Tag Archives: Friends

In for a Bumpy Ride

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1. What is your favorite sport?

To watch: football.  To play: tennis (and about the only sport I’d play).

2. Which day of the week do you look forward to most?

During tax season, it was Tuesdays (my late start day).  Now, I’m not sure.  I actually prefer the structure of weekdays to the weekend (I know, weird), so maybe Mondays?  I do spend time with 2 of my favorite people every other Monday, so that’d make sense.

3. Have you ever had a secret admirer?

If it’s a secret, how would I know?  But not that I know of, no.

4. Do you like your eggs scrambled or sunny side up?

Scrambled (or hard-boiled).  Once tried sunny side up because it looked good, but I was VERY mistaken.  If I make them myself, I like to add cheddar cheese and ranch dressing…yum!

5. What was the first plane ride you took?

To Chicago, when I was 16.  It was for Science Olympiad, when we were going to Nationals for my first time.  We actually waited around in the small Wichita airport for 7 hours (this was pre-9/11) because they kept delaying our flight and then switched us.  It was quite bumpy, too, since there were a lot of storms, but I didn’t know better at the time.  Now, turbulence bothers me more than I’d like to admit (though I’m a big roller coaster junkie–go figure).  And though I got started flying late, I’ve not stopped, and now routinely fly 4 times a year.


Regrets, Music and Friends

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Do you like rainy days or snowy winter days more?

Snowy days if I get to stay indoors.  If I have to be out in it, I like the rain.  Actually, being out in the rain often makes me laugh-out-loud happy; I don’t know why.

Tell me about something you really regret?

Joining the masses in being mean to classmates in middle school.  I don’t even think it occurred to me that the rumors I heard and spread probably weren’t true.

Tell me about your favorite music?

My favorite singer is Collin Raye as I love his voice.  My favorite band is Maroon 5 (I’m surprised my copy of “Songs about Jane” still works), though I wish their lyrics on their latest CD were cleaner.  I love the goofy play-on-words lyrics to Barenaked Ladies’ songs.  I tend to like pop-y stuff and have a recent obsession with the music of Disney stars Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato.  My favorite worship music is Sovereign Grace’s “Sons and Daughters” CD.

What is something or someone you miss the most from childhood?

Being a part of a close family…doing things together and having people around to talk to.  Not that I don’t love my independence now, but I miss that.

Are you the kind of person that you would want to have as a friend?

Absolutely not.  I tend not to like people like myself (and they tend not to like me).  We can be acquaintances, but will likely never be good friends.

Turning My Focus Outwards

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I’m an introvert.  Many of you probably already knew this.  It’s not hard to figure out from my lack of “partying” posts and all the time I spend reading (and blogging, too).  I know those of you who know me in real life know this.

As an introvert I need time alone.  Nothing wrong with this…it’s the way that God made me.  Spending time with people is draining, and I’ve got to re-charge in a dark, quiet room, usually with a good book or an episode of Glee or any NCIS or CSI.

But as a sinful introvert, I crave time alone and overindulge.  As a part of my church’s How People Change class (great book…definitely recommend it!), we’re required to work on something in our life that needs changing for our Personal Growth Project.

At the encouragement of my extremely-extroverted future roommate (Jen), I agreed that my escapist tendencies (and the sinful underlying desires and motives) needed to be the subject of my project.

Friday was a peaceful day at the office.  The storm was over.  This should have been a relaxing day, but I found that I was rather miserable.  Why?  I didn’t take too much time to investigate the inner workings of me, as I realized I had spent the whole week focused INWARD.  Solution?  Turning my focus outwards.

This past weekend I had several social opportunities that I had initially dismissed as they weren’t “my thing.”  Once I chose this project, I quickly committed to them, and told Jen so that she’d hold me accountable.

You know what? It wasn’t so bad.  While I wouldn’t say that I enjoyed every minute of those social events, I didn’t despise them. Uncomfortable moments came…and passed.  I even added in some impromptu hangout time with roommates past, present, and future (to their great surprise).

