Opa!!

Happy Sunday!

So I've now been in Nashville for eight days and am starting to feel settled. I arrived at the "tool shed," which is somewhat appropriately named since it looks like a tool shed and is painted green, last Saturday before lunch. As you can imagine, a lot has happened in the last eight days, so in respect for brevity I'm going to "bullet."

* I met Susan the site coordinator, who is sort of like my liaison with the church and my job but really much more than that--I've seen her seven out of the last eight days. She's incredibly organized and thoughtful and picks up on "hints" really well. For example, I mentioned that I did not have any coffee filters nor did I know how to make coffee. So Susan shows up the next morning with filters and a lesson. I've been mentioning my fondness for jacuzzis, but no luck yet.

* I met my roommate Leslie. She's 23, from Charlotte, majored in biology at Chapel Hill, and spent the last year in this same program--except she spent 11 months in Guatemala. It sounds like it was an intense experience and that she formed some really strong friendships with her host family. Despite the fact that we're very different, we are getting along well. We both cut up a lot, like to eat, and enjoy exercise, so that's a good start:) Oh, she's never heard of Family Ties or Different Strokes, but I'm trying to get over that. She's on the far left in the photo above.

* I've been slightly "orientated" to this church (I actually live on the church property) and its staff, which has been a bit of culture shock. This is easily the most liberal church I'm aware of (after all I've lived in Georgia my entire life), much less a part of, so I've been "processing" a lot. I'm looking forward to understanding more about why some people believe what they believe, etc. In addition, this is the most socially aware and engaged church I've ever attended. I LOVE how this church is sharing Christ's love with the world with programs like A Room in the Inn (providing a meal and place to sleep for homeless people in the winter), Habitat for Humanity work days, an upcoming mission trip to help Katrina victims, annual trips to Guatemala, letter writing campaigns for Darfur, etc. Plus a lot of the members are personally volunteering through mentoring programs, Meals on Wheels, etc.

* I joined a gym. And it has 18,000 members, a parking deck, and is sponsoring a COOKIE fun run this next Saturday. Yes, you read correctly. It's like my two passions are merging together to raise money for a good cause. Since I'm watching the spending, I'll be getting cookies and a free tee shirt by volunteering (calling out split times) instead of actually running the race. Sweet deal except for that entire 7:00 a.m. report time.

* I got a library card, which is only notable because the libraries here are awesome. You can check out your own books; they have everything under the sun; and you can return your books/DVDs (checking out The West Wing soon, assuming I become motivated enough to hook up the DVD player) at any branch.

* Completed a scavenger hunt with my lovely roomie. See how thoughtful I look in the Civil Rights Room of the downtown branch of the public library? We added a stop at the Pied Piper Creamery, which serves delicious homemade ice cream including fun flavors like "White Trash" and "Are you there God? It's me Margarita." Plus they give lots of free samples and big scoops.


* Met my boss, who seems great and very enthusiastic, and toured my new place of work. I asked where my secretary would sit, but at this time office space seems to be limited:) Anyway, I start work tomorrow and am to report at 8:45.

* Went to the Greek Festival with the former NEPs (the people who did this program last year) and saw some cool dancing and ate a yummy dessert.

* Watched UGA lose and ate sushi with a high school friend who lives here.

* Was commissioned today at church and enjoyed a reception afterwards. I've met a lot of nice people and am doing my best to remember names.

* Attended FIVE church services in seven days.

* Had my first guest blogger.

Bottom Line: I've received a super warm welcome, am adjusting well despite a little reluctance to return to working tomorrow, and think this is going to be an awesome year.

p.s. I'm grateful for all of the free food we received this week. We had lots of lunches, dinners, and cookouts--and food was given to us (i.e. a huge bag of cheese cubes from the reception today:)

Hello from Nashville! Or for those of you reading from these here parts: Howdy y’all! I’m still getting used to living in the South. I’m still oddly struck when I hear someone’s deep southern accent at the grocery or a restaurant.

