Probably Not… December 18, 2009

A friend saw this in her local grocery store and thought I’d get a kick out of it…I did, but it was probably not a good idea. The grocery store should have known better.

I Just Don’t Know… December 7, 2009

I’m not happy at church. There. I said it…something I never thought I’d say about the church that raised me. When I was a teenager, I was there every time the door was opened. As a young adult, I’m finding fewer open doors.

Don’t misunderstand me. I still love worshiping at my church, and I feel like God has blessed my church with great ministers.

However, there is nothing at my church for young adults…especially young, single adults like me. Every time they/we try to start a Sunday School class or a small group or anything else for young adults, the older people crash our party. Geez that sounded really tacky of me to say! But here’s the deal…there are more than 10 Sunday School classes from which to choose from at my church (for adults). And they’ve tried to start several young adult classes…and even young singles classes. And here’s what happens when they start: Mr. and Mrs. 50-something show up. I’m sorry, but feeling like a young adult and being a young adult are two separate entities. Also, if you show up to a singles class with your wife, you likely don’t belong!

I’ve felt like such the outcast loser in every Sunday School class I’ve tried that I have been serving as a Sunday School teacher in our children’s department every week since last year. It’s not that I don’t love to help where needed, but now I am worn out, and I want to be fed. I should be able to find a home in this 2000+ member church, but there is none.

And I’m thinking about church-hopping for the month of January to see if I can find a place where I belong. This has been a difficult decision for me, one I’ve prayed over for a while now, but I’m just not happy, and I know I should be.

I feel guilty for feeling so unhappy with my church. And I’m certainly not one to “date” the church. I am in a very committed relationship with the church, which is why it hurts so much to feel this way.

So, we have a new church in town (one that isn’t Methodist) that caters to young adults (sort of) and that is active! They are alive! They do things as a community! They do breakfast before church on Sundays, they have mission activities (something very dear to my heart), they go on group outings, they pray and play together. I’m thinking of starting there.

Then there’s the bigger than huge Six Flags Over Jesus (it’s really just a Baptist Church, but we kid) down the road that has a thriving young adult ministry complete with lots of active small groups.

What I’m having trouble deciding is whether it is more important for me to agree with a church’s doctrine or social/educational/spiritual offerings. And that’s where I’m torn. Deep down we all pretty much believe the same things…one God, one Son, Holy Spirit. It’s just the traditions that are a bit different. It’s like a family…each family has its own traditions, but not having the same traditions as another family doesn’t make one less of a family.

Am I losing my mind?

There’s one thing I am steadfast in…I will not be re-baptized just to attend another church! My baptism isn’t between me and a church, it is between me and God. And I don’t feel like I should have to be a member of a church to take that church’s communion. Again, communion isn’t between me and a church, it is between me and God.

Give me some encouragement please!!!

Stubborn Dachshunds December 4, 2009

I know most Dachshunds are stubborn, but I think I have three of the most stubborn dogs in the entire world! Last night I tried to take their pictures by the Christmas tree (or wherever I could get all three gathered). I’ll let you see how well that worked out for me…

Aside from the fact that I was completely out of focus because I was trying to get my darling Archie (the middle one) to stay on the fluffy bed instead of running to his mommy, Chip (the one in the sweater) was insistent upon not facing me. Dach was the only one who would remotely cooperate, but I’m convinced it was because I told him if he sat pretty he could have a treat. Needless to say, I couldn’t get the three of them to cooperate for a “My Three Shunds” photo. So I got some of Dach & Chip together (and some cuter shots of just Chip).

I’m pretty sure Chipper is only cooperating because he thinks his sweater is a straight-jacket. Bless his little heart…he goes completely limp when you put an outfit of any kind on him, which makes it quite simple to get shots like this:

As you can tell by the green-icky eyes, these photos are unedited…sorry!

Doesn’t he look a bit pitiful? Poor Chipper!

I think this is my favorite, simply because he looks so frightened.

I guess if I were his size and had been forcibly put into a sweater AND
then placed in a sleigh approximately 3 ft. off the floor, I’d be scared too!

I think he’s happier to be back safely on the floor.

I Love These Two December 4, 2009

Oh, and just in case he reads this (not likely), HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!

And I’m glad they’re still like this (even if it sometimes creeps me out in public).

In Case You Ever Wondered… December 1, 2009

This is a running list of random thoughts I’m having.

