three things (or more), every day, that I thank God for. They made my day. (Psalm 100:4)
December 31, 2009
December 20, 2009
November 27, 2009
November 26, 2009
November 14, 2009
November 12, 2009
November 5, 2009
- a pretty awesome/significant year
- trusting God with my future
- Jessica and Teresa. Always real nice to me at work.
- love, love, love my job
- getting a lot done at work
- a writer actually asking me questions; appreciate it!
- coming across Flash Fiction 365
- getting my windshield repaired for $25 (instead of $50)
- productive at work -- inserting/tagging devos in 25 secs
- setting up dentist and eye appts. -- really nice people
- installing my programmable thermostat
- diverting small crises
- making it back to Nashville safely
- being cared about
- hot shower
- getting a bunch of movies from Mom
- Marley being all sweet and purry
- almond bark-covered pretzels
- sledding with JR, Erica, Geoff, Hilary, and Hil's little bro
- seeing all the relatives
- playing The Office board game
- God in a manger (what could be stranger?)
- seeing Jenn
- time home w/ family
- relaxing and quality homemade meals
- spending time with Lindsey
- making bierocks for dinner
- text from Paige (even if it was at 12:30 am) ;)
- making it home safely
- editing in the sunshine in Jeff's office
- going to Kairos with Paige
- intimate time with Jesus
- being really productive at work
- prayer
- God's promises
December 20, 2009
- the privilege of knowing Cliff for a few months
- good music and worship
- cleaning the house
- lots of rest
- finishing reading through the Bible
- new lotion: sandalwood + cinnamon (my favorite scent)
- gift from Trudy
- getting mail
- free TV from the Lands
- talking (informally) with Courtney and Paige
- interviewing Paige Armstrong & starting the article
- being reminded of purpose and passion
- Andrea coming back to LifeWay to help with kindergarten stuff. :D
- Katy giving me an orange
- prepping for Paige Armstrong interview; should be great
- LifeWay Christmas musical
- making progress on the elephant I'm eating
- getting my dishes done
- getting the newest Michael Gungor Band album, Beautiful Things
- finding the stash of holiday Kisses in the breakroom - yummy!
- the temperature being 63 degrees.
- going for a run (53 degrees)
- listening to a Mark Driscoll sermon
- grilling hamburgers
- starting the morning w/ a workout
- e-mail from Jenn
- grilled chicken and diet Coke
- department Christmas party
- sunshine and deep blue skies
- time to read
- meeting my deadlines
- reading through Hebrews
- opportunities to prove myself
- feeling really focused all day
- text message from Shoff
- hitting green lights on my drive home
- team time at Jeff and Abbey's
- having high enough iron/donating blood
- watching The Holiday
- being office neighbors with Katy
- e-mail from Jenn
- cooking
- hanging out with Andrea
- resting/napping
- Titus, Philemon
- getting my oil changed, laundry done, shopping done, and house cleaned by 10am
- Bill and Reed bringing me a Christmas tree
- working out
- starting work on undated products (It's fun!)
- nice people at the Regions Grassmere branch
- my sister handling the gifts for parents this year
- Andrea's surprise visit to work
- listenUp segment on the radio (listenuptoday.org)
- http://www.theblazingcenter.com/
- free Redbox movie and ultra comfy bed
- finishing Thessalonians
- Clarissa's reminder of Christ's great love
- finishing (for now) pulling archived activities
- meetings. I just like my team a lot.
- warm showers and warm clothes
- being back at work
- Andrea coming over to see my house
- a warm house
- making it back to Nashville
- going to First Baptist Church of Biloxi
- beach with Clarissa
- seeing The Blind Side
- finding Christmas gifts on sale
- touring Biloxi/Ocean Springs/Gulfport
November 27, 2009
- a safe, relatively quick drive to Biloxi
- seeing the ocean!
- time with Clarissa
November 26, 2009
- Thanksgiving lunch with the Lands
- my neighbor stopping by to make sure I had Thanksgiving plans
- talking to Stac on the phone
- getting home early
- hot chocolate with Cheryl and Jessica
- 2-hr. nap
- Trudy's mechanic tightening my wheel for free
- Andrea calling me
- Hearing from Clarissa
- taking Erica to work
- lunch at P.F. Chang's
- friends
- hilarious cashier at Old Time Pottery
- lunch at Applebee's
- getting inexpensive rugs
- seeing Mat Kearney at the airport
- going to Gaylord Opryland hotel with Erica to see Christmas decorations
- making cookies and watching Law & Order
- Tim letting me borrow his space heater :)
- My coworkers. They're great.
- Finishing 1 Corinthians
- getting recognized at dept. mtg. for being a new employee ;) (3 months late but I still appreciate it!)
- Jennifer Brady asking me about my life. It was just really nice of her.
- the 7 a.m. water brigade. Every morning. 7 a.m. I enjoy the trip.
- Kroger sending me four $5 off $30 coupons
- talking to my sister
- listening to Piper sermons while assembling my table & chairs
- Happy Wednesday from Clarissa
- York peppermint pattie from Katy
- reading Romans. (gospel, gospel, gospel, not even a Gospel)
- my dining room table and chairs ready for pick up
- getting the OK from Clarissa to come visit
- saving Grace
- getting to learn CS4
- Mark hanging all the blinds and hardware in my house
- getting to show Mom and Mark the city
- hearing from Clarissa
November 14, 2009
- watching Cornell beat Alabama
- seeing my brother
- incredible weather
- weekend forecast of warm weather: 70s
- getting to go home at 10:30
- my mom and Mark bringing my stuff
- getting to move into my house!
