffs -- who, by the way, are sons, daughters, dads, and siblings -- are asked to travel away from their homes, and celebrate Christmas in a hotel, eating a catered meal, at best.

But this is Thankful Thursday.  Not the time for bitter soapboxes.

I'm so thankful that I have friends and coworkers who invite me into bowl pools!

For our work contest, we pick outright winners; in another one, we pick against the line.  They're fun little competitions.

At our family's house, if there is a football game being played somewhere in the world -- even if it's in Shreveport, Louisiana, for pity's sake -- it's on our television.  That includes games that are being sponsored by the likes of Meineke Car Care and Godaddy.com.

Oh, bowl games, why must you sell your souls to corporate naming rights?

(That is rhetorical, thanks very much.)

So were it not for the bowl pools, I'd have no vested interest in Sisters of the Poor University, and bowl season would be simply unbearable.

Are you in a pool?  If so, I'm sure you're grateful for them, too.

If not, what else is making you thankful today?  Go on, be grateful!

P.S. I'd be extra thankful if Navy could make a comeback here ...

the unlikely benefactor

This past week has been all about celebrating.  Lunches, parties, concerts, gift-exchanges, candlelight services, Christmas movies, sing-alongs, well wishes.

A massage, manicure and pedicure for the self-indulgent (me).

It's been a good week.  Lots of sweet moments along the way, when my heart felt like it might overflow.

But oh, the favorite moment.  It went a little something like this:

In a smokey BBQ dive on the last day of work, my office siblings (that's really what co-worker friends are like, aren't they?  spending all sorts of time together, poking fun at each other, sometimes driving each other crazy?) and I ate lunch together with Wes, one of our greatest friends.

Wes will tell you he has a wrinkled past, but thanks to the saving grace of Christ, he's never been happier.  Wes is also one of the most hard-working, honest, and generous souls I've ever known.  He would, without a doubt, give you the shirt off his back and the shoes off his feet, if it would help you.  He loves helping people.

And, on a side note, he can preach the Gospel like nobody's business!  Not because he's paid to, or because he has a pulpit.  Instead, he's got a story, and a fiery passion.

At lunch that day, Wes shared a story of being shackled in a prison cell.  Although he was saved at the time, he was paying the penalty for a past offense, having been arrested on his job site.

Shortly after his incarceration, Wes's name was called, and his bail had been posted.  He didn't know who could -- and would -- pay his debt.

Upon his release, he met his boss face to face in the waiting room of the city jail.

"God told me to come down here and get you out.  Is there anything else I need to know about you?"

"No, sir.  This was it."

And his boss responded, "I want to help you, and you don't owe me anything."

(Tears are flowing at the BBQ pit, by the way.)

Wes tells that story, because he values the friendship he shares with his unlikely benefactor.

Could the spiritual metaphor be any clearer?  (Love it that God isn't so subtle sometimes!)

Our fallen race deserves the shackles.

We find ourselves in bondage over transgressions.

An unlikely Savior redeems us, sets us free, and says, "You don't owe me anything.  The debt is paid."

And we get to be His friend.

Here's to celebrating the birth of an unlikely servant King.  Be merry!

oreo goodness

Here's a little Christmas goodie for you, particularly if you find yourself needing something quick:

Oreo Truffles

1 package of regular Oreos (you can use mint, if you're feeling froggy)
1 (8-oz.) package of cream cheese, softened (don't get low-fat; it spoils all the fun)
regular or white (or both!) chocolate bark

1. Crush your Oreos into smithereens.  (I do this with the biggest Ziploc bag I have -- the 2-gallon size works well --  and some combination of a rolling pin and a meat mallet.)
 
2. Mix the crushed cookies with the softened cream cheese.  (Use your hands.  It's much easier, and much more fun.)
 
3. Roll this Oreo goodness into balls, one to two bites each, and place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper.  You may want to pop them in the freezer or fridge for a short spell, to harden them up.
 
4. Melt three-four blocks of chocolate bark.  Roll the balls in the melted chocolate, and place the balls back on the cookie sheet.

You'll get about 3 dozen truffles out of this recipe, so split it between white and dark chocolate as you like.

Mmm, mmm, good!

thankful thursday #5

There are just too many things I'm thankful for today to pick one, so I'm going for a quick Top Ten list of the things I'm most appreciating:

10. One. More. Day.  Until two weeks of vacation.  In a row!  Don't hate me.

09. Unexpectedly stumbling on the perfect Christmas gift for someone on my list who shouldn't be so hard to buy for, but he manages to stump me every year.

08. Haircuts.  Even though it rains every single time I have a hair appointment, I just love 'em!

07. Hairdressers that are friends, too.  CPG, I love sitting in your chair, and laughing with you every time.

06. Hot Bacon Swiss Dip.  You're so much more than an appetizer.

05. The job that affords me the two weeks of free vacay over the holidays.

04. Random, tiny little compliments.

03. Thoughtful gifts.

02. Dishwashers.  So, so glad I don't have to wash every single dish, pot, and utensil by hand after having company.

01. My finger(nail) hasn't yet turned purple after slamming it unmercifully in my desk drawer this morning.

What are you thankful for today?  Go on, be grateful!

pretty things

Mid-sentence during a phone chat today, my friend strayed off track, ooh-ing and ah-ing about something happening at her desk.

