Sweet temptation

Any group of people has a certain set of dynamics and personality. Our singles group at church is no different. One of the "tensions" we have is that there are certain people who like to eat very healthily, some to an extreme, and there are others who don't like to be reminded that they aren't eating very healthily. :)

This afternoon we helped with the senior ministry's luncheon, which was catered by a culinary angel. Seriously, some of the best food I've eaten in a long time. This included an absolutely luscious chocolate cake. I'm not generally a chocolate cake fan, but this cake was seriously perfect. And she made three of them. Oh, sweet temptation. Watching her pour the chocolate sauce on the top was one of the most seductive things I've ever seen.

So fast forward the time for us to clean up. Several of us found ourselves just kind of loitering around the remaining cake... and it just so happened to be those of us who try and abide by healthy eating. The next thing you know... well, just take a look:


Untitled from Ann W on Vimeo.
Sometimes you've just gotta realize life's too short to not eat chocolate cake. :)

Sojo's iPod Shuffle

Step 1: Put your iTunes/iPod or equivalent on random.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 25 (I did 30 because I had fun) songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
Step 3: You guys get to guess in the comments! I'll bold out the songs when someone guesses correctly. (note- looking them up on google or any other search engine is cheating)

1. I could fall apart before I start
2. You don’t have to be beautiful to turn me on- "Kiss" by Prince
   
3. Now that fear is out of the way, I'm starting to see myself so clear
4. Wash me in the water of the word- "Wash me in the Water" by Shane and Shane
   
5. Well I was sitting, waiting, wishing, you believed in superstition
6. It’s hard to stand on shifting sand, it’s hard to shine in the shadows of your mind- "Better Hands" by Natalie Grant
   
7. There are times when faith and common sense do not align- "Brave" by Nichole Nordeman
   
8. I came walking down this road for a better point of view
9. Have I become a soul so numb?- "Time Takes its Toll on Us" by Bebo Norman
   
10. What looks like failure is success
11. Who’s your brother, who’s your sister?
12. When the sun starts to rise and I open my eyes, you are good- "You are Good" by Point of Grace
    
13. Holy design, this place in time
14. Each day as I grow older, the nights are getting colder
15. My big brother was Big’s brother, used to be Dane and Big’s brother
16. You know I ran across an old box of letters while I was bagging up some clothes for Goodwill- "Thankful" by Caedmon's Call
    
17. Eu, voce, nos dois, aqui neste terraço à beira-mar- "Fotografia" by Antonio Carlos Jobim
    
18. Paper airplane in flight, see the moon say goodnight
19. The dawn is breaking, a light shining through
20. Well it looks like five thousand miles broke the camel’s back- "Love is Different" by Caemdon's Call
    
21. Your light broke through my night, restored exceeding joy- "Mourning into Dancing" by Zoe Group
    
22. How many roads did I travel before I went down one that led me to you- "Holy" by Nichole Nordeman
    
23. Tears are falling, hearts are breaking, how we need to hear from God- "Welcome to Our World" by Chris Rice
    
24. Come up to meet you, tell you I’m sorry, you don’t know how lovely you are- "The Scientist" by Coldplay
    
25. Whatcha gonna do with all that junk- "My Humps" by the Black Eyed Peas
    
26. Hot sun dancing on the river, we sit on the bank and watch the world go by- "For a Little While" by Tim McGraw
    
27. It tapped me on the shoulder today when I got home
28. When you’re down and troubled and you need a helping hand- "You've Got a Friend in Me" by James Taylor
    
29. Dream when you’re feelin’ blue
30. At last, my love has come along- "At Last" by Etta James or Ella Fitzgerald
    

Blood drive!

I told you last week that I gave my testimony at church to help rouse some donors for the blood drive. Well, the Lord provides! I think they told me there were 43 units collected at the end of the day, including 14 people from the young singles ministry! I am just overjoyed. I have the best friends in the world. There were several who really didn't want to give, but did. It's such a good, easy, and important thing! Here are some photos, since the blog has been lacking color lately.

Dear Pete, such a trooper. :) (that's iodine, not blood on his arm- he hadn't started yet). And look at Lindsey back there smiling!

