When Will I Learn...

to never say "never".

"It's a great idea and it's sleek enough in appearance but I would never buy one for myself." Cathy Baker

The size of the book--the catchy cover--the texture of the pages--all culminate in making a "real" book a pleasure to read. Throw in the fact that marking up the pages is one of my favorite things to do while reading and you have the reason why I spend more time in a book store than a library.

But something changed.

Was it the agonizing cry I heard coming from our soon-to-be-full bookshelves, or mine for a quicker and more convenient read? My guess is both. So, I did exactly what I said I'd never do. I ordered my own Kindle 3 with the last bit of my birthday money.

And now? My ears have become ever attentive to the distinct screeching sound that only a UPS truck can deliver--which is, by the way, something else I thought I would never do.

Sigh. When will I learn?

Hope in the Waiting

Today marked the beginning of our Advent celebration.

The focus? Hope
The problem? Waiting

I know few people who enjoy the process of waiting, and yet it is -- and always has been -- a part of the Christian life.

The first waiting room, established in the Garden (no shoes required), came about soon after God pronounced judgment on Satan... and announced hope in the form of Jesus Christ. (Genesis 3:15) From that moment on, those in the Old Testament waited for the first arrival of their Messiah, and today we eagerly await and anticipate His second coming.

Although the kind of hope Christ followers possess has nothing to do with uncertainty, it does have something to do with waiting. However, unlike the picture above, I imagine our waiting room to be without chairs.

After all, who has time to sit and wait?

"Be very careful, then, how you live---not as unwise but as wise,
making the most of every opportunity,
because the days are evil."
Ephesians 5:15-17

"...for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night....So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled."
1 Thessalonians 5:2, 6

My Friday Fave

How does a tea lover choose a favorite among her collection of vintage Christmas tea cups? Very carefully. :)

This tea set won by a slim margin based on its unique sipping space around the top of the teacup. Navigating the wavy shape as I sip my favorite tea, "Paris" by Harney & Sons, makes for a delightful respite during a busy day -- or a rainy one... like today!

THANKSgiving

I knew this would be a Thanksgiving like none other for a few reasons -- the main one being it was my first Thanksgiving without a grandparent to visit. To refer to them as "grandparents" is an understatement as they've always been more like parents to me.

I was reminded today of how both sets of grandparents led our family holidays -- how different, and yet how wonderful both were in their own way. My dad's side, more formal -- never eating past noon -- and my mom's side, laid-back and satisfied with eating whenever the ham arrived. The best of both worlds.

I remember, even as a young girl, listening to the antics of my uncles -- and the laughter that soon followed -- knowing that one day all the laughter, aromas, and faces around that table would be a distant memory. And in many ways, that was today.

Yet, I realize how incredibly blessed I am to have such memories to tuck away. I pray that some day I will be half the grandparent mine were to me and that we'll create our own memories around the Thanksgiving table. I may not have uncles for my grandchildren to enjoy (being the "only" that I am), but as long as Brian is at the table, there will be antics -- and oh so much laughter.

Giving thanks to the Lord today for the blessings of my past, present, and future.

"A" for Advent

I thought leading our Sunday C4 Group in Advent for the next four Sundays was "Plan B", but now I'm convinced it was God's "Plan A" all along.

Anticipation
Celebration
Reflection
Stillness
Simplicity

Even those of us with the best of intentions in keeping Christ as our focus can subtly, but oh so easily, get sucked down the drain of commercialism, unfortunately.

Celebrating Advent with our group each week will be a gift, in a sense -- one of time, intention, and focus on the only One who could possibly turn a supposed "Plan B" into God's best.

My Friday Fave

I haven't visited Trader Joe's yet, but there's no doubt it's going to be a fave. I hear the food is yummy and the bargains are bountiful, but it's the clever usage of words found in their mail out, Food Pilgrimager, such as:

Proclivity
Palpable
Fiddlesticks!
Toothsome
Coveted culinary fungi

... that has won me over.

I'm No Scrooge, but...

I turn on the radio... Jingle Bells is playing.

I turn on the T.V... Christmas movies have their own marathon.

I go to the doctor's office... nurses are humming their favorite Christmas tune.

I drive down the street... Christmas decorations are secured to utility poles.

I walk in a store... Christmas candles are blazing in all their glory.


Don't get me wrong... I'm no Scrooge, but... I'm not ready to hear, see, or smell Christmas just yet. Give me, say... one more week... from today. Look out attic, here I come!

What about you?

Walking Typing on Air

Allow me to introduce to you my twentieth wedding anniversary gift...and my Christmas gift for the next umpteen years...and a valid excuse for my hubby to get his Drone 4g next year:




We rarely splurge, so imagine my surprise yesterday when Brian smiled and pointed me to the Mac sales counter to claim a MacBook Air of my very own. (The drool left on the "come-play-with-me" floor model must have been the dead give away as to the depth of the hook lodged in my bottom lip).

