Rest

So I've had absolutely nothing to do this weekend. . .and it's been amazing. I think I almost forgot what it's like to have nothing to do but be lazy. And sometimes you just NEED that. I punked out on Becky last night (sorry, girl) because I didn't get her phone calls. And tonight's plans with Lindsey were cancelled because she couldn't come in town. So that leaves me with. . .a day of naps and laziness. And I adore it.

Dad's coming down tonight, and Mom & Mike will be here tomorrow. Should be a fun birthday weekend for Lee-lee.

Of course, there ARE things I need to/could be doing with my time--like working on small group stuff I'm supposed to write, work on my seminary apps, etc. . .maybe I'll get to that. . .later. :)

Love to all.




say you'll come and set me free
just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me
~Coldplay

All This for Guatemala

My arms are ridiculously sore.

No, it's not because I've been working out. I've never felt this sore from working out. No, my friends, my arms are sore because I had needles poked into them yesterday which administered vaccinations to my muscles. I had a typhoid shot and a hepatitis shot. So not just one arm is sore, but both. It was hard to turn my steering wheel and even to type last night. For most of the evening, my arms hung limp at my side while my sister laughed and helped me pick up objects and do tasks that are normally easy when your arms don't feel as if you pumped iron all day. And don't even get me started on sleeping. I couldn't even roll over without wincing in pain. Ridiculous.

And to top it all off, I paid $200 for these shots and the medication I have to take for my trip. I leave for Guatemala on October 27th. . .and while I am excited about the trip, I'm beginning to get a bit frustrated with the amount of money I've invested into it already. I haven't even gotten on the plane yet and the trip has already cost me $1000. Wow. All I can say is: Don't expect souvenirs. :)

Yeah, right. I'll be buying crosses and blankets left and right at the market. May as well enjoy it while you can, right? Still, I honestly don't see how people travel so much and so often. It's super expensive. But it's worth it. I intend to travel as much as I can in my life, so I guess I'd better get used to it.

In other news, today is Leah's 18th birthday! It's crazy that my little sister is 18. Wow.


Stay cool.

The entrance @ night.

Here's Liz and Marissa. It was really fun to have them both here for the weekend. :)

Leah and me in the record-breaking Texas heat.

Liam sang Wonderwall apparently for "all the ugly ladies." Hmmm. Whatever, I was near tears hearing it live--ugly or beautiful. :)

Every Little Thing

austin city limits: amazing.

We were covered in dust and dirt, hot and sweaty, tired. . .but it was well worth it. I wasn't able to go on Sunday, therefore I am extremely jealous of all who got to see Coldplay live. But at least I saw Oasis, who, though cocky and slightly annoying on stage, is still one of my favorite bands ever.

And what crazy fun to run into random high school friends! I didn't see anyone I know from college, but I saw like 5 people from high school. Strange.

Totally unrelated piece of info: There are some 80s songs that mean a lot to me--they remind me of riding in the car with Mom when we were little. And I realize now that I think I got my taste in music from my mom. Current favorite 80s band: The Police. :)

I'm tired. Have a good one.





Do I have to tell the story
Of a thousand rainy days since we first met
It's a big enough umbrella
But it's always me that ends up getting wet
~The Police

Surprise, surprise

As a youth minister, sometimes there are moments when you feel like will never get through to your kids. And then there are moments when you feel like you connect, that they get it!, that what you say actually does matter in their lives.

I listened tonight as the group of 8th grade boys--the ones who love to talk, love to joke, love to NOT listen to me when I am talking-- shared more answers than anyone else in the room. They had wise thoughts about their faith. One of them prayed out loud at the end of the lesson. And the biggest thing, the most precious thing, is that they were looking intently at me as I taught. They were listening. They were soaking it in. They were challenged when we read Matthew 5:44 (Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.) and I pushed it further just to get them thinking, "Hmm. . .I guess this means we should pray for Osama bin Laden? What do you think?" They had many comments about that--I had to move along in the lesson because they would have debated forever had we had the time for it. :)

And it's obvious that their parents are teaching them things that are preparing them for a life of faithful service, whatever that may mean for each of them. I'm just blessed to know them. Plus, it's pretty fun when the "way too cool" 8th grade boys actually think I'm cool. What the heck?

Oh my goodness, Becca and Mo have to evacuate Clear Lake and are coming to stay with me! Crazy stuff. Lisa has freaked me out a bit with some "storm preparation" flyer she handed out today at staff meeting. Apparently, even Central Texas is in for some crazy weather and we need to prepared--like filling gas tanks in cars, buying water, stocking up on all sorts of stuff. Aaaah! I wonder if she's blowing it out of proportion? Hmmm.

I Should be Ashamed!

