To love at all is to be vulnerable...

2012. my triathalon year.

2012-01-25T16:35:00.000-05:00

It came!

xoxo,

2011. a synopsis in photos and bullet points.

2012-01-16T22:41:00.001-05:00

Dad came home to ATL
Car paid off
Credit Cards paid off
Turned 26 (went to Helen to "shoot the Hooch" with my roommate Jessica)
Took part in Sarah's wedding
Travel to Seattle, Oklahoma (2x), Orlando, Portland, Chicago, Florence (SC), Muncie (IN), Louisville, Denver (also Colorado Springs & Fort Collins), Richmond (VA), & NYC
Met Trent through my dear friends, the Norman's. Emails, phone calls, texts, skype conversations, g-chats, hand written letters, and a few treasured visits. What a man. So thankful for Him. #James1:16and17
Christmas- Dad helped pick out and set up my tree/Trent helped me take it down.
I'm more aware than ever that my understanding of the gospel is opposed by the enemy of souls (John 10:10, 1Peter 5:8)
took 9 of 12 months of 2011 to read Knowing God by TI Packer. Whoa. What a great book. One of those I could read over and over again in my lifetime.
I had a list of goals for 2011...of which only half came to completion. Namely the financial ones (God is soooooo good. Also, let me just take the time right now to record that a few years ago as I was waking up to the seriousness of my debt, I told God that I would pay it off and then, I would be open to wherever/whatever He had for me. The very morning in June that I made my last card payment, Trent had emailed me.)
Spent my summer Mondays with my sister Cameron, who is growing up so quickly
Attended probably about 10 different Braves games.
1:04 in the Peachtree and 2:20 in the Publix GA half marathon (FKA the ING half marathon)

And now, ladies and gentlemen, for your viewing pleasure...

Sarah's wedding rehearsal

Abby's "Peanut" and I doing the scrunchy face

Braves game!

26 years old. 'Bout to 'shoot the hooch'

Beautiful sky over Midown!

Disney World!

Crater Lake Nat'l Park with Maura

Jonathan and Leslee got hitched!

Chi-town. <3

my dad said this is "almost sacriligious"

2011-12-15T13:23:00.000-05:00

In other news, NYC was fantastic. Rockefeller was my favorite part. Erin Leigh and I almost got to see SNL dress rehearsals. Contrary to my hopes and expectations, taxis do not just come screeching to a halt next to you when you wave your hand. Also, the big ball at time square is smaller than I thought it'd be. Finally, Gimbel's no longer exists (you know, like in Elf). I knew these things may come as extreme disappointment to some of you, so I included the video above. You're welcome....and Merry Christmas.

"Pleased as man with men to dwell , Jesus our Emmanuel."

a here we come a-christmasing

2011-12-07T22:37:00.003-05:00

This past weekend, for the first time in my adult life, I purchased a real live Christmas tree. My dad helped me get it to my house and standing in my living room. It still seems almost surreal that he's back in Atlanta now. I was so glad to have him around to help me with my tree. It looks a bit like Kevin's did in Home Alone...sans creepy Joe Pesci peering in the window.

Many of my gifts this year are going to be paintings, because I want to share this recently discovered love with those I love the most. I'm pretty excited about it. This past weekend was spent running to and fro doing the most christmas-y sorts of things- a parade, shopping, mixing a christmas cd, and attending a christmas party....all the while feeling so much pressure to get stuff done and be productive with my time. The season of Advent is about the coming- Christ's first coming and the anticipation of His second. I feel this year that most of my heart's time in the past few weeks has been spent in anticipation of Trent's coming. It's been a full 6 weeks (I think...and I'm not going to count) since we've seen one another. This period of time has been particularly hard, but the Lord told me last night that this is meant to be a very sweet season in our relationship. It is sweet, to be sure, but it's hard to remain content and keep myself from thinking how much better it would be if we lived in the same city and saw one another all the time. God has orchestrated every other aspect of this. I keep asking and hoping that the Lord will tell me the purpose of this distance and waiting season. It does make the heart grow faint. God has not given me a concrete answer yet, but right now it's taking everything within me to wait on His lovingkindness, which I know He does not withhold from me. A verse which Trent shared with me a few weeks ago, and now resides on a post-it next to my computer screen...and in my heart is

“He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He does not take pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord favors those who fear Him, Those who wait for His loving kindness. (Psalm 147:10-11).

Also, this weekend, I'll be traveling to New York City to see a dear friend, Erin Leigh. This trip has been planned for months and months now. I'm so excited to go, spend time with her, and experience NYC during Christmas (and hopefully SNL?!). Here's a skit from this past week's show which made my sides hurt I laughed so hard.

a bullet'd update post.

2011-11-29T13:21:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm home sick after a fantastic thanksgiving trip to Oklahoma to see my family. It's not debilitating illness, but enough to keep me home from work (pretty sure it's contagious), and I'm thankful to spend a day at home on the couch recovering...and for those windows of time when I get to breathe through my nose....like right now. ahhhhhh. Here we go with an update- bullet style.

Denver was good. I've come to call Trent's friends, Jonny and Shannon, my own. Their community exhibits a refreshing amount of candor, and we consistently asked one another, "How's your heart doing?" We were quick to pray for one another and offer words of encouragement. Coming home from Denver was difficult, as the next time when Trent and I would see one another next was unknown at the time.
Going to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving was not something I had anticipated. When I expressed the possibility to Mallory, her excitement made it impossible for me to refuse. So, I was able to find a flight.

On this note, I think I should share how thankful that I switched over my finances a few months ago to a credit card, which allows me to earn travel points. If you had told me that I'd be doing this last year, I would have slapped you. Shortly after Trent and I started dating, I considered it for a couple of weeks...and now looking back, I can say that I'm SO glad that I did! I'm almost to a free flight, and it's much easier than using cash to keep track of spending (mint.com).
I do feel like I should put a disclaimer at this point. Credit cards can be very dangerous. I'm being vigilant over my spending, and making sure that I pay my balance each month. The last place I want to go is back into consumer debt, especially after getting out of it earlier this year.

I've also taken a trip with Joel to Richmond, VA to hang out with Jonathan and Leslee, who got married in September. I really liked Richmond for the following three reasons-

Joel, Jonathan, and I ran races on Saturday morning. I ran the 8k and J&J the half marathon. The awesome part was how gloriously flat the course was...and the giant downhill at the end.
The architecture of the buildings and homes. Richmond is so charming.
Jonathan and Leslee were GENIUSES in choosing an apartment right across the street from the Virginia Museum of Fine Art. It's free. I went there 3 times in 4 days. There was so much more in the museum that I didn't get to see. I just love art museums.

I feel like so much else has happened in the past month which I've skipped over...which I'm ok with right now. I will share with you one thing which I feel that the Lord has said to me over and over recently- "I want all of you."

I had a particularly hard weekend a few weeks ago, and consequently spent the majority of a Sunday afternoon pouring over old journals, trying to find some kind of anecdote to help myself feel better. Looking back now, I see that I was looking for something other than the Lord.
Matthew 11:28-30 has taken on whole new meaning these past few weeks. All that He asks is that we simply Come.

"...more like domestic traveler."

2011-10-20T07:25:00.005-04:00

A comment I've been getting a lot lately is, "Wow, you certainly are a world traveler!" Well, to be a little more accurate, I've not had to bust out my passport just yet. Since the start of september, I've been to Portland, Chicago, Indianapolis (just driving around and flying out of the airport...so you can be the judge of whether that counts), Muncie (IN), and Louisville.

Tonight, I'll jump on a plane to Denver, CO. Tonight's flight has an itenerary which was cruelly deceiving. When I orignally looked at it, I thought, "Oh, it's only an hour and a half...that's weird...cool!!" Then, Sunday night, it dawned on me that Denver is on Mountain time, duh! The trip will be pretty short, but in the time that I'm there, we'll be exploring Fort Collins and Colorado Springs (maybe a hike on Pike's peak?!).

Alright, bullet time.

Long distance dating is hard and the funny thing is that this time last year, it would have been on my list of things that I would never do...as the majority of my immediate family is out of state and sometimes I just miss being able to do errands with them. So, obviously i've changed my mind about the idea. While the time apart can be difficult, the times together are all the sweeter.
My fall travel isn't over. I've still got Richmond, VA, and NY, NY on the list! there'll also possibly be a weekend trip to Oklahoma too!
I've given some thought and consideration to changing things up around here...namely, the quote at the top. While it's one of my favorite quotes, it's not really an accurate representation of the blog's contents anymore.
I'll post some pictures later of my finished products (one and two).
Also, while in Muncie, Shannon (one of Trent's best friends) made this amazing butternut squash dish. Here's the recipe-

2lb butternut squash, peelewd, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes (easier if you nuke the squash for about 3 min- rotating about halfway through)
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
Heat oven to 375. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Place butternut squash, garlic, onion, and rosemary in the pan and mix. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and salt. Gently toss the mixture.
Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in oven for 40 minutes
Remove from oven and uncover.

xoxo,

Brooke

the art of letting go.

2011-10-16T22:55:00.000-04:00

I wrote this little...prose (?) around the same time last year when the leaves had started their migration to the piles on the ground:

I'm like a leaf hanging on for dear life when suddenly it is overcome by a gust or even gravity and so it decides that to hold on is too much effort. So it lets go, allowing itself to be swept away into the endless sea below of others who have let go. Unless it's early in the season... is it lazy or brave to let go so early, to be taken over by the forces of nature (wind or gravity)? The strength of its relationship with the branch is not as strong as it once was. So, in that moment, it lets go of that to which it once clung so dearly for life. But the leaf must let go in order for the tree to have life again.

...and now some words from Freddie Buechner, concerning the words spoken by Paul in Ephesians 6:16 in his sermon about spiritual warfare:

"Above all, we must take the shield of faith, and faith here is not so much believing this thing or that thing about God as it is hearing a voice that says, "Come unto me." We hear the voice, and then we go without really knowing what to believe, either about the voice or about ourselves; and yet we go. Faith is standing in the darkness, and a hand is there, and we take it."

One final thought that I have had over the past week which was sparked by a song lyric: "You are all I need..." I'm not sure what or who the person was singing to, but if you had asked me 3 years ago...maybe even a couple of weeks ago, my heart would have resonated with that and I would have coveted that feeling towards God. I have oft thought it to be so spiritually mature to be able to say to God, "You are all I need." However, in that moment of hearing the song lyric, I remembered that God did create us to be in relationship with one another. "It is not good for man to be alone." He doesn't want us to be lone ranger Christians. He wants us to be in authentic, gut wrenching, life-done-together, healing kind of community. He wants us to bear one another's burdens.

that's all for now.

so much to do and so little time!

2011-10-05T18:54:00.001-04:00

Last weekend when I went to spend the night at my Dad's house with Melissa (!), I brought along a couple of projects to do while there. When I told her this before dinner, she was not surprised and said "You've always got projects, huh?" Well...this post is your case and point, Melissa Oliver!

I can hardly get my brain out of the clouds this week, but I've got two projects (easy ones at that) which I am working on (one and two). Hopefully there's time for both before Friday evening!

Anyone else on Pinterest? I'm loving it!

Jesus is doing beautiful things in my life and heart these days. I'm learning to trust in Him more than ever before, the importance of my heart as the wellspring of life, and especially that He actually desires my fellowship and died for the love of it <here>.

I'll be a travelin' fool again this month. God provided the means for me to do so this month and I couldn't be more excited about them (may or may not have something to do with someone whose name starts with a T and ends in -rent)!

xoxo,

Chi-town.

2011-09-23T09:25:00.000-04:00

After my red-eye flight arrived into Atlanta on Friday morning, my grandma picked me up. I went home and took a long nap. Then I repacked my bag for my flight to Chicago at 5pm. Then I headed back to the airport.

Here are highlights from Chicago:

I took the train from the airport to meet Michelle on Friday night. She treated me to a fantastic dinner. The food was superb. The company was the best part.
The next morning Michelle and I leisurely prepared for the day and walked downtown to meet Trent. He brought hydrangeas. What a guy! I'm so thankful for him! We walked through downtown and by the lake with Michelle for awhile, stopping for lunch and making our way to the Chicago river to buy tickets for the Architectural boat tour (which was my favorite part). Another fave part of Chicago was the big Bean in Grant Park, which is this giant reflective piece of stainless steel shaped like a big bean. I love that bean.

