Baby Step

20 September 2009 by

There was no big overarching reason for my bloggy break. I just needed, well, a break. I’m working more right now than I have in several years, and between taking care of work stuff and going to soccer practice and getting back in the swing of church on Wednesday nights and cooking and laundry-ing and whathaveyou-ing, I was starting to feel a little bit like my eyeballs were going to jump out of their sockets so that they could take turns knocking out my teeth.

Or something like that.

The bottom line is that I felt out of balance and out of whack and out of sorts. So I decided a week away from the blog might be a very good thing indeed. And as much as I died a little bit inside when I wasn’t blogging about the season premiere of “The Office” (PARKOUR!), I’m glad I stuck with the break. Life feels much less stress-y now.

Now that the break is officially over – even though it never officially started because 1) I am not an official and 2) I rarely do anything officially except for DRIVING MYSELF CRAZY WITH THE SEMANTICS, I AM OFFICIALLY DRIVING MYSELF CRAZY WITH THE SEMANTICS – I planned to sit down tonight and tell you some of the funny-ish things that happened this past week.

(For example, Alex got a reading award and we let him pick anywhere he wanted for supper Friday night. ANYWHERE. I was all geared up for some chips and salsa and some sort of tortilla-esque substance filled with cheese – because clearly if he could pick any restaurant he wanted he would surely opt for Mexican food – and do you know where he picked? DO YOU KNOW? Arby’s. He picked Arby’s. THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE COKE PRODUCTS THERE.)

(MUCH LESS QUESO.)

(THE STUFF THEY PUT ON TOP OF THE BEEF ‘N CHEDDAR SANDWICHES DOESN’T COUNT EVEN A LITTLE BIT.)

But as it turns out I haven’t done very much “writing” tonight after all because after supper I got completely sidetracked by the Emmys, and then David and I talked about how rearranging the furniture in our bedroom (fyi: we rearranged the furniture in our bedroom this afternoon) makes it feel so much bigger, and then I remembered that I haven’t read my October Southern Living yet, and I really want to read it, and I’m going to do just that because I am always a fan of a new idea for a fall door wreath.

So there you have it. I have grazed my toe across two droplets of water that splashed up from the shallow end of the bloggy pool, and now I’m running back over to my lounge chair so that I can snuggle up with a magazine. And I think you’ll agree that using an analogy from the depths of summer when we’re mere hours away from fall reveals a staggering lack of creativity and innovation.

In other words: it’s business as usual around here! With the same level of sub-par content that you’ve grown to tolerate!

You’re welcome!

Please know that I’ve missed you terribly.

Filed Under: Rambling

Bloggy Break

14 September 2009 by

Real life beckons, so I’m gonna take a little bloggy break.

See y’all in a week or so!

p.s. There’s a delightful giveaway going on today over at AllAccess. Oh yes there is.

Filed Under: Rambling

A Pre-Game Wave (Of Cream Cheese)

3 September 2009 by

1) Earlier this week I was talking to Melanie about my various and sundry states of blogger’s block, and she said, “Hey. I have an idea that sounds like something you’d post.”

And I said, “What is it?”

And she said, “Well, since college football season is starting, it might be fun to do a post where people could share their dip recipes. You know, they could….”

“DONE.”

And thus the DipTacular was born.

By the way, it’s going to be tomorrow.

Which is only a day away.

But think about it. College football season will be in full swing in just a couple of days. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. We need dip recipes, people – and we need them quickly.

Here’s how it will work: tomorrow morning I’ll put up a post with two or three of my favorite dip recipes. At the end of my post there will be a Mr. Linky where you can add a link to your DipTacular post. And if you wrote a post about your favorite dips last Christmas or whenever, then just link to that post – no need to write something new if you already have a post that will work.

Hopefully when it’s all said and done we’ll have a great collection of dip recipes. I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for more excuses to eat cream cheese.

2) I will listen to this at least 95 times between now and Saturday. Aye, and loudly.

3) Finally, I have two words about the comments y’all left on yesterday’s post:

SOLID GOLD.

You will never know how your comments delighted me. OH MY WORD. Y’all are hilarious and clever and stinkin’ funny. I don’t know when I’ve ever enjoyed the internet more.

So all that to say: thank you so much. Your comments made my whole day.

Immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine,
S.

Filed Under: Rambling

Needing Some Closure

2 September 2009 by

So I’m not sure how it started, exactly, but the other day a friend of mine and I decided that we were going to have a contest to see who could come up with the holiest email closing.

This would probably be a good time to provide some background information. I do hope you’ll bear with me while I explain.