So last night, Leah and I played tennis at Bowie HS. And this guy, a middle-aged man, jogs by and keeps staring at us as he runs. So I say (into my Nalgene bottle as I'm taking a drink), "Stop staring, old man." He looks at me again, then is out of sight. Leah is cracking up at this point. I didn't think the man could hear me. . .at least, I wasn't planning on him hearing me. I made my comment quietly, or so I thought.

This experience is quite common in my life. I have several close friends who become easily embarrassed when they're with me because I'll say something that, in my ears, sounds quiet, but apparently can be heard by everyone around me. How does this happen? Do I speak louder than I intend to? Probably. I guess I should take a lesson from this--don't say things unless you're perfectly comfortable with others around you hearing it. As my mother would say, "You should be ashamed of yourself!" I am. But is it only because I think the man might have heard me? Maybe. I don't know if I would feel ashamed otherwise. I mean, he was staring at us. It was gross and weird. Hmmmm. . .

10 Favorites...
Favorite Color: blue
Favorite Food: mmm. . .I'm not a picky eater--I love steak and Mexican food
Favorite Hobby: anything music. . .playing, writing, singing, whatever
Favorite Movie: Love Actually
Favorite Sport: tennis
Favorite Season: fall
Favorite Day Of the Week: Friday
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: mint chocolate chip or Chocolate Cheesecake @ Amy's
Favorite Time of Day: after work on the days I don't have anything to do but CHILL

9 Currents...
Current Mood: content
Current Taste: bar-b-que potato chips
Current Clothes: bermuda shorts and a thrift store t-shirt
Current Desktop Picture: a rose from Miriam's front yard
Current Time: 5:56 pm
Current Surroundings: my bedroom
Current Annoyance(s): I need to clean my house. Why can't houses clean themselves?
Current Thought: What do I want for dinner?

8 Firsts...
First Best Friend: Tanya Ramsey
First Screen Name: laurenfro
First Pet: cats, Muffin and Sheba
First Piercing: ears (I had to wait until I was 12!)
First Crush: gosh, I've always been so boy-crazy. . .who was the very first? I'd have to say Daniel Carpenter in kindergarten. I got in trouble with the teacher for trying to be next to him all the time in class. What a silly little girl!
First Music or Group You Remember Hearing: well, my first favorite band was Oasis, so that'll be my answer

7 Lasts...
Last Cigarette: soph year of college when I TRIED (at Court's encouragement) a vanilla cig. . .no way will I ever be a smoker
Last Drink: water
Last Car Ride: a few hours ago
Last Kiss: about a month ago
Last Movie Watched: The Wedding Singer last night--cute cute
Last CD Played: Jimmy Eat World, Futures

6 Have You Ever....
Have You Ever Dated One Of Your Best Friends: um, I would say so.
Have You Ever Broken the Law: I've broken the speed limit
Have You Ever Been Arrested: no
Have You Ever Skinny Dipped: yes yes! but only with girls
Have You Ever Been on TV: hmmm, not sure
Have You Ever Kissed Someone You Didn't Know: no

5 Places You've Been TODAY...
1. Freebirds
2. Amy's Ice Cream
3. church
4. Sam's Club
5. home

4 Ways to Win Your Heart:
1. Notice and remember random things--about me and about the world
2. Smile and talk to those who others won't smile and talk to
3. Dance with me
4. Surprise me!

3 Things You're Afraid Of:
1. all flying bugs. wait, make that all bugs.
2. losing people I love
3. disappointing people

2 People You Can Tell Anything To:
1. Em
2. Court

1 Person You Want to See Right Now: Good question. . .there are several. But probably Mandy Allen tops the list.

Whew!

Trena's here! Woo-hoo! And Court moved in for good this weekend, though I have yet to actually see her for more than 10 minutes. . .she'll be spending her first night with us tonight and I'm excited. :)

Lutherstock was today and it was way fun. Got a bit sunburned, but whatever. Good bands, good fellowship, good food. . .it's a good day. And. . .ACL next weekend!! Marissa and Liz are coming down, as well as a couple of Leah's friends, so the house will be packed with people. That's exciting because, after all, what's a house for but to share it with visitors??

I'm exhausted. With the lock-in and Lutherstock this weekend, I feel like I've been going non-stop. And tomorrow, even though I'm off from work, I still have work to get done out of the office. What a joy! :)

I like e-mail theology discussions. They're fun.

Take care, friends.

Of course

Of COURSE every guy I happen to meet recently who I'm the slightest bit intrigued by is dating a gorgeous and wonderful girl, engaged to a gorgeous and wonderful girl, likes some other gorgeous and wonderful girl, isn't interested in this gorgeous and wonderful girl!

Of course.

