A Picture I Took

I have slim pickings on the pictures I've taken since I'm too lazy to get my zip drive out of my purse and put it into my computer, so I'll have to select from something that's already on my laptop. We lost A TON of pictures because I dropped our external hard drive. Josh can't get it to work, and usually he's pretty savvy about things like that. :( I wish I could upload an Africa picture or two, but all of my files say they are corrupt, and I don't know what to do about that either..... let me see what I can find.


Okay- I have to dig out the zip drive.

I wish somebody would make me some spaghetti. I'm hungry... but oh so home alone.

Alright! I took this picture when I was in Ecuador. I think it's pretty self explanatory; I took it because I thought it was really pretty.

Five Things I Couldn't Live Without

I think I've put this post off long enough. I just couldn't come up with anything. So here's the boring answer: I couldn't live without air, water, food, clothes and shelter. That's it. I don't have any other things that I "couldn't live without" I guess a "holy" person would also include a Bible on the list... but I could live without a Bible like much of the world does. God said in his Bible in Job 12:7-9

⁷ “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,
   or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;
⁸ or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,
   or let the fish in the sea inform you.
⁹ Which of all these does not know
   that the hand of the LORD has done this?


I believe God has made a way through nature for people to learn who he is and that a Bible is not a necessity for living. Now don't get me wrong- I think it's a very important part of life, but I do believe that people who never get the opportunity to read God's word are not just damned because of it.

We as Americans are too focused on stuff. I get so sick of stuff. So much of the world does not have three couches in their three story home like Josh and I have. I use this as a tiny example of how unnecessary so many things in our lives are. Three stories is not a necessity. Three couches is not a necessity... and yet- when house hunting- three stories was on my list of "needs." I had to get the three couches to fill the space in the three floors.

I love my stuff just like every American. I love that my washer and drier is on the third floor where all three of the bedrooms are. I don't want to live without the luxuries of my stuff...

But I do know that absolutely NONE of it is necessary.

And I must say... it is quite a freeing feeling to look around your beautiful and home and enjoy all of your stuff, but feel just as happy to give it all away. I think I am finally at a place in my life where I am able to enjoy my things while also knowing that they are luxuries and not needs. I do not feel guilty for having pretty things or several seemingly unnecessary things.

I'm going to go because during this whole blog I've been watching Mrs. Doubtfire, and I've had to keep reading and rereading what I've written... hopefully this blog makes since!!

A Moment I Wish I Could Relive

I don't even have to think about this one! My time spent in Africa. Hands down. Every second. The ridiculously long flight, seeing the beautiful land peek through the clouds for the first time, the scary, curvy, fast car rides in the rain...

The time before I met up with the group and I got to be outside and journal about everything I saw and heard.

The witnessing to people through one or multiple translators. Being followed by the children. Teaching the children, eating "monkey gland sauce" for the first time, getting sick, seeing the rich plant life so different from our own. Looking up at the night sky and seeing the constellation Orion as I've never seen it before- giant, and turned on its side.

The first tent revival. The second tent revival. Learning the native's correct handshake. Being unable to master a simple "hello" in the language of Africaans. Being amazed that every person I met could speak at least two if not four languages.

Seeing how they sold meat in the markets. Standing in line where you touched the person in front of you with your front side, and there was somebody pushed against your back side. Buying my giant pot- then watching it break as it fell out of the car when we opened the back (good thing, how would I have EVER gotten that home!?)

Having the BEST Kentucky Fried Chicken EVER!... this after watching them haul four live chickens to the back of the "restaurant" ... at least I knew it was fresh!

I loved everything about that trip. I wish I had gotten to stay longer. I learned so much about God and myself and a people I have felt a love for for years and years. I so desperately desire to go back to that land someday.

A Favorite Quote

Oh, goodness. I don't know! I don't pay attention to quotes. I forget because they just don't matter to me, so I'll just have to write my favorite verse ever in the Bible.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you can be complete, not lacking anything."

James 1:2-4

I don't know how many times I've repeated these verses to myself. They have gotten me through so many "rough" times. I've never had it very rough, but even if you're just sitting at YET ANOTHER RED LIGHT, this verse can put a smile on your face.

But be warned- if you memorize this verse it can also be quite frustrating when you don't understand why a bunch of crap is going on in your life and you're supposed to consider it all "pure joy!"

A Favorite Television Program

Gilmore Girls!! It's my favorite show of all time! I don't get TV, however, so most all of the "TV" I watch is the seasons that Josh and I buy. We have a bunch. We have Home Improvement, Dinosaurs, Gilmore Girls, Gilligan's Island, I Love Lucy, Supernatural, Smallville, House, Flash, Jericho, Friends, The Mary Tyler Moore Show... hmmm that's twelve. I can't think of any more right now, but I know as I start to fall asleep tonight more will pop into my head.

Secret TV shows that I like but do not own are Sex in the City and Desperate Housewives. I used to have Sex in the City, but it was so trashy that I gave it to my mom- ha ha. And I think she's going to throw it away after she watches it, because I was going to throw it away after I watched it. T-R-A-S-H. But, sadly addicting!

A Favorite Book

Good morning! Happy Veteran's Day to all our men and women who have served and are serving our country with their lives. A special Thank you to my husband for his nine years of service! (Though I'm glad you decided not to reenlist since we have a kid on the way... even though we didn't end up moving to Canada!)

I hate saying this. I wish it weren't true. I truly, truly hate this about myself.... but I can't pick a favorite book. I HATE READING! Oh how much easier and enjoyable life would be if I always had a good book or three that I was in the middle of... but alas, I am one of the slowest readers I know, and I don't really like to read it unless it is a super easy read. When I was a kid my three favorite books were The Man Who Loved Clowns, Wonder, and The Indian in the Cupboard. Today I'd have to say my favorite book is Pride and Prejudice.

Those four books combined are probably ones of only 10 maybe 20 that I have read in their entirety. (Not including little six page kids books).

How do I cope with a pure hatred of reading yet a desire to have books read? Books on tape!!

I love them!! I love the Narnia series and anything with a British (male) reader. The problem is they are tricky to find. For all those who care... I am really wanting Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice on audio book. This would be a FANTASTIC Christmas gift for me! Plus, any other fun, cheap audio book you see along the way! (I don't do horror. Period.)

So that's about it. My battery is about to be completely dead, so I'll wrap this up. Have a great day, all! To all my veterans or veteran's families... get your free dinners at Applebee's today. Josh and I plan to tonight!

A Favorite Movie

It's 10:50, and I can't sleep. I remembered that I hadn't posted on my blog today like I was hoping to do every day, so here I go. Geez, this is a hard one. I like several movies. I'll just list a few that I like.

Chick Flick: Sweet Home Alabama
Drama: Pride and Prejudice (The BBC America version)
Cartoon: The Last Unicorn
Comedy: I really don't know
Family: I'm guessing it's going to be The Voyage of the Dawn Treader when it comes out! But I like the other Narnia movies too.... it's just that's the one that is my favorite book

I can't really even think of any other movies that I like right now. Of all the movies we own (over 600 actually) I probably watch Pride and Prejudice more than any other. It is GREAT!