Everything Revolves Around Food

Do you ever feel like your life revolves around food?  Even as I write this blog, I am keeping a tab on the clock so I make sure I'll be ready in time to leave for a lunch with friends.  Something has to change.  Not the friends, just the massive amounts of food.  I feel some self discipline is on the way.  ...Maybe.

Our family has always joked that our family trips revolve around where we want to eat.  Which is true.  We know where the good restaurants are in Missouri are and we make sure we make it for either lunch or dinner.  Holidays revolve around food; we even give food as presents.  Almost all church events seem to involve food: either eating at them or eating after.  

A good friend of mine, Erin, just came up to visit; food wasn't the MAIN event, but it was at least second billing.  

Left: Erin at Tres Casas after she got here.  Right: Me at Cafe Brazil after The Nutcracker. Bellow: both of us after the show (sorry for the poor picture quality).

There's nothing inherently wrong with any of this.  We were made to eat three times a day.  That will automatically take up a large portion of anyones life.  But there IS something off with what we're doing now.  I went out to eat for all 3 meals a couple of days ago, which might be ok if I didn't feel so terribly full after every one of the meals.

Meh.  I don't know exactly what to change (in addition to self discipline for smaller portions).  Just thoughts.  I know I am not the only one; that's why it's ok for me to write this particular blog.  Someone else needs a kick before the holiday food gets the best of them.



 For music today, we're on the letter I


Ingrid Michaelson: You'll get 2 songs for 1 today, because I like them both.

 I'll dedicate this first song to Roni though because it was one of the theme songs for our road trip that happened ages ago. :)




Ingrid Michaelson • Be OK






Ingrid Michaelson • You and I


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJOzdLwvTHA
This is another good song by her. The music video is strange though.
In fact, just keep listening to more of her music.


Go ahead.  Sing along.

Finished

Ok, not quite.  But I'm pretty close!

I am, however, finished with the normal part of my degree.  I finished my last final today.

Next semester, starting January 2, I will be Ms. Snider, a student-teacher in the band program at Burleson ISD. (I guess this is the solution to my dilemma of whether my name is Amanda or Elaine)

The overwhelming question I keep getting is, "Are you excited?"  I'm not sure yet.  I think I will be, when I realize what's going on.  I feel like it hasn't hit me yet.  Like I have taken the time to think about it enough to be excited.  I have spent 31/2+ years developing the skills needed to teach, and now I am about to go put all of that to use.  That is exciting!

I still think I'm more nervous than anything else.  There will be no faking it next semester.  No room for a lack of preparedness.  No rolling out of bed and running to class.  No wardrobe crises to make me run late.  It seems like next semester I am going to have to be perfect... or somewhere close.

The Greek Alphabet

So, my roommate is studying Greek, and this helped her learn the alphabet. :)

Why doesn't the english alphabet have a cool song like this?





Wish the sound was better.

Labor Day

It is currently 76 outside and it's also labor day.  My checklist is entirely too long for me to actually finish.  So instead of taking all day to do work that I will not actually finish, I will take today to relax and get a little bit of work done. It IS a holiday after all.

This morning started off productive. I read for one of my classes, did my devotion, started laundry.... All of my plans went out the window though when Roni and I decided to open the windows.  The weather is SO nice outside, and it makes me want to really take in the beauty of it.  Seriously.  There is a reason God commanded us to have a Day of Rest.  I don't do this often enough.  My weekends are just as full as the rest of my week.

I know that a lack of rest results in burn-out.  I also know that I will NEVER completely finish my checklist, there will always be something else to do.  So, it isn't like taking time to rest keeps me from finishing something.  In fact, it gives me the desire TO finish more things because I am not so worn out. Rest brings nothing but good things.  Why do I not take the time to do it?

Well, I am today.

Tomorrow

8:00am begins the first class of my last semester of classes.




Aniron • Enya

Dhoom

I just moved in my apartment with Roni (Veronica) this week. As I was trying to unpack and organize everything, of course, it was way too much to do; so, I got distracted.

My room was entirely too boring, not welcoming, and bleh. It needed a change. My original plan was to move everything in, hopefully organize it, and start school. Now, after seeing Rhema's amazing apartment next door, I decided to try my hand at decorating.

