Dr. Asa:
"An archaeological discovery of a gaming table in ancient Rome had this inscribed on it:
'Venari, lavare, ludere, ridere-hoc est vinere'
which translates to
'To hunt, to bathe, to gamble, to laugh-this is to live.'"
That Girl:
"Well, obviously they've never been SHOPPING."
Showing posts with label OCU. Show all posts
Showing posts with label OCU. Show all posts
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
That Girl Moment #991: Revealing Vicki's Little Secret
Listen kids. Since my last laundry mishap, I have tried to guard my wardrobe closely to avoid more of such misadventures. However, my efforts were proved futile yesterday.
I love getting mail. It brings me great joy to receive something through Snail Mail that is not a bill. In fact, my sweet friend Meghan did a precious thing for my birthday: she sent a birthday gift to me through the mail. It pretty much made my month. I LOVE seeing my name on a package and the thrill of oppening it. I like prying the packing tape off of a parcel and opening it to see what lies inside. It's one of the last great surprises in life.
Which, I found out yesterday can be a blessing and a curse-a double-edged sword, if you will.
I traveled across the street from my office to my apartment to get my lunch money yesterday. We have a fantastic new food service here and paying four dollars to eat a well-balanced (or NOT so well-balanced in some cases) lunch seems like a steal when I pay two dollars apiece for the processed meat wrapped in bread dough and preserved for nuclear attack otherwise known as a Hot Pocket.
No offense, Hot Pocket people. My freezer is still full of them. It's hard to cook for one!
Anyway, upon my arrival at my apartment, I found a parcel peeking out of my ancient and dusty mailbox.
I did that happy dance that made my neighbors and passers-by extremely uncomfortable. I began to sing The Song:
Here's the mail
it never fails
it makes me want to wag my tail
when it comes I want to wail -
MAIL!
Thank you, Blue. You are the second best dog in my life.
I may or may not have sung that song in my head as I happily walked back to the cafeteria line. I went ahead and skipped some of the students in line to stand with Candace, who is my coworker and dear friend, and Mary, who is the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President. A couple who serve as Resident Directors were standing directly behind me.
I know, I shouldn't have skipped line. But don't worry. I paid dearly for it.
I worked as fast as I could at prying off the parcel's brown packing tape as I explained that the parcel was from my sister-in-law, Shannon.
"I think it's pictures of the girls! I love presents! This is the best day of my life!!" (ok, slightly dramatic, perhaps. Welcome to That Girl's World) I told those in line with me. My nieces, K, H, and E, had their picture made in July and Shannon had promised when she got copies she would mail them to me from the West Coast. I got so excited thinking about how cute their pictures would be framed in my apartment and how excited I was to show them to everyone.
I had forgotten something.
Last week, my sweet sister-in-law Shannon had called me to see if I was interested in a new VS bra. Apparently it did not fit her right and she was so kind to pass it along to me and would I be interested in such a thing.
OH BOY! WOULD I?! Heck, I'm interested anytime there is something free involved. There may be No Such Thing As a Free Lunch (I tole ya homegirl--four bucks), but there is Such a Thing as a Free Bra When Your Sister Plays Pass it On.
As my IRL friends know, my short-term memory has been horrible for about the last year and a half. So inconveniently for me, I forgot that conversation EVER happened.
You are now permitted to begin cringing.
As I stood in the cafeteria line, surrounded by my coworkers and lots of young and impressionable students, I exclaimed, "This is the best day EVER! I Love sur---" and pulled the contents of the parcel out for the whole OCU Community to see.
I am pretty sure the force I used to pull out my Unmentionable Surprise caused one of the straps to hit someone in the face at one point.
That lace is stretchy. I'm surprised it didn't fly across the room and get caught on the water fountain.
Candace wore a sly grin, pleased to witness another full-throttle That Girl Moment in process. Mary was in shock-and-awe mode, and my Resident Directors (my employees), especially the fella, turned bright red.
Definitely won't be framing that surprise.
I love getting mail. It brings me great joy to receive something through Snail Mail that is not a bill. In fact, my sweet friend Meghan did a precious thing for my birthday: she sent a birthday gift to me through the mail. It pretty much made my month. I LOVE seeing my name on a package and the thrill of oppening it. I like prying the packing tape off of a parcel and opening it to see what lies inside. It's one of the last great surprises in life.
Which, I found out yesterday can be a blessing and a curse-a double-edged sword, if you will.
I traveled across the street from my office to my apartment to get my lunch money yesterday. We have a fantastic new food service here and paying four dollars to eat a well-balanced (or NOT so well-balanced in some cases) lunch seems like a steal when I pay two dollars apiece for the processed meat wrapped in bread dough and preserved for nuclear attack otherwise known as a Hot Pocket.
No offense, Hot Pocket people. My freezer is still full of them. It's hard to cook for one!
Anyway, upon my arrival at my apartment, I found a parcel peeking out of my ancient and dusty mailbox.
I did that happy dance that made my neighbors and passers-by extremely uncomfortable. I began to sing The Song:
Here's the mail
it never fails
it makes me want to wag my tail
when it comes I want to wail -
MAIL!
Thank you, Blue. You are the second best dog in my life.
I may or may not have sung that song in my head as I happily walked back to the cafeteria line. I went ahead and skipped some of the students in line to stand with Candace, who is my coworker and dear friend, and Mary, who is the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President. A couple who serve as Resident Directors were standing directly behind me.
I know, I shouldn't have skipped line. But don't worry. I paid dearly for it.
I worked as fast as I could at prying off the parcel's brown packing tape as I explained that the parcel was from my sister-in-law, Shannon.
"I think it's pictures of the girls! I love presents! This is the best day of my life!!" (ok, slightly dramatic, perhaps. Welcome to That Girl's World) I told those in line with me. My nieces, K, H, and E, had their picture made in July and Shannon had promised when she got copies she would mail them to me from the West Coast. I got so excited thinking about how cute their pictures would be framed in my apartment and how excited I was to show them to everyone.
I had forgotten something.
Last week, my sweet sister-in-law Shannon had called me to see if I was interested in a new VS bra. Apparently it did not fit her right and she was so kind to pass it along to me and would I be interested in such a thing.
OH BOY! WOULD I?! Heck, I'm interested anytime there is something free involved. There may be No Such Thing As a Free Lunch (I tole ya homegirl--four bucks), but there is Such a Thing as a Free Bra When Your Sister Plays Pass it On.
As my IRL friends know, my short-term memory has been horrible for about the last year and a half. So inconveniently for me, I forgot that conversation EVER happened.
You are now permitted to begin cringing.
As I stood in the cafeteria line, surrounded by my coworkers and lots of young and impressionable students, I exclaimed, "This is the best day EVER! I Love sur---" and pulled the contents of the parcel out for the whole OCU Community to see.
I am pretty sure the force I used to pull out my Unmentionable Surprise caused one of the straps to hit someone in the face at one point.
That lace is stretchy. I'm surprised it didn't fly across the room and get caught on the water fountain.
Candace wore a sly grin, pleased to witness another full-throttle That Girl Moment in process. Mary was in shock-and-awe mode, and my Resident Directors (my employees), especially the fella, turned bright red.
Definitely won't be framing that surprise.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
That Girl Moment #989: How Do You Say "That Girl" in Spanish?
This entry could also be subtitled as: Pride Goeth before the Fall.
So I am taking a new class at OCU called Spanish for Ministry. It's a class filled with both advanced spanish speakers and those who have never studied the language. There are graduate students like me who are taking it along with OCU freshmen, so it's definitely a hodgepodge. Some of the folks are not Religious Studies majors and they are just taking the course for a brush up.
Now I had a wonderful and fantastic Spanish teacher. Her name is Mrs. Bough, and she taught us very well. She had a flair for Spanish culture and had lived abroad. She also worked at Mi Pueblo for a while which makes her even more of a folk hero to me. She taught me everything I know about Latin America and I am proud to say I was her student. I took four years of Spanish in high school and received 12 college credits, none of which transferred to OCU because they didn't have any Spanish classes.
So I had The Big Head when I walked into the classroom the other day. Big Girl on Campus thought she had the language mastered.
When will I learn.
So my professor, a dear man named Dr. Walls who was a missionary in Venezuela and has taught me lots of things, went around the room working on introductions. Everyone was simply doing what we had been told to do-repite, por favor (repeat, please). He asked us how we are doing and we were to respond to him and extend to him the same courtesy. Dora the Explorer here thought that was too simple and began to write down sentences to translate. He called on me, I answered and that was that.
Then the moment came. He went around the room asking our names. In high school, Mrs. Bough gave us the luxury of choosing names with a more Spanish nature. Some kids, like Pete or Chuck, might become Pedro or Carlos. But there was no translation as far as I know for Lauren. So I went for a more stylish and beautiful name: Isabel. Sweet Mrs. Bough still refers to me as "Isa" whenever I see her, and I can't imagine learning Spanish as anyone but my also.known.as in honor of her. So I silently schemed in my mind to tell Dr. Walls about it in Spanish when my turn came.
{I know you are shaking your heads sadly. Don't do that. I feel awkward enough...}
So finally he got around to me and said, "Que es su nombre?" (I forget how to do the upside down question marks. Forgive me.)
I thought I would answer him in a large-and-in-charge kind of way, showing that I was La Jefa of la clase Espanol. Sweet and humble, I know.