By now, most of you are probably reading this thinking, “Wait, you’re from Georgia. What the crap are you talking about?” Ally does not yet have an internet connection at her “house” (ha), so as her new best friend in Nashville, I have been given the distinct privilege to author her latest blog entry. Ally informed me last night that my own blog is not a real blog since it is done through MySpace and not on a blog-only website. I feel the words “spoken” in a blog are more important than the homepage, but that’s my humble opinion.

Anyhoo, I am Brian Moles. Like Ally, I have recently moved to Nashville. I should note that I have chosen to call Ally “Ally” instead of Allison, which she has also given us as an option. Not two hours after she had just commented negatively on someone not giving a straight forward answer to a question, when we asked her what we should call her, she told us either one was fine, so I picked Ally.

But back to my story. I moved to Nashville almost four weeks ago to try something new. Before relocating, I had lived in Terre Haute, Indiana for my entire life. I graduated from Indiana State University, which is in Terre Haute, electing to live at home with my parents during school to cut down on school costs. I might have lost several opportunities to broaden my social skills and make new friends, but unlike most college graduates, I was basically debt free on graduation day. After graduation, I continued to work at the job I had held in my last year and a half of school. I stayed there for another 18 months after graduation and around June of this year, decided I was moving to Nashville to get away from home.

Why Nashville? Last September, my brother Jeff moved here to begin his year-long experience as a Young Adult Volunteer for the Presbyterian Church, the same position Ally is just beginning. Over the last year, I visited Jeff and his roommates several times. Most big cities can overwhelm you very easily, but every time I came to Nashville, it did not have that effect. This spring, Jeff decided to stay in Nashville and continue his work at the Campus For Human Development, a day shelter for Nashville’s homeless population. Jeff and I have an apartment together and are getting settled. Aside from the country music, I have yet to have any major complaints about this town.

My days in Nashville have been fairly uneventful so far. Not having a job and trying to save money, I spend most of my days sitting on the couch watching television without cable and playing online. You can’t imagine how exciting getting a wall post on Facebook is until you’re unemployed. I watch The View and Martha Stewart in the mornings, then turn off the TV until the evening. My afternoons are filled with Mario Kart 64, browsing MySpace and Facebook, and searching for jobs online. If any of you reading this have any connections in Nashville, please let me know. I’m getting tired of people asking me how The View was.

I first met Ally and her new roommate Leslie, Sunday morning after church. We were having them over for dinner that evening, along with Susan, their site coordinator for the YAV year, and Chasie and Tara, two of Jeff’s YAV roommates last year who have also stayed in Nashville to continue working. Even though we had to clean our apartment from top to bottom knowing that five women were coming over for dinner, I wasn’t going to complain because of the fact five women were coming over for dinner.

Dinner was very good and we all enjoyed a fruit pizza that yours truly prepared for dessert. Before and after we ate, we had time to sit around and discuss each others experiences and all that blah blah blah. Ally, being old, has traveled the world and gone to law school, while I, being young, have only an undergraduate degree and speak only English, so I had little to share. But I still had fun.

Last night, we all enjoyed a get together with the other young adults that attend Second Presbyterian here in Nashville. This was the site of probably one of the most awkward moments for me in a long time. Since Sunday, Jeff and I have been saying that Ally and Chasie have very similar personalities and appearances. Last evening, we were discussing how they look alike and instead of just sitting back and letting Jeff and me analyze her appearance, she decides to interject with “And we both have huge boobs.”

As a male, there was nothing I could say at this point that would be appropriate in any way. Thankfully, the focus was then put on Jeff, who backed my thinking up with a “no comment” and a blank stare straight toward the wall.

But it didn’t end there. Instead of just laughing it off, the three or four girls sitting there decided to carry on a full conversation about their breasts and such. After several minutes of banter that I tried to block out as much as possible for my own personal protection, the next comment I hear is “Are they tender?” I couldn’t hold it in any longer and just cracked up. If this is what the next year is going to bring hanging out with Ally, it should be a freakin’ fun year.