Snapping back into our conversation, she said, "Sorry.  I was distracted by pretty things."

We both acknowledged that there was a profound metaphor in that statement, and that blog entries would ensue.  I'm hopeful she will explore that metaphor in the spiritual way it should be addressed, so that I can blog instead superficially, about these pretty things:

I spent the better part of my evening singing along to Christmas tunes and wrapping Christmas gifts.

Gift-wrapping and I have a love-hate relationship:

love:  Investing time to make presents look pretty.

hate:  Backaches resulting from hunching over boxes, ribbons, paper, and tape for hours on end.

love:  Buying fun new wrapping paper each year, to motivate me to endure aforementioned backaches.

hate:  New rolls of gift-wrap that are kept closed with Scotch tape.  There's gotta be a better way.

love:  Keeping all gift-wrapping materials contained and organized in a Rubbermaid storage bin, year-round (making Dad proud).

hate:  The wrapping chaos that occurs in process.

love:  Cutting the gift-wrap to precisely the right size for your box (yes, I have a measuring system).

hate:  Picking that wrapping paper for x gift, unrolling it, watching the cardboard roll appear too soon, and thus knowing that wrapping paper is not, in fact, for x gift.  (And fooling myself into thinking I might be able to use that scrap somewhere down the road.)

love:  A wide, organza ribbon that looks lovely without much effort.

hate:  Curling ribbon that can't stay in line.  Why must you be so difficult?

(conditionally) love:  The gift bag.

As a gift-wrapping purist, gift bags are a little bit of a cop-out.  (Don't be offended, you lovers of gift bags!)  I just like the idea of someone removing a bow and ripping paper off of a gift.  In my head, it sort of heightens the anticipation and the element of surprise.

But I can't tell a lie, after a couple of hours on the floor when my body is screaming, "Please, stop the madness!" a gift bag really is a welcomed relief.  It's just so much less demanding.  A little tissue paper and a quick curled ribbon.  Done and done.

(So, in the spirit of transparency, if you receive a gift bag from me, your gift was probably the last one wrapped in a batch.  Or it was just not going to be pretty if I tried traditionally wrapping it.)

What are your peeves of pretty things?  You know you have 'em. 

sippin' cider

It's snowing in Birmingham!  So gentle, and pretty, and festive!

It's the perfect day to throw on your coziest sweatshirt and curl up with a cup of my favorite hot beverage of the season:

December Cider

1 can frozen cranberry juice concentrate
1 can frozen apple juice concentrate
1 (6 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate (which I can never find, so I end up using half of a 12 oz. can)
8 c. water
7 whole cloves
5 cinnamon sticks
dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Mix all ingredients in a large pot.  Bring to a boil and simmer.  Strain cloves and cinnamon before serving.

Raise a glass to December!

christmas music superlatives

I adopt what I call "life nuggets" from just about all my friends.  They're the evidences of all the people in my life, the handprints they leave on the way I live.

For example, my pastry chef friend, who I met living in New Orleans, taught me to always pick up a pound of stick butter -- unsalted, so as to not alter the sodium content of a recipe -- if it's on sale at the grocery store, because it will always keep in the freezer.  So I do.

My college roommate buys one new Christmas album every year, and that's become one of my own little traditions, too.

Over the years I've collected some very fun albums, and as we're heading into the height of Christmas party season, I'd like to recommend the following favorites for your listening pleasure.  'Tis the season to share!

best vocal



The man can sing', y'all.  That's just all I have to say about that.

best instrumental



He dated Katie Couric, but let's not hold that against him.  This album is perfect for curling up on the couch with a cup of December Cider.

favorites of 2010



 

Do not miss these cuts:

Dave Barnes' "Christmas Tonight" (with Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum)

Jill Phillips and Andy Gullahorn's "You Came Down" and "Baby, it's Cold Outside" (hilarious!)

most original



This is one of my new favorite Christmas traditions.  Read details on that here.

old time faves that never get old



They still have my favorite arrangement of "O Holy Night" ever.




1992 was a good year for her.  This is an album I love all the way through, until "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" which, thanks to my buddy Brad Phelps, is my least favorite secular Christmas tune ever.

honorable mention singles

These are ten songs that while I may or may not endorse the entire album, they have frequent playtime on my iTunes during the holidays:

"Winter Snow" – Chris Tomlin, with Audrey Assad
"Some Children See Him" – James Taylor
"Children Go Where I Send Thee" – Natalie Merchant
"River" – Robert Downey, Jr.
"Mistletoe" – Colbie Callait
"We're Not That Far from Bethlehem" – Point of Grace
"In the First Light" – Glad
"Labor of Love" – Jill Phillips (on Andrew Peterson's album)
"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" – Francesca Battistelli
"Auld Lang Syne" – Straight No Chaser 

What about you?  What are your favorite Christmas albums, songs, or arrangements?  Your pick might be my purchase next year!

thankful thursday #4

I love Mom and Dad for so many reasons.  Too many to count.

