five friday favorites #10: weeks of dec. 12 & 19, 2014

Last week was nuts. Nuts, I tell you! So I didn't get a Five Friday Favorites posted. This means you get TEN favorites this week. Aren't you excited?!? I'm linking up at A Little Bit of Everything and Housewife Glamour, as usual.

1. Fire TV Stick
Amazon introduced its Fire TV Stick a few weeks ago at the special price of $19 for Prime members. I couldn't pass it up--and I'm glad I didn't! I've been doing my streaming through my blu-ray player, and, more often than not, it either glitches mid-stream or refuses to connect to the network. But the Fire TV Stick has none of those problems! It works like a charm and easily moves from one TV to another. Plus, I can stream all of my Amazon music through it.

This screen makes me very happy!

It does make a funny buzzing noise every once in a while, but other people have had the same problems and have posted easy work arounds. I think it's $19 well spent!

2. Christmas Choral Concerts
While I think it's okay, I'm normally not a huge fan of choral music. When I have a choice about what music I listen to or concerts I go to, I would never choose to listen to a choir ... except at Christmas! There's just something special about Christmas music performed by a choir.

For the past six years (and one other year before that), my Decembers were so consumed by Singing Christmas Tree performances that I didn't really have time to enjoy other Christmas concerts. But this year, since I'm not in the Tree, I'm taking the time to truly enjoy the season. So far, I ...

Watched the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas special (with special guest Alfie Boe!). It reminded me of the Christmas specials we used to watch with my grandparents in Kansas when we'd visit for Christmas. Here's one of the songs from the concert--it's not a Christmas song, but it is one of my absolute favorites.

Attended my mom's Lone Tree Singers concert.

Sat in the audience of the Singing Christmas Tree for the first time in eight years.

Sang in the Festival of Lessons & Carols at Nebraska Christian. The video is pretty terrible, but the audio is good. My mom sings a solo at 30:30. (You can't see her, but you can hear her!)

And the fun will continue on Sunday, when we attend the candlelight service at my sister's church in Omaha. 'Tis the season!

3. Camera Lens Coffee Mug
Today was our last day of school this semester. (Hallelujah, Amen!) One of my yearbook students gave me this travel mug. Isn't it fantastic?

4. The Wishing Season

Ever since I read The Convenient Groom six or seven years ago, I've been a fan of Denise Hunter's writing. Though not every one of her books has gone onto my you-absolutely-must-read-this-book list, I've liked all of her books and loved most of them. (If you're looking for a place to jump in with Hunter, I'd recommend The Convenient Groom or Dancing with Fireflies [review], with Seaside Letters and A Cowboy's Touch [review] right behind.)

Now, there's another Hunter book to add to your TBR pile: The Wishing Season. I got this book for review through NetGalley, which isn't my preference for my favorite authors' books, simply because I like to keep some books on my bookshelf! But I wasn't offered a print copy for review, I've blown all my disposable income on Christmas presents, and I didn't want to wait until January to read this book, so I went ahead and requested it. I'm so glad I did!

I started reading The Wishing Season after work one night, and I finished it the next day. It was so, so good! Maybe not quite on the same level as The Convenient Groom and Dancing with Fireflies, but close. Very close. You can easily pick up this book without having read the others in the series, so why not make it a Christmas gift for yourself or for the romance lover in your life?

5. Middle Names
I'm not one of those pet owners who gives their pets their last name. Isis, Hammond, and Skaara Ritta? No thanks. (If you do that, more power to you ... I just think it's a little weird.) My cats are just Isis, Hammond, and Skaara. Period.

Until now.

Isis has been particularly naughty recently. It probably started out innocently enough on her part, but she now knows how to work the system. A couple weeks ago, she was sitting on top of a bookshelf, and she decided to try to pull down the garland (see picture below). In an effort to distract her, I pulled out the laser pointer my aunt gifted the cats with a while back. She went nuts for it. Problem solved, I thought. Nope. You can probably guess where this is going ... Now every time she wants to chase the laser, she hops up on the bookshelf and tries to pull down the garland.

Anyway, sometime between the first time she pulled the garland down and Monday night, I began calling her "Isis Marie" when I was especially frustrated. I have no idea why. But I do like the sound of it, so I decided to give the boys middle names, too. Skaara Samuel and Hammond Alexander. Like "Marie," they have no special meaning; I just like the sound.

Isis Marie. Skaara Samuel. Hammond Alexander.

Just don't throw Ritta onto the end!

6. Gina Rodriguez's Golden Globe Nomination
A few weeks ago, I told you that The Flash was my favorite new show of the season. While I still completely adore the show and Barry Allen, another show has topped The Flash: Jane the Virgin. Now, before you run out and start binge watching, let me warn you that Jane is definitely an adult show. Not adult a la Sons of Anarchy or Game of Thrones with lots of language, violence, sex, and/or nudity, but adult as in please don't watch this show with your kids.

The setup is completely ludicrous: Jane is a 20-something Latina living in Miami with her (rather promiscuous) mom and grandma. As a child, she saw the damage her mother's lifestyle caused--plus she was pressured by her grandmother--and she made a commitment to remain a virgin until marriage. When Jane goes in for her yearly pap, her distraught-because-of-her-partner's-infidelity substitute gynecologist artificially inseminates Jane instead of the woman in the next room, making Jane a pregnant virgin.

Throw in a fantastic narrator, Jane's telenovela star father, the super hot baby daddy, and twists worthy of, well, a telenovela, and you've got such a fun hour of TV. On the CW, of all places. (I now watch four CW shows: Jane, The Flash, Arrow, and Hart of Dixie. That's more shows than I watch on any other network. Crazy, huh?)

Anyway, the Golden Globe nominations were announced last week, and, shock of all shocks, Gina Rodriguez (Jane) was nominated! Shows that I love very rarely get any awards love, so this is great. It's a well deserved nomination, and I hope this will be enough to keep the show on the air for another season!