I have to admit, this is not the style of my blog at all. My main motivation for writing this entry is knowing how many people will read it. My blog gets maybe 20-30 views per entry, while Ally’s super-amazing-spectacular-fun-filled-adventure blog gets that many comments, let alone views. My own blog is still better than her’s though, you should check it out.

If I don’t find a job for the next month, you can thank Ally. Instead of writing a few cover letters with my afternoon, I have been writing this. My lunch is even sitting in front of me half-eaten because I have become so focuses on blog that is not even my own.

I have no idea what I have just written, but I hope you liked it. I need a job really bad, because this is how bored I am. Ha.

(Conversation in the car last night):

Ally: So Jeff, do you affiliate yourself with a political party?
Jeff: Uhhh…

Brian: He’s a Democrat.

Jeff: Well, I’d say probably the Democrats.

Ally: What about you, Brian?
Brian: I don’t really associate with one of another anymore, I vote for whoever I like best.

Leslie: So what did you used to be?
Brian: A Republican.

Ally: So why not anymore? Did you become a Christian?

That cracked me up. Nice work.

We’re all friends now,

Brian

p.s. Ally-disclaimer: (1) The Christian comment was a joke. (2) My boobs are not, I'm afraid, remotely huge.

p.p.s. I'm grateful for a guest blogger who makes me laugh.

Even Better than a Martini

Today has been a very busy last (full) day in Calhoun--lunch with my oldest niece, a visit to my great aunt, dinner with my family, laundry, packing, play date with my best friend's children and my nieces, visit with my mom, tire rotation, and of course filling up my car with the ever-expensive gas in preparation for the three hour drive to Nashville.

I always pay at the pump when I purchase gas, but today I had a good bit of cash and decided to pay inside. So I went into the smoky gas station, and the lady informed me that pump number 5 had already been paid for. She explained that a man paid for two pumps, and then she went with me outside to make sure. Hey, I wasn't complaining; I was just confused.

A guy who looked to be in his mid-twenties leaned out of his truck and hollered "Yeah I got yours too sweetie." He then asked if I was from around here, and I was proud to report (and avoid any further questions) that I was moving to Nashville tomorrow. He continued to chat while I observed the bottle of beer he was drinking as he cranked his truck up. He gave me his car, and voila I left with a tank full of free gas (and his card in case I need some remodeling done). And that my friends is better than the free martini at a bar.

The free tank of gas was followed by a yummy meal courtesy of my father--complete with a half rack of ribs, sweet potato, and fried cheesecake. And on top of that Billy Bob and my sister gave me a sweet card and very generous donation to help with expenses this year. After dinner my nieces "helped" me pack, and my mother gave me a huge basket full of all of my favorite food stuffs--like brown sugar and maple syrup oatmeal, Luna bars, and peppermint flavored Extra gum. Needless to say, I feel very blessed and encouraged by my family, and I am incredibly grateful to have been able to spend the last two months with them. I am so glad I quit my job a few months before this time in Nashville begins and that I used so much of it to just be here with my family. It's a true gift, and I think I'll always cherish the memories of this summer even though none (outside of my trip) are elaborate. Walks with my sister, library trips with my nieces, Sunday school with my dad, Monday mornings with my great aunt, grilling out with Billy Bob, and meals with my mom and step-dad are just things I've not been able to do very often over the last ten years. Now if Calhoun could just get sushi, a bookstore, some good looking and smart single men over the age of 19, and better restaurants....:)

p.s. I'm grateful for the love and support of my family.

"Have It Your Way"

"Crispy bacon, sizzling sausage, melting American cheese, and fluffy eggs piled high on a split-top bun. The Enormous Omelet Sandwich. One more reason to get up in the morning." Disgusting. This may be worse than the grits, sausage, and the other fattening stuff Krystal manages to fit into the large styrofoam cup a former colleague devoured each morning.

