From Katie: The following are a collection of real conversations and quotes that happened in real life, over Facebook/Twitter, or were found in books. <>< Katie
"Worship is giving God the best that He has given you." - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
John: I'm going to make another phone call. If he answers, I'm going to take it.
Neal: No matter the question, Jesus is the answer.
Katie: What's for lunch?
Stephen: Communion?
Rebekah: Katie, you're obese on the inside.
David: Anyone want anything while I'm upstairs?
Katie: I want lots of things but not that you can get upstairs.
David: If I find a job up there, I'll let you know.
Katie: Did you just say, "I'm turning my cat into an elephant?"
Rebekah: Why would I want to eat my cat?
"Never let praise go to your head. Never let criticism go to your heart." - Rick Warren
Katie: Thanks for implying I'm nobody.
Sara: No problem, Poop Brain.
Stephen: No! Righteous Holy Spirit Brain!
Katie, Sara: What?
Rebekah: I challenged Stephen that anytime he thinks about poop he has to think about holiness and righteousness.
Jim: I'm going to have to start reading your blog next month.
Jen: Ok, guys, this is what we're going to do: we're going to go buy Jennifer the exact same heater and switch them like parents do when goldfish die.
Katie: Except we have to go back in time ten years to get the exact same heater.
Alex: And we have to find ten years worth of dust to put in it.
Brett: Do you not point with your middle finger?
Garret: I do that too. Especially when I'm driving.
Kevin: God's teaching you to be content in Him.
Katie: I'm trying!
Kevin: Being content in the Lord doesn't mean you want to stay in your situation. It means He put you there for a reason and therefore it's a good place to be.
Jennifer: What time is this test tomorrow?
Allyson: Your mom.
[Lots of laughter]
Allyson: I meant to say "Nine." They kind of sound the same.
Rebekah: I'm going to toast these buns then put some of Will's apple jelly on them.
Katie: Because that doesn't sound awkward at all.
Brett: I care not about a woman's ankles!
Sara: Now we know why we don't hang out with Stephen when he's alone.
Alex: No! It boosts my self-esteem as a male to be able to fix things.
Katie: How's your self-esteem doing tonight?
Alex: Give me just a minute.
Jennifer: Ok, I give you until 8:35.
Alex: What?! I need to at least 9:00.
Jennifer: You said, "Just a minute."
Alex: Ok, give me just a half an hour.
Allyson: We can't do this to myself.
"[T]he wonderful news is that Jesus has not stopped acting and speaking. He is resurrected and at work in our world. He is not idle, nor has He developed laryngitis. He is alive and among us as our Priest to forgive us, our Prophet to teach us, our King to rule us, and our Shepherd to guide us." - Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, 19
Katie: My lemonade tastes like blue cheese.
[Facebook]
Neal: Snow? Tonight? Possible. Tomorrow? Possible. Big storm Sunday? Maybe... just maybe.
Katie: Awe, man, I'm out of milk and bread. Now I'm going to be on of those Southerners stocking up for the blizzard.
Neal: Hey, just because you are from the frozen tundra area of the US, don't be a killjoy.
Meredith: I never understood the milk and bread thing. What are you doing to do with them? Milk sandwiches?
Neal: I know, right? Milk and double stuff Oreos makes more sense.
Katie: Ok, I'll totally go buy milk, bread, and double stuffed Oreos. - Killjoy
David: If you live above the Mason-Dixon line, you're half-Canadian. If you live west of the Mississippi, you're full cowboy.
Katie: Make sure whatever comes out of the toolbox goes back in the toolbox.
Alex: Oh. I was going to put this screwdriver in the cabinet. Is that ok?
Katie: Dishwasher. Please.
"Wait for God's timing and He will do it without any heartache or disappointment." - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
Rebekah: You need to keep taking Vitamin B6.
Katie: I already eat four meals a day. If I take that I'm going to eat the entire house!
Rebekah: It's not going to mess with your metabolism.
Katie: That's what it says!
Rebekah: It's not true; it's just what the medicine bottle says.
Jennifer: If you break it--
Alex: It won't be any more broken than it is now.
Corey: It's not sand; don't taste it!
David: Opinions are like butts: everyone has them and they all stink.
Alyssa: Nut-uh! Some people only have half-a-butt 'cuz they're Siamese. Isn't that a cat? What?
Danielle: Let's play a game. Name places you've been. Dominican Republic.
Courtland: Honduras.
Danielle: Nicaragua.
Courtland: England.
Danielle: Scotland.
Courtland: Ben's house.
Stephen: Yoga is not as fun as yogurt.
Weatherman: There were some snow flakes tonight, and we're not done. In some places there have been accumulations of over an inch. It's icy on bridges and roads and will continue to get worse overnight. It's been following consistently for the last hour. If you don't have to go out, stay home! By tomorrow afternoon we will have a high of 54.
Katie: I really love listening to Southern weathermen.
Jen: I WANT SNOW! I've never seen it!
Katie: How old are you?
Jen: Nineteen.
Jennifer: Around here if they even say the word "snow" they close school.
Jen: Why hasn't our school done that?
Katie: 'Cuz there's NO SNOW!
Jen: Yes, there is, on the TV!
Katie: Ok, let's watch Frosty and then there will be snow on the TV and they'll surely cancel school.
Isaac, 4: When someone has a broken heart it means I think they have to fix it with tape or something.
Keith: Rappers have two choices: grow up or get shot.
Rebekah: I love being domestic. It's my favorite thing to do! No, actually laughing's my favorite thing but being domestic is second.
Katie: Praising Jesus is my favorite thing to do.
Rebekah: Right. Whatever. [Beat] Don't Tweet that!
Katie: Nah, I'll save it for Wacky Wednesday.
Neal: Have you told God how you're feeling? He's a big boy. He can handle it, and He's the only one who can.
[Over the phone]
Tara: What are you doing?
Garret: I'm putting on a hoocher.
Tara: Where are you?
Garret: In Rebekah's bathroom.
[Tara said something I didn't catch]
Garret: No, I didn't say I'm wearing a hoocher; I said I'm putting one on.
[In this case, a "hoocher" was a cabinet latch]
"Once we get intimate with Jesus we are never lonely and we never lack for understanding or compassion. We can continually pour out our hearts to Him without being perceived as overly emotional and pitiful. The Christian who is truly intimate with Jesus will never draw attention to [herself] but will only show the evidence of a life where Jesus is completely in control." - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
Showing posts with label Kevin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kevin. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
Jesus Worldwide: India
From Katie: If you know someone who would be interested in being interviewed or guest posting for Jesus Worldwide, I would love the chance to chat with them. I have no problem visiting the same country more than once. After all, we all see the Lord work in different ways.
This week I got to chat with my friend Kevin, also sometimes called Jesus Shoes, and his chance to be the Lord’s feet in India. It is hard to whittle six months down to a single blog post, so check out more stories here (including the play-by-play of the war against the rats).
Katie: How long were you in India, and what were you doing there?
Kevin: For six months I lived in north India with several other Americans as part of a discipleship program to help continue the work the Lord had already been doing through the local church as well as two American missionaries living there.
The town has a mission hospital and school, so all of our different roles were centered around those places. One person in pursuit of a nursing degree worked at the hospital. I was exploring the possibility of becoming a teacher, so I taught and assisted in music classes, taught math to several sixth grade students, as well as history.
We were also involved in the local church. For me that meant writing the Bible study for the church youth group, discipling the guys of the youth group, teaching guitar lessons as a way to build relationships, and modeling mature Christian behavior.
I feel like that’s one of the biggest needs there. The church is there and it has some numbers but within the church there is a lack of discipleship. The older believers do not put much effort into training new believers, and the younger believers do not have much in the way of adult role models as far as how to walk with Christ and how to grow their faith.
Not that I have arrived as a believer (nor will I ever), but I have been walking with the Lord and there are a lot of practical things I could share as well as life experiences to pour out into them.
Katie: What is the relationship between the Christian hospital and school and the rest of the community?
Kevin: The area I was in is definitely hostile towards any kind of evangelism, as is most of the country of India. Normally one might think going to an area like that might not be the best of ideas but in this case the church is welcome and respected. It’s almost like the church has earned the right for its voice to be heard.
The Gospel initially came to this area with healthcare. It’s a very rural area in India that’s difficult to travel to. It’s not as difficult now as it was 30, 40, and 50 years ago. The Christian hospital was the first healthcare in the town and because they were providing healthcare to the people there, the locals welcomed and responded to the Gospel.
After some time the people working at the hospital began noticing a lot of preventable diseases and began to realize that if these people had education, they would not be seeing those patients. So they started a school, and it was the first school in the area. It started off teaching basics but also things that allowed students to go on to universities.
There are now multiple hospitals and multiple schools in town; however, the best healthcare comes from the Christian hospital and the best education comes from the Christian school.
Not all of the students are Christians. Some of them are sent there by their parents who want them in the best school and are able to afford it. It was interesting because they are in a situation where they hear the Gospel on a daily and their teachers are believers.
It was also interesting because the school has the learning center, the ability, and the space to help special needs students which is not common in India. It’s not a large program at a tradition school but they have the space to offer to students who are struggling which is unusual.
Katie: How did you see the Lord work while you were in India?
Kevin: I saw Him work in lots of ways.
While we were there we made a point to let students know we were available and if they wanted to talk about things or study the Bible together, we would do that. There was a teenage girl who was on the very edge. Her family situation wasn’t great but through the work of one of the other Americans and their building a relationship, this girl came to faith in the Lord. Her life has really changed, and we’ve been able to watch her grow through email updates from the missionaries who are still there. The Gospel is bearing fruit in her life, and she is being changed. It’s really amazing.
Another way was through the relationships with several students. Many of them are young and as they’re growing into adults they need to know that they’re loved. Just like here in the States, I saw a lot of bad parenting. Parents weren’t being parents, and their kids wanted attention and deserved it. I could never fill that role, but I could at least give the kids some attention. They weren’t just seeing me but they were, hopefully, seeing Christ in the ways that I treated them and the ways I treated the people in my house.
Typically in the local culture, the women do everything in the house and the men do not help. It was funny for them to come into our home and be seated, and then for me to make them chai that would actually be good. It’s not that difficult to make good chai; I enjoyed turning that cultural norm on its head.
Most of the time you try and respect their culture. Guys and girls don’t really spend a lot of time together in public. Even if they’re married, they don’t show any affection in public. Coming from a small, private college in the rural South, you get used to there being affection all of the time. It was a big adjustment but it’s something you do because you have to.
Another way I saw the Lord work was in my own life. You don’t go to a place like that for yourself, at least you shouldn’t. There are a lot of needs for the people there, but ultimately I think the biggest mark left from a trip like that is on you as the person who went rather than the people who are there. I would definitely say that was true for me.
Katie: What are some challenges you faced?
Kevin: We faced all sorts of challenges; you’re always going to have them.
For example, our plane ride was followed by a fifteen hour bus ride from Delhi. It started snowing while we were on our way. About three miles from our destination, the snow was a foot deep, and the bus finally stopped. We had to wait for a four-wheel-drive vehicle to take us the rest of the way. We were without power for our first two weeks. Our tap water went out, and our main water source in town went out.