When I was in high school my parents went to a really awesome weekend retreat, and they came home with all sorts of encouraging notes from people who had also been to the retreat, and many of those notes were closed with the following words:

In Him,
Encouraging Christian’s Name

And I’ll go ahead and admit it: I was a wee big fascinated with the “In Him” sign-off. After practicing with it awhile in notes both real and imagined, I decided that I really liked working the Christian closing into my 16 year-old correspondence. For instance:

I don’t know what in the world he thinks that he’s thinking, but he’s DEFINITELY not thinking the same thing that I’m thinking. By the way, aren’t my new Reebok high tops the cutest thing you’ve ever seen? I think they are SO MAJOR.”

In Him,
Soph

Or actually it would have said “Sofa” instead of “Soph” because all my high school friends called me “Sofa,” but let’s just pretend you have no knowledge of that bit-o-information, okay?

Right after David and I got married I started teaching at a Christian school, and I noticed almost immediately that “In Him” was no longer in vogue. Oh, I mean, it was FINE, and it would certainly do in a pinch, but the closings were a bit more elaborate. All I could figure was that during the first half of my 20s, when I wasn’t paying a whole lot of attention to Things Christian, the body of Christ got together and decided to up the holy ante in their email and letter closings. So instead of just being “In Him,” people were “In His grip.” They made it clear that their existence was “By His grace,” that their words were “In His service.”

And sometimes, if the subject matter was really intense, the closing jumped up a notch to “Because of Him,” but you pretty much had to have finished seminary in order to use that one. I’m sure there were some exceptions, of course.

Anyway, it took me awhile, but eventually I managed to catch up. And by 1999, after two years of intensive study in order to reacquaint myself with the Christian closing, I was completely up-to-speed on the lingo. In fact, I may have even thrown down the “Because of His grace” gauntlet in a heartfelt letter. And while odds are that nobody on earth noticed my gauntlet throwing, I’m pretty sure that when Jesus saw me type out “Because of His grace,” he released some doves up in the heavenlies. Or maybe it was just some pigeons. But still. There’s not a doubt in my mind that He was deeply, profoundly moved.

Over the last few years I’ve done a bit of scientific research (and I think we all know that when I say “scientific research,” what I mean is “I HAVE SKIMMED AND EVEN READ SEVERAL EMAILS”), and I’ve noticed an increased use of the participle in people’s closings. I’m fairly certain this increase can be attributed at least in part to the fact that we’re doers of the Word, people. Not just hearers. Oh no. We’re doers. Please consider the following:

Following Him,
John Smith

Or:

Running with perseverance,
Mary Jones

Or even better:

Seeking His face,
Jim Jackson

The presence of the participle-driven closing (not to be be confused with the purpose-driven life) creates action (again: doers – not just hearers – doers). And let me tell you something else: you need to be on your spiritual toes when you run across a closing that starts with a participle. I mean, you’d better know that if someone closes his or her email with “Standing firm,” they’re fully anticipating that you can make the leap to the entire book of 1 Peter. Might want to keep your concordance handy, my friends.

For the last several years I haven’t actively practiced the Christian closing, mainly because I email so much that it just isn’t practical to type out an elaborate closing in every single email. And yes, I know that I could set up a signature in my email preferences, but for some reason I feel like if I do that then the next thing you know I’ll be giving myself some made-up title. And then the next thing you know I’ll be writing down “goals” and trying to “achieve some things.”

So basically what I guess I’m saying is that while I know what is widely regarded as professional, grown-up behavior, I have made a conscious choice to do the exact opposite.

Anyway, one day a couple of weeks ago my friend J and I had a PERFECTLY REVERENT discussion about some of our favorite church-related moments, and somehow the subject of email closings came up. It didn’t take long for us to decide that we needed to have a contest to see who could come up with the best, most active (DOERS. NOT HEARERS.) closing. Also, we wanted to determine once and for all which one of us is holier.

And the prize? A $25 gift card to the LifeWay store. OF COURSE.

Here is my first effort. It’s a bit rough, but I trust you’ll see the heart behind it:

Seeking Him wholeheartedly,
S.

I thought it was good, but J came back with all pistons firing:

This morning around 3:37 I was in my first hour of my quiet time in the cool refreshing morning air and I tried a new prayer position without stretching and pulled a muscle in my back.

Will you pray for me?

Praying without ceasing as to not quench His Spirit,
J.

Not only was I moved by J’s signature – I was inspired. Which is why I replied with the following:

Not quenching,
S.

Y’all have to admit that “not quenching” is gold.

But then J came back strong:

Thirsting for more,
J.

Honestly, y’all, I wondered if I was in over my head. So I thought about it, prayed about it and ultimately realized that the problem was that I’d been focusing on participles instead of focusing on – you guessed it – Him. Just raise your hand if you’ve been there, sister.

I think you’ll see the shift in my closing philosophy if you look at my final entry:

He’s changing me,
S.

Needless to say, I was humbled and honored to put the focus back where it belongs.

As for who won the contest – well, I’ll let the internet be the judge. But just know that if you need me, I’ll be ramping up for hour number four in my prayer closet, where I’ll be writing inspirational music that came to me in a vision when I was involved in an intensive seven-year study of the Psalms.