About a year ago my friend Ivy wrote a blog post about how fast food isn't the problem causing obesity in children; he contends the problem is that children are not getting outside and playing enough. As an example, Ivy cites himself, noting that he ate McDonalds growing up and was always active; so he didn't get fat until he went to college, started drinking beer, and became less active.

I must admit that I also grew up eating a lot of fast food and did not struggle with my weight as a child. I remember ordering a sausage biscuit and strawberry milkshake at Burger King quite a few mornings; doughnuts and the like were not uncommon either. And like Ivy, I was very active and enjoyed playing outside. But weight aside, what was that kind of food doing to my arteries? And what kind of taste was I cultivating?

A little over a year ago I was hanging out at Donatello's parent's home, and his sister came in the room with a quesadilla filled with mushrooms and salmon. I was amazed and envious for two reasons. First, I was surprised that she cooked a quesadilla when there were delicious brownies (encrusted with Oreos too!) and cookies sitting out in the kitchen; I would have just fixed a plate of those for my meal. And secondly, I was shocked that she craved something so healthy. I crave sweets, pizza, Mexican food, and the like. I so wish that I craved healthy food like Donatello and his siblings do (and am proud to report that I now crave frozen blueberries with Cool Whip). And I am working on cultivating such a taste--if I stick with it for a while, I'll start craving spinach salad with apples and candied pecans. But for the most part, eating vegetables and fruits feel like a huge chore to me and has to be a very conscious effort. It's almost like I am fighting 18 plus years of a habit that is pretty thoroughly ingrained. Fortunately I've long since broken the fast food habit, and despite my affinity for salty fries and chocolate milkshakes, I rarely indulge if for no other reason than my feeling that McDonald's represents so much of what I do not like about America. Despite pretty well forsaking fast food, I still make pretty unsound dietary choices--often letting consecutive days pass without consumption of a fruit or vegetable.

So perhaps during this time of transition (I move on Saturday), I should add one more transition and make a conscious effort to eat at least one vegetable or fruit a day. Yes, I realize that is much less than the recommended amount, but for me that would be an improvement. It'll help to be living in the land of salad, sushi and edadame, and the like again--Calhoun doesn't exactly have those types of restaurants. Sure there's a Longhorn now, but that is about the only place you'll find romaine lettuce in your caesar salad.

Anyway--back to childhood obesity--one thing I've learned this summer as I've attempted to (slowly) lose the weight I managed to find in Europe is that you can exercise a ton, but until you change your diet (significantly), you're not going to lose the weight (at least at my age:). Sure that may seem like a no-brainer to some of you, but it was news to me. And when a kindergartner is given the choice of pizza every single day, I doubt they're going to make good choices on a regular basis (and my mom reports that they now pour ranch dressing all over it too). Nachos are another typical entree. So if these children are as immature and irresponsible as I sometimes am with my diet, they'll choose the nachos and ice cream.

My med school buddies report that they are seeing more and more overweight children, and it took one of them a few weeks to realize that when the children reported that they played football and other sports, they meant on video games. I vote for boycotting McDonalds and tossing the Gameboys, so that children can return to building forts, making mud slides, and starting impromptu games of softball in the front yard. And eating food that is just as simple as fast food but more healthy, i.e. a peanut butter sandwich with sliced apples. Sure fast food isn't exactly the devil, but since most Americans eat it more days than not, it's certainly not making the citizens of our nation a better and healthier group (or helping decrease these darn health insurance premiums).

p.s I'm grateful for flip flops...better than barefoot since it doesn't hurt and your feet stay clean, but airy and light so you still get the basic freedom of being without shoes.