The house we stayed in was old and not very well sealed, so there were rats that lived in there. We declared war against them and won! Not without losing some sleep first. It was kind of scary at times.
The church was also challenging in that there was a lot of immaturity among believers. In the New Testament we read Paul’s letters to various churches, specifically the letters to the people of Corinth, and he’s pretty angry. You read it, and you’re like, “Why were they doing that? They were crazy!”
I saw a lot of those kinds of things happening in the church. We would see things, and you want to react in ten different ways, but you can’t. It was a challenge to know how to love the church because for those problems to go away it isn’t going to be something an American outsider does to change it. It’s going to be the Holy Spirit changing peoples’ hearts. I can tell someone that he’s sinning but until he breaks down and says, “Yes, I’m a sinner. I’ve been doing this, and it’s not right,” no words I say will make a difference.
Katie: What can we learn from Christians in India?
Kevin: Well, we definitely won’t learn punctuality.
One thing I found that was essential was the church’s commitment to study and meditation. The maturing believers there study the Bible, not just the Gospels or the New Testament but the all of the Bible, and know and understand the details and to meditate on them. The spiritual discipline of meditation is huge. It’s something that’s being ignored and that’s not ok.
The focus they have on study is something noteworthy and worth doing ourselves. If we’re not really studying the Word and knowing the God we follow, then what?
Katie: How can we best pray for our brothers and sisters in India?
Kevin: It’s hard to speak for the entire country with a population of a billion because my experiences are limited to one small town.
For the country as a whole, that the Gospel would pour out because it’s what’s needed.
In the small town where I spent my time there are a lot of cultures and religions mixed together. Tibetan Buddhists, Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, and people that mix them all together. My greatest prayer would be for them to know Christ.
Also for the church to be unified and truly be the body of Christ, to be unified and love each other. And that true discipleship would happen because that’s what we are commanded to do: make disciples. I would definitely pray for that.
This week I got to chat with my friend Kevin, also sometimes called Jesus Shoes, and his chance to be the Lord’s feet in India. It is hard to whittle six months down to a single blog post, so check out more stories here (including the play-by-play of the war against the rats).
Katie: How long were you in India, and what were you doing there?
Kevin: For six months I lived in north India with several other Americans as part of a discipleship program to help continue the work the Lord had already been doing through the local church as well as two American missionaries living there.
The town has a mission hospital and school, so all of our different roles were centered around those places. One person in pursuit of a nursing degree worked at the hospital. I was exploring the possibility of becoming a teacher, so I taught and assisted in music classes, taught math to several sixth grade students, as well as history.
We were also involved in the local church. For me that meant writing the Bible study for the church youth group, discipling the guys of the youth group, teaching guitar lessons as a way to build relationships, and modeling mature Christian behavior.
I feel like that’s one of the biggest needs there. The church is there and it has some numbers but within the church there is a lack of discipleship. The older believers do not put much effort into training new believers, and the younger believers do not have much in the way of adult role models as far as how to walk with Christ and how to grow their faith.
Not that I have arrived as a believer (nor will I ever), but I have been walking with the Lord and there are a lot of practical things I could share as well as life experiences to pour out into them.
Katie: What is the relationship between the Christian hospital and school and the rest of the community?
Kevin: The area I was in is definitely hostile towards any kind of evangelism, as is most of the country of India. Normally one might think going to an area like that might not be the best of ideas but in this case the church is welcome and respected. It’s almost like the church has earned the right for its voice to be heard.
The Gospel initially came to this area with healthcare. It’s a very rural area in India that’s difficult to travel to. It’s not as difficult now as it was 30, 40, and 50 years ago. The Christian hospital was the first healthcare in the town and because they were providing healthcare to the people there, the locals welcomed and responded to the Gospel.
After some time the people working at the hospital began noticing a lot of preventable diseases and began to realize that if these people had education, they would not be seeing those patients. So they started a school, and it was the first school in the area. It started off teaching basics but also things that allowed students to go on to universities.
There are now multiple hospitals and multiple schools in town; however, the best healthcare comes from the Christian hospital and the best education comes from the Christian school.
Not all of the students are Christians. Some of them are sent there by their parents who want them in the best school and are able to afford it. It was interesting because they are in a situation where they hear the Gospel on a daily and their teachers are believers.
It was also interesting because the school has the learning center, the ability, and the space to help special needs students which is not common in India. It’s not a large program at a tradition school but they have the space to offer to students who are struggling which is unusual.
Katie: How did you see the Lord work while you were in India?
Kevin: I saw Him work in lots of ways.
While we were there we made a point to let students know we were available and if they wanted to talk about things or study the Bible together, we would do that. There was a teenage girl who was on the very edge. Her family situation wasn’t great but through the work of one of the other Americans and their building a relationship, this girl came to faith in the Lord. Her life has really changed, and we’ve been able to watch her grow through email updates from the missionaries who are still there. The Gospel is bearing fruit in her life, and she is being changed. It’s really amazing.
Another way was through the relationships with several students. Many of them are young and as they’re growing into adults they need to know that they’re loved. Just like here in the States, I saw a lot of bad parenting. Parents weren’t being parents, and their kids wanted attention and deserved it. I could never fill that role, but I could at least give the kids some attention. They weren’t just seeing me but they were, hopefully, seeing Christ in the ways that I treated them and the ways I treated the people in my house.
Typically in the local culture, the women do everything in the house and the men do not help. It was funny for them to come into our home and be seated, and then for me to make them chai that would actually be good. It’s not that difficult to make good chai; I enjoyed turning that cultural norm on its head.
Most of the time you try and respect their culture. Guys and girls don’t really spend a lot of time together in public. Even if they’re married, they don’t show any affection in public. Coming from a small, private college in the rural South, you get used to there being affection all of the time. It was a big adjustment but it’s something you do because you have to.
Another way I saw the Lord work was in my own life. You don’t go to a place like that for yourself, at least you shouldn’t. There are a lot of needs for the people there, but ultimately I think the biggest mark left from a trip like that is on you as the person who went rather than the people who are there. I would definitely say that was true for me.
Katie: What are some challenges you faced?
Kevin: We faced all sorts of challenges; you’re always going to have them.
For example, our plane ride was followed by a fifteen hour bus ride from Delhi. It started snowing while we were on our way. About three miles from our destination, the snow was a foot deep, and the bus finally stopped. We had to wait for a four-wheel-drive vehicle to take us the rest of the way. We were without power for our first two weeks. Our tap water went out, and our main water source in town went out.
The house we stayed in was old and not very well sealed, so there were rats that lived in there. We declared war against them and won! Not without losing some sleep first. It was kind of scary at times.
The church was also challenging in that there was a lot of immaturity among believers. In the New Testament we read Paul’s letters to various churches, specifically the letters to the people of Corinth, and he’s pretty angry. You read it, and you’re like, “Why were they doing that? They were crazy!”
I saw a lot of those kinds of things happening in the church. We would see things, and you want to react in ten different ways, but you can’t. It was a challenge to know how to love the church because for those problems to go away it isn’t going to be something an American outsider does to change it. It’s going to be the Holy Spirit changing peoples’ hearts. I can tell someone that he’s sinning but until he breaks down and says, “Yes, I’m a sinner. I’ve been doing this, and it’s not right,” no words I say will make a difference.
Katie: What can we learn from Christians in India?
Kevin: Well, we definitely won’t learn punctuality.
One thing I found that was essential was the church’s commitment to study and meditation. The maturing believers there study the Bible, not just the Gospels or the New Testament but the all of the Bible, and know and understand the details and to meditate on them. The spiritual discipline of meditation is huge. It’s something that’s being ignored and that’s not ok.
The focus they have on study is something noteworthy and worth doing ourselves. If we’re not really studying the Word and knowing the God we follow, then what?
Katie: How can we best pray for our brothers and sisters in India?
Kevin: It’s hard to speak for the entire country with a population of a billion because my experiences are limited to one small town.
For the country as a whole, that the Gospel would pour out because it’s what’s needed.
In the small town where I spent my time there are a lot of cultures and religions mixed together. Tibetan Buddhists, Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, and people that mix them all together. My greatest prayer would be for them to know Christ.
Also for the church to be unified and truly be the body of Christ, to be unified and love each other. And that true discipleship would happen because that’s what we are commanded to do: make disciples. I would definitely pray for that.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Wacky Wednesday
From Katie: The following is a collection of quotes and crazy conversations brought to my attention during the month of January. <>< Katie
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Taft: Wikipedia is blocked by HPPA.
Brett: I miss having hair. I used to have headaches when I had hair. Actually, I didn't. I never got headaches when I had hair but now I don't have hair and get headaches all of the time.
[Via text message]
Katie: We should catch up one of these days.
Kevin: We should catch up. Who is this?
Michael: This tastes like cocoa butter.
Stephen: Cocoa butter? That's for stretch marks!
Aunt Jett: Don't squeeze the cat. She might explode or something.
"Christianity can grow and flourish under some of the most difficult opposition, but it will prosper very little when people refuse to be changed by it." - Beth Moore, To Live is Christ, 130
Lauren: I'm so not ready for a big girl job. I still get excited about foamy soap.
Mom: The wind must be coming from the west. The train sounds like a dead cow.
Christina: A dead cow, Mom? You realize that dead cows don't make any noises, right?
Mom: How many dead cows have you hung out with? They could make farting noises.
Brit: Decaf? Are you trying to stay awake? [Beat] Wait. I mean go to sleep?
Uncle Jack: [Hands in the air] I didn't do that! [Beat] Did I?
Mom: No, you didn't put the meese peep on the marinated rug.
Rebekah: You're such a good kitty when you're not being a bad kitty.
"If we're waiting for the needy to walk through our church doors, we may wait a long time. God doesn't wait for people to come to Him. He goes to them and desires to intervene right at the point of their need. He's looking for a few brave people, like the Apostle Paul, who are willing to go rather than wait for them to come. He's not looking for show-offs. He's looking for people through whom He can show off His Son. May we be some of those people." - Beth Moore, To Live is Christ, 151
Danielle: You can't say "Indian style." It's offensive.
David: It's criss-cross apple sauce.
Casey: I'm allergic to applesauce. That offends me.
Aunt Jett [About her husband]: One of the best things about him is his ability to drive backwards.
Katie: Hank [the cat] let me pet him for a long time today! Like two pets.
Stephen: Why does everyone rub my head?
Rebekah: It's your spiritual gift.
Brett: Your head is my heroine.
Christina: Mom, does Dad's arm look swollen?
Mom: Yes, of course. He's been karate chopping live trees.
"God wants to be found. He does not will for any to miss Him, and His is so gracious to show up right where we are looking--so He can take us beyond anything we've ever seen." - Beth Moore, To Live isa Christ, 151
Allyson: The overnight forecast is snow. Either that or stars.
Stephen: I read your blog faithfully except for recently. What's Wacky Wednesday?
Katie: If you read my blog, how can you not know about Wacky Wednesday?