November 12, 2009
- interviewing Mission 6
- getting the Rubyz article written
- my coworkers & hilarious hallway conversations
- the opportunity to meet a need and the ability to do so
- veterans who fought for our freedoms
- getting coupons for four 1/2 days off to use between now and Feb. 11 :)
- sleep & electric blankets
- interviewing Cammie and Alexis, of The Rubyz
- laughing at our table during Rebecca's baby shower
- getting nine sets of blinds for my house for less than $50
- WNAZ playing a bunch of great songs on my drive in to work
- Jenn giving me much-needed advice
- Andrea calling me on her way to school
- love from Clarissa
- 80-degree day
- reading John Piper
- finding a nearby school with a track
- Katy, her husband, and her friends; and their big hearts
- my neighbor Margaret - this woman is looking out for me!
- being a homeowner
- my Redeemer loving a wretch like me
- Staci Miller's blog
- e-mailing a joke to Jenn
- today being Friday
November 5, 2009
- getting great deal on groceries
- 101 meeting at work - fun working with people I don't usually work with
- free lunch! BBQ chicken quesadilla, sweet potato fries, and diet Pepsi
- getting my dryer vent and deadbolt installed
- coupons, coupons, coupons
- reading through the Book of Acts
- phone call from Andrea
- wearing my comfy $5 clearance Target shirt after work
- two people at the grocery store letting me get in front of them since I only had 1 item
- winning a sweet door prize at the LifeWay Crafts Fair
- talking to Jenn and hearing her engagement story :]
- driving in with the sunrise
- Mexican food for lunch with Rebecca and the graphic designers
- a bright, sun-shiney day
- my awesome realtor telling the seller what's up
- my team seeing my house
- an "extra" hour in the morning
- grocery game
- finishing reading the Gospels
- getting my yard mowed
- finding out Jenn is engaged!
- Perry the electrician helping me out so much
- getting all the leaves raked up at my house
- hearing from Clarissa
- warm weather! high of 76
- Jenn Waller - her life, her friendship. Today's her birthday!
- getting a nice mention on my agent's blog
- Scott Allen & Pastor Tom - Tom letting me use his truck and Scott driving it and helping me move a stove
- being able to do what I love (edit and share Jesus) every day
- people who do their jobs well, which makes my life easier (namely, HR people and bankers)
- being a homeowner!
- meeting some of my neighbors
- housewarming gift from Tiffany
- hearing from Ann
- sitting in Jeff's comfy office chair
- getting car insurance squared away
- early AM phone call from Andrea
- seeing Kate this morning
- Cheryl inviting me to a show at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center
- crossing a lot off my to-do list
- the opportunity to give directions to a traveler who missed I-24/having a map of Nashville to give to him
- walking in the not-too-cool yet crisp autumn evening air
- people who met needs today: my church, Andrea, Staci
- resetting perspective
- the Gospels - finished reading through Luke
- rest
- going for a walk
- encouragement from Andrea
- LifeWay family
- getting a *free* refrigerator!
- working with awesome people
- diet Coke and a banana nut muffin
- free snacks
- lunch w/ Jeff and Trudy
- thinking of Ann, Clarissa, Jenn, and Kristin today
- Staci's blog - she's so great!
- my Mom taking care of so many things for me back in Kansas -- so wonderful
- getting banking stuff worked out and scheduled
- nice weather (sunny, 60s)
- lunch with Andrea (and Rebecca, Jessica, Cheryl, Jeff, Bill, and Jackie) at Copper Kettle
- getting mail
- doing a lot today: church, cleaning, washing the car, reading, going to the store
- watching a movie (The Proposal) with the roomies
- relaxing day including reading (GodStories) and watching football
- starting the day early with a quiet time
- battling and conquering the replacement of the tub spout
- working out
- mail from Reiko
- sleeping well
- quiet and productive day at work
- message from Lindsey
- fall/winter weather and hot oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
- clean house and The Office
October 14, 2009
- chapel service
- reading the Gospels
- phone call from Geoff
- coupons and free samples in the mail
- getting 10 hours of sleep
- changing leaves
- being done moving into my office
- having time to sit and read
- enjoyable weather
- laughter
- Kate and Rachel
- love
- walking around downtown
- helping Andrea with school stuff
- new Dial soap - smelling good and being clean just makes me feel nice
- seeing Mark Hall and listening to new Casting Crowns songs
- getting to go home early
- mail from Lindsey + sunflower seeds from Kansas :)
- discovering Owl City music, so great!
- dinner with the writers
- Las Paletas trip
- watching the Office with my roomies :-]
- meeting our preteen writers
- Chick-Fil-A sending me a coupon for a free sandwich for participating in their free-sandwich day
- young adults meeting at church
- seeing a huge moon in the east
- reading again
- doing a little writing
- chai tea in the AM
- being in love with my Redeemer
- mail from Ann
- minestrone with Jessica
- Nala being all snuggly
- lots of free books
- meeting Jeanna (pron. Gina) at church
- a quiet, stay-in-bed rainy day
- watercolor painting
- getting the vacuum clean and in working order
- dinner with Andrea and Matt
- teaching Andrea how to do cool things in Word
- making it under budget at the grocery store
- winning 4 KC Ren Fest tickets through the Lawrence Journal-World, haha
- Friday!
- starting in on the New Testament today
- finishing a budget for the next six months
- tonight: hour-long Office episode: Jim and Pam's wedding!
- a letter from Clarissa! yaaaay! :)
- great chapel service; hymn (new to me): Power of the Cross (O to See the Dawn)
- getting to spend big chunks of my workday in the Word
- parties at work (Starr, Trudy)
- talking to Erica (it seems we always end up talking about taxes, LOL)
- finished reading through the Old Testament
- donating blood/snacks and drink afterward
- talking to Kristin
- cool weather
- seeing the kitten
- getting newspapers in the mail
- good news: my house has no termites
- Sunday School outside -- beautiful weather!
- worship song: "Sing to the King"
- spending time with Andrea
- early AM thunderstorms
- chai tea from concentrate (the best kind) + Mat Kearney music
- decoupaging a journal and getting some editing done
- getting a front page article printed on today's Coffey County Republican
- feeling peace in the presence of God
- my GMail migration completing for work
- awesome roommates :0]
- a good day at work
- seeing the Carnton Plantation in Franklin, TN
- a really nice woman at Kroger
- getting a call from Kristin!