When will I learn.
"Me llamo es Lauren pero mis amigos span...
err....
mis amigos...
uh...
mis amigos span....
MY SPANISH FRIENDS CALL ME ISABEL!!"
Everyone in the class laughed including Dr. Walls, who is too precious to have any thoughts that I received my just desserts for trying to be all cool and you know, Senorita Rica Suav-eeeee.
My reward for trying to earn a Student of the Year star: a severe ache from the syndrome known as Big Head, a steaming blue plate special of humility served up over-hard by the Holy Spirit, and turning muy muy RED in the face as my classmates laughed.
Esa Chica es loca.
Did you ever have a time when embarrassment led you to a clearer picture of humility?
So I am taking a new class at OCU called Spanish for Ministry. It's a class filled with both advanced spanish speakers and those who have never studied the language. There are graduate students like me who are taking it along with OCU freshmen, so it's definitely a hodgepodge. Some of the folks are not Religious Studies majors and they are just taking the course for a brush up.
Now I had a wonderful and fantastic Spanish teacher. Her name is Mrs. Bough, and she taught us very well. She had a flair for Spanish culture and had lived abroad. She also worked at Mi Pueblo for a while which makes her even more of a folk hero to me. She taught me everything I know about Latin America and I am proud to say I was her student. I took four years of Spanish in high school and received 12 college credits, none of which transferred to OCU because they didn't have any Spanish classes.
So I had The Big Head when I walked into the classroom the other day. Big Girl on Campus thought she had the language mastered.
When will I learn.
So my professor, a dear man named Dr. Walls who was a missionary in Venezuela and has taught me lots of things, went around the room working on introductions. Everyone was simply doing what we had been told to do-repite, por favor (repeat, please). He asked us how we are doing and we were to respond to him and extend to him the same courtesy. Dora the Explorer here thought that was too simple and began to write down sentences to translate. He called on me, I answered and that was that.
Then the moment came. He went around the room asking our names. In high school, Mrs. Bough gave us the luxury of choosing names with a more Spanish nature. Some kids, like Pete or Chuck, might become Pedro or Carlos. But there was no translation as far as I know for Lauren. So I went for a more stylish and beautiful name: Isabel. Sweet Mrs. Bough still refers to me as "Isa" whenever I see her, and I can't imagine learning Spanish as anyone but my also.known.as in honor of her. So I silently schemed in my mind to tell Dr. Walls about it in Spanish when my turn came.
{I know you are shaking your heads sadly. Don't do that. I feel awkward enough...}
So finally he got around to me and said, "Que es su nombre?" (I forget how to do the upside down question marks. Forgive me.)
I thought I would answer him in a large-and-in-charge kind of way, showing that I was La Jefa of la clase Espanol. Sweet and humble, I know.
When will I learn.
"Me llamo es Lauren pero mis amigos span...
err....
mis amigos...
uh...
mis amigos span....
MY SPANISH FRIENDS CALL ME ISABEL!!"
Everyone in the class laughed including Dr. Walls, who is too precious to have any thoughts that I received my just desserts for trying to be all cool and you know, Senorita Rica Suav-eeeee.
My reward for trying to earn a Student of the Year star: a severe ache from the syndrome known as Big Head, a steaming blue plate special of humility served up over-hard by the Holy Spirit, and turning muy muy RED in the face as my classmates laughed.
Esa Chica es loca.
Did you ever have a time when embarrassment led you to a clearer picture of humility?
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Party on the Grassy Knoll.
My kickball birthday party was held on Monday night on the Knoll. We nicknamed a particular area of campus "The Grassy Knoll" and somehow it caught on and spread like wildfire and three years later that is what a lot of Mighty Oaks call it.
The best looking Kickball team ever to lose in a ten-minute game.
Ah! The beautiful cup-CAKE. Made of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes covered with the most awesome frosting to cupcake ratio.
The bandanas the girls used to represent the best team ever.
A mini-candy bar for the 'ballas.
Treat bags for everyone. I love Hot Tamales!
Janky teeth from the frosting. Turns out all those pretty colors look pretty unappetizing when mixed together.
I received the blessed gift of the Heifer plates. These are plates that have been a part of the Vaughan family for a while now, and since my sweet roommate Nicole is leaving, I get the pleasure of using these plates for now.
My favorite kickball player.
Jami (in the Harvest gold shirt--everyone has a shirt this color from fourth grade softball or soccer) and Amy, Kasey, and Kris10 on the bench.
Amy is enjoying this cupcake. I will have to bring her some box mixes when she and Andy leave for HONDURAS to do missions full-time and we come to visit her there.
BFFs with a zest for chocolate and life.
Amy and Molly Jo...Molly Jo has the sweetest temperament and is possibly my favorite dog in the world. I have heard her bark only twice. UNLIKE Riley Cujo Thompson.
Sorry, Molls. No chocolate for you!
Kris10 and Kaci enjoying the cupCAKE
Yahi and her infamous Camp Allen T-Shirt.
Frosting fight...that ratio of frosting to cupcake was just begging for it.
"The Aftermath"
The frosting color manufacturers should call "Baby Poop."
Kristyn means business. She's leaving it all on the field, folks.
Kasey, we want a REAL pitch this time.
My precious roommate Nicole taking "The Stuff" to school on offense.
Look at the intensity!
Megan walking/running the bases. It was hot out, okay?
Look at That Girl's hustle! The back view is not that great. Shouldn't have had that cupcake.
Intimidation. A La Whitney.
Jimmy thinks he's Beckham or something.
With that half-hearted attempt at a beard I suggest a lot of night games, Konrath. :D
Who is That Girl with all the charisma? And by charisma I mean the ability to trip over her own feet?
Apartment number five. Sort of like Mambo No. 5, without the sketchy Lou Bega white suit and such. Nicole's leaving the OC to go around the world on a mission trip next year, and my heart breaks in a bittersweet sort of way when I look at this picture. I wish I could explain in words what she means to me along with the rest of our lovely OCU gang.
There was some fierce lightning and after Team Snaggle got stomped, we headed into the chapel narthex area to play the Mafia game.
At one point I called them BeBop and Rocksteady because I just knew they were co-conspirators ready to kill off the innocent townspeople.
Kaci looks slightly guilty too.
Dave is having what appears to be a crisis of belief in the background as Jami chews on her twizzlers and kills people off as a card-carrying Mafia member.
i.hate.twizzlers. so this pic of Amy grosses me out. She's like a cirque du soleil Twizzler eater.
He's in the Menards mafia. Loud and proud.
Pippi Longstocking is coming into your world. Eleven countries of it, in fact.
Whitney is also suspicious of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
Of course they had a really uncool team name.
Meet "The Stuff"
L to R:
Micheal, Ryan, David, Thomas, Seth
Micheal and Ryan are my neighbors, David works for Campus Life at OCU, and Thomas is a friend from FBC. Clearly they were all dressed to win.
The best looking Kickball team ever to lose in a ten-minute game.
"Team Snaggle"
A snaggle is a weapon much like a Triton developed by taking a plastic fork and breaking out the two middle points.
you really had to be there.
Ah! The beautiful cup-CAKE. Made of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes covered with the most awesome frosting to cupcake ratio.
The bandanas the girls used to represent the best team ever.
A mini-candy bar for the 'ballas.
Treat bags for everyone. I love Hot Tamales!
Janky teeth from the frosting. Turns out all those pretty colors look pretty unappetizing when mixed together.
I received the blessed gift of the Heifer plates. These are plates that have been a part of the Vaughan family for a while now, and since my sweet roommate Nicole is leaving, I get the pleasure of using these plates for now.
My favorite kickball player.
Jami (in the Harvest gold shirt--everyone has a shirt this color from fourth grade softball or soccer) and Amy, Kasey, and Kris10 on the bench.
Amy is enjoying this cupcake. I will have to bring her some box mixes when she and Andy leave for HONDURAS to do missions full-time and we come to visit her there.
BFFs with a zest for chocolate and life.
Amy and Molly Jo...Molly Jo has the sweetest temperament and is possibly my favorite dog in the world. I have heard her bark only twice. UNLIKE Riley Cujo Thompson.
Sorry, Molls. No chocolate for you!
Kris10 and Kaci enjoying the cupCAKE
Yahi and her infamous Camp Allen T-Shirt.
Frosting fight...that ratio of frosting to cupcake was just begging for it.
"The Aftermath"
The frosting color manufacturers should call "Baby Poop."
Kristyn means business. She's leaving it all on the field, folks.
Kasey, we want a REAL pitch this time.
My precious roommate Nicole taking "The Stuff" to school on offense.
Look at the intensity!
Megan walking/running the bases. It was hot out, okay?
Look at That Girl's hustle! The back view is not that great. Shouldn't have had that cupcake.
Intimidation. A La Whitney.
Jimmy thinks he's Beckham or something.
With that half-hearted attempt at a beard I suggest a lot of night games, Konrath. :D
Who is That Girl with all the charisma? And by charisma I mean the ability to trip over her own feet?
Apartment number five. Sort of like Mambo No. 5, without the sketchy Lou Bega white suit and such. Nicole's leaving the OC to go around the world on a mission trip next year, and my heart breaks in a bittersweet sort of way when I look at this picture. I wish I could explain in words what she means to me along with the rest of our lovely OCU gang.