I'm not desperate, lest the reader think that a relationship is all I'm after. And I'm truly not sad about this because how can I be sad for people who have found something that makes them so obviously happy? I'm just pondering how very single I'm feeling lately. Do you ever have some moments (days, weeks, however long) when you happen to notice things that were probaby already in front of you, but at this particular moment in time, they seem magnified by 100 so that you're constantly aware of them? For me, right now, I feel surrounded by happy couples. Couples who have sweet little secrets and jokes that only they understand. Couples who are so. . .happy. And it's great! I'm honestly not bitter at all. I just sometimes feel so. . .small. . .in the middle of it all. But I've come to the conclusion that God has some interesting things to show me. And dating is NOT in the picture right now. It's just not. But even when you know that, it doesn't take away the desire inside nor the many glimpses of couplehood all around you. :)

In other news, as expected, my body clock is all out of whack today due to the lock-in last night. And so I'm feeling kinda weird right now. My musings above probably come from some crazy afternoon dream I just woke from. . .

Mom and Mike are on their way over to visit and I need to take a shower! Have a good evening. Love to all.






Our love of course seemed to us a miracle. First love always does. . .and it is a miracle, an unbelievable miracle, just as every springtime of the earth is a miracle.
~Sheldon Vanauken

Oblivious

Ew. Lock-ins. Why are they so unavoidable in youth ministry? It seems like right after we have one, the kids are already asking for the date of the next one. And I do it for them because, well, I love them and I remember how I used to love lock-ins as a teenager, too. But man. Do you know how hard it is to find sponsors for these things? Even people my age are like, "no way." It really screws up your body's routine. I'm sometimes still feeling the effects of a lock-in weeks after it occurred. But I guess I have it better than some. Tonight's only my third lock-in in a year and a half. Once every six months ain't that bad. I just really don't look forward to them. . .

Leah and I watched Monster-in-Law last night. . .I highly recommend it! Very cute. Very funny. We also rented Finding Neverland, which I'm looking forward to watching. I've heard it's made a lot of people cry, so of course it's already on my "must see" list. :)

Stay cool.






Difficult not to feel a little bit
Disappointed and passed over
When I've looked right through
. . .And you don't see me
~A Perfect Circle

Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are, quite naturally, impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We should like to skip the intermediate stages; we are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet, it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stage of instability...and that it may take a very long time. And so I think it is with you, your ideas mature gradually -- let them grow. Let them shape themselves, without undue haste. Don't try to force them on, as though you could be today what time (that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will) will make you tomorrow. Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be. Give our Lord the benefit of believing that His hand is leading you, and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete...

~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Your true identity is as a child of God. This is the identity you have to accept. . .You belong to God, and it is as a child of God that you are sent into the world.
~Henri Nouwen

Addicted!

Oh goodness, this job can take a toll on me sometimes. I feel like I have such huge amounts of work to do! Maybe it's the fact that Beth Marie is gone now (thus I am teaching confirmation rather than just showing up and listening--and I prefer to teach, anyway, it's something I love to do. . .but it takes a lot of prep). Maybe it's the fact that things keep popping up that I had no idea I was responsible for until the day before it happens (slight exaggeration, but it's still annoying). Or maybe, just maybe, I've become so hooked to the internet and all the fun networking sites that I'm spending too much time on them?! Me? No way. I always thought it was so silly. I know some old friends could vouch for that (TD!). But. . .but. . .but. . .I think I'm going to have to make a rule for myself that I'm only on for a certain amount of time each day. That's my new goal. Haven't figured out how much time I'll allow myself yet, but I will commit to it. Or at least try. Because I've been going to bed later than normal (excuse: "I just want to search for one more person on MySpace!" LOL); I've been pushing the paperwork tasks at work aside for later, many times never getting to them (excuse: "oooh, that person looks interesting, let's just look at his profile for a minute. . ."); I've noticed cramps in my fingers from all the typing I've been doing. Okay, that last one wasn't real. But the internet is addicting for sure. Maybe it's this different part of life (post-college) that draws me to the connections I can make online. Who knows. But I won't let it get the best of me. While it is indeed quite fun, I will be smart and responsible about it.


That's the plan. Yeah. :)

And here I am, blogging about it. . .





Come back and look for me,
look for me when I am lost
~Coldplay

Where's the Lightning Bolt?

I went to Luther Seminary this weekend with Dad. And I was hoping hoping hoping that the visit would make my seminary decision a lot easier. I was walking around, waiting for a sudden revelation to come into my heart and mind--I was waiting for a This is it! This is the place for me! feeling. I wasn't feeling it. . .until I walked into the Youth & Family Ministry headquarters. And talked with Rollie Martinson--the Rollie Martinson. :) Now for those of you who don't know who I'm talking about, let's just say I felt like I was meeting a celebrity--in a sense. Rollie is famous in the Lutheran world for his knowledge in youth ministry, his writings, his presentations, etc. And I was shaking his hand. . .I could have the opportunity to study with him at seminary! Wow. And I'd never thought that the Youth Ministry specialization would be for me, but when I was standing there, I did. I definitely felt it. And within the first 10 minutes of being on campus, I ran into 2 people I knew! One from camp and another from Austin. About an hour later, I ran into a friend from TLU. It was hilarious--both our tour guide and Dad commented on the fact that I "already know everyone." ha ha Everyone was so nice and I definitely left feeling that I wanted to try this out. I wanted to go for it and head up to Luther in the fall.

