No Snow!

Since I've started skiing (two years ago), there is a switch that goes off inside of me at Thanksgiving. I IMMEDIATELY want to start skiing....but there's no snow!! We have had such a wonderfully mild November, but I am now having to remind myself to not wish so badly that it would snow and just ENJOY the lack of shoveling, scraping, coldness, etc. as long as possible. I am sure to be sick of all that winter entails within a few weeks of the first snowfall (except for when I'm skiing...). But I hear we will have snow by the end of the week. Probably not enough to ski, though. Boo.

The BEST thing about a mild November: I had dinner with friends last night and they GRILLED! Don't think I've ever grilled on the last day of November before!!

One Single Sermon

I listened to a sermon on singleness this weekend, and after reading through my notes again, it is quickly becoming one of my favorite sermons on singleness. It was titled "Courtship Shmourtship" and it was given by the man who literally "wrote the book" on courting.

I think it is good to listen to many (wise) points of view on dating and courtship because I am certain that there is no ONE "right" way to go about dating, but there are also things to be aware of in order to avoid many of the "wrong" things there are about dating...does that make sense?......so I like to hear what people think about this whole dating and relationship thing.

And the first thing that caught my attention about this sermon was that he was preaching from the set of verses I chose for my core values. [Remember months ago (it was so long ago I can't even find my own post on it) when I was going to get around to telling you what my core values are.....yeah.....I'll get to it......]

If you are single, I would recommend you listen to the sermon (and possibly the second sermon in the series, which I have yet to listen to). If you aren't single, I will just share some of my favorite things I took away from the sermon (paraphrased).

A better problem for men to have is to adjust the context of pursuing someone than to pursue no one at all. Women: let men be your brothers and don’t assume there is more than friendship unless he actually STATES IT with his MOUTH.....in ENGLISH.........TO YOU. Not “he sorta kinda told me in winky language that he liked me”. This is not the place to get a word from the Lord, a word from him is more helpful.

Let the men in the church be brothers to the women in the church. If you feel that there is a lack of forthrightness and communication, women don’t have to keep entertaining that time – there is a point when a certain level of time and attention makes it hard to understand where that interest comes from, and women can let the men know that. Don’t read into it – and that’s for everyone in the church, too. If you see a friendship growing, don’t ask the girl where it is going – she is trying to let the guy lead in the relationship and it isn’t helpful to ask her about it! Let friendship grow naturally.

A single woman should not have to have a boyfriend to feel cherished and cared for in the family of God. (walking to car, drawing her out in conversation, etc) But what about guarding heart? Men’s care should be consistent for all single women so there won't be confusion. Sisters in your life should have total confidence that if you have interest, you will make that clear and there won’t be a vague relationship for an extended period of time.

We do need to guard our heart from sinful desires and being led astray. We don’t accept what the world says to follow our hearts. This shouldn’t become a self focused attempt to avoid EVER being disappointed. Don’t run away from relationships the moment you feel attraction – God can help you process that in a healthy way. Don’t cut yourself off from the good gifts of fellowship and friendship that God has for us. Don’t flee any disappointment: we don't need a life free of disappointment, but a life filled with faith. God will help us in those moments.

Stomach Full; Heart Even More So

Going home for Thanksgiving always leaves me with a FULL stomach and an even more FULL heart.

My stomach was full of all the greatest things ever: mashed potatoes, dressing, scalloped corn, green bean casserole, wild rice, pumpkin pie, pecan pie with ice cream, chocolate walnut pie (YES, I didn't eat any turkey (no room for it) and I HAD THREE PIECES OF PIE - DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?!). Then it was on to the next house where I did actually eat turkey and almond pie, snickerdoodles, oatmeal cookies, crackers and dip, seven layer bars.....the list literally goes ON AND ON AND ON. I also had leftover dressing for breakfast on Friday because THAT'S HOW I ROLL and IT WAS SO DELICIOUS (next year I will try this awesome idea so that my dressing is actually a little bit breakfasty).

My heart was also full of all the greatest things ever: playing cards at 1 AM, catching up with friends, singing in the car with my sister, talking wedding with my cousin's betrothed, watching football with the fam, playing trucks with little boys, looking through bridal magazines with my "brother's" fiance, catching up on life with all of the "Moms" in my life, helping my actual Mom with her work-filled Friday, eating all kinds of cookies on Christmas cookie baking day, seeing far-away friends on Skype, getting random gifts just because someone thought of me, having time to myself to think and write and pray, having dinner with my cutie grandparents and aunt and uncle and Dad, watching the Gophers with Grandpa and Dad, seeing tons of "old teachers" (I was instructed to call them "former teachers") while in town, chatting with my cousin while working at the concession stand on Saturday, listening to great and encouraging sermons in the car, enjoying the wonderful weather while I drove......this list could also go ON AND ON AND ON.

I am SO THANKFUL for the reminders of the many things I have to be thankful for whenever I go home for Thanksgiving. I am so blessed and my heart is SO FULL.

Hope your Thanksgiving was blessed, as well.

Just A Picture

No, not of my haircut (I'm currently feeling very much less confident in it than I was last night....oy).....of my quilt! Forgot that I hadn't posted anything from Quilt Retreat this year, and since this blog semi-serves as journaling for me, I wanted to put a picture here.


I don't like how the colors come across in this picture (they are greens and purples), but I do like how I fit the boy into the picture :) I heart him.

Anyway, this is just the finished top. I still need to find a backing and I think I will actually quilt this one myself. EXCITED! I kinda wish I had a place in my house to set up my sewing machine (once it is fixed) so that I could sew here and there when I want, but oh well. I might need to just dive in for a weekend sometime again.

I think I'll give this as a gift sometime in the future, depending on when it is done, and depending on when my besties finally pop out some girl babies!!

Wait....What?!?!

If you live in the cities, it's possible you've passed the following sign, as I did today:


If ANYONE knows what a sexy, Asian, farmhouse antique is.......you get 1,000 points.

This sign is a perfect example of why I always carry a camera with me.

In other somewhat-but-not-really related news, I was thrilled that I had my camera with me last Friday when I met a girl with the exact haircut I've been dreaming of. I had scheduled an appointment for a trim, but I started to get the itch to chop. I convinced myself that I would be mad if I chopped, but I still wanted to do something different. Color doesn't get me very excited anymore ever since my hair was nearly every color of the rainbow during my college years. And when I saw this girl's hair, I just KNEW it was the cut I wanted. So (good thing I'm not shy....and I hope she isn't either, come to think of it.....) I took a picture of her and showed it to my stylist tonight, and........voila! Cutest haircut EVER!

Now I just have to recreate it tomorrow.....which is where it all goes downhill.............

Forgetful

"I don't really have any secrets, she told me once. I just forget a lot of stuff."
-StoryPeople

(this really could be the StoryofmylifePeople!)

More On Obedience

From Morning and Evening by Charles Spurgeon, entry of August 14 (Evening):

He is the Master, and His knowledge is to serve us instead of our own; we are to obey, not to judge: "The servant knoweth not what his lord doeth." Shall the architect explain his plans to every hodman on the works? If he knows his own intent, is it not enough? The vessel on the wheel cannot guess to what pattern it shall be conformed, but if the potter understands his art, what matters the ignorance of the clay? My Lord must not be cross-questioned any more by one so ignorant as I am.