Facebook

Well, I finally figured out what to give up for Lent. And let me tell you, I'm pretty scared I'll fail. 

The Lord led me to.... Facebook. Yeah... Yeah. Facebook is practically my BFF! (Sorry actual people in my world.)

You would be shocked (SHOCKED!) if you knew just how much time I spend on Facebook. Doing. Absolutely. Nothing. If I spent even half the time I spend on Facebook with the Lord... whoa. Just whoa. Plus, I am so easily distracted and since I'm trying to do this whole "school" thing again and that includes homework now... 

So, I think it'll be good. Hard. Difficult. Tempting. But good. 

All that to say... please don't get annoyed when I'm overcompensating here. Although, that would pretty much negate the purpose of fasting from the interweb-ness... yeah, I'm screwed. 

Oh well. Happy Lent! =)

Talk Thursday // In Another Life...

The other day a friend and I had to take her little girl to the pediatrician. This particular doctor was just so good with my little Mexidorian friend that it made me think "In another life, I totally could have been a pediatrician. Not in this life. But definitely in another life."

Now, don't be concerned: I don't believe in reincarnation. I'm saying that I would love to do that - work with kids and make them feel better. I'm just not that smart. Or driven. 

You fill in the blanks: 

"In another life, I could have been ___________. "

"I am currently __________. "

Me? I want to be a missions mobilizer when I grow up. Cause that would be freaking sweet. And awesome. 

C'mon... your turn. =)

Lent

I recently told you guys that I was celebrating Febarple again due to my crazy intake of Dr. Pepper. 

The problem is that I also celebrate Lent. I want to give up something that means something. Not just give something up for the sake of the season or because it's not that hard to stay away from. Like, I can't say "Oh, I'll give up watching robot movies for Lent and that will be my fast." That's ridiculous. I can't give up something if I never do it in the first place. Jesus doesn't like that. 

But, since Lent starts TODAY and I'm still not sure what would be good (and the Lord isn't sharing His thoughts), I thought I'd ask ya'll for some advice. What would you give up for Lent? Are you giving up anything at all?

Happy Lenten Season! =)

Hell

vul⋅ner⋅a⋅ble

    [vuhl-ner-uh-buhl] 

–adjective

1.	capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon: a vulnerable part of the body.

2.	open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.: an argument vulnerable to refutation; He is vulnerable to bribery.

3.

(of a place) open to assault; difficult to defend: a vulnerable bridge. "I learned that being vulnerable doesn't mean being weak." - Anne Hathaway This is the sarahlewie.blogspot.com word of the day.  It is the bane of my miserable existence;  it makes me tired and upset; and it is something that I have to deal with.  Immediately.  Before it eats me alive.  I am scared to death.

Talk Friday//A Sick Day

Well, friends, I took a sick day yesterday. I got home from Portland feeling fine, but then during my small group class thought I was going to chuck all over the pastor. (Don't worry, I didn't.) It was rough. I do feel better now, but I am still using my under the weather-ness to justify not working out. =)

Since I had a sick day and sleep was the only thing that made me feel better... today's question:

What makes you feel better when you're sick? Is there a sure-fire remedy you employ that I can steal? 

Hopefully this bug will pass soon. If not, I'll be forced to not work out all week... 

Febarple

Febarple: noun. A holiday designed for Lent-esque purposes, specifically in abstaining from beverage-related addiction consumption February 15-April 15 each year. 

Yes, friends, it's that time of the year. For those of you that don't know, each year (this is year #3) I celebrate a little known holiday called Febarple (defined above). The first year involved a bet - dinner for the winner (and I ain't gonna turn down no free dinner!) Since then I've simply been doing it for myself. I like to prove that I can do it. 

I love Dr. Pepper. You could seriously put it in an IV and I'd be golden. If I could, my pantry would look like this....

As I've mentioned before, I love traditions. This is a tradition I do, even though I do it by myself now. 

But these next two months will be tough because I RARELY go one day without my sweet elixir. I'm sure my dreams will consist of several variations on this:

Pray. 

**** UPDATE ****

Due to mass volumes (ie. 2) comments that my definition of Febarple should be expanded, I have done so above. If any of you care to join me in the tradition of Febarple of your own beverage addiction, let me know. It'll be a team-building thing! =)

I choose DP... what about you?

A Valentine Happy

Happy Valentine's Day to us all. 

I Got Tagged...

1. Go to where you store your digital photos and open the 4th folder.
2. Go to the 4th picture and post it.
3. Explain the picture
4. Tag an additional 4 people.

