Happy Hunger Games

Okay, so, I have jumped on The Hunger Games bandwagon. Recently I was on the search for some books to read and as I was browsing titles on Amazon, I gave in and bought the first book in the series. I received the book on Tuesday and had it finished by Saturday morning. If I did not have a job, I could have stayed up through the night and finished it in just a couple of days. Regardless of how long it took me to read, I was captivated by the story. (If you haven't read the book or seen the movie yet, you can read the summary here.) However, the more I seemed to talk about it to people I know, a recurring dialogue seemed to emerge. For example...

Me: I've just finished reading the best book!! I stayed until 2 a.m. to read!!

Friend: What's that?

 Me: The Hunger Games.

Friend: Oh, my 12 year old son has read that series.

 The first time I had a friend tell me that her adolescent son was just as captivated by the same book, I thought of it a little odd. But, the more I talked with other friends who had the same remarks, I began to get a little embarrassed. I was embarrassed because here I am, a too-close-to 30 woman who is entranced by the same book that adolescent boys are obsessed with. Does that seem odd to anyone but me?

Despite my embarrassment, I sucked Mike into The Hunger Games madness and we went to see the movie opening day. It was enjoyable and suspenseful, just like the book. After the movie, Mike and I were talking about what we would do if one of us was selected to be in the Hunger Games. We came to this conclusion: Mike would probably do okay. He is a hunter. He can shoot a bow and knows about the woods. I, on the other hand, for lack of a better word, would be screwed. The area in which I live could be considered the "country," but I am a city-girl at heart. I have been camping only twice. Both times I was at the age where I didn't know any better and couldn't resist my parents' idea of a "vacation." 

Our conversation continued to which of our friends could come out as victor of the Hunger Games. He named off one guy pretty quick. We will call him...Horatio. He is also a hunter and can be very sneaky and wouldn't think twice about meeting his own needs with his mind set on the prize. I also named a friend. We will call him...Rico. Unlike the Horatio, Rico is not a hunter, but is very intelligent and just plain clever. He can figure out anything and is good at everything. We both agreed our money would be on Rico. 

There's really no point to this post...But, would you make it the Hunger Games?? Which of your friends could be victor??

31 Things

Today is someone special's 31st birthday...so I thought I would do something fun and share 31 things I adore about him...

1. He loves the Lord more than he loves me.
2. His passion for the Gospel and making disciples.
3. He is good to me--plain and simple.
4. His calves. :))
5. He doesn't laugh (at least not out loud) at my idiotic blonde moments.
6. He takes me to Bama football games.
7. When he goes shopping with me and I can't decide between 2 things he always says, "Just get both." 
8. He says the above statement with smile, not with an exasperated sigh.
9. He sends me goofy/silly texts or emails throughout the day that make me smile and laugh even when I am having a rough day.
10. He will make a great daddy one day. (No news to share on that subject...just saying.)
11. He brings me Reese Cup blizzards with extra Reese Cups.
12. He makes me laugh.
13. He can not keep a secret.
14. He doesn't laugh at me when I talk to our dog like a real person.
15. He sings cheesy country love songs to me.
16. He takes good care of me when I am sick.
17. He always lets me have the last bite of dessert.
18. He is patient with me when I am trying to make a decision.
19. He randomly buys me little surprises.
20. He tells me I am beautiful.
21. He lets me steal the covers.
22. He tolerates my obsession with laying out all day on the beach and sacrifices the heat to be with me.
23. He makes the best homemade pimento cheese.
24. He pays the bills each month.
25. He has a contagious laugh.
26. He never rarely complains at the junk I collect.
27. He is kind to everyone he meets.
28. He will probably be embarrassed by this list.
29. He is good at everything he does.
30. He makes life fun.
31. He chose me to me his wife.

Whoo Knew

I'm not really an emotional person. It's rare that I cry during a movie. However, there are a few exceptions like Steel Magnolias and It's a Wonderful Life. I also don't typically cry when reading tear-jerker books, like Charlotte's Web, to my class. But who would have thought I would have almost a complete meltdown while reading a Dr. Seuss book?! Yes, you read that right...I almost couldn't finish Oh, the Places You Will Go by Dr. Seuss because my emotions almost got the best of me. If it has been a while since you have read a book by Dr. Seuss, you might be surprised by the deep underlining themes in his books. 

