Freeing Up Some Short Term Memory

22 August 2007 by

– Y’all know that I love me some Nichole Nordeman because, well, she’s been my pretend-BFF for about seven years now. We’ve been through a LOT together, even if she doesn’t know about, well, any of it.

A few weeks ago someone told me about an article Nichole Nordeman wrote, but I only recently got around to reading it. It’s a really insightful look at the role image plays in the Christian music business, and I thought you internets might enjoy it. There’s a neat story from Chris Tomlin in there, too.

– Is anyone else watching “Design Star” on HGTV? And if so, have you been as disappointed in it as I have been? I mean, I know it’s just a reality show, but I feel like they’re eliminating people right and left, speeding up the process to the point where I don’t have a sense of who any of the contestants are.

ATTENTION, HGTV: SOME OF YOUR VIEWERS ARE RELATIONAL.

Like, for instance, me.

And, um, hello? They haven’t done any projects that I’ve thought were terribly attractive (with the exception of what they did with the loft’s dining room on episode one). On the whole, it’s just been a pretty eh television experience.

This saddens me.

– Monk & Neagle are in Nashville tonight with Bebo Norman and Shane & Shane – then in Atlanta this Sunday night (and in South Carolina in between).

Just a friendly reminder because I care about you and your musical well-being.

And by the way, Shane and Shane have the koolest website evir. Unless you’re on dial-up, in which case their website will become your sworn interweb enemy. But it’s all new, and it’s well worth a visit to hear clips of their new songs. Oh-so-good.

I can already tell that my favorite song off their new CD is going to be “Beg.” In case you were wondering.

– All righty. I believe that’s all. I just needed for y’all to know these things. Rightthissecond.

I can only imagine how much your day will be improved by my completely unnecessary sense of information urgency.

Happy Wednesday, everybody.

Filed Under: Bloggity Fun

When A Pronoun Antecedent Makes A World Of Difference

21 August 2007 by

Alex’s teacher this year is Mrs. Cook, only I should probably confess right now that Mrs. Cook is not her real name. And of course this is where the relational side of me wants to say, “Hey, y’all. Her name is actually Mrs. So-And-So. She teaches at Such-And-Such School – do you know her?”

But I realize that might be a bit foolish and somewhat counterproductive in terms of protecting the boy’s privacy. Plus, the whole creating-an-alias-for-the-teacher thing is kind of fun. In fact, it makes me feel a little bit like Sidney Bristow. Except without the hot pink wig and the killer kah-rah-tay kicks.

And, you know, the rock-solid abs.

Mrs. Cook is an absolutely wonderful teacher, so much so that other parents whose children have been in her class get TEARS IN THEIR EYES when they talk about her. Even more remarkable is what someone told me the other day: Mrs. Cook has been teaching for over twenty-five years and has never raised her voice in the classroom.

We should probably pause at this juncture to give the Lord a holy handclap of praise for His goodness in providing an authority figure who just might have a calming influence on our child. Because, quite frankly, his daddy and I have proven to be of no use at all when it comes to convincing Alex to dial down his level of enthusiasm over, say, NOODLES.

Anyway.

Last night Alex and I were saying prayers before his bedtime, and all of the sudden he sat straight up and said, “Mama! Oh, Mama! I have a GOOD WORD for us, Mama!”

Thinking that he’d learned a new word at school, I patted his leg and said, “Okay, baby – and I want you to tell me ALL about it just as soon as we finish praying.”

I started to pray again, and after about five seconds the little man piped up again, only louder: “BUT MAMA! I HAVE A GOOD WORD TO SHARE!”

Something about the way he said it let me know that he wasn’t talking about vocabulary words, so I said, “All right, then – tell me your good word.”

And he bowed his head again, clasped his little hands together, and in the sweetest voice you’ve ever heard, he said, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.”

Oh, internets.

My heart, it was full.

And I could pretend like I didn’t cry but that would be a lie.

After we finished with prayers and goodnight kisses, I walked to the den to let D know that Alex wanted to tell him goodnight, too. As D started down the hall, I choked back the sobs and said, “Be sure to ask him about his good word.”

A few minutes later D came out of Alex’s room, and as I continued to wipe the tears from my eyes I said, “So – did he tell you his good word?”

“He did,” D answered. “And I think I have a little perspective to add to that.”

“What is it?” I asked, thinking that our sweet boy had probably recited even more of that particular verse for his daddy.

D said, “Well, he said the verse, and I told him how proud I was, and then I asked him WHO is with him.”

“Uh-huh. What did he say?”

“He said, ‘MRS. COOK is with me, Daddy!'”

So.

Alex may still be just a smidge foggy in terms of his theology.

We’ll try to work on that.

But in the meantime, y’all can be encouraged to know that you don’t have to be afraid because Mrs. Cook is with you always.

And she’ll stay calm regardless.

And she’ll teach you stuff, too.

Filed Under: Chatty McTalky, Oh Howard

For The Fours Of You Who Haven’t Been There Yet

20 August 2007 by

My sweet friend Shannon launched another fab blog a couple of weeks ago. The new blog is called Bloggy Giveaways, and it’s dedicated to sharing great products with the internets. There’s a new giveaway every few days, and all you have to do to win is follow some simple commenting instructions.

