humble pie: part deux

you shall not pass!

Did you know that Lord of the Rings references are the new Christian “thing”?   I found that out this weekend, and, oh boy, did this speaker work in some major nerd points.  By the end I was a starting to wonder if it was Jesus who was coming back one day or Gandalf to save us from the orcs.  I kid.

 So I realized that I haven’t written anything about Big J in a while, and that certainly isn’t due to a lack of “God stuff” happening in my life, but more to my lack of diligence in the blogging department.  So I shall endeavor to tell you about what I learned today about humilty.

Back story: I’m a tactless texter/facebook commenter, especially if I’m multitasking. I say whatever I’m thinking at the moment, and then post without re-reading it through the “am I being a word-that-rhymes-with-witch?” filter.  So today I accidently commented something really thoughtless in response to a person that I’m close to . UNFORTUNATELY for me, I didn’t actually think about what I had said until hours later when the evil comment randomly popped into my head.

“Did I really say that?” I thought embarrassedly. “Maybe he didn’t see it. I’ll just go home and delete it and pretend I never said that.”

And I felt God say, “Do you really wanna take that risk?”

“But Goooooooood.” I whined. “ It would be so embarrassing to have to apologize, and what if he hasn’t seen it already, and what if it’s really awkward? And what if…”

And then God asked me this:

“Do you care more about your pride or about the feelings of this person?”

Ouch and double ouch. And I knew what I had to do. 

It was in this moment that I knew that I’ve grown up. Two years ago, I would never have been ready to hear that rebuke, and tonight I was comforted by the fact that He is at work in me, teaching me to be more like Jesus every day. 

So if you are anything like me, and you look at these amazing Christian women who seem to be everything proverbs 31 describes, and then you look at yourself and see an bratty pre-teen girl trapped in a women’s body, and you long to be humble and graceful and kind, TAKE HEART, 'cause if he’s changing me, he’s doing it for you too.

ramblings

"I wonder what they teach in that building?"

"Maybe it was named after Harold T. Science... a famous poet."

i wanted to think of a funny anecdote from my day and tell you about it in really exaggerated terms that would make my life seem amusing and enjoyable, but i'm lazy and also not feeling amusing and enjoyable.

additionally, i realize that i've been a terrible blogger lately. i haven't written anything that could be even remotely considered entertaining, or really posted anything at all except for stupid pictures i've found on pintrest. my only excuse is that i've been (somewhat?) busy, except that most of the bloggers i read the most are moms, so i have no excuse at all. 

also! i want photo editing software that can do more than just crop pictures and change the contrast. any suggestions? i'm like a pre-schooler when it comes to working anything technological, so keep that in mind.

lastly, when is it going to be summmmmmmmertime? look at how gray and gross that picture is. i'm ready for sunshine, pool time, and flip flops.

motherhood

this made me laugh out loud. this is totally the kind of mom i will be.

the '<3 MOM' part cracks me up.

Happy friday, lovelies.

sometimes, i'm productive

Remember how I wrote this post about how I was going to get rid of any of my clothes that I didn't wear in a month??? Remember how I forgot about it until two months later and then got rid of bags of stuff and then didn't blog about it because I was too lazy?  Well you probably don't, since I didn't blog about it.

So remember how I posted things i want to make and things i want to cook ???

This time I PROMISE that I won't be so flaky, and I won't leave you anxiously waiting to see what kind of creative things I've been doing in my spare time (because I know you are). Possibly.

ALAS! I made (a) garland for my room, and am debating adding more...

AND! I made the cream cheese pound cake.

AND!was brainstorming stuff for the blogsters the other night...

yes, i did use my extra bible to prop up my laptop... did i just get downgraded to a trailer park in heaven?
ANNNNNNNNNNNNNND! I am perfecting the maple-bacon-heart attack-biscuits tomorrow... so recipe post coming sooooon!

