61! Days!

It is late. I should be sleeping. But my decaf latte has set in and I need a bit more time to wind down. So I sat down to look ahead to the coming weeks, and discovered that I have officially entered the window where it is exciting to count in days and not weeks! I mean, really. 30 weeks sounds SO much better than 210 days. But 61 days? That's a reasonable window, yes?

Snow Days, Chocolate Cake, and Living in Community

Hey, remember February of 2011 when Dallas froze over and everyone was stuck at home for a week? Yea, that was crazy. Five snow days in two weeks! In theory, it was awesome. In practice, a little hard to recover from, at least as far as work is concerned. But, pressing on... more rambling after the jump.

Annnndd the countdown begins

88. The number of keys on a piano. The atomic number of radium. The speed in mph that the DeLorean time machine must reach to travel in time.

Also, the number of days until I reach the end of one chapter of my life and turn to a fresh page. Eek. The dramatic life change that lies ahead is both daunting and ridiculously exciting. It doesn't seem real yet, although it does more so each day as various pieces begin to fall into place.

It's funny to look back over the last few years and the incredible journey on which God led me to this place. I have struggled since entering the 'real world' after DBU, never quite knowing where I was heading in the long run. I could see right in front of me, but it was the kind of sight that comes from a dim flashlight in the dark woods - never reaching much further than a step or two away. I didn't know that the first interview I went on after graduation would lead to a six-year stint in a school business office. I didn't know that I would pursue graduate work in music theory, and didn't know that I would ever be satisfied with a decision not to complete that work. I didn't know that I would attend over 25 weddings, none of them my own. I didn't know that I would become "Aunt Fi/Tia/Auntie Adrianne" to nearly a dozen (and counting!) of some of the cutest kids in the world. I couldn't see 5 trips to England or two weeks in Japan. I couldn't see having an amazing church home and playing in a band with some of the most talented musicians in Texas. I couldn't see the friends that would become closer than family.

And I most certainly couldn't see the latest turn: acceptance into one of the top nursing programs in the state. A career change of epic proportions, yet one that strangely makes sense.

Many years ago, one of the leaders of a small Life Group I was attending approached me during our prayer time and told me that, while she didn't know why, I should read Psalm 139. It seemed really odd to me at the time, but I went home and read it. At that point in my life, it just seemed like a nice verse. However, I placed a special bookmark at that page and continued to revisit it every now and then. Over the course of the years, it has become something of a life passage for me. I read it often, and it has spoken directly to certain events in my life. One of the verses particularly resonates with me in this season:

Before a word is on my tongue
you, LORD, know it completely.
You hem me in behind and before,
and you lay your hand upon me.
(Psalm 139:4-5)

While I may not see where I am going, I rest in the comfort that God does. He has "hemmed me in" and knows exactly what lies ahead. He has brought me this far, and I am excited to see where He takes me next.

How is God working in YOUR life today?

hero

Was I the only one to notice
That human nature doesn't work that way
They tell me if I look deep inside me
That I can find my own way

I only find a rebel and a fool there
Who won't admit that he's afraid
I thought I was holdin' on to freedom
But locked my soul up in chains

I need a hero
Who'll dare to find me
Fly to my rescue
And crash through the wall
Announce my freedom
Bring me to my senses
Gather me into His strong arms
And carry me off...to safety

What is this talk about a Savior
Well does He listen, is He ever there?
And should I be asking Him directly?
But why should He consider my prayer?

Well, I don't quite know how to do this
But Jesus, I can't save myself
So here I go calling our for mercy
And crying out for Your help
(So if You hear me...)

I need a hero
Please dare to find me
Fly to my rescue
And crash through the wall
Announce my freedom
Bring me to my senses
Gather me into Your strong arms
And carry me off...

~Chris Rice

smiles...

tonight, I smile.

today, it was a good day... caught up on sleep... spent a nice afternoon relaxing and catching up with dear friends... had dinner with my wonderful family... got to see Nugget and Lauren and Zack... went jogging in the BEAUTIFUL weather... had two somewhat unexpected, but altogether lovely conversations...

tomorrow, it is Sunday, which means rest and renewal... and sitting at the keys, making some music with my favorite band...

and so, for tonight... I smile.

confessions of a night-owl

It's 0130, and I should be sleeping. I have no good reason NOT to be sleeping... I'm just not. I really, really look forward to the day when I can give night shifts a try... this whole morning thing just doesn't work very well for me!

I think it's probably time I get back to blogging, with the new and exciting things going on... since TWO Septembers ago, when I last really updated (all one of you who actually read this thing), more than a little has happened. A few (uh, more than a few...) weddings, a few vacations... and mostly, a new career move! In case you've been sleeping under a rock (or I just haven't talked to you recently since life has become a blur), I am going back to school again (again). This semester, I started taking pre-reqs for... (*drum roll please*) nursing school!

(*cricket, cricket*)

Yes, it's completely different than anything I've pursued thus far. Yes, it means at least two more years of school. And YES, I am really excited about it!

There is, of course, a story as to how this all came about. But it is not for tonight. Tonight is now for sleeping. The story shall come soon enough. With that, dear friends, I bid you buenos noches!

Bad blogger...

Yes, I know it's been like 23492387492387 years since I posted anything at all, let alone anything of substance. Let's just say things have been a little busy and leave it at that.

So what do I do after my blogging absence? I go off and start a new blog. I must be crazy. But with recipe requests and questions coming in more frequently these days, I felt I needed a place to share said recipes and baking wisdom (or at least, my version of such). AND I didn't want to stir things up too much here, since my latest recipe for apple pie doesn't exactly fit in the 'random thought' category. So let's see how well I do the two blog thing, shall we?

Without further ado, I am pleased to introduce (to the two people that currently read this blog!) my new baking blog... short & sweet! (Appropriate, no?) Look me up around the corner at http://shortsweeta.blogspot.com/. Covering mostly my (in)famous desserts, we will occasionally mix it up with a good appetizer or beverage recipe.. who knows! So if you've always wanted to know the secret to my killer apple pie or the recipe for (fill in the blank), drop me an e-mail or comment and I'll get it up!

Y'all take care now! And I promise not to totally neglect Random Thoughts, even though I'm moving on to sweeter things...