Trent and I ended up with matching red Toms. He received them as a gift for his birthday, and I happened to receive them as a gift because Elizabeth didn't want them! Yes, I normally don't do red....but they're Ball State colors, I promise! (Ball State is where Trent went to school.)
Then we made our way back to Michelle's apartment. We walked back downtown for dinner, where we shared the best Mexican food I've ever had. Some Mexican restaurants can seem overdone and over priced to me, but this one was legit. There was also live music.
Sunday morning, Trent and Michelle's neighbor, Joy, joined us for church. It's a churchplant in Michelle's neighborhood. What a treat. I really connected with the pastor, as he was from Atlanta and a runner! He talked about the Bible. He gave this illustration to help us understand the BIG picture happening (Genesis 1-2: created in the image OF God; Genesis 3-Malachi: God AND man; Matthew 1-Acts 1: God WITH man; Acts 2-today: God IN us).
Trent and I shared a short, light brunch with Michelle before parting ways. I was so encouraged by my time with Michelle. Trent and I headed back downtown to meet his parents for lunch. I think I broke the ice by spilling his Dad's beer. We shared some deep dish pizza for Trent's birthday and then walked to the lake and back.
Trent and I then met up with his best friend Christopher (who has an uncanny resemblance to Taylor Hanson) and his fiance Jenna for dinner. We got to hear about how they became a couple and vice versa. What a treat!
Also, the Renegade Craft Fest was happening on the street where the restaurant was, and I kept my eyes peeled for a Red Velvet tent, but I missed them! I was only a little sad though, because my company was so great.
I got to stay with Jenna at Moody Bible Institute that night. She is a doll.
On Monday, Trent's birthday (!), Trent and I met for a short run through downtown Chicago. Then we walked to Trader Joe's to pick out some food for a birthday picnic at Navy Pier. It was such a magical day.
The whole weekend was just magical. The most trying part however, was, after we decided to drive to Ikea out by the O'Hare airport, we realized that we'd be cutting it very close for me to make my flight on time (I was flying out of Chicago Midway, which is closer to downtown). We prayed that I would make my flight and tried as best we could to enjoy our last few moments together in the car. As we approached the airport, it came to a point when I said "I think I'm going to miss my flight."
(Time for a new bullet point) After Trent dropped me at the airport, I rushed to the check in desk and asked if I could still make it. They said I could if I ran. So, they printed my boarding pass and off I went. I'm sure I held a panicked look on my face as I ran up to security. Praise God that they allowed me to pass through the priority line. Once I got past security (it had to be less than 3 minutes that I was in security), I SPRINTED down the terminal, causing a scene as I went as I yelled "excuse me!" and "On your left!" as I went. I was at once thankful for increased lung capacity from running, my rolly bag, and moving sidewalks.
I also made a friend when I was running. This guy who I passed on the terminal yelled at me, "Are you late too?" Me: "Yes!" Guy: "Where you goin?" Me: "Atlanta!" Guy: "Me too! Let's run together!" Me: "OK! Come On!"
The gate was at the end of the terminal and as I ran up, I heard the gate agent say into his walkie talkie that they needed to close the gate. When I got there, I asked, "Did we make it?!" He exclaimed, "You made it!" I replied, "Oh, Praise GOD!" A bystander sitting in the terminal waiting for his flight was laughing at the scen, so I obliged him by giving a curtsy before I made my way down the walkway to the plane.
When I plopped down in my seat on the plane, I was dumbfounded that I had actually made it. Then I laughed to myself as I remembered the scene from Home Alone when the family was running through the airport. That was me. On the flight home I got to see a glorious sunset. Grace abouds every day. Poor Trent had no idea until I got back to Atlanta and called him from my Dad's phone (as mine was dead) that I had made it. His response was "that means that we squeezed out every possible second together!" #truth

Pdx.

2011-09-19T18:19:00.001-04:00

My favorite part of Portland? Maura Perrin by a long shot. She had to work 3 of the 5 days that I was there, to her chagrin. But we sure carpe'd it up (as in carpe diem) during the time that we had together! I'm so thankful for her friendship and the great number of miles between us certainly makes the heart grow fonder. This seems to be a theme in my life.

For your reading pleasure, here's a short list of highlights from the trip.

Since I flew to Portland (PDX) on a buddy pass through Salt Lake City, I got to sit in first class on the second leg of my trip. I got a window seat and while The Help provided some reading pleasure, I could not keep my eyes off the beauty happening outside, as we were flying right into the sunset. As we left SLC, the brilliant red from the sunset was reflecting off the sides of the mountains and the lake. It was so beautiful that I cried.
When I arrived in Portland, it was so good to see Maura again. She asked me if I had brought a Chick fil A biscuit for her. Apparently she's not a vegetarian anymore.
Tubing down a river for 5 hours on a lazy sunday. It was fantastic...until the trees started hogging all the sunlight, rendering me freezing cold! It was a fun afternoon nonetheless! Maura and I ate a tasty dinner in Portland with her friend (now mine too!) Ryan. (Ryan also follows the Braves religiously)
I met up with Ryan on Monday after Maura had gone to work and after my run (PDX is gloriously flat!) at the largest privately owned bookstore in the country (?), Powell's, where I could have stayed all day long. I almost bought a book of sonnets, a book about Caravaggio (rennaisance era artist), and a book about Coco Chanel. But I was good. I only bought what I needed, which was a small collection of books for Trent's birthday. Then Ryan showed me around downtown Portland. It's a gorgeous city and they do public transit so well! I saw more young white homeless people than I've ever seen in my life in downtown PDX.
That night we met up with Maura at this elementary school in downtown. We went there to watch the swifts, which are birds no larger than the size of your closed fist. They migrate through Oregon during September and will nest in this big chimney at said school every night around sunset. There were thousands of them! It was one of the coolest things I've ever seen! Also, a hawk made an appearance for some dinner. :-)
After the swifts, Maura and I consumed almost an entire bottle of wine, planned for camping, and exfoliated. We also bought a bag of the biggest marshmallows you've ever seen.
On Tuesday, I got to hang around on the street where Maura works, Hawthorne. I visited a coffee shop, bookstore, and used/vintage (sometimes 'vintage' just means ugly, I learned) clothing store. I bought a cute dress for Jonathan & Leslee's wedding (this weekend! eee!) for $18!
That night, Maura and I made last minute preparations for camping.
Wednesday, we left early that morning for ~~Burlington Coat Factory~~ Crater Lake National Park, a 5 hour drive from PDX. It was so beautiful on our drive down. All the trees in Oregon look like Christmas trees.
When we finally made it to the Park, we reserved our spots on the 2pm boat tour and made our way down (1.1 miles of switchbacks; 700ft drop) to the lake, where we had time to swim (!) and eat our lunch.
The boat tour was pricey but worth it, as it was 2 hours long and took us all around the lake. The water was fantastically blue.
After we left the lake, ignorantly heading out the way we came, hoping we'd find our campsite on the road from where we came, we realized quickly that it was dumb to assume that'd we'd have access to our 3g networks. We ended up finding the campsite about an hour later, 30 short minutes before sunset. We set up the tent, enjoyed (I use the term 'enjoyed' here very loosely) some ramen noodles, and went to bed. When we went to sleep, it was overcast, preventing us from seeing stars. But Maura woke me at around 5am when the clouds had cleared. I only dozed after this and peeked out of the tent every now and then to catch glimpses of the sunrise.
Another thing we found after we got back in the car Wednesday afternoon after hiking back up to the car was that a bag of marshmallows + hot car = bag of white goo.
Once we awoke Thursday morning, we broke down camp and headed back to Portland, stopping the uberly cute Bend for some brunch and a look around. We arrived back in PDX for Mar to do my hair, eat dinner, and pack for my return home. We also got to hang out with Mar's roommates, Patricia and Dan. They are delightful.
I was nervous for my flight, as I was flying on a buddy pass and it looked like my chances were slim as far as getting on the flight. But I said a prayer and went to the airport. After the flight was about halfway boarded, I was sitting there nervously waiting to hear my name. The gate agent called me up to the desk and asked me if I wanted a middle seat that reclined. I asked, "So, I'm in?!" She laughed and said "yes!" I exclaimed towards the ceiling "Thank you, Jesus!" I then thanked her and asked for one that reclined. Apparently degree my relief struck a chord with her and she gave me card for a free glass of wine on the flight.
I'm continually amazed at God's gifts to me. That's all. Next Chapter- Chicago.

Fun friday.

2011-09-16T08:02:00.000-04:00

Well, hello again, 8-hour workday. It's good to see you again, old friend. Today I scheduled a dentist appointment at 4pm, meaning I need to leave work by 330. Woop.

This week has been difficult, as most weeks are after returning from the top of a mountain. My trips were absolutely fantastic. Portland was beautiful (Maura is my favorite part of PDX). Chicago was magic (so magical, in fact, that I nearly missed my flight home! It was definitely worth it, though).

I have many more pictures and stories to share. First I must catch up on life. My room still has an open suitcase in the middle of the floor with clean and dirty clothes strewn about here and there. I plan on doing some monster posts this weekend. Keep your eyeballs peeled.

tomorrow: PDX

2011-09-02T20:33:00.001-04:00

Football was fantastic. Georgia Tech won 63-21. Not too shabby. I was much surprised to see lots of passing on an offense that is known for its running. Also surprising, we were good at it! 365 passing yards. Whoa. Last year, we averaged about 85 passing yards per game. It was a fun game to watch.

I was able to sit in a suite with some people my uncle knows for the game. The best part was probably the AC. I'll take the heat and the atmosphere next time though. While the folks in the box were very kind and welcoming, at times I felt like I was the only one cheering and singing.

So, that was yesterday. Here's one thing I realized tonight- I've been looking forward to next weekend in Chicago for so long that I've gotten in the habit of always looking to the next big thing and forgetting the moment. Tonight I took a long walk. Walking is a much different experience than running, and not just because I don't get winded while doing it. The speed of my motion forward causes me to slow my mind down- to focus on the here and now. Thank you, Jesus.

I know I titled this post about tomorrow. That's because tomorrow, I really am going to Portland!

Here's a puzzle-
Part of the 'here and now' for tonight is which of the following:
a) packing
b)skyping with Trent (skype is magic)
c) all of the above.

I'm going to go enjoy the present and be thankful in it.

tomorrow. football.

2011-08-31T22:51:00.000-04:00

One year ago today, I set out on the most amazing trip of my life. Is it just me or does fall seem to be the busiest season of the year? There is much to come in the next few weeks, which I will write about as it comes, but for tomorrow, football!

My dad taught me to love it from the time I was a wee one. I caught the fever for this season under the lights last friday night at a high school football game. Bring it on!

xoxo

more changes!

2011-08-20T23:02:00.002-04:00

Well, my cousin Joel actually emailed me last week about my silence in this space. It's true. My posts have been few and far between lately. I'll try to give a bulleted synopsis of what has been happening in life.

The first thing I will mention here is that God has blessed me tremendously by allowing me to meet Trent. We have been officially dating now for 3 weeks. We have some mutual friends, Abby and Christian, who introduced us...which turned into a few weeks of emailing, a few weeks of phoning and skyping, and a visit to Atlanta (Trent lives in Indiana). I'm so incredibly thankful. When friends and family ask about him, I tell them that he is a high school spanish teacher, he lives in Indiana, and, most importantly, he loves God a LOT. There is a small handful of people on this earth who make me want to love Jesus more. Trent is one of those people.

I went to Disney World for a week with my Dad, ALL my sisters, and my brother in law! It was fantastic just hanging out with everyone for the whole week. It was such a treat. Disney world was the happiest place on earth, but only because they were there....*delilah moment*

My sisters and I took to the frequent practice of hugging one another, saying with appropriate (intentional) speech impediments, "seeeeesturrrrrrs."

The day after we got back, our dear friend Sarah came for a visit! I just adore this girl!

My dad closed on a house this week! He moved in today, right next door to my good friend from Georgia Tech, Lance! It's so good to see my Dad settle somewhere for awhile.

This is not necessarily a 'happening,' per se, but it is something that God revealed to me a few weeks ago while driving- while the Bible describes the placement of anything in the place of God, or a functional savior, as idolotry, if God is in his rightful place in our lives, we cannot love Him too much, worship Him too much, adore Him too much, cling to Him too much. He is worthy of all of it. Let us learn to worship and love Him well, for no matter the stage in life (single, married, college, high school, retired, empty nesters, parents, etc), as believers in Christ, we will always be worshipers first and foremost. This is where life (the abundant kind- John 10:10) is found.

I'll be back on Monday with a list for 52 lists in 52 weeks! I have fallen off the wagon a bit!

Also, if you're reading this and you used to procrastinate, can you tell me your secret? I want to rid myself of this terrible habit

cooking up a storm // sweet gifts from a sweet friend

2011-07-26T15:55:00.002-04:00

Over the past few weeks, it's just happened that one of my two roommates or I have been home to cook dinner for everyone on thursday nights. This week, it's my turn again. I want to share what I made last time around. It can be a bit of a challenge sometimes with Jessica having some significant food allergies, but I see it as an opportunity to think outside the box when it comes to food. (recipe here) We used gluten free pasta and took out the feta cheese and it was still great!

One of my best friends, Maura, lives in Portland now. I miss her so much! I got my belated birthday present from her last week: an awesome USA map and a 'B' pennet! She is such a good friend! Distance does make the heart grow fonder in her case!

xoxo,

Outfit post // tye dye

2011-07-23T19:14:00.003-04:00

Alright, folks. Here we go. So some of my favorite blogs (here, here, and here) have regular outfit posts.

Sometimes I experience a wave of inspiration for a particular outfit. Sometimes this is what pulls me out the bed in the morning (excitement for said outfit). This was one of those outfits. Cameron and I tye dyed shirts a couple of weeks ago. This is easily my favorite shirt to wear right now. Mostly because it's loose fitting (i.e. cool) and very colorful!

(shoes: TOMS-purple cords, pants: Lauren Conrad, shirt-duh; vest-Macy's)

Cameron

2011-07-22T18:13:00.000-04:00

So, in short, I adore this girl. She has been spending sunday nights and mondays with me. It's been fabulous. We've taken walks in piedmont park (HOT walks), read books, cooked dinner, watched movies, painted our nails, visited the infamous 'air-hole,' ridden roller coasters at 6 flags, conducted covert operations after dark, gone running (she wants me to teach her!), burned sparklers, swam, gone to a Braves game, gone to a B52's post game concert and danced our hearts out...and there's still more to come!!

She is so cute, affectionate, smart as a whip, and barrels of fun! I'm so thankful to have her as my sister!! I don't want her to grow up!!

A brief hiatus. I'm coming back soon!

2011-07-19T08:40:00.000-04:00

Ello, friends. I've had a lot going on lately. There's a lot for me to catch up on here. A lot of stuff to post. I meant to post last week, but didn't make the time for it. One thing I've learned about this little space on the interwebs is that I must make time for it if it's going to be any good. That said, I've got some stuff up my sleeve for this week. Get ready! And, as to bridge the gap, I want to share with you this prose which I read in a book last year.

