the geeeeetar (a.k.a. - guitar)

So...I got a guitar for Christmas. She looks a lot like the one above. For lack of a better name, let's call her "Pinky." To learn to play a guitar, such as Pinky, has been a dream of mine for....yeaaarrrss. Currently (literally as I'm typing this post) my fingers are throbbing in pain. It seems that playing a guitar involves a certain amount of pain...but let me tell you...it's totally worth it.

Since my first lesson last week, I have used almost every free moment of my time to nail down "Sweet Caroline" by Mr. Neil Diamond. Now when I say "nail down" what I really mean is attempting to strum the chords in a manner that slightly resembles this song. I honestly can not wait until I am able to play this puppy well enough that I can actually sing along. Then I'd be like...a one (wo)man band.

So in the next few weeks I am hoping for severely calloused fingers and rock star results. :) We shall see.

Regardless, I am excited. I think God knows exactly what we need when we need it...and he knew I needed Pinky. Learning to play has been so fun.

God is cool like that...he knows what fills our hearts with joy :)

Important Question: Answered

Coming back from grabbing a delicious dinner from "South Side" (south campus cafe) I noticed two things:

1. It was extremely cold

2. My nose was running (gross, I know)

So then I got to thinking....why is it that when it's cold outside does your nose seem to run excessively?

Well, for those of you out there dying to know the answer, I was able to find it on kidshealth.org (I figured I would get a pretty simple and straightforward answer on a website for kids)

Here's what they said...

Baby, it's cold outside- When you're outside on a cold day, your nose tries its best to warm up the cold air you breathe before sending it to the lungs.  Tiny blood vessels inside your nostrils open wider (dilate), helping to warm up that air.  But that extra blood flow leads to more mucus production.  You know what happens next. Drip, drip, drip.

I hope that you can now sleep well, knowing you have the answer to one of life's more important questions. :)

Nanny Diaries

Summer jobs. Gotta love em. My job this summer is being a nanny for an extremely adorable toddler. Sometimes I like to get professional and call myself an Au pair...because I'm living with the family. Plus, it just sounds cooler.


I have been a babysitter for years now, probably since the age of about 14 when I started watching my little brother and sister for a few hours while my mom ran errands. The thing that is different about this summer is that I watch this little lady 9 hours a day, 5 days a week. I can't say that I wasn't a bit nervous about this situation. I love kids, but how would I keep her happy and content everyday, all day? So far, things have been going really well. We have become pretty good pals....as good as pals a 1 year old and 22 year old can be at least.


Through spending time with this little youngster, I have had to learn how to be more self-sacrificial. She depends on me all day for not only her basic needs, but for someone to make her laugh and comfort her while mom and dad are busy at work. Sometimes it's hard, other times it's amazing. I see myself developing a deep love for my little pal. I'm sure it's comparable, on a smaller scale, to what a parent feels for their child.


I guess what I'm trying to say is....being a parent must be hard, really hard...but it sure does seem to have it's rewards as well.


The hard stuff: temper tantrums that end with yogurt all over the floor or in some one's hair


The reward: watching her make a new discovery or getting an unexpected toddler hug


I appreciate God giving me the opportunity this summer to take a small glimpse into the life of a parent. I expect big things for this little lady...she has amazing parents and quite a vivacious little personality. I feel privileged to be able to assist in her development and growth...even if it's only a short time. I'm prepared for many more challenges...and rewards...the rest of the summer and I'm excited to see what God will do in my heart through this job.

A Coffee Catastrophe....Avoided

I love coffee. Over the years, my taste for coffee has become more....oh let's say....refined. I used to be okay with your run of the mill brands, I think I was even able to drink some generic stuff back in the day. Ever since an internship at my church last summer, spent with some coffee fanatics...I will never be able to return to these second rate brands. What I'm trying to say is...I am a Starbucks snob.


I never thought it would happen. I must have been a bit naive thinking I could just start drinking Starbucks and then go back to it's not so "gourmet" competitor. This is not the case. No, I cannot personally afford to buy myself Starbucks all the time...but I do try to buy one or two brands that I would say come close to measuring up to the greatness that Starbucks coffee is, but they aren't much cheaper.


So last Sunday I made an amazing discovery. I went through my normal Sunday morning routine...wake up....get ready...and then go down for breakfast and to brew up a good cup of joe to TAKE with me to church in a to-go mug (because I'm usually running late). The problem was, I was running much later than usual and so I didn't have time to even take coffee to go.

This could have been a disaster...because whether it's psychological or not...if I don't have a GOOD cup of coffee in the morning, I feel like I'm missing something. That's a bit hard to admit...but it's true. So I get to church and decide to SETTLE for some coffee that the hospitality team has brewed up. Now I am not by any means knocking the hospitality team. They are a great group of people who supply some good eats and hot coffee for us every Sunday morning. The reason I said I would settle is because in my mind, I'm thinking that they are using one of those second rate or even third rate brands of coffee that my sophisticated pallet wouldn't enjoy. ;)

As I'm pouring myself a cup...I notice that behind the carafe is a box full of coffee bags. I peer into the box to see which brand they decided to settle for. Inside the box are bags full of Starbucks....yes Starbucks....coffee. At this point...I think I may have scared the woman serving the coffee because I grab a bag, pick it up, hold it in the air, and literally yell, "YOU GUYS SERVE STARBUCKS! THAT'S AMAZING...I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!" and some other nonsense that decides to fly out of my mouth.



So yes...friends...if you are a coffee lover like myself and find yourself constantly craving "the good stuff" make sure you come to the hospitality table at CCV on Sunday morning because there my friends is the king of the coffee world....Starbucks...flowing freely for you to enjoy while chatting with friends or sitting in service.



Whoever is responsible for this...I thank you. :)