- my dad and Karen visiting
- free steak dinner (thanks Dad)
- Google Apps training. Amy Thompson is hilarious!
- lunch with the team for Jackie's birthday
- the view from the 8th floor at 6:05am: a downtown glittered with lights against a dark backdrop
- rocking out to Lecrae on my drive in to work
- Love so amazing, so divine demands my soul, my life, my all
- good day at work
- First Baptist Nashville. I love my church!
- Cliff (at church) telling a story about a worship leader who heard a man sing very well. The worship leader said, "If I had a voice like yours, people would have to hit me in the head to keep me from singing all the time!" Then Cliff said, "Alyssa (he pronounces it Alisa, I let it go), if I had a smile like yours, people would have to knock me in the head to keep me from smiling all the time!" Cliff is in his 70s. I love sweet old men.
- writing up an article on Jason Waller music
- my roommates are beautiful
- recycling day and crossing a lot off my to-do list
- eating ice cream cake w/ Rachel
- hanging out with Reed. He's a sweetie :)
- extremely productive day: much off the to-do list, bought a range, picked homeowner's insurance, signed a bunch of papers, sent 5 sets of PDFs to banker over lunch, met Tiffany at the house to speak with inspector
- music. music. music. I live in Music City! I spend about an hour in my car every day and love listening to great music while I drive.
- reading the Book of Nahum at 2:30am
- acting out "Office" scenarios at the department meeting
- eating lunch with Sarah (and talking about boys...tee hee)
- phone date with Jenn :)
- Season 6 premiere of The Office
- Ann calling me
- getting season 5 of The Office in the mail from my mom
- rehearsing skits at work, laughing so much
- putting a stapler in jello
- interviewing John Cooper of the band Skillet
- getting to write scripts based on The Office for a department meeting
- staying in touch with Kennan
- talking with Rachel
- keeping busy at work
- really nice guy from Liberty Mutual explaining homeowner's insurance to me
- finishing The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers
- doing a decent job at teaching 5th grade Sunday School
- new record
- Kate and Rachel. I like living here.
- achieving a goal
- being prepared to teach tomorrow
- 6 a.m. quiet time
- driving into the city in the mornings; I just love it.
- getting an offer the seller and I (the buyer) both agree on. Signing the papers!
- tall skinny chai latte - Tiffany's treat
- Teresa -- she's so sweet to me!
- working at LifeWay
- the One who bestows in us the love that stained a cross
- getting closer to buying a house
- talking to Kate
- meeting Steven Curtis Chapman
- getting Kate her cash back
- watching Rachel try to make eggs
- productive day at work
- walking trails with Kate and Rachel
- free Chick-Fil-A sandwich
- a three-day weekend
- meeting someone new at church
- living in Tennessee. love it.
- hanging out with Andrea :)
- talking to Andrea
- watching Garden State
- finishing a book
- seeing a big, beautiful pink-colored moon on the way to work this morning
- getting off work an hour early
- having fun making a Word document "look pretty"
- making an offer on a house!
- writing a letter to Clarissa
- seeing a kitten :]
- Tiffany showing me a house
- cool weather
- mail from Kennan!
- meeting Dr. Rainer
- meeting people at orientation
- Tiffany maybe finding me a great house
- driving into the city with the sunrise
- e-mail from Jenn
- my hope in Christ and feeling excited about life
- hanging out with Rachel
- new place: the rooster across the street; watching Kate watch movies/TV shows--her reactions are hilarious
- talking to Grandma and Grandpa
- worship and fellowship at First Baptist Nashville
- moving in with Kate and Rachel
- taking a 3-hr. nap
- feeling understood
- dinner w/ Jessica's mom and uncle
- getting all packed up
- ice cream
- learning how to do more stuff with InCopy
- getting Clarissa's mailing address
- quality music
- starting off the workday with LifeWay Chapel service
- talking to Jenn
- 5 free mp3 downloads
- the Father's deep love
- e-mail from Clarissa!
- having a great realtor
- working at LifeWay
- looking at houses with Tiffany
- tea party for Grandma Trudy :)
- Ann calling to talk
- Sunday school cookout
- talking with my parents about houses
- watching America's Funniest Home Videos clips on YouTube
- texting w/ Matthew
- listening to Mark Driscoll sermon: Vintage Jesus, pt. 1
- driving by some potential homes
- $1 for a 4 pack of diet Mt. Dew
- loving work: basically learning the Bible while editing (two of my fav. things)
- the opportunity to serve others
- getting organized
- thunderstorms during the day
- my boss asking me to interview Skillet
- meeting with my realtor
- going to bed early
- reading Ezekiel -- loving it; what a stark picture of the need for Christ
- getting my TN license plate
- being pre-approved
- rain
- seeing Mrs. Littleton in the hallway
- getting my TN driver's license
- text from Clarissa
- new people at Bible study/Sunday school
- time to be creative: making a greeting card
- God's everlasting love. I'll stop trying to figure out why and just worship in this.
- making cinnamon rolls for breakfast
- sitting down and reading Desiring God
- chattin' with Matthew
- having more fun at the department meeting than expected
- meeting with a banker to talk about pre-approval for a mortgage loan
- watching Rob's "I ain't gone fishin' no mo'" video on Facebook
- Jerry giving me a $2 voucher to the cafe. I bought some SunChips and M&Ms to go with the sandwich I brought for lunch.
- Abe & Jessica getting me a card and box of ice cream drumsticks to cheer me up.
- getting a little extra money in my account I didn't know was coming
- LifeWay chapel with Jimmy Draper
- praising God because I can afford to get my car fixed
- finding a can of diet Mt. Dew in the backseat of my car. I stopped buying it to save money.