So then I get back to Texas. And as I'm driving through my home state, I'm feeling the familiar sense of this is my home. I'm recognizing what I already knew--that I will deeply miss this place if I leave. I will deeply miss my family (my sister was not happy when I mentioned I might very well head up north for school). I will deeply miss the people here, whether I know them or not. And it's not just the 'missing' feelings. . .it's also the fact that I've just moved into a house with two very fun roommates--if I move, I'll be back in an apartment by myself. I'm close to the people at my church and could still spend time there if I stayed here in Austin. I feel like I have a community of friends here that I don't want to leave. Austin has become home and I'm not a huge fan of change--will it be worth it to say goodbye to all of this that has become me and my home?? All of this makes me wonder where I'm truly supposed to be. . .

I can't say I have a clear idea yet. Austin's seminary is a great program. I wouldn't be missing out on anything academically. And yet I think to myself, You have always wanted to go away. This is the time to do it, to try it out! Nothing is permanent.

Any advice? :) I'm torn. And the final decision I know will have to come from my heart. I will keep praying and seeking where my 'new home' might be. And I know that wherever I decide to be, God will bless that experience. But of course I have to make everything into a big ordeal--that's just who I am. :)

I'm so thankful for Dad who took time to travel up there with me. . .and pay for the trip! I love taking trips with Dad. Plus I really respect his opinion on things like this.

I am not my own.

Going to Arlington tonight. . .then Minnesota tomorrow with Dad. It'll be a quick trip and I hope a revealing one, as well.

My car is dying. Ugh, I hate car crap. I'm on the hunt for another one--and I need to find one fast!

Have a good one. Don't do anything I wouldn't do. ;)

Why yes, my cat drinks out of the toilet. . .

Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.

- John Wesley



Awesome.

Typing is Fun!

I love it when people mean to type the name "Chris" but accidentally add a "T" at the end. Such as the following example, copied and pasted (without her permission ;) from my dear Becky's blog. . .

I was talking with Christ last night and he was telling me. . .

Now I'm sure Becky probably had a chat with Jesus last night, too, but of course in this instance she meant Chris. Cracks me up.

I also find that almost every single time I type the word "hope," I forget the "p" the first time around. It's like the pinky finger just won't do it, no matter what. So of course I end up typing something like, "Hoe you're having a great day." Silly!

Take Me Back to the Start

Fantastic weekend in H-town! Check out some pictures below. Becca is a beeee-autiful bachelorette and we had a blast on the dance floor. "You know what they say about break dancers. . ."

Friday and Saturday were LAZY days with Miriam, which was just what we both needed. And we got to see Trish! That was definitely a highlight. Hopefully we'll have a girls' weekend at my place soon.

I have now become a bedsheet snob. After sleeping on super-soft sheets @ Mium's parent's house, I went to Ross and bought some 400 thread-count sheets for a pretty good price. And I absolutely love them. Is it silly to buy expensive sheets? I can sleep well on anything. . .I'm not a "picky" sleeper when it comes to sheets, pillows, mattress, etc. . .but man, these sheets are amazing. I've been missing out. :)

Caedmon's Call, Share the Well = AWESOME. Buy it.

Lindsey Kane rocks.

I missed my sister this weekend.







You try to tell me that I'm clever
But that won't take me anyhow or anywhere with you.
~Lisa Loeb

If I could tell the world just one thing, it would be
We're all okay.

~Jewel

A Bachelorette Weekend

The bride-to-be was dressed up for the evening (by us, of course). . .and her sparkly get-up had many heads turning. Precisely the point!

Becca's bridemaids= hot mamas!

Miriam and I are gettin' down on the dance floor.

Nicole, Miriam, and I enjoying Cosmopolitans (Becca's favorite drink and thus the theme of her party).

Road Trip

Miriam and I are headed to Houston this weekend for Becca's bachelorette parties! I'm excited and ready for some girl time. I'm also really tired right now and hoping for some rest this weekend. The festivities are on Sunday, so I should have some time to chill on Friday and Saturday (hopefully). I haven't even had a chance to get Becca's gifts yet. And I went shopping for navy shoes for my bridesmaid dress, couldn't find any, so I bought some shoes I don't need. Surprise, surprise. ;) I love them, though. And they were only$13. Yay for Ross.

I'm ready for this week to be over. It's been draining in so many ways. . .







"I just wanted to be loved," she said.