Want. Want, Want

Today I drove to Macon to meet a friend's one week old baby girl. She's adorable, and they're both doing well. While I was driving down I began thinking about all of the things we teach children--both intentionally and unintentionally. Unfortunately our intent often doesn't make a difference in how the lesson is perceived and retained as I am sometimes reminded when I see my nieces mimicking something they've observed me saying or doing. And it's one of the reasons I hate those stupid Bratz dolls (for those of you who are unfamiliar--imagine Barbie becomes a hooker and gets a teenager's attitude) and Junie B. Jones books (in which the main character seems to be completely incapable of correctly conjugating a verb). And this fact is a reason I think who spends time with children is so important. I've heard people say that "anyone can change a diaper"--hinting at what they really want to say: why would an educated, intelligent parent want to stay at home with his or her child? But in light of all that children learn from those they spend time with that statement seems awful short-sighted and ignorant. There's just so many "teachable moments" that obviously who does the teaching is important.

Of course, our society doesn't really lend itself to parents taking time off to stay at home. Sure, it's quite possible for some couples, but with a large number of single parents it's not feasible for many. And a lot of us don't want to give up the SUV, restaurant meals, vacations, and what not. It's amazing what all we think we "need." And somehow it's never quite enough.

As amazing as my recent trip was, I cannot wait to take another one and am filled with major wanderlust. And as many clothes as I have, I somehow still find myself browsing online. Want, want, want. It sort of reminds me of my oldest niece who has so many toys that an entire room is devoted to them--not to mention the toys outside, Gameboy, and whatnot. Yet she constantly whines that she's bored.

How can those of us with so much still want more? How can I complain when my problems are all related to wants and not needs? Sometimes I think that we feel justified in wanting or complaining because we have less than someone else (like Bill Gates...or our neighbor) despite the fact that most of us, as Americans (as well as my one Canadian reader), have so very much. Just by virtue of the fact that I have a laptop and internet access, you know I'm not struggling for the essentials of food, water, and shelter. So I wonder what exactly we're teaching children by our endless accumulation of stuff despite our possession of so much.

Hmmm...maybe I shouldn't take long drives because it leads to this sort of neverending type of question.

p.s. I'm thankful for the perfect health of little Sophia.

Roomies

Beginning on September 1st, I will once again have a roommate, but I know almost nothing about her (except that she's fluent in Spanish and a Christian). I've been fortunate to live alone the last four years and have loved every minute of it. As an introvert, I need lots of alone time to recharge and like the ocassional weekend with virtually no human interaction. Thankfully I learned that I needed that sort of space when I was 18 after taking the Myers-Brigg test. At the time I had three roommates, and it was exhausting for me (especially the uber-religious, judgmental, mean one). But because I'm so outgoing it never ocurred to me that I might be an introvert; shows how little I knew.

My last roommate lasted for two years, and she was really something. I'll sum it up by saying that she was almost expelled from law school during our 3L year and basically had her face "redid" our 2L summer. She also stole a Nordstroms wool coat from me that I still miss about seven times a year. Anyway, I'm sure you all have your roommate horror stories too, but today I want to focus on good roommate stories and hopes for this future roommate.

For example, I hope she's not a vegetarian. I'd like to be able to eat meals together sometimes, and I rarely find a meal complete without meat. It'd be great if she was an excellent cook and into healthy foods, so she could teach me some new things.

I also hope she's 25 or older. Since she's not in college and has done missions for one year, I assume she's at least 23.

I'd love it if she was an introvert too. My last roomie knocked on my door all the time and wanted to hang out in my room. Annoying. It's hard to tell someone to leave your room....every other hour.

I hope she's outgoing and not at our house all the time. I like roomies that are ocassionally not there, so I can have the entire place to myself.

I hope she's got Brad Pitt look-alike, single, Christian guy friends in Nashville who are 30 years old or older.

I hope she makes my world bigger and challenges my views.

It would be great if she was athletic and fit and pushed me to try new sports/exercises.

Of course, I'll know soon enough, but it's fun to wonder about it. Even my last roommate (the crazy one) had some really positive traits. She was incredibly generous (although that was sort of offset by her stealing some of my things and borrowing brand new clothing without asking--she'd cut the tags off herself!) and often brought me double doozies from the mall. Another roommate had gained some weight, so she let me wear all of her clothes for six months while she worked on losing it. I thought that was really sweet. So if you were chosing a roommate, what would you hope for (assume your roommate must be of the same gender:)?

p.s. I'm grateful for swimming pools. As hot as it's been, they are the only reason I'm ever outside.