David: Wacky Wednesday is arguably the best day of the month!
Evan: Twitter makes me like people I don't know. Facebook does the opposite.
Dad: What's the plural of moose?
Aunt: Elk!
Taft [praying]: Lord, don't smit us.
Rebekah: Then why doesn't he just say that?
Katie: 'Cuz he's a boy. They only think half-thoughts.
Bob: That shirt looks very nice on you.
Emily: You can't say that to her!
Bob: Why not? Gosh, I've been trying to work complements into my conversation and now you just ruined it! Katie, you're dirt ugly. Now you can just be mad at me; you can't have me arrested.
Brett: Hank. Don't eat electicity.
"It's very rare when you're following Jesus that you know exactly what you're doing and where you are going." - Jonathan Martin
Uncle Jack: Assuming this is a right angle...
Laura: Then you have three right angles. You can't have three right angles in a pentagon!
David: What if there was a food that makes you break bones? Like "I can't eat burgers 'cuz they make me break bones."
[Neal was cleaning up water on the floor]
Amber: Ethan got so excited about his cookie that he spilled his water.
Katie: Sorry, Neal, I couldn't make it to the bathroom in time.
Neal: At least it's clear.
Katie: I drank lots of water today.
Neal: Isn't that just inappropriate, Ethan, for a woman to be talking like that?
[Ethan was grinning like he wasn't sure what to do]
Rebekah: You smell like leather-flavored crayon.
Wife: How can you explain all of these awful things happening?
Husband: Easy. This is earth.
Katie: Since Christmas I've gotten a new camera, a new job, a new phone, a new-to-me computer, and a new house. Now I just need a new car.
Mom: Your brain is going to be mush. Next thing you know you're going to try to call with your camera, take pictures with your car, and scrapbook with your phone.
Katie: There's an app for that.
Brandon: I've told this story a lot of times but a lot of you haven't heard it because you haven't heard me tell it.
Dad: Oooowee!
Katie: You ok?
Dad: Yeah. That hurt! Somebody parked the vaccuum cleander in my coat.
Michael: When in doubt, pull out your actual Bible. If your cell phone doesn't know about Jesus, your actual Bible will. You never can tell about cell phones. I don't know if they're believers.
Beth: Sometimes I just breathe.
David: We all want to see your relationship succeed or fail, whichever is better.
Stephen: I hope you have many Lord of the Rings babies, and they don't look like gollum.
Katie: Brett! You heathen non-recycling Canadian!
Artemis: Daddy? When we go to Disney, Mommy said we could go for two whole days!
Daddy: Yup.
Artemis: When we are 10 or 11 years old.
Daddy: Yup.
Artemis: Where are we going to sleep? I mean, we could bring our sleeping bags and camp out in the back of your car.
Daddy: Or we could stay in a hotel.
Artemis: They have those there?!
Rebekah: Yeah, blinds take awhile to master.
Katie: Yeah, I don't have my master's in blinds yet.
Rebekah: I'm working on mine.
"If you write for God, you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men, you may make some money and may give someone a little joy and you may make some noise in the world, for a little while. If you write for yourself, you can read what you yourself have written and after ten minutes you will be so disguisted that you wish that you were dead." - Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Taft: Wikipedia is blocked by HPPA.
Brett: I miss having hair. I used to have headaches when I had hair. Actually, I didn't. I never got headaches when I had hair but now I don't have hair and get headaches all of the time.
[Via text message]
Katie: We should catch up one of these days.
Kevin: We should catch up. Who is this?
Michael: This tastes like cocoa butter.
Stephen: Cocoa butter? That's for stretch marks!
Aunt Jett: Don't squeeze the cat. She might explode or something.
"Christianity can grow and flourish under some of the most difficult opposition, but it will prosper very little when people refuse to be changed by it." - Beth Moore, To Live is Christ, 130
Lauren: I'm so not ready for a big girl job. I still get excited about foamy soap.
Mom: The wind must be coming from the west. The train sounds like a dead cow.
Christina: A dead cow, Mom? You realize that dead cows don't make any noises, right?
Mom: How many dead cows have you hung out with? They could make farting noises.
Brit: Decaf? Are you trying to stay awake? [Beat] Wait. I mean go to sleep?
Uncle Jack: [Hands in the air] I didn't do that! [Beat] Did I?
Mom: No, you didn't put the meese peep on the marinated rug.
Rebekah: You're such a good kitty when you're not being a bad kitty.
"If we're waiting for the needy to walk through our church doors, we may wait a long time. God doesn't wait for people to come to Him. He goes to them and desires to intervene right at the point of their need. He's looking for a few brave people, like the Apostle Paul, who are willing to go rather than wait for them to come. He's not looking for show-offs. He's looking for people through whom He can show off His Son. May we be some of those people." - Beth Moore, To Live is Christ, 151
Danielle: You can't say "Indian style." It's offensive.
David: It's criss-cross apple sauce.
Casey: I'm allergic to applesauce. That offends me.
Aunt Jett [About her husband]: One of the best things about him is his ability to drive backwards.
Katie: Hank [the cat] let me pet him for a long time today! Like two pets.
Stephen: Why does everyone rub my head?
Rebekah: It's your spiritual gift.
Brett: Your head is my heroine.
Christina: Mom, does Dad's arm look swollen?
Mom: Yes, of course. He's been karate chopping live trees.
"God wants to be found. He does not will for any to miss Him, and His is so gracious to show up right where we are looking--so He can take us beyond anything we've ever seen." - Beth Moore, To Live isa Christ, 151
Allyson: The overnight forecast is snow. Either that or stars.
Stephen: I read your blog faithfully except for recently. What's Wacky Wednesday?
Katie: If you read my blog, how can you not know about Wacky Wednesday?
David: Wacky Wednesday is arguably the best day of the month!
Evan: Twitter makes me like people I don't know. Facebook does the opposite.
Dad: What's the plural of moose?
Aunt: Elk!
Taft [praying]: Lord, don't smit us.
Rebekah: Then why doesn't he just say that?
Katie: 'Cuz he's a boy. They only think half-thoughts.
Bob: That shirt looks very nice on you.
Emily: You can't say that to her!
Bob: Why not? Gosh, I've been trying to work complements into my conversation and now you just ruined it! Katie, you're dirt ugly. Now you can just be mad at me; you can't have me arrested.
Brett: Hank. Don't eat electicity.
"It's very rare when you're following Jesus that you know exactly what you're doing and where you are going." - Jonathan Martin
Uncle Jack: Assuming this is a right angle...
Laura: Then you have three right angles. You can't have three right angles in a pentagon!
David: What if there was a food that makes you break bones? Like "I can't eat burgers 'cuz they make me break bones."
[Neal was cleaning up water on the floor]
Amber: Ethan got so excited about his cookie that he spilled his water.
Katie: Sorry, Neal, I couldn't make it to the bathroom in time.
Neal: At least it's clear.
Katie: I drank lots of water today.
Neal: Isn't that just inappropriate, Ethan, for a woman to be talking like that?
[Ethan was grinning like he wasn't sure what to do]
Rebekah: You smell like leather-flavored crayon.
Wife: How can you explain all of these awful things happening?
Husband: Easy. This is earth.
Katie: Since Christmas I've gotten a new camera, a new job, a new phone, a new-to-me computer, and a new house. Now I just need a new car.
Mom: Your brain is going to be mush. Next thing you know you're going to try to call with your camera, take pictures with your car, and scrapbook with your phone.
Katie: There's an app for that.
Brandon: I've told this story a lot of times but a lot of you haven't heard it because you haven't heard me tell it.
Dad: Oooowee!
Katie: You ok?
Dad: Yeah. That hurt! Somebody parked the vaccuum cleander in my coat.
Michael: When in doubt, pull out your actual Bible. If your cell phone doesn't know about Jesus, your actual Bible will. You never can tell about cell phones. I don't know if they're believers.
Beth: Sometimes I just breathe.
David: We all want to see your relationship succeed or fail, whichever is better.
Stephen: I hope you have many Lord of the Rings babies, and they don't look like gollum.
Katie: Brett! You heathen non-recycling Canadian!
Artemis: Daddy? When we go to Disney, Mommy said we could go for two whole days!
Daddy: Yup.
Artemis: When we are 10 or 11 years old.
Daddy: Yup.
Artemis: Where are we going to sleep? I mean, we could bring our sleeping bags and camp out in the back of your car.
Daddy: Or we could stay in a hotel.
Artemis: They have those there?!
Rebekah: Yeah, blinds take awhile to master.
Katie: Yeah, I don't have my master's in blinds yet.
Rebekah: I'm working on mine.
"If you write for God, you will reach many men and bring them joy. If you write for men, you may make some money and may give someone a little joy and you may make some noise in the world, for a little while. If you write for yourself, you can read what you yourself have written and after ten minutes you will be so disguisted that you wish that you were dead." - Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Hard
It had been a long day. The car said I'd been on the road for 31 minutes but it felt like considerably longer. I'd left my house fourteen hours earlier and hadn't been home since.
I'll be honest, I was starting to feel sorry for myself and my long day. While parts of it (like dinner!) were really nice, but other parts (like repeatedly trying to convince a 5 year old to share) weren't so nice. I was exhausted and on the brink of tears for no apparent reason.
I needed to make a phone call to some friends. Since I knew they go to bed early (and were an hour ahead) I contemplated calling them while driving, something I rarely (one might say "never") do. Even though it meant missing them tonight, I'm so glad I waited.
Instead, as I pulled into my subdivision, my phone lit up. On the other end, I found my friend Kevin.
He himself on his way home after a very long day... except after work he joined a friend at a hospital bedside where he stayed until he called me. Tomorrow, he's getting up to do it all over again.
"They haven't gotten any good news lately, and don't except to," he said.
Instantly my self-pity washed away. I felt so convicted that I was upset over my fourteen-hour day that I planned myself when he was dealing with a longer, unplanned day.
We spoke for forty minutes. There were no tears. But there was a lot of honest confession and sympathizing with each other. "This is hard," we must have each said fifteen times. But almost as many times we said how God has worked and is working through hard.
In the words of the five year old who refuses to share, "Don't do easy things. Do hard things."
Let's do hard. Let's do it for His glory. And let's not feel sorry for ourselves in it.
I don't know about you, but I needed that reminder today and every day.
<>< Katie
PS: Check out my friend Hannah's blog about a Bulgarian Sunrise. It was another reminder I needed. Hannah's on the World Race right now so they're ministering in eleven different countries in the next eleven months. Wow!
I'll be honest, I was starting to feel sorry for myself and my long day. While parts of it (like dinner!) were really nice, but other parts (like repeatedly trying to convince a 5 year old to share) weren't so nice. I was exhausted and on the brink of tears for no apparent reason.
I needed to make a phone call to some friends. Since I knew they go to bed early (and were an hour ahead) I contemplated calling them while driving, something I rarely (one might say "never") do. Even though it meant missing them tonight, I'm so glad I waited.
Instead, as I pulled into my subdivision, my phone lit up. On the other end, I found my friend Kevin.