Today, I'm especially loving them -- and thankful-- for their dental genes.  Seriously.

I had my regular teeth cleaning today, and -- Mom and Dad, be proud -- no cavities.

When I was growing up, I don't ever remember dreading the semi-annual dental check-ups.  I seemed to never have cavities, and when all my friends were getting braces, I wasn't.  And then, when all my friends were having their wisdom teeth taken out, I wasn't doing that either.

At the time, I thought that was all very normal, but I know now that in fact, not everyone gets praises from their dentists like,

Have you been flossing?  Your gums look really good.

Did you do a whitening touch-up recently?  Your teeth are especially bright this morning!

That dark spot on the x-ray?  No, no, that's not decay.  That's just a shadow!

I know you love our chap-sticks; help yourself to the bowl of them we have right over there.

You're in great shape.  Some people have those teeth that you just can't make any better.

Now, you show me a words-of-affirmation person out there who doesn't get a little bit excited about those compliments.

What else can I do, but be grateful?  So, thanks, Mom and Dad.  You (and your teeth) rock.

Your turn.  Go on, be grateful!

reconnecting

Does anyone else have people they just adore, and then life takes you in different directions, and you fall off the we'll-keep-in-touch bandwagon?

I sure do.

Sometimes I feel guilty about that, and a lot of times I feel sad.  Other times I know it's just the ebb and flow of life -- there are seasons where certain people are in your life, and other times they're not.  Seasons of closeness, and seasons of distance.

I haven't reconciled all of those feelings, but here's one thing I'm sure of: reconnecting is the best!

After our bublé-icious night, Deana and I reconnected with Sarah, another friend from Starkville ...

... at this darling little cafe in downtown Franklin, Tennessee:

Sarah is one of the most genuine gals I know.  She's an old soul, listens well, and I love having conversations with her beyond what's happening on the surface.  And she's pretty hilarious, too.

I felt rich that night when I flew back into Birmingham.  So overwhelmed with gratitude for the people in my life, even (especially) the ones who I don't see often, or who I'm terrible at keeping in touch with, but who still hang out with me on a whim, on a tiny little Main Street, over fried green beans.

Let this be a little nudge.  Shoot a quick text, or email, or call a person you're missing.

Reconnect!

bublé-icious

Two words about this past week: Whirl. Wind.

The miles I've traveled over the past seven days sure have been worth it, though!

On Sunday after our Big 12 event was complete in Dallas, I flew to Nashville to spend a little time with one of my favorite people:



Let me tell you how much I love this girl.  Deana was my first friend in Starkville.  New kids on the block, no matter how old they are, want to be included, and from the first time she introduced herself to me, she touched me deeply with her warm, welcoming spirit.  I love her kindness and inclusion of others, even today.

She only lives ninety miles from me now, and I don't see her nearly enough.

Now let me tell you how much she loves me.  Deana doesn't even live in Nashville, and the girl drove there to greet me off the plane and whisk us around while we played in Music City.  She's a keeper, I tell you.

And I'll tell you what else, twenty-four hours in Nashville was good for the soul.

We drained that iPhone battery while we navigated our way through downtown; the parking attendant saved us $15 and directed us to free parking "because we smelled real nice" (creepy); I walked slowly with her up Broadway while she limped around on her awesomely high heels; and we laughed together like old times.

But we planned this trip for one main reason:



The Michael Bublé concert.

Now, I enjoy MB's music.  But Deana is over-the-top for him.  The concert was enjoyable for a lot of reasons, but she made the experience ten times better, and there isn't anyone I'd rather have gone with.

And more importantly, there isn't anyone who'd have smelled any better to charm that parking attendant.

thankful thursday #3

I left at dark early this morning for a weekend work event at Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

We had an uneventful flight (on which I snoozed most of the way, attempting to recover from the 4:30 a.m. wake-up call, ugh), arrived to the stadium, put in a super easy day of work, and then headed back to the hotel around 5:00 to change for dinner.

And at our hotel ...

... at this time every day ...

... they serve up a hot batch of these ...
 

... and today's batch of double chocolate cookies took the sting out of the 4:30 a.m. wake-up call and put a little extra pep in my step.

Yum.

That's what I'm appreciating today.  What about you?  Go on, be grateful!

a sweet statement

I participate in this community choir ...

... and it’s one of my most favorite things about living in Birmingham.

A group of Christians come together, and despite our varying denominations and traditions, together we sing praise to the one true God.  Glory! 

We sing “sacred chorale music.”  (Read, “way-over-my- head music.”)  I have a decent musical background, but seriously, I have to work really hard to keep up.  I’m far from multilingual, so in particular, the selections in Latin, Italian, French, etc. are simply out of my league.