Nashville Epiphany Project

This post is a little over due--as Ella manages to kindly remind me in her emails:) And from talking with friends, I realize that I've only sort of informed some people of what exactly it is that I'll be doing this next year. So here it goes:

On September 1st I am moving to Nashville, Tennessee to begin an eleven month position with the Nashville Epiphany Project, which is part of the Young Adult Volunteer Program of the Presbyterian Church (USA). It's sort of like AmeriCorps meets Christianity.

Funny--when I was part of AmeriCorps back in 1998 I worked with a guy named Thomas who was what Billy would call an "uber-Christian," and I thought his beliefs and practices were very odd. I used to ask him questions as if he were from another planet or something. I never would have imagined that about ten years later that I would not only share his views but believe that sharing my faith with others is one of the most important things I can do.

And my position with NEP will give me the opportunity to do so as well as grow in my faith and serve others. My primary responsibility will be my Monday through Friday job with Preston Taylor Ministries (PTM). PTM was formed to confront many of the issues that arise in public housing, such as drug use, illiteracy, and gang involvement. Specifically I will be working in an after-school and summer program for junior high aged children who live in public housing. I will also be coordinating a lunch-mate mentoring program for children at local schools and a job shadowing program. I'll also work with high schools students, preparing them to serve as mentors to younger children. In addition to those responsibilities, I'll be working at the church some, although the specifics will not be worked out until I've gotten settled in.

The other NEP volunteer (she's been in Guatemala this last year!) and I will live in a small house (nicknamed "the tool shed" because of its size and appearance) on the church's property. Today I learned that there are only two volunteers this year, so it looks like I will NOT be sharing a bedroom or bathroom. I must admit that this information makes me incredibly happy since I'm an introvert and need a lot of alone time to recharge.

Part of my responsibility is also raising support--both spiritual and financial. I'm asking for prayers for wisdom, patience, and understanding as I work with junior high students for the first time. This will be 100% different from the individuals I've served the last three years as an attorney, and I suspect middle school aged children will present challenges that I've not faced while working with younger children. Should be interesting--and rewarding. I love the idea of helping to enable children with the gifts of education and faith--especially children who have not been given so many of the blessings that I enjoyed at their age.

The approximate cost of my year of service is $18,000; that amount includes housing, utilities, health insurance, a monthly stipend, etc. The general presbytery covers some of this expense as does Second Presbyterian and the agencies we serve. I am asked to raise $4,000 of this amount, and I must admit that this task is one of the more daunting parts of this process for me. I guess asking people for money, even when it is for a wonderful cause, makes me uncomfortable. Thankfully I have a lot of friends who have done this before and encourage and support me in this regard. If any of you would like to donate any money, I would certainly appreciate it. Unfortunately there isn't a quick high-tech way (i.e. credit card or Paypal), but you can send a check made payable to Second Presbyterian Church attn: NEP. Please write my name on the memo line and mail it to the following address: Second Presbyterian attn: NEP, 3511 Belmont Drive, Nashville, Tennessee 37215.

And of course, I'll be keeping you guys posted as things progress. Only one month until I get started!

p.s. I'm grateful the accountability, love, and support my best friend Nicole gives me.

Eight Things

Ryane tagged me on July 2, and I'm finally sitting down to write eight things about myself. I think I've written something along this line before, so I've been pondering what quirky things I should share. Since the stipend provided by my mission position, which begins on September 1, is only $400, I've decided to share eight ways I'm (already) cheap and/or like to save money. I encourage you to share any tips you might have since I'm going to have to get pretty creative to live on $400. Thank goodness this position also includes utilities and housing as well as health insurance. So the $400 "just" needs to cover food, gas, prescriptions, oil changes/tire rotations, etc. I figure it'll be easier and harder than I expect--all in one.