Have you ever stood on a point where you could see a number of sailing ships heading in to port? Sometimes standing on a dock at a marina you will get this same impression. All the boats coming in have a number of things in common-- a compass to steer by, the port in view, and general rules of navigation that are the same for all the pilots.

They also differ. No two of them would meet the same proportion of wind and weather at the same moment. Others would have favorable wind one minute and, just as they think they are almost home, the wind will shift. Some are really threatened by wind and wave, and just as they think they are about to go on the rocks, they escape and get home safely. Some meet their greatest difficulties at first. They put out in a storm and are often beaten back. Finally, things calm down, and they go and come without further mishap. They return to port with a rich cargo. Some are hounded by enemy ships and must fight their way through. Still others have a routine voyage with nothing unexpected occurring.

Our lives as believers are just like that. Forgive my simile here. It’s just that I have had a long time to think about such things. All true believers walk by the same rule and pay attention to the same things. The Word of God is their compass. The Lord Jesus is both their polar star and their sun of righteousness. Their hearts and faces are set heavenward. They are one in Body. One Holy Spirit lives in them. Yet their experiences, based on these same principles, are far from identical.

The Lord knows the situation, the temperament, and the talents of each one, as well as the particular services or trials He has appointed for him. Some pass through life more smoothly than others, but everyone is tried at times. But the One “who walketh upon the wings of the wind” (Ps. 104:3) and measures “the waters in the hollow of his hand” (Isa. 40:12) will not allow anyone in His charge to perish in the storms, although some might at one time or another be ready to give up hope.

We must not make the experiences of others a rule binding us, nor make our experiences a rule for others. My own history has been extraordinary. I do not think I have met a single person who has a testimony like mine. Very few have been retrieved from as wicked a state as I have lived in. Those that have been come through deep conviction, and the Lord has given them peace and a future more zealous, bright, and inspiring than is commonly the case.

-John Newton

running chronicles // Peachtree RR 2011

2011-07-08T14:03:00.002-04:00

Atlanta's famed Peachtree Road Race took place this past Monday morning in historic fashion. Up until this year the cap was set at 55,000 runners. In 2011, it was set at 60,000. It is the largest 10k in the world. This was my second year running in it. While it was almost unbearably hot, I really enjoyed it. It's like a big 6.2 mile party! I trained for a couple of months in prepartion for the race, and learned a few things in the process.

1. I can run in the morning! I used to despise morning runs. I've learned this time around that I CAN and actually enjoy running in the mornings. While it can be considerably more humid, the temps are much more merciful!

2. It is wise and good to plan my long run routes with a pit stop somewhere in the middle (e.g. gas station where I can buy some kind of sports bev.)

3. If you've been a runner for any period of time, you might have heard others raving about those technical socks that "are SO worth the ~~thirteen~~ fourteen bucks!" It is true that on any run longer than 5 miles, it's very easy to get blisters (sweaty feet + cotton + friction = painful blisters). I find it absurd to spend that amount of dollars on socks, so I've learned a very cost-effective solution to this. Layer your socks! On my long runs I've been wearing a thin pair of socks underneath my normal running [non-technical] socks. Works like a dream!

4. An Ipod shuffle taken on a long slow run (7+ miles) is priceless -thanks to my sibs for that one!.

I ran the Peachtree this year in 1:04:25. While it wasn't under an hour like I had hoped, I was satisfied, as it was a tie for my 10k PR (my time included about a 1 min potty break, so really I ran it in about 1h3m!). I am confident that I can break that glass ceiling this fall.

One last thing. I think I learned about runner Ryan Hall through Runner's World. He's ridiculously fast (ran the Boston Marathon in 2:04 this year, fastest ever by an American) and He's a Christ follower, which he is very vocal about (see here and here). He's definitely an inspiration to me as a Christian who happens to be a runner. I saw on twitter last week that he would be competing in the Peachtree (also the USA Men's 10k championship) and I prayed that I would meet him. Low and behold, he was at the Expo for the Race (#claustrophobia #swag) and I got to meet him!! I was totally starstruck!!

xoxo,

52 lists in 52 weeks :: week 5 :: a little late

2011-07-07T18:16:00.003-04:00

Ok, so this week's list is books to read. I'm glad I got to write them down in one place. I know for sure that I'm forgetting some, but this will do for now. I'll be back tomorrow for running chronicles :: v.2.0 and some other fun stuff!

What's the next book on your "to read" list?

You are making me new.

2011-07-01T08:11:00.001-04:00

This song keeps showing up.

Also, I keep coming back to James 1:1-7 lately. Be blessed today.

52 lists in 52 weeks :: week 4

2011-06-27T21:19:00.002-04:00

I've been repeatedly ~~asking~~ bugging my sister and brother in law about the fourth one for awhile.

running chronicles // body image

2011-06-24T07:24:00.001-04:00

In the effort to post more often, and in addition to my 52 posts in 52 weeks, I'm also going to start posting a feature called the 'running chronicles.'  It will be every other friday starting this week. I'll try to focus on a different aspect of running with every post.

Honest to goodness, I still feel like a novice at running, even though I've been running 3-4x weekly for over 2 years now. There is still so much yet to learn. I thought I'd kick this series off with a little post on body image.

A little while back my friend April was telling me about this girl (a friend of a friend who she met at a party or dinner or something) who was ranting and raving about why girls like running so much. This girl insisted that girls run so they can become/stay skinny. After further reflection on this thought (it didn't take much), my response to that would be "Duh!"    I will not deny that one of the reasons that I run is to feel good about my appearance.   I also run because it (usually) makes me feel like a million bucks! It seems counterintuitive, but it seems that the more energy you expend running/working out, the more energy you have in general!

Now, I don't think I'll ever fit into a size 4. I've been a size 8/10 since high school and it's taken awhile, but I'm fine with it now.

Sometimes, when it seems that I'm surrounded by a sea of size zeros, twos, and fours (especially when they're eating chili cheese nachos and I'm snacking on some carrots), it's easy to feel bad about myself. I think one of the battles that many women face is that which leads us to compare ourselves to one another, sizing ourselves up, and then obsessing over our own shortcomings ("My hair is too flat/oily/curly/poofy/etc"  "My stomach is too poochy"  "My eyes are too squinty" etc.). I'll be the first to admit that sometimes in the car, when I'm wearing shorts, I'll look down at my legs and be unhappy with what I see...or sometimes I'll be sitting dpwn and feel the pooch of my belly (the 'bagel' as I like to call it) or my love handles protruding from their rightful places.

When you get down to the nitty gritty, the truth is that these thoughts provide a slippery slope to self centeredness and pride (the kind that causes us to look down on others when they don't measure up to our arbitrary standards).   I read an article in Women's Health earlier this spring about "Health Snobbery." I am definitely a guilty party when it comes to making judgements about others' choices about their diet or exercise.

It's truly a gift when you can wake up and feel good about how you look without worrying about comparing yourself to others, when you're truly comfortable in your own skin. These are people that are encouraging to be around, who are able to forget themselves for more than just a moment at a time. They can give and receive compliments with much grace.  I can't say that I've fully gotten to this place yet, but I think by God's grace, I've traveled a long way in the right direction.

Running is one of the things that I have come to love and I choose to see it as a gift (most days). I have way more energy. I have fewer cravings for unhealthy food. (note: I said fewer). I generally feel better.   I have found it very helpful to make my diet full of heathful foods so that I fill up on those things rather than the foods that are bad for me.   For example, this morning for breakfast, I ate greek yogurt with granola and rasberries. It was delicious, and rather than lamenting the number of calories or grams of fat, I know that the choice will help give me energy for my run later today.

Finally, in the battle for a healthy body image, I will say that it's essential to remember what scripture says. One of my favorite passages is Psalm 139. The writer is David, and part of his prayer is:

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body,
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it." (Psalm 139:13-14, emphasis mine)

Here are some more places to go:
Psalm 23:1; 45:11; 90:14; Proverbs 31:30; Romans 12:1-2 (any other suggestions?)

There is SO much more that can be said about these things. Books and magazines tackle this very subject. What are your thoughts?

52 Lists in 52 weeks :: week 3 (Tuesday edition!)

2011-06-21T17:23:00.002-04:00

This week's list is in honor of Father's day:

Things I learned from my Dad:

Honesty
Work Ethic
Great taste in music (besides the Weather Channel stuff)
Love for sports
Self Discipline
Sense of Humor
How to treat others with respect and kindness
Dessert goes with EVERY meal
Perseverance
Prayer
Forgiveness
Love of God

xoxo,

26 years // 312 months // 9490 days // 227,760 hours

2011-06-18T22:17:00.001-04:00

In my 25th year I have taken 2 trips to the lake, 1 trip to Oklahoma to be a part of Sarah's wedding, 1 amazing road trip with some amazing friends, a trip to Gainesville, FL to see Erin Leigh, and one trip to Seattle. I ran my first Peachtree roadrace, 1 additional 10k, 2 5k's, and a half marathon. For a period of about 6 months, I talked on the phone to both my sisters every day. Maura lives in Portland now. Erin Leigh lives in NYC now. I have fallen in love with the Atlanta Braves. I lost count of all the games I've been to. I went to all but one Georgia Tech home football game. I went to the last ever Georgia Tech basketball game in AMC. My dad moved back to Atlanta. I gained a new amazing roommate. I've gotten to know my office-mates, who never cease to get a giggle or sigh from me. This past Thursday, I paid off my credit cards completely!

God is so good. There have been some sad and happy moments this past year. Because my birthday is in the middle of the year, it's good to re-evaluate where I am on my goals. Right now, I know that I am doing abysmally on the Bible reading plan...but I HAVE been flossing! :-)

MILESTONE // Ebenezer

2011-06-16T22:50:00.003-04:00

I was going to wait until my birthday on Saturday, but my paycheck came yesterday and I absolutely could not wait.

Today, I paid off all my credit cards. So now:
Car - check
Credit Cards- check and check
Student loans- keep moving!

Thanks be to God, from whom all blessings flow!! I was looking back through some blog posts from months past today and I realized how great a blessing this outlet has been to me. So, in 2011 fashion, this is my virtual Ebenezer. "Thus far, the LORD has helped [me]."

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer,saying, “Thus far the LORD has helped us." -1 Samuel 7:12

52 lists in 52 weeks :: week 2

2011-06-13T11:58:00.008-04:00

This week's list was What have YOU learned from a place you once visited? (Either another county or another state....or maybe even your own culture...)

Since I have spent considerable time in Seattle (2 summers-2004, 2005- at Camp Berachah, and probably a month in visits over the past 3 years.), and it's one of my favorite places, that's what I'm going to post about! (click image to enlarge.)

xoxo,
Brooke

((edit: I received a huge blessing today when I went to the tag office to transfer my car title. I was prepared to pay $125 in taxes. Instead, I only paid $40 for a new tag! #James1:16and17))

Wishing tomorrow would be Saturday...

2011-06-09T22:03:00.007-04:00

This week has been rough as far as sleep as concerned. Abby agreed to let me redesign her blog format and I've been staying up way to late for a girl who has to get up before 6. I've been having so much fun though! It's definitely a great opportunity to be creative. At the same time, the learning curve is very steep!

This week, my dad booked a DISNEY vacation for all of us to go in August! It will be Dad, Melissa, Mallory, Cameron, Steven, and I! Yes, it will be August and thus sweltering. It's usually this time of year that I come to terms with the fact that I will be sweaty for the next 3 months....not a problem for some people. Melissa and Mallory love it. I just don't like feeling dirty all the time. That's all.

I've been reading 2 books lately- Knowing God by JI Packer and Traveling Mercies by Anne Lammott. Both are good for different reasons. The former is taking me a little longer to read than the latter. I'll give more thorough reviews once I'm finished with both.

Melissa left her Summer mix CD in my car last week. I'm loving the first track. Enjoy.

xoxo,

52 lists in 52 weeks :: week 1

2011-06-06T09:17:00.000-04:00

Let it be known that I read a small handful of blogs, some of which can be found on the left side of my blog. I found Kellie's blog, On the brink of something beautiful about a year ago. She posted something the other day that caught my eye- 52 lists in 52 weeks, where she'll post a list once per week for the next year every Sunday. The lists can be about anything. Some of the suggestions that she gave were "Things I wish I knew 5 years ago" and "Things other people probably don't know about me."

She'll be posting a list every Sunday and invited others to join in and make their own lists. I thought it'd be fun to join in and that it would add some regularity to this blog that my throng (ha!) of readers can enjoy. Also, I'll be doing my lists on Mondays, since it's my day off from work.

hot stuff.

2011-06-02T23:19:00.002-04:00

So, the thermometer here in Atlanta has been pushing 100 this week, making it entirely unbearable to run after tenAM. This morning I got up in enough time to run 3 miles before work, which was tolerable.

Melissa is in town this week! We went to 2 Braves' games 2 days in a row! Unfortunately our record for Braves' games attended together is 0 for 3. But we've had fun. Monday we melted/got scorched by the sun. I got to explain the great American pastime to my roommate Esther, who is from Ghana, and also to her friend Andrey, who is from Russia. Esther caught on much more quickly than Andrey! I'm so proud of her! Last night in the car, we were listening to the Braves' game and she understood most of what the commentators were saying! After Monday's game, Yacht Rock played a free concert on the field. For last night's game, we were smarter about our seating arrangements and sat on the west side of the stadium, meaning we were entirely in the shade on the third base line by the time the game started. We sat behind a slightly unruly band of 10-12 year old boys- probably scouts, a church group, or baseball team. They were very entertaining.