He himself on his way home after a very long day... except after work he joined a friend at a hospital bedside where he stayed until he called me. Tomorrow, he's getting up to do it all over again.
"They haven't gotten any good news lately, and don't except to," he said.
Instantly my self-pity washed away. I felt so convicted that I was upset over my fourteen-hour day that I planned myself when he was dealing with a longer, unplanned day.
We spoke for forty minutes. There were no tears. But there was a lot of honest confession and sympathizing with each other. "This is hard," we must have each said fifteen times. But almost as many times we said how God has worked and is working through hard.
In the words of the five year old who refuses to share, "Don't do easy things. Do hard things."
Let's do hard. Let's do it for His glory. And let's not feel sorry for ourselves in it.
I don't know about you, but I needed that reminder today and every day.
<>< Katie
PS: Check out my friend Hannah's blog about a Bulgarian Sunrise. It was another reminder I needed. Hannah's on the World Race right now so they're ministering in eleven different countries in the next eleven months. Wow!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The House that Pukes Kids
There is a local family that invites Amber and me over for lunch on a regular basis. Sunday dinner is a gathering of three generations, approximately thirteen people, in a house near the church. We know this family so well that we don't even knock before walking it.
Rather than briefing first-timer Kevin on the chaos he was about to encounter, we spent the ride there discussing some of our best pranks. Those we've pulled and those that have been pulled on us. The appropriate and the inappropriate. The hilarious and the flops.
When we got there, we pulled the conversation to a temporary halt (primarily because I was telling alcohol-related stories and those are frowned upon in Baptist Country). Amber pulled open the back door and I followed her in. Behind me I heard a thud.
Kevin said as he was about to step inside the house, an eleven year old girl tumbled onto the ground from inside the wall. She was quickly followed by her three year old cousin wrapped in one of Granddaddy's dress shirts. They both laughed hysterically when Kevin jumped.
Amber and I were thoroughly amused but we knew there was still one missing. I walked back and looked into the hole in the wall. Sure enough, there was my six year old "boyfriend" with a pair of boxers on his head.
I guess the original plan had been to lure the three of us into the bathroom, together, and scare us by popping out of the top of the laundry shoot. Well, that wasn't good enough. Instead, they rolled out the side of it.
It definitely goes on the list of best pranks!
<>< Katie
Disclaimer: No one was hurt in the making of this blog. The laundry shoot is like a built-in cabinet basket that opens in the laundry room on the other side of the wall. The author claims no responsibility for any injuries that result from attempting similar pranks.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Wacky Wednesday
"If life is worth living, then it is worth recording."
Jennifer: Is that your journal?
Katie: No, it's my Writer's Notebook.
Jennifer: What's the difference? They're both writing, and they're both stupid.
Elizabeth: This is a fun game; there is no blood involved.
Andy: Clearly we have two different definitions of the word "fun." Fun for me always involves blood.
Katie: We do do that.
Sara: Katie Ax said do-do!
Matthew: Katie Ax is wearing a tutu? Um... those are jeans.
Katie: I am not wearing a tutu!
Maintenance Man: What would make a shower head scream?
Amy: Moby [the fish] just ran into a spiderweb.
[Elizabeth had just taken some cough syrup]
Elizabeth: I knew that!
Andy: No you didn't. You're drunk.
Elizabeth: What happened?
[a few days later]
Andy: You're drunk, too.
Katie: But I'm Lutheran; it's allowed.
Jennifer: Katie, it [a dust pan] is used for dirty things. It's ok if people lick it.
Nikki: This is our pet cat.
Courtney: You should hear the story. Really touching. The arts and crafts store was just going to throw him out.
Nikki: So we saved him, but we laminated him when we found out Presley was allergic.
Presley: That's why he's so shiny.
[All three of them are petting a paper cat]
Jennifer: I didn't know if you like feet.
Katie: I don't like them in my nose, but I don't mind them in general.
Jennifer: My toes don't fit in your nose. I have big toes and noses are generally small, but if you lie your nose will grow. So, Katie, you need to say lots of lies, so my toes will fit in your nose.
Katie: Jennifer, you're a weird thing that happens.
Jennifer: I only happened once.
Karissa: Are you guys Apple people?
Katie: No, that's Megan's apple. She asked me to get it for her from the caf.
Karissa: No, I meant are you a Mac or a Windows person?
Katie: Oh, Windows definitely. But I can use Macs.
Holden: Last time we went fishing Christian got his line tangled in mine. I just let my line out so he could untangle them, but he cut my line. When I reeled it in there was nothing there. He stole my hook!
Christian: He hit me in the face with a basketball. He just threw it in the dark and it hit me in the face.
Holden: He beat me up with a bowling pin.
Christian: But he found a pool noodle.
[Unfortunately, I really believe these hold at least some elements of the truth]
Danielle: I love fire, but I hate ovens. They scare me. It's so hot in there.
Dr. Z: People don't suffocate on Saran Wrap with other people around.
[We didn't test this theory]
Jennifer: Cheese [pronounced "Cheeth"] is so much better than Twilight.
Jennifer: We should make a movie as a suite.
Andy: It should be a musical.
Jennifer: I was thinking more like a horror musical.
Elizabeth: I'm in charge of the fake blood!
Nikki: Andy's in charge of side effects. I mean sound effects.
Amy: OOOH! I'll kill Liz!
Allyson: What did the popsicle go best the peanut butter?
Nikki: Did you just mess up the joke and the punch line's in there?
Allyson: No!
Nikki: I think you did. You're on drugs. [Legal, prescription ones]
Allyson: Wait! What kind of fish goes best with peanut butter? That was the joke on my popsicle.
Nikki: I don't know.
Allyson: Jelly fish! [Bursts out laughing while Nikki blinks]
Jennifer [on Nikki's facebook wall]: Thanks for the popcycle dart that you kindly threw at my head.
Nikki: Well, whenever I'm finished with my pop-cycle and I'll move on to my rap-cycle and then into my country-cycle to be concluded with my jazz-cycle... oh and maybe I'll have a krunk-cycle... then I'll go to the freezer and grab a popsicle dart and kindly throw it at your head again... in other words... you're welcome.
Andy: AHHH!! STOP talking about your cycles in the presence of men!
Jennifer: I hate rooming with English majors... obviously I can't spell because that POPSICLE dart hit me right in the temple and you could care less.
Nikki: Touche. My aim, it is too accurate. Almost in a mathematical sense, wouldn't you say?
Elizabeth: Now put your back arms on the pool noodle--
Katie: What do I do with my front arms?
Katie: Jamee actually updates her blog.
Kevin: You know what's funny? I updated mine, what, three times over the summer and I have five new followers. Katie updates hers everyday--
Katie: Not everyday!
John: Every other day, excuse us! You know, I might delete mine. It just takes too much thought and energy.
Kevin: I hate those two things!
Jennifer: Is that your journal?
Katie: No, it's my Writer's Notebook.
Jennifer: What's the difference? They're both writing, and they're both stupid.
Elizabeth: This is a fun game; there is no blood involved.
Andy: Clearly we have two different definitions of the word "fun." Fun for me always involves blood.
Katie: We do do that.
Sara: Katie Ax said do-do!
Matthew: Katie Ax is wearing a tutu? Um... those are jeans.
Katie: I am not wearing a tutu!
Maintenance Man: What would make a shower head scream?
Amy: Moby [the fish] just ran into a spiderweb.
[Elizabeth had just taken some cough syrup]
Elizabeth: I knew that!
Andy: No you didn't. You're drunk.
Elizabeth: What happened?
[a few days later]
Andy: You're drunk, too.
Katie: But I'm Lutheran; it's allowed.
Jennifer: Katie, it [a dust pan] is used for dirty things. It's ok if people lick it.
Nikki: This is our pet cat.
Courtney: You should hear the story. Really touching. The arts and crafts store was just going to throw him out.
Nikki: So we saved him, but we laminated him when we found out Presley was allergic.
Presley: That's why he's so shiny.
[All three of them are petting a paper cat]
Jennifer: I didn't know if you like feet.
Katie: I don't like them in my nose, but I don't mind them in general.
Jennifer: My toes don't fit in your nose. I have big toes and noses are generally small, but if you lie your nose will grow. So, Katie, you need to say lots of lies, so my toes will fit in your nose.
Katie: Jennifer, you're a weird thing that happens.
Jennifer: I only happened once.
Karissa: Are you guys Apple people?
Katie: No, that's Megan's apple. She asked me to get it for her from the caf.
Karissa: No, I meant are you a Mac or a Windows person?
Katie: Oh, Windows definitely. But I can use Macs.
Holden: Last time we went fishing Christian got his line tangled in mine. I just let my line out so he could untangle them, but he cut my line. When I reeled it in there was nothing there. He stole my hook!
Christian: He hit me in the face with a basketball. He just threw it in the dark and it hit me in the face.
Holden: He beat me up with a bowling pin.
Christian: But he found a pool noodle.
[Unfortunately, I really believe these hold at least some elements of the truth]
Danielle: I love fire, but I hate ovens. They scare me. It's so hot in there.
Dr. Z: People don't suffocate on Saran Wrap with other people around.
[We didn't test this theory]
Jennifer: Cheese [pronounced "Cheeth"] is so much better than Twilight.
Jennifer: We should make a movie as a suite.
Andy: It should be a musical.
Jennifer: I was thinking more like a horror musical.
Elizabeth: I'm in charge of the fake blood!
Nikki: Andy's in charge of side effects. I mean sound effects.
Amy: OOOH! I'll kill Liz!
Allyson: What did the popsicle go best the peanut butter?
Nikki: Did you just mess up the joke and the punch line's in there?
Allyson: No!
Nikki: I think you did. You're on drugs. [Legal, prescription ones]
Allyson: Wait! What kind of fish goes best with peanut butter? That was the joke on my popsicle.
Nikki: I don't know.
Allyson: Jelly fish! [Bursts out laughing while Nikki blinks]
Jennifer [on Nikki's facebook wall]: Thanks for the popcycle dart that you kindly threw at my head.
Nikki: Well, whenever I'm finished with my pop-cycle and I'll move on to my rap-cycle and then into my country-cycle to be concluded with my jazz-cycle... oh and maybe I'll have a krunk-cycle... then I'll go to the freezer and grab a popsicle dart and kindly throw it at your head again... in other words... you're welcome.
Andy: AHHH!! STOP talking about your cycles in the presence of men!
Jennifer: I hate rooming with English majors... obviously I can't spell because that POPSICLE dart hit me right in the temple and you could care less.
Nikki: Touche. My aim, it is too accurate. Almost in a mathematical sense, wouldn't you say?
Elizabeth: Now put your back arms on the pool noodle--
Katie: What do I do with my front arms?
Katie: Jamee actually updates her blog.
Kevin: You know what's funny? I updated mine, what, three times over the summer and I have five new followers. Katie updates hers everyday--
Katie: Not everyday!
John: Every other day, excuse us! You know, I might delete mine. It just takes too much thought and energy.
Kevin: I hate those two things!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Is this normal?
