On hospitality...

One of my favorite things through middle school and high school (and probably earlier even though those memories aren't as clear...) was that friends always felt at home at my parents' house.  There were no requirements to be welcome there- and frequently when we talked about planning movie nights or jailbreak get togethers (a form of hide-and-seek...) my house was at the top of everyone's list.  In college and after, I have wanted wherever I lived to carry the same sentiment- come as you are, you're welcome.  It is something that has been engrained in me from the beginning.

The idea of hospitality is etched through scripture; as such, it is a personal goal of mine and a core value of this ministry.  A couple times each month, I am hosting a game night for co-workers, friends, and any others they would like to bring with them.  We've done this two months now, and it has been a great success!  I love having people over, cooking for a group, and gathering together around a table to play games.  It's been a great way for me to get to know people I don't see every day as well as an opportunity to hang out with my co-workers outside of work.  I think I am beginning to understand why hospitality gets so much attention in scripture... If you have any ideas for games, recipes, or something else that might add to our bimonthly game nights, please contact me!

Time flies...

My sincerest apology to those of you who have been faithfully checking for updates... and a sarcastic one to my ever-loving family who has been giving me a hard time.  :-)  The past month has been busy and wonderful!  Work is great- I work with some of the best people, and I actually love the challenges that come with customer servicing.  With the holidays, the resort has been full of life and activity.

Mosaic is going great (our Wednesday night community Bible study group)- earlier this month we tried something new... a creative expression, if you will... we're going to be trying out a lot more new and creative things at our gatherings.  Here's a picture of individual takes on the scripture we read...

It was a lot of fun, and I'm really looking forward to more (and different) expressions in the coming weeks!  Also this past month... I spent a good bit of time getting ready for Christmas.  Thanks to friends and family, I was getting boxes and presents and goodies and cards almost every day in my post office box! I was able to decorate my condo (thanks, Mom!) and help the Capshaws decorate.  It wasn't until I did some Christmas shopping, though, that it really began to feel like Christmas!  There was one day a couple weeks ago that Jenn and I went shopping together and I really enjoyed that time... It was fun to shop for friends and family, but it was some much needed quality time with her, too!  From then on it really felt like "the season".  I mailed off a couple of boxes and cards the next day (along with getting a few packages I was not expecting!) and that kind of started the Christmas bug in me.  :-) Around that time, too, I began to count down until Sam's visit.  He came the 20-25th, and I'll share more about that later. Throughout December, the days were getting shorter and shorter (until the solstice on the 22nd) ... I've been going into work before the sun comes up, and getting off of work after the sun sets, and no, I'm not working long shifts!!

For those of you long-time blog readers, you'll remember the terrible, horrible the last time I decided to house-sit for someone for an extended amount of time.  For those of you newer ones, here's the reader's digest version: Atlanta flooded, and by flooded, I mean my sister got evacuated from her apartment because half of it was underwater and oh-by-the-way roads were under water too; the cat got sick, like requiring-the-vet and special-medication, has-to-be-confined sick; dog threw up (and I don't do vomit); I had an allergic reaction to the cat... great week.

I've been house sitting over the holiday for some great friends, and aside from the power going out (no power, no heat, no running water, concerned about keeping a ton of fish frozen), the battery in the smoke detector dying so it beeped every 60 seconds for 24 hours (it would require an extended ladder to replace the battery- which isn't laying around), the house alarm being on backup (and beeping every 60-90 seconds), the pup being on special medication (and not able to run/go down certain steeper stairs), the other pup freaking out due to the beeping, and the doorbell getting stuck (and dinging incessantly until I unplugged it)... it's also been a great week (or two...).

Ha, it sounds more dramatic than it has been, but I'm convinced that I'm either really good at this house sitting thing (I can handle anything...?) or I'm really bad at it and should never consider it again!   So that is what I've been up to the past several weeks... What about you?


PS- I hate to blog without a decent pic (or 2) to share... My friend Tara took this beautiful pic one evening several weeks ago...


Welcome to Girdwood...