It looks like I'll be doing a good bit of traveling later this year! I've got buddy passes for Portland (Maura!) and for NYC (Erin Leigh!). I also hope to take a trip to Chi-town (can I call it that even if I've never been there?) to see my friend Michelle. A few weeks ago, I started a 4 day work week schedule. So now I have Mondays off and every weekend is 3 days long...which I have to keep reminding myself is totally worth the long work days.

We're almost halfway through the year and looking back to access where I am on my list of 2011 goals- I'm doing ok in some categories, while others not so much. The ones I'm doing ok with are the financial ones and the physical ones...even though I still can't even do one pull up yet. Also, I've been watching SNL and working on reading 2 of the 3 books I got for Christmas. If one of my goals had been to spend a ridiculous amount of my free time on facebook, I'd really be sittin' pretty.

Some categories I need to play catch up on- flossing my teeth, make plans to go camping, prayer for the people around me, my city, and the world, and also my Bible reading plan.

Along the top of my 2011 goal list is Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne.

This was meant to be the banner over 2011. I am in need of much grace in this category right now, as it seems my eyes are endlessly darting from money to vanity to others' opinions to anything besides Jesus...and back around again. It seems an endless hopeless cycle sometimes, but, there are many reminders in my life to hope.

Good night friends.

2 bullet points.

2011-05-16T23:21:00.000-04:00

The high temperature today was 90 degrees in Atlanta. The training schedule said half mile repeats at increased pace. I prepared for this by drinking water like it was my job all day long and by praying that I wouldn't die of heat stroke. On my way home through the va highlands/druid hills, I saw dozens of people out running. Either these people are dumb ("oh, it's 90 degrees, where are my running shoes?") or they are dedicated. I'd like to think that fall into the latter category.

Question- I got the skirt above for a steal at an after-Christmas sale at J Crew. However, I've only found one top to pair it with- a long sleeve button up white shirt with some embellishment on the front. Any ideas on how to transition this to the summer? The lighting is poor in the picture, but the colors on it are black and tan.

buyer's remorse...

2011-05-05T09:58:00.003-04:00

So, my car is totally paid for. Although it's still in my Dad's name, and will be until the bank sends the Title, it's 100% paid for. Next month, I'll pay off my credit card completely!!! Thank you, Jesus!!! It was a little less than 3 years ago when I graduated college and realized that debt is dumb [thanks, Dave Ramsey]. I set out on a path to pay it off [Including my car, credit cards, and student loans, it was about 30 grand].    However, starting a job that pays a salary of less than $25 grand is not optimal for doing that.   However, it was optimal for learning how to live on less..."rice and beans, beans and rice," some might say.   Miss Erin Leigh was a huge help in this area of my life. We started holding each other accountable for our spending/saving/paying down debt each month. What a huge blessing. So that's a little back story for ya.

I experience buyer's remorse every time I make a purchase. There are two reasons for this: The poor are continually on my mind. I'm thinking about how a single mom with 3 kids might use the $30 I just spent on signing up for a race or a night at Turner field.   Also, I am so close to paying off my consumer debt, I struggled to say no to buying $200 of new clothes a couple of months back. I felt good about the decision afterwards, but even after paying down my debt, I don't know if there'll be release from the guilt. Is this an "inner pharisee," eager to condemn, or is this just plain old frugality?

I tell myself that the purpose for paying down my debt is so that more money can be given. However, with the impending improved cash flow, I am eying the iphone4. I feel guilty for even thinking about it or wanting one. My birthday is next month, so it could be a great thing to ask for from my parents, but at the same time, that means $30 every month for the data plan.    Humph.

In another moment of vulnerability, I ask you, my readers, for your opinion on buyer's remorse, the iphone4, etc. Is it worth it? Does anyone else experience this buyer's remorse?

I've always said regarding money, "It's not what you have, but how you hold it."   My hope is that I will hold what I have- my material possessions and money- with an open hand, freely receiving and giving where there is need. That is all.

When I flipped on my radio this morning...

2011-05-02T18:16:00.000-04:00

I learned of Osama bin Laden's death. At first I felt a bit of relief, but then I remembered that Jesus said "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." How am I supposed to feel about this?

Rick Warren tweeted a verse from Proverbs 21:5- When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous and terror to the evildoers. I saw another tweeted verse from Proverbs 24:17- Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles. One tweeter took a sarcastic tone with "Way to one-up the royal wedding, America." I laughed out loud at that one.

When I got home from work, I saw a friend from facebook posted the following quote from MLK, hitting the nail on the head.

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" -Martin Luther King, Jr.

Let us pray for peace in the days ahead.

woefully single at the mo...and bangs!

2011-04-26T22:47:00.003-04:00

Hello blog world. Be warned- this is a bit of a pity party post (thumbs up for alliteration!).

While being a part of Sarah's wedding was absolutely incredible, the wedding bug bit me. I confess that I covet what Christ centered married couples like Sarah&Jay, Mel&Steven, etc. have. I try to self soothe by talking myself down from the tree I climbed up into. I try to talk myself into contentment with singleness. Then I get mad because I am discontent. Maybe it's the spring fever that leaves me feeling as if everything around me is moving forward and I'm static.

It's frustrating. Yesterday I came to terms with being frustrated right now. Thank God for my friend April because she helped me realize that it's ok to be frustrated. I'm also frustrated with myself because I keep returning to the dating websites and yet, for some reason I can't even put my finger on what I want. It's like going shopping without knowing what you're looking for...but you know that when you see it, you'll know. All the dating websites seem to be the same...except some are free (thus increasing the frequency of booty call messages) and some are not free. I hardly ever bare my soul like this on the interwebs, but I'm thankful for it. So if you're reading this and find yourself in a similar spot, I hope you take comfort in the fact that you're not alone.

...in other news, I got bangs. That is all.

i'd only be 'workin for the weekend' if every weekend were this good

2011-04-04T17:26:00.003-04:00

good things about this weekend (in sort of random order):

1. Sarah's wedding. Every part of this was great. I am a crier at weddings. I blubbered through the entire ceremony. The bride and groom love Jesus so much and it's so evident through their lives. The thing that the pastor said that will stick with me is that marriage is not for happiness, comfort, or convenience, but to serve as a model for the relationship between Christ and the church. The reminder was a breath of fresh air. If you follow my blog at all, you'll remember Sarah came to visit me last spring. Hers and Jay's relationship was just beginning to bloom at the time. It's been awesome to watch the relationship progress.

2. Our good friend, Pam was at Sarah's wedding and my sisters, brother-in-law, another friend, and I had the distinct privilege of sitting down for a meal with Pam. Pam has become a spiritual mentor for all of us sitting there with her. She's probably around my Dad's age. She has a love for the Lord that I hope I can have one day. She recognizes God's hand in her life in so many ways and trusts that she's right where she needs to be all the time. She's had a rough year but we all listened to her attentively as she told of the many ways in which she's seen God provide over the past year- all in small ways which added up to something big and glorious. I found myself wiping tears of joy from my cheeks yet again.

3. Celebrated my brother in law, Steven's birthday. He's 27 now. And I am terribly bad at bowling. I think it's in my DNA though. My sisters and Mom aren't really any good either. We definitely could have used the bumpers yesterday. Another really fun thing was joking with Steven all weekend about the guy I will presumably end up with. Steven's got his own list of requirements for this guy apparently...mostly that he must be cool, laid back , and like/play sports.

4. Finally, my Dad picked me up from the airport when I got home. In the car, I turned toward him and said "You live here now. That's so crazy!" What a great homecoming it was.

a little of this, a little of that

2011-03-24T13:37:00.001-04:00

After a couple of days of hobbling around from sore hips, calves, legs, feet, I feel ready to get back out and run. Good thing, too. It's been gorgeous outside and here in Atlanta, everything seems to be in bloom. One of my fave running spots is at stone mountain. There's a 5 mile route all the way around the mountain. So pretty. I think I'll be doing a 5k in a few weeks...under 29 minutes wouold be a dream.

My dad will be here in one week from tomorrow!! Ironically (in the Alanis Morisette kinda way), I'll be flying out to oklahoma to be in Sarah's wedding, which I am also extremely excited about. And when I get back to atlanta, my Dad will be picking me up at the airport!!

On another note, I set some 2011 goals.   One of them was to read through half the Bible, which was changed to the whole thing. I got behind for a few weeks in a row when I was in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. But thankfully, I made it through. There are some really interesting aspects to these books. I'm especially interested in the role of women and the laws about women in Pre-promised-land-nation-of-Israel.    Another of my goals, watching SNL every Saturday night, has materialized into watching only the new episodes. Two of the goals on my list-flossing and making my bed...still working on those.

I was reminded today by one of my fave bloggers (Summer Harms) about one of my favorite songs from a movie, Stardust by Nat King Cole from Sleepless in Seattle.   What's your favorite song from a movie? What movies are in your top 5?

owned.

2011-03-20T11:45:00.002-04:00

Edit: Thanks to Jesus for breath in my lungs and strength/endurance in my muscles. Although my time wasn't exactly what I'd hoped for, I am very satisfied with it. I feel it was the most sustained effort in a race I've ever given. I hit a "wall" in mile 12, but, thanks be to God for mental stamina gained through training and preparation. I pushed through the exaustion and finished the race- and I sprinted the last 100 yards. Also, Thanks to dear friends and family who came out to cheer me on. Thanks to Publix and all race volunteers for making the event amazing. I think I'll be doing this race for years to come.

georgia half marathon: round 2

2011-03-19T22:40:00.001-04:00

So, tomorrow morning at approximately 7am I will begin a 13.1 mile long journey. I've been training since just after Christmas. My goal is to finish in under 2h15m. After every half marathon I've done (3), I've told myself "no more of these," and yet, here we are again. There's something about that magic number of miles. I guess I just can't stay away. I'm rested up, hydrated, and carb-loaded. My ibuprofen bottle, bandaids, number, banana, and shoes are all set out for my early departure.

This morning I went to my church's women's brunch/bible study. My friends prayed over me and the race tomorrow. However, in light of some of the other needs brought to the table for prayer (death, surgery, miscarriage being among them), my plight seems so trivial. This caused me remember 2 things: a) be grateful for the thoughts, prayers, and support extended by friends and family and b) to return to the question of what role does running play in my life...especially if I am to be seeking after God's kingdom (Matt 6:33).

Last Sunday morning I ran in a 10k. I had 2 dear friends come out to cheer for me. It's such a huge encouragement to have people out there cheering. Tomorrow morning I have 3 or 4 friends coming out to cheer me on. I am so excited by this!

While I am not sure about the role that running is to have in my life, I do know it has brought me to a deeper love of this city. Also, with running comes a level of fitness which requires me to be aware of the things I eat. I feel this is an amazing way to care for my "temple" (Paul refers to his body as the Temple of the Holy Spirit -1Corinthians 6:19-20). There are some shortfalls which I have discovered along the way, like my own insecurities about my body and self condemnation over "sub par" times. These are shortcomings which lead me to Jesus, who loves me and the "bagel" around my belly button (read: my dad says that 6 pack abs are not in Oliver DNA) and He loves me if I finish in 2h15m or 2h45m.

if there's one thing I've learned this week, it's this:

2011-03-04T23:27:00.002-05:00

I knew before that my roommate is a wise woman. A situation came about this week about which I avoided discussing with her. The reason for that is because I knew exactly what she would say. If I know what she is going to say beforehand....it's usually the right thing. I realized this tonight as I was filling up my cup at 5 guys (yum). #thatisall

imagine if you had no other choice...

2011-03-01T22:28:00.002-05:00

...than to drink water looking like this. Not only that, but imagine you had to walk 8 miles total to get it for your family.

1 in 8 people on earth do not have access to clean water.

This is actually what my bottle looked like after I dumped in a crystal light packet today. But the image of the sunlight on the nearly opaque liquid in my bottle reminded me of the need felt by nearly a billion people on earth.

My church, 1027 church, is doing a benefit concert on March 26 at Inman Middle school starting at 7:30 pm. You can help get clean water to one person by donating $20 and by bringing all your friends to this event.

Here are some links for more info : 1027 church :: Atlanta Water Project :: Charity : Water

Atlanta Water project!

2011-02-28T22:47:00.001-05:00

BENEFIT CONCERT SATURDAY, MARCH 26TH – DOORS OPEN @ 7 PM
Inman Middle School- Corner of Virginia Ave. and Park Place

exciting stops up ahead...

2011-02-24T23:50:00.003-05:00

March 6- I'll be going to Georgia Tech's last basketball game EVER at Alexander Memorial Colessium (i.e. thriller dome...although I'm not sure how thrilling this team really is)

March 13- Sham Rock'nRoll 10k Peachtree qualifier with Jonathan!

March 20- Georgia Half Marathon! Sub 2:15 or bust! (ok, can anyone tell me what 'or bust' really means or where it came from?)

March 28- My DAD starts driving HOME to Atlanta from Seattle!!
(I found out he was moving back 2 weeks ago today when I was babysitting. The younger of the two boys, Joey, was telling me something when my phone rang. I looked and saw that it was my dad, I tried my best to politely hush Joey so I could answer the phone- as I was expecting the news- but failed, and the call went to voicemail. The voicemail went something like "I want you to be the first person that I tell that I just officially accepted a position in Atlanta!")

April 2- One of my best friends, Sarah, is getting married! I'll be traveling to Tulsa for this. After she gets married, she'll live in 'Lou-uh-vuhl,' which is only a 5 hour drive from Atlanta! A 5 hour drive feels like nothing after spending so many hours in a car on my roadtrip last year.