I've got a not-so-rare genetic disease. I got it from my mom. My sisters have it, too, but theirs isn't as severe.
When I was home in March, we couldn't park Maxwell (my dad's car) in the garage because there were new windows there. They couldn't put the new windows in until the wood floor on the first floor was refinished. They couldn't refinish the floor until they (a) decided on a color (b) sanded down all of the footboards in the entire house and refinished those with three coats of varnish. Yes, my mother on her hands and knees sanding the upstairs bathroom (with linoleum floor and no windows) is getting us one step closer to a refinished wood floor and replaced windows. Two months later, the windows are still in the garage. This is our disease: the inability to complete one project before moving on to the next.
My arrival home spurred a big episode...
My task: unpack the cars and fit everything into my bedroom or under the ping pong table downstairs. The living room make be borrowed but only until Laura's graduation party in late June.
Step One: clean the bedroom
This means all of the papers previously heaped neatly in the corner under the window are now sorted in piles and scattered across the room. Before finding homes for all of these "important documents" I moved on to step two.
Step Two: Operation Bookshelf
My family's notorious for trying to fit too much furniture in a single room. Right now, that room is my bedroom. It's already full with a matching bedroom set, I've added two white CD cases, and now a Dad-made bookshelf. Problem: there is no wall space for the bookshelf. I began sorting and piling next to the door to find a space for said bookshelf, thus adding to the mountains of paper sorted neatly all over the room. I also entertian the idea of rearranging every piece of furniture in my bedroom in order to accomodate said bookshelf. However, I then remember Mom and I have no upper body strength and Dad's not allowed to lift anything heavy. He's never been one for the rules, so I don't dare tempt him. Time to move on to step three.
Step Three: You have a window seat?
Well, a windowseat for the cats. It's so full of stuff animals that sometimes I'm working in my room for a solid five minutes before I realize one of my stuff animals is moving... hello, Cow (our holstein kitty whose name is really Sparkle). All of the stuff animals have been sorted into two piles: keep, donate. Donate pile moves to Mom and Dad's bedroom. Keep pile stays on my bed. Long-term they go into a plastic tub I have in the basement, but, go figure, it's on the bottom of the stack of tubs. Dad's still not allowed to lift anything heavy.
Step Four: Put photos in picture frames
You've had those picture frames for years; maybe it's time you put something in them. Go downstairs to the computer with a printer and search for the perfect photos. While you're waiting for the page to load, waste no time and blog a little bit. Make sure to read Kevin's hilarious blog about the humbling experience that was dislocating his shoulder. (Yes, Mr. "Katie, you update too much" forgot about his blog for a month... at least I'm loyal to my readers)
Step Five: Dad wants his car back
Translation: get your dorm room out of Maxwell. Freshman year, my dorm room lived in the living room all summer. Last year, it was almost a month before I unpacked my car (named Andy). We'll see what happens this year.
Step Six: Bedtime.
Oh, snap. I have a bed? And a safe fire escape for the middle of the night? Let's put these papers into a nice pile under the window, the stuff animals can live on the windowseat, and the bookshelf can chill in the middle of the room. What a successful day! :-)
Do you have this disease too? To my knowledge there is no known cure. However, books have be written about this horrible condition. They are entitled: If You Give a Moose a Muffin and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Check them out at your local library, don't forget to put gas in your car and pick up cheese at the grocery store on the way there.
<>< Katie
When I was home in March, we couldn't park Maxwell (my dad's car) in the garage because there were new windows there. They couldn't put the new windows in until the wood floor on the first floor was refinished. They couldn't refinish the floor until they (a) decided on a color (b) sanded down all of the footboards in the entire house and refinished those with three coats of varnish. Yes, my mother on her hands and knees sanding the upstairs bathroom (with linoleum floor and no windows) is getting us one step closer to a refinished wood floor and replaced windows. Two months later, the windows are still in the garage. This is our disease: the inability to complete one project before moving on to the next.
My arrival home spurred a big episode...
My task: unpack the cars and fit everything into my bedroom or under the ping pong table downstairs. The living room make be borrowed but only until Laura's graduation party in late June.
Step One: clean the bedroom
This means all of the papers previously heaped neatly in the corner under the window are now sorted in piles and scattered across the room. Before finding homes for all of these "important documents" I moved on to step two.
Step Two: Operation Bookshelf
My family's notorious for trying to fit too much furniture in a single room. Right now, that room is my bedroom. It's already full with a matching bedroom set, I've added two white CD cases, and now a Dad-made bookshelf. Problem: there is no wall space for the bookshelf. I began sorting and piling next to the door to find a space for said bookshelf, thus adding to the mountains of paper sorted neatly all over the room. I also entertian the idea of rearranging every piece of furniture in my bedroom in order to accomodate said bookshelf. However, I then remember Mom and I have no upper body strength and Dad's not allowed to lift anything heavy. He's never been one for the rules, so I don't dare tempt him. Time to move on to step three.
Step Three: You have a window seat?
Well, a windowseat for the cats. It's so full of stuff animals that sometimes I'm working in my room for a solid five minutes before I realize one of my stuff animals is moving... hello, Cow (our holstein kitty whose name is really Sparkle). All of the stuff animals have been sorted into two piles: keep, donate. Donate pile moves to Mom and Dad's bedroom. Keep pile stays on my bed. Long-term they go into a plastic tub I have in the basement, but, go figure, it's on the bottom of the stack of tubs. Dad's still not allowed to lift anything heavy.
Step Four: Put photos in picture frames
You've had those picture frames for years; maybe it's time you put something in them. Go downstairs to the computer with a printer and search for the perfect photos. While you're waiting for the page to load, waste no time and blog a little bit. Make sure to read Kevin's hilarious blog about the humbling experience that was dislocating his shoulder. (Yes, Mr. "Katie, you update too much" forgot about his blog for a month... at least I'm loyal to my readers)
Step Five: Dad wants his car back
Translation: get your dorm room out of Maxwell. Freshman year, my dorm room lived in the living room all summer. Last year, it was almost a month before I unpacked my car (named Andy). We'll see what happens this year.
Step Six: Bedtime.
Oh, snap. I have a bed? And a safe fire escape for the middle of the night? Let's put these papers into a nice pile under the window, the stuff animals can live on the windowseat, and the bookshelf can chill in the middle of the room. What a successful day! :-)
Do you have this disease too? To my knowledge there is no known cure. However, books have be written about this horrible condition. They are entitled: If You Give a Moose a Muffin and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Check them out at your local library, don't forget to put gas in your car and pick up cheese at the grocery store on the way there.
<>< Katie
Sunday, April 25, 2010
What is Worship?
Saturday I woke up with a headache, cramps, and sore throat. Some expired Tylenol took care of the first two but the sore throat is here to stay. Sunday I woke up nauseous with a sore throat. This is a fun game. I managed to add another day to my no-puking stretch (2.5 years and counting; my record is 6 years) but by the time I made it to church I had a really good Scooby Doo voice. Wonderful. Normally when I get sick I can sing through loosing my voice. With a hopeful heart I began to sing, "Everyone needs compass-squoak. A love that's ----- let mercy fa-- on muheee."
God! I'm trying to praise You here. I'm worshipping YOU and You're taking away my ability to do that. Something just doesn't seem right with this picture. I'm giving You everything I've got.
The more I tried to sing, the worse my voice became (pity the people sitting next to me!) and the more frustrated I became.
Can't this wait until this afternoon? I just want to sing praises to You.
It was as if God responded, Katie, you don't need a voice to worship Me.
Huh?
You heard Me: you don't need a voice to worship Me.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Serve the least of these. There aren't any least-of-theses around right now. Yes, I'm listening to our sermon series on compassion. I know, but right now I'm praising You with what's left of my voice.
Look around you.
On my left was Emma, a first year nursing student who'd previously been sitting by herself.
I'm sitting with Emma instead of sitting in my normal spot!
Good start. Keep looking.
On my right was Kevin who'd dislocated his shoulder on Thursday.
Kevin can't drive for three to six weeks. How do you think He got here?
Keep thinking.
Last night after dinner Chris and I went to Dairy Queen to get blizzards buy one get one for a quarter. The line was literally to the door. The team manager was having a rough day. She made small blizzards instead of mediums, so she had to throw them away and start over. Based on the look on her face, this was one of many things that had gone wrong. A woman in front of us started chewing this employee out.
"You've thrown away $30 worth of stuff. I know you've had a bad day but you cannot let your customers see you like this. I've worked in retail a LONG TIME and you CANNOT let your customers see you like this. Did you notice? They're all standing in line patiently waiting why you throw a fit..."
She went on for a very long time. I don't understand how that was supposed to be beneficial for the employee. Both of the women were wrong. The woman behind us in line looked at the "angry woman" and said, "We all heard that." I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt thinking maybe she was saying "shut up"... until she got to the front of the line and whispered to her daughter, "Make sure that employee doesn't spit in our blizzards."
Chris and I both agreed this was "more awkward than 'The Office'" but neither one of us did anything about it. Why? We were scared the rest of the line was going to leap down our throats (maybe that would have healed my sore throat). Back up: we were scared. I wanted to give the employee a smile or wish her a good day but she never acknowledged my presence. I would have had to go out of my way to wish this woman a good day and I chickened out.
My intentions were good.
Good intentions don't get you anywhere. Picking up Kevin and sitting with Emma are good starts but neither one inconvenienced you. In fact, they both mean you don't have to sit in the pew alone.
I like sitting in the pew by myself!
It's my turn to talk. Put the towel on, Katie. Not just when you're at an inner-city church. Not just when you feel like it or it's convenient to you. Do it when it benefits My Kingdom. Clean the bathroom when it's not your turn and do it without complaining. Do the dishes even though you didn't dirty them. Give someone a ride to the caf because it's raining; don't see it as a waste of gas. Take up someone's dishes when you aren't headed that way. Give up a computer during your 10:00 blog-hour to let someone do homework. Put the towel on and serve the least of these. Touch the untouchables. Worship means so much more than singing.
We've talked about this before.
We have; you needed a reminder today.
Ok, got it. Can I have my voice back now?Nope. You know ASL; use those signs.
<>< Katie-Doo
Elizabeth: Between Katie and Adam someone is always sneezing today.
Adam: Nah, I'm always sneezing; it's not just today.
Elizabeth: Well, you're doing it excessively, and I'd like you to stop.
God! I'm trying to praise You here. I'm worshipping YOU and You're taking away my ability to do that. Something just doesn't seem right with this picture. I'm giving You everything I've got.
The more I tried to sing, the worse my voice became (pity the people sitting next to me!) and the more frustrated I became.
Can't this wait until this afternoon? I just want to sing praises to You.
It was as if God responded, Katie, you don't need a voice to worship Me.
Huh?
You heard Me: you don't need a voice to worship Me.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Serve the least of these. There aren't any least-of-theses around right now. Yes, I'm listening to our sermon series on compassion. I know, but right now I'm praising You with what's left of my voice.
Look around you.
On my left was Emma, a first year nursing student who'd previously been sitting by herself.
I'm sitting with Emma instead of sitting in my normal spot!