7. Serial parody from Funny or Die
So you know that I've been a bit obsessed with Serial recently. The first season ended yesterday, and I guess I'm as satisfied as possible, considering we still don't know if Adnan is guilty or innocent. (My theory is that he didn't kill Hae but was at least somewhat involved. Of course, I can't prove anything.) Anyway, Funny or Die released a Serial parody video right before the last episode, and it is spot on. (There is some harsh language.) If you're a Serial fan, you'll get a kick out of it!

The Final Episode Of Serial from Funny Or Die

8. Lemon Poppyseed Breakfast Cookies
I've recently started a new diet called Trim Healthy Mama. You may have heard of it--it's pretty popular right now. The basic concept is that you shouldn't eat carbs and fats in the same meal, and when you do eat carbs, they should be from low glycemic foods. I've only been doing this since Monday, so I don't really have any results yet--except that after feeling terrible the first three days, I'm not crashing mid-afternoon anymore. I'm sure I'll talk about this more in the future.

All week, I had steel cut oats for breakfast--I make them in the crockpot overnight, and they're good, but by this morning, I was pretty sick of them. So I went in search of another quick on-plan breakfast, and I found these breakfast cookies on All Day I Dream About Food. I did adapt the recipe a bit, using 3 tablespoons Truvia in place of the 1/2 cup of Swerve, leaving out the Stevia because I don't have any, and adding an extra tablespoon of lemon juice, as I like my lemon items to be very lemony. Also, I didn't add the glaze. They aren't incredibly sweet, but they scream LEMON!

They are amazingly delicious! They taste like poppyseed muffins. Yummy! My picture isn't nearly as amazing as the ones on Carolyn's site, but it'll give you an idea:

9. Ulta Gift Bag
Ulta had an amazing sale on Butter London nail polish on Cyber Monday. Since Butter London is my new favorite brand, I couldn't resist indulging. Not only was the nail polish half price, but they were offering a gift bag full of samples for anyone who bought $60 worth of products. But here's the kicker--your items just had to be worth $60--you didn't have to actually pay $60 to get the gift bag. Let me tell you, this gift bag was better than any ipsy bag I ever got, except for maybe the first one. Everything pictured below, except for the nail polish, was free. So far, I've used the Purity face wash (works really well but smells awful) and the Big Sexy Hair blow dry volumizing gel. That, I'm in love with. I'm pretty sure I'll be purchasing it once my sample runs out--it definitely adds body to my thin hair!

10. Nashville
I know that Nashville has been a Friday Favorite before, but it's even more fitting now than it was then--I am completely obsessed. I just started Season 2, and I have to say, if Deacon & Rayna aren't part of the showrunners' end game, I may throw a fit. And don't even get me started on Juliette. I swear, I go from loathing to liking her so often it's making my head spin. Just when I think she's making strides, she goes and does something incredibly stupid ... and to hear my friend Joanna tell it, that's going to go on for quite a while! Nashville is so, so soapy--and I love it! (Also, one of my soap favorites, Jonathan Jackson from General Hospital--I talked about him here--has a major role as aspiring singer Avery. I absolutely hated him at first, and I hated that I hated him, since I loved him on GH. But lately, he's been growing on me, and Joanna assures me that I will eventually love him!)

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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six questions

This blog has been all about the book reviews all month long. Between reading, reviewing, working, and, well, watching Fall TV, I haven't had time for much else! But I do have other things to talk about, so I thought I'd do a question and answer post. I've thought of six questions that you might ask me if we met for coffee, and I'll answer them here. (Why six? Because six has been my favorite number ever since, as a six-year-old, I heard Bert sing about his favorite number.) So grab a cup of coffee—I've got my fall favorite pumpkin spice latte—and enjoy this glimpse into my world.

Are you still gluten free?
Yes! It really hasn't been too difficult, and the worst part by far is eating out. I've discovered that I absolutely love almond and coconut flour (too bad they're pretty expensive), and I've had fun experimenting with gluten free baked goods. (Some have turned out awesome, others not so much.) My favorite is a peanut butter cookie recipe that I've adapted into a really awesome cookie, if I do say so myself. I'll try to snap pics the next time I make them and then post the recipe here on the blog.

How are you feeling?
This is kind of ironic, as I'm writing this on a day that I'm having what I like to call a "thyroid day," but I actually feel tons better. I don't feel "normal" yet, but I feel the best I've felt in two years. Two years! I think it's a combination of going gluten free, changing medication, making sleep a priority, and reducing stress. I still have hopes of getting my energy back, losing weight, and being able to fully participate in things I love, but if this is all the better it gets, it's livable, and I will be grateful for the health I have.

The other day, while on a two-mile walk (something that would have killed me just six months ago but I did with ease now), my mom asked me what my dreams are. I couldn't even answer her. These last two years have been all about surviving, not dreaming. But now it's time to start thinking about goals other than "make it through the work day so I can crash on my couch."

What classes are you teaching this year?
As I have for the last couple of years, only yearbook. While I do miss getting to know the international students on as personal a level (which I talked about here and here), I also am enjoying my job as a whole more than I have probably ever. I still do a little bit of a lot of things, but my main area is communications: website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, our quarterly newsletter, etc.

Are you doing Singing Christmas Tree?
Considering Singing Christmas Tree has been such a huge part of my life and was even a large factor in my decision to attend my church, this may come as a surprise, but no. It's not that I don't want to participate, but I'm trying to make decisions that will help, not hinder, my healing process. One of the things I'm learning is that stress and tiredness are huge triggers for me. If I have a big, busy day, I can pretty much guarantee that either the next day or the day after that I will not feel well. Singing Christmas Tree is a wonderful ministry, but it is also incredibly time consuming and exhausting, and speech season (my most stressful time of the year) directly follows it. I want to go into speech as healthy and rested as possible. I hope to rejoin the choir next year.