I read numerous Dr. Seuss books to my class each year. We usually laugh and giggle at the silly rhymes and my first graders are amazed by his creativity and imagination. However, Oh, the Places You Will Go is not a giggly book for me. For me, it has a different tone because parts of it speak so perfectly well for the season of my life right now. 

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or the waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

So, as I sit here in my weirdish, wild, waiting place, I'm a bit encouraged by the poet. I'm encouraged because I know that it is just a waiting place. All "waits" come to an end at some point--some sooner than others. It just so happens that this particular waiting place has no exit signs in sight and I'm still waiting for my number to be called. I kind of feel like an out-dated magazine in a waiting room. But, I have hope...not because of the words of Dr. Seuss, but because of my Savior. He knew before time that I would be found in this waiting place. And here is the good part...He is waiting with me.

Whirlwind

Ever since Christmas I have felt like I have been living through a whirlwind. Life seemed like it was spinning out of control and I couldn't do anything to stop the confusion, hurt, and utter turmoil. I was so thankful that when it was time to flip the calendar from January to February. I don't think I have ever been more ready for a month of the year to be over than January 2012. 

However, through the dark days of January I was desperate for a fresh glimpse of the Lord. I was desperate to do as the psalmist urges us to do in Psalm 34:8...To taste and see that the Lord is good. So in attempt to taste and see my Lord, I began reading the book Desiring God by John Piper. I haven't finished the book yet, but it has been an encouragement to my soul and a challenge to my faith at the same time. 

Piper makes a statement so simple, but it is so profound to me...Life is hard, but God is good. I have found myself repeating that over and over again the last few weeks. Regardless of my circumstances, God is still good. He will remain good despite my shortcomings and failures. He is good even when the darkness closes in and we have lost our hope. Through my whirlwind, He is good. He is good--that's a fact. 

So, as I live my life with the promise that God is good, I am content that He is enough. I am learning to be most satisfied in Him despite loss, despite hardship. He is my portion. He is my treasure. He is my joy.

Thoughtless Tuesday

Yeah, we were there and it was awesome. That's all. Roll Tide.

Tailgating Extravaganza

Well, the game of the century was last Saturday and we arrived bright and early Saturday morning in Tuscaloosa with our game faces on ready to battle. But before the showdown actually began, were prepared for our tailgating extravaganza! We had the ultimate set-up: big screen TV, 4 canopy tents, PLENTY of good food, lots of great friends, and the perfect place to people watch for the day.

 We started the extravaganza with a bang...CORNDOGS!! In case you don't know, LSU fans smell like corndogs...you can get the full story here. I have to admit, I think the corndogs were the highlight of the event. While we waited for THE game to begin, the rest of the afternoon consisted of watching football, snacking, and watching the people next to us change their camping portable toilet. Yes, you read that right...and of course they had to be Bama fans.

Some of the food...

We had a great time hanging out, but of course it would have been a lot more fun had our team won.

????

Matching houndstooth!

The family!

Roll Tide!!

Happily Ever After

Mike and I recently went to dinner with some dear friends who are newlyweds. They are a precious couple and it was so fun watching how giddy they were with each other after being married for just a few weeks. And that got me thinking about married life...


This summer Mike and I celebrated our 5th anniversary--that is craziness!! Those 5 years have flown by!!! It really seems like yesterday we were still dating! I really love being married to my best friend. We have so much fun together. In our 5 years of being married we have gotten to...

• go to Maui
• go to London, England
• go to countless Bama games
• serve and minister to a great group of students and their families
• go to Jamaica on a mission trip
• survive a bathroom remodel at our house
• walk through the trenches with each other as we both completed graduate school
• go on 3 mission trips with our students to the Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina 
• and the list could go on and on...

But, that is just a short list of the fun or cool stuff that we have gotten to do or be a part of. There have, however, been some lows in those 5 years. Thankfully, we have each other to lean on as we sometimes have to "walk through the valley of the shadow of death." I really don't know what I would do without Mike. He is my biggest and strongest encourager. He can always make me laugh and make a bad day better. I'm looking forward to our happily ever after.