Rainy Days Soothe My Soul

Photo By: Abbie Slate

 Today is a perfect curl up with a good book, stay in pajamas, and drink tea all day kind of day.

It is overcast.
Drops on my windows are just showing.
I can see the rain coming down.

For the perfect setting, I don't quite know what to do with myself.
I am about to Skype with the lovely Marie.
My Vogue magazines have piled up.
I could make it my goal to work through them.
And, I have some actual work work I could do.

Maybe I should drive out to the river.
It's a perfect day to leave the door open and read inside.
Oh, and I could stomp around in my wellies while carrying my umbrella.

What sorts of things make you happy on rainy days?

If You're Curious...

It's been a while since I shared any sort of life update.

The time has arrived.

For close to two months I have pursued various options for this spring, and slowly watched as each option was eliminated.  I was all set to move to England in February.  Then, after searching for jobs, jobs began finding me.  I was adamantly against staying in the United States for any time longer than absolutely necessary.  However, based on my track record of being adamantly against something and then finding myself wanting whatever it was I was adamantly against, I began processing different ideas.

I sought thoughts from others.  I prayed about it.  Everything seemed to be pointing to England.  Well, after a wonderful conversation with Mrs. C, an interview with the newspaper, and several discussions with my parents, I decided to postpone moving.  There are many factors, some large and some small.

I will continue substitute teaching, I am now a part-time reporter for our local newspaper (first official job is tomorrow!), and there may be some other little endeavor up my sleeve.

England is in my DNA, it is in my heart.  I will be a part of it soon enough.  For now, I am going to engage in friendships, familyships, and gaining life experience.

An Ecclesiastes Moment

Photo by K.L.R.

If you've been reading for a while, you have probably seen me mention my amazing church in Columbia.  I wrote earlier in the week that the pain of missing the church seemed to have passed.  There was a long time during the summer and fall where I missed it so greatly, it was hard to attend anywhere else.

Today I've been a little more emotional than usual.  A lot is on my mind, and when something is on my mind I tend to stew on it.  Weirdly, I like stewing...even if it makes me miserable.

Since graduating from college I have been trying to learn how to operate and have a relationship with God in this new stage of life.  It is difficult, especially knowing the closest thing to a true church community I've known is five and a half hours away.  And, I'm not going to be a regular attendee, probably, ever again.

Tonight, a professor from my Alma Mater, who is the Lay Pastor of the Music and Arts at my church, posted a song he recorded.  This song is one we sing at church.  As I listened to it, the cry I've been needing came.  It is hard to have something as beautiful as a church community taken away.

I think it is time to read Ecclesiastes again.




You can purchase and download O God, Eternal Light, performed by Dr. Rod Lewis, here.

Another Year Gone

Photo by K.L.R.

 As I pause to think back to a year ago, I have a difficult time remembering where I was and what I was doing.  For some reason, last Christmas seems a haze.  I know I was preparing for the wedding of two dear friends, but everything else eludes me.

I've reflected a little bit on the past year, where I was and what has changed.  Honestly, it's not been the most monumental of years.  I agonized over planning the future, discovered my love for high schoolers (thanks CoTA!), graduated from university, studied journalism in NYC, survived an intense storm and no AC for three hot days, was published in a newspaper, became a substitute teacher, started working another job, grew relationships and started new ones, and changed.

What I hoped my life would look like?  Me, living in England.  Me, living with Steph in SC, still attending Church of the Apostles.  Me, having adventures and starting my life as an adult.

God changes desires.  Sometimes He uses other desires.  He has a different schedule.

While not the most thrilling of years, my friendships have grown, and for that I am thankful.  My friends are amazing, unique, and caring.  I look forward to the years ahead.

I'm excited to see what 2013 holds.  Hopefully it will be an exciting and adventurous year, full of good changes.

Happy New Year's Eve!

I'm Still Here!

This week exhausted me more than any other in a while.
Nights lacking sleep, 10+ hours work days, meetings, and more.
Tonight at work I felt dead, as if I had missed sleep due to writing a paper in college. 
Coffee perked me up, the phones were quieter, and I was able to chat with some work friends!

A stop at Wal-Mart on the way home became a necessity.
Chocolate and ear plugs are now in my possession...oh, and vitamins!
I was hunting for ear plugs in the hunting section and asked this guy if he could possibly direct me in their direction, as he seemed to know his way around better than me.  I thought he looked familiar.  Turns out, I just saw him at work as I was leaving tonight!  Fun, random work-people sightings!

Now, sleep beckons me.  I've watched Numb3rs, had a little red wine, tasted Lindor Dark Peppermint chocolate, and am now preparing to sleep in!  Tomorrow I will sleep and lounge (mostly).

On a different note, I hope to have definite plans to share very soon about what my spring will hold!

Till next time, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite!

xoxo

Be a Fiction Character for a Day!

Again, I am posting yesterday's blog challenge today.  My day was rather full, and by they time I realized I needed to blog, I didn't have the brain power.

*Please take note, this is not a favourite challenge!*

The Challenge: A fiction character I would like to be

The Person:  Mandie from the Mandie Series by Lois Gladys Leppard

The Reason:  I first read the Mandie books when I was eight or nine.  Our church library in Michigan had them.  When we moved back to Virginia, I no longer had access.  Then, I bought the entire series!  I ate the books up.

