Talk Thursday // Dreamin'

Let's play a game: which of these things were not in my dream the other night? Is it:

A. Mocking giant-headed babies?

B. Rockin' it out on the guitar with Carlos Whittaker?

C. Playing perfectly Harry Connick Jr's "Let It Snow" with Shaun Groves?

D. Having our cruise ship attacked by pirates?

If you picked D...you win! Well, at least you win awesome points (I'm broke as a joke, man).

I haven't figured out if it's something I eat, something I read or something I sniff before going to bed, but seriously, I have the craziest dreams.

And I'm sure you do too...

So let's chat. What's the most recent dream you can remember? Was I in it? ;)

R.I.P.

The most recent addition to my bamboo family, Jimminy Kricket, has kicked the proverbial bamboo bucket. After many valiant attempts to bring him back, Jimminy's heart just wasn't in it and it's time to let go.

So I want to take this time to say good-bye to Jimminy Kricket - a brave soul of foliage...may you Rest In Peace.



In other news, though, Ping is doing quite well.

He thanks you for the condolences during this time of loss.

Talk Thursday // Greek Entertainment

Don't worry...this Talk Thursday isn't about your favorite noun case or your method for appropriately parsing a verb (non-geeks, sorry, that went over your head).

Rather, in an attempt to be relevant to the conversations at hand... The 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Luckily, so far this year, there hasn't been anything too sketchy from the commentators (anyone remember THIS from the 2008 summer Olympics?!). However, I feel like I know ENTIRELY too much about Apolo Ohno (who, by the way, is from my hometown). Plus, whenever I see Shaun White, I get jealous. Not so much for the snowboarding prowess (which judging by my infintesimal experience, I will never have), but instead for that kids hair. I hate when boys are prettier than me. Which also makes me not love mens figure skating; I want to wear the sparkles. I've determined I could never marry a male figure skater....oh well....

So...

1. What is your favorite sport to watch?

2. What sport do you wish you could do?

3. What sport do you think, while yes showing talent, is ultimately pointless and ridiculous?

4. And how in love with Bob Costas are you?

Talk Thursday // Heart Healing

Just to put myself completely out there: I have been really discouraged lately. This has come in many forms in the last 3 weeks: lonliness, self-esteem issues, financial worries, future worries, bitterness, unneccessary guilt. And it gets really hard to trust that its just a "season" (the Christian catchphrase for "please Jesus let me not feel like this for much longer").

But in the midst of this discouragement and the constant battle to trust God's plan and His wisdom, I have found that there are a couple of things that move in my heart and lift my spirits. It's the things that on the days I feel like I like have no friends, no hope, no spark left they settle in my soul and rouse the joy.

Likely, we all have something that moves us to self-awareness and puts us in that place where peace just seems...reachable.

For me, it's the movie Elizabethtown, Caedmon's Call and James Taylor. No matter how dark the day or situation feels, Jesus somehow speaks through these things almost every time.

Are you in a place where you need something that soothes your soul? If so, do you have that thing that puts you at ease?

(If you don't, I would gladly recommend Elizabethtown, James Taylor or Caedmon's (especially 40 Acres, Long Line of Leavers, or In the Company of Angels, Vol. 1)). =)



Be at peace.

Ponderings

In the last few weeks, I've had the opportunity to be on the receiving end of several wildly incomprehensible gifts. My parents provided for me to go on a skiing trip (my first ever!), then my car broke down and they once again stepped up to the plate, then some friends offered provide for me to spend time with another friend before a long (and I expect difficult) separation.

It makes me very nervous to be on the receiving end of gifts. I love giving gifts, but I always feel awkward and uncomfortable taking them - especially when there is no way in Hades that I can repay.

As I thought through why this is, it dawned on me that this is also how I view my friend and Heavenly Father. He often wants to give me gifts and blessings - all the way from unexpected sunshine to opportunities that are beyond my wildest imaginations.

Yet, every time, I resist the impulse to take His gifts graciously. Similar to my friends and family, I say "No, I won't let you do that for me. I'll figure out a way to give myself that same thing. And if I can't, if I'm not self-sufficient enough to make it happen, then I don't deserve it."

When I say that, when I respond in that way, I don't realize until far too late that I'm hurting the person who longs to give to me.

How much more, I wonder, do I hurt God when I reject His gifts and try to claim self-sufficiency?



"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." (James 1.17)