Nic "tagged" me in this endeavor, so I decided to follow suit. Mostly cause I like those Tews, but also cause I like sharing pictures. =) So....

This is a photo of the road to Damascus. Damascus, Missouri, that is. =)

All through college it was a dream of mine to travel on this road and take a picture so I could say I was "on the road to Damascus."  (It's funny because of Paul. And Jesus. Oh, Bible humor...)

Anyway, I lived in Missouri for 5 years and never once did I head down this road. So in October, when I was there visiting, my girlfriends and I pulled over on Highway 13 and headed down towards Damascus. It was awesome. 

And because this is a "game" to play, I tag Sarah C., Mr. Maples, Jamie in SoCal, and Teresa in Ft. Worth. 

[ I know the game called for the one picture, but I can't help but share these too... =) ]

Emily and I running towards Damascus...

Jenny having a "Pauline" experience.

Oh happy days on the road to Damascus. =)

Talk Thursday//Holidays

A Valentine's Poem:

Roses are red, 

Violets are blue, 

It's Talk Thursday, 

How do you do?

Hallmark's favorite holiday is here

That means this weekend I'll probably need a beer

Not cause I'm bitter or a hater

It's just rough to see everyone else with a mate (r) 

People tell me "It's ok! Jesus was single too!"

I reply "Yeah, and He was also a Jew"

(That makes sense cause I'm not a Jew...)

Cupid and his pals will send heart-shaped pizzas

While me and my pals will heartily eat... those... pizzas.

Alright, this poem officially sucks.

But you all love Talk Thursdays so you read through the muck. 

How do you feel about Valentine's? 

Do you have plans?

Whatever you do, have a happy holiday and don't be gruff.

Enjoy these Valentine's cards that crack my stuff.

                                                    

 I appreciate the honesty. =)

Dreams

When I was 17 or 18, I wrote a list of things I would like to accomplish in my life. I can't remember what they all were (post for a different day), but the one that I remember well was:

* Learn enough Greek and Hebrew to be able to translate the Bible on my own.

I was in high school when I wrote that. Before the Lord changed my major to Bible and my heart to exegesis and missions. 

Now, I don't have a premonition that I'm going to die anytime soon, but it's really cool to think that I'm going to have accomplished that one thing by the time I turn 25. I took 3 years of Hebrew in college and have translated several parts of the OT; I'm currently taking (and will continue to take) Greek and by 2010 will have translated portions of the NT. 

I don't say that because I'm pretentious or a jerk or self-righteous (I hope). I say it because I had a goal and I will have accomplished that goal. Which is really cool. 

What was a goal you set and have met? 

What dreams are you still chasing?

How do you anticipate accomplishing that?

Time - She's a Tricky Mistress

It has been one year today since I've been home from Missouri. 

In some ways, it feels like I've changed.

In some ways, it feels like I've stayed exactly the same. 

And I'm not sure how I feel about that. 

I'm no longer "homesick" for Washington. 

Now I get "homesick" for Missouri. 

This is the place I know God wants me to be. At times that has been the only thing keeping me here. =)

It's amazing what a year does.

So much.

So little. 

"Time heals all wounds" - I don't know about that. 

"Time wounds all heals" often seems more appropriate. 

So here's to a year. 

What have you learned from February 7th, 2008 to February 7th, 2009?

Talk Thursday//BookWorms

I recently finished reading The Year of Living Biblically by A.J. Jacobs & Jesus Wants
 to Save Christians (not to be confused with Jesus wanting to save Christmas) by Rob Bell & Don Golden. Both were AWESOME!! and I highly recommend them both. Currently I'm reading Churched:One Kid's Journey Toward God Despite a Holy Mess by Matthew Paul Turner. And it is fuuu-nnny!

So for Talk Thursday, what are you reading? What would you recommend? What wouldn't you recommend? Let's make this like a big ol' book club. =)

Happiness Is....

What is happiness to ya'll?

Vague

I just need to say that I'm hurt and tired of being hurt. 

I long for things I cannot have. Not now, maybe not ever. 

Prayer makes me EXTREMELY uncomfortable. 

Being vulnerable makes me tired and I don't like doing it.

I wish God would stop with this "already/not yet" business and change me immediately to what He wants me to be. 

I wish there was no struggle. 

I am more annoyed with myself now because this was all about me when there are much bigger things going on in the world. 

Sorry for the vague post. I needed to emotionally vomit. Hope that's ok with ya'll. If not, well, come back tomorrow. I'll have something happier up then. 