1. I giggle to myself every time I see someone walking across campus with a backpack on wheels. Sorry.
   



2. I wonder why the Hallmark Channel must play all 19 (maybe there are more) variations of “A Christmas Carol” all on the same Sunday afternoon! I know they’re playing Christmas movies from noon to midnight every day until Christmas, but wouldn’t it work just as well to play one version of the classic per day until Christmas instead of making people who previously enjoyed the movie slowly begin to hate it?
   



3. My heart melted when I found out that my Angel Tree child wanted (as her toy) a night out with her mom.
   



4. Why do they even make leopard print leggings in a size 4x?
   



5. My jaw hurts. My neck hurts. My head hurts.
   



6. My little brother only wanted items that had to be ordered online for Christmas.
   



7. Referencing #6, I wonder why the things we ordered from Liverpool (like in another country) came before the things we ordered from here in the good ole US of A.
   



8. Maybe it is sad that the main thing I want for Christmas is another Bible (I already have 47), but I really want the Wesley Study Bible (and my mom got it for me – yay).
   



9. Techno Christmas music sucks.
   



10. Retail employees put up with a lot of crap around the holidays! What makes this sad is that if we broke it down and remembered why we even had Christmas in the first place, maybe there would be no need for all of our wretched behaviors. Then retail employees wouldn’t have to smile and nod while grumpy shoppers yell incessantly at them about how stupid they are. I’ve been in their shoes, so I try to be extra gentle and patient around Christmas…and I wish others would as well!
    

Stealing Her Thunder November 18, 2009

I feel I must apologize to all my fellow Huckablog readers in advance for stealing her thunder from yesterday/today’s cutaclysm.

I’ve had brow woes before (that I’ve even previously mentioned here), but none have quite rivaled what I’m going through now. If I weren’t so embarrassed, I’d post a picture.

A little over a month ago, I went to get my brows waxed (a normal procedure I endure every 3-4 weeks). Lee, the guy who normally waxes my brows (and does a great job at it) was on vacation, so I cheated on him and went to the mall. Look…the brows were HORRIBLE!!! Trust me. They were that bad!

Needless to say, I felt somewhat uneasy sitting in the chair in the national chain hair establishment…though I admit I’m not sure why.

A nice Asian lady who didn’t speak much English (which is another post entirely) said she could wax them, and I hesitantly leaned back and let her do her job.

When I stood up, I was horrified! She might as well have shaved them. I could have done a better job blindfolded. They were that bad! She had waxed them off a good 1/4 – 1/2 inch inside my eye. Seriously! Plus, she had given them a really funky angle.

I admit that I haven’t always had perfect brows…in fact, I’ve sported some pseudo-Groucho and near-unibrow variations in the past. But the fact remains that I have always had a pretty good shape to my brows. They were arched nicely, had a normal shape to them and were full…so full in fact that anyone who ever waxed them usually wound up trimming them as well.

Alright. So I’ve waited over a month to have anything done to them, because I am trying desperately to regain the shape for which Lee and I had worked so hard.

Today I just couldn’t take it anymore. I called to get in with Lee…and he wasn’t there. So I went to a chain store on my lunch hour (a different one of course), and ever-so-slightly-assertively explained to the nice young pregnant lady what I wanted her to do with my ill-shaped brows.

“Just take care of the top and bottom. Do nothing in between the two brows except for just above my nose. I am trying to grow back a botched brow job, and I know they will look funny for a while. I don’t care. Just a little off the top and bottom.”

Proving that not all chain hair establishments are created equally, the nice young pregnant lady (with creepy tattoos) did a fine job of following my instructions.

I still have ill-shaped brows, but they are lighter (and not quite as Groucho-esque).

While I am quite sure the Asian lady who butchered my brows in the first place didn’t do so intentionally, I can’t help but think that I may have been her very first “white” brow wax, because she did the Asian line brow on me.

Oh, and I miss the girl who used to cut my hair (and wax my brows). She knew me (and my crazy family), and she always did whatever the heck she wanted to do with my hair (seriously). If I told her I wanted a particular style, she’d look at me for a minute and say, “No guarantees. I only do what will look good on you!” I haven’t gone to her since I moved back home, because I have no idea where she works now. She’s one of those certified salon hoppers, so you have to know her well to know where she is working from year to year, but it is so worth staying on her “list,” because she is seriously the best ever!!!