What has God been teaching you?
First of all, I'm finally learning to say no to things. When I was struggling with whether or not to do Singing Christmas Tree, I mentioned to a co-worker what I was thinking. Her response? "You are way harder on yourself than anyone else will be. If you need to take a break, you take a break. They'll survive without you." So true. While I feel a little guilty about taking this year off, I shouldn't.

I'm also learning compassion. Because Hashimoto's is a disease that often isn't physically apparent, most people who see me would have no idea that anything was wrong with me. The knowledge that others have no idea how I feel has helped me understand that, likewise, I have no idea what others are going through. I need to extend grace to others instead of being so judgemental. I don't know what circumstances in their lives are influencing the way they behave and the decisions they make.

Most importantly, though, I'm learning that God has everything under control. It's one of those things that I always know in my head, but sometimes my heart forgets. And then God steps in, and it's like he's nudging me and saying, "See? I've got this." This was especially evident a few weeks ago. Back at the beginning of August, I finally got a referral to an endocrinologist, but I couldn't get in to see her until mid-November. This is the same endo my dad sees for his diabetes, so he called to see if we could switch appointments, as he had one in early September. They said no, since initial appointments take longer than return visits, but they could put me on a waiting list in case of cancellations. The morning of my dad's appointment, I got a call from the clinic—they had a cancellation, and the slot was mine if I wanted it. So I was able to carpool with my dad and see the doctor a full two and a half months early! If that's not a God thing, I don't know what is!

Now a fun one: Do you have any good movie or TV recommendations?
Of course I do! Movie first: Belle. It's about a mixed race daughter of an British Navy captain who is raised by her great aunt and uncle on an English estate in the late 1700s. I don't really want to say much more than that because you need to watch it. It would make a great companion piece to Amazing Grace—both deal with slavery in different ways.

TV: Forever. It stars Ioan Gruffudd as a man who can't die. Well, he actually CAN die, he just can't STAY dead. He's a medical examiner in New York City who has a skill for discerning how people died, and he often works with a female detective. Sound a bit like Castle? It definitely has that feel to it. So far, I'm loving it! You can watch the pilot episode here.

And while we're on the subject of TV, if you're looking for a good binge watching show, check out Ringer on Netflix. It also stars Gruffudd (and Sarah Michelle Gellar)—I recently recommended it to another blogger after she wrote about Forever, and then I had this urge to watch it again. I'm one of about five people who actually watched it when it aired on the CW, and I'm enjoying it just as much on this pass through as I did on the first. (Yes, it's ridiculously soapy with about a million plot holes, but it's so entertaining!) There's only one season, so you won't even have to spend much time watching. Plus, Logan Echolls is a guest star ...

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time to catch up

December is more than half over, and my life is finally beginning to slow down! I've hardly had time to read, let alone blog recently. But I do have a few things I want to tell you about!

• Singing Christmas Tree is officially over for another year. It's crazy how quickly it goes once our concert season hits! I stood on the fourth row this year, the highest up I've ever been, where I experienced new levels of heat. Seriously, one night we were literally dripping sweat! But, despite the varying levels of discomfort this year, I truly enjoyed my time in the Tree. I'm so thankful I have the opportunity to be involved year after year!
  
  
• As you well know, it's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year ... which means loads of Christmas movies! I've already watched more than my fair share: the good, the bad, and the painful. I still have a few to watch, but I've picked out some of the best and worst to tell you about.
  
  The Best: Favorite New Movie: Matchmaker Santa. It's cute and romantic without being over the top or cheesy ... until the very end. It just kind of fizzles out. But overall, it's an enjoyable movie, and Lacey Chabert is adorable. Favorite New to Me Movie: Trading Christmas. This premiered on Hallmark last year, but as I had no access to cable, I missed it. It is completely delightful and actually comes across as semi-realistic! (Trust me, "semi-realistic" is one of the highest compliments you can pay to a Christmas movie.) Plus, Tom Cavanagh (I'll always remember him affectionately as Ed) is one of the stars. This is a great movie that I'd love to add to my ever-expanding Christmas movie collection.
  
  Now for the bad: Cheesiest, Most Unrealistic Movie: A Bride for Christmas. This is also a Hallmark movie, and it's all kinds of terrible! I almost didn't even watch it because I'm not a fan of the star. You know how sometimes you can't get past a role that an actor or actress had, even if it was years ago? That's how I feel about Arielle Kebbel. She's probably a really great person, but she was the much-despised Lindsay on Gilmore Girls, and I just haven't liked her ever since. Then you throw in McNab from Psych as an ex with a horrible haircut ... and it just gets worse from there! Basically, the plot is a cross between Runaway Bride and She's All That with a little How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days thrown in for good measure. It's really, really bad. But it's still not The Worst Movie I've Seen This Season. That honor goes to The March Sisters at Christmas. It's a horrible update of Little Women. Normally, I love adaptations of classic literature, but this is terrible! I could go on and on, but instead I'll just send you to this article that says practically everything I'm thinking. (Warning: There is some mild cursing in the article.) The movie does have one redeeming quality: Mark Famiglietti as Marcus Bhaer. But trust me, you do not want to watch this movie. (We have Lifetime to blame for this one, not Hallmark.)
  
  
• In an effort to be a responsible pet owner, I just dropped off my three—Isis, Skaara, and Hammond—at the local vet clinic, where they will be spayed or neutered. OK, so perhaps I did it not because I'm responsible, but because I'm selfish. In actuality, I couldn't care less if there are lots of cats roaming the earth ... I just don't want my cats roaming the earth, and I read that neutered cats are much more likely to stay close to home. And as for Isis, while I'm sure she'd be a great mother, my biggest fear surrounding her is that she'll have kittens in the dead of winter, which would then most likely die because my cats have to be outdoor cats.
  
  It was really hard to leave them at the clinic, and I can't wait to pick them up on Wednesday! (I'm also really thankful they spend the night before and the night after the procedure at the clinic.) In case you've forgotten how adorable they are, here's a refresher.
  