- text from Clarissa
- note from Pastor Tom in the mail
- quiet time
- a beautiful morning, sunrise in my rearview mirror
- getting invited to get water with the 7am group
- making progress on TN residency
- Shoff, Amanda, and their friend Cambria came to visit!
- hanging out with Jessica
- Simba and Nala being real purry
- talking to Lacie for 45 minutes
- getting some great deals at NY&Co.
- reading Jeremiah
- great song: Addison Road - "What Do I Know of Holy?"
- getting a job offer.. and taking it!
- hanging out with Jessica and reading
- coming up with an inexpensive, easy lunch option
- a safe drive back to Nashville
- love
- note from Clarissa
- going to the lake
- hanging out with Jenn
- seeing Anne and Andrew
- Radina's: chai lattes, reading, free sandwich
- phone call from Landry
- making plans: haircut, staying with Jenn
- doing a lot of reading
- making Snickerdoodles
- rescuing a gigantic turtle from Mom's yard to the pond
- mailing some coupons I don't need to people who do
- playing with Marley
- breakfast with Lindsey
- biking the Katy Trail
- talking about house details w/ Erica & Mom
- accident-free drive from Nashville to KC
- Ethan fixing my brake light
- Time with Ann, Meredith, and Monica
- signing contracts
- having enough iron to donate blood
- getting to go back to Kansas for a bit
- Jessica and Abe letting me stay another month
- Talking to Jenn
- getting offered a contract position for August
- getting my drug test, grammar test, and HR interview all scheduled for tomorrow
- rainy day, great for cleaning/packing
- having sweet friends
- job interview going pretty well
- talking to/texting/messaging friends: Ann, Clarissa, Kaylene
- a much-needed nap on a cloudy evening
- making it to church this morning (almost slept in too late!)
- getting to see Clarissa :0]
- quiet day to relax and do interview prep.
- finishing the notebook project
- time to think and realize I want nothing but Jesus
- text from Clarissa
- the awesome opportunity to work with Andrea all summer
- walking downtown with Andrea, Jessica, Rebecca, Trudy, and Cheryl this afternoon
- knowing the Lord is God and He is sovereign
- seeing Rob and his two friends after work
- job interviews scheduled for Monday
- lunch at Baja Burrito with coworkers
- hearing from Rob who is en-route to Nashville!
- ice cream + the Office with Abe and Jessica
- Brooke Fraser music to/from work
- breakfast party in honor of the interns
- getting an e-mail from Jenn
- opening my windows to smell the rain
- being really productive at work
- cooking with Jessica
- finding out that job interviews are next week
- hanging out with Jessica and Abe
- prayerfully working on the notebook project
- having beautiful friends
- a very productive morning
- a cool day, literally -- felt like fall
- starting a project for a friend
- having a clean room
- finding out Olympus makes replacement battery attachments for my voice recorder, just $7 + I found a coupon for 10% off and free shipping
- day off to read and relax
- talking with Jenn
- going to lunch with the team at the Puffy Muffin
- dinner at Jennifer's
- getting an e-mail from Jenn
- feeling like I'm really catching on to how things run at work
- evening thunder
- a fun day at work, especially the design meeting
- getting a good laugh at a Sunday school activity suggestion (Take this coloring book into the corner.)
- a nice, sunny day
- The Lord providing possible place to live, new friends
- being pretty productive at work
- seeing a hilarious David Crowder Band video about Twitter (http://twurl.nl/4xqc88)
- getting baptized
- teaching my dad about Twitter, haha
- chillin' with Simba and reading Redeeming Love
- finding a place to possibly live Sept. - Nov.
- rainy day
- Christ Jesus, my treasure
- getting a $10 gift card from my State Farm insurance agent
- being reminded of the gospel through Lecrae lyrics
- catching up on some sleep
- a (mostly) fun day at the office
- Nashville Sounds game with Micah and Jennifer
- Jars of Clay concert
- meeting Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer. -- Dr. Rainer said, "Hey, aren't you a triplet?" Glad the big guys know me.
- finding out the time-line on a full-time position: looking at September 1
- saving more than $5 at Kroger with my shopper's card
- getting an encouraging e-mail from my boss telling me I am doing a good job
- feeling a little less stressed about housing/jobs
- knowing that the future isn't totally dependent on my abilities -- I serve a sovereign God!
- getting mail from Clarissa!
- being back at work
- Gheghis Grill with Abe and Jessica -- my stir fry was so good and I got points for a free bowl!
- text from Ann
- quick service at MCI; time in Proverbs on the plane
- arriving back in Nashville
- hanging out with family
- celebrating my grandma's 75th birthday
- seeing Keira and Jamie
- seeing Marley for the first time in more than a month
- talking to Erica about the steps in buying your first house
- getting some free stuff that Erica and JR had two of
- lunch with Jenn and Ann
- seeing Erica's new place
- time in the car to get some reading done
- Jenn's delicious blueberry pancakes
- walking around Loose Park and seeing the ducks
- making dinner with Jenn
- spending the day with Jenn :)
- intentional conversation at Pizza Bella (and free pizza)
- being loved
- going out to lunch with Andrea, Jeff, Trudy, Jessica, Bill, and Jackie.
- talking to Kristin on the phone and setting up a lunch date
- seeing Kennan after work before she goes back home for good
- being welcomed at First Baptist Nashville
- going to the Nashville Sounds baseball game with four other girls
- listening to Shai Linne and Lecrae with Kennan on our drive home
- seeing Nashville with Kennan
- nice workers at the TN State History Museum
- writing postcards to send to friends
- interviewing Leeland Mooring
- writing Brandon Heath article
- being one work day away from flying to KC
- interviewing Brandon Heath
- getting a lot done at work
- buying 12 fudgsicles for only $1.88 (fat free, too!)