Good start. Keep looking.
On my right was Kevin who'd dislocated his shoulder on Thursday.
Kevin can't drive for three to six weeks. How do you think He got here?
Keep thinking.
Last night after dinner Chris and I went to Dairy Queen to get blizzards buy one get one for a quarter. The line was literally to the door. The team manager was having a rough day. She made small blizzards instead of mediums, so she had to throw them away and start over. Based on the look on her face, this was one of many things that had gone wrong. A woman in front of us started chewing this employee out.
"You've thrown away $30 worth of stuff. I know you've had a bad day but you cannot let your customers see you like this. I've worked in retail a LONG TIME and you CANNOT let your customers see you like this. Did you notice? They're all standing in line patiently waiting why you throw a fit..."
She went on for a very long time. I don't understand how that was supposed to be beneficial for the employee. Both of the women were wrong. The woman behind us in line looked at the "angry woman" and said, "We all heard that." I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt thinking maybe she was saying "shut up"... until she got to the front of the line and whispered to her daughter, "Make sure that employee doesn't spit in our blizzards."
Chris and I both agreed this was "more awkward than 'The Office'" but neither one of us did anything about it. Why? We were scared the rest of the line was going to leap down our throats (maybe that would have healed my sore throat). Back up: we were scared. I wanted to give the employee a smile or wish her a good day but she never acknowledged my presence. I would have had to go out of my way to wish this woman a good day and I chickened out.
My intentions were good.
Good intentions don't get you anywhere. Picking up Kevin and sitting with Emma are good starts but neither one inconvenienced you. In fact, they both mean you don't have to sit in the pew alone.
I like sitting in the pew by myself!
It's my turn to talk. Put the towel on, Katie. Not just when you're at an inner-city church. Not just when you feel like it or it's convenient to you. Do it when it benefits My Kingdom. Clean the bathroom when it's not your turn and do it without complaining. Do the dishes even though you didn't dirty them. Give someone a ride to the caf because it's raining; don't see it as a waste of gas. Take up someone's dishes when you aren't headed that way. Give up a computer during your 10:00 blog-hour to let someone do homework. Put the towel on and serve the least of these. Touch the untouchables. Worship means so much more than singing.
We've talked about this before.
We have; you needed a reminder today.
Ok, got it. Can I have my voice back now?Nope. You know ASL; use those signs.
<>< Katie-Doo
Elizabeth: Between Katie and Adam someone is always sneezing today.
Adam: Nah, I'm always sneezing; it's not just today.
Elizabeth: Well, you're doing it excessively, and I'd like you to stop.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Accepted
I don't think I'll ever forget a simple breakfast (my breakfast, his lunch) I once had with a friend Kevin, commonly referred to as "Jesus Shoes." I've blogged about this brunch before, but I'm going to do it again. Kevin and I met at the toaster both anxiously awaiting our bagels.
"Where are you sitting?" I asked. My bagel was done, and I didn't have a seat yet.
"With you," he said. Kevin, a popular senior, could have sat anywhere, and he chose to sit with me, a sophomore. That would have been enough to make my Saturday. But God had greater things in mind for the day. If I remember correctly, our conversation wasn't anything deep or life changing, just two siblings in Christ sharing life over bagels. That is, until I became an obsessing perfectionist.
"It doesn't matter, Katie. It only matters to One and His mind is made up."
I probably rolled my eyes. While I wasn't happy to hear it, Jesus Shoes had a point (and an appropriate nickname).
Acceptance is something I really struggle with. It's why I don't like sharing my fiction. It's why I thrive on feedback (preferably positive, but I'm learning to appreciate negative, too). It's why I make myself the third wheel. I pull away before anyone has the opportunity to push me out. I'm getting better, but it's a problem.
It's also what Neal spoke about last night. After sharing parts of his experience in junior high, not unlike my middle school experiences, he went off on a slight tangent. Neal's notorious for tangents but this was a really good one. One I needed to hear and can be told again every day for the rest of my life.
"I don't know whose acceptance you're searching for but just stop because it's hopeless. You're never going to obtain it and be satisfied. You already have Jesus's so why are you still searching? Is that person's acceptance more important than Jesus's? You can't please them but you have already pleased Him and that's all that matters."
Sound familiar?
"It doesn't matter, Katie. It only matters to One and His mind is already made-up."
Thanks for accepting my honesty.
Oh, and even though we're on a MWF schedule this week, out of reverence for Christ's death, there will be no new post on Friday. It's coming on Saturday instead. If you've never experienced a Good Friday service of darkness, I highly recommend it. My prayer is that you see our Savior's death and resurrection in a new way this year.
With love,
<>< Katie
Amy: Guys, we're in a tornado warning; maybe we should seek cover.
Andy: Elizabeth and I have two blankets over here if you want one.
"Where are you sitting?" I asked. My bagel was done, and I didn't have a seat yet.
"With you," he said. Kevin, a popular senior, could have sat anywhere, and he chose to sit with me, a sophomore. That would have been enough to make my Saturday. But God had greater things in mind for the day. If I remember correctly, our conversation wasn't anything deep or life changing, just two siblings in Christ sharing life over bagels. That is, until I became an obsessing perfectionist.
"It doesn't matter, Katie. It only matters to One and His mind is made up."
I probably rolled my eyes. While I wasn't happy to hear it, Jesus Shoes had a point (and an appropriate nickname).
Acceptance is something I really struggle with. It's why I don't like sharing my fiction. It's why I thrive on feedback (preferably positive, but I'm learning to appreciate negative, too). It's why I make myself the third wheel. I pull away before anyone has the opportunity to push me out. I'm getting better, but it's a problem.
It's also what Neal spoke about last night. After sharing parts of his experience in junior high, not unlike my middle school experiences, he went off on a slight tangent. Neal's notorious for tangents but this was a really good one. One I needed to hear and can be told again every day for the rest of my life.
"I don't know whose acceptance you're searching for but just stop because it's hopeless. You're never going to obtain it and be satisfied. You already have Jesus's so why are you still searching? Is that person's acceptance more important than Jesus's? You can't please them but you have already pleased Him and that's all that matters."
Sound familiar?
"It doesn't matter, Katie. It only matters to One and His mind is already made-up."
Thanks for accepting my honesty.
Oh, and even though we're on a MWF schedule this week, out of reverence for Christ's death, there will be no new post on Friday. It's coming on Saturday instead. If you've never experienced a Good Friday service of darkness, I highly recommend it. My prayer is that you see our Savior's death and resurrection in a new way this year.
With love,
<>< Katie
Amy: Guys, we're in a tornado warning; maybe we should seek cover.
Andy: Elizabeth and I have two blankets over here if you want one.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
"Wait, what's the number for 9-1-1?"
One of the amazing opportunities I have here at school is to help lead youth retreats. Weekend retreats, one-night events, lock-ins, etc. My ministry team and I do them all. This weekend we helped lead a youth ski trip. Can you say fun?!
Here are some highlights:
As we were driving back this afternoon, we took a twenty-minute prayer break. No iPods, no books, no conversations, no music, nothing.
I looked out of the bus, noticing the stunning mountains, and started my prayer. Except that'll have to be a different blog! This is me resisting the urge to say "Sundays don't count in Lent" and update again. See you Tuesday!
<>< Katie
PS: If you can tell me what skit the title of this post is from you win fifty-points.
Here are some highlights:
- Using an ironing board as a sled...
- The Oreo Olympics: What started as a game to get a half-an-Oreo from the forehead to the mouth sans hands turned into "If I flip this whole Oreo from one shoulder to the other shoulder before kicking it, will you catch it in your mouth?"
- "Patrick, I could hearing you giggling in my bed," complained a female adult chaperone. Please, let's all enjoy her misplaced modifier... and then we'll adjust the sentence to say, "From my bed I could hear you laughing, Patrick!"
- I was the only one sitting at the kitchen table in our house. Please note this kitchen table seats at least ten people and all of the other seats were unoccupied. A girl came into the house to dodge a snowball. Well, she was successful... I was not. The snowball hit one chair and one chair only: mine.
- Kevin and Jeanie had never skied before. Brad and I are intermediate skiers. Somehow the two newbies ended up on the lift together while Brad and I were in the next chair. Acrophobia Kevin screamed the whole way!
- [Quite possibly my favorite] We were playing a game called "Body Parts" where two partners are separated and have to run to each other and touch the called body parts. For example, if the caller says, "Nose to toes," partner one's nose goes to partner two's toes. I took full advantage of my role as caller by saying things like, "tongue to ear" but then I got bored and began to take requests. Somewhere in the game bones started appearing, and "That is not your femur." The very last call wasn't mine but someone screamed, "Cranium to femur." Well, the cranium missed...
As we were driving back this afternoon, we took a twenty-minute prayer break. No iPods, no books, no conversations, no music, nothing.
I looked out of the bus, noticing the stunning mountains, and started my prayer. Except that'll have to be a different blog! This is me resisting the urge to say "Sundays don't count in Lent" and update again. See you Tuesday!
<>< Katie
PS: If you can tell me what skit the title of this post is from you win fifty-points.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Catch Phrase
For being an English major, I'm shockingly bad at Catch Phrase. The words pop up on the screen and those words I want to say are ones I'm not allowed to use. It helps me to know Keith, who speaks almost as many languages and I do, isn't good at it either. He just sits there and screams, "OOHH!, OKAY! UHHH!!!"
I, on the other hand, stare blankly, "I don't know who this is."
"It's a person," someone guesses.
"Yes, a man."
"Describe him."
Okay, if I don't know who a person is, how on earth am I going to describe him? Lucky for me, Allyson started shouting out mens' first names and hits the right one, Jack. My entire team began listing famous people with the first name Jack. When I heard, "Jack Nicholson" I threw the controller at Nikki, sitting behind me on the couch.
"That's not what it says!" Nikki exclaimed. She'd been peering over my shoulder, enjoying my struggle. "It says Jack Nicklaus."
"Are they two different people? I don't know who either one of those people are," I admitted. A year ago I would have struggled and continued the game, lying, if necessary, that I'd heard someone say "Jack Nick-claus."
David leapt to my rescue explaining who each person was, and they gave my team a point anyway.
This same thing happens in Apples to Apples all of the time. I'll throw people-cards cluelessly if I don't have anything better to put in. Sometimes the other players find the choice hilarious and I win; other times they find the card offensive. Oops.
Learning to ask questions and admit when I don't know something,
<>< Katie
PS: I do know that text messages reading, "WHAT NO BLOG YET??? Are you alive? Are you conscious? Did you get eaten by a walrus? You do realize it's almost 4 and thus you have 8 hours left to blog" really mean "My day is not complete until Katie updates her brilliant blog. Perhaps she has forgotten about my dependency on reading it and therefore I shall remind her."
I, on the other hand, stare blankly, "I don't know who this is."
"It's a person," someone guesses.
"Yes, a man."
"Describe him."
Okay, if I don't know who a person is, how on earth am I going to describe him? Lucky for me, Allyson started shouting out mens' first names and hits the right one, Jack. My entire team began listing famous people with the first name Jack. When I heard, "Jack Nicholson" I threw the controller at Nikki, sitting behind me on the couch.