  
• I saved the best for last: I recently learned that I've been chosen to be part of author Tricia Goyer's 2013 Fiction Launch Team! There are about 100 bloggers that have been chosen, and we're starting by promoting Tricia's new novel Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska, which is co-written by Ocieanna Fleiss. There will be giveaways, author interviews, book reviews, and other promotions, so stay tuned! 

Button Designed by Team Member Marcy Crabtree

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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live second: undeserved

Over the next several days, I—along with many other bloggers—will be blogging about the new book Live Second: 365 Ways to Make Jesus First. Rather than giving my thoughts on the book right now (I'll do that later), I'll be responding to different readings in the book. In the book, each week has a different theme, and each theme has an "I am Second" video that goes with it. I will be writing about one reading from weeks six through nine.

Week Six in Live Second is called "Struggles." The video is of Brian "Head" Welch, former Korn guitarist.



I am focusing my attention on Day 7, "Undeserved." The day's reading is Psalm 104:1-6 (ESV):

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
  and all that is within me,
  bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
  and forget not all his benefits,
  who forgives all your iniquity,
  who heals all your diseases,
  who redeems your life from the pit,
  who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
  who satisfies you with good
  so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord works righteousness
  and justice for all who are oppressed.

I'll admit it: often I forget just how undeserving of salvation I really am. As someone who grew up in the church, whose entire teenage rebellion consisted of sneaking into my parents' basement to watch shows like (gasp!) Friends, and who is inherently a rule follower, it's easy to get sucked into thinking that I am and have always been a pretty good person.

But the reality is that before Jesus saved me, my heart was black with sin. No, God didn't redeem me from the pit of drug or alcohol addiction, from a life of promiscuity, or from any of those other so-called "bad" sins. But he redeemed my selfish, proud, angry heart that was just as deserving of Hell as any murderer, prostitute, or addict (Romans 3:23).

Each December, I sing in the Singing Christmas Tree choir. SCT is my church's Christmas program, and we have 12 performances over three weekends. As I sing the songs, especially by this point in the season, I usually don't think about the meaning of the lyrics; in fact, I often am not thinking about much of anything as I sing ... unless I'm debating whether or not I'll drive through Starbucks or stop at Walmart on my way home! Last weekend was different, though. As I drove to our first performance on Saturday, I was listening to my practice CD. One of my favorite songs, "Jesus Saves," came on, and while I sang, I actually thought about what I was singing. Suddenly, I couldn't even get the lyrics out, as I was completely awash in wonder that Jesus would save me! After that, each time we reached this section of the song, I'd get a hitch in my voice:

"It is done!" will shout the cross
Christ has paid redemption's cost
While the empty tomb's declaring
Jesus saves!

I did nothing to deserve salvation. I did nothing to earn it. And yet He freely offered it. That's Grace!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a digital copy of this book for review purposes from the author. I was not required to give a positive review, and the opinions expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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shapelygirl fitness: week three update

"Life doesn't always turn out the way you plan." -While You Were Sleeping

If I had to title this week, I would call it Week of Frustration. I began the week feeling so much better than I'd felt in over a month. Sunday and Monday were crazy-busy with church, Singing Christmas Tree practice, work, a visit from my cousin and her adorable daughters, and reading and blogging about three books, so I didn't have time to work out. Then on Tuesday night, I hurt my leg ... so I wasn't able to work out nearly as much as I'd hoped. This was especially frustrating because I felt like I finally had the energy for a good hard workout! Plus, I'm mad at myself because I know this injury is of my own making ... I inherited my mom's bad knees, and I've had problems with them off and on since high school. Well, on Tuesday night, I was working out barefoot. Yes, barefoot. So I had no support. Stupid, stupid, stupid!!! My leg is healing, and I'm hoping to be back at full strength by next week.

Workout 1 (10-16-12): My goal was to do the bonus walk and abdominal workout tonight. Things didn't go as planned, though. I started the bonus walk with a lot of energy and enthusiasm ... but about 10 minutes in, my left leg started hurting on the back side of the knee. Probably stupidly, I finished out the bonus walk and moved into the standing abs. But my leg hurt more and more every minute, and I stopped after just a couple minutes. I ended up elevating and icing my leg for the rest of the evening.

Workout 2 (10-19-12): Even though my leg felt much better on Wednesday, I didn't want to push it, so I didn't do anything strenuous. I was sure that I'd be able to jump back in on Thursday. I was wrong. I woke up Thursday morning with an aching knee, and when I got out of the shower, I saw that it was swollen. So I iced it off and on all day.

I was finally able to work out again today (Friday)! I did the Beginner's Walk ... and I left out certain parts in an effort to keep from re-injuring my knee. I felt a few twinges of pain, but for the most part, I was okay. Then I iced my knee again when I finished.

This week's numbers:
Weight: 191.4 (down .8 pounds)
Measurements: down 1 inch on my thigh, down .5 on my upper arm, and up .5 on my calf (I knew that would happen!)

As I've read through other ShapelyGirl Fitness Review Crew blogs, I've noticed a similar theme. Women are dealing with sickness, back problems, leg problems, marital problems, job stress, and the list goes on and on. We're all doing our best to fulfill our commitment to CWA and ShapelyGirl Fitness, but obstacles are being thrown into our paths. We all need your prayer! Yes, we are facing a physical battle, but it's also spiritual! Several of the women have chosen power scriptures for each week. I hadn't ... until now. This is my prayer for all of us on the crew:

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV)

Check in with the other women on the Crew and see how they're doing!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free copy of this product to review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” I am part of the CWA Review Crew.

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the proof of your love

A while ago, a friend introduced me to the Christian band for KING & COUNTRY. Their music is great, and if you haven't heard them before, you really should check them out. As I thought about what to title this post, their song "The Proof of Your Love" kept running through my head. It's a song about wanting your life to reflect God's love to those around, which is really not the focus of this post ... but the title still applies!