There was some fierce lightning and after Team Snaggle got stomped, we headed into the chapel narthex area to play the Mafia game.
At one point I called them BeBop and Rocksteady because I just knew they were co-conspirators ready to kill off the innocent townspeople.
Kaci looks slightly guilty too.
Dave is having what appears to be a crisis of belief in the background as Jami chews on her twizzlers and kills people off as a card-carrying Mafia member.
i.hate.twizzlers. so this pic of Amy grosses me out. She's like a cirque du soleil Twizzler eater.
He's in the Menards mafia. Loud and proud.
Pippi Longstocking is coming into your world. Eleven countries of it, in fact.
Whitney is also suspicious of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
As you can see, a good time was had by all. The only ones missing were all of YOU! Furthermore, I dare you to think outside the box anout what you can do to build, encourage and strengthen your community of faith.
Team Snaggle FOREVER!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Natalie+Chris.
Tomorrow a sweet, dear friend will marry the love of her life. And I will be spoiled rotten--which I totally love! I met Natalie in 2004, when she attended a Journey (College version of Emmaus) that I worked. We met that weekend, but we had been attending the same university for a whole semester. We hit it off immediately and have been friends since.
Natalie is one of those people that is very intentional in her relationships. This is a trait I value so highly--her resepct and love for her community of friends. WE definitely share that passion and Natalie has challenged me so much in this area. She is always calling to see how I am, stopping by my office when she's around, and asking if we can have dinner to catch up. She makes me want to serve my friends more. She facebooks pictures like it's her full-time job, and she is pretty impressive--we will leave a gathering and get home to find all the photos up and tagged. It's impressive, since I am That Girl who still has not put all of her Haiti pictures up, and it's been a year this week.
We share a mutual love for talking, so no one gets a word in edgewise! It's cool because we always have lots to talk about and there's never a dull or awkward moment. We laughed and celebrated together, and cried over heartbreak and tragedy as well. It's so funny to hear outgoing Natalie describe Chris, who would rather be in the background quietly. Chris is super tall and likes to protect and take care of people, so I can't wait to see them continue to grow in Christ together.
It will be my honor to read one of my favorite scripture passages over Natalie and Chris tomorrow. I spoke with her on the phone this morning, and it's so preciously evident just how thoughtful she is: her family hired someone to do all of our nails today and our hair tomorrow. She invited me and I am not even a bridesmaid! She wants everyone to feel beautiful on her special day. What an incredibly thoughtful and wonderful person. I know she will be radiant tomorrow, especially because of her beautiful heart shining through.
Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Riddle! May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May He look on you with favor and give you His peace.
PS, I got a cute new dress and knowing Natalie's penchant for photos, she put a much more responsible person in charge of tagging them on Facebook, so hopefully I will have some pics to show you of my friends and our mad dance skills.
PPS, I promise not to read the scripture in my mock James Earl Jones reads the Bible voice. Only pray that I get rid of this cold so I don't sound like a junior-high boy tomorrow.
Natalie is one of those people that is very intentional in her relationships. This is a trait I value so highly--her resepct and love for her community of friends. WE definitely share that passion and Natalie has challenged me so much in this area. She is always calling to see how I am, stopping by my office when she's around, and asking if we can have dinner to catch up. She makes me want to serve my friends more. She facebooks pictures like it's her full-time job, and she is pretty impressive--we will leave a gathering and get home to find all the photos up and tagged. It's impressive, since I am That Girl who still has not put all of her Haiti pictures up, and it's been a year this week.
We share a mutual love for talking, so no one gets a word in edgewise! It's cool because we always have lots to talk about and there's never a dull or awkward moment. We laughed and celebrated together, and cried over heartbreak and tragedy as well. It's so funny to hear outgoing Natalie describe Chris, who would rather be in the background quietly. Chris is super tall and likes to protect and take care of people, so I can't wait to see them continue to grow in Christ together.
It will be my honor to read one of my favorite scripture passages over Natalie and Chris tomorrow. I spoke with her on the phone this morning, and it's so preciously evident just how thoughtful she is: her family hired someone to do all of our nails today and our hair tomorrow. She invited me and I am not even a bridesmaid! She wants everyone to feel beautiful on her special day. What an incredibly thoughtful and wonderful person. I know she will be radiant tomorrow, especially because of her beautiful heart shining through.
Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Riddle! May the Lord bless you and keep you. May He make His face shine on you and be gracious to you. May He look on you with favor and give you His peace.
PS, I got a cute new dress and knowing Natalie's penchant for photos, she put a much more responsible person in charge of tagging them on Facebook, so hopefully I will have some pics to show you of my friends and our mad dance skills.
PPS, I promise not to read the scripture in my mock James Earl Jones reads the Bible voice. Only pray that I get rid of this cold so I don't sound like a junior-high boy tomorrow.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Friday (Pineapple) Tidbits.
*****Update*****
I just got my mail and received a Bath & Body Works gift card from Sheila and Amanda Heshelman. What a red-letter day. Thank you girls! I love you both very much. HOORAY! Our bathroom soap has almost run out, so perfect timing :D
well, unless you count the bloomin' onion.
ack.
It's the little things, isn't it Bloggerotsky?
I love you all more than waterslides and bratwursts.
{That's a lot for Memorial Day weekend.}
I just got my mail and received a Bath & Body Works gift card from Sheila and Amanda Heshelman. What a red-letter day. Thank you girls! I love you both very much. HOORAY! Our bathroom soap has almost run out, so perfect timing :D
- Dr. Barber is my hero today.
- And even better, tonight we are going to Outback with Seth's parents and grandparents (who I LOVE LOVE LOVE--they are all precious and Patti, his mama, always gets me the cutest surprises too!) for dinner for his dad Tom's birthday.
well, unless you count the bloomin' onion.
ack.
- F-R-I-D-A-Y. It's my favorite day, OH MY! It's Friday, Friday, Friday, Friday!
It's the little things, isn't it Bloggerotsky?
- Hug a veteran at church and tell him or her you are thankful to live in this beautiful land with a right to live, laugh, and love as you wish.
- I did walk to the post office and back with Nicole on my lunch break. One small step for That Girl...
- Thinking about starting the Shred. Although I am pretty sure after a couple of days I will call it the Dread.
- I am going to be in Loogootee on THIS Saturday night at New Beginnings Church. The church meets on the street where the Post Office is located. It's a women's event (sorry to the two men reading..) and it begins at 6:30 PM. I look forward to seeing you and your friends there! It will be a very fun night!!
- I am so thankful to all of you who called and emailed and asked to help me in my goal to get rid of that idol called food. I covet your prayers as I start this scary journey and I ask in return for my vulnerability that you would find people with whom you can be transparent. God is going to do abundantly more...Hold on to your fork--figuratively speaking, of course.
I love you all more than waterslides and bratwursts.
{That's a lot for Memorial Day weekend.}
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The One Where She Comes Out Smelling Like a Rose.
Thursday night was THE night. You know, the one with all the delightful people who see it as a responsibility to keep OCU up and running, and have allowed for the university to avoid raising tuition like pretty much every other school on the planet during this recession.
It was also the night when the video was shown. You know, the video in which I wore a hat to cover up my awkward hair.
All night long, I was prepared to make a mad dash out the door in order to avoid severe embarassment causing weeping and gnashing of teeth. Or crawling under the table and sucking my thumb in the fetal position.
I'm not above that, as you may or may not know.
I got to the dinner and found some lovely people at my table. They talked with me about school and OCU and working with Jim (my boss) who just happens to be the interim pastor at First GB, where all of them attend. We began dinner and of course I sent the first fork back with my empty appetizer plate by accident when I needed it for my salad so other than being a fork behind and having to use a spoon to eat dessert (which I think is soooo appropriate for my beloved cheesecake anyway), it was going quite smoothly.
Well, except for the pulsating beats of my frightened heart as I sat there thinking about how I would be exposed for the disrespectful, unprepared Hat Wearer I was.
ACK.
There were some beautiful speeches that made me cry a little--our current president's wife and our former president both battled cancer and won this year-one of them was divinely healed--and just hearing about the University. I forgot about my potential embarrassment as I rejoiced for Beth and Dr. Murray.
Then the lights went down. Heart attacks are sooo underrated.
Jim looked at me and started laughing from a table over. I cringed and wondered if there was, indeed, a graceful way to descend underneath the table and ride out the storm. No dice.
As the movie began, I kept waiting for my part of the video. Waiting and cringing. Waiting and cringing.
20 minutes in and still no sign of That Girl on the big screen. Whew! I am home FREE!
or not.
Then I saw the infamous Vurt hat and That Girl underneath it. Cringing was now practically an Olympic sport for me.
eeek.
I peeked open one eye.
but wait, I wasn't looking that bad!
The Prez asked me what I say to those who invested in me at OCU and allowed me to continue my education there. I said something along the lines of:
"Dr. Barber, I would say that they are helping the image of Christ to be formed in me...." Which was STRAIGHT from the Throne of God (I know because I was praying that He would speak and not me...)
and by the time I answered the question, I realized that they had closed the video out with my answer.
Now that could go either way, folks.
So as the lights went up, I knew there was still time for table hunkering. Or I could make a mad dash out the back door. Or I could just sit there and be quiet, hoping no one made the connection.
a girl can dream.