I get some of my thriftiness from my father--who has had the same mattress for at least three decades now, "saves" ice I've poured out in the sink, and refuses to order a cheeseburger because the half slice of cheese is too expensive at 25 cents (and you can get a whole slice at home for less than a dime). He also says that when you eat at Cracker Barrel "you're just paying for the name." Mind you that what I order there costs less than $5.

So here are my eight:

(1) I buy generic whenever practical. If you live where there are Kroger, you can try the Kroger brand risk free. For example, I tried the Kroger version of wheat things. Well they were gross, so I returned them; Kroger gave me both a refund and the national brand (normal Wheat Thins) for free. Score for me. Kroger brand white chocolate bark is great; Kroger brand cheese is just as good; generic sugar, flour, etc. always works fine for me too, and it's often saves me forty cents or more per item.

(2) Cosmetics: I no longer buy them at department stores and instead research them on this website. I discovered Paula Begoun when I wrote a research paper on the cosmetics industry in college. I personally think it's embarrassing how we (some women) let ourselves be tricked by these companies who promise the moon and never deliver. Imagine if women invested the money they spend on $45 bottles of foundation, $25 mascara, etc. Anyway, years ago a dermatologist told me that L'Oreal and Lancome (which I once wore) were made in the same factory but just poured into different bottles. That prompted me to look into this area more, and some research made it clear that I was just letting myself be swindled by some of these higher-end companies.

(3) Shampoo: See much of what I wrote above. I now use shampoo that costs less than $2 a bottle, and the end result is MUCH better than when I used Redken, Nexus, etc.

(4) Lotion: I am now hooked on lotion from Wal-mart. It's body butter and smells like ginger and is cheaper than even the Jergens stuff I used to use.

(5) The Library: I rarely buy books and either borrow them or check them out from the library. I've even been so cheap as to read an entire book at Barnes and Noble. That's awful, but I've only done it like once or twice. In case you've not visited the library in years, they now have DVDs and books on CDs, which is much better than giving stupid Blockbuster $5 for a video.

(6) Not going shopping/to the mall: This seems like a no-brainer, but it really isn't because a lot of us go shopping just to shop and then find things we want/need. Now that I rarely go to the mall and places like Target, I buy a lot less.

(7) Children's Vitamins: Not only do chewable children's vitamins have a nice taste, but a careful analysis of their labels sometimes reveal that they have the exact same vitamins and minerals as the more expensive adult vitamins. I like Active Kids, which is a generic sort of brand at Wal-mart.

(8) I pretty much put all of my purchases on my Air Tran Visa or Delta Skymiles card and pay them off each month. My most recent trip to Europe was with a free round-trip ticket, and I only had to pay one way for my NYC trip. I even made the "down payment" on my car with my credit card and will be paying for my Lasik enhancement-type surgery this Wednesday with a credit card (please say a prayer for me Wednesday morning!). Another good deal is a Banana Republic Luxe card as you earn $25 gift cards with your purchases at BR, Old Navy, and Gap. Plus I get free shipping.

p.s. I am thankful for the new Buckhead Church building. I attended the 11:00 service there this morning and did not have to arrive 35 minutes early to claim a seat.

It's That Time of Year

It's the time for lots of weddings and babies. Exciting!! I headed to Macon a little over a week ago for Allison's wedding; we've been in the same Bible study for two years now. It was great to catch up with lots of my friends. I feel very understood by my friends in Macon, and they are all very supportive of what I'll be doing this next year. It sort of stands in sharp contrast to my brother-in-law Billy Bob's comments a few weeks ago. Over dinner he told me several times that my choice for the next year is "stupid." From what I understand, he thinks it is dumb that I would forego making money for an entire year since I have so much education, etc. I've tried to explain that my college and law degree should not hold me back from making decisions I would otherwise but should only open doors. Oh well, thankfully not every one has to agree and understand, and regardless I feel a complete peace about my decisions.