Amy says, "I love blood donation! It's a game for me. Try and beat 4:32!"

Rebecca says, "Blood donation makes me happpppy!"

OBI Lady says, "^#%$ Why are you taking pictures?!"

I'm not just an advocate, I'm also a donor! Despite the blurriness, I assure you that it is me.

After donating we went to lunch at Texas Roadhouse to regain our strength. Look how cute we are and how much we love each other!

Lindsey and Tiffany

Angie and Rebecca

Ann and Amy

Pete and Wes

$12k Challenge

I'm a sucker for a challenge. :)

After the great ideas and comments from my $12k blog, I decided to take Dan's suggestion to heart.

God works powerfully through His people. He gives them visions and dreams and passions for how to bring His Kingdom to earth. You guys proved through your wonderful and diverse ideas on how to bless others with the financial resources God blesses us with.

So here's the deal. All I want to challenge you to do is to be proactive. Take that idea that has been knocking around in the back of your head and do something with it.

As for my part, if you will either email me (my first name dot my last name at gmail) or leave a comment (and this blog has always allowed anonymous comments), I'll add it to the tally and note what ministry is being furthered through the generosity of SojoBlog readers. The goal will be to reach $12,000 corporately. No gift is too small to report! Jesus was known to take a couple of loaves and fishes to feed multitudes.

You can donate to ministries, mission funds, humanitarian efforts, medical causes, or whatever other organization, charity or cause God has placed on your heart. The only stipulation I'll make is that political campaigns don't count. This is on the honor system, so you don't have to show a receipt or anything. :)

I'm going to place a permalink to this post over in the left hand column so you can check back and see how the Lord is working.

-----------------------------------------

$30- World Vision monthly child sponsorship
$35- Donation to The Refuge
$1800- Annual total of $150 monthly donation to send a Honduran child to school
$200- Helping to send two students to Cambodia on a mission trip
$150- Donation towards local missionary

Current Total- $2215

Something to Say

Today was a big day! I was asked by our church's blood drive coordinator to give my testimony to the congregation at both services. I was pretty nervous, but this is something I'm quite passionate about and have wanted to do for a while. The Lord opened the door, so I walked through!

This morning as I was trying to psyche myself up and calm myself down, I listened to "Something to Say" by Matthew West on repeat. The words seemed VERY applicable as I thought about what the Lord has done in my life through the gift of blood donors.

You've got something to say
If you’re livin’, if you’re breathin’
You've got something to say
And you know if your heart is beatin’
You've got something to say
And no one can say it like you do
God is love and love speaks through you
You've got something to say

It went well, and I have to give so many thanks to my fantastic cheerleaders who encouraged me through. Thanks of course also to all those who donate blood! This Valentine's Day truly give a gift from your heart! Not to your loved one, perhaps, but to the greater whole of humanity. :)

Here is the text of my testimony:

About two years ago, I went through a long illness that included in major surgery. A few days after being released from the hospital my parents had to rush me back to the ER. Apparently I was bleeding internally. Due to one of the complications of my illness, my blood wouldn’t clot. I was in very serious condition, having already lost a substantial amount of blood and my body was unable to stop it.

I remember the overwhelming pain and fear of that night, and crying in desperation for God to please help me. And did help me that night, in the form of the 20+ donors whose blood I received. The doctors were able to give me enough whole blood and blood products until my bleeding stabilized. Those donors didn’t know me, nor will they ever, but for whatever reason, they felt compelled to give. And because of their gifts, I’m here today.

I hope that I can put a face on blood recipients for you. I know blood donation is a pretty thankless job, but I want to thank you for the work you’ve already done, and encourage you to keep giving. You never know whose life you may be able to save.

Holding Jesus Hostage

There are probably a lot of topics I could cover with this title post, but instead I shall let this video do the talking for me:

Appalling Silence

We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
From "Letter from Birmingham Jail," April 16, 1963

$12,000

Today is an audience participation day.

If, through the generosity of others, the Lord had entrusted you with $12,000 through which to bless and further the Kingdom, how would you use it?

Myself When I Am Real

Do you ever have moments when characteristics or aspects of your personality that normally remain dormant are brought to the surface? I have had several lately.