But what happened next was better than anything I could have expected. Mrs. Knight, one of the ladies at my table, said in front of the group, "Lauren, that was such a good answer. And
YOU LOOKED SO CHIC IN YOUR LITTLE HAT! LIKE A REAL COLLEGE STUDENT!"
I could have kissed her feet.
Several of the others echoed and I secretly hoped the person who did the editing and teased me about it could hear that MY table LIKED that cute little hat and That Girl underneath it.
score one for the home team.
It was also the night when the video was shown. You know, the video in which I wore a hat to cover up my awkward hair.
All night long, I was prepared to make a mad dash out the door in order to avoid severe embarassment causing weeping and gnashing of teeth. Or crawling under the table and sucking my thumb in the fetal position.
I'm not above that, as you may or may not know.
I got to the dinner and found some lovely people at my table. They talked with me about school and OCU and working with Jim (my boss) who just happens to be the interim pastor at First GB, where all of them attend. We began dinner and of course I sent the first fork back with my empty appetizer plate by accident when I needed it for my salad so other than being a fork behind and having to use a spoon to eat dessert (which I think is soooo appropriate for my beloved cheesecake anyway), it was going quite smoothly.
Well, except for the pulsating beats of my frightened heart as I sat there thinking about how I would be exposed for the disrespectful, unprepared Hat Wearer I was.
ACK.
There were some beautiful speeches that made me cry a little--our current president's wife and our former president both battled cancer and won this year-one of them was divinely healed--and just hearing about the University. I forgot about my potential embarrassment as I rejoiced for Beth and Dr. Murray.
Then the lights went down. Heart attacks are sooo underrated.
Jim looked at me and started laughing from a table over. I cringed and wondered if there was, indeed, a graceful way to descend underneath the table and ride out the storm. No dice.
As the movie began, I kept waiting for my part of the video. Waiting and cringing. Waiting and cringing.
20 minutes in and still no sign of That Girl on the big screen. Whew! I am home FREE!
or not.
Then I saw the infamous Vurt hat and That Girl underneath it. Cringing was now practically an Olympic sport for me.
eeek.
I peeked open one eye.
but wait, I wasn't looking that bad!
The Prez asked me what I say to those who invested in me at OCU and allowed me to continue my education there. I said something along the lines of:
"Dr. Barber, I would say that they are helping the image of Christ to be formed in me...." Which was STRAIGHT from the Throne of God (I know because I was praying that He would speak and not me...)
and by the time I answered the question, I realized that they had closed the video out with my answer.
Now that could go either way, folks.
So as the lights went up, I knew there was still time for table hunkering. Or I could make a mad dash out the back door. Or I could just sit there and be quiet, hoping no one made the connection.
a girl can dream.
But what happened next was better than anything I could have expected. Mrs. Knight, one of the ladies at my table, said in front of the group, "Lauren, that was such a good answer. And
YOU LOOKED SO CHIC IN YOUR LITTLE HAT! LIKE A REAL COLLEGE STUDENT!"
I could have kissed her feet.
Several of the others echoed and I secretly hoped the person who did the editing and teased me about it could hear that MY table LIKED that cute little hat and That Girl underneath it.
score one for the home team.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The One In Which the Humiliation Becomes Public
Tonight is the Oak Leaf Society Banquet. Remember about the hat?
Tonight is the world debut of the video.
Pray for me! ACK. I will be under the table at some point sucking my thumb and wishing the ground would open up and swallow me whole.
Tonight is the world debut of the video.
Pray for me! ACK. I will be under the table at some point sucking my thumb and wishing the ground would open up and swallow me whole.
Friday, April 24, 2009
FINALS//Rays of Sunshine in the Storm....
Finals.
need I say more?
Rays of sunshine in the bleak gray skies:
Faith Baptist Church Ladies' Spring Tea
[Seeing Eli Tamru Ausbrooks (pics on Monday!!) for the first time
plans to get him in the car when Kristi's not looking]
First Church of the Nazarene Mother-Daughter Banquet Saturday afternoon
back after next week with some more substantial posting. I look forward to seeing some of my regular readers this weekend!
need I say more?
Rays of sunshine in the bleak gray skies:
Faith Baptist Church Ladies' Spring Tea
[Seeing Eli Tamru Ausbrooks (pics on Monday!!) for the first time
plans to get him in the car when Kristi's not looking]
First Church of the Nazarene Mother-Daughter Banquet Saturday afternoon
back after next week with some more substantial posting. I look forward to seeing some of my regular readers this weekend!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
That Girl Moment #864: "HAT Girl."
If any of you have ever seen the Disney program "Wizards of Waverly Place" then you know about the special hat song Selena Gomez and her BFF love to sing.
It goes a little somethin' like this:
in case you didn't catch those peotically electrifying lyrics, here they are.
What's that?
A hat.
A crazy funky junky hat!
Overslept
hair unsightly
trying to look like Keira Knightley.
We've been there
we've done that
we see right through your funky hat!
(hey, people, just cause I love me some Wizaahds of Wavuhwy Pwace, as my niece Hannah used to call it, does NOT mean that I am heathen who believes in magic. Oh, that reminds me of a song....doyoubelieveinmagicinayounggirlsheart? dah dah dee dah dah...)
So why am I sharing this song with you?
That Girl, a la hat.
Today I was running late to my eight am class (what's new: the earth would collapse if I got someplace on time) as usual, and the night before I wore a hat to church. Said hat was found in the back of my
Since I was running late due to (gasp) procrastination on a paper, I didn't shower this morning. Now I would like to say in my own defense, my beautiful friend Brooke can go a blasted WEEK without washing her hair and she still could grace the cover of People.
not me.
My hair looked like the Clampetts might strike gold on my scalp, if you know what I mean. Texas Tea. It was oily, brothers and sisters. Oily=lack of volume. I was giving off the poor seminary street urchin vibe, alright?
Well, what's That Girl to do?
Mother Nature leaves me with no real options. But Pac Sun doesn't fail! So I plopped my Vurt hat on the oil slick and darted out the door. I arrived at my Psychological Foundations of christian Education class at promptly 8:08 am (early for me, folks) and sat down to learn with, as they say, a spirit of idealism and charity.
Fast forward two hours of this three hour class. The moment arrives.
The That Girl Moment.
oy vey.
Someone raps on our classroom door. It's none other than Dr. Ray Barber.
woops.
I mean President Ray Barber. As in, university-president-who-is-greatly-respected-highly-admired-and-hired-that-girl-unassumingly.
But it's not just President Barber. Filing in the classroom behind him were two men.
one of which held a VIDEO camera in his hand.
President Barber greeted us and asked if he could interview us on camera for the Oak Leaf Society Banquet. This is the humdinger of all the banquets, where they thank all those who donate to OCU. Some of them give (and I'm grateful) a lot of Benjamins to see that I get a quality education. (insert That Girl's most elegant curtsy.) This year, Dr. Barber wants to show a video of real-live students who benefit from the generosity of the Oak Leaf attendees.
let's just say I didn't disappoint with the "real-live" aspect of his little documentary. I think artists and moviemakers call it "gritty."
I apologized to him and said if I knew he was coming I would have dressed up. The sweet Godly man tried to make me feel better, but we both know he sees right through my funky hat. I now face the Epic dilemma:
take off the hat and reveal not only the aforementioned oil slick, but bad hat hair to boot, or leave the hat on and risk offending some Oak Leaf folk. I left it on. I didn't want the video camera to bust its lens from the gleam of my
The interview, aside from my disheveled and lackluster appearance, went very productively and I got to share part of why I love OCU. I didn't tell them I enjoy OCU for the eight o'clock classes because that would have been an extraordinary falsehood. Obviously. He sees right through my funky hat.
ahem.
After class, I had a few minutes to kill so I jumped in the shower and did a quick blowdry on the hair. I changed out my jeans and t-shirt since I was heading to work. On my way into the building, who am I greeted by?
yep. you guessed it.
Doc should his head at me and laughed. "Now you get all dressed up!" he said. He told my boss, Jim, about it and we all had a good laugh. I said I'd totally be up for preparing a take they can actually use on Oak Leaf night.
sans hat.
Jim reminded me that I would be forced to watch my own self, funky hat and all, at the Oak Leaf dinner, which I was invited to attend at the behest of said stately and dignified Prez. (that's a big, filet mignon, kind of deal.)
For a moment, I was petrified. Frozen in fear. Not only will everyone be able to see right through my funky hat, I will be sitting among them as they do so. Worse, the camera adds ten lbs. or thirty-five if you ask me.
Then, it came to me like a beacon in the night.
I will be all decked out in my cute black dress that night, so maybe no one will recognize me. The last thing I need is a moniker like Hat Girl.
'cause after all, it's rough enough being That Girl.
It goes a little somethin' like this:
in case you didn't catch those peotically electrifying lyrics, here they are.
What's that?
A hat.
A crazy funky junky hat!
Overslept
hair unsightly
trying to look like Keira Knightley.
We've been there
we've done that
we see right through your funky hat!
(hey, people, just cause I love me some Wizaahds of Wavuhwy Pwace, as my niece Hannah used to call it, does NOT mean that I am heathen who believes in magic. Oh, that reminds me of a song....doyoubelieveinmagicinayounggirlsheart? dah dah dee dah dah...)
So why am I sharing this song with you?
That Girl, a la hat.