I painted.

I'm not behind.

I'm not slacking.  I'm not stressed. I'm not tired.


This is not just wishful thinking.

This is also not true.

It's somewhere in the middle.


Everyone has a go-to answer for the "how are you" question.  For some it's "good" or "eh."  For some it's "Blessed and highly favored!"  My answer in High School was always "I'm tired."or "I'm busy." It got to the point that people assumed I was tired and assumed I was busy.  I would walk in and people would ask me how tired I was.  Or greet me with, "Hey! You look tired...."  Who wants to be greeted with that??  There would be days when I was wide awake, but I was accused me of being tired because I had given "tired" as an answer so many times.  There were times when I was actually free, but people assumed I had a packed schedule.

Being told you're tired makes you more tired...

Being told you have too much to do makes you feel like you can't get anything done.

So I finally decided to change my answer.

The only problem is that I, unknowingly, replaced it with an answer that's worse. "I'm behind." or "I need to practice more." or "I have too many things on my to-do list."  It's not necessarily what my actual short answer is when someone asks how I am; but, the conversation always ends up on how behind I am on practice, or school stuff, ect. ect.  It stresses me out.

So, I'm changing my answer.  Again.  This is important as I start my last semester of classes.  As I prepare for my Senior-recital (to which all of you should come).  I WILL NOT stress out about a lack of practice.  I will not stress out about not finishing homework.  I will not stress out about not preparing enough for small group.

I will not stress out.  And I really hope no one asks me how stressed out I am.

Do you ever use stress as a conversation starter?  It's easy isn't it?  I think that will be the most difficult thing about "not being stressed."  What will people talk to me about?!  I don't have an answer for "what are you doing after you graduate?"  So the conversation might die pretty quickly...  Oh well.  I need to work on people skills and coming up with good conversation anyway.

Now, the important thing in all of this is the reason I'm not stressing out.  I won't stress out because I WILL be productive.  The less time I spend stressing over the lack of, could be time that I could be making up for the lack of.  No getting so overwhelmed that I can't start.

Now for the music. :)

I told someone that the next song I would put up would be in English.  Well, .... I lied.

Myspace Fail

I changed my "layout". Oooh.

However, I am keeping it this way. Forever.

No, really. When I started my blog, I knew I would have to change something. Now that I've figured out what I'm doing, I'm happy with it. This is permanent.

The song you're about to listen to needs a little bit of explanation. It's Iranian, so you probably won't understand it. However, I loved the song before I had any idea what it was saying. The words make it that much better! (I posted the lyrics at the bottom)

Also, the video cracks me up! So, read through the lyrics then watch the video and enjoy! :)

Soosan Khanoom • Barobax

A is for Sea Sick

On another blog I read, my friend decided to do an Alphabet Music Challenge. Daily post a song from an artist that starts with each letter of the alphabet: Day 1: A, Day 2: B, ect.

I don't necessarily want to post daily, that's too much for me. However, I am going to give you a new song for each post.

The problem with "A" is that the band I wanted to post changed their name, and I didn't know it till I started trying to find it on YouTube

Anyway, here is Arrgh!Drey who is now known as Sick/Sea.

Cupid's Drinking song • Sick/Sea

I'm Not Nice

Or at least I don't wanna be....

Anyone can be nice, not everyone can be more than that.

I've grown up "nice"; I always (tried) to do everything right by my parents, church and society. Therein lies the problem: None of that matters. The only opinion that matters is God's, and He does not call us to be nice. In fact, He calls us to "be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves" (Matthew 10:16 b) To me, that doesn't say "nice".

I've spent the majority of my time, side-stepping anyone who might have a problem with what I believe. I'll even venture to say that I'm not in the minority for this. (I'm right aren't I??) But if I read the gospels and what Jesus called us to do, I am so far off base it's ridiculous!

Read Matthew 10:16-20

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues.18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles.19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say,20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you."

As Christians, we always focus on verse 20, that's the easy part. Read just before it though "At that time..." At what time??? When you're ARRESTED?? When you're FLOGGED in the synagogues?? We have not reached this point, or touched the tip of the persecution Christ talks about.