- talking to Ann on the phone
- e-mail from Jenn
- talking with Pastor Tom and hanging out at the church for a few hours
- seeing the VBS kids do their Boomerang Express songs
- meeting a lot of new people
- getting Nashville Sounds baseball tickets
- driving by a house and liking it; now for a crash course in what's next
- getting an e-mail from a couple people from First Baptist saying they want to go to coffee or lunch w/ me
- a really good PB&J for lunch
- serving a happy God
- falling asleep early to the rain
- first time at First Baptist Nashville - everyone was so nice
- going out to lunch with a couple of women
- Happy Father's Day! having a great dad
- getting a welcome package from FBN; including an issue of Christian Single (really cool and it's created by LifeWay)
- kayaking with 4 friends
- getting ice cream afterward
- having fun looking at houses for sale
- This morning I got behind a car from Michigan on the interstate. There were some little kids in the back. Traffic was slowing to a crawl and I was focusing on not rear-ending them. Suddenly, this little Ernie (from Sesame Street) head pops out the window and is looking back at me. I laugh. This little boy pops his head up and shakes the Ernie. Then he waves at me. I wave back and take my exit. What a fun way to start my day.
- The executive pastor from First Baptist of Nashville calling me and being willing to meet up with me on Sunday and get me to the single adults Bible study group. Also, I think we'll talk about me becoming a Baptist. :)
- reading Piper's Desiring God. Finding happiness in God -- not from God, but in God.
- Abe telling me they might reduce my rent because I'm so low-maintenance.
- lemon poppyseed muffins
- taking a 2-hr. nap
- message from Lindsey
- getting good news about my future
- finding out I get to interview Brandon Heath!
- treasuring Christ
- listening to "Don't Waste Your Life" on the way to work
- Nala and Simba being cuddly while we watched The Office
- reading through the Psalms
- e-mail update from Clarissa
- my application to Thomas Nelson making it through HR - now on to the dept. hiring manager
- reading Scripture for work
- going to dinner with Jessica -- to this place called Genghis Grill where you pick your own stuff for stir fry; reminded me of Willy Wok at K-State
- the old man at Long Hollow: "Well there's a pretty one if I've ever seen one. Hi, my name is Sam."
- singing "In Christ Alone" at church
- planning a LifeWay intern canoe trip
- Jenn calling
- sleeping in
- finding some full-time editorial positions and applying
- reading John Piper at Utopia Coffeehouse in Spring Hill
- making minestrone soup and cheddar garlic biscuits for dinner
- talking to Ann
- desiringGod
- time in Centennial Park
- meeting the heads of LifeWay's publishing division (in a way, making connections)
- getting airplane tickets to fly home at the end of the month
- having fun chatting with Jessica & Abe
- meeting John Waller at LifeWay chapel service
- going out to lunch at SATCO with the 20s in the department
- finding out I get to interview Leeland!
- Sweet Hannah texting me this morning the same phrase that has been stuck in my head: "Jesus loves you."
- Being on my own at work and getting a lot done!
- God's mercy, and being able to love people in view of it
- starting a John Piper book - 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die
- being given more responsibilities at work
- encouragement from Jenn & Clarissa
- Jessica making pancakes for breakfast
- attending church at Long Hollow Baptist
- getting a text from Shannon
- eating cookies 'n' cream ice cream with Jessica before 11am
- sleeping in!
- feeling at peace when I woke up; after falling asleep listening to a John Piper sermon
- video conferencing with Dad & Karen
- spending the day looking stuff up in the Bible
- Andrea putting in a good word for me with the bosses
- Ann being thoughtful and calling me on my way to work
- friendly conversations on elevators with strangers
- reading the Psalms
- not-too-hot weather, light rain
- a sovereign, merciful Creator
- learning how to use Adobe InCopy -- and catching on quickly!
- department party - hanging out with other people under age 30
- applying for a second job
- finding an error while editing a final copy of a magazine (editing is like a game)
- having an office next to Andrea who is really cool and tells me what work to do
- Psalms in the morning
- awesome LifeWay intern orientation
- really nice guy selling me auto & renter's insurance
- talking to Jenn
- meeting people at church
- Jessica telling me, "Extroverts are overrated" haha
- getting the chance to sit down and write
- getting a bed
- Simba hanging out with me
- talking to Jenn
- moving into an apartment in Madison, TN
- Erica and JR visiting
- chai tea at bedtime
- reading the Psalms
- encouragement from Ann
- finding a cute apartment and hoping I can stay there
- making it to Nashville safely
- texting w/ Jenn
- meeting and staying with an awesome couple in Franklin
- reading Job
- making connections with KSU alumni
- getting a call from Jenn
- finishing a book
- getting some housing leads in Nashville
- the person and finished work of Jesus
- sufficient grace
- a God who is faithful
- friends who are encouraging
- Truth and hope and love
- Erica graduates from SBU
- lunch with all the relatives
- time to read in the car
- getting to sleep in at Jenn's
- morning time in the Word
- feeling loved
- seeing Jenn
- seeing Lindsey
- finishing packing
- lunch with Keira
- going to the Zone/Station 3.16
- eating a Buster Bar for the first time
- hanging out with Marley
- the person and propositions of Jesus
- warm air and sunshine
- strawberry-banana-lemon smoothie
- beautiful day outside
- officially owning my car
- Mom grilling cheeseburgers for lunch
- seeing Jamie and Kierston
- taking a nap
- graduating from K-State
- adopting a kitten for Mom
- ice cream cake
- hanging out with Geoff
- going to Radina's for the last time
- chillin' with the roomies
- being finished with college!
- hanging out with Ann & Meredith
- Stephanie coming over and making dinner with me
- picking more strawberries
- getting mail
- seeing Shannon
- talking to Jenn
- using our fresh garden strawberries to make a smoothie
- getting a B+ on my ENGL660 (Charles Dickens) final paper
- sweet Ann always making sure I'm taken care of
- e-mail from Jenn
- finding out the B-stud I want to join in Nashville is just starting the book of Matthew
- fresh strawberries in our garden
- seeing Megan and Stephanie at Radina's
- sending mail to Lindsey
- Mom's French toast for breakfast
- being home on Mother's Day
- watching Slumdog Millionaire with Geoff
- Geoff comes home and takes me for a ride on his motorcycle
- my big, comfy bed and still feeling loved from yesterday
- quality hug in the morning
- seeing Stac for the first time in months
- seeing Jenn, Allison, and Lindsey
- walking around the Plaza with Jenn
- feeling incredibly loved
- going to Radina's between classes
- finishing Why We're Not Emergent
- being encouraged by Shannon's e-mail
- being done with classes FOREVER!