"That's not what it says!" Nikki exclaimed. She'd been peering over my shoulder, enjoying my struggle. "It says Jack Nicklaus."
"Are they two different people? I don't know who either one of those people are," I admitted. A year ago I would have struggled and continued the game, lying, if necessary, that I'd heard someone say "Jack Nick-claus."
David leapt to my rescue explaining who each person was, and they gave my team a point anyway.
This same thing happens in Apples to Apples all of the time. I'll throw people-cards cluelessly if I don't have anything better to put in. Sometimes the other players find the choice hilarious and I win; other times they find the card offensive. Oops.
Learning to ask questions and admit when I don't know something,
<>< Katie
PS: I do know that text messages reading, "WHAT NO BLOG YET??? Are you alive? Are you conscious? Did you get eaten by a walrus? You do realize it's almost 4 and thus you have 8 hours left to blog" really mean "My day is not complete until Katie updates her brilliant blog. Perhaps she has forgotten about my dependency on reading it and therefore I shall remind her."
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Jesus Shoes
"It's so funny because guitar is one of the biggest things I'm going to use in India, and I haven't touched mine in almost a week," Jesus Shoes told us this afternoon.
On Thursday he's headed to India for six months to be a witness for Christ and live up to his name: Jesus Shoes. That isn't his real name.
Last spring, my ministry team and I led a weekend youth retreat where we had a plethora of very similar names. For some reason, the youth could not get our worship leaders' names right. Instead of refering to them by instrument, the high school girls nicknamed both of them: Broken Arm Guy and Jesus Shoes. Jesus Shoes wore Chacos, and Broken Arm Guy proving it is possible to play piano while sporting a beautiful lime green cast.
At first neither one of our worship leaders liked their nicknames but didn't have the hearts to correct the youth; it was only for a weekend, after all. Personally, I think the nicknames were pretty appropriate, but I let Broken Arm Guy drop his nickname after the weekend. Jesus Shoes, however, has stuck in my mind.
As Jesus Shoes prepares for his journey to India, his name seems even more appropriate. After all, he's headed across the world to be Jesus' hands and feet. Jesus' shoes?
While what area of ministry exactly he's going to be working with in India is still being determined, he knows he'll be teaching guitar to some of the youth. This actually worries him because he doesn't have any idea how to teach guitar. Besides his putzing a little bit in my living room this afternoon, he hasn't played guitar in almost a week. When he gets to India, his guitar-playing hours will be almost unlimited, but due to time contraints he hasn't been able to play much lately.
Hey, Jesus Shoes, you're going to India to teach guitar but you haven't played this week. Hey, Jesus Shoes, you're going to India to preach the gospel, have you read it this week? I realize that's a dumb question. Or is it?
I think it's something we all need to ask ourselves on a regular basis. If we're here to be witnesses, have we showed God's love this week? No matter where we are, we're on a mission. Are we being Jesus' hands and feet?
Know you are loved and will be missed; riding the dolly through the storage unit in a tornado warning just isn't the same without you, brother. Represent our Father well. Be safe in India, but never forget that you are to be Jesus' Shoes.
With love,
<>< Katie
On Thursday he's headed to India for six months to be a witness for Christ and live up to his name: Jesus Shoes. That isn't his real name.
Last spring, my ministry team and I led a weekend youth retreat where we had a plethora of very similar names. For some reason, the youth could not get our worship leaders' names right. Instead of refering to them by instrument, the high school girls nicknamed both of them: Broken Arm Guy and Jesus Shoes. Jesus Shoes wore Chacos, and Broken Arm Guy proving it is possible to play piano while sporting a beautiful lime green cast.
At first neither one of our worship leaders liked their nicknames but didn't have the hearts to correct the youth; it was only for a weekend, after all. Personally, I think the nicknames were pretty appropriate, but I let Broken Arm Guy drop his nickname after the weekend. Jesus Shoes, however, has stuck in my mind.
As Jesus Shoes prepares for his journey to India, his name seems even more appropriate. After all, he's headed across the world to be Jesus' hands and feet. Jesus' shoes?
While what area of ministry exactly he's going to be working with in India is still being determined, he knows he'll be teaching guitar to some of the youth. This actually worries him because he doesn't have any idea how to teach guitar. Besides his putzing a little bit in my living room this afternoon, he hasn't played guitar in almost a week. When he gets to India, his guitar-playing hours will be almost unlimited, but due to time contraints he hasn't been able to play much lately.
Hey, Jesus Shoes, you're going to India to teach guitar but you haven't played this week. Hey, Jesus Shoes, you're going to India to preach the gospel, have you read it this week? I realize that's a dumb question. Or is it?
I think it's something we all need to ask ourselves on a regular basis. If we're here to be witnesses, have we showed God's love this week? No matter where we are, we're on a mission. Are we being Jesus' hands and feet?
Know you are loved and will be missed; riding the dolly through the storage unit in a tornado warning just isn't the same without you, brother. Represent our Father well. Be safe in India, but never forget that you are to be Jesus' Shoes.
With love,
<>< Katie
PS: My blogs are not pointless. Only some of them.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
This Means War!
In case I need any more incentive to update my blog, my friend Kevin has challenged me to a blog war. I don't really understand why Mr. Kassakatis believes he's going to win this war. Mean, my name is a dangerous weapon while his is the inflammation of the kassaka. What on earth is a kassaka?
<>< Katie Ax-Your-Face
<>< Katie Ax-Your-Face
Monday, January 25, 2010
Rushed Prayer
Katie
God
"Aloud"
For some unknown reason my friend Kevin thought it wise to tease me about updating my blog 3 to 4 times a day. First off, I have only updated three times in one day once (ok, maybe twice). Second, you should see some of the stuff I write and don't post! Third, blogging is the cool thing to do not having a blog and abandoning it for a month! Last yet most important, at least I didn't buy whitey tighties at Wal-mart while wearing a pink shirt...
Today's been a long day. I left my apartment 6 hours ago and haven't been back since. After this next meeting, I'll be able to run a back there for maybe an hour, leave for dinner, go back for another hour, and I have three hours of class tonight. It's been a busy day but this was perhaps my favorite fifteen minutes.
12:49
Prof, please let class out. I have to get lunch.
12:51
"Class dismissed."
Thank you! The race begins: you have nine minutes to get to the caf, find lunch, and get to the prayer room. Go!
12:54
Congratulations, you made it in the building. Six minutes. Good luck.
Please swipe cards faster, can't you tell I'm on a time limit here?
12:55
"Hi, Emily. Yes, I can do coffee tomorrow. Hi, Steven. I'm good, and you? Hola, Stephanie. Hey, Jeanie. What happened to your underwear, Quailman? Hi, Brittany. Hi, hi, hi..."
Gosh, darn it! Why do I have to be so friendly? Five minutes and an empty to-go box. Double time, Katie!
12:56
Pizza or rice? Pizza or rice? Who likes milk in a paper cup? Yuck! Do I want grape juice for breakfast and lunch? Well, milk is out, so grape juice it is. Please don't be out of grape juice. Do I want dessert? What do I want for dessert?
12:57
"Have a good day, Katie," David shouted across the caf. I looked up just long enough to wave to my normal lunch pals and give them a faint smile. Oh, how I wish I could stay to listen to Claire interpret David's argument to say married women are ugly. No time for that. Tight schedule.
12:58
Hey, Katie.
"What?" I asked aloud, my tone of voice really said, "In a rush, can't talk now." I was tripping up the back stairs of the chapel spilling grape juice up my straw and all over my face (don't ask me how that happened but it did).
I'll see be here when you get here.
Huh?
12:59
Flick off the shoes, I'm entering Holy Ground. Whew! I can breathe again! I made it: with one minute to spare.
1:01
Why'd you rush? I'm still here. Remember what we talked about in Guatemala about being late?
My campus is currently taking part in a 24/7 prayer campaign where we have someone praying for the campus and the world twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I accidentally signed up for a time during my lunch hour instead of picking a time I was free (like now in the two o'clock hour). I'd encourage you to take some time out of your schedule today, this week and pray for your world. Your campus, your town, your state, your country, your world. It doesn't have to be an hour. You don't have to shove a pizza in your mouth as you pray, "Thank You, God, that I have food." But take a minute to pray today.
With love,
<>< Katie
God
"Aloud"
For some unknown reason my friend Kevin thought it wise to tease me about updating my blog 3 to 4 times a day. First off, I have only updated three times in one day once (ok, maybe twice). Second, you should see some of the stuff I write and don't post! Third, blogging is the cool thing to do not having a blog and abandoning it for a month! Last yet most important, at least I didn't buy whitey tighties at Wal-mart while wearing a pink shirt...
Today's been a long day. I left my apartment 6 hours ago and haven't been back since. After this next meeting, I'll be able to run a back there for maybe an hour, leave for dinner, go back for another hour, and I have three hours of class tonight. It's been a busy day but this was perhaps my favorite fifteen minutes.
12:49
Prof, please let class out. I have to get lunch.
12:51
"Class dismissed."
Thank you! The race begins: you have nine minutes to get to the caf, find lunch, and get to the prayer room. Go!
12:54
Congratulations, you made it in the building. Six minutes. Good luck.
Please swipe cards faster, can't you tell I'm on a time limit here?
12:55
"Hi, Emily. Yes, I can do coffee tomorrow. Hi, Steven. I'm good, and you? Hola, Stephanie. Hey, Jeanie. What happened to your underwear, Quailman? Hi, Brittany. Hi, hi, hi..."
Gosh, darn it! Why do I have to be so friendly? Five minutes and an empty to-go box. Double time, Katie!
12:56
Pizza or rice? Pizza or rice? Who likes milk in a paper cup? Yuck! Do I want grape juice for breakfast and lunch? Well, milk is out, so grape juice it is. Please don't be out of grape juice. Do I want dessert? What do I want for dessert?
12:57
"Have a good day, Katie," David shouted across the caf. I looked up just long enough to wave to my normal lunch pals and give them a faint smile. Oh, how I wish I could stay to listen to Claire interpret David's argument to say married women are ugly. No time for that. Tight schedule.
12:58
Hey, Katie.
"What?" I asked aloud, my tone of voice really said, "In a rush, can't talk now." I was tripping up the back stairs of the chapel spilling grape juice up my straw and all over my face (don't ask me how that happened but it did).
I'll see be here when you get here.
Huh?
12:59
Flick off the shoes, I'm entering Holy Ground. Whew! I can breathe again! I made it: with one minute to spare.
1:01
Why'd you rush? I'm still here. Remember what we talked about in Guatemala about being late?
My campus is currently taking part in a 24/7 prayer campaign where we have someone praying for the campus and the world twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. I accidentally signed up for a time during my lunch hour instead of picking a time I was free (like now in the two o'clock hour). I'd encourage you to take some time out of your schedule today, this week and pray for your world. Your campus, your town, your state, your country, your world. It doesn't have to be an hour. You don't have to shove a pizza in your mouth as you pray, "Thank You, God, that I have food." But take a minute to pray today.