Counting it all joy,
Soph

Filed Under: Faith, Rambling

You Can Imagine My Surprise

27 August 2009 by

Okay so I really do have one more giveaway to do – and if I don’t get it posted tonight, I’ll get it posted tomorrow – but my brain needs for me to compose some sentences that are not connected to fabulous prizes so that I can tell you about something that has had a profound impact on the life of my little family.

Here’s the deal. I have always been a vanilla ice cream girl. I don’t usually like ice cream with swirls or chocolate covered things or chunks of stuff. If I’m really feeling crazy I’ll put some strawberries on top of my PLAIN VANILLA – or maybe just a little bit of chocolate syrup – but by and large I don’t want to taste any wacky flavor combinations. Just some old school homemade vanilla.

However.

HOWEVER.

Over the last two weeks, everything has changed. My husband picked out some ice cream one night when we were at the grocery store, and even though I was skeptical – even though I couldn’t fathom why he wouldn’t buy a pint of Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla for me and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk for him – he branched out. He broadened our ice cream horizons. And our lives will never be the same.

All because of this.

Press-Release-Nutty-Chocolate

PEOPLE. COME ON, NOW.

It’s FANTASTIC.

And honestly, I can’t figure out why I like it. It’s chocolate ice cream (not a fan), it has stuff mixed in it (not a fan) and it’s full of nuts (typically a fan – but not when they’re in ice cream). But I’m telling you: there’s something about the flavor and the texture that just delights me.

I mean, right now? While I’m sitting in a chair in my house and typing on my computer? Just thinking about that Nutty Chocolate ice cream makes me want to clap my hands. It also makes me want to drive to the Publix and pick up a 1/2 gallon of Nutty Chocolate. But I won’t do that since I am the epitome of self-discipline and restraint.

Stop laughing.

Anyway, even though I will always be loyal to my Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla, I feel a shift in my ice cream perspective, a sense of adventure in my ice cream spirit. And I owe it all to Nutty Chocolate. I am forever grateful.

So. What’s your favorite ice cream?

Filed Under: Rambling

Catty

20 August 2009 by

Our morning started off on an interesting note when I was fixing breakfast and heard a cat meowing over and over again.

Critical piece of information: we do not own a cat.

David was making a Starbucks run (I told this story on Twitter earlier, but it’s worth repeating: when I told Alex that his daddy was at Starbucks, he responded by saying, “Make the world nice; fill it up with coffee”), so I didn’t have another grown-up in the house to verify that YES, SOMETHING WAS MEOWING, but the resident six year-old and I were pretty sure that what we were hearing wasn’t the result of a neighborhood feline who’d somehow figured out how to operate a megaphone. Somehow the cat was in our house.

Feel free to go play a series of minor chords on whatever instrument you have handy. Because YES. CREEPY.

Anyway, since I am very alert and process information very rapidly AT 6:40 IN THE MORNING, it took me about twenty minutes to remember that oh, wait, the cable guy was at our house a couple of days ago and might have left our basement door open. Which would have made it very possible indeed for a cat to find its way into said basement.

So. Long story long: yes, a cat was in the basement. The cable guy had in fact left the door open, and David discovered the open door yesterday and promptly closed it, and as a result a neighbor’s kitty cat had a lovely little slumber party at our house and was apparently READY TO GO HOME once the sun came up today. She BOLTED outside when I opened the basement door around 7-ish.

You’ll be thrilled to know that she is now back at home and resting comfortably with her humans.

Anyway, the rest of our day proceeded much more smoothly, and after the little guy finished school we stopped to get him an Icee. He fell in love with Coke Icees this summer at the beach, but we’ve had a really hard time finding convenience stores that sell Icees here at home. I cannot even tell you how many times we’ve driven by a quick stop and looked for the Icee logo on the door, but that red and blue polar bear is tough to find, my friends. We actually had our first taste of Icee success a couple of weeks ago when we were a few miles outside of town, and when we got back in the car, Alex said, “Mama! I KNEW they had Icees there!”

“How did you know?” I asked.

“Well, because when I looked through the window, I saw the words ‘COLD BEAR’ in big green letters on the back wall!”

OH. That sweet thing. Reading cursive can be tricky when the words are way up above adult beverage coolers, you know? But the good news is that “cold bear” is actually a mighty fine nickname for a frozen cola treat with a polar bear for a mascot. PLUS, we finally found a place close-ish to our house where Icees are in abundant supply. Alex is understandably delighted.

So that’s our day in a nutshell. Except for the part where Project Runway‘s season premiere was tonight and I squealed.

And in conclusion I would just like to say that I hope your weekend will be nice and filled up with coffee. Or Coke-flavored cold bears.

Whichever you prefer.

Filed Under: Rambling
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