Bloggers Block

Ok I realize its been about a gagillion years since I composed and posted a semi-decent blog. Truth is- I have bloggers block. Its quite a tragic situation, but I'm coping. I cope by cleaning as a matter of fact. Oddly enough, I've started to realize I'm slowly turning into my mother (*ahem* love you mom). I now love the smell of Lysol, I live to dust my furniture, and vacuum lines make me happy. Its becoming a sickness. But like all the other odd qualities I posses, I embrace it. So with my lack of blogging lately its no wonder my apartment is spotless. Of course when I'm not cleaning or working, I'm now spending my free time studying. Yep- school officially began last week, which in turn means I have no life. But it also means more time studying at fun little coffee shops where cute boys hang out and do cross word puzzles or tinker around on their laptops while sipping on coffee in their adorably nerdy glasses. *SIGH* I'm a sucker for a smart handsome nerd. Give me a shy boy wearing glasses who loves coffee and sports and I simply melt. It doesn't get better than that. Well, I think I'm out of random tid bits to write about so for now I will leave you with this Family Guy clip that cracks me up every time....

"When on hears the impossibility of Jesus' ideals, when one finally gives up his own self-effort as a means of impressing God, when one finally realizes that all he is and ever shall be before God is due to God's performance, not his, then one is free to be real with what is going on in one's own life. One is free to be open and honest about all his faults, shortcomings, sin, etc. One can see that nothing hangs on the pretending he's something he's not."

~Dr. Gregory A. Boyd

Hotel Bathrooms Make My Skin Crawl

I have an issue with hotel bathrooms.

First, the lighting - who ever said bright fluorescent lights were flattering obviously never took a good hard look at themselves under one. I'm sorry but I have no desire to see every flaw, uneven skin patch, and the plethora of bumpy cellulite patches my body contains. I like denial, but more than that, I like darkness.

Second, the shampoo situation - I hate hotel shampoo with a passion. The little bottles may be cute, but with my massive head of thick hair they simply do not hold enough shampoo for me to wash with. Not to mention the fact that the shampoo always smells like some strange musky boy, which is not exactly my idea of sweet roses.

Third, hotel toilets just aren't the same. For some odd reason every time I visit a hotel my body freezes up and decides constipation is the only way to keep me from using the strange toilet. My body is quite particular... I suffer from "foreign potty syndrome". Its tragic.

Food

Here's the thing.... I have a love/hate relationship with food. Most of the time I'm able to live a normal life, which means I eat when I'm hungry, stop when I'm full, and thoroughly enjoy all food given to me. But occasionally I find myself battling the very nutrients designed to keep me alive and well. I don't always love my body, and therefore in my vain efforts to control it, I allow food to become the enemy. I have full confidence I will never again battle a full blown eating disorder (as I have in the past), however I would be lying if I said my relationship with food was perfectly balanced on a consistent basis. I'm human.... I fail everyday. But I have confidence the Lord is on my side. There is no battle He cant win. My issues with food are no match for the Lord's power and strength.

After having a rather strained day with food yesterday, it was no coincidence that this mornings devotional topic was regarding food and gluttony. It was rather fitting actually. After reading and meditating on Matthew 6:25 (quoted below), I then decided to read a few chapters from C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters. As I turned to were I left off, my mouth dropped open when the passage I began to read touched on the subject of gluttony and food obsession. Hmm- ok Lord, you got my attention... I'm listening now. These were the words I read....

(keep in mind these words are being said by one of Satan's demons)

"...but what do quantities matter, provided we can use a human belly and palate to produce querulousness, impatience, uncharitableness, and self-concern?

In a crowded restaurant the woman will give a scream at the plate which some overworked waitress has placed before her and says, 'Oh, thar's far far too much! Take it away and bring me a quarter of it.' If challenged, she would say she was doing this to avoid waste; in reality she does it because the particular shade of delicacy to which we have enslaved her is offended by the sight of more food than she happens to want... her belly now dominates her whole life."

Matthew 6:25-31

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?'

Double Coupon Wednesdays

I'm about to risk looking totally lame in front of my entire fellow blog readers, but lames things tend to excite me, so I figured I'd share it anyway.

Wednesdays are perhaps my favorite day of the entire week! For starters,"W-e-d-n-e-s-d-a-y" is a fun word to spell.... except for the fact that it took me until the age of 15 to actually spell it correctly. Hey its a hard word, give me a break. Anyway, Wednesdays also happen to be double coupon day at Sprouts! Now ordinarily I dont freely give out such great secrets, but I figure I'd let this one slide. Besides, I get there early when the store opens so none of you little coupon clippers can beat me to the sales. And FYI - anyone who tries get in my way of the massive block of pepper jack cheese on sale for $1.00, is seriously risking their physical health... I will trample you for it. No joke.

