Searching

Quote of the week:

"Failure to live a deeply fulfilling life always has the effect of making bad things seem good."

Thanks to Jen Vieira for this one. I think it pretty much sums up everything I've been pondering and realizing recently, so I thought I'd share. Quite a few friends of mine seem to be here at this place of evaluation alongside me. If you are one of them, maybe this is encouragement to you. I hope so.

Here's to the pursuit of passion, fulfillment, and ultimately: peace.

4th of July Cheffery

So I am long overdue for posting these photos, but here are the ones I promised from my cheffing experiences at jen & brian strahl's house on the 4th of july.

Upholstery

What is it about Georgia summers that make me want to rearrange my furniture? I could say it's the heat, but this past week it's been unseasonably cool.

Regardless, I've done it again. This time, I got frisky with some fabric and recovered this fantastic (and formerly unfantastically-pink) wingback recliner. I also surfed craigs list and met someone with the exact IKEA sofa I was coveting with Jen Strahl last month, who was selling it for a bargain (even tho it was quite new) and turned out to be a friend of a friend. He threw in about 10 years' worth of National Geographics and a french press to sweeten the deal, as if it needed that.

Behold the swedish brown cow that has taken up residence in my lower living room, and the decidedly shirlock-holmes-esque wingback that stands guard.

Reminding Ourselves Who We Really Are

Today's post on SCL was so well-done, I had to share it. Again, ProdigalJon hits on how we tend to accumulate insecurities and how difficult learning who we really are vs. who the world and our defeatest selves say we are can be.

It's a weird paradox: we know that we all fail at some point (and God knows that more than anyone), we all find it stupidly necessary to, at times, point that out to each other (which causes immense regrettable damage, for which we later beat ourselves up because we've failed, yet again)...but God is the one person who calls us by a new name and not by all that stuff. He's the one person who should rightfully be calling out our faults, and yet He stays His hand and calls us son & daughter. Read this, if you would. ProdigalJon does a much more eloquent job than I could.

A Li'l Friday Afternoon Humor

This joke comes to me courtesy of Mike Vieira. I think it's hilarious - but only if you're in a slap-happy mood. So, if you're not in one, either quick! put on your pretending face, or come back later. I will have no groans...

The joke:

So these muffins are in the oven baking, when one muffin turns to the other and says "Man! It sure is getting hot in here". The other muffin turns back and screams "Argh! Talking muffin!!!"

That's it. Think about it if you need to, but don't work at it too hard.

Insecurity?!

If I ever find myself in Perth, Australia this will be my church. Riverview's messages always come so poignantly and perfectly in my life. This message is incredibly encouraging to me in my struggle with insecurity and wondering what I am good at and what I am made for. It fills me with confidence in who God is and who I am. I hope it does for you too.

I know listening to sermons take time, so I just pop them on while I'm checking my e-mail. God always brings the right words to my ears even while I'm doing other things.

If y'all do listen, let me know what you think? I hope that these postings are helping encourage you guys as much as they are me.

Quote of the Day

"If we do not fill our minds with guilt and self-recriminations, we will recognize our incompleteness as a kind of spaciousness into which we can welcome the flow of grace."

~ Gerald May

For an explanation, go here