Today I was running late to my eight am class (what's new: the earth would collapse if I got someplace on time) as usual, and the night before I wore a hat to church. Said hat was found in the back of my
Since I was running late due to (gasp) procrastination on a paper, I didn't shower this morning. Now I would like to say in my own defense, my beautiful friend Brooke can go a blasted WEEK without washing her hair and she still could grace the cover of People.
not me.
My hair looked like the Clampetts might strike gold on my scalp, if you know what I mean. Texas Tea. It was oily, brothers and sisters. Oily=lack of volume. I was giving off the poor seminary street urchin vibe, alright?
Well, what's That Girl to do?
Mother Nature leaves me with no real options. But Pac Sun doesn't fail! So I plopped my Vurt hat on the oil slick and darted out the door. I arrived at my Psychological Foundations of christian Education class at promptly 8:08 am (early for me, folks) and sat down to learn with, as they say, a spirit of idealism and charity.
Fast forward two hours of this three hour class. The moment arrives.
The That Girl Moment.
oy vey.
Someone raps on our classroom door. It's none other than Dr. Ray Barber.
woops.
I mean President Ray Barber. As in, university-president-who-is-greatly-respected-highly-admired-and-hired-that-girl-unassumingly.
But it's not just President Barber. Filing in the classroom behind him were two men.
one of which held a VIDEO camera in his hand.
President Barber greeted us and asked if he could interview us on camera for the Oak Leaf Society Banquet. This is the humdinger of all the banquets, where they thank all those who donate to OCU. Some of them give (and I'm grateful) a lot of Benjamins to see that I get a quality education. (insert That Girl's most elegant curtsy.) This year, Dr. Barber wants to show a video of real-live students who benefit from the generosity of the Oak Leaf attendees.
let's just say I didn't disappoint with the "real-live" aspect of his little documentary. I think artists and moviemakers call it "gritty."
I apologized to him and said if I knew he was coming I would have dressed up. The sweet Godly man tried to make me feel better, but we both know he sees right through my funky hat. I now face the Epic dilemma:
take off the hat and reveal not only the aforementioned oil slick, but bad hat hair to boot, or leave the hat on and risk offending some Oak Leaf folk. I left it on. I didn't want the video camera to bust its lens from the gleam of my
The interview, aside from my disheveled and lackluster appearance, went very productively and I got to share part of why I love OCU. I didn't tell them I enjoy OCU for the eight o'clock classes because that would have been an extraordinary falsehood. Obviously. He sees right through my funky hat.
ahem.
After class, I had a few minutes to kill so I jumped in the shower and did a quick blowdry on the hair. I changed out my jeans and t-shirt since I was heading to work. On my way into the building, who am I greeted by?
yep. you guessed it.
Doc should his head at me and laughed. "Now you get all dressed up!" he said. He told my boss, Jim, about it and we all had a good laugh. I said I'd totally be up for preparing a take they can actually use on Oak Leaf night.
sans hat.
Jim reminded me that I would be forced to watch my own self, funky hat and all, at the Oak Leaf dinner, which I was invited to attend at the behest of said stately and dignified Prez. (that's a big, filet mignon, kind of deal.)
For a moment, I was petrified. Frozen in fear. Not only will everyone be able to see right through my funky hat, I will be sitting among them as they do so. Worse, the camera adds ten lbs. or thirty-five if you ask me.
Then, it came to me like a beacon in the night.
I will be all decked out in my cute black dress that night, so maybe no one will recognize me. The last thing I need is a moniker like Hat Girl.
'cause after all, it's rough enough being That Girl.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Coffeemate.
The Campus Life office is trying to take over the school.
We have "unwittingly" been allowing people from other offices to use our coffee creamer, and it's bad... {oops}
As in, there's a chance it may or may not be seven years old.
today, the housing director. tomorrow, the president.
We have "unwittingly" been allowing people from other offices to use our coffee creamer, and it's bad... {oops}
As in, there's a chance it may or may not be seven years old.
today, the housing director. tomorrow, the president.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Why I love OCU.
One of the many reasons:
I was sick yesterday and had to go home early, where I tossed and turned, had fever, chills, and body aches along with a headache and a hacking cough.
I got up this morning and needed to come to work because Candace (The admin. asst) was out with her little one, Calleigh, who was feeling badly too. I didn't look, feel, or sound good. As the students came by, they all noticed that I was sick the day before and asked me if I was feeling better and if there was anything they could do.
One of my RAs brought in some cough medicine. Several came by to visit to cheer me up. Another student brought me two cans of chicken noodle soup.
I think it's God's grace and the feeling of family we have at this sweet little place. We are brothers and sisters, and we take care of each other. We belong in the same family, and so we help each other.
Being 'babied' by my sweet friends today was so nice and made me feel so loved!!
Thank you Jesus.
I was sick yesterday and had to go home early, where I tossed and turned, had fever, chills, and body aches along with a headache and a hacking cough.
I got up this morning and needed to come to work because Candace (The admin. asst) was out with her little one, Calleigh, who was feeling badly too. I didn't look, feel, or sound good. As the students came by, they all noticed that I was sick the day before and asked me if I was feeling better and if there was anything they could do.
One of my RAs brought in some cough medicine. Several came by to visit to cheer me up. Another student brought me two cans of chicken noodle soup.
I think it's God's grace and the feeling of family we have at this sweet little place. We are brothers and sisters, and we take care of each other. We belong in the same family, and so we help each other.
Being 'babied' by my sweet friends today was so nice and made me feel so loved!!
Thank you Jesus.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Q & A: Round Three Continued.
Keyly Watts said...
Guess who ??? It's your favorite rap/poem sister from French Lick! Pass out Keyly posted!! (maybe - if this gets through!)
I want to know - do you see yourself going on another mission trip? If so, same place or another calling?
Here goes . . . . hitting send now . . .
Well, first of all Miss Keyly, thank you for finally posting...Like I said, teach a man to fish.
Great Question!
I am actually scheduled to go on a trip in April to do ministry with the Navajo people in Arizona and Colorado. I chose that trip because they are a matriarchal society and my focus is women's ministry. However after a setback of a whole week, and with people really feeling the crunch of the financial crisis, I am getting nervous and so your question is really convicting. I have been hesitant to ask people for financial support because I know everyone is trying to make ends meet. So I am praying that God will make a way, but I am sure that the folks I am taking the trip with are getting nervous too. SO please pray about that.
Eventually, I really want to do some work in helping rehabilitate women who have been rescued from the sex trade. That would mean a trip to a place like India or Cambodia. I have yet to see that hemisphere so I am really interested in going and I think doing that type of relational ministry would be right up my alley.
Thanks for your question, Keyly. Raise your hand if you think Keyly needs a blog!
Oh, look. Every hand raised. WElp, it's unanimous.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Christy said...
NO WAY... "The" Keyly Watts!! Man you gotta just LOVE that girl!
{I know, right? I had the same thought, C! So honored that she learned to comment and chose to comment on my blog.}
Ok so my question is when did you decide you wanted to go into ministry especially women's ministry. AND How many little ones do you want to adopt from over the ocean???
That's an awesome question, Christy. I really appreciate your support of my ministry over the years, by the way.
When I was young, I always enjoyed helping people. I was the person chosen on the playground to befriend a special-needs student during recess. I knew God wanted me to be nice and so did my parents. So I tried to be very helpful to my teachers and other students. Then I started listening to (wow) Point of Grace when I was about 12, and by 13 I knew every word to every song they had ever recorded and I also learned of the ministry with which they were affiliated: Mercy Ministries of America. I thought it was so fascinating that they helped young women who were pregnant and needing a place to stay as well as women who suffered from anorexia/bulimia and other obstacles. I can't tell you exactly what it did for my heart to know that there were places like that committed to helping women. I knew I wanted to help women but I also thought it wasn't very realistic to hope for a job like that someday.
As I went through high school, I decided I would probably become a kindergarten teacher. (I know some of you are like, "Are you kidding? She can barely dress herself!") I did a lot of cadet teaching in high school and I enjoy children. As I chose OCU (which is a story in itself) I had the goal of becoming a really great baby-child educator (I like calling them baby-children because I am all about keeping them cute and little as long as possible-heck, that's why I wanted to teach Kindergarten). So off to school I went. By then I was a devoted believer and so I thought...hmm. Maybe I should go ahead and study God (the word theology means the study of God) and things that I am interested in, like missions and Christian education. As Psalm 139 tells us, He hems us in on both sides so that we can walk the path He has for us when we surrender to Him. So while I may not have understood what the desire of my heart was at that time, God did.
So my first semester at OCU was a little rough (also another story) and I really pressed into my relationship with the Lord because I was pretty lonely and that is when I developed such a love for God's Word. In my times with God, I felt like He was calling me to something more, and I wish I had a better explanation except to say the more I hungered for Him, the more He showed me how I wouldn't be satisfied spending every day in a classroom. I have such respect for teachers and some folks are CALLED BY GOD to do that, but I began to have serious doubts about whether or not I was.
I also sensed Him saying, "I want more from you."
