Animal Magnetism

Derek and I had an "incident" yesterday. Derek is my scooter, for questions I refer you to the fine cinematic masterpiece Zoolander. Anyway, Derek y Karla were out scoping the hood, (this is the point where you imagine me, the bike helmet ext... ) I turned around a corner on 48th street and I saw a 5 year old kid in the middle of the road. Now, I am no good at guessing kids ages for all I know he could have been 2 or 10. I digress, a small being none the less. Now, I am a solid block away from him and I went to go around him. This involves me shifting some body weight, and a look accross my face kind of like Michael Jordan (before he became the baseball player) when he had talent and played for the Bulls, when he is making a jump shot. Only on a 5'1'' white girl...with a helmet. Seriously, tongue out the whole nine yards. Here is this kid and as I am getting closer you can see the realization of "Oh my God, this spaz is coming right at me." He stood his ground, I unintentionally stood mine. As I got closer and closer I yelled in a voice TOTALLY unlike my own "Kid, get out of the way!!!" I voice raised about 3 octives. Maybe I don't need voice lessons to expand my range, apparently fear is a powerful motivator. All of this to say, kid is fine, Derek is still in recovery and me, I am taking turning lessons.
Today, I found a $80 Ann Taylor scarf in a recycle bin at work, it TOTALLY made working on the birthday worth it.

Craziest week ever

Tomorrow is my birthday. If any of you (hint hint...) are intown on Friday night say...7pm ish we are celebrating my new age at Emerys (Matt and Kristed, S and S have all details.) It is a bring your own dead animal to grill and your own beverage adult or kiddie. Good ol southern fun.
On to the good stuff. The parental units are ariving in town on Thursday. If anyone has been here and can offer anything for them to do aside of "Hey, there is downtown, yes it certainly is an impressive block and a half radius" let me know. We are doing the Ruby falls, Rock city thing.
Hope everyone is well, will write more when not frazzled!! Oh, I did lose my ebay auction for a great anthropologie shirt. I had it for 10 (a 60$ value) and someone swooped in in the last 4 (4!!) minutes and upped my bid. It ruined my day till I remembered that I had a laptop. I am so easily amused it is scary.

speechless

It has been a crazy week. We had visitors from MN (Dennis and Margie Haack the writers of Ransom Fellowship) my parents are comming next week and then you know, life. Sorry for the lack of posts but there will be a TON of them soon. Why you ask? Because I have been GIVEN a apple I book laptop. I am in shock. My wonderful friends Matt and Holly Tomlinson called the other day and offered to send me their laptop and a I Pod. The computer is 3 years old the the IPod 2. Really, it caused me to worship.
I was talking to Kayb (roommate) and we were just stunned by Gods goodness. A laptop is something I have wanted for a VERY long time. I have often thought about going into more debt to get one but that didn't seem smart at all if I was still looking into the mission field. An Ipod was a distant dream that I simply wanted. For no good reason, I wanted it...badly. The Lord, who is kind beyond measure in all circumstances no only provides for our needs but also for our wants. I am thankful that I have a high priest who allows me tell him my desires. Although I must say, I NEVER thought God could do this. Really...2,000 of electronical equipment?!?!? I couldn't say "thank you" enough, I was speachless.
When I moved to TN it was a general chorus of "why?" I was the ringleader of my chorus. If you are planning on going to the mission field you do not leave my old church. It has a amazing missions program with rigorus and necessary training headed up by someone that has all my respect. They are one of the top 10 missionary sending churches in the USA and the preaching...it is hard to beat. But when God calls you to go, you feel like you get no rest untill you follow that call. He has shown me more about my sin, depravity, lonliness and his all abundant sufficiency and grace that frankly, I am more in love with him than ever. So, thank you my Lord and my God that you have not forgotten me. I am in awe of your majesty.
oh, Liz, send me your email. I have some news (internet...I don't think we are there yet.)

Petrified Glee

Are any of you aware of the look a puppy gives you after you throw them into the swimming pool with encouraging noises of excitement? It is a look that can most closely be identified with the look on my face when I ride my new scooter. It is hysterical. Because I am "special" I have not broken down (or won my ebay auction) and gotten a motorcycle helmet so I am using a bike helmet. I am one step, and not a small one away from needing stickers on it and having to tell strangers that "yes, I am a big girl. I do have a lisence and no, it is not revoked. I AM BEING ECONOMICAL." I just tell myself ... 85 miles to the gallon, you get great millage, you are cute and do not die. Basically the don't die part comes into play on turns. Simply put, I suck. I have no concept you see at "leaning into" turns. I am scared, I am a wuss. I am a petrified wuss on a 35 mph scooter in VOLS orange with a bike helmet. OH Good sweet lord, I am a dork.
Another note involving my geekiness. I will be in attendance at the 2006 Desiring God conference in Mpls MN the last week of Sept. The topic is God and postmodern culture, we get to hear speakers of such caliber as Tim Keller, John Piper and Mark Driscoll. I am really looking forward to this event! It will be great to see friends and hear these pastors whom I very much admire. Hopefully I can organize a TN chapter and make a trek up there. Hope you all are well, I will post again after my first scooter accident, should be soon.

Trauma

Today a group of 18 teenagers ranging from 11-15 came to the kitchen under my watch. Let me preface this post by saying how tired I am! I didn't know listening that many people at once could be so tiring! Well I took 5 girls and had them do various activities, pulling cans, making sandwiches ext... They were the "cheerleader" types, all perfectly friendly and willing to do whatever I asked but you could tell there was something a brewin under the surface. At the same time these girls were here a mother daughter team that comes every week (I love them) arrived and the daughter (Jen) was immediately incensed at the cheerleaders. They didn't say a mean word to her, but she was looking for reasons to hate them. I started talking to her and realized how much she gets picked on by this same group every day. It was amazing. Her anger transported me back to junior high, I had never been so miserable. Yet, highschool came and you move on. I am just wondering in my 5 minute break, what was your highschool experience like? How would you deal with the demons that plagued you. Gotta tell you, Jen is going to need therapy.