So, if you’re reading this, Kirsten…I miss your haircuts and brow waxes and I wish I knew where you were working these days. I’d schedule an appointment ASAP for you to shape up the mess of shagginess on top of my head. Okay…thanks. Bye.

Awkward Turtle November 17, 2009

Let me lay this out for you.

I have a coworker (we’ll call her Rachel)…and I work at a university, so we also have student workers (we’ll call them Chelsea, William and Luke).

This would all be fine…

But Rachel lives down the street from Chelsea, and they have become quite good friends. I should mention here that Rachel is my age (28), and Chelsea is 21…not that age matters in friendship, but Rachel is also Chelsea’s boss…sort of.

Rewind a couple of weeks.

Rachel and Luke went shopping for lingerie for Rachel…like sexy lingerie. Is that weird. Luke is like 21 too…I think that’s weird. Did I mention that Rachel is married and has a 3-year-old?

Then a couple nights later, Chelsea took a bunch of nearly nude photos of Rachel to give to her husband for their anniversary. Is that weird? Again…I think so.

Then last weekend, Rachel hung out with William until like 3 a.m. watching movies and stuff at William’s apartment. Is that weird? I still think it is.

What do you think? Do you think this blurs the lines between coworker and subordinate…student and mentor…whatever? Is it even acceptable in a workplace at all, or could it be considered sexual harassment?

Divine Intervention November 14, 2009

I’ve always known that God works in mysterious ways, but to see some of God’s handiwork play out in real time is incredible.

See, for the past few months, I’ve been somewhat unhappy because I can’t find a place to plug myself in using my time and talents…you know like volunteering.

Sure, I teach Sunday School every Sunday morning, and I teach Bible study on Wednesday nights. I feel like I do enough at church, but I just don’t feel plugged into my community…or any other community around me (except for the one week per summer I spend at a youth mission camp).

Needless to say, my church’s youth group doesn’t do any hands-on mission work (though they are raising money for water in Kenya – noble, but not dirty-hands type of work). And while there are several opportunities for service with adult groups at church, most of those are in foreign countries…not in our backyard.

So I’ve been praying for a way to plug in right in my own community.

Enter my boss and her trusty sidekick.

Last week we were having a huge event at the local university (the one I work at), and my boss and her trusty sidekick were down the street getting ice. A woman approached them asking them a multitude of questions…and trust me when I say that my boss was in a huge hurry. We had 300+ hungry folks quickly approaching ready for food and drinks (the ones that were supposed to be iced down with the ice).

Anyway, it turns out that the woman who approached my coworkers was from the Habitat for Humanity build going on down the street from our university. She wondered if our university would be willing to supply some volunteers a few Saturdays.

So the story made its rounds during our weekly staff meetings, and we wound up making Habitat for Humanity an office project.

My boss had complained about how long the stoplight was last Saturday making them wait and wait and wait and wait. But the truth is that if they hadn’t had to wait so long, then the woman wouldn’t have been there at just the right time to answer my prayers.

It goes beyond that. See, Habitat for Humanity needed volunteers in a bad way, and God intervened solving two problems (my need for a service project…and HfH’s need for volunteers).

So today I helped out with Habitat for Humanity (and then took a long nap).

Oh, and God supplied us with the perfect day for building a house…sunny and warmish cool perfection!

Bedding on it November 13, 2009

Sorry folks…I’m already in bed, and I am not getting out to do a post. so here is your post. Drugs are making me very sleepy!

Desperation November 12, 2009

I went in a local bookstore this afternoon looking for a book to combat my writer’s block. I must have been feeling overly desperate as I walked through the bookstore…both desperate to end my writer’s block and desperate for other things.

What I walked out with (instead of the writer’s block combatant) is “1001 Ways to Meet Mr. Right” by Elizabeth Shimer Bowers.

Here are five of her ideas chosen at random:

1. Out with your brother
2. Nearby town
3. Car maintenance seminar
4. Supermarket (see…I told you my toothpaste aisle plan could work!)
5. Community theatre

Do you guys think I’m terribly desperate for purchasing a book to state the obvious ways I could meet “Mr. Right,” or is it okay that I bought the book? Does it make it any less desperate sounding if I tell you the book was on the bargain rack for $2.99, or does that make it sound like I’m even more desperate?