So of course, I totally took advantage of the sale today and bought all kinds of yummy food. Oddly enough, I also bought a crap load of condiments I didn't need. Oh well. All in all it was a great morning of grocery shopping - and to top it off I only spent $30!!! I should get an award for my money saving tactics.

I Didn't Fall Off The Face Of The Earth... I swear!

Alright so its been practically forever since I've blogged a semi-decent blog post. What happened to the obsessively compulsive blogger I used to be?? I think I got buried somewhere in between my work, friends, family responsibilities, and of course my completely dysfunctional dating life. It seems I barely even have time to breathe or use the bathroom.... which has proven quite disastrous. So before school starts next week, and I become this crazy studying overachieving hermit, I figured I'd blog in an effort to soothe my soul and perge some of the disturbing thoughts crowding out my brain.

*Deep Breath* - here we go....

So we all know I'm single. I mean I practically wear a sign on my back announcing to the world my singleness. Maybe I talk about it too much, but its a relevant topic in my life and its my blog so I shall continue. I have high hopes of one day walking down the isle barefoot in my beautifully flowy and totally flattering wedding gown, but unfortunately this dream is quite far off. Instead of planning a wedding, I spend my evenings go out on dates with boys who stand me up or think its ok for me to pay for the date. The only redeeming quality about these said dates are the many whisky sours I get to drink. Yum! Oh and of course the oh-so-pretty dresses I get to wear. But dating hasn't been all bad. I recently met a boy who I'm semi kinda-sorta dating'ish'. Its complicated. I'm sure you understand. But he's adorable. And our first kiss was amazing... I'd elaborate, but I keep those fun details to myself... and to torture you of course.

In other news, I seem to be on some new carb eating kick. Unfortunately I have a feeling this phase will last my entire life. At this point I dont care if it makes me fat. I love bread. And french fries.... with lots of barbecue sauce and a crap load of salt. Hmm, no wonder I'm bloated. The other night as I drove home around midnight, I suddenly got this intense craving for McDonalds french fries. I tried to quiet my howling tummy by offering it some delicious almonds I had stashed away in my purse, but my good intentions failed when my stomach realized it was digesting healthy food. So I caved and bought the fries. McDonalds french fries totally rock by the way! I drove away satisfied, bloated, and a little nauseous.... but it was totally worth the 89 cents.

So this is basically what my life has come to. Eating french fries while complaining about my boyfriendless existence. Ugh, no wonder I'm single.

See?? Now you understand why I haven't blogged in a million years... my life is sad - either that or totally hilarious. I choose humor. It helps me cope.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET ISABELLA!!!!

I dedicate this post to my beautiful niece Bella on her 4th birthday.

I can hardly believe she's already four. What a blessing it has been to watch Bella grow into such a lovely little lady.

I love you sooooo much Bella.... More than the whole entire earth!!!

XOXOXOXOX

Verse of the Day

This verse spoke to my heart.... and I'm content to dwell here a while.
2 Peter 1:3-8
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

A Bunch of Scary Nonsense in my Brain

After a long weekend and a non-stop busy day, I felt in the mood for some much needed quality blogging time. So here I sit, on my couch in my lovely yet messy apartment, exhausted and trying to catch my breath. I have no plan for this blog post. Nothing I'm writing is thought out or cohesive in any way, but I'm determined to write none the less, so bear with me.

Because I know most of you are probably curious as to the details of my last blog, I feel you should know up front, I'm not quite ready to address my mother's health issues on my blog at this time, but please continue to join my family in prayer as we rally around her in support and love. Thank you.

In other news, I'm on a new mission. A mission of self transformation. I actually have no idea what the heck this means.... but I know I want it, and thats good enough for me. Over the last few weeks the Lord has burdened my heart and relentlessly pursued me for reasons unknown. But I'm ready. I'm saying goodbye to all my bad habits, closed minded thinking, discontented living, and crowd following ways. I'm moving forward in a quest to question everything I know. I want to stretch my mind, open my heart, and let the Lord search my soul. I have no clue as to how I will attempt this journey- except for the fact that I am now....

1. Obsessed with reading new books. Like C.S Lewis's "Screwtape Letters". Which I love!


2. Have decided not to cut my hair for the next year and a half.


3. I no longer shop anything but thrift stores (which totally rocks by the way)


4. I spend only one hour getting ready in the morning. Low maintenance is my new goal.


5. I dont shower everyday... which is a little gross and totally not a new occurrence in my life, but hey it counts if I say it does.