One of the things we're supposed to be doing in my Beth Moore Bible study is writing down personal revelations for each week—ways God shows Himself to us. Honestly, I've been struggling with that part. September was a pretty terrible month for me health wise—nothing major, but I felt sick more often than not, and when I don't feel good, it's hard for me to take my eyes off myself and see how God is working.

Yesterday, my mom and I went to Omaha to visit Blendy and go to the symphony. But on the way, I started feeling sick again, and we ended up leaving Omaha before the symphony. This morning, I still wasn't feeling well, but I'd made plans with someone after church, and Singing Christmas Tree practices started today, so I decided to go ahead and go to church. Right before leaving for church, I found out my friend needed to cancel our lunch plans, and I almost just stayed home. I'm so glad I didn't!

As I was walking toward the church building, I bumped into my new friend Julie. Julie and I went to college together, but we never met. We connected over facebook during the Nebraska-Wisconsin game last week; we have a mutual college friend who asked a question about Bo Pelini, we both responded, and we discovered we both live in the Grand Island area. (This is big because there aren't many Grace alums in the area. At all.) Then on Thursday night, we met for coffee at The Chocolate Bar. Anyway, it was a nice surprise to run into Julie this morning and to meet her husband and son.

Then when I walked into the sanctuary, I spotted Stephany and her boyfriend. Steph and I are rarely in church on the same Sundays, and it was so nice to sit with her and catch up a bit. On the way out of church, I chatted with one of my VBS kids, last year's Bible study leader Carol, and former student Jess.

I decided to go hang out at Barista's for a while, as practice didn't start until 3. And who should walk in but Jamie, a friend I hadn't spent any time with since the end of May! We didn't have long to talk, but it was so nice to see her.

As I drove to Singing Christmas Tree practice, it hit me that my day was the proof of God's love for me. He used people to make my day better and take my eyes off my own problems. (And if you're wondering, Singing Christmas Tree practice was wonderful—our director said it was like a family reunion as we all got back together for the first time since last December, and she was right!)

I'm sure that if I would just keep my eyes open, I would see so many more proofs of God's love for me. What about you? How is God showing you His love?

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while you were sleeping

Another year of Singing Christmas Tree is over. (You can read an article about it here.) It's such a huge part of my life from October (when rehearsals begin) through mid-December that it's a strange feeling when it ends. I'm already looking forward to next October!

The title of this year's program was "While You Were Sleeping"—and we sang the Casting Crowns song of the same name during the program.While I enjoyed the song when I first heard it a couple years ago, it was my least favorite song to sing during the program—and we had to sing parts of it at two different times! Each time we sang it, my mind wandered to another While You Were Sleeping ... the movie.

While You Were Sleeping has been my favorite movie ever since I saw it in the 8th grade. (Not coincidentally, that's also the time that Sandra Bullock became my favorite actress.) I've probably watched it more than 20 times over the years, and I could quote practically the entire thing. (That in itself is quite a feat ... my siblings always make fun of me because I can never get movie quotes!)

While I thought about WYWS every time we sang the song, and I often promised myself I would watch it when I got home, I never did—until tonight. I came home from Singing Christmas Tree absolutely exhausted but not really ready to go to bed. So I popped WYWS into the DVD player. I enjoyed every minute of it! I hadn't watched it in probably a year, and absence definitely made the heart grow fonder. I quoted my favorite parts. I laughed. I once again marveled at Peter Gallagher's eyebrows. I yelled at Jack when he didn't step up and tell Lucy how he felt. And I took great pleasure in the bike scene, which I've embedded below.



Watching While You Were Sleeping was the perfect wrap-up to the "While You Were Sleeping" season of the Singing Christmas Tree. And the movie even fits in with the season, as it takes place basically from Christmas through the first couple weeks of January. (I have never considered it to be a Christmas movie, but I guess it would qualify.) Here's a link to the trailer to remind you just how great the movie is ... and if, heaven forbid, you've never seen the movie, maybe it'll make you curious enough to watch it. It's so cute!

What's your favorite movie? Why do you like it? Do you share my affection for Sandra Bullock? Sound off in the comments! 

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a quick trip

At the end of October, my sister Blendy, her friend Janelle, and I made a quick trip to Indiana to see Val. (Well, Janelle went to see her boyfriend, but she saw Val, too.) Once we got home, I hit the ground running with book reviews, homework assignments, and Singing Christmas Tree practices, so I'm just getting around to blogging about it. And since I'm feeling kind of lazy, I'm not even going to write any more—I'll just direct you to my facebook album! So go here to see what we did ...

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2010 retrospective

I realize I'm a little late on this (don't people usually do the look back at the year at the end of December?), but my two snow days are finally giving me a chance to catch up on some things!

2010: A year filled with high highs and low lows. Of my 29 years, 2010 was probably the hardest, yet I also learned so much through the challenges. Here's a look back at the events that impacted me the most throughout the year.

January: On January 1-2, I spent about 3 hours in the emergency room with abdominal pain. It definitely wasn't how I planned to begin my year, but something good came out of it. The ER doctor sent me home after ruling out appendicitis and kidney stones, but she suspected gall stones. While the ultrasound I had the next week didn't show any stones, my doctor suspected my gall bladder was "sluggish," and she suggested I drastically cut the fat in my diet. Wanting to avoid pain and more trips to the doctor, I did ... and in the process lost 25 pounds! Somewhere along the line, I picked five back up, so I'm starting 2011 twenty pounds lighter than I started 2010. I'm hoping to make it another 20 this year, but I know doing so will require a lot of discipline and hard work.


April: My friend and former roommate Melissa married Ryan, and I was honored to be one of her bridesmaids. It was a wonderful (and short) celebration, and I loved seeing my friend so happy! Also, by that point in the year, I'd lost enough weight that my dress had to be taken in :-)

Melissa and me on her wedding day.