It's the Final Countdown...

Man, that Europe song is everywhere... ;-)

One month to go until I move to Alaska!  It's unbelievably close... and oh so exciting.  I've had so much fun the past couple of weeks meeting with families and churches, small groups and Sunday School classes, sharing how everyone can get involved!  What a fun, new, exciting endeavor...

This weekend... Sam and I went to the Aquarium on Friday to celebrate my birthday.  I really love going to zoos and aquariums!  We saw the new Dolphin Tales show and watched the otters play for a long time.  I think those are my favorite!

Beluga Whales

Jellies

River Otters

Albino Alligator that wanted to bite my face! Creepy!

Go Vols!

Creepy Octopus

Sea Otter getting ... medicine? Something from a syringe anyway ...
Sure would be great if Montana were this eager!

Sea Otter

Okay, so this guy kept trying to get over the wall to "his girl" and apparently unsuccessfully;
the employee told us after each failed attempt he goes to the bottom to pout.

Lionfish ... rawr!

That evening we saw Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at a local church. One of "my" teenagers is an incredible dancer, and the choreographer asked her to dance in the production.  She was the most beautiful, elegant ear of corn I've ever seen ... ;-)  After the show we met a couple of Sam's siblings for dinner in Atlanta and to hang out.

Lexie, I am so proud of you and I love you tons!

Saturday, I relaxed and took care of some things around the house before heading out my friend Shannon's bachelorette party.  She is getting married in October (I'll already be in Alaska!) and I was thrilled to be able to spend some time celebrating her with all our friends!!

Emily (our hostess!) and Shannon, the bride to be!

Me & Shannon

community

Last night (as customary with Tuesday nights) I met with my community group.  The past couple weeks we have met together on the rooftop of a Buckhead apartment building that a couple of the girls live in.  We had such a great time catching up, reading 1 Corinthians, and praying together... This rooftop is becoming one of my favorite spots in the city! Sorry for the grainy pics, I was too busy enjoying the sunset to take pics before it got dark!

It's been a while...

These past couple of weeks have been very busy at work, and by the time I get home I have no desire to look at a computer screen long enough to post to my blog.  But, I couldn't let this go unmentioned!  Since March of 2009, I have been meeting almost weekly with a group of girls from Buckhead Church.  We are what the church calls a "community group." We are more than a social group and more than a Bible study, some crazy combination of both.  In the past year and a half, the group has added some members, and some have moved on... but the girls pictured below have become some of my best friends.  

Everyone has pretty busy lives and schedules, so this past week when I got a couple emails, texts, phone calls, and chats... and discovered that 6/9 of the girls wouldn't be there this week, I wasn't too shocked.  Life happens!!  Last time I "canceled" our group meeting, Shannon gave me a hard time about it, saying the 4 of us who were going to be there should have gotten dinner or something... So, since Shannon and Kimmy were the only two coming last night, I emailed them to see if they wanted to get dinner.  Kimmy had a coupon to a nicer restaurant, and somehow talked me into going there.  :-)  Kimmy offered to drive and we were going to meet Shannon there.  When we got to the restaurant, the host said "they're in the back" and I asked Kimmy who was with Shannon?!  We walked back there and I saw all the girls... 

"Surprise!"

"Hey!"

"Happy late birthday!" 

Emily, Tiffany, Jessie, Kimmy, me, Kiley, Emily, and Shannon (We missed Robyn!!)

On my 24th birthday this year, I had the honor of being in my cousin's wedding (well, technically the rehearsal dinner was on my b-day).  So, we didn't get a chance to celebrate... leave it to these girls to make sure my b-day didn't go uncelebrated.  I was definitely super surprised.  The only one who didn't lie ;-) about where she was going to be was Robyn, who was traveling back home this week.  We had so much fun just hanging out for a couple hours.  I am so thankful for each one of these girls and their friendships!

-♥-

Braves Game

Tuesday night my small group and I went to the Braves game.  We watched them take on and beat the Washington Nationals.  It was a great game!  I, for one, am not the biggest baseball fan... However, I love being at Turner Field.  And an evening with these girls is always fun, no matter what we do!