I am white.

Recently I started tutoring in LST-like classes with an inner city church. My friend and I read with a husband and wife who are so very charming and sweet. Every time we meet with them, though, I am reminded of how white, middle-class American I am. Saturday was particularly funny; we went to a party at the church downtown for all of the LST people. As soon as my friend picked me up, I laughed because for one, we unintentionally matched, and for two, we looked like a Gap ad. :) Whitey McWhitesters. The party was lots of fun and we got to know lots of really great people. When the eating time started, we both got home-made tamales that I believe our reader made. I will be honest and admit that I've never actually eaten a tamale. Shame- I know. However, this means that I didn't really know how to eat it. Then my friend sat down and leaned over to ask me how to eat it. He then asked our reader how to eat it. It was hilarious and I have never felt more white. :)

I am a small town Texan girl.

This fact was brought home fiercely last night. :) I thought I was behaving like any normal person would during a football game, but apparently not... I grew up where football was king, and so to me a championship football game is serious business! I think that I'm starting to realize that either you're a football person or you're not, and even though I haven't been immersed in that culture in many years, it's always going to be a part of me. And I'm pretty proud of that. :)

I am passionate and convicted.

In recent weeks, I've had several opportunities to see this potent streak of my personality manifest itself. I'm wise enough to be able to see it as both a strength and a weakness. I think this is also the part of my personality that surprises the most people. But just beware this fact should you should you choose to tangle with me. I'm sure several blog readers can attest to my passion in its positive and negative glory. :) In all seriousness, it has the potential to be used for good when I am convicted to stand up for Christ and his Church, but it can also turn into a stumbling block of pride and stubbornness.

These things just got me to thinking about who I am, both within my personality and environment. A lot of people spend a lot of time and energy trying to manipulate, hide, and re-invent who they are, when maybe we should be grateful and cultivate whatever we've been handed to work for God's glory.

100 Things Revisited- Part 2

26. I've been blogging for over three and a half years. Specifically, since April 6, 2004.

27. On average, my blog gets about 50 unique visitors a day.

28. The most popular day of the week for my blog, statistically speaking, is Tuesday. By a noticable margin. Why is that?

29. I first got into writing when my sophomore, pre-AP English teacher, Mrs. Roeming, told me I was a good writer. Encouragement is powerful, people.

30. I have a few books floating around in my head to write. All about spirituality. All non-fiction.

31. One of my goals for the year is to submit a piece of writing to be published. I think I know what it is and where I will send it, but I have no idea if they'd choose it. If they do, I'll tell you.

32. I graduated from OC magna cum laude. I was stinking .01 away from summa cum laude. I am taking a class right now to raise my GPA so that at least in my mind, I'll have highest honors.

33. I put off taking a math class in college, so it came down to the wire with me taking college algebra from Tulsa Community College online. I think I made a B. That and stupid economics screwed up my GPA.

34. I hate making left hand turns. I will drive five minutes out of my way to avoid it.

35. I had a wreck on ice my freshman year of college that totalled my truck. I hate hate hate driving in bad weather to this day.

36. The first time I ever drove a car, I hit my dad's truck with my mom's suburban. Smooth.

37. I still get nervous when I park!

38. I love going to Walgreens. I can walk around that store for hours.

39. I hate grocery shopping and the subsequent putting away of groceries.

40. Sometimes I go to the chapel at the hospital when I want to be alone and pray.

41. The in the past couple of years I have become much more monastic and contemplative.

42. I don't mind silence, even when I'm with friends. This drives many of my friends crazy, because I think it's cool to just sit in silence with somene you love.

43. Cream is my favorite winter clothing color.

44. Pale yellow is my favorite spring clothing color.

45. If someone compliments me on what I wear, its rotation will increase dramatically. :)

46. When I listen to music, especially praise music, it's easy for me to get so into it that I really can't multi-task.

47. If I get really down or depressed, I can sit and just stare and the wall for hours in silence.

48. When I cry, my eyes turn really bright blue.

49. I add cinnamon to pretty much everything I bake.

50. I make a really mean banana bread, even though I'm allergic to bananas.