(Don’t feel sorry for me.  It’s just my reality.  But it’s good.  Humility is healthy.)

We start rehearsals the week after Labor Day in preparation for the Christmas concert.  I admit that in September, it’s hard for me to embrace the Christmas spirit when it’s 90 degrees outside – it really takes the anticipation of Christ’s birth to a whole new level.

But then comes the concert, and all is right with the world!

Music is powerful to a lot of people, for a lot of reasons, but isn’t it remarkable to think how the church has preserved and recorded the story of Christ’s birth in song, for hundreds of years?  I love that about music.

Tonight was our concert ...

... and I’m officially pumped about Christmas.

We sang the sweet story about the birth of an innocent baby with such little fanfare, in a simple stable, because there was no room at the inn.  Jesus – the King of Kings and Lord of Lords – was born to fulfill a promise of salvation for generations to come.  That’s heavy stuff!

And yet.

How ironic and beautiful, that God the Father, the maker of heavens and earth, chose to speak to His people, after 400 years of silence, in such an understated way.

That’s my kind of statement.

deckin' my halls

I'm a big believer in letting Thanksgiving have its day, and for me, that means holding off on all things Christmas until I pull out of my parents' driveway after Thanksgiving break.  If I'm lucky, the temperature has dropped below 55 degrees (gotta love the south), and I'll pop in some Christmas tunes on the drive back to Birmingham.

Twice in my adult life the tree was erected (okay, assembled) prior to Thanksgiving.  I maintain that it was necessary those years - and likely will be again in the future - because between work and vacation, the time I'd have at home, delighting in the seasonal decor, was going to be too short if I didn't bite the bullet before Thanksgiving.

I do love Christmas, but seriously, the cost-benefit evaluation can't be justified if I can't enjoy the fruits of my decorating labors for at least three weeks.  (This is sounding like a Merry Self-Centered Christmas here ... but I digress.)

So when I do get back to town, and after I unpack and start the laundry, Christmas preparation is in full throttle.

And so today is the day!

Decking my halls looks a little something like this:

• Selecting a seasonal CD to set the musical mood
 
• Lighting a candle that smells like cinnamon, mistletoe, cider or something else festive, like the real tree I don't have
 
• Digging out the boxes of Christmas goodness from the closet
 
• Assembling the very fake tree 
 
• Fighting with the Christmas tree lights and kicking myself for not buying the pre-lit tree on sale last year
 
• Wishing for fun new decorations, and feeling Grinch-like toward the tree lights, so excusing myself to the likes of Pier1, HomeGoods, and World Market to make some purchases, thus restoring the Christmas spirit lost in said light-stringing frustration
 
• Returning home to complete the tree trimming
 
• Throwing down the tree skirt
 
• Displaying the new purchases: this year, a table centerpiece that matches my tree topper (how that happened, I'm not sure), and a festive welcome mat
 
• Hanging two very cute stockings for no one in particular
 
• Arranging the nativity scene
 
• Setting the table with Christmas china and dreaming up what I'd serve on those pretty dishes if I ever hosted a Christmas dinner
 
• Programming the light timer, so that I'm welcomed home from work every day by the happy lights that owe me for enduring their stubbornness

'Tis the season, y'all!  What're your decorating rituals?

thankful thursday #2

Happy Thanksgiving!  What a full day of family, friends, and food.  I hope your day was filled with things you love, too.

What am I especially appreciating today?  I'm thankful my day's been so full I'm barely getting this posted before Black Friday!  But two things stand out:

I had one of those side-splitting laughs, with no sound coming out -- the kind referenced in a comment from my first Thankful Thursday -- first thing this morning!  It's not uncommon for these moments to come around my family members, and I love that about us, and about my brothers in particular. 

You know the greatest thing about those?  They're so unexpected!  They sneak up on me, and I have a hard time shaking those giggles!  The story would not be funny to you, so I'll skip the details, but I'm so happy that one of those snuck up on me for Thanksgiving.

Thankful moment number two today came just after lunch, while we sat around letting the turkey and dressing goodness settle in our bellies, and sharing some more laughs.  I'm so glad that my aunt grabbed that pitcher of water and put out the fire in our Thanksgiving centerpiece!  Turns out those votive candles tucked in those pretty flowers were spicy little guys, and we had a special light show, right there at the table.

No major drama, but just enough to make me thankful.

What about you today, on this Thanksgiving edition of Thankful Thursdays?  Go on, be grateful!

review: camp taco

Although eventually the sunshine peeked through the clouds, today was one rainy mess!  It's been one of those days that a small miracle would be required to drag you outside.

Like an extra-tasty eating establishment, for example.

One like Camp Taco!  (Warning:  Worst. Website. Ever.  But I'm not reviewing the website.)

Camp Taco is on 20th Street South, just past Five Points.  It's a total hole in the wall with zippo atmosphere, but let's call a spade a spade, those spots have some tasty food!

Now, when you read "the inside scoop" on down at the bottom of this entry, you might think, "Now that is a lot of reasons not to go to Camp Taco."  Don't be a hater.