The great thing was that it wasn’t even draining.  Yes, I was tired at the end of the weekend, but no more than I would after any normal day.  Though my feelings don’t rule me, I did feel better Sunday night after spending all weekend with people than I did Friday afternoon after spending the day alone. God indeed gives grace for the tasks He gives me.

Photo by foreverdigital

Contra Dancing, Anyone?

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This post is TWO YEARS old, sitting in my drafts folder. We ended up not going contra dancing that night after all (not my decision, but I was incredibly grateful!). I decided to save it for whenever they wanted me to go again…but fortunately was never asked. I think you’ll agree that it’s rather timeless.

Tonight I’m going out with some friends to go contra dancing. Don’t know what contra dancing is? I really don’t either. All I know is that it’s a dance kinda like line dancing or square dancing. Okay. What I CAN tell you is that this is a very big step for me.

Since this is list month:

Why I Don’t Want to Go Contra Dancing Tonight

1. I generally avoid excessive physical exertion. Swimming is my exercise of choice. Swimming =/= dancing.

2. I’m not a good dancer and avoid having to prove it.

3. Apart from a brief stint in a ballet class in middle school, I’ve never danced in public.

4. My to-do list is growing by the day.

5. I haven’t a clue how to contra dance.

Yet,

Why I Am Going to Go Contra Dancing Tonight

1. Friends who desire my good (I think) have pressed me to go.

2. I believe that you should try something before you say you don’t like it.

3. I said I would go if a certain other friend would go.

4. She apparently isn’t as hard headed and anti-dance as me and has agreed to go.

5. I gave my word.

If I live through this, I’ll let you know how it goes!

And the Garden Begins

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This past week Jen and I started our garden.  It was perfect timing as she was on spring break and with tax season coming to a head, I was dreaming that I was to.  Here’s what we did:

(I apologize for the dizzing picture taking over the side of the deck) We planted some phlox (the pots were left by the previous owner, so we had to put something in them).  I think they may get too big for these pots, but oh well.

We planted some cucumber (near) and zucchini (far).  Can’t you tell?  Okay, obviously they aren’t sprouting yet in this picture, 15 minutes after they were planted.  Not pictured are the hair ties holding the stakes together.

See, look, actual plants!  This is a bell pepper (foreground…complete with my partial handprint on the left there ) and tomato.  I bought the Better Boy tomato plant because it said that it was America’s favorite.  While I’m usual skeptical of such claims, I went with it as I didn’t want to unintentionally end up with tiger-striped tomatoes or something.

And here are our herbs.  From front to back: parsley, cilantro, mint, and rosemary.  I have no idea what you do with rosemary, but it was the one that Jen was the most excited about.  The mint is growing from seeds (those seeds are tiny…I think I threw way too many in accidentally!) so that’s why you don’t see them.

If you’re growing a garden this year, what are you planting?  When will you do it? (I know we can plant earlier here in NC than in KS where I grew up as it’s thankfully a milder climate here.)

A Glimpse of Heaven

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I wish I could let you live a Sunday through my eyes.  I’d be the last one to claim that our church is perfect.  You wouldn’t have to spend time with us long to see we’re a group of sinners.

But every day there’s also evidence of the grace that God’s given us as He grows and stretches us.  I’ve been part of groups before that I have loved dearly, but there is still something special about the local church, the body of Christ.

I know that I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without these people in my life.  From a pastor who faithful speaks the truth from the pulpit to friends who will encourage and sharpen me, I can hardly help but grow closer to God.

Being vulnerable with others isn’t always easy for me.  Yet there are little things that remind me that it is right and good.

A hug from a good friend after a mutual sharing of struggles.

Material things, talents and gifts not held possessively, but shared with all who may use them.

“How are you?” asked as a question, not a greeting.

And it’s these little things that make me fall in love with my church all over again.

Photo by Aunt Owwee

Control Hog

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Thanks to Jen for basically writing the last couple of paragraphs of this post. It’s humbling (and ironic) to not even know how to finish my thoughts on this subject.

I’m a woman of control.

Or at least that’s what I want.