May: I started feeling sick again. Well, I really started feeling "off" in April, but I didn't actually see a doctor until May. My strange symptoms--lightheadness, headaches, racing heartbeat, no appetite, no energy--led to some expensive tests and no real answers. Finally in June, after a brain scan that showed nothing abnormal, I decided to go to the chiropractor. After he heard my symptoms, he immediately wanted to take an x-ray of my neck. I had several vertebrae out of place. He also suspected an iodine deficiency and started me on supplements. Within two weeks of treatments, most of my symptoms were gone, and within a month, I had my energy back! I still don't know if my neck sprain is the only thing that was wrong, but I don't care ... 'cause I feel good! I'm now a firm believer in chiropractic care!

June: One of my high school acquaintances started a women's Bible study. There are five of us who normally attend, and this has been a needed addition to my life. Now I have a group of women praying for me and keeping me accountable, and I eagerly anticipate each meeting. God brought this into my life just when I needed it!

July: July is a blur--I spent much of it away from home! At the beginning of July, Blendy and I drove to Indiana for my college roommate Jen's wedding. This wedding was a total celebration, and I had a blast! We arrived a couple of days before the wedding, and it was great to hang out with Jen and (hallmate) Sarah and get to know Jen's beloved a bit, as well! Then at the end of the month, Blendy and I took off on our great road trip adventure! We started in Michigan, spent a couple days in Pennsylvania, visited my college friend Holly near Cleveland, attended college roommate Jodi's wedding, and then stayed overnight at Jen & Josh's apartment before we returned home. It was such a fun trip!

Me and Sarah a couple days before Jen's wedding

The Hrens and me.

Me and Blendy on our fabulous road trip.

Me and Jodi.

August: While we were on our roadtrip adventure, I got a call from Val's landlord. Val and her roommate decided to move to Grand Island, and Larry wanted to know if I was interested in renting the house after they moved out in August. Because the house was going on the market, they were willing to rent for next to nothing ... so I decided to take a leap and move! I'm loving living in a house instead of an apartment ... and I'm really loving the garage!

My house (obviously not in August!)

November: I accompanied nearly 50 high school students on a trip to Washington, D.C. I had a blast (though I could happily live my life without spending another night on a bus!) and intended to blog about it when I got home. That didn't happen, but at least you can see some pictures here!

December: Two things consumed my December. The first was the Singing Christmas Tree. This was my fourth year as a choir member, and I had the most fun of any year--probably because I connected with other choir members better than I had before. As an added bonus, Blendy had a solo, and I overflowed with sisterly pride each time she sang.

Blendy singing her solo. Sorry it's so blurry!

The other thing consuming December wasn't so pleasant. My grandma's health was declining rapidly, and on December 20, she died. I woke up that morning feeling an urgency to see her, so I got everything in order at work and left for Kansas. My mom was already there--she had gone down the week before--and after I arrived, we spent a while with Grandma before leaving for supper. Then we returned and spent another hour or so with her before leaving for the night. While I was there, I said everything I wanted to say to Grandma, and though she wasn't really able to communicate, I will go to my grave believing she was trying to say "I love you." When we left that night, we had no idea she was so near to death, so it was quite a shock when the nursing home called us at 11 to say she had passed away. The next week was a whirlwind of activity--my mom's brother and sister both arrived the next day, and the funeral was set for the Monday after Christmas. Prior to Grandma's death, I worried that Christmas would be depressing and sad, and we all certainly faced moments of sadness, but overall the mood was happy. Grandma had been in severe pain, and I rejoice in knowing that she will never experience pain again!

Most memorable moment of the year: I had no idea this would turn out to be my most treasured memory of 2010 when it happened, but now I'm so thankful for the day in July when Mom and I took Grandma out for her birthday. It turned out to be my last meaningful time with Grandma. She had an absolute blast--we took her to Cracker Barrel for supper, then we returned to her house for pie and presents. I will never forget how happy she was, and I will always treasure that night.  

Grandma and Mom at Cracker Barrel.

She got a free sundae because it was her birthday. Hamming for the camera was rather uncharacteristic!

My last picture with my grandma. It's one I'll treasure.

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a quick update

Life has been so busy lately! I keep thinking of things to write about, but then I don't get around to it. So, here's another of my famous "bullet" updates:

• Mom and I are seeing Straight No Chaser in Omaha tomorrow night! I bought the tickets for her birthday--in May--and it's crazy to think the day is almost here. I'm sure I'll have more to say after the fact. Too bad our tickets aren't as amazing as they were last December!
• I've started a blog for my advanced reading class. As of now, it's private, meaning only the class members and I can read or post to it. We may go public later. For now, though, here's a look at the class (at the top of the page). I absolutely love teaching them!
• My dreadfully neglected other blog lives again! (Well, there's one new post ... it's a start!)
• Blendy and I just signed up for the Singing Christmas Tree. Practices start in just over a week. I love Christmas!
• Speaking of Christmas, how's this for a gimmick? One of our radio stations, Star 97.3, has been playing Christmas music non-stop since Sunday afternoon. Apparently the station is switching formats--listeners are about to receive the "gift" of a new radio station ... hence the Christmas music in the meantime. I listened off and on for about a day--now I wish they'd just get on with it and play whatever it is they're going to play. At least I haven't heard the Christmas song that makes me want to drive over a cliff ... (Another station switched formats almost exactly a year ago. They had their own annoying gimmick to go with the switch.)
• I've signed up for my first 5K! Val's going to run it, and Blendy and I will walk it together. Wish us luck!
• I just found a new "favorite" movie. It's called Perfect Romance, and you can watch it on Hulu for a few more days. Starring LOST's Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick), it's a cute little romance ... and it's incredibly clean, especially considering it's a Lifetime movie. If you're a sucker for romance, you'll like it!

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remy zero said it best ...

... when they sang "Somebody save me!"