What I love the most is that the giveaways come from companies of all sizes. It’s a great concept for everyone involved: readers get a chance to win free stuff, and businesses get a chance to promote their products in a fun environment.

So while I’m working on churning out yay, even more mediocre content for your reading ambivalence, be sure to check out Bloggy Giveaways. There’s all kinds of bloggity goodness over there.

Filed Under: Bloggity Fun

Look, Internets! A Whole Lot Of Nothing!

19 August 2007 by

I’m going to switch over to my other blog template in the next day or two, mainly because it has fall-ish colors and I need something, ANYTHING to remind me that fall is just around the corner.

Because I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it, but it’s been a little hot.

However, the heat has been somewhat educational because it has enabled me to reach the admittedly un-scientific conclusion that when the temperature is hovering somewhere above 100 degrees, there is no hotter place in the universe than the parking lot of a Walmart Supercenter.

I would conduct an experiment, but there would be no way to do that without sweating. Which is something I do my very best to avoid.

Anyway.

Today when we climbed in the car after church, it became very clear very quickly that Alex was in rare form. He started telling D. and me all about JONAH! and NINEVEH! and THE WHALE! that SPIT OUT! JONAH! ON THE SAND!

The story is not at all new to him, but today, for whatever reason, it really captured his attention. And after about five minutes of listening to NON-STOP! ENTHUSIASTIC! TALKING! ABOUT! WHAT! THE LORD! DID!, I couldn’t help but wonder if the four year-old Sunday School teachers had put a little Holy Ghost power in the Goldfish crackers they served at snack time.

However, I think the little man’s interest in spiritual matters returned to normal preschool levels by late this afternoon, and I say that because about an hour ago I heard Alex yell, “DADDY! DID YOU SMELL IT? DID YOU SMELL IT, DADDY? I’M A POOTER MACHINE!”

Then they both laughed until they wheezed.

As you can tell, there is a spirit of quiet dignity around our house.

And it is truly our family’s sweet privilege to establish traditions of refined elegance that will no doubt be passed down for many generations to come.

Filed Under: Rambling

Just Like You Read About In Those Fancy Romance Novels

18 August 2007 by

This morning D. woke me up at 7:30. He mentioned last night that he wanted for the three of us to go to McDonald’s for breakfast today so that we could celebrate Alex’s first week of school, but I sort of thought he was kidding because I rarely go anywhere on Saturday mornings. Unless, of course, I travel a little deeper under the covers as I do my very best to sleep late as possible.

But in the spirit of family fun, I got out of the bed. I stumbled down the hall and helped Alex change out of his pajamas, then started the process of trying to make myself somewhat presentable. Which means that I pulled my hair back with sunglasses, put on some extra-cute flip-flops, and off we went.

(My outfit does not bear mentioning because it didn’t match even a little bit. I pretended that it did while we were at breakfast just to make myself feel better, but that particular bout of denial has since worn off. And the truth of the matter is that I was a one-woman early morning sartorial train wreck.)

(People tried not to stare, and for that I am thankful.)

While Alex and I found a table, D. ordered our food. And that reminds me: I don’t know if y’all know this, but you can get McDonald’s Big Breakfast for about cheap dollars and thrifty cents. It’s such a big meal that Alex and I usually split it – he’s a fan of the pancakes and hash browns, whereas my loyalties lie with the eggs and sausage.

This is riveting information, I know.

I guess I’ll have to ratchet up the excitement by telling you that D. ordered me an EXTRA sausage patty because he thought I might enjoy having two pieces of sausage with my scrambled eggs. And as he was unloading our tray-o-food, he presented that extra piece of fried meat product to me as if it were a diamond resting on a pillow of clouds. Then he said, “Now you can go back home and blog about how your husband loves you so much that he ordered you an extra sausage patty at the McDonald’s this morning.”

It was the kind of romantic gesture every young girl dreams about when she’s twirling around her house wearing a princess costume and crown: the day when her handsome prince will look deeply into her eyes, place his hand on her shoulder, and offer her a plastic McDonald’s tray that holds an extra sausage patty wrapped in waxy paper. And then she will blog about it.

That dream came true for me today, y’all.

It is a precious, tender memory.

And I will carry it in my heart – lo, in my very arteries – for the rest of my earthly days.

Filed Under: Family Fun

Linky-Loos

17 August 2007 by

There’s some deep and abiding 80’s joy right here. It’s an 80’s trifecta: big hair, pastel clothes and a synthesizer. Such a treasure.

*****

Trista is hosting an End of The Summer Blog Party, and you can find all the details here. The festivities start Monday and last all week.

*****

A couple of months ago Keetha sent me a copy of her latest book, More Culinary Kudzu. When I finally sat down to read it, I was hooked. It has fabulous recipes, great stories, and did I mention the fabulous recipes? If you’re Southern or maybe a teensy bit fascinated by the South, you will love this book (and her first book, Culinary Kudzu, as well). You can find all the ordering info you need here – and you can read chapter samples, to boot. Delightful.

*****

I’ll see y’all tomorrow.

Stay gold, internets. Stay gold.

Filed Under: Bloggity Fun
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