This conversation-starter from God (I think of it like a story-starter a la second grade) burned in me for months. At the time, I had signed on to work my first Journey (College version of the Walk to Emmaus) and give the first talk, which was about goals and priorities (Coincidence? Again, I refer you to Psalm 139). I gave the talk the first day of the weekend, which just HAPPENED to be New Year's Weekend of 2005, and I wrestled with God's 'story-starter' all day long and into the next evening. We had a chapel service, and all you Emmaus folk should know that for that weekend, we had the chapel where we now have the conference room. I was laying facedown on the floor, crying out to God and BEGGING Him to tell me what He wanted. Whatever it was, I would do it gladly! I had grown to absolutely adore him and His ways, and His book. I was weeping on the floor as my friend John Preston walked over to me. He was serving as a clergy that weekend, and he knelt beside me.
He said, "God wants more from you, doesn't He?"
I was in shock. I shook my head yes (and snot probably went flying because of my penchant for the Ugly Cry).
He didn't say much more, but prayed over me. At the time I didn't realize the lifelong-implications that night would have for me. Something in me changed, though.
I finally surrendered to the cal that had always been on my life. I think that sometimes we say, "I got called to ministry on January 2, 2005...." but if I am being honest and as previously stated on this blog, I was called from before I was born to do this, and I finally surrendered to the still small Voice...
the Voice that showed me how to care for that special needs child....
the Voice that drew me to Mercy Ministries of America....
the Voice that encouraged me to give those Easter Sunrise Sermons for the youth group...
the Voice that said, "I want more from you..."
Surrender is really underrated. It is powerful enough to change the whole trajectory of your life.
Tomorrow I will talk more about my specific call to women's ministry.
Thanks for all of your great questions! Keep 'em coming.
(sorry this was up after 1030, Keyly :D
Guess who ??? It's your favorite rap/poem sister from French Lick! Pass out Keyly posted!! (maybe - if this gets through!)
I want to know - do you see yourself going on another mission trip? If so, same place or another calling?
Here goes . . . . hitting send now . . .
Well, first of all Miss Keyly, thank you for finally posting...Like I said, teach a man to fish.
Great Question!
I am actually scheduled to go on a trip in April to do ministry with the Navajo people in Arizona and Colorado. I chose that trip because they are a matriarchal society and my focus is women's ministry. However after a setback of a whole week, and with people really feeling the crunch of the financial crisis, I am getting nervous and so your question is really convicting. I have been hesitant to ask people for financial support because I know everyone is trying to make ends meet. So I am praying that God will make a way, but I am sure that the folks I am taking the trip with are getting nervous too. SO please pray about that.
Eventually, I really want to do some work in helping rehabilitate women who have been rescued from the sex trade. That would mean a trip to a place like India or Cambodia. I have yet to see that hemisphere so I am really interested in going and I think doing that type of relational ministry would be right up my alley.
Thanks for your question, Keyly. Raise your hand if you think Keyly needs a blog!
Oh, look. Every hand raised. WElp, it's unanimous.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Christy said...
NO WAY... "The" Keyly Watts!! Man you gotta just LOVE that girl!
{I know, right? I had the same thought, C! So honored that she learned to comment and chose to comment on my blog.}
Ok so my question is when did you decide you wanted to go into ministry especially women's ministry. AND How many little ones do you want to adopt from over the ocean???
That's an awesome question, Christy. I really appreciate your support of my ministry over the years, by the way.
When I was young, I always enjoyed helping people. I was the person chosen on the playground to befriend a special-needs student during recess. I knew God wanted me to be nice and so did my parents. So I tried to be very helpful to my teachers and other students. Then I started listening to (wow) Point of Grace when I was about 12, and by 13 I knew every word to every song they had ever recorded and I also learned of the ministry with which they were affiliated: Mercy Ministries of America. I thought it was so fascinating that they helped young women who were pregnant and needing a place to stay as well as women who suffered from anorexia/bulimia and other obstacles. I can't tell you exactly what it did for my heart to know that there were places like that committed to helping women. I knew I wanted to help women but I also thought it wasn't very realistic to hope for a job like that someday.
As I went through high school, I decided I would probably become a kindergarten teacher. (I know some of you are like, "Are you kidding? She can barely dress herself!") I did a lot of cadet teaching in high school and I enjoy children. As I chose OCU (which is a story in itself) I had the goal of becoming a really great baby-child educator (I like calling them baby-children because I am all about keeping them cute and little as long as possible-heck, that's why I wanted to teach Kindergarten). So off to school I went. By then I was a devoted believer and so I thought...hmm. Maybe I should go ahead and study God (the word theology means the study of God) and things that I am interested in, like missions and Christian education. As Psalm 139 tells us, He hems us in on both sides so that we can walk the path He has for us when we surrender to Him. So while I may not have understood what the desire of my heart was at that time, God did.
So my first semester at OCU was a little rough (also another story) and I really pressed into my relationship with the Lord because I was pretty lonely and that is when I developed such a love for God's Word. In my times with God, I felt like He was calling me to something more, and I wish I had a better explanation except to say the more I hungered for Him, the more He showed me how I wouldn't be satisfied spending every day in a classroom. I have such respect for teachers and some folks are CALLED BY GOD to do that, but I began to have serious doubts about whether or not I was.
I also sensed Him saying, "I want more from you."
This conversation-starter from God (I think of it like a story-starter a la second grade) burned in me for months. At the time, I had signed on to work my first Journey (College version of the Walk to Emmaus) and give the first talk, which was about goals and priorities (Coincidence? Again, I refer you to Psalm 139). I gave the talk the first day of the weekend, which just HAPPENED to be New Year's Weekend of 2005, and I wrestled with God's 'story-starter' all day long and into the next evening. We had a chapel service, and all you Emmaus folk should know that for that weekend, we had the chapel where we now have the conference room. I was laying facedown on the floor, crying out to God and BEGGING Him to tell me what He wanted. Whatever it was, I would do it gladly! I had grown to absolutely adore him and His ways, and His book. I was weeping on the floor as my friend John Preston walked over to me. He was serving as a clergy that weekend, and he knelt beside me.
He said, "God wants more from you, doesn't He?"
I was in shock. I shook my head yes (and snot probably went flying because of my penchant for the Ugly Cry).
He didn't say much more, but prayed over me. At the time I didn't realize the lifelong-implications that night would have for me. Something in me changed, though.
I finally surrendered to the cal that had always been on my life. I think that sometimes we say, "I got called to ministry on January 2, 2005...." but if I am being honest and as previously stated on this blog, I was called from before I was born to do this, and I finally surrendered to the still small Voice...
the Voice that showed me how to care for that special needs child....
the Voice that drew me to Mercy Ministries of America....
the Voice that encouraged me to give those Easter Sunrise Sermons for the youth group...
the Voice that said, "I want more from you..."
Surrender is really underrated. It is powerful enough to change the whole trajectory of your life.
Tomorrow I will talk more about my specific call to women's ministry.
Thanks for all of your great questions! Keep 'em coming.
(sorry this was up after 1030, Keyly :D
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Turn Around, Bright Eyes. The Original.
Most people that I know in the free world have seen this one but I'm on a roll since I just recently learned how to post a video.
Tell your friends.
Turn around, bright eyes!
Tell your friends.
Turn around, bright eyes!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Friday, December 19, 2008
"That Girl..." Needs YOUR HELP!!
This is a photo of Andy and Amy.
We have been friends for a long time. I met Andy in 2004, and I met Amy in 2005. Amy was one of my roommates for a year. I love them with all of my heart, and am excited as the Lord has called them into missions. I also love their humor and fun-loving spirits...one time Amy drank 3 Hi-C Juice boxes in under a minute and crushed the boxes on her head.
I have the coolest friends in the world.
We are so excited that they are going to get married tomorrow....It's such a Happy DAY!!
They asked me to read scripture at their wedding, and I GET TO CHOOOSE!
Please, that's like asking Ben & Jerry to choose their favorite flavor of ice cream.
So you have to help me TODAY to pick out which one(s) I am reading.
I have prayed over several and I want you guys to help me pick the winners!
No I Cor 13 here...it's pretty but there's some other good stuff in that Book.
#1: Romans 15:5-7 (NIV)---
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
Wow, I love these two verses. I first came across it in a Bonhoeffer wedding sermon and fell in love with it. Then I was praying about my relationship with Seth one day (that we could have love that was rooted and grounded in Christ and His Word), and I read it again on an airplane as I was traveling that day. I was blown away, and I always think of it when I think of agape love.
---------------------------------
#2: I John 4:7-12
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
I have always thought that I John speaks such anelegant and beautiful word about the purpose of our love for Him and each other--the Love of Christ compels us to love each other WELL.
---------------------------------
#3: Romans 12:9-13
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
My friends Mandy and Luke told me that they had this read at their wedding, and since Andy and Amy are going into the mission field soon, it might be really appropriate.
----------------------------------
#4: Ephesians 4:1-6
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Gosh I love this little passage. So good. Speaks for itself.
Alright Bloggerotsky---vote away, and make it quick, 'cause they are getting married in the morning!
They are even more fun than they look, by the way....
HURRY!
Friday, November 7, 2008
Just a Few Things.
I promised you a couple of things yesterday.
1. Remember my friend who asked for my readers' input on how he should propose to his girlfriend? Rosi presented this idea for my friend's proposal plan:
"This is kind of a low-key proposal - he might want something more flashy. My son is getting ready to propose to his girlfriend, so I've been trying to think of things for him. :) Of course - there are a gazillion ideas online.