April 8- Braves home opening game!

And in May, I'll be paying off my car! Praise Jesus! I've been thinking about 'good things' lately. I've been trying to remember that God is the author of all good things. This essay by CS Lewis illustrates this beautifully. For example, yesterday on my run, I made an effort to recognize the good things. One of the most prominent to my status quo was the weather. It's been beautiful outside lately and the temperature held at about 65 degrees for the entirety of my run.

Also, thanks be to God! I am finally moving forward with training at work! I've been waiting almost 2 years for this and I'm so thankful that it's finally here. This is coming after a minor scare involving a possible move to a regional lab in Augusta or Cleveland, GA. The threat dissolved this week, thankfully.

I don't talk a lot about work on here, mostly because I don't feel at liberty to give too many details due to the nature of what I do. I greatly enjoy my job and I enjoy my coworkers. I've found in the past 2 1/2 years as a working woman that personally, I don't find a lot of identity in my job. It's just what I do 40 hours a week. It does not define me. However, I understand that a LOT of people feel differently about what they do...that their whole identity is wrapped up in their profession. I'll hold back on being critical of that particular way of thinking because I realize that the place where I naturally draw definition and stability is mostly in my relationships - with my roommates, my family, my friends, my coworkers.

However, the truth is that I am in Christ, a new creation (2Cor.five:17). That is the only place where I should draw my identity.

That is all.

amen amen amen!!

2011-02-17T09:09:00.000-05:00

Couldn't have said it better myself-

"Busyness is a modern status symbol, the currency of social capital. We lament this situation and yet still brag about it—even while it overwhelms us. We try to battle back, but the crush of information and activity is always a step ahead of us. We resolve to change and improve, keep our schedules clearer and our free time freer. But we lose again and again." -10 tips to curing busyness

(please be sure to check out the article!)

What's the bible really about?

2011-02-11T22:52:00.001-05:00

runningrunningrunning

2011-02-10T08:50:00.001-05:00

In the past week, I have learned that even in nasty weather, I'm going to have to run outside if I'm going to train well for the Georgia half marathon. Last wednesday, the only day that it wasn't raining last week, I chickened out because of wind.

I read an article on runner's world about running when the mercury drops. One tip was that even if it's ridiculous weather (cold and/or rainy), make yourself go outside for at least 5 minutes, and if it's terrible, you can turn around and go back inside.    I've been blessed to have amazing sunny 50+ degree sunday afternoons for long runs.   I hope and pray that this trend continues...and also for sunny 50+ degrees on race day. That'd be fantastic.

Another note is that during this training, I'm learning to push myself again. My time goal for this half marathon (13.1 miles) is 2h15m. My last time was 2h21m.    If I can run at just over a 10min/mile pace, I'm confident that this can happen. However, my long runs so far have been hovering around 10:30min/mile pace, so I've got some work to do.  I rememeber 2 years ago when I first started running 4x/week to stay in shape, a 4 mile run was a huge feat for me. These days, not so much. I feel like I hit a plateau for a while. Now, running 13.1 miles at a 10 minute pace will be a huge feat.

I'm toying with the idea of a marathon later this year. I plugged my data into the runner's world training plan maker extraordinaire (that last part was mine), and it told me that if I train from now until november, with proper speedwork and tempo workouts, I can run a marathon (that's 26.2 miles, people) at an 8:50 min/mile pace.    Seriously? Now, it is a computer it does not know my body like I do, but I'm convinced that even 9 min/mile for a half marathon would be my max level.  Maybe I shouldn't place limits on myself like that.

I was hugely encouraged last week when I started reading through Ryan Hall's website. He's the current US half marathon champion, and more importantly, a believer in Jesus. I've yet to figure out how to use my running time to focus on Jesus. If I start praying when I am running, I am inevitably distracted by that huge hill coming up or my pace, you name it.   Any fellow runners out there who have suggestions?

Some questions to sit on...

2011-02-04T08:53:00.001-05:00

My sister Melissa sent me this excerpt from a Mars Hill Church (Seattle, WA) blog last year:

"You should end every day, friends, you should sit at the end of every day, you should just sit down and take a moment to reflect on the evidences of god’s grace in your life in that day. Jesus, where were you? What were you saying? What were you giving? What were you taking? What were you doing? How were you encouraging? How were you exhorting? How were you correcting? What are you doing in me? What are you doing through me? … How are you going to use all of my life to work out for your glory and my good?”

week in fast forward.

2011-02-03T14:11:00.001-05:00

Took the plunge into the 'twitterverse' as my friend April dubbed it.
I am single again. Back to square one. I've seen God do some amazing things in this square. I'm trusting that He has some more amazing things in this season of life.
There's a lot going on these days. My goal each day is to be out of bed by 6am...I think there is a crazy time warp between 6 and 630. My alarm goes off, I hit snooze a couple of times, turn on my lamp and radio, and before I know it, it's 630. I'm at work by 8 or a little after. I'm home by around 445, and then it's time to a)run, b)babysit, C)meet with Kate (my emory student), or D)both a and b. Then I'm lucky if my head hits the pillow by 11pm. I am not complaining...ok maybe a little.
Sometimes I am a little overwhelmed by life as it is...like yesterday I came home with the intention of running before small group. The weather channel website convinced me not to...20mph gusts? I think not. Go ahead, call me a wuss. I dare you.
I mentioned a couple of posts back that I've set some goals for myself for 2011. So far, I've done all of January's scripture readings (I think I'm gonna do the whole Bible this year instead of half!), completed approximately 80% of my training runs, watched SNL the past two saturdays, flossed my teeth almost every night, and I am pretty sure I'll be out of consumer debt by this summer!!! The long subtitle on my list of 2011 goals is Hebrews 12:1-2- with the focus being to keep my eyes fixed on the Lord. Easier said than done, my friends. But, He is very graceful.

"We believe that we are all saved by the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus." -Acts 15:11

mystery

2011-01-25T22:15:00.000-05:00

Folks, you can sleep now. Somehow, mysteriously in the night, my blog header fixed itself! I'm still toying around with the idea of the title/description. The quote by CS Lewis is one of my faves but it is a tad bit depressing and is also not a very accurate description of what I choose to post in this space. Stay tuned, people.

On another note, Seattle was fabuloso. I got to spend some amazing time with my sister and dad. Maura also came up for a few days! We had a ball.

Last week was a recovery week for sure, especially after my red-eye flight. I'm starting to run a whole lot more in preps for the Georgia half marathon in March! This past weekend, I got to share brunch with my dear sweet Erin Leigh before she left for NYC! I am so proud of her. I'm also glad she'll be in the same time zone. I found this story yesterday when I was browsing the charitywater website. Check it out. The pictures brought tears of joy to my eyes.

Wait patiently for the Lord,

Be brave and courageous,

Yes,Wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 27:14

difficulties

2011-01-24T00:26:00.000-05:00

S'hello! It's way too late for this girl to be awake on a school night but I must be honest and say that I've gotten bored with the way my blog looked for so long. So, I decided to mess around with it....2 hours later, here we are. One, ok maybe two collages created in Picasa and still no header to show for it. If any of you (ahem, Callie) are savvy with this blogger thing, can you help me? I want the picture above to be bigger...preferably covering the whole header area. And I want the text to be on top. Can someone tell me how to do that?

xoxo

new decade.

2011-01-07T09:19:00.002-05:00

Alright folks. It's a new year. I've got some minutes at work, so I'm writing.

I've made a list of some tangible goals for this year including but not limited to the following: flossing, watching SNL every saturday night, paying off my car, go camping, start a Bible reading plan, finishing the peachtree in under an hour...etc. We'll see what transpires...rather, what the Lord does this year. I tried my best to make my goals both challenging and achievable...and not boring.

I was watching the "Out of Towners" the other day with Jessica. There's one part in the movie where the middle aged couple, Henry and Nancy (played by Steve Martin and Goldie Haun) are talking about what they want out of life. He states something to the effect of, "I just want to read books and do fix-its around the house." Nancy replies "Is that all you really want?!" This made me think twice about the year goals that were floating in my head...some of which may or may not have included books to read in the new year.

One goal that is going to be achieved today is that I am going to board a plane bound for SEATTLE!! I'm going to see my dad, my sister Cameron, and Maura!! I could not be more excited!! I think there'll be a good bit of downtime while I'm there, so I'll make a point to post a blog or two! I definitely plan on visiting one of my favorite spots- Elliot Bay Books at Pioneer square! I do love a good bookstore!

AND the always entertaining and inspiring Pike Place market will be on the to-do list!

a look back at 2010.in pictures and some words.

2011-01-02T01:03:00.005-05:00

January: MONSTERJAM (the best redneck $15 you've ever spent) with Maura, Jess, Angela, and Ross. I did lots of neighborhood research around Ogelthorpe University for UACP. I made a new friend at a Habitat for Humanity build in my neighborhood. Looking back at the pages of my journal, January was a month of conviction of my habits, attitudes, and lack of discipline.
My Dad interviewed for a position in Atlanta. I drove myself to the ER over a bacterial infection in my thumb (don't worry, it's all better now.)

February: On the first of the month, I started a new position at work. Training for the ING half marathon ramped up. Presidents' Day weekend brought a white blanket. I got internet at my house (bringing with it a new dimension of time management challenges). I learned a lesson involving a late [school] night at the brickstore pub. I also learned that my dear friend Erin Leigh would be moving to NYC (bittersweet, anyone?). A relationship which I had prayed for reconciliation was restored. I am so thankful for that restoration. Started reading "When I Don't Desire God" by John Piper. I was reading in John 14 and also wrote down Habakkuk 3:17-18.

March: My dear friend Sarah (above) visited for her spring break. I simply adore this girl. What a treat to play hostess and show her around Atlanta. She is getting married on April 2!! I made a new friend, "Beth" (see my blog post), who has become a dear friend of mine. Her children (one is pictured below) are absolutely precious and she is one of the most beautiful people I know. I ran the ING half marathon. I memorized Psalm 19. Holy week came. Dad learned that there was some injustice in his company which led to someone else getting chosen for the position in Atlanta.

April: During Holy Week, I spent some time reading some of Henry Spurgeon's sermons ("There is no voice in my tongue, but there is always a voice in the Blood."). Good stuff. Some dear friends from church got together on a Sunday afternoon to help clean up Beth's yard. I started learning more of the value in taking a Sabbath. Spring in Atlanta was beautiful. Jess and I figured out that both of our cars fit under the car port...after 1.5 years of living there. I took a roadtrip to Oklahoma for another half marathon and to hang out with my family. At work, I came in dead last for my march madness bracket.

May: I got my wisdom "teef" taken out. That was a bizarre experience to say the least. They stick some needles in your arm and then you wake up feeling dazed and confused and less 4 teeth from your head. Mallory came and she was the best nurse a girl could ask for. I went to 2 Braves games and 2 GT baseball games. I read all of Psalm 119 in one sitting (highly recommend this). I said farewell to Erin Leigh. Distance does make the heart grow fonder. Jess also took off to work in the gulf for a month and a half. My friends Abby and Christian became parents to a beautiful baby girl, Juliet. I started reading "The Practice of Godliness" by Jerry Bridges.

June: It's why Atlanta is affectionately referred to as "Hotlanta." A group from church made over Beth's house (a beautiful expression of the body of Christ). I turned 25 years old. I joined EHarmony (more on this later). I had some "digging time" with my sweet friend, April. Jessica came home from the gulf. I started reading "Hearing God's Voice" by Henry Blackaby. I spent some very good time with my cousin, Joel. I took some trips to Piedmont park with my good friend, Cyndi. While there, we ran into a little girl driving her hot wheels convertible alongside her mother. She was wearing sunglasses and had a small dog sitting in the front seat.

July: The first weekend in July, Melissa came!!! I ran the peachtree roadrace for the first time ever. We went to the 4th of July Braves' game with Jonathan, Leslee, and Mel's friend Jay. After the game, this awesome band called Yacht Rock Revue played at Turner Field. Maura and I spent a couple of nights planning for our massive roadtrip. At the end of the month, my mom flew into town, so I joined her at my granddad's family reunion in Moultrie, GA. According to my journal, I spent a lot of time reading and praying. July takes up a lot of space in there. I was definitely hungry for the word. Praise God.

August: More trip planning. We left for Portland on the morning of August 30th. Maura had a birthday/going away party on the 28th. This picture is of April and I at said event. I moved towards finishing "The Practice of Godliness" by Jerry Bridges. It was a very challenging but good read. I spent a couple of weekend days resting. I spent an evening with my lovely friend Ashley. We ate pizza and chatted about the goodness and faithfulness of God. I am so thankful for her courage to speak the truth...but it's always done in love. Dad came to spend a couple of weekends in Atlanta. The 2nd weekend, we went to Lake Hartwell with family. Such a blessing. I also gained a roommate in August.

September: Oh, dear, what to say for September except for whirlwind? 3800 miles in the passenger seat. Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, LA, Big Sur, San Francisco, Crescent City in N. Cali, and finally, Portland. There were so many memorable things about this trip. At the end, I said goodbye to a beloved friend. Mel came at the end of the month for a conference for Grad school, which enabled her to accompany me to the Georgia Tech football game that day. :-) 2010 was a year of goodbyes for me. A handful of people left 1027, three of which were close friends. However, lonely does not necessarily equal alone.