I just believe that as a foodie sharing the food love, I have an obligation to manage your expectations.

Now, onto the goodness that is Camp Taco:

order one of these (or one of each if you can't decide!):

The Flank Steak Taco with Housemade Steak Sauce and Amish Bleu Cheese, because it's the most delicious combination of sweet sauce and sharp cheese you'll ever want to consume, or

The Chicken BLT Taco with White BBQ Sauce, because while it's a little less adventurous, it's got itself a multi-faceted, well-rounded flavor nonetheless.

and if you're really hungry or have friends with whom to share:

The Tres Queso and Chips, because y'all, for a cheese lover (i.e., me), this is the mother of all queso dips.  It has your regular ol' melted queso blanco (the white cheese of all Mexican joint quesos), and then piled inside of that is shredded Monterey Jack cheese and crumbled queso fresco.  Be still, my heart!

and the inside scoop, from yours truly:

1. Note that "specials" -- including my two taco recommendations -- are listed to the right of the main menu, on a board that resembles something a kindergartner might prepare for a science fair project.  Not really a great way to highlight your chef's picks, but to each his own.
 
2. All the tacos are served on double soft tortillas, so if you're cheap like me, you can split the filling of one taco between the two tortillas and pretend like you get more bang for your buck, even though you're really not.
 
3. Chips and salsa aren't free, so if you're getting something extra to munch on, go with the Tres Queso.  (I know you're surprised by that recommendation.)
 
4. For lunch, wait 'til later in the noon hour, because you will want to parallel park.  All three times I've been, we've had no problems snagging a spot, but we go late.
 
5. Given #4 above, be sure your driver doesn't struggle with the parallel parking.  It could get ugly.  And don't forget some change for the meter.
 
6. As previously mentioned, considering the (un)atmosphere, don't try to impress a first date there (unless he/she is a cheese lover).
 
7. Don't go if you have more than four people in your party.  They have only two- and four- tops, and you can't go pushing tables together, because, well, they're all booths affixed to the floor, and that would just be a disaster.
 
8. If you have picky eaters in your group (i.e., not me), I've heard the Chicken Melt -- just chicken and cheese -- is the safe bet for those poor souls.

Try it out, y'all.  It'll make your rainy days taste better.

chuck e. cheese: the anniversary edition

Yesterday, the Little was scheduled to come over for Christmas decorating and card stuffing (call me a slave driver, but I like to encourage productivity during our quality time; life's not always about ice cream and movies, you know).  Unfortunately, she came down with a nasty bug, so decorating didn't happen, and I also have no fun pics to share, as I'd planned.

Instead, and as previously promised, I am posting my recap of our outing to the great Chuck E. Cheese's from exactly one year ago.

Despite my insistence to not be, I was that adult in Chuck E. Cheese’s tonight. You know the one. She is the excessive token provider. (Tokens seemed so much more expensive when I was seven!) He is the keeper of the ticket wads. (Don’t you remember wondering how those families won so many tickets?)

Collectively, they are the enablers and supporters of Kid Vegas.

Yes, I met the Little nearly two years ago. And yes, one of her very first outing suggestions was to visit Chuck E. Cheese's. And yes, I’ve avoided this (not really) innocent wish for that long. Sure, we’ve had some memorable outings: dying Easter eggs; the park; The Nutty Nutcracker last Christmas; her first manicure for her 9th birthday; the list goes on. But as we are approaching our two-year match anniversary, the guilt had really just become too much. Chuck E. Cheese’s had to be done. Tonight was the night.

So, in case you’re wondering, not much has changed in 20+ years at the Chuck. The parent to child ratio is still alarming. The parents’ supervision of said children is minimal, at best. The “prizes” are still made from the cheapest materials known to man. If there are any posted rules there (I didn’t see any), one of them is not, “No running allowed.” And, from my experience as a sort-of event planner, the traffic flow in the gaming areas is really tragic.

On the other hand, my perspective has changed a great deal over the last 20+ years. Here’s what I learned:

1. Kids are taught very early to value “stuff.” They’re not in it for the games; they’re in it for those plastic prizes.
 
2. Kids instinctively find ways to work less for more reward. Those games that have a “jackpot” opportunity (i.e., 250 tickets) with the single push of a “no whammy” button have the longest lines.
 
3. Speaking of devaluing work, did you know you don’t even have to count tickets and do old-fashioned math anymore? They have machines to do that for you now.
 
4. The real prize goes to those employees, who wait so, so patiently behind the Counter of Plastic Prize Goodness as sugar-high patrons mentally calculate every possible combination of prizes that equals 874 tickets.
 
5. Not all of those ticket wads people carry around are earned honestly. Of our 874 tickets, about 540 of them were machine errors. That is not an exaggeration.
 
6. There are people (usually between the ages of 12 and 14) who spend a lot of time at the Chuck and know the tricks to those aforementioned jackpots. If you see them, act impressed, and ask them for the secret, because they tell you, and you can win the jackpot too. We did.