That's how I've felt over the last two days--like I needed someone to save me from the insanity that surrounds this last week of school. If I had made a "to do" list yesterday, it would have looked a little something like this:

• write ESL final
• do powerpoint for Awana Christmas program
• enter grades
• proof/edit yearbook pages
• read Saving Cicadas (my book review blogger book--I really want to finish it because they now have a book available that I'd love to read--I can't remember the name, but it has to do with Lost!)
• practice Singing Christmas Tree music
• attend Awana Christmas program
  
• practice Festival of Lessons & Carols music (this practice will be with the conductor--and he's going to be able to tell that I don't know my music at all!)
• meet with speech kids
• figure out what StuCo is doing for Christmas
• clean my apartment
• go to Festival practice (all day Friday)
• go to the last four SCT concerts
• call the chiropractor
• submit 16 yearbook pages (due next Wed!)

I honestly can't remember the last time I've been so stressed out (but I bet it involved yearbook!), and I really let the stress get to me. I was not fun to be around at supper last night, that much I'm sure of! This morning, I was on track to be just as stressed ... I had overslept, probably largely due to my inability to get to sleep last night as I continued focusing on everything I needed to do, I got to work late, and I was just plain grumpy. Then I read Jen's blog. She wrote about all the things she was looking forward to this Christmas season. She has had a lot of stress in her life, yet she was choosing to focus on the good things. 

Now I'm choosing to do the same. This week will undoubtedly continue to be stressful, but I can choose how I respond to the stress. I may have a zillion things to do this week, but I can be joyful while I do them, and I don't need to panic when things happen that are beyond my control. Before I know it, this week will be over, and it will be Christmas!

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catching up

Now that NaNoWriMo is over, I feel like I have my life back. Sort of. I'm no longer tied to my laptop for hours a day, but December brings its own craziness. So here are some little snippets I've been wanting to tell you but haven't taken the time to yet:

• Amazon is once again offering a free Christmas mp3 every day of the month through Christmas. Of course, these are hit and miss in their quality, but it's worth checking out.
• Last year, I blogged about Christmas music. Karen left a comment recommending Selah's Rose of Bethlehem. At that point last year, I'd already spent way too much money on Christmas music, so I didn't consider buying it, even though I love Selah. Yesterday, it popped up as a recommendation on Amazon. I listened to the 30-second preview of each song, and then I downloaded the mp3 album. Phenomenal! I highly recommend it.
• I officially have my first cold of the season ... fortunately, this cold seems to be controllable by DayQuil. Most of the time, cold medicine just knocks me out, but today I felt better after taking it! I'm hoping my ears don't get plugged ... that would make singing quite difficult!
• Speaking of singing, we have our first official Singing Christmas Tree concerts this weekend. We had a dress rehearsal last night, and things were pretty rough (as in nearly all the altos stopped singing during one song because we couldn't find our notes. It was truly painful). We have another dress rehearsal tomorrow night, and the concerts start on Saturday ...
• But I'll be missing the Saturday concerts because I'm going to see The Nutcracker in Omaha with our international students!
• You might notice new badge on the left hand side of the blog. I've joined another book review program--"Blogging for Books" for Waterbrook Multnomah. Multnomah put out the Palisades romances in the '90s, but they do publish books that aren't in the Christian romantic fiction vein. I'm very excited about the first two books I'm going to review for them, but as I don't have the books yet and the reviews can't be posted until sometime in January, I'll keep you in suspense a little longer!
• Saw The Blind Side with my sisters and cousins on Sunday. I loved it! It's a feel-good movie and it actually portrays Christians in a positive light! (Side note: Tim McGraw looks completely different when he's clean shaven and not wearing a cowboy hat!)
• I haven't posted on my other blog since Halloween. I do intend to remedy that soon, honestly!
• The latest issue of the Advance should be mailed tomorrow. (Finally!) You can also see it here. Note my awesome cousin Nate, trumpeter extraordinaire, on page 3 and my wonderful student council kids on page 8. The STUCO kids make my role as adviser fun and incredibly easy!
• I'm having a love affair with apple cider. STUCO sponsored a Thanksgiving social, and we majorly overestimated how much cider we'd need. I brought a full jug home with me, and I've been drinking some every night. How had I never before realized just how awesome cider is?
  
• My apartment is still completely undecorated. I did put up my stairwell decorations, so anyone who goes to the mailboxes will think I'm ready for Christmas. It's just a ploy. Maybe I'll have some time on Saturday???
• Cari suggested I write the book jacket synopsis for my novel and post it. That's a great idea ... I'll just have to force myself to do it! I will throw you a bone for now ... the title is Together for Good. 
• Have to give them points for creative marketing ... I got this in the mail the other day:
  
  
  
  
  
  I really have no interest whatsoever in the show (especially after reading the review in TV Guide), but I could always use another jump drive!
  
  
  
  
• Our amazing drama team took second place in our district this week! I love drama competitions because I don't have a real job to do--I just go along because I'm state certified and our drama director isn't. So I get to enjoy the play without the stress that comes with being in charge! The play is called "Searching for Happily Ever After." It is, as one of our judges so aptly put it, "Walt Disney meets the Bible."
  

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month of insanity, day three

It's day three, and I'm still in it, but I'm struggling.

Yesterday, I basically started over. I kept what I had already written, but I totally changed the way the story was headed.

Today, I had great intentions. In the nearly six hours since I left work, I ...

• got a haircut
• ate supper
• watched NCIS with Val
• sang through all of my Singing Christmas Tree songs ... some more than once
• downloaded a free mp3 album from Amazon
• watched the first half of V (I quit watching in order to write ... funny!)
• drank approximately four cups of coffee
• played a Straight No Chaser video for Blendy
• previewed a bunch of songs on Amazon and iTunes
• drank a root beer
• blogged
  
• wrote a grand total of 130 words

Hmmm ... I'll probably be up late because of the coffee, so maybe my creative juices will kick in soon!

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christmas is coming!