Forest Fair

Imagine Bonaroo, but like, 1/100th of the size... There's an additional 5,000 people or so in town, which brings the community's population total to like 7,000.  There are 3 stages with live bands... One I am a really big fan of (pictured below)!  There are so many people to meet and hang out with.  There are tons of booths selling pottery, art, kitchen utensils, jewelry, and lots of other things... I'm going to post some pics and then head back out there to the fair.  Enjoy!

This band is Bare Roots ... They play reggae music and have a great sound!

Not sure who this is, but they did a couple Journey covers and were pretty good!

Me at the entrance

One of the cool booths

The kids all have loved getting their faces painted and hair styled... Crazy cool, right?!

Me & Jenn before we left last night.

Forgiveness

Tonight at small group, the concept of forgiveness came up.  My small group has a blog that we use as a communication tool (it's set to where only members of our small group can access it, though)...  Anyway, I posted this about forgiveness, and decided to post it here, too.  Just my thoughts :-)

Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.

-Corrie Ten Boom

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."

-Matthew 18:21-22

From what Jesus says, I think that forgiveness is not a one-time choice and then we automatically live in a state of forgiveness ... maybe instead Jesus meant that forgiveness may require a lot of forgiving. We know it is important to the Lord, and I believe it is important to our relationship with God. We gotta continue forgiving until the matter is settled in our heart.

Why do we have to forgive?  The best reason I can give is because Jesus said to.  And, if you want to know why I think He told us to forgive... it's not because it's about the person we're forgiving (though that can be an amazing gift to them).  I think it is because He understands what unforgiveness does to us.  And WE are precious to Him.  WE are His creation.  WE are His beloved.  He wants us to experience HIM... His love, His mercy, His compassion, His grace, His forgiveness.

Gatlinburg '10 - Middle School Event

Last weekend I had the privilege to once again work with our middle school ministry on one of my favorite annual events... Gatlinburg!  Friday we loaded up the vehicles (2 vans + my car) and made the trip there.  We had beautiful weather all weekend with clear views of the Smokies the whole time.  (My favorite part!)  

Saturday morning started out with a challenging message from Shad about our "friend lists." He got us thinking about if we choose friends who help us pursue our dreams or not.  Our friends are the ones with us on the path we take in life.  The path we're on is the direction we're going and that is what is going to determine where we end up.  Who in our lives inspires us to dream what God dreams for us?

View from our Meeting Room

Small Groups

After group time, we headed into Pigeon Forge for some go-kar-ting.  That is always a lot of fun!!  After go karts we went to one of Gatlinburg's many pancake places for lunch.  I tried a (as in only one!) multigrain & nut pancake which was surprisingly out of this world good!  After lunch it was on to Fort Fun for putt-putt golf, laser tag, and bumper cars... Also a lot of fun! Dinner was at Los Rancheros (I think that's the name) and chips & salsa and diet coke never tasted so good... Saturday night we had another group session.  Sam talked about your "profile pages" i.e. identity and we talked about 3 main questions... Who have you been?  Who are you now?  Who can you be?  The most important task is not what you do, but who you become.

A couple of my girls!

Ready to Race!

They just can't handle all the excitement... Haha

Shad got the Reese's-something-or-another-pancakes...

Girls @ Flapjack's

Bumper Cars @ Fort Fun

Me and one of the Oilers' hockey stars
@ Fort Fun

Don't you wish you were there...

...I mean, really...

...what's not to LOVE?! 

Sunday morning we had our 3rd group session which Barbara led... talking about our "status updates" and how we portray ourselves.  What you do and what you say (as well as what you don't do and don't say) tell other people a lot about yourself.  Then, it was off to go ice skating at Ober.  No injuries this year-- always a PLUS!  We stopped in Pigeon Forge again on the way home for lunch at Gatti's (which I politely refused thank you very much and my ride home was MUCH more comfortable!!).  Overall the weekend was just fantastic... Can't wait for next year!