I have to admit, on the fun scale, this outing was around a 7 for me, much higher than was anticipated. The pizza wasn’t as tasty as I remembered, and the “shows” hardly qualified as entertaining. But I did enjoy a night of observing the next generation, and personally playing for the jackpot a few times for kicks and giggles.

And seeing the Little enjoy herself was kind of nice, too.

What about you parents out there?  What're the stressful places you take your kids?

a testimony

At church today, Pastor Calvin challenged us to know our testimony, and to be able to communicate it clearly in less than one hundred words.  Sounds tricky, yes?

I don't know about you, but to me, "testimony” can be so heavy, so overwhelming.  For a long time I thought of a person’s testimony in the context of a formal presentation of “How I Became a Christian.”  And there are certainly times where that full-blown version is appropriate, and maybe necessary.

Several years ago, another pastor lessened my anxiety about testimonies, saying it was really just a story about how the Lord has worked/is working in your life.  That’s true, and it was a little bit helpful, but …

I still wrestled with this idea that ordinary people (like me), with ordinary conversion stories (like me), lacked the ability to relate to – and intrigue – someone who was considering the Christian life.

Let’s just keep it real: when someone (like me) starts their story with, “I grew up in church, and when I was twelve years old …” that is the beginning of a total snooze-fest testimony for me.

Part of a powerful testimony is the change component, right?  Evangelists being paid to share their testimonies seem to have conversions on the heels of a terrible accident, an illness, a loved one's death, a rock-bottom moment in substance abuse.  No doubt about it, those are the powerful befores and afters that get people excited!

On the other hand, when someone’s been living the Christian life since they were seven, we can all rejoice that they were saved at such a tender age, but don't you want to know their story didn’t end then?  Don't you want to hear that they’ve somehow been changed for good along the way?

Don’t get me wrong, I tear up just about every time a little one gets baptized.  Praise be to God, and thanks in large part to praying and diligent parents, those testimonies are real, and no less miraculous than ones that happen to people who are 21, 52, or 87 when they make a life-changing decision about Who’s in charge of their lives.

And that’s the rub: children being baptized is a beautiful thing, but where's the zing in their story?  Where's their opportunity for extreme transformation?  After all, when I was twelve and publicly confessed my belief in a living God, I wasn’t exactly living a crazy rebellious life, from whence I would make a supernatural U-turn away from the dark side!

I admit that I’ve often thought of what a boring story mine is, and I’ve wondered how a story like mine, when shared, could possibly interest someone enough to give them a better understanding of the Christian life. 

Isn't that just like Satan?  To trick God's people -- whose stories might not be the dramatic ones you hear at revivals and Christian conferences -- into thinking that their stories can't have an impact for the kingdom? 

So, while my story might not be dramatic on the outside, it has everything to do with the work the Lord has done – and continues to do – on the inside.

(Cue the word counter.)

There was a time in my life when I thought that being a Christian – and obtaining the Lord’s favor – was a privilege reserved for the morally superior:  those who followed rules; always made “right” decisions; made their parents and families proud; and were considered “good” people by others.

In my quest to become morally superior (and make no mistake, stumbling all over the place along the way), I landed myself instead on the top rung of the Ladder of Morality, looking down my nose at other people in judgment and self-righteousness.  It wasn’t pretty.

These days, I’m still a work in progress, but the Lord has been gracious to teach me that His love is one that extends to all people, no matter if they’ve followed all the rules, made all the right decisions, won the approval of their families, or carry baggage that exceeds the morally acceptable weight limit.

He loves everyone passionately, and He commands us to do the same.  That’s our (my) challenge every day.

Sigh.  I couldn’t do it in less than one hundred words.  I’ll have to work on that.

In the meantime, be encouraged in your story, no matter where it falls on the ordinary scale.  There are other ordinary people waiting to hear it!

thankful thursdays

Thursdays rock my world.  I meet with five beautiful women every week for a little Bible study, a little prayin', a little laughin', a little cryin', a little eatin', and it is glorious.  I love those girls.

I can't remember a Thursday where I didn't leave them with a big extra dose of gratitude overflowing my cup.  For friendships, for sharing, for all sorts of tiny (and big!) things.

So the plan is to institute Thankful Thursdays each week here on the blog.  I'm not going to be all Oprah and list five things in my "Gratitude Journal" or anything (gag).  And fair warning, it might be totally off-the-wall, crazy insignificant, or just downright shallow.

And it may or may not accompany a short story. J

It's just a little exercise to keep my spirit grateful and my heart glad.  Taking the time for some simple thanks.  And you can play, too!

This Thursday?  I'm thankful for my safety this morning!

My sweet mom has been on a tireless hunt for used, good-condition furniture for the little bro's new apartment.  And we all know Craig's List is a go-to for starters.  So this morning I went to scout out some furniture she'd found online, here in town.

And, I had to meet a nice-enough-sounding guy at his ... wait for it ... storage unit to see it.  A little shady, maybe, right?