Talk Thursday // Today

Yikes! It's 9.38 pm PST and I'm just now getting home and getting to Talk Thursday! This is my favorite day of the week and I almost missed it! But even for you Midwesterners I still made the cut. (Sorry East Coast - I failed you.)

Since our Talk Thursday is almost over, what was the best part of your day today?

Mine was meeting the newest addition to Veritas church - Addison Reynolds. She still looks kind of like an alien mixed with a Sharpei, but I like her. 

That or the crab mac 'n cheese from Twist in Belltown. It could be a toss-up. 

What was yours?

I Googled Myself

It's obvious you've reached the status of "nothing" when you google your name and nothing about you comes up.

There are approximately 14 million webpages concerning "Sarah Lewis'" and not a one of them are me.

Wow...that'll put your life into some perspective, no?


Do you Google yourself?
What does Google have to say about you?

Deuteronomy 25.11

The Bible is weird. For those of you who haven't read it, it's weirdness is probably what is keeping you away. For those of you who have, you know what I'm talking about. 

There are some weird things happening all throughout the pages of Scripture - things we can't even begin to get our minds around (Judges 19, anyone?)

One of my favorite passages of Scripture is called a "sundry law" which states that "If two men, a man and his countryman, are struggling together, and the wife of one comes near to deliver her husband from the hand of the one who is striking him, and puts out her hand and seizes his genitals, then you shall cut off her hand; you shall not show pity." (Deut. 25.11)

       

(thank you for the visual aids, TheBrickTestament)

Why is this my favorite? I don't know. But I like to use it as a threat. Until I remember that the retaliation is that my hand will be cut off...

Still! Stuff like this is in the Bible! Mixed in there with Moses and the temple and Jesus! Why, even in the Ancient NearEast, with the Hebrew people, would this have even been an issue?! I honestly don't know. 

How utterly strange. 

And how wonderfully fascinating. 

Man, the Bible is weirdly cool!

Talk Thursday//Memories

In an attempt to get to know my reading audience, riddle me this, riddle me that:

What is your favorite memory? Ever. 

I'll share. It's a little personal, so beware. =)

A friend (who shall remain nameless) and I were driving back from Kansas City one Spring Break day and since the vehicle we were occupying did not have a radio or tape deck for the iPod, we decided to sing hymns the whole way from KC to Bolivar - about a 2.5 hour drive. It was very sweet and wonderful and I really like that memory. 

So, come on...tell me yours. Let's share. 

(And two cool points for the person who points out the connection between the picture & the topic! Go!)

Can You Use That In A Sentence, Please?

pro⋅cras⋅ti⋅nate

    [proh-kras-tuh-neyt, pruh-]Show IPA Pronunciation  
verb, -nat⋅ed, -nat⋅ing.

–verb (used without object)

1.	to defer action; delay: to procrastinate until an opportunity is lost.

–verb (used with object)

2.	to put off till another day or time; defer; delay.

Origin: 
1580–90; < class="ital-inline" style="font-family: verdana; font-size: 100%; color: rgb(77, 78, 81); line-height: 1.25em; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; font-style: italic; ">prōcrāstinātus (ptp. of prōcrāstināre to put off until tomorrow, equiv. to prō- pro- ¹ + -crāstināre, deriv. of crāstinus of tomorrow; crās tomorrow + -tinus suffix forming adjs. from temporal advs.); see -ate ¹ 

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009. 
Cite This Source

Yeah, it's my first week of graduate school and already I don't want to do the assignment. This is lo tobv, my friends, lo tobv. 

Freaking....

Obviously my procrastination method is blogging. What's yours?

Talk Thursday // The Boob Tube

I never thought I was one of "those" people whose life revolved around TV. Yes, I have my shows, but wouldn't stress if I had to catch them later online. 

However, over the last several months I have found myself balking at plans that take place during my shows. Sometimes even refusing to answer phone calls when I'm watching. I used to chalk this up to the fact that my sister and I had a standing date for these things and I didn't want to cut into time with her. Yet again, I was wrong. It's me. And it's the TV. 

So, fess up people. What shows are you addicted to? If you say "none", pray. Because we all know you're lying. Then you can come back and tell us. Or leave an anonymous comment. That way we can't judge you. =)

I'll be real: my shows are currently "How I Met Your Mother" (Mondays @ 8.30/7.30c), "NCIS" (Tuesdays @ 9.00/8.00c), & "The Office" (Thursdays @ 9.00/8.00c). But if I could, I would also watch "The Colbert Report" (because I love him). I'm waiting for "Make Me a Supermodel" to return & I will most likely get hooked on "American Idol" again this season.