Mandie was always having adventures and solving mysteries.  She went to boarding school, had a best friend, visited her Grandmother in a ginormous house, had relatives that were Cherokee Indian, went to Europe (with her best friend), found more mysteries there, met awesome people, celebrated holidays in lots of fun places with her family and closest friends, oh, and met the President and stayed at the White House.

I think it would be fun to jump into her stories for a little while.

A few other people I thought about being (and would love to, of course) are: Elizabeth Bennet, Jo March, Amy March, Pippi Longstocking, Anne Shirley, and a couple of characters from the Brock and Bodie Thoene collections.

Found here

Who would you like to be?

Like, Like, Like

Hi!

Last night I told you all about my 27 day blog challenge.
Today's challenge is to write about 10 likes.
A little vague, but I can work with that.

1.  Cary Grant.  I like Cary Grant.  He is (was) handsome, daper, English (from Bristol), funny, suave, versatile in his roles, and one of the best actors the screen has ever known.  I will forever be a fan (and will live in denial over any skeletons he may have had).

2.  Christian Louboutin red-soled shoes.  It's a dream of mine to own a pair.  They are gorgeous, comfy (so I've heard), and classy (the pumps).  The red-soles add spice to walking down the street.

3.  My cats.  Rillian and Caspian are cuddly and precious.  They are so sweet when they cuddle together.

4.  Fall in the Virginia mountains.  Fall arrived yesterday.  I'm elated.  The trees have changed shades of green, causing me to believe they are preparing to become hued with red, yellow, and orange.

5.  Diamonds.  I just really really like them.  I don't care if they come in a tiara, a ring, a necklace, a bracelet, or earrings.  I love when Matthew McConaughey says, "Frost yourself."  Yes please.

6.  Laughing.  Forget like, I love to laugh. Till my stomach hurts and tears role down my face.  Or till I hyperventilate (which has happened...and can be a little scary).

7.  England.  Germany.  France (never been, but still).  Europe.  Like the chocolate, countryside, and cities.  I am anticipating moving there.  Oh, that will be a beautiful day.

8.  Earl Grey Tea.  Mmmm, smells scrumptious, tastes amazing, chic.  I am ready for tea with the Queen (just waiting for my invitation).

9.  Chocolate.  The dark stuff.

10.  Pink champagne.  Mmmm.  Classy, chic, and DELICIOUS!

Well, there you go, my ten likes.
Tune in tomorrow for #2 blog challenge.

Augustine and Anne: Separated by Reality and Centuries

I've begun re-reading Augustine's Confessions.

I read part of them for a class my Freshman year of college (I was supposed to read them all).
Then, last year in Medieval Philosophy, I read most of them again (except for part of book XII and all of book XIII).

During in-class discussions my sight was broadened.  I began to see the bigger picture and themes of the book.  I'm thankful for that, because when reading something deep and new, it can be difficult for me to see the overlying themes.

Thanks to Augustine, I realized my whole life I had unconsciously assumed Heaven was eternal (I know, I know, the old Heaven and Earth will pass away).  But, by reading Augustine I realized, Heaven, as does everything else, exists because God sustains it.

I was flipping through the pages the other night and an excerpt underlined in blue ink jumped out to me.  It said,

"For though they cling together, no friends are true friends unless you, my God, bind them fast to one another through that love which is sown in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us." (Book IV, section iv)

While reading it a particular friendship came to mind, but after pondering it a while longer, many friendships came to mind.  Anne Shirley would call them a kindred spirit.  I have different levels of friendships with people.  However, I am truly thankful for a handful of friendships that will continue (I hope and pray) despite distance, time, age, decisions, spouses, children, etc.

Books...

Books.
I love them.
I love to read them.
I think like one.
I think about writing one.
I sometimes feel as if I am in one.

The way my mind works is I play situations out as if it were a novel.  I then tend to act the way I think the heroine/main character would act.  I love reading old novels.  I love reading old mysteries.  I love reading Enid Blyton.  She is an English author who died in the 60's but before she died she wrote 600 books.  She wrote the infamous Noddy books.  The Famous Five.  The Secret Seven.  Mallory Towers.  As well as many many more!  I have read many of them!  Since being in England I have, on many occasions, felt as if I was in one of those books.

Yesterday we went for a walk and Mary and the kids showed me The Secret Garden.  Almost the whole time I was walking there I felt as if I should be trying to solve some mystery in an Enid Blyton story.  Yes, I would love that!

A few other things yesterday, I discovered dogs in England can be very well behaved!  As in, I would actually like one....maybe.  Although, I still love cats!  These dogs just roam freely in the park without a lead on and BEHAVE!  It is crazy!

We were walking along and Julia found a pine cone.  However, in her excited voice she said, "LOOK!  A coconut!!!" Hahaha I laughed so much because she kept saying it.  Then she called them "polkadots"!  Then...she called them "cocopats."  Oh. My. Word.  Hilarious!!!

We found a castle.  Well, they knew where it was.  I got to see it = )  I want to explore a castle!  Find a secret passageway and a mystery that needs solving!

Well, au revoir!