I can be naive about these things, but today I asked one of the guys at work to call me at a designated time, just in case I'd been taken out to a woodshed or something.  (Morbid, right?!  But give me some credit for covering my bases!)

So, all was well, there was no drama, and I'm just thankful it was a safe situation.  And for my friend who called me up to check on me.  It was very brotherly, in the non-related kind of way.

Your turn.  What're you appreciating today?  Go on, be grateful!

being and blogging

I’ve considered blogging for a long time.  Like for a couple of years. I even tried once, but it was lame.  So after about four entries, I was done.

Two months ago, when I disconnected my cable, I decided that blogging would be my new hobby, because

    a)   I enjoy the written word,
    b)   I have a lot more time on my hands, and
    c)   I figured I might enjoy keeping a scrapbook of sorts.

So I started wondering about how exactly to launch this whole thing.  About how, if I told someone, “Hey!  Check out my blog!”  And they went to read it, and there was only my first entry?  How boring.

That got me thinking that I should blog incognito for a while, get started, hopefully get myself into a writing rhythm, and begin to discover my online personality, without telling people.  So I did!

Here’s what you might see in my entries: 

1. Lists (I’m a list-maker, so … yeah.)
2. Occasional photos
3. Some good eats (I love food!)
4. God moments
5. Recaps of trips
6. And generally, a little glimpse into what it’s like being me.

Here’s what you won’t see in my entries:

1. Anything dishonoring to a person

Well, that’s the only thing I know of right now that’ll for sure be off limits.

Today’s the official invitation to blog stalk me, because I’ve finally settled on the design.  (That was also a big process for me, and I have some really great professionals to thank for that.)

Thanks for visiting, y’all.  I hope you’ll poke around, maybe come back and comment sometime, but if you don’t, that’s okay, too.

I'll just keep on being and blogging anyway.

made over

I like make-up.  I like a thick, black mascara …

… and I like a deep, red lipstick.

It’s a healthy little pop of drama in the life of someone who has a low tolerance for drama.

For fun this weekend, my friend and I are going to have make-overs by Julie Hewitt.

She’s pretty fabulous, and her product line is, too.  Check her out sometime.

Being made over every now again is nice.  It’s new.  Updated.  Fresh.  You feel like a million bucks, walking out of that salon, even if it’s just for a fun dinner with the girls.

The greatest make-over we can ever enjoy, of course, is the new life we receive through Christ.  I love that the Bible tells us so plainly, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Greek word for “new” in that passage is kainos, and it means fresh, unused, unworn, and better yet, unprecedented!  Isn’t that thrilling?  When you become reborn in Christ Jesus, you are novel.  More uncommon, unmatched, and unparalleled than anything you’ve ever been previously, or anything you could hope to be on your own.  Glory to God.

The LORD did some pretty spectacular renewal in the Old Testament, too.  Israel?  Yeah, they had dropped the ball big time.  The nation’s sin and profanation of God’s name was heartbreaking to God (who wouldn’t be, after their antics?), but He still promised good to them: "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you" (Ezekiel 36:26).  He pledged their restoration both spiritually (v. 26), and then externally through prosperity (vv. 29-30).

And, on a side note, He is clear that it’s not for Israel’s sake – goodness knows they didn’t deserve His mercy – but for His holy name’s sake (Ezekiel 36:22).  I love it when He gets in a jab.  In truth, of course. J

So next time you sweep on some of your favorite eye shadow, or purse your lips to spread the glossy goodness, remember God’s goodness in His making us over, one new heart at a time.

highlights from an ordinary week

at work:

Auburn and South Carolina clinched their spots in the SEC Championship game, which will happen in just a couple short weeks.  Yay for them.  Boo on any fans that don’t enjoy the success with class.

back home:
Talked to my little brother, just as he was signing his name to an apartment lease in New Orleans.  Here we are a couple of Christmases ago:

I’m so proud of him, flying out of Athens right into adulthood, as he’ll be interning for a spell in the Big Easy here:

… at the same internship, in fact, that I had exactly one decade ago!

Helloooo, full circle!

on the treadmill:
Big progress: ran 1.5 miles today and no knee pain.  Praise God for that!

AND in the kitchen:
If you’ve never made these little bites of goodness, find a reason to.  They’ll disappear before you know it!

Sausage Pinwheels

2 cans of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (I like Butter Flake)

1 lb. of Jimmy Dean pork sausage (mild, hot, sage, whatever you prefer)

Unroll one can of crescent roll dough onto wax or parchment paper (for easy clean-up).  Seal the perforations, so you create one big rectangle of dough.  Take half of the sausage, and spread it out on the dough, going almost to each edge.  Roll up the dough, lengthwise, as tightly as you can.  Wrap the rolled log into the wax or parchment paper, and stick in the fridge for 15-30 minutes, or until you’re ready to bake, just to firm it up.  (It’s easier to slice that way.)  When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°.  Slice the log thinly, about ¼” – ½” each.  Place each pinwheel onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (again, easy clean-up), and bake for about 15-18 minutes.  Repeat using the other can of dough and the remaining sausage.  Makes a lot. J

ready to run

As I recently disclosed in humility, I’ve been down on my back (I never really understood that phrase before now) for the last couple of weeks (such misery).  What you haven’t had the great pleasure of reading about yet is the unfortunate water-skiing injury that rocked my world back in August. 