- whole wheat pancakes with nuts
- buying flowers for two special people
- sitting on the sun on the front porch reading all afternoon
- celebrating Ann's birthday
- going to Tuesday classes for the last time ever
- hanging out in the front room and reading
- getting a call from Ann; Drew & Megan coming over
- Drew bringing me Reisen's
- walking to the post office and then to Radina's to do homework
- finishing Our Mutual Friend! 797 pages in three weeks!
- seeing Megan twice today. She said she doesn't know how to handle me, haha
- going on a walk with Alecia, Jessi, and Stephanie
- going to bed before 10pm
- playing sax
- really good mtg/convo with S. Beck
- three hours with B. Brown: smoothies, cheesy biscuits, church
- finishing the memorization of James -- it takes me almost 15 min to recite!
- people hanging out at our house (the ATM)
- chai latte at Radina's in the AM
- reading some Proverbs, Psalms
- having a chilled, laid-back day
- chilling in Radina's and reading a book not for class
- getting out of my 9:30 and 11:30 classes really early
- turning in my three essays due today and basically being done with school
- Melanie cutting my hair
- finishing ENGL382 paper
- taking my car in for an oil change and hearing it's in pretty good shape overall
- getting a text from Clarissa that made my heart happy
- creating a new recipe
- finishing a journal
- watching That Thing You Do with Matt & Tim
- being pretty productive
- knowing God more
- confirming a Nashville move-in date: May 22
- going to Lincoln Berean Church
- lunch with Clarissa + her friends
- spring thunderstorms
- seeing Clarissa! :)
- eating chicken enchiladas with Clarissa
- making chocolateawesomechip cookies
- getting a tour of Lincoln, NE
- getting books in the mail
- They Only Come Out at Night -- huge success!
- the chance to read my writing in front of 50+ people
- being friends with Jenn
- being friends with Ann
- walking two miles
- fresh-cut grass, sunshine, gentle breezes
- cracking a double-yolked egg (first time in my life)
- seeing Shannon at Radina's
- riding my bike with an almost-normal heart rate
- having only five more days of classes left
- Our Mutual Friend takes a plot-turn. Intriguing.
- warm afternoon with windows/doors open
- spending a couple of hours at Radina's with Shannon
- getting my reading done for my Dickens class! (so we better have a quiz over it!) ;)
- getting some homework done
- much-needed sleep
- sufficient hydration
- waking up and realizing it's Saturday! :)
- as always, hearing Alecia play music
- surprise visit from Ann
- going on a walk and seeing a huge snail on a sidewalk
- the lady who rang up my groceries was very nice
- changing my windshield wiper blades by myself. i will finally be able to see in the rain
- playing frisbee with Drew (even though we had to climb the neighbor's fence three times)
- not having my 11:30 class
- getting an appt. to hear heart results
- people hanging out at the ATM
- riding my bike
- getting books in the mail
- first time wearing shorts since probably September
- warm sunshine
- finishing inkWELL book formatting/design after 10+ hrs of working on it in one day
- socialism... that's not the right word; being social. hanging out with people.
- playing the alto sax
- fun with Picnik (premium!)
- understanding Jesus more through the medium of hip-hop
- text from Hannah (Vermont)
- celebrating that Jesus is alive!
- Matt giving me good advice about picking my battles
- making *braided* cheesy biscuits
- sitting on the porch in the sun drinking iced tea
- watching Marley & Me
- breakfast with Keira and Erica
- downing a pitcher of iced tea (Erica helped)
- sun coming out!
- postcard from Jess
- really fast medical care
- movie with Erica, Tim, Matt, and Anne
- having basically no homework
- sunshine + nap on the couch
- evening 2-mi. walk to Radina's and back.
- almost peeling my orange in one piece (I ripped off a couple of pieces to get it started, but 5/6 of that peel was intact)
- little girl holding a bubble wand out her car window: bubbles down Manhattan Ave. made me smile
- cute dog crossing the street
- really nice people while donating blood. And no waiting! And good iron!
- my mom getting me dental and eye appts. on the same day -- she even offered to call herself. Which is great because I don't like calling to make appts.
- getting a grasp on what exactly is the Reformed Church
- some progress on my paper
- NCAA championship. I don't care who wins, I just love basketball.
- Getting to talk to Jenn :)
- workout
- getting some homework done
- resting
- Getting my hardboiled integrity books in the mail - they look awesome!
- sleeping in until 9am (a record)
- going to Topeka to see Jason Waller play at a coffeeshop
- falling in love over and over again
- Getting to talk with Lindsey
- God's faithfulness! Jenn gets to keep her job :)
- 2-mile walk x 2 ... 4 miles. Beautiful weather
- clean room
- having only 10 days of classes left
- finishing an abstract and possibly finding housing for Nashville
- sweet text from Ann
- finding a house in Nashville!!!
- celebrating Anne's birthday after Radina's music night
- finding a hub cap on my walk home
- 56-degrees and sweet Jesus time
- rocking out to some shai linne on my walks to and from campus
- spending some time at Radina's after classes were over
- falling in love over and over again
- 65-degree weather + sunshine
- The Lord's sovereignty over all things
- finishing Breaking Free by Beth Moore
- seeing Jenn in KC + Redeemer Fellowship + lunch on the Plaza
- seeing Lacie for the first time in seven months
- the Love Hub doing what it does best: loving
- Christ crucified
- making the boys happy with cheesy biscuits
- new original recipe: stovetop lasagna
- finding out that Drew has an alto sax he's willing to get rid off
- chai latte at Java
- finishing Nutrition Analysis project
- college basketball
- God's unfailing love for me far exceeding anything and anyone who makes me feel unloved
- peace like a river: raging peace
- Guest speaker in Dickens class. Supposed to talk for 20 minutes, but he talked for 65 -- no time for discussion! Woo!