He could get her some customized golf balls - They could say "Engaged!" The Future Mrs. ???? or Will you marry me, (her name)-- OR something like that. He could give them to her as an early Christmas gift, or he could take them somewhere where you buy golf balls and make an arrangement with the clerk ...stop in at the proshop at the golf course and have the clerk (pro?) say, or were having a special on golf balls, and hand her those golf balls ...."
My friend likes that the best of all--he may use it. I will keep you updated on any news...Thanks, Rosi!
2. The winner of my latest Caption Contest is Susie! She captured my Hannah's priceless expression:
"Seriously! Only one picture and no one else ends up with a black eye!"
That one made me laugh the most. Good job, dear. By the way, Hannah's Birthday is tomorrow :D
3. I met two delightful women today. One is Sandy Black. She is an Admissions Rep for OCU and her husband, Dr. Ron Black is the Executive Director for the General Baptist Ministries. The other one is Pauletta Yarbrough. Her husband Curtis is our university's Chairman of the Board of Trustees. I had a really interesting and encouraging conversation with them about OCU and some generalities about changing the face of how the Church does women's ministry. It was exciting! I was also invited by Pauletta to speak at her Ladies' Christmas Banquet in Madisonvill, Kentucky. Ladies, if you are reading the blog today, thank you for all the encouragement. I look forward to seeing you both again soon!
The other incredible thing that happened deserves a post all by itself. Coming Soon!
1. Remember my friend who asked for my readers' input on how he should propose to his girlfriend? Rosi presented this idea for my friend's proposal plan:
"This is kind of a low-key proposal - he might want something more flashy. My son is getting ready to propose to his girlfriend, so I've been trying to think of things for him. :) Of course - there are a gazillion ideas online.
He could get her some customized golf balls - They could say "Engaged!" The Future Mrs. ???? or Will you marry me, (her name)-- OR something like that. He could give them to her as an early Christmas gift, or he could take them somewhere where you buy golf balls and make an arrangement with the clerk ...stop in at the proshop at the golf course and have the clerk (pro?) say, or were having a special on golf balls, and hand her those golf balls ...."
My friend likes that the best of all--he may use it. I will keep you updated on any news...Thanks, Rosi!
2. The winner of my latest Caption Contest is Susie! She captured my Hannah's priceless expression:
"Seriously! Only one picture and no one else ends up with a black eye!"
That one made me laugh the most. Good job, dear. By the way, Hannah's Birthday is tomorrow :D
3. I met two delightful women today. One is Sandy Black. She is an Admissions Rep for OCU and her husband, Dr. Ron Black is the Executive Director for the General Baptist Ministries. The other one is Pauletta Yarbrough. Her husband Curtis is our university's Chairman of the Board of Trustees. I had a really interesting and encouraging conversation with them about OCU and some generalities about changing the face of how the Church does women's ministry. It was exciting! I was also invited by Pauletta to speak at her Ladies' Christmas Banquet in Madisonvill, Kentucky. Ladies, if you are reading the blog today, thank you for all the encouragement. I look forward to seeing you both again soon!
The other incredible thing that happened deserves a post all by itself. Coming Soon!
Monday, November 3, 2008
That Girl Moment #464: Bridal Shower Fiasco.
Well, as I have told you GBRs before, I hate registry shopping. With the passion of a thousand burning suns. However, this weekend I found the place that actually makes wedding registry shopping a breeze. So of course, they are going out of business in short order.
I stopped by Linens 'N Things to pick up a gift for my former roommate Amy's bridal shower. Amy is part of my very close circle of college friends and actually met her husband-to-be in our friend group as well, so we are all really looking forward to the wedding and being in the same room again. We all miss each other so much!
Turns out, that store has it mastered. Once their registry comes up on the screen, you can pick a price range and the computer will print only the registry items in that price range, so it narrows down the confusion quite a bit. They also have other ways to organize it as well. It's awesome. In order to ruin my life, they have decided to fold. Thanks, friends.
So I bought Amy a Fiesta place setting in snazzy shamrock green--her kitchen is going to be done in limes--and for myself I got a KitchenAid can opener in pink to keep at Seth's house (Seth's can opener is rinky-dink to say the least-if you have used it, you KNOW. One time I had basically cut a hole in the side and had to let the beans in the can drip out one by one until he got back. Then he laughed a me for butchering the can.) Hello, it matches my mixer. And Julie said I had to have it. Yes!
RAZZLE DAZZLE!!
I also observed all of the other beautiful pink Kitchenaid accessories before moving on. Man I love that stuff. Seth did not like it when my friends told me about all the KitchenAid stuff because he does not want to have to contend with large quantities of pink things someday. So that's why I plan to accumulate these things one at a time.
I won't lie, it was the only time IN MY LIFE I had a "morning-after" regret, so to speak (Praise God) as I woke up for church on Sunday morning and had twinges of guilt for paying $12.99 for a can opener.
SUCKER. but back to the real story.
SO I thought about going ahead and getting the gift bag and the card once I bought the Fiesta ware, but I didn't because my stomach was creeped out: Olive Garden did me wrong AGAIN (that's another story--NEVER AGAIN). I was feeling pretty sick so we just went home. MISTAKE #1.
Come Sunday, I did not have a gift bag or a card. I called Jami, my BFF and asked her to pick up a card and bag at the store. She didn't have time, so when Nicole (my roommate) and Jami arrived, I got in the car and was elated to see a gift bag. So I unloaded said bag that Nicole had received, and tried to place the Fiesta ware box in it. MISTAKE #2.
The bag rips right down the side seam. Awesome. "Uhh, guys, the bag just ripped." It was too small. They started belly-laughing, for they are used to my "That Girl..." ways and tendencies. They have both lived with me, and they could tell you more stories than I can even remember. What can I say?
All the way there (Nicole is going 75+ up 41, so glad my State Trooper friends did not pull us over.) I am trying to devise a plan to wrap this gift. I am not MacGyver here folks, I can't even fix the run in my stockings. I look in purse: jackpot! I find a small notecard in my mammoth purse--it says "You're so Kind." That's not gonna work. I rip the front off of it and make Jami draw something. We are running late, so Wal-Mart is not an option. We pull into the church and Nicole decides to check her trunk for anything that can be used as wrapping paper-newspaper, a gift bag, something. MISTAKE #3.
Alas, there is one thing....
A plastic Maurice's bag. We all look at each other and simultaneously have the same thought: it matches the tissue paper from the D.O.A. gift bag that ripped from too much Fiesta. (hmmm, sermon illustration perhaps?)
YES. It's on. Jami and I plop Fiesta into the PLASTIC SACK while Nicole scurries to raid the tissue paper collected in the backseat of her car. We stuff it in the top and walk into the church.
Somehow, I am the one left holding the bag. literally. It's from all of us, but Jami is embarrassed so I carry our plastic bag into Shower Central using my mammoth purse (seriously, it's the color and size of an actually Caveman pet sans tusks.) to try and camouflage our tragic attempt at gift wrap. MISTAKE #4.
Of course, we are late so EVERYONE notices that Maurice's must now have some type of gift registry. Because every couple desperately needs hoop earrings. Whatever.
So We begin the shower. It's about at this time I realize that Jami has not finished THE CARD. So when she is done with her art, she hands it to me and nods toward the gift table. I knew what she wanted me to do. Oh well, I have already aligned myself with Mr. Maurice by carrying in the package. So I walk in front of everyone and place our ghetto homemade card into la plastica.
Then it's time for the gifts. Andy and Amy began opening gifts. Then it happened. Those who were running the shower like an efficient well-oiled machine said it would be good for the guest to STAND UP as Amy and Andy opened their gift. Jami, Nicole and I looked at each other and started silently shake-laughing like little hamsters.
You'd think I'd be better at buying shower gifts by now, wouldn't you?
Some things never change.
I stopped by Linens 'N Things to pick up a gift for my former roommate Amy's bridal shower. Amy is part of my very close circle of college friends and actually met her husband-to-be in our friend group as well, so we are all really looking forward to the wedding and being in the same room again. We all miss each other so much!
Turns out, that store has it mastered. Once their registry comes up on the screen, you can pick a price range and the computer will print only the registry items in that price range, so it narrows down the confusion quite a bit. They also have other ways to organize it as well. It's awesome. In order to ruin my life, they have decided to fold. Thanks, friends.
So I bought Amy a Fiesta place setting in snazzy shamrock green--her kitchen is going to be done in limes--and for myself I got a KitchenAid can opener in pink to keep at Seth's house (Seth's can opener is rinky-dink to say the least-if you have used it, you KNOW. One time I had basically cut a hole in the side and had to let the beans in the can drip out one by one until he got back. Then he laughed a me for butchering the can.) Hello, it matches my mixer. And Julie said I had to have it. Yes!
RAZZLE DAZZLE!!
I also observed all of the other beautiful pink Kitchenaid accessories before moving on. Man I love that stuff. Seth did not like it when my friends told me about all the KitchenAid stuff because he does not want to have to contend with large quantities of pink things someday. So that's why I plan to accumulate these things one at a time.
I won't lie, it was the only time IN MY LIFE I had a "morning-after" regret, so to speak (Praise God) as I woke up for church on Sunday morning and had twinges of guilt for paying $12.99 for a can opener.
SUCKER. but back to the real story.
SO I thought about going ahead and getting the gift bag and the card once I bought the Fiesta ware, but I didn't because my stomach was creeped out: Olive Garden did me wrong AGAIN (that's another story--NEVER AGAIN). I was feeling pretty sick so we just went home. MISTAKE #1.