The 10.1" size means it can be dropped in my purse (oh so gingerly) and on its way to Starbucks in no time flat.

Thank you Brian!

My Friday Fave

I'm not one to crank the Christmas tunes or watch a favorite holiday movie (yes, even Elf) prior to Thanksgiving---but this commercial, without fail, captures my attention. Someone deserves a raise for creating such an enchanting invitation to visit the Biltmore Estate this Christmas.

Thankfully, though, the best part of Christmas is not wrapped in a large ornate box-- but rather, in swaddling clothes.





Imagine riding on the horse-drawn buggy with Mr. Biltmore himself, cresting the hill to see such a grandiose display surrounded my snow-topped pines. I get giddy just thinking about it!

And yet, as resplendent as this sight must have been, one's imagination cannot begin to fathom what awaits us as we crest the hill towards heaven.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" 1 Corinthians 2:9

Teaching an Old Owner New Tricks

Rupert's barking at the back door is nothing new. In fact, it's exactly what we taught him to do early on as a pup:

Gotta go?
Find the door.
Whimper, scratch, plead, or bark (we're not picky).
Remain still until you're leashed.
Run!
Do what you need to do.
Run back to the house.
Repeat as needed.

For the past seven years, he's not deviated from the routine, so when he began barking in his "trained" spot last week, it came as no surprise. (Although, now that I think about it, he did seem to be a little happier than normal.)

I quickly leashed him, flung open the screened door, and proceeded to run down the back steps...alone. By the time the screened door slammed shut Rupert was already propped up on our 1950's metal porch glider with a big furry grin on his face. Did I mention that our Lhasa loves to glide?

The disciplinarian in me wanted to pick up his coy fluffy self and take him inside (so as not to confuse his "potty" barks with "party" barks in the future), but being the glider lover that I am, I quickly caved and sat down beside him. He hopped in my lap, released an audible sigh, and snoozed off in to doggy la-la land as the gliding motion rocked him to sleep. All was right in Rupert's world.

Who says you can't teach an old owner new tricks?

Self-Sufficiency Clad in a Yellow Frock Dress

A yellow frock dress, blond curls, a matching bow, and the face of an angel.

This adorable four-year old and her mother came in this morning just as the service was about to begin. Before making their way down the lengthy staircase to find a seat, the mother peered over the top step, and promptly reached for the tiny tot's hand. It took just a steady step or two before the toddler gained a new-found confidence and quickly jerked her hand away from the mother's ever extended hand, only to grab it once more when she began to teeter.

As I watched this tug-of-war play out in front of me, it became uncomfortably all too familiar.

Life begins to teeter, throwing me off balance and into a whirlwind of unknowns. It's during these times, when I tend to latch on to my heavenly Father's hand--and all it represents--with a death grip. However, let life become a bit too comfy, "doable" if you will, and much like the little girl, I sadly find myself spiritually jerking away from my Father's ever extended hand.

Dress me up in a yellow frock dress and buy me a bow (on second thought, please don't). No amount of angelic illusions can mask the ugliness and emptiness found in self-sufficiency.

The cure? We must refuse to "dress up" the sin of self-sufficiency--call it for what it is--repent--and then run into the arms of our heavenly Father.

Experience His embrace and we'll never settle for simply holding His hand ever again.

Where to Write?

The den? Not so much. It's the center of action in our home.
The library? Too many books vying for my attention.
The back porch on my favorite 50's metal glider? Too much movement--from both the glider and the mosquitoes buzzing around my head in search of a landing pad. Yes, mosquitoes in November. Welcome to the South.

One of the things I like most about our circa 1911 home is its quirkiness. Nooks, crannies, and creaky floors. You must like this home for what it is, not for what you necessarily want it to be. With that in mind, my appreciation for this old house increased substantially today when I discovered what I believe to be the perfect writing nook--a small area upstairs adjacent to Brian's music room with a view overlooking the city park.


The table and chair were given to me by my mom who recently cleaned out my grandmother's home. As the story goes, she spent a great deal of time at this small unpretentious table (the perfect size for a laptop) and chair (a painful size for someone who just polished off the last pumpkin chocolate chip muffin) as a teenager while talking to my dad on the phone.

Communication at its best, whether by rotary phone or laptop. Same table, different era.

I think I'm going to enjoy my little nook in this crannied-filled home.

Where's your favorite place to read, write, or study? I'd love to know!

A Delectable Delight!

I knew my mom and I were in for a treat today when we gave the newest restaurant in Fountain Inn SC, "Sweet Catherine's" a try. After all, with a name like Catherine, how could they go wrong? (Obviously, I didn't order humble pie, but my namesake would be proud. :)

What I did order, however, was their delectable chicken salad in a melt-in-your-mouth croissant with a side of broccoli salad. It was simply divine. Everything is made from scratch and you can taste the difference with the first bite.

I encourage you to swing by and give this restaurant a try. You won't be sorry!