Yes, I know it's only the second week of October, but for me, the Christmas season starts when we start practicing for the Singing Christmas Tree. Our first practice was this afternoon. It's nice to be doing it for the second consecutive year--when I went back last year after being away for several years, I recognized a few people, but not too many. But this year, I remembered so many of the altos, and they remembered me! In a church of our size, it's hard to get to know people, and SCT is a great way to do that! Plus, Steph is singing this year, so it will be fun to share the experience with her.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that one of our songs is "The Majesty and Glory of Your Name." I wrote about that song once before. We sang it my high school choir, and I loathed it then. We sang it with a taped accompaniment, and I thought is was just ... lame. Wow, was I immature. First of all, the song comes directly from Scripture--Psalm 8. Second of all, it's just beautiful poetry! So I'm very excited that we'll be singing this song.

The other reason it feels like Christmas is coming is ... we had our first snow early Saturday morning! I'm not that thrilled about snow--it is only the beginning of October, after all--but it certainly makes me think about Christmas!

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i'm excited about ...

• my next book review blogger book: Green by Ted Dekker! I would have bought the book anyway ... but now I get it for free!
• taking my yearbook staff to the fall yearbook conference in Kearney tomorrow.
  
• Homecoming Week, during which I get to wear jeans to work every day. (I usually have to stretch things a bit in order to make jeans fit into each day's theme--for crazy footwear day a couple years ago, I pinned socks to my jean capris--but this year, each day naturally lends itself to jeans!)
• the start of Singing Christmas Tree practices! (October, I think?)
• watching more Fringe. I watched the pilot last fall, got bored, and didn't even finish the episode. A couple months ago, a friend who knows I love LOST asked me if I was into Fringe. I told her I wasn't, then she proceeded to tell me why I'd love it. So, I gave it a chance, getting the first disk from Netflix last week. She was right--and I have absolutely no idea why it bored me last fall!
• hanging with my family tonight, watching Friday's Psych and drinking delicious Sleepy Monk coffee.
• having my cousin claim my spare bedroom in a couple months.
• going to Indiana in less than two weeks!!!
  

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snow day

Last night, I stayed late to work on yearbook. I drove home in one of the craziest snow/ice/lightning storms I've ever seen. I had to stop a quarter of a mile down the road and rescrape my windshield because the windshield wasn't yet warm enough to melt the ice--instead, it froze to the windshield on contact. It took me 25 minutes to drive the two-ish miles to my apartment. By late evening, I knew we had a 10 a.m. start; at 9 a.m., school was cancelled. At 9:30, I learned I'd need to go cover phones in the office for a few hours this morning. So here I am. I could be grading papers, but I don't feel like it. Anyway, here are a few tidbits to catch you up on what's going on with me:

• My first yearbook deadline is the 24th, which means I have to get everything sent off on Monday. I'm so thankful we had our yearbook final test block yesterday--if it had been scheduled for today, I would have had about 10 pages to finish up on my own!
• Yes, I'm obsessed with amazon--with good reason! For the first 16 days of December, they offered complete sets of TV series, one per day, at severely discounted prices. My day was Dec. 11, when Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Series Megasetwas on sale for $89.99! Dr. Quinn was one of my favorite shows in junior high and high school, so I said, "Merry Christmas, Becky," and clicked the button to buy it.
• I'm also obsessed with Straight No Chaser. So here's some more info for you:
  
• You can get a free download of "What Child Is This" by signing up for their mailing list at www.sncmusic.com.
• iTunes has the bonus tracks "White Christmas" and "Africa" for $.99 each. Since "Africa" is adapted for part of "12 Days of Christmas" (and since I've loved "Africa" ever since the commercials for Cool Rockin the 90's), I was very excited to find it.
• Poor Val is stuck in Indiana . . . or Michigan . . . or Illinois. Her phone died just as she was going to tell me where. I really hope she can make it home tomorrow, although I hear the weather might be bad again.
• Speaking of bad weather, I hope it doesn't keep me away from the Singing Christmas Tree! We have our final four concerts this weekend, and I'll be sad when it's over.
• I have this project I've been working on for several months. I started with great gusto, but now it's like a chore to work on it. Val bet me that I wouldn't have it finished before Ritta Christmas (which is Jan. 11), so that should be motivation, as I'd love to prove Val wrong. It's not.
• I've sucessfully burned about 2 hours, and I'm now leaving. Steph's making homemade pizza for lunch!
  

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in the news

I've been too busy to blog much lately . . . but one of our local TV stations has made it easy to show you what I've been up to!

Singing Christmas Tree
It's the 35th year for the SCT, and a reporter came to one of Saturday's performances. We've done eight shows, and we have four to go! Being in the tree is so much fun--I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to do this. Go here to read the story and watch the video. Look for me at 1:03! I'm the 4th person from the right on the bottom row.

Festival of Lessons and Carols
Last night was the 4th Annual Festival of Lessons and Carols at NC. I've been part of the choir for the past three years. The day is absolutely exhausting, but I really enjoy it! This year, we had a guest organist, Mark Thallander. You can watch Channel 5's video here. And, again, if you look really hard you can see me, sort of: At 0:58, count three people to the right from the conductor's (Eric Dale Knapp) head. That's me! My cousin Nate is two people to the left of me. My mom got to sing a solo, Steph sang in a quartet, and Nate sang in the quartet and played his trumpet for one of the orchestra's songs. I wish I had videos of those things to post, too!

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family resemblance?

At Singing Christmas Tree practice today, a guy thought Melissa and I were sisters. I've never thought we looked too much alike before, but my sister said she's had people ask her if Melissa and I were related. At least the guy didn't think I was her mother (yes, that's happened to me before . . . with a friend who is older than me!). What do you think? Could we be sisters?

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make a joyful noise

Singing Christmas Tree practices started today. I'm so excited about singing again! (I'm also excited about seeing Melissa on a more regular basis . . . we'll have lots of time together with all the rehearsals and performances in the next two months!) We're doing a few songs that we did when I sang three years ago. The music is really good, and I think the drama will be as well--it's the Apostle Paul telling other inmates about Jesus while he's in prison. Be sure to get your tickets!

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