(Not to worry, I won’t take the time to do that now.  I fear writing about it will somehow channel the pain that I’m not prepared to handle.)

So the short story is, I’ve been on the mend for one reason or another for the past twelve weeks, and the extent of my physical activitiy has been only rehab exercises, as prescribed by a lot of knowledgeable and supportive family and friends.  (Yes, they are professionals.)

But running, weight-training, those things, they’ve been on the back burner.  Actually, that is a lie.  They've been off my radar completely.  And unfortunately, those activities are necessary in my world, so that I can eat the yummy food I love without having to buy a whole new wardrobe.

But alas, the time has come.  It’s time to start reconditioning the body, so that I can be a functioning thirty-something again.  Limping when I get out of bed in the mornings, busting out the heating pad at night, popping Advil like it’s candy – I’m just over it all.

Last week I felt physically well enough to begin easing myself back into the gym, and had mentally prepared myself so as to not be discouraged by just how far I have to go.  And whoah, it's far.

But I’m ready to run again.  And, dare I say it, I’m considering another half marathon.  (I’m not fully committed though, so please, let's not go forming a running accountability group or anything.)

Stay tuned.  Long way to go.

take-out review: carrabba's

On our trip this past weekend, we really committed ourselves to total relaxation (read “laziness”).  And to give you an idea of exactly how slothful we were, after lounging around until 6:30 p.m. and spending all of two hours at a nearby outlet mall, we went home exhausted at 8:30.

In our defense, we had been pushing through Operation Pick-a-Lock at 3:00 a.m., but we had set laziness as a goal from the beginning (oh, the irony).

In remaining devoted to our mission of doing as little as possible, we opted for take-out on Saturday night.  A little bit regrettably, we didn’t even venture off to patronize a local dive, which I almost always prefer over a chain.

Instead we chose Carrabba’s Italian Grill.  Because it was next to the mall.  (Don’t judge.  I told you we were taking relaxation to a whole new level.)

Where am I going with this blog post?  As a food-lover, I feel the need to tell you that Carrabba’s take-out is the real deal.  So good!

My two friends selected seafood entrees that they both said were delish.  I ate the Johnny Rocco Salad, a bed of mixed greens with shrimp and scallops, roasted red peppers, and olives, dressed in vinaigrette.  And it was superb.  And then we had calamari.  So, so yummy.

The food was some of the better take-out I’ve eaten.  Here’s why:

1. Curbside pick-up and accurate ETA of our order.
2. Smart, attractive packaging of food.
3. All sides, sauces and accompaniments were included, without having to ask.
4. Every order included half a loaf of their warm bread (with EVOO, seasonings, and Parm cheese to boot).
5. Did I mention the calamari?  It’s some of the best.

So next time you’re craving Italian in the comfort of your home, give Carrabba’s a go.  At the very least, you can count on solid carbs.

off-roading

So, that gift I blogged about yesterday?  This one?

Good news: it’s this beautiful here.

 Bad news: it took four hours of waiting, a locksmith, and this to get here.

They say good things come to those who wait!

You can read the unabridged version of that story here, as told by my good friend who provides humorous commentary on all the details that, quite frankly, are so outrageous I wouldn’t hold it against you if you didn’t believe them.  But it was for real.

For lots of people, and probably even me at one time in my life, circumstances like those would completely ruin any chance for a relaxing weekend we’d traveled four hours (and waited four more hours) to enjoy.

And what a shame!  Because seriously, our adventure – some proverbial off-roading, if you will – is in the running for one of my most favorite 2010 memories.  We laughed so hard, we were beyond crying.  It’s such a good story that we can remember together, and laugh about over and over, for a long time to come.  Totally worth the inconvenience.

So, you know me and lists.  Here are lessons learned from an off-road experience (which clearly is a regular occurrence with my friends).

1. Keep your cool.  Conditions can go south really quickly if everyone isn’t intentional about exercising their “this is no big deal, it could be much worse, and God’s good all the time” attitudes.  You may want to crank up some praise songs to lighten the mood.
2. When contacting locksmiths, when someone says, “I will dispatch a technician …” all words beyond that are irrelevant, and you should hang up immediately.  Otherwise, you might find yourself waiting on a lock-picker who’s leaving a tavern 14 hours away from you.  Keep it local.
3. There are a couple of things you should immediately identify if you’re locked out of your vacation spot at 2:00 a.m.  Particularly if you’re traveling with friends who make you laugh a lot, at the top of that list would be an establishment with clean restrooms that’s open 24 hours.  Just sayin’.
4. And lastly, travel with people you really, really like.  Off-roading is just way less stressful that way.

What about you?  Crazy travel adventures you care to share?