My problem (okay, one of them) is that I think I know best.  About everything.  Not only do I think I know what’s best for those around me, I think I know what’s best for me, too.  Always have, just ask my mom.

The thing is, I don’t.  I might be blessed with worldly smarts, but I’m still sorely lacking in true wisdom.  As we’ve been walking through Solomon’s life in my kindergarten Sunday school class, we’ve been talking a lot about wisdom.  I think the best way to learn a concept is to have to try to explain it to a 5-year-old…there are so many concepts I can’t quite get across to them (glory, the Trinity).  If you ask them, I hope they can tell you that we’ve talked about how wisdom is knowing what is right and good.

The older I get (and in theory, the wiser I get), the more I realize that I’m like a 3 on a scale of 100 of possible human wisdom.  At most.

Last week I realized that I’m okay with my singleness as long as I in my earthly “wisdom” can decipher out a way out.  And as far as singleness goes, the way I want out is a man, a plan, and a ring by spring…or at least by next spring.

Hmm, that doesn’t sound like contentment to me.

Just shows me that I still demand control of my own life, my own future.  That I prefer my plans to whatever God has in store for me, as foolish as that is.  I know that God knows what’s best for me (He knows me better than myself!), but somehow I can’t get that to truly stick in my daydreaming head.

It’s times like this that I have to remind myself that I have been fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) and that the very hairs on my head are numbered (Matthew 10:30)–gray or not–and that before one day of my life came to pass, God ordained each of them (Psalm 139:16).  How foolish I am to think that I would know more than Him!  How can I know myself better than the one who knit me in my mother’s womb (v. 13)?

Moment by moment, I must make the choice to trust Him in His infinite wisdom.  I give Him the reigns one night, only to rip them back from him minutes, or at most, hours later.  It is only when I trust Him that I can truly find contentment.

God, help me remember that.

Photo by Drunken Monkey

Valentine’s Weekend

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Though I can hardly believe it’s that time again, Valentine’s Day is this weekend. Usually I’m more excited about it, but between the weddings and tax season I haven’t had a lot of time to think about it.

I know a lot of singles like to mope on this day. While that might sadly be me on other occasions, I have always enjoyed Valentine’s Day.  What’s not to love about a day full of chocolate, pink, flowers, and cards?  I love to use this time to show love for others: my family, my friends, and in particular, fellow single ladies.

Though I haven’t yet gotten into this season, I do hope to spend an extra few minutes loving others, and I hope you will to.  Have a great weekend!

The Cheeses Stand Alone

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wedding_rosesFor obvious reasons, I’ve been thinking about weddings a lot.  Not about my own dream wedding, but about making that type of commitment to one man, for the rest of my life.

A former roommate (and current blog reader), Cindy, would have phrase she’d say when she’d come home from yet another of her friends’ weddings.  “The cheese stands alone.”  You know, from “Farmer in the Dell?”  Everyone else gets picked, but the cheese stands alone.

As much as there is  joy and happiness in seeing a good friend get married, there is some loneliness in being left behind.  We’re social creatures, and I believe that we’re designed for marriage.  That desire within me is good and right…as long as marriage stays in its place, not taking the throne of my heart.

I often say that I’m okay with being single, as long as I’m not the only one.  When I take the time to count my blessings instead of crying over my losses, I do realize that I have a sweet life now.  Many of my favorite things about my life would be changed if I were no longer single.  It seems like I have to remind myself over and over to enjoy them now while I have them.

But yet part of me worries about being the last one married (or never married at all).  What if all my friends get married?  They all want to be married, so of course I want that for them as well.  But selfishly, I want at least a couple of them to stay unmarried at least for as long as I am.

As my roommate rode with me on our way back from Georgia and heard me tell the story of what Cindy would say.  Her response?

“The cheeseS stand alone.”

Indeed.  Why do I worry about the possibility of being the only one of my friends still single?  That’s not where God has me yet, and may never have me.  And if that’s where He wants me, He’ll give me the grace to endure it.

So maybe the cheese doesn’t stand alone after all.

Photo by orangeacid