Sit Back and Enjoy the Music

Ok, I'm pretty sure this post is an excuse to share the music I love with you guys. Please enjoy... if you don't, don't tell me and I'll be just as happy. :)

Do you ever feel guilty for listening to non-Christian music? Like, maybe, you should enjoy worship more?

I do ALL THE TIME!

I'm about to make it worse if you do.

It's ridiculous really. Besides the fact that guilt isn't from God, it just doesn't make sense. Singing does not constitute worship and vice versa.

Anyway, most the time I listen to Christian music, its because the words are amazing; and I would honestly listen to it more, if I liked it more. It's not bad music, some of it I really enjoy (can't go wrong with Casting Crowns and Newsboys!). However, once I get past the few favorites, everything starts sounding the same.

I want Christian music to sound like my favorite artists. We should convert them....

No, really, there's no way to duplicate their voices, and even if you did, it wouldn't be original anymore. Can someone please find me some Christian artists who put this much power and emotion in their music??

Don't Take Away My Blessing

I have awesome friends... just going to get that out there. The shirt and hat in this picture (along with a pair of shoes not shown) were recently given to me by some really great friends, just 'cuz.

My initial reaction is "No... you can't buy that for me. Just because I don't have money doesn't mean you need to spend yours."

Then I remember, or am reminded, of the life lesson Pastor Vinnie has told us over and over again. Don't take away my blessing. Think about it, if you do something awesome for someone, you want them to enjoy it, not feel guilty about it. So, take that and turn it around... don't feel guilty when someone does something nice for you. That's a pride issue, for me anyway...

I LOVE giving gifts to people. I love everything from creating intricate plans (involving sending a letter one word a day for a few weeks), crafty stuff (painting anyone? ductape belt???), to the detailed wrapping (I'm pretty happy with my bow making skills - taught to me by one capable mother. Though I am ashamed to admit that my brother can actually wrap better than I can). Anyway, so when people get my gifts, I really want them enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it. No guilt. Same with anything else, if I offer to buy your coffee... just take it. No need to try to talk me out of it. :)

Why is it so hard to go the other way? Pastor Pettet has said multiple times that it's easier to give than to receive. It seems backwards, but it is very true.

So, I won't become a moocher, but I also promise not to take away your blessing.

Claudia and Roni, Thank you! I appreciate it, you made my week that much better!

Porque "Que Seguinte?"

Why "What Next?"

Growing up, I went on A LOT of mission trips... mostly to an orphanage in Mexico called Bob and Betty King Ministries to do whatever they needed us to do (lots of digging and laundry if I recall correctly).

One year, the mantra was "¿Que Sigue?", or "What Next?" in Spanish. The point was to remind us that there was always more to do and our attitude should always be a willingness to work and ask "what next?" This has become the personality of our church; everywhere we go we continue to do a job and immediately find or ask for the next one.

Fast forward: Earlier Today.

What would be a good title for my blog?"

As a college student about to go into my last year of my undergrad, I'm certainly trying to figure out what's next. The past week has been an insane time of making decisions for my future. "What next God?" It seems like such a constant question and sometime I really wish it would go away. I wish I would just know what's next and be able to walk in it. I don't really want to know my ENTIRE life, but seeing a little further seems like it would be helpful...

God apparently has different ideas about what He wants to tell us. We've all heard the analogy that life's like a puzzle, and we only see a few pieces at a time now. I'm tired of thinking about that phrase/saying, but it is true. I've also been told that if God let us know everything we would do in our lives, we probably wouldn't believe it or even want to do it. That's probably true too.

Anyway, right now I'm asking "What next?" and I suppose I'll always be asking. I hope I will anyway. I never want to lose my desire to follow in God's plan, and I never want to lose the willingness to do what's put in front of me and then go find the next task. There's far too much work to do for me to sit without a purpose.

One more thing: What language is it? the original was Que Sigue in Spanish right? Yep. Now it's in Portuguese. This is something too long to explain in one blog post, so I won't really try. Anyway, if you really know me, you already know why it's in Portuguese. At any rate, it will suffice to say that Brazil has my heart and I am planning on heading back to do missions work with Lighthouse International.

Que Seguinte? I don't know exactly, but I do know where I need to take my next few steps; that's enough. Past that I have to trust God to give me the answers as I need them.