October: Fall continued to be a whirlwind of busy-ness. I learned that everything that needed to get done would be done (by the grace of God), not necessarily everything that I wanted to get done. I started talking with my boyfriend (!), Dusty, through eHarmony. I went to Bobby Cox tribute night and a Braves playoff game with Joel, Jonathan, and Leslee. So fun. Jess and I went on a "ghost tour" at Oakland Cemetary. Leslee, Jonathan, and I made the drive up to Burt's pumpin patch to pick the most important of halloween symbols, I took a trip to Gainesville, FL to see Erin Leigh, which happened to fall on Halloween weekend (pic below). My granddad was in the hospital for most of the month. He passed away at the end of the month after a bout with Pneumonia. It was surreal.

November: The highlight would definitely be hanging out with my dad for two weekends in a row. What a treat. Dusty and I became "FBO" (you get 3 guesses as to what that means). There was a line from a sermon at church which was particularly challenging to me concerning the verse 'Cast your anxiety on the Lord, for He cares for you' (1 Peter 5:7). When a fisherman casts his line, he's not doing it haphazardly. He casts to a particular spot. We are to place our eyes on Jesus and cast our cares upon Him.

December: Brrrrr...but "I've got my love to keep me warm..." What a very cold, but very sweet month. I spent a weekend in Birmingham at DeeperStill with some sisters from my church. I so appreciate the solid Bible teaching that happened there and also the fellowship throughout. I shared Christmas with Dusty and with my family. There were many late night conversations had and date nights. Christmas with my family is always a treat. The 1027 Christmas eve service was amazing. Almost my entire family was there, plus Dusty and many from the neighborhood. The gospel was preached. Glory to God in the Highest. One of the things that Dusty got me for Christmas was The Book of Common Prayer, which I am still learning to use, but what a great gift (the giver too!).

Alright folks...that brings us to 1/1/11! What a blessing to look back at a year gone by. God has indeed been at work. May this new year bring us to a deeper knowledge of Him.

"Let us not become enamored with gifts, yet hardly knowing the Giver." -Anon.

if you thought the movie was magical...

2010-12-07T22:36:00.000-05:00

...the book is even more wonderful. I'm talking about Little Women. It's always been one of my favorite movies, but the book has managed to evade my attention. It was an impulse buy at barnes and noble last week. Chapter by sweet chapter, I'm becoming more and more fond of the March family.

"Jo's only answer was to hold her mother close, and in the silence which followed the sincerest prayer she had ever prayed left her heart without words; for in that sad yet happy hour, she had learned not only the bitterness of remorse and despair, but the sweetness of self denial and self-control; and, led by her mother's hand, she had drawn nearer to the Friend who welcomes every child with a love stronger than that of any father, tenderer than that of any mother." -Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, page 85

Image <here>
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the life and times of Brooke...

2010-11-18T09:11:00.000-05:00

I've been a terrible blogger. I know I deserve a wrist slap. I've benefitted so much (especially in the creativity department-see below) from blogworld, yet I've hardly given back. And honestly, it's because I haven't made it a priority...and I think I'm ok with that right now. I feel as if so many demands are placed on my time and money that it is not possible to say yes to everything. A couple of new things that have taken new priority in my life are my precious sisters. Melissa and I started a phone streak one month ago today that means we talk on the phone every single day, even if just for a minute. Shortly after, Mallory and I started doing the same thing. It has been fantastic. I've never read the Love Languages book by Gary Chapman, but I'm pretty sure my love language is quality time. My dad has been in Atlanta this week, so last night he took my roommate Jessica and I out for dessert. It was so good to shoot the breeze with him. It's been soooo long since I've really done that with him. While I definitely appreciate the grander things sometimes, I really feel as if that its the normalities of every day life that makes the best stuff of relationships. It's the chicken in the pot pie, if you will.

This is the frame which I got last week. I had been eying it for almost a year, with the intention of inserting corkboard in the middle. I'm a big fan of this.

just keep swimming...

2010-10-25T09:25:00.001-04:00

Life has been crazy as of late, but so exciting! I am learning to trust the Lord with my time...as there are only so many hours in the day to get everything done- from making my coffee in the morning, to grocery shopping, to running/exercising, to laundry, to keeping my room in a somewhat clean status...I sometimes wonder what life would like if it wasn't just me to take care of... would life hold itself together? I can't really answer that question right now. Right now, I know that I must be faithful in the little things in life, and trust that the Lord is faithful to reward.

Almost exactly 2 years ago to the day, Erin Leigh and I spent an evening together talking about how our post college days were shaking out. One thing I remember her saying is how important it is to remain patient, even if our current situations were less than optimal - much like running a marathon. I've never run in a marathon, only half, but I can attest to the fact that, sometimes, during a run, your lungs burn and your legs desparately want to stop moving, but your brain says to keep moving... so you do. See here and here.

ye olde pumpkin carving.

a little morsel from Brother Lawrence...

2010-10-21T11:42:00.000-04:00

"Let us think of Him perpetually. Let us put all our trust in Him. I doubt not but we shall soon find the effects of it in receiving the abundance of His grace, with which we can do all things, and without which we can do nothing but sin." -Brother Lawrence in The Practice of the Presence of God

making these a little more frequent. :-)

2010-10-15T08:42:00.000-04:00

So, Mr. Chris Golden called me out this past weekend that my blogs are few and far between, in response to my remark that his comments are few and far between. Therefore, I'm going to commit to blogging more often...hopefully more often than 1x/2weeks. Here goes.

I thought I'd retouch on some of my goals which I posted about 2 months back in this post.

1) spend at least 30 minutes every day cleaning something around the house or doing yardwork. this will help stuff not to pile up. This has been a little shoddy, but I'm glad to report that tuesday night I spent an hour raking the backyard and last night I spent 30+minutes tidying my room while listening to a little Mark Driscoll! (I highly recommend his sermon about the Lord's prayer)

2) give sacrificially (i.e. until it hurts) I'm going to refrain sharing about this one (link).

3) organize, decorate room (being creative when funds are lacking). I bought Maura's desk from her, along with 2 side tables...so I am working on this one- slowly.
4) learn more about Atlanta. So far, I've checked this book out from the library 2x and not finished it. One of these days...

In other news, last weekend was one full of sporting events. On Saturday, a friend from work, Tam, met me for the Georgia Tech game. So fun! Sunday, I went to the Braves' playoff game v. the Giants with Joel, Jonathan, Leslee, Parrott, and a couple of Joel's friendo's from B'ham!

fall beginnnings...

2010-09-30T09:21:00.001-04:00

Ok, last week was a massive failure in Brooke's sleeping department. Going to sleep at 11:30 or later and waking up around 6...or 630 leads to grumpiness. Melissa was here this past weekend, which was so fun, but I may have been able to be a better hostess for her and her friends, had I gotten ample sleep during nights preceeding her arrival.

Melissa and I woke up at the crack of dawn on saturday to make our way to tailgate for the Georgia Tech game. It was quite the adventure. I took MARTA to the wrong station, back-tracked to meet Mel at her hotel downtown (I'd rather walk downtown than drive anyday), and then we walked a mile and some change to the tailgate at Georgia Tech toting a waffle maker, waffle mix, bowl, milk and oil, and a bottle of wine. We got to the tailgate to meet two uncles of ours who had arrived at 730am to stake out a prime tailgating spot. We ate delicious omlettes, followed by a delicious waffle courtesy of our tailgating neighbors (who had an incredible decked out GT bus). We could tell that it was going to be a hot day. Mel and I decided to try to obtain some sunscreen en route to the stadium. The only sunscreen available, however, was SPF 10 or SPF 100. Failing to think this through, we chose SPF 0, only to our shoulders' demise. The game was fun for awhile. The last 3 minutes felt like the longest of our lives. It was a sad walk back to the tailgate. I was thankful that NC state fans were courteous...as I had some fury built up inside that was just waiting to unleash itself on any NC state passerby who dared to gloat about their victory at BDS. Thankfully, life is not all about football.

I am very glad that I got to hang out with Melissa this past weekend. I am also very glad to have gotten some more sleep these past few nights...

aaaaand we're back!

2010-09-23T15:59:00.000-04:00

The rest of my trip was just too fantastic for words!!

I loved the rolling golden hills in california with vinyards and orchards as far as the eye could see, the pacific coast highway (this should be on your bucket list, btw), san fransisco, the redwoods, and the oregon coast. My two lovely traveling companions, Mary and Maura, were amazing too. The three of us got along the whole trip!

Coming home was pretty hard. I don't think that Maura's absence from Atlanta hit me until I was sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office last week- and I thought about how she wouldn't be at church on Sunday. I guess for everything under the sun, there is a season...turn turn turn.

I've entered a season of busy-ness. I've got to get myself back into the habit of running. I can tell my energy level is waning. Also, it's football season. YAY! Mel is in town this weekend, which is so exciting! Today during my lunch break, I ran errands, and was stressing when I thought about the next 48 hours...but I had to remind myself....God is big- HE says "Be anxious for NOTHING, but in everything by prayer and supplication..." (Phil 4:6)

on the road

2010-09-05T00:29:00.000-04:00

a little update from LA! this road trip has been amazing!! so much to take in! I'm a little overwhelmed right now. A little drained. We have driven through 11 states (including GA) in 5 days, with stops in Oklahoma City, Albuquerque, the Grand Canyon, Vegas and LA. The grand canyon is too gorgeous for words. Maura and I took a helicopter ride over it. Wow, just wow. We also have another lovely lady traveling with us, Mary, who is awesome. I have so enjoyed getting to know her!!

tomorrow morning!

2010-08-29T20:52:00.001-04:00

You know that feeling before football season, when you've listened to all the sports radio, read all the articles, blogs, etc., and you've reminisced over video clips of the glories of past seasons? When you're sick of just hearing about it and talking about it? If your thoughts were collected in a prose, its synopsis would be, "JUST DO IT!"

At this moment in time, I am so ready to be on the road.

bag is packed. cd's burned, books chosen (see below).

bag- all appropriate clothing for each leg of travel was selected...plus a little extra so I have some more options should the mood strike me.

cd's- Mr Ray LaDreamboat (fka Ray LaMontagne), Ingrid Michaelson, Molly Jenson, Avett Brothers

books- The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges, Crazy Love by Francis Chan, and a guidebook to National Parks!!

LET'S.
DO.
IT.

moving closer....and some goals

2010-08-20T08:43:00.001-04:00

The road trip is slowly creeping up on us. We leave earlyearly on August 30.   I could not be more excited. I've been dreaming of, planning, and saving for this trip for months! I was thinking last night of how refreshing it will be to see a sky full of stars at the grand canyon. He calls each one by name! (Ps. 147:4)

I am reminded these days of how thankful I am for my roommate. I appreciate her so much.

I've been reading (for the past 4 months or so) a book called "The Practice of Godliness" by Jerry Bridges. He talks about devotion to God and traits of godly character. Here's a little snippet:

          "This is devotion to God- the fear of God, which is an attitude of reverance and awe, veneration and honor towards Him, coupled with an apprehension deep within our souls of the love of God for us, demonstrated preeminently in the atoning death of Christ." -J. Bridges.

I really appreciate how unapologetic Mr. Bridges is about the gospel and about the cost of discipleship.   This is something that I also appreciate about Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His Highest).

In other news, I've decided to make some goals for myself for the rest of this year, as prompted by this blog that I read almost every day.

1) spend at least 30 minutes every day cleaning something around the house or doing yardwork. this will help stuff not to pile up.

2) give sacrificially (i.e. until it hurts)

3) organize, decorate room (being creative when funds are lacking)

4) learn more about Atlanta

Lake this weekend! I'm so looking forward to this weekend with my family. And my Dad is coming too, so that's an extra special treat! Speaking of special treats, I picked up some tear-apart cookies last night at the store -the kind with the caramel in the middle, definitely looking forward to those!

ahem....(trumpet)

2010-08-09T19:49:00.000-04:00

3 weeks until departure the on epic roadtrip! Still haven't decided if I'm taking the old compy. I'm leaning towards no, because Maura will be moving and she'll need all the car space she can get! Therefore, I want to direct your attention to Maura's blog. We'll be updating from the road as often as possible.

Maura's blog

Meanwhile, over the next few weeks I'll be hanging out with my dad, going to the lake, and getting ready for the roadtrip!

Also, at the end of the month, Jess and I will be acquiring a new roommie, Esther! August is JAM packed!

Lately I've been able to spend some extra time in the word, which I need so much! Right now, I'm sitting on Colossians 2:6-7- Now that you have accepted Christ as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into him and your lives be built upon him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.

sights

2010-07-30T12:36:00.001-04:00

some of the places we'll be seeing along the way...

(Images found here, here, here, here, here, here)

adventures...

2010-07-27T16:38:00.000-04:00

I know all of you must be sitting on the edge of your seats awaiting an explanation for the image I posted 2 weeks ago *sarcasm*

One of my best friends, Maura, is moving to Portland, OR. It is so bittersweet. Bitter, because she's leaving and I will miss her terribly. Sweet because I am so excited for her to make new friends, experience new things, and grow in her relationship with Christ.

Also, I should mention that I am driving there with her! We will be driving west to LA (with stops in Oklahoma, possibly Albuquerque, the Grand Canyon, and Vegas) and then up the coast (with stops in Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Fransisco)!!!

I could not be more excited for this trip of a lifetime. There's something about long drives across the countryside that always draws me closer to God. I pray that it will be so on this trip.

I think I need to make this...

2010-07-22T20:38:00.002-04:00

http://papernstitchblog.com/2010/07/21/tutorial-faux-gold-dino-pendant-necklace/

Another fave...

2010-07-19T14:38:00.000-04:00

HOLY SONNET XIV.

John Donne

Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.

I, like an usurp'd town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.

Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.

we might actually pull this off...

2010-07-13T20:59:00.000-04:00

Details soon...

kindess...