Come Sunday, I did not have a gift bag or a card. I called Jami, my BFF and asked her to pick up a card and bag at the store. She didn't have time, so when Nicole (my roommate) and Jami arrived, I got in the car and was elated to see a gift bag. So I unloaded said bag that Nicole had received, and tried to place the Fiesta ware box in it. MISTAKE #2.
The bag rips right down the side seam. Awesome. "Uhh, guys, the bag just ripped." It was too small. They started belly-laughing, for they are used to my "That Girl..." ways and tendencies. They have both lived with me, and they could tell you more stories than I can even remember. What can I say?
All the way there (Nicole is going 75+ up 41, so glad my State Trooper friends did not pull us over.) I am trying to devise a plan to wrap this gift. I am not MacGyver here folks, I can't even fix the run in my stockings. I look in purse: jackpot! I find a small notecard in my mammoth purse--it says "You're so Kind." That's not gonna work. I rip the front off of it and make Jami draw something. We are running late, so Wal-Mart is not an option. We pull into the church and Nicole decides to check her trunk for anything that can be used as wrapping paper-newspaper, a gift bag, something. MISTAKE #3.
Alas, there is one thing....
A plastic Maurice's bag. We all look at each other and simultaneously have the same thought: it matches the tissue paper from the D.O.A. gift bag that ripped from too much Fiesta. (hmmm, sermon illustration perhaps?)
YES. It's on. Jami and I plop Fiesta into the PLASTIC SACK while Nicole scurries to raid the tissue paper collected in the backseat of her car. We stuff it in the top and walk into the church.
Somehow, I am the one left holding the bag. literally. It's from all of us, but Jami is embarrassed so I carry our plastic bag into Shower Central using my mammoth purse (seriously, it's the color and size of an actually Caveman pet sans tusks.) to try and camouflage our tragic attempt at gift wrap. MISTAKE #4.
Of course, we are late so EVERYONE notices that Maurice's must now have some type of gift registry. Because every couple desperately needs hoop earrings. Whatever.
So We begin the shower. It's about at this time I realize that Jami has not finished THE CARD. So when she is done with her art, she hands it to me and nods toward the gift table. I knew what she wanted me to do. Oh well, I have already aligned myself with Mr. Maurice by carrying in the package. So I walk in front of everyone and place our ghetto homemade card into la plastica.
Then it's time for the gifts. Andy and Amy began opening gifts. Then it happened. Those who were running the shower like an efficient well-oiled machine said it would be good for the guest to STAND UP as Amy and Andy opened their gift. Jami, Nicole and I looked at each other and started silently shake-laughing like little hamsters.
You'd think I'd be better at buying shower gifts by now, wouldn't you?
Some things never change.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Good Morning Part 2.
Special surprises two days in a row!!
This morning thanks to my dear friend Beau, I awoke to the sweet vocal stylings of none other than Mr. John Mayer. He had a Mayer DVD I wanted to borrow, and he went one better...He came over after I was asleep to visit last night, and he had Nicole put it in the DVD player with the directions to turn it on when I woke up.
I heard some TV in the living room, which is weird because Collee rarely turns on the TV in the morning (a good thing since we live less than a thousand yards away and still manage to roll in five minutes late to work...hmm.) and then I heard that beloved voice talking about something I couldn't quite hear. Then he sang "Neon" and it made me not want to go to work to stay home and watch that thing.
I was so excited. My love for John Mayer and his weird facial expressions when he sings (he contorts his face into the weirdest positions while singing and is often made fun of on SNL for multiple reasons.) I still love his music.
THANKS BEAU! You are awesome.
What's your favorite John Mayer song?
This morning thanks to my dear friend Beau, I awoke to the sweet vocal stylings of none other than Mr. John Mayer. He had a Mayer DVD I wanted to borrow, and he went one better...He came over after I was asleep to visit last night, and he had Nicole put it in the DVD player with the directions to turn it on when I woke up.
I heard some TV in the living room, which is weird because Collee rarely turns on the TV in the morning (a good thing since we live less than a thousand yards away and still manage to roll in five minutes late to work...hmm.) and then I heard that beloved voice talking about something I couldn't quite hear. Then he sang "Neon" and it made me not want to go to work to stay home and watch that thing.
I was so excited. My love for John Mayer and his weird facial expressions when he sings (he contorts his face into the weirdest positions while singing and is often made fun of on SNL for multiple reasons.) I still love his music.
THANKS BEAU! You are awesome.
What's your favorite John Mayer song?
Thursday, October 23, 2008
A Few More Things.
1. My hair is oh-so-cute (can I say that?!) and SHORT! Thanks Beverly. A little plug: My friend Bev works at Dimensions studio in Vincennes. Go see her sometime. She cut it at church last night because I didn't have time to go in and see her...Then she made me go see Seth before I saw it myself. He started saying, "I like it!" before I had really even walked into the room. I love that man. He knows that you don't mess around with compliments when your lady gets a new haircut. Or haircute. baha. Go tell him to blog, dang it!! Blog outrage.
2. I did not look around to see who was watching, but I can almost guarantee the CFO or the VP of the University was walking by at that precise moment that the gushing geyser got me in the face. Why do I instinctively know this? Because I'm "That Girl..." and I can't have a dumb moment without the world watching. And I'm my own worst enemy because even if they miss it, I still tell YOU, Good Blog Reader.
3. Many thanks to Mandy Ash who sent me a way cute e-card for Pastor Appreciation Month. Who totally thoughtful and much appreciated!!
4. My Uppercase Living SOIREE is tonight. I like using soiree because it's so much more fancy, don't you think? Anyway, it will be held at Seth's sweet pad, aka the Church Parsonage.
5. For the party, I used my quality Kitchenaid artisan stand mixer to prepare the food, which includes cheesecake and a pumpkin dip that changes lives. By the way, some people might think it's extravagant that Seth bought me that blessed mixer. I DON'T!!!!!! I love that thing. So much that, in fact, it rode in the front seat next to me on the way from Oakland City to Bicknell.
And I put the safety belt on her just for good measure.
Seriously.
Ask my roommate. She raised her eyebrows a bit, but betwixt the two of us, we are used to antics that the world simply does not understand. Like seatbelting our food mixers.
6. I have trouble taking medication. I don't remember it. Plus, we slitting my time between the Thompson's and my apartment, I don't have the same routine every day. Plus, I take Synthroid, which is one of those you have to take one hour before or two hours after you eat. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have tried everything, and the men in my life are like, "TAKE YOUR MEDS!!" This creates a problem as I eat ALL THE TIME, which leads to...
7. I am doing a program for the Staff at school called "The Biggest Loser." It involves weekly weigh-ins, and I have to pay if I gain or stay the same, but I don't if I lose. It lasts eight weeks and at the end, the person with the msot percetage of weight loss gets to keep the dough!
Not cookie dough...
mmm, that sounds good...WHOA.
Chugga, chugga, get back on track, Laur. This is gonna be harder than I thought. So girs, smack my hand away from that pumpkin dip tonight.
8. I miss my girls. Someone came in the office yesterday and said Kristin looked just like me. It made me tear up a bit, as I just long to see them. NEXT MONTH!
2. I did not look around to see who was watching, but I can almost guarantee the CFO or the VP of the University was walking by at that precise moment that the gushing geyser got me in the face. Why do I instinctively know this? Because I'm "That Girl..." and I can't have a dumb moment without the world watching. And I'm my own worst enemy because even if they miss it, I still tell YOU, Good Blog Reader.
3. Many thanks to Mandy Ash who sent me a way cute e-card for Pastor Appreciation Month. Who totally thoughtful and much appreciated!!
4. My Uppercase Living SOIREE is tonight. I like using soiree because it's so much more fancy, don't you think? Anyway, it will be held at Seth's sweet pad, aka the Church Parsonage.
5. For the party, I used my quality Kitchenaid artisan stand mixer to prepare the food, which includes cheesecake and a pumpkin dip that changes lives. By the way, some people might think it's extravagant that Seth bought me that blessed mixer. I DON'T!!!!!! I love that thing. So much that, in fact, it rode in the front seat next to me on the way from Oakland City to Bicknell.
And I put the safety belt on her just for good measure.
Seriously.
Ask my roommate. She raised her eyebrows a bit, but betwixt the two of us, we are used to antics that the world simply does not understand. Like seatbelting our food mixers.
6. I have trouble taking medication. I don't remember it. Plus, we slitting my time between the Thompson's and my apartment, I don't have the same routine every day. Plus, I take Synthroid, which is one of those you have to take one hour before or two hours after you eat. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have tried everything, and the men in my life are like, "TAKE YOUR MEDS!!" This creates a problem as I eat ALL THE TIME, which leads to...
7. I am doing a program for the Staff at school called "The Biggest Loser." It involves weekly weigh-ins, and I have to pay if I gain or stay the same, but I don't if I lose. It lasts eight weeks and at the end, the person with the msot percetage of weight loss gets to keep the dough!
Not cookie dough...
mmm, that sounds good...WHOA.
Chugga, chugga, get back on track, Laur. This is gonna be harder than I thought. So girs, smack my hand away from that pumpkin dip tonight.
8. I miss my girls. Someone came in the office yesterday and said Kristin looked just like me. It made me tear up a bit, as I just long to see them. NEXT MONTH!
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