- surprisingly warmer weather (sunny, low '50s; was expecting 30s and snow/rain)
- walking 4 miles
- reading 2 Samuel 1-11
- ordering and paying for a small hot chocolate and getting a medium :)
- Drew getting my watch off military time
- seeing B. Brown
- ice. cream. cake.
- my friend Clarissa
- very good news -- I'm moving to Nashville
- really good conversation with Matthew
- Beth Moore points out amazing scripture in her book Breaking Free
- talking to Jenn
- cotton socks
- thunderstorms!
- seeing friends at Radina's
- living in a house
- friends who point me to Jesus
- a loving God who never lets go
- spending time with Jamie after not seeing her for ten months
- phone call from Jenn
- really great nap
- seeing the Gateway Arch
- watching the Cornell game
- surviving an 11-hour, 675-mile drive solo
- LifeWay interview
- March Madness tournament
- friendly guy at the post office
- nice drive to Nashville
- 30 mpg
- God's peace
- going to Bolivar
- chocolate covered raisins
- working out
- 72°F
- text from Shannon
- Jinx (cat)
- wearing a skirt (warm weather)
- getting a refresher on car maintenance. changed a tire in a skirt!
- Selection Sunday
- full-strength bleaching my white TOMS and successfully removing the yellow spots
- seeing Matt and Rob before I left for home
- having a clean (very clean) car
- designing my TOMS shoes (restyling my white ones)
- Sleeping in
- 2-mile walk
- another good hair day
- Getting my federal tax refund - enough to pay for my Nashville trip
- Hearing Alecia's new song
- Jen Johnson remembering who I am
- destroying my Basic Nutrition exam
- having a good hair day
- voicemail from Jenn
- Nice morning mile to campus
- Being done with an essay and midterm
- Nap under electric blanket
- Two miles before 7:30am, 4 miles overall
- Postcard from Jess
- Buying a business suit for Nashville trip
- Sleeping in
- Oatmeal for lunch
- Progress on ENGL660 essay
- UCC sermon on Holy Spirit
- Dinner party
- Thunderstorm
- walking 9 miles
- hearing that Cornell won = going to the NCAA tourney
- light rain
- feeling inspired to write
- walking to campus at 8:30am in 56 degree weather
- watching two little sparrows snuggle/bathe in a puddle on the sidewalk
- finishing David Copperfield discussion in class
- destroying my Irish Poetry test
- getting out of American Survey class early
- rocking out to "Forget December" on the walk home
- riding my bike to the Rec
- playing intramural basketball
- riding my bike home from the rec in the dark
- being in the mood to read
- 80 degree weather
- being done with classes until Tuesday
- (I would enjoy a little more social interaction, but today was a good day)
- Open doors and windows
- Studying enough Contemporary Irish Poetry to feel confident I will ace the test tomorrow
- getting my CHI straightener
- Getting an A on my poetry explication
- Getting my abstract revision back: "excellent revisions!" (I think that means "A")
- text from Clarissa
- Finishing David Copperfield
- Strawberry smoothie
- My God's sufficient grace
- Baking: snickerdoodles, banana bread, porkchops
- Sleeping in
- Sabbath
- Jenn being here
- INKwell
- having a space heater
- Garmin navigating me to/through Wichita
- Seeing family, remembering Grandma
- Bringing home a working 1950s typewriter
- Jenn visiting!: dinner, Radina's, seat warmers :) , movie, sharing life
- Light rain
- Mail from the Love Hub
- Time with Jesus
- 50% off floral pieces at Hobby Lobby (just the week I happened to want fake flowers)
- Call from Shannon
- Absolutely beautiful weather: open doors and windows, reading on the porch
- Cleaning and rearranging my room
- Radina's Music Night: Alecia's awesome music, time with Ann and Monica, reviewing James 1-3, friends, free chai, finally writing something
- Sleeping in
- Getting dressed up to go out to dinner with the boys
- feeling beautiful
- the privilege of knowing my sweet grandma for 21 years
- Having our Dickens reading assignment reduced by about 40 pages
- Excitement about going out to dinner tomorrow with the guys
- Finding a CHI straightener for half price
- Ann's kind heart
- God's sufficient grace
- Acetaminophen
- Sunshine
- Sleep
- Talking to Jenn
- Jeremy Camp's Give Me Jesus
- Melanie cutting my hair
- Warm weather makes a weekend visit
- Gerber daisies from Jessi
- Getting out of Irish Poetry class early
- Winning basketball game (by forfeit, which is great because I didn't feel like playing)
- Chill time with the housemates
- Best. smoothie. ever. : strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, banana, strawberry yogurt
- Destroying my article abstract revision. I'm feeling an A on this one.
- Cooking! Trying new things, mixing it up.
- Applying for eight more jobs.
- Sunshine and walking
- Being very productive and still making time to read a not-for-classes book
- Hanging out in the kitchen with Matthew and Tim
- Being offered an interview for an internship with LifeWay
- Sweet fellowship and discussion with B-stud girls
- Tomato soup. Mint chocolate chip ice cream. Irish poetry.