See? Sometimes, I am productive.

sometimes.

laughing with

true life: i love spiritually ambiguous songs. anyone remember my mumford&sons conundrum? i like researching to find out if they are secretly believers, and i really like looking at lyrics about God that were written by people who don't consider themselves christians. it's interesting to see that other perspective, especially since working in ministry kind of puts me in a "jesus bubble" some days.

Here's my latest favorite:
"Laughing With" by Regina Spektor

My favorite lyrics:

No one laughs at God in a hospital
No one laughs at God in a war
No one’s laughing at God
When they’re starving or freezing or so very poor

But God can be funny
At a cocktail party when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
Or when the crazies say He hates us
And they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke
God can be funny,
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus
God can be so hilarious

re-labelable mason jars

 Is re-labelable a word? Probs not, but you understand the point I was trying to make.  I made these chalkboard mason jars for a couple people for Christmas gifts, and have been thinking about making a couple for myself... I got the idea from A Beautiful Mess, where I've been getting most of my creative ideas these days. :)
How to after the jump!

thug life

chris rene

The one where I let a thug cut my hair...

Today I let a wannabee thug cut my hair. I wasn’t aware that said hair stylist would be of the hoodlum persuasion, especially since it’s one of the nicer salons in the Winston-salemey area, and also because he was recommended to me by my dear friend lacey.

Let’s preface this story by saying that, when I lived in Raleigh, I had the BEST HAIR STYLIST EVER.  Tony could work magic with his hands and turn my gross, straightener damaged hair into something that was actually flattering.  Because of the magnitude of Tony’s awesomeness, I haven’t cut my hair since moving back home, and it was starting to look similar to a place that rats might make their home.  So, with trepidation, I made an appointment with my bestie’s stylist.  For the purpose of this story, let’s call him Chainz, since he had one around his neck and one on his wrist.

As another side note, whenever I go somewhere like the doctor or hair salon, I dread the moment when the person asks about my life. One, because people automatically assume I’m in high-school, and two, because telling people that you work as a missionary is always super awkward.

In this case, homeskillet asked me what I had done for New Years, where I attempted to explain that I was at a Christian conference with college students and that we had a New Year’s party there. 

“So when you say there was a ‘big party’, was there, like, alcohol and popping bottles and stuff?”

“Ummmm… not really… I mean…most of the kids were underage…and it’s a Christian company…and…stuff…”

“Oh. That’s straight. I don’t think drinking age should matter though; it’s New Years.”

Sigh.

At any rate, I’m pleased with the job Chainz did on my hair, even if I did have a brief fantasy about driving to Raleigh and begging Tony to take me back.

In other news:  I’m taking a break from facebook right now, so if you’re reading this post, it means that you actually check to see if I update my blog and are my true friend. And you win a prize.

Peace, love, and gold grillz.

Little j

pride&predjudice

"He is just what a young man ought to be,” said she, “sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners!—so much ease, with such perfect good breeding!”   

“He is also handsome,” replied Elizabeth, “which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete.”

I'm reading Pride&Prejudice on my new Kindle and am loving the hilarious and ridiculous quotes. also, who else thinks that Bingley's got the RPatz hair going on here?

girl power

here

This made me laugh so hard.

revenge of the nerds

"Much of what we know about man is 

derived from the study of sweet peas and
a species of vinegar fly."-Unknown

i waste so much time

here

tumblr

here

"Bacteria aren't trying to hurt anyone; they're just trying to SURVIVE!!!!"

-my microbiology professor

can you tell i was a science geek in college?

my week in random media

Hey lovelies- I know you've missed me while I was at winter conference this week. I have definitely missed you! Here's my week:

For my ecology nerds:

funny or die

Coming up with new names for churches:

12th Rib Women's Church- "You are part of the body" 

"We could use Campus Crusade for Christ. I heard that isn't taken anymore."

High-school flashbacks:

Exiting pastor saddles church with odd worship pastor...

lark news

 Taking college and middle school students to a nursing home: dancing!

 

Worship! at winter conference

Now, after two weeks, I will be reunited with my bed. Amen to that.
little j