6. And last but not least, I'm ridding myself of anything that seeks to complicate my life

So there you have it ladies and gentlemen, this blog post has officially succeeded in making very little sense.... welcome to my brain. Scary isn't it??

Prayer Request

Just a quick note to let you all know that for the next few days I will be taking a "blogging break" as I travel back home to be with my family due to some personal health issues my mom is currently facing. Please keep my mom in your prayers this week. Details to come later.

Thanks everyone!

500 Days of Summer.

Best movie I've ever seen.

Cutest couple on the planet.

I want to be Zooey Dechanel,

and I want to date Joseph Gordon Levitt.

As a matter of fact, if he loves Jesus.... He's MINE!

Fabulous Finds

It's day 8 of 365 full days of nothing but thrift store shopping. And with all my fabulous finds, who knew thrifting could be this fun?!?!?

Shoes - $4.00

Scarf - $2.00

Sequined Cocktail dress - $8.00

Vintage Black Party Dress (Which looks much better on) - $9.00


New incredible clothing for under $25.00- PRICELESS!

Thrifty Living

*Phew*

Its been a year filled with change, growth, love, heartache, laughter, and surprises. And through it all I've felt the hand of the Lord upon me, shaping me and molding me into the woman He so desires. I've been challenged in ways I never knew possible, and have accomplished tasks previously unimaginable. I'm not sure I recognize the girl I am today, nor do I know who I'll be tomorrow. But I do know that each day I grow closer to the Lord as He pushes me and strengthens me in areas of my life previously untouched. Its exciting, yet strange. I'm hopeful and encouraged, but scared and unsure. I no longer want to be the same. I want the Lord to see me, know me, and reach deep inside my soul and grab hold of me. I want to be free from a world that seeks to harm me. I want more than this life has to offer. I want to be uncomplicated, simplified, and filled with His glory. So in my strange attempt to free myself from these mundane everyday chains, I've begun a new challenge. For the next year of my life, I will no long let shopping, clothing, shoes, or accessories define who I am. I refuse to be tied to an industry that glorifies shopping addictions, credit cards, and debt. For the next year, I will only shop at thrift stores. If it hasn't been used or worn before, I will refuse to purchase it. Not only will my pocket book thank me, my heart will be at rest. No more competing for "best dressed". No more comparisons. No more believing that too much is never enough. No more! I desire to squash envy, live contently, and allow the Lord to challenge my heart in ways I've never experienced. It will be a time of saving money, relying on the Lord, and of course "living green" as I seek to live a truly secondhand life. So here I go. I'm jumping in with both feet!! Who knows where I'll land, but I trust my Lord.

Catch Up

It seems I always have so much to blog, and yet so little time to do so. In an attempt to bring you up to speed on the recent happenings in my life, here is a compilation of my life as of lately....

1. Took a road trip to San Diego with my friend Elise


2. Spent some time relaxing on the beach and in my favorite Cafe.... where I saw the cutest boy two days in a row. Lots of eye contact flirting. No speaking. Story of my life.


3. Went downtown San Diego for girls night at the Shout House, a crazy fun dueling piano bar, where I had the time of my life laughing, drinking cocktails, and singing songs at the top of my lungs.


4. Totally crushed on cute piano playing guy. And cute piano guy (AKA: Joshua) even came up to our table to talk to me after his set. I can't remember a thing he said. All I heard was my hearting beating out of my chest. But I did get a picture with him...


5. Went to the best Irish Pub and drank a glass of Guinness with Elise. Two sips in, Elise broke out in an allergic reaction to some medication she had taken and her eyes swelled up to the size of golf balls. So we went home. But laughed the whole way.


6. Made the decision to go one whole year without buying clothing that does NOT come from a thrift shop. I'll explain more in an upcoming blog. But I'm totally excited about this new challenge.


7. And last by not least, I've created a new list of books I want to read and finish in the next year....
   
   - Ruby Slippers by Jonalyn Fincher

- Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

- Lost Women of the Bible by Carolyn James

- Authentic Beauty by Leslie Ludy

-The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical by Shane Claiborne

And of course, I cant have a blog without a few pictures, so here are some shots of girls night out in San Diego...

In the cab on the way downtown!

Elise at the Shout House

Me at the Shout House

Cute Piano Guy playing and singing.... gotta love it!

Me and Elise with cute piano guy. I look WAY too excited in this photo.