2010-07-07T11:54:00.001-04:00

I was sorting through some papers a few nights ago and found a poem that I liked from my high school english class. Here it is-

Kindness

Before you know what kindness really is
you must lose things,
feel the future dissolve in a moment
like salt in a weakened broth.
What you held in your hand,
what you counted and carefully saved,
all this must go so you know
how desolate the landscape can be
between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride
thinking the bus will never stop,
the passengers eating maize and chicken
will stare out the window forever.

Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness,
you must travel where the Indian in a white poncho
lies dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you,
how he too was someone
who journeyed through the night with plans
and the simple breath that kept him alive.

Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside,
you must know sorrow as the other deepest thing.
You must wake up with sorrow.
You must speak to it till your voice
catches the thread of all sorrows
and you see the size of the cloth.

Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore,
only kindness that ties your shoes
and sends you out into the day to mail letters and
purchase bread,
only kindness that raises its head
from the crowd of the world to say
it is I you have been looking for,
and then goes with you everywhere
like a shadow or a friend.

—Naomi Shihab Nye from Words Under Words: Selected Poems

largest 10K on earth

2010-06-30T22:46:00.000-04:00

I am a fan of tradition- especially Atlanta tradition. 55,000 people will gather on Peachtree Street in Buckhead and run 6.2 miles to Piedmont park in Midtown. I am so pumped. I am a Peachtree Road Race virgin for only 3 more days!

(link for pic)

1/4 century :: 25 years :: 300 months :: 9,125 days :: 219,000 hours

2010-06-18T09:19:00.000-04:00

This is my age today.

In the past year I have...taken 2 trips to the lake, 2 trips to Oklahoma, 1 trip to Philidelphia, 1 trip to Birmingham, ran 3 half marathons, ran 1 5k, ran 1 10k, done some yardwork and cleaning, gone to some football games, watched some football games, gone to 2 braves games and 3 GT baseball games, had some peaceful and refreshing days of rest, gone dancing, trained 5 new employees at work, gotten a promotion and pay raise at work, started Dave Ramsey's total money makeover (on babystep #2!), read a few books, was mentored by a very special lady, reconciled with a sweet friend, watched my sister get married to an awesome man of god, watched a dear friend move away, made some awesome new friends! Thank you, JESUS!

God has shown Himself as my provider over and over again in the past year, despite my foolishness. He has shown Himself faithful over and over. He is transforming me more and more to look like His precious Son. He has brought me closer to Himself and shown me that life is a collection of seasons. He is indeed the true giver of good gifts. I could go on and on. I am truly thankful. I know it may sometimes sound like I am discontent with my life (esp the singleness part) but the truth is that all the things I need have been provided for.

So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. James 1:16-18

All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17

2 awesome things-

2010-06-16T12:26:00.001-04:00

1. This morning when taking the recyclables to the curb, I noticed this- if you can't tell, the object of interest here is the for-sale sign in the yard across the street. This house has been vacant since I moved in over a year and a half ago. The possibility of someone actually living there is very exciting.

2. I found this.

These are two awesome things about today, wednesday. :-)

mustard seeds and yes's

2010-06-12T11:00:00.002-04:00

Here's a story.

A few months ago, the Johnson's (a family I babysit for) told me about a girl in the neighborhood needing childcare, a single mom of 3 (aged 1, 3, 4), who happened to find herself in a crisis situation. Ms. Johnson told me that she would need a sitter the following saturday (this was a tuesday). I was very reluctant, but agreed to think and pray about it ("prink"). After having heard about this girl (we'll call her Beth) and her difficult situation, my heart was burdened for her and her children. My eyes teared as I drove to publix from the Johnson's.

Later in the week, I said yes. I felt like I should do it because in my current state of singleness, as Paul said (1 Corinthians 7), that you are able to serve more freely. Also, my brothers and sisters from church living in the neighborhood have families of their own to take care of. So I did. That first time babysitting was difficult. But I knew it was the right thing. God had provided Beth a place to stay for free during the first year. I couldn't help but notice that the backyard was completely overgrown and the house a little run down. My heart continued to be burdened for her and her family.

A few weeks later I babysat once more. As I was about to leave, I asked Beth if she would let me get a group from my church to clean out her backyard. She graciously accepted. I wrote a few emails to some brothers and sisters from church who live nearby, as well as Allen (also from church), who owns a landscaping business. So, by the grace of God, the next Sunday, a small group from my church, along with Allen and his lawn WMD's, tore out all the overgrown weeds in Beth's backyard. After a few hours of work, the group and I walked to the pizza joint down the street to bring it back to share with Beth. When we got back, she had made a delicious pie for us to share. The fellowship was sweet and Beth was giddy with excitement.

The next week, Beth asked about the church we go to, as she was looking for a place of worship close to home. She started coming to 1027. I was so thankful for the Body of Christ that first day she came, as she and her children were welcomed with open arms. She made fast friends with people in the church and many others have helped care for her children.

Today, June 12, 2010, there is a group of about 20-30 people from my church and another church painting walls in her house, building a swing-set for the backyard, and a host of other jobs around the house. When I stood in the kitchen with Beth this morning, we were both overwhelmed by what God has done in our midst. He has provided for her so abundantly. I told her with tears in my eyes what a privilege it has been to see what God can do with little. I feel as if I gave my little lunch and God has fed a multitude.

Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Psalm 107:8

i think it's official...

2010-05-28T13:20:00.002-04:00

It's summer. I went running at dusk the other night. I saw fireflies. (pic found @ weheartit.com)

baseball, boys, weekends, singleness...

2010-05-24T14:34:00.000-04:00

Last week I had a healthy serving of baseball- Braves on Saturday night, GT on Sunday (hello, sun), and GT again on Tuesday! Ahhhh how I love baseball season. Baseball is a LOT more fun when your team is winning. Tuesday night I took the boys who I babysit for to the Georgia Tech game. They had a blast. After the game, the younger of the two, Joey, turned to me and said something to the effect of, "Georgia Tech is better than the Braves!" Yes, Joey. Yes they are. ;-)

During the game, both of the boys had made messes with their cokes. Then Jack, the older one, proceeded to sit in the dried, sticky coke. When I informed him of this, he used his hand to make sure I was right. He stuck his hand in the coke and licked it. Call me a germophobe, but I was thoroughly grossed out.

This weekend I was able to sleep in for the first time in ages and spend some time in the Word. I highly recommend reading all of Psalm 119 in one sitting.

Contentment with singleness is an ebb-and-flow type deal. This weekend I was reminded to be obedient in the place where God has called me. He has given me everything I need. Thank you, Jesus.

farewell, sister.

2010-05-18T14:32:00.001-04:00

The Lord has blessed me with an amazing church body in 1027 church. They are like family to me. Whoever coined the term bittersweet was a genius. That is exactly what Erin Leigh's big move is. I am so excited for her to move to NYC. However, I am so sad to see her go. On Sunday morning I got to eat breakfast with Erin Leigh to catch up a little before she leaves. What sweet friendship. What sweet laughter and heart sharing. God is truly a giver of good gifts. Love you, sweet friend!

lunchbell...

2010-05-13T12:00:00.001-04:00

happenings...

2010-05-12T08:32:00.002-04:00

1. I definitely agree with Kyleen that blogging bullet-style is the way to go.

2. Last thursday, my sister Mallory came to stay with me! It's definintely been awesome having her around over the past few days. We haven't spent any extensive quality time together since 2006! She was a GREAT post wisdom teeth surgery nurse. Sisters are the best.

3. Speaking of wisdom teeth...I had 4 last week. This week I have none. It only took the doctor 45 minutes to remove 4 teeth from my head. Blows my mind. All I have left is some bruising and the stitches in my mouth.

4. Saturday, Mal and I will be going to the Braves game! I know the pic is a little non-PC but I kinda love the vintage-y feel of it.

5. I think it's going to be a growing summer. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results." (don't know who said it...but they're a genius). Some things in my life need to change. Change is hard. Growth is hard.

"Bueno by any other name would taste as bueno."

2010-04-28T10:08:00.002-04:00

So if you're from the south-midwest, you're probably familiar with Taco Bueno. How could you go wrong with a name like that? Yesterday on the way home, we stopped at what was probably the last Taco Bueno we would see.

On Sunday, I ran the OKC Memorial half marathon! It was a good race. The best part was the fans (i.e. my family!), followed by the flat course. OKC was bursting with pride, as the Thunder (NBA team) had just won the past 2 playoff games against the Lakers!

Unfortunately, both my ankles were unhappy with me before the race, and running 13.1 miles did not exactly suit their fancy. I've been hobbling around since Sunday, hoping that a 3-week running hiatus will do my body some good!

It was oh-so-good to see and spend time with my family. On that note, my sister Mallory will be coming to hang out in Atl for almost 2 whole weeks starting May 6!

:::// EDIT \\\:::
food for thought-

a) theology based on country music. what would that look like?

b) 'So you also should counsider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.' (Romans 6:11) What does 'alive to God' mean? I'm pretty sure Mr. Merriam and Mr. Webster offer a solid definition of the word alive, but Paul choses to include 'to God' at the end of that. What does that look like in real life?

"Green Like God"

2010-04-20T15:31:00.001-04:00

I first met Jonathan at my church when he came to speak about creation care. When I first heard that the topic of his sermon would be "God is green," I was skeptical. I thought it would be a theological extension of the green craze going on within our culture...a trendy "theological" discussion of sorts. However, I was plesantly surprised to find that what Jonathan had to say about environmentalism was not merely stemming from a worldly trend but a movement of God's hand. He was not only eloquent in speech but provided a wealth of scriptural references which support a convincing argument for the care of God's creation.

I received a copy of his book, Green Like God about a month and a half ago. I finally picked it up and finished it this week. I am glad I did.

Here are some of my thoughts...
I appreciate Jonathan's thoughtfulness and humility towards the subject. I appreciate the fact that he addressed my skepticisim about merely riding the wave of a trend. His approach to scripture is reverent.  He offered fresh perspective of our roles as stewards of the earth. One simple but profound analogy which he gave in his sermon at 1027 was concerning the word 'dominion,' which is in the king james version of Genesis 1:28, in reference to our God-given roles on the earth.   His analogy was that, as a boy, his parents gave him a bike. He was given dominion over his bike. If he left his bike out in the rain and it rusted or was stolen, his parents would not be responsible for replacing the bike. In other words, the bike was his responsibility. In the book, Jonathan talks about our responsibility towards the earth: "God has called us to be benevolent rulers, ruling the earth compassionately in obedience and worship" [pg. 54].

I was convicted of my own wasteful habits and my heart hurt for our world which is suffering so much by our own hands. "If everyone on Earth consumed resrouces the way Americans do, experts estimate that it would take several Planet Earths just to sustain life" [pg.125].   "The 'American way' of life is broken and needs to be reinvented. We have to have the best of everything in America, but we rarely consider how this affects our global neighbors" [pg.126].

On a similar note, one thing that struck me this past weekend was the love for animals displayed by the precious children I babysit for. The older two, aged 3 and 4, always ask to "pet the puppy" if they see anyone walking a dog, even if said dog is walking the opposite direction on the other side of the street. Most people willingly oblige, as the two are freakishly cute. This caused me to remember how, back in my camp counselor days, the younger kids would always want to pray for their sick dogs and cats. I never took these prayer requests seriously. Maybe I should have. [see Jesus' words on children- Matthew 18:3, 19:13-14, Mark 9:37, 10:13-14, Luke 10:21, 18:15-16]

Jonathan has caused me to remember that "The Bible doesn't teach the sanctity of human life, but the sanctity of all life" [pg 66].

I couldn't finish this post without offering up a resounding "Amen!" to Jonathan's comment about our environmentally friendly practices at 1027 church- "With regard to the divine plan, it is church at its finest."

I would definitely recommend picking up a copy.

cruise on over...

2010-04-19T17:08:00.000-04:00

to the Golden's blog. check out the "That's My King" video.

Life is golden...

ahhhh...rest

2010-04-14T22:36:00.002-04:00

"Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't he also give us everything else?"-Romans 8:32

So the past 24 hours have been somewhat bittersweet. This morning I was supposed to be headed to Boston. This did not end up happening due to a flight mishap. I was disappointed and frustrated at first, but I soon got over it. I was able to take a glorious nap today and just have an overall rest/sabbath day. The Lord is indeed good.

What do you think of the idea of Sabbath? Is it still necessary? What are the practical aspects of it?

I have come to believe that it is indeed a gift from the Lord to be enjoyed.

3 other good things about today-
1. walking to the BP station for corndogs with Jess (love some corn dogs...and Jess)
2.community group - it's sweet- we were in John 16:5-15
3. GT beating the snot out of UGA in baseball (GT-25, UGA-6) love some GT baseball!!

I love spring in Atlanta. This is our backyard. Note that both our cars are parked underneath the carport. After living here for a year and a half, we just now figured out that we can both fit our cars underneath. ha.

no-space jam! alright!

2010-04-09T12:11:00.002-04:00

by no-space jam, I mean there is no space in the next week! Next wednesday and thursday, I'll be heading to Boston for a church planting seminar through peoplegroups.info for UACP. I am very excited about this. (Went to a church planters' network meeting last night. So encouraging.)

I'm fighting for some rest time this weekend...but am finding this might be a hurdle to overcome. Seriously...when I sit down to do my monthly budget, there really needs to be some budgeted (pun intended) time for figuring out my priorities.

In two weeks from today, I will be in Oklahoma! I am so excited!

In other news, I want to find an old polaroid camera...or at least something similar. Anyone have any ideas on how I might do this?

Found this website...my creative juices are flowing. :-)

Taking it day by day. His mercies are new each morning (Lam 3:22-26).

i'm bad...