- Running the court
- Beautiful sunset
- Chris Tomlin's "I Will Rise"
- Cornell beats Dartmouth in double overtime
- Quiet
- Watching KU v. KSU game
- Ice cream with Keira
- Compassionate friends
- God's grace
- Getting voicemail from Shoff, then getting to talk to her
- Spending time with friends: Ann's fabulous pancakes and mint chocolate chip ice cream
- Turning 21
- Baskin Robbins' Birthday Club: free single scoop mint chocolate chip
- Buying a dress -- I'm excited to wear it
- Radina's music night
- Getting my scholarship check
- Figuring out how to fix my bike brakes
- Making progress in David Copperfield
- 97-cent large diet cherry limeade
- Matthew buying me chocolates and a dinosaur sandwich box to take my lunch to campus
- Shake-and-bake pork chops
- Finally finishing/submitting my Hallmark application
- Getting my state taxes done
- Playing basketball
- Being able to see my Grandma Richwine
- Mom buying me a double dip mint chocolate chip waffle cone at Braum's for my upcoming birthday
- Making dinner and watching Cornell beat Penn
- Getting my federal taxes done (aka signing them because Dad did them), oil changed, and car washed
- Mint chocolate milkshake
- Shopping with birthday money
- Seeing Ann on campus and finding Keira in the library and eating lunch with her ... in the library.
- Warm weather! My walks to and from campus were delightful.
- Winning co-ed intramural basketball game by 2
- Finding someone who wants to go with me on a train to St. Louis!
- Wearing my hair down
- Radina's music night
- Reading Breaking Free by Beth Moore
- Getting an e-mail from Shoff
- Relaxing after a long day of classes: watching a movie with Tim
- Talking to Kristin. (Enough joy in this to cover the entire month)
- Making pasta for dinner (without using a recipe)
- Spending time with B-stud girls
- Going to the WELL
- Napping
- TVL Shooters winning intramural basketball over Clovia 40-12
- inkWELL -- getting to spend an hour and a half with really awesome people
- very warm weather -- walking everywhere and sitting in the sun, windows open
- dinner party -- 15 people over for Henry's white fire chili and my cheesy biscuits
- Listening to Alecia sing/guitar. She's so great. This will always make my day.
- Mucho progress on Hallmark application
- Strawberry smoothies for lunch with B. Brown
- Getting a postcard from Jess
- Warmer weather, walking, and music
- Seeing Amanda at Hale Library
- Matthew made chimichangas for dinner, a first for me, and I liked it.
- Going over Touchstone editing with editor-in-chief
- Free chai latte at Radina's
- Writing at Radina's
- Still being able to park on campus in "D" lots
- Finished editing Touchstone
- Feeling confident about Dickens quiz
- Being quite productive
- Staying warm inside
- The LA crew arrives home safely
- Seeing Chicago for the first time in my life
- Driving back from KC -- good tunes
- Long nap
- Spending night at Doubletree: free warm cookies and super comfortable beds!
- Cornell beats Columbia; Geoff dunks
- Dinner with the fam. at Applebee's
- Airplane trip: to Cincinatti then to Syracuse
- Seeing Geoff and Lola
- Staying in Ithaca
- Near 60-degree weather
- Driving to KC airport
- Shrimp and cheesy biscuits at Red Lobster w/ Dad & Karen
- Incredibly beautiful weather
- Strawberry smoothie
- Decorating a [surprise] box to be mailed
- Watching Obama's inauguration with Reiko at Hale Library
- Reading 100 pages of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- Movie night with Matthew, Tim, and Henry: Shakespeare in Love
- Radina's with Reiko
- Being warm on the couch reading w/ Stephanie & taking a nap
- Music project coming along well
- S'mores over the fire pit
- Lots of reading done at Radina's
- Watching Milo and Otis
- INKwell meets at Radina's: full punch card
- Weather: mid-50s
- Dinner with Alecia, Matthew, Tim, Layne, and Henry
- The LORD opens many doors
- Loving friends
- Alecia playing guitar
- Finishing a book
- Navs w/ Shannon
- Text from Jenn
- Seeing Ann and Meredith
- A.M. Workout at the Rec; officially on an intramural basketball team
- Sarah Beck stopped by; text from B. Brown
- Made zucchini bread
- Tea at breakfast - a nice soother to my angry tummy
- Nap. On the couch under two blankets. Mmm.
- Radina's. A nice quiet time to collect my thoughts
- A.M. Workout at the Rec
- Making chocolate chip cookies
- Hanging out with Ann, Ethan, Tim, Matthew, Drew, and Henry (dinner then Applebees)
- Hearing Alecia sing and play her guitar in the morning
- Experiencing the WELL for the first time
- Warm weather: trip to the Konza
- Finished Oliver Twist while at Panera
- felt inspired enough to write on my blog
- InkWELL pizza night. Magnetic poetry with Stephanie
- Visited Jenn, Lindsey, and Allison
- fixed Jenn's computer (I was so happy it worked)
- text from Clarissa
- Cleaned Erica's apartment
- Went to the park and fed the ducks (kind of scary! They must have been really hungry)
- Watched Law & Order
- Started walking to Radina's and I liked how walking felt, so I kept walking. A little over three miles.
- Another good workout
- SBU plays at Washburn and I go to see Erica
- Worked out
- Walked to Hale to pick up two books for class
- Got my prayer wall up in my room
- Radina's. My first time back since mid-December.
- Playing basketball at the Rec.
- Making minestrone soup and cheesy biscuits.
- staying under my grocery budget (thanks to a giftcard)
- Enjoying reading Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
- Geoff gets me a free Cornell T-shirt and saves me $20
- Jenn makes pancakes for me and Lindsey. I'm amazed at her pancake-making skills.
- Jess sends me a text. She's in Kentucky!
- I get gas for $1.559 and got 26.7mpg on my Junction City to KC and back trip.
- The InkWELL plays telephone pictionary.
- I ride my bike to the ATM from campus. The weather is wonderful -- warm and sunny!
- I get to take Shoff to KC as she is heading back to Philly
- In KC, Jenn lets me sleep on her couch.
- I found out my grandma has a 1950s manual typewriter in her basement.
- I get to see Shoff, as she is back from Philly
- Jess, Ann, Alecia, Ethan, Tim, Henry, and I play Wits & Wagers (very fun!)
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