With love,
<>< Katie
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Forgiven
Last night, seventeen of us went out to dinner. Of course, with a group that size you need four cars, and somehow I ended up in the Deep Theological Conversation Car. I should have guess that by noticing the four men in the jeep with me, but I didn't mind.
"Ok, what kind of cool thoughts has anyone had about God lately? Let's start there," Keith said nonchalantly.
For the next hour or so we discussed forgiveness. One of the many conclusions we finally drew was that forgiveness is more for the forgiving than the forgiven. Forgiveness also doesn't mean what the other person did was right. Forgiveness does not make the sin acceptable. Rather, forgiveness is admitting, "Yes, what you did was wrong, but I've decided to put in the the past and move on. I wish you well."
This conclusion became important at dinner. Trey tried to throw an empty sugar wrapper at Matthew and missed, hitting me in the face. Me getting hit in the face is actually incredibly common. I narrowly avoided being hit in the head with a bowling ball tonight. I'm actually kind f sad it didn't hit me because that may be the only sports ball that has never collided with my face at some point in my life. Sometimes I really wonder if there is a magnetic field connecting my nose to anything being thrown.
Through laughter and tears, I told Trey I forgave him. I wasn't saying hitting me in the face was ok, but I was willing to move past it and be friends with Trey again. I wish Trey well.
While I was home for break, our church service times changed and no one bothered to tell the college students. Of course, we all showed up this morning and realized there was 45 minutes before the service started. Emily figured Matt told us. Matt thought we were on the email list. Really, it came down to John who completely forgot to mention it to us.
"I'll forgive Emily and Matt; it wasn't their responsibility. But I won't forgive John," Amber said, kind of in jest. "Ok, I'll forgive him, but not until after I tease him for it."
One of the things we pondered last night: is it ok to tell someone you forgive them if they don't know they wronged you? We concluded: no, you're shoving it in their face. Your sole motive is to hurt them back. That's wrong.
John came over and apologized. We teased about it for awhile. And then expressed forgiveness. We admitted what John did (or didn't do) was wrong, but opted to move on and wish him well instead of holding a grudge against John. After all, what had it hurt us? We lost forty-five minutes of precious sleep but that's it. No real harm done. Yes, Kevin, no real harm done; it was only 45 minutes.
Find it within you to forgive someone today. That doesn't make what he/she did right. It makes you willing to move on and wish that person well.
<>< Katie
"Ok, what kind of cool thoughts has anyone had about God lately? Let's start there," Keith said nonchalantly.
For the next hour or so we discussed forgiveness. One of the many conclusions we finally drew was that forgiveness is more for the forgiving than the forgiven. Forgiveness also doesn't mean what the other person did was right. Forgiveness does not make the sin acceptable. Rather, forgiveness is admitting, "Yes, what you did was wrong, but I've decided to put in the the past and move on. I wish you well."
This conclusion became important at dinner. Trey tried to throw an empty sugar wrapper at Matthew and missed, hitting me in the face. Me getting hit in the face is actually incredibly common. I narrowly avoided being hit in the head with a bowling ball tonight. I'm actually kind f sad it didn't hit me because that may be the only sports ball that has never collided with my face at some point in my life. Sometimes I really wonder if there is a magnetic field connecting my nose to anything being thrown.
Through laughter and tears, I told Trey I forgave him. I wasn't saying hitting me in the face was ok, but I was willing to move past it and be friends with Trey again. I wish Trey well.
While I was home for break, our church service times changed and no one bothered to tell the college students. Of course, we all showed up this morning and realized there was 45 minutes before the service started. Emily figured Matt told us. Matt thought we were on the email list. Really, it came down to John who completely forgot to mention it to us.
"I'll forgive Emily and Matt; it wasn't their responsibility. But I won't forgive John," Amber said, kind of in jest. "Ok, I'll forgive him, but not until after I tease him for it."
One of the things we pondered last night: is it ok to tell someone you forgive them if they don't know they wronged you? We concluded: no, you're shoving it in their face. Your sole motive is to hurt them back. That's wrong.
John came over and apologized. We teased about it for awhile. And then expressed forgiveness. We admitted what John did (or didn't do) was wrong, but opted to move on and wish him well instead of holding a grudge against John. After all, what had it hurt us? We lost forty-five minutes of precious sleep but that's it. No real harm done. Yes, Kevin, no real harm done; it was only 45 minutes.
Find it within you to forgive someone today. That doesn't make what he/she did right. It makes you willing to move on and wish that person well.
<>< Katie
Monday, January 11, 2010
That's Weird
I wasn't going to update my blog today, but my friend Kevin (who says I already update my blog too) much forced me to do it. To make Nikki happy, it's a short blog. Gosh, I'm such a people-pleaser.
Everyone things I spend my entire break on blogger, and they aren't too far off...
In blogger, your choices for gender are:
Male
Female
Unspecified
When I first created my blog, I wanted to be more anonymous, so I opted for an "unspecified" gender. Even though I don't use place names, I have grown more content in revealing pieces about myself. I went to change my gender to "Female" and noticed I'd messed up. Instead of hitting "Unspecified" I had been blogging as a "Male."
When I was talking to my friend Kevin about why I updated my profile, I said, "Yeah, I'm not a man anymore."
Weird.
Five minutes later we saw a cult of four matching white trucks changing the reflectors in the road. Weird.
At the same time we said, "That's weird."
That's weird.
<>< Katie
Everyone things I spend my entire break on blogger, and they aren't too far off...
In blogger, your choices for gender are:
Male
Female
Unspecified
When I first created my blog, I wanted to be more anonymous, so I opted for an "unspecified" gender. Even though I don't use place names, I have grown more content in revealing pieces about myself. I went to change my gender to "Female" and noticed I'd messed up. Instead of hitting "Unspecified" I had been blogging as a "Male."
When I was talking to my friend Kevin about why I updated my profile, I said, "Yeah, I'm not a man anymore."
Weird.
Five minutes later we saw a cult of four matching white trucks changing the reflectors in the road. Weird.
At the same time we said, "That's weird."
That's weird.
<>< Katie
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Never Underestimate the Power of a Good Book
On the way to the airport to come home for Christmas, my friend Kevin (who sometimes reads this blog) told me he rarely reads books anymore and never books that are more than 200 pages. I asked him if he'd read a 201 page book if I wrote it, and he said no. He's pretty serious about this 200 page rule.
The other day I jokingly asked him if he's read anything good over break and he said yes! Just from the tone in his... er... text message, I could tell he was excited about this book. Yes, a quick google search revealed it is less than 200 pages but that isn't the point.
That's all it takes, one good book. Earlier this break I was feeling lazy and apathetic. All I did all day was blog, participate in "family somethings," and play Bejeweled Blitz. That is until a spontaneous trip to Barnes & Noble changed (and charged) by break.
I'm now deep in to two books. Whether I love them or not is beside the point because once again the words are flowing. While I haven't written a substantial amount, maybe five pages, there has been a lot of plotting and some major changes. In this case, change is good. And I owe it all to the 300 pages I've read this week. (Ok, and my Almighty God who has given me the words to speak).
Excuse me now why I go disappear into a comfortable recliner with a blanket, a good book, and a glass of wine on this beautiful blizzarding day. (Ok, just kidding about the wine... maybe).
Be verbose!
<>< Katie
The other day I jokingly asked him if he's read anything good over break and he said yes! Just from the tone in his... er... text message, I could tell he was excited about this book. Yes, a quick google search revealed it is less than 200 pages but that isn't the point.
That's all it takes, one good book. Earlier this break I was feeling lazy and apathetic. All I did all day was blog, participate in "family somethings," and play Bejeweled Blitz. That is until a spontaneous trip to Barnes & Noble changed (and charged) by break.
I'm now deep in to two books. Whether I love them or not is beside the point because once again the words are flowing. While I haven't written a substantial amount, maybe five pages, there has been a lot of plotting and some major changes. In this case, change is good. And I owe it all to the 300 pages I've read this week. (Ok, and my Almighty God who has given me the words to speak).
Excuse me now why I go disappear into a comfortable recliner with a blanket, a good book, and a glass of wine on this beautiful blizzarding day. (Ok, just kidding about the wine... maybe).
Be verbose!
<>< Katie
Friday, May 1, 2009
It Doesn't Matter
My friend Kevin and I happened to be in the cafeteria at the same time this morning, so we ate breakfast together (actually, I ate breakfast; he ate lunch). It was nice to have a relaxed conversation with a friend. At one point, the topic rolled to something that had been bothering me. Instead of letting me dwell on it, Kevin almost immediately changed the subject to make me feel better.
"Just put it aside, Katie."
"I can't."
"No, you need to. It doesn't matter."
"But it does."
"No, the only One it matters to has already made up His mind. And He isn't going to change it no matter how hard you try."
Simple yet to profound and perfect.
<>< Katie
"Just put it aside, Katie."
"I can't."
"No, you need to. It doesn't matter."
"But it does."
"No, the only One it matters to has already made up His mind. And He isn't going to change it no matter how hard you try."
Simple yet to profound and perfect.
<>< Katie
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Hand Talk
I went home for Easter and got my hair cut the first morning I was there. While I was getting used to the new length, I was seeing people who hadn't seen me in four months therefore would not notice my hair. Now that I'm used to it, I'm back with people who see me everyday and notice my hair is different. It's a bit weird.
Yesterday I ate dinner with my deaf friend, Renee. While we were sitting there, my friend Kevin walked by and noticed my new haircut. Unfortunately, Kevin doesn't understand "hand talk" (that's what he calls ASL). Kevin used hand gestures to indicate short hair before adding a thumbs up. Obviously, I'm not deaf, so Kevin could have just quickly voiced that he like my hair cut before moving on, yet he didn't. He was respectful to Renee to communicated the best he could with "hand talk".
Normally when we see things we don't know, we shy away from the situation and are uncomfortable. Kevin could have told me later that he noticed my hair, or he could have ignored me all together. He could have voiced his idea. He had plenty of other options, but he opted to do his best and communicate with me in a way that was fair for me and for Renee.
To borrow Neal's words, "Go do the best you can for Jesus. Even if you have to go slowly. Do it for Him."
<>< Katie
Yesterday I ate dinner with my deaf friend, Renee. While we were sitting there, my friend Kevin walked by and noticed my new haircut. Unfortunately, Kevin doesn't understand "hand talk" (that's what he calls ASL). Kevin used hand gestures to indicate short hair before adding a thumbs up. Obviously, I'm not deaf, so Kevin could have just quickly voiced that he like my hair cut before moving on, yet he didn't. He was respectful to Renee to communicated the best he could with "hand talk".
Normally when we see things we don't know, we shy away from the situation and are uncomfortable. Kevin could have told me later that he noticed my hair, or he could have ignored me all together. He could have voiced his idea. He had plenty of other options, but he opted to do his best and communicate with me in a way that was fair for me and for Renee.
To borrow Neal's words, "Go do the best you can for Jesus. Even if you have to go slowly. Do it for Him."
<>< Katie
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