2010-04-05T14:09:00.006-04:00

Ok, so remember this? I give you permission to kick me in the shin next time you see me (be gentle, please! bear in mind the subject of the accountability)

Some of my most ardent readers (ha) may recall that I wrote a few weeks ago about taking a wee little trip out to oklahoma at the end of april. I decided last week to go ahead and sign myself up for the dern OKC half marathon. Yes...I know. I had put my foot down. No more half marathons. But seriously, guys. The ING was so fun. It made the training all worth it.

So, April 22nd, after work, I'll be on the road again with Miss Jen (an OK native herself and an OSU cowboy!). It will be epic! It will be soooo good to the faces of my family members!

Easter was yesterday. It was a good morning. Last week I took some extra time to dive into Charles Spurgeon's passion week sermon series (so good!)- here's a little quotey quote.
"...I felt the burden of my sin...but the moment I saw there was nothing whatever for me to do, that Jesus did it long long ago, that all my sins were put on His back and that He suffered as I ought to have suffered, why then my heart had peace with God, peace by beleiving, peace through the precious blood...There is no motive for holiness so great as that which streams from the veins of Jesus." -Spurgeon in "The Precious Blood of Jesus"

It was a beautiful weekend to be outside. Also, the weekend brought with it some anxiousness, about which I was reminded over and over to leave it at the feet of Jesus.

With that in mind, here's another little quote from Spurgeon:
"Be thou perfectly content to leave the result of thy prayer in His hands, Who knows what to give and how to give and when to give and what to withhold. So pleading, earnestly, importunately, yet mingling with it humility and resignation, thou shalt yet prevail." -Spurgeon in "Gethsemene"

peace out.

Attention Atlanta-ites!!

2010-03-29T08:02:00.004-04:00

What: Easter sunrise service

Who: You! (and 1027 church!)

When: Easter sunday! 7am

Where: Piedmont Park Amphitheater stairs near 14th St. entrance

Why:

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal
with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:
"Death has been swallowed up in victory."
"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to
God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

13.1 miles.

2010-03-24T21:14:00.008-04:00

http://www.inggeorgiamarathon.com/Course_Video.htm

^see video above- goes through entire marathon course.

I would recommend the ING race to anyone! It was an awesome event. EXTREMELY well organized. There were hydration stations every 1-1.5 miles. My time was officially 2:40:35 BUT I took 10 minutes in mile 3 to wait in line for the bathroom (let's just say 10 minutes). The course had a good mix of both uphill and downhill stretches and went through all the best parts of the city! Also, the fan support was superb! April and Cliff came out and cheered me on around mile 6 or so, which was so great! I tackled April, not-so-gracefully tripping on the curb while doing so. It was an overall great experience. I feel so much more motivated about running now! (this may be due to lots and lots of endorphins!)

2 things which I did for this race which I would recommend to any runner going into a long distance:
1. popped 4 advil before the race.
2. took water and powerade at each water station, walking while I drank.

There are so many things that I enjoy about running. It's therapeutic. It keeps me in shape. It is a good mental challenge (when I'm only halfway up the hill and out of breath and my muscles are burning, it's a great challenge to keep myself moving forward to the top). It is a great way to connect with other people. I've made numerous new friends through running.

And...call me crazy, but to me, running is sometimes about a battle between good and evil. Evil tells me to quit when I'm out of breath or tired. Good tells me to push through the pain and keep moving forward until I've finished the course. Running is not always fun. I don't run because it's fun. I run because it's good.

I've been reading this book by John Piper for the past month or so, and the last chapter I finished talked about seeing the Glory of God through our senses. I pray that running is not an idol in my life but instead become an avenue through which I might see His glory more than the day before.

I was standing today in the dark toolshed. The
sun was shining outside and through the crack at
the top of the door there came a sunbeam. From
where I stood that beam of light, with the specks
of dust floating in it, was the most striking thing in
the place. Everything else was almost pitch-black.
I was seeing the beam, not seeing things by it.
Then I moved, so that the beam fell on my
eyes. Instantly the whole previous picture
vanished. I saw no toolshed, and (above all) no
beam. Instead I saw, framed in the irregular cranny
at the top of the door, green leaves moving on the
branches of a tree outside and beyond that, 90 odd
million miles away, the sun. Looking along the
beam, and looking at the beam are very different
experiences.

-CS Lewis

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

for my reader(s)'(s) enjoyment

2010-03-21T15:00:00.003-04:00

happenings...

2010-03-16T13:05:00.006-04:00

1. ING 1/2 Mar. this sunday! I'm so ready for this deal to be over. I am confident that it will be a fun race though because it's in the city and because there are 18,000 people running ! here's the course- come on out and be a cheerleader (especially around miles 10-13)

2. Sarah's visit was amazing. love her. such an encouragement and blessing. lots of good belly laughing too.

3.One of the "Atlanta-y" things we did while she was here was visit the MLK center in Atlanta. I highly recommend it. Very well done and put together. What do you think is the predominant issue that our generation will be remembered for?

4. Roadtrip to OK in a month! As an employee of the state of GA, I get Confederate Memorial day off...which I'm not sure why this is still 'celebrated' in this year of 2010, but hey, I'm not complaining at all. I plan on taking advantage of it!

5. "Let us not become enamored with gifts, yet hardly knowing the giver."

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love..." (John 15:19- also see all of John 15)

Disch!

2010-03-10T15:30:00.002-05:00

Last night about an hour and a half after I had gone to sleep, my phone rang. I picked up (I'm not sure why I did this) and it was Sarah. Before I hung up the phone she asked, "What are you doing next week?" to which I gave no answer other than "I'm sleeping!"

I called her back today. I found out she's coming to ATLANTA for part of her spring break! She'll be staying with me Friday through Tuesday!! I am so pumped! What an excellent surprise to have such a dear sister come for her spring break to stay with me! from Oklahoma!!

some accountability...

2010-02-27T20:59:00.003-05:00

please hold me to this- no more half marathons.

10k's and 5k's only, PLEASE. thank you. the end.

where's the reset button????

2010-02-23T20:51:00.002-05:00

I find myself racing through the weeks with barely enough time to breathe or blink until it's over.

The next month is going to be even MORE chaotic, as I am training for a 1/2 marathon on March 21st! To be quite honest, I am looking forward it. I am also looking forward to regaining some hours back in my week.

Also, I've been asking myself, where are my priorities? What do I spend my time doing? I recently got internet at my house...which sucks time. I hope that I can start being more disciplined about this than I have been. In fact, as soon as I hit, "Publish Post," I will be washing my dinner dishes and venturing upstairs to my room to get ready for bed.

Today was a very good day. Restoration is sweet. Hopefully more good news from the northwest area of the country will come tomorrow.

May we strive to know Him more and more each day, delighting in His character more than the previous day. in Christ Jesus, Amen

Peace be with you.

at my house

2010-02-12T18:04:00.003-05:00

It's snowing here. It's been snowing for the past 4 hours. There's at least an inch on the ground. I was amazed by the stillness and quietness when I ventured outside.

Also, I got internet at my house. Hope it doesn't eat my time.

'To whom much is given, much is expected.' -Jesus

a dear sister wrote on her blog recently- 'There is sweetness in struggle' Hoping to find sweetness in this desert. Hoping to know the ultimate Giver of good gifts.

a new friend

2010-02-06T11:49:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, on a cold and dreary saturday morning in atlanta, much like today, I woke up with the intention of going to help on a habitat for humanity house in my neighborhood. I didn't want to go...but I went anyway. I'm glad I did.
I ended up painting the outside wall with a guy named Josh. Here is his story...

With the optimism of a New Year fresh in mind, I have decided to set a goal of achieving something amazing this year, and I'm calling it A Dollar A Step. You’ll find the details below; please read this email because I need every single one of you to help if I have any chance of accomplishing what I'm setting out to do.

Who: Me, along with every one of you -- family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and YOUR networks. This can't happen without all of you helping make this a viral phenomenon.
What: I'm going to run the Marine Corps Marathon this year on October 31. To add some intrigue to my preparation, I've decided to raise $1 for Habitat for Humanity for every step I take during training and the race (this equals about 2.4M feet and $1.2M assuming each step is about 2 feet). The catch is, individual donations are limited to $1 (if you are a family, business or organization, you can donate $1 per member or employee). I did this to eliminate the financial burdens and barriers to contributing. Everyone we know can afford to donate a single dollar, so there really are no excuses.
When: 2010
Where: Marathon: Washington DC; Volunteering for Habitat: Atlanta and Thailand; Fundraising: online at my fundraising page
Why: This is a much more complicated question that I'll be answering in bits and pieces on my new blog about this project, but it is very important to me, so if you do one thing for me this year, please donate $1.00 - no more, no less - here on my fundraising page.
How: With the help of you and your networks -- both online and offline. Please forward this email, become a fan of A Dollar A Step on Facebook and encourage all of your Facebook friends to become fans and spread the word as well.

The donation process only takes 2 minutes, so please don't delay in making your contribution. Thank you in advance for your support. Here's to amazing things in 2010!

-Josh

new things

2010-02-03T07:55:00.003-05:00

So, here is the story of my job.

Started October 2008 (5.5 months after graduation, just in time to start student loan payments. Thank you, Jesus) as a lab technician. I started with a small group of people, but was placed into a different section than Biology (when you are given a choice in the workplace, I have learned that it's best to tell the Man what you want right off the bat). The job I ended up with was ok. The plus side was that I learned a LOT and that my coworkers were awesome. The down side was the work itself and the salary. I learned to get by on little. Through a weird turn of events and through patient endurance given me by the Lord Himself, I was able to wait it out in order to move into a position which is better paid, and better suited for my resume. I started on Monday in this new position. Thank you, Jesus!

fortunately for you, my readers, I started with 5 new people (new to the crime lab), meaning I'm sitting here twiddling my thumbs while they read policy, get drug tested, etc.

He does all things well.

PS-this also means internet at my house in a couple of weeks! this could possibly mean more posts!!

recurring theme of not posting for long periods of time...

2009-12-20T20:20:00.003-05:00

Well, "long periods of time" can be relative. If you post once per year, then that makes me blogger of the year in terms of frequency of new content, and that means you have very few readers...maybe one less than I do (that means none). If you are my friend Jonathan Merritt, then this makes me look like the rookie-est rookie in rookie-town in the blog-world. Seriously, you should check his blog out.

(my excuse is that most of my posting in the past 6 months has been due to boredom at work- which will probably not happen again at my current employer)

I'll be getting internet @ mi casa in feb/march-ish, which may lead to more blog posts...

Merry Christmas, all!

"The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

no one can serve two masters...

2009-11-12T13:36:00.002-05:00

...Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money" -Jesus (Matthew 6)

This was a verse that I had dismissed until last week. In community group last week, we talked about all the ways that we can let money take reign in our lives. A few days prior, my good friend Erin Leigh lovingly pointed out to me that I often let money control my life. I agreed and then the thought fell to the back-burner until community group when we returned to this. I realized the weight of what she told me. Jesus is not just talking about an abundance of cash here. For example, I would turn down opportunities to spend time with people who I love dearly because "I have more month than money right now." Also, I would lay awake in bed at night, formulating plans and ideas for how I would pay off my student loans. I was letting my own lack of discipline in allocating my paycheck control my life, as opposed to the Holy Spirit.

PS- I am NOT trying to downplay being wise in your spending/saving/giving. This is a classic example of my own human tendancy of taking something that is good and making it GOD in my life. Therefore, Let us not become "...enamored with gifts, yet hardly knowing the GIVER..."

go here

2009-10-23T07:59:00.001-04:00

http://buyarecordsavealife.com

to my audience of [insert number of readers here]

2009-10-21T13:15:00.002-04:00

Hello, faithful readers.

1. Autumn is upon us. Trees are changing colors and starting to get skinny. Football...ahhhh football (not sure if that'd be such a pleasant thought if my team weren't having such an incredible season. 6-1 baby!). Brisk air. The smell of burning dust (you know what I mean- the smell that comes when you turn on the heater for the first time).

2. Last weekend I took an incredible trip to Philadelphia, PA with Jessica. Philadelphia gets 2 thumbs up- one for Alicia being there and two for its gorgeous Georgian architecture everywhere. See bookface for pics. I might post some here later.

3. It's something about the changing of the seasons that causes me to remember my perpetual singleness, which the Lord had given me relief from any distress that I get from the idea. However, I know that when I remember Him, it will no longer be a point of distress but faith and hope.

4. I am incredibly thankful for my family. They are grace to me. Family that is geographically close is a great blessing.

5. failure is a necessary experience in life.

What are the happenings in your life? What are your goals and aspirations? What have you been thinking about? What are your glories and struggles?

smells like fall...

2009-10-01T09:40:00.002-04:00

Since last thursday, it has felt like fall. I'm pretty sure it's a smell in the air. Temperatures are falling. This morning I reached to put on a jacket for the first time. Green leaves are still on the trees but will be shades of gold, orange, and red by the end of this month. I can't wait to run by that blue house next to the golf course, which has a tree right in front that turns a gorgeous shade of orange.

This is also the first time in about 5 or 6 years that I have lived in one place for more than 9 months at a time. It feels like home now.

God is good.

my cute sister.

2009-09-17T16:11:00.001-04:00

Facebook to me 4:01 PM
hide details 4:01 PM (9 minutes ago)

Melissa posted something on your Wall and wrote:

"Have fun in oHIIIIIIIo!"

(I'm going on a little trip to detroit this weekend. ha)

2009-09-15T07:25:00.002-04:00

If you were a bystander in this incident, would you intervene on behalf of the woman?

Why or why not?

Army Reservist Beaten at Atlanta Area Restaurant