During my visit I stayed with my friends K & M who are expecting their first baby next month. Their daughter's birth will be a good reason for me to head back to Macon one more time before I move to Nashville. It's interesting to watch them learn all of the baby stuff; there really is a lot to do and learn in anticipation.

I still remember my first (and last) visit to Babies'R'Us over seven years ago. My sister was expecting her first child, so I printed out the registry and set out to buy a few things. I quickly realized that I did not know what anything on the darn registry was and thus did not know where it was located. I should have grabbed an employee; but I can be a bit stubborn like that, so I set out to figure it all out on my own. I think I ended up purchasing something clearly labeled with "Baby Einstein" and left with a headache and desire to never return. Looking back I guess it was mainly all of the breast pump related registry items that threw me for a loop. Oddly I had that similar overwhelmed and lost feeling two weeks ago at Macy's when I was shopping off my cousin's registry. This time I asked for help right away, and no headache ensued. Much easier. Isn't it amazing how much we do without before marriage--or rather weddings? I'd never heard of a mandolin slicer until I bought my cousin one. And as a single person, I can't imagine buying china (I can't imagine registering for it either). Oh well, surely zapping things to add to a registry is more fun that shopping from one. Sort of reminds me of laser tag.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!!

p.s. I'm grateful for my niece Lauren; she turns 4 years old this weekend.

Loved Despite Wickedness

Once or twice during my travels with my friend Sam his perspective on certain topics made me so angry that I changed the subject and wondered why we were friends when we’re so obviously different (or so I’d like to think). I do not remember this, but Sam has reminded me that during our first semester of college I once exclaimed that he was a “narrow-minded a—hole.” And on our trip, I had similar sentiments during our discussions. The difference is that now I give more thought to why he is so judgmental and hung up on his narrow view of morality. And I pray for patience and understanding and kindness in responding to him because sometimes I just want to give him an earful of unproductive judgment in return to his statements. Ironic, I know.

On several occasions Sam shared some of his “high standards” for a prospective date, mentioning that he’d never date someone who has: ever gotten a DUI (even if it was 10 or 15 years ago), cheated on a significant other (even if it was in high school), as well as a litany of other offenses he has rendered unpardonable. Since Sam and I share the same basic faith, I think I was angrier than I would be otherwise; extend a little grace please!

And before I go on, I must admit that there was a time when (middle school) my perspective was much like Sam’s. I saw things in black and white and swore I’d never do a list of things and honestly believed I was “better” than those types of choices. Several experiences have helped me realize that things are not so simple as us moral arbitrators would like to make them. So by the time I was 16 or so, I realized that life was grayer, but I must admit that I still thought I was the sort of person who would not do certain things, i.e. cheating on a significant other, etc.

Fast forward twelve years and now I’m at a point where I realize that I am exactly the type of person who could cheat on someone or do any of the other things I thought I was incapable of doing. No, I have not actually cheated on anyone, but in college I drove drunk several times. I have lied and been selfish. So I have done things that I never thought I would, and I am glad I have because it’s knocked me down a few notches. It’s also reminded me that I must be vigilant in avoiding further transgressions. For example, someone like Sam who thinks he is incapable of infidelity will likely not be as careful in his actions as someone who realizes he’s quite susceptible to adultery.

Despite my knowledge that I’m capable of anything and completely fallen, I still constantly find myself sitting in judgment of others. “How can a parent think it’s OK to give their child fast food five times a week? If I had children, I’d never do that." And similar dialogue flow through my mind on a daily basis, reminding me that as much as I’d like to think I’m "above" the type of judgment I heard Sam spewing on our trip, I’m not.

So I’m that much more grateful that my salvation is not earned by my actions because I fall short every hour of the day. I am so glad Christ fulfilled the law for me. Tim Keller sums up my feelings more succinctly than I obviously can, saying that “I’m more wicked than I ever believed, and I’m more loved and accepted than I ever have imagined.”