studying

Rest = divine activity. I spent at least some of the weekend resting. Got some revelations, went to an African-American church, communed with nature and the durham community (quilted on the community quilt friday), and got a precious book My Utmost for His Highest. Makes me want to write a devotional.

This helps so much:
"God always ignores the present perfection for the ultimate perfection." He ultimately knows what will make us most fulfilled and holds out in the present struggle to ultimately satisfy.

Everyone PLEASE come to storytelling for adults the last Sunday in May at 7 p.m. Broad Street Cafe. It's the last one before they break for the summer! I'll send an email as it gets closer. The ladies who told stories last night were so awesome.

Please pray for the National Boards test on Friday: it's a behemoth! Can you imagine answering 6 essays prompts in 3 hours? At least after, I'm going to a concert to see Arcade Fire and potentially Barack Obama.

shout outs

It's been a little over a week since my last post. . .

I wanted you all to meet Hera, my new orchid. I had been scoping for months and finally alighted on this one at Trader Joe's for a really good price!

Enjoyed so much hosting Lindsay's international party this past Sunday night. Everyone really came through with some awesome food and costumes! I especially enjoyed the fact that we broke a pinata outside of my house, and I've still been allowed to live in the neighborhood.

So, I have a GREAT movie recommendation (going to finish it tonight). It's called The Inn of Sixth Happiness. It's about a woman who ups and goes to China, feeling called by God. She doesn't even consider what she might lose in this venture. She was even denied by the mission board before she went. Whoa.

Reading The Sacred Romance (John Elderedge coauthors). I've read Captivating, Wild at Heart, The Journey of Desire (actually comes after Sacred Romance), and I'm still trying to figure out what living from the heart really means. Maybe the orchid knows. . . .

Okay, too mystical here. I'm about to post something really flakey (I'll make you go to the link):

http://www.americanidol.com/contestants/season7/jason_castro/

My coworker thinks she's found my soulmate. . . .

spring break reflections part 2

The day after my party, there was an artwalk in downtown Durham (the best place to live in the Triangle). We saw Barbara at the bull (soon, I'll post our made-up legend about the Bull statue) and watched an incredible brass band. When they play, smoke comes out of their instruments. I mean, just look at the one guys' cheeks on the left! Probably at the exact moment we were watching them play, Arlissa and Allan got engaged! If you were at my party, you met them. They are some awesome people.
Zoe and I met a TON of artists and got to fingerpaint. Her tree is now hanging in my kitchen.
One of my favorite things about Durham is the serendipity that exists there. Last night, on an after-dinner walk, I encountered Will (of Joyce and Will) and Jamie Lathan. I had a few other car horns honk at me, so I kept walking until they eventually screamed my name from the car. I encounter so many people just walking around my house: it's great to live in a COMMUNITY.
Speaking of community, the womens' retreat was PHENOMENAL. I really wish I was still there. Oh well, back to work. . . .

spring break reflections

I slept for about the first four days of spring break. On Friday, I finally got off the couch, and Amy (friend of 10 years) and I went to the beach. We saw two jellyfish, I got stuck in quicksand, we created a large sand drawing and almost got knocked off the shore twice by killer tides. We even got a slight sunburn because it was overcast. (okay, I'm a little dramatic)
Many of you who came to my party may wonder where the inspiration for the game came from. I had a pre-party dinner for the out-of-towners, and we thought, "Let's come up with an awesome icebreaker." It was great seeing all my friends get to know each other, deciphering whether they were "google" (poor Kevin), "clock," "mirror," "me," or any famous person.
And, it was Zoe's birthday! She turned 23!


Kevin won the point-spread bet. We were all depressed the Tar Heels lost, but we had champagne anyway. Thanks to all who came!