Daily...

thought: Sunsets

2011-05-31T22:38:00.000-07:00

Did you see the sky tonight? A big, beautiful, red sun setting over the hills. I came around a corner and there it was. It was only there for about 60 seconds before it dropped behind the horizon. I turned to get on the bypass, hoping that the elevation would be enough to allow me one more glimpse...

I felt lucky that I happened to be driving west at that moment, but I was left wanting more. In this Eastertide season, isn't that what we are looking for? Some sign that the Son is still near, that it hasn't set. But if you keep your eyes fixed on the horizon, you miss the best part. It hasn't happened yet.

The radio was playing, "Listen to the sound of hope that's rising up over your own horizon. Listen to the sound of a new beginning. This is where the old is ending." There are two things that God primarily uses to get my attention: creation and music. The use of both at once usually means something big is coming.

I sent a friend a card when I was in college to cheer him up. It said that pink clouds mean everything is going to be alright. God has used pink clouds ever since then to get me to wake up, to tell me things I'm normally too busy to pay attention to. These aren't cotton candy pink in the style of Origami, they are a deep, hot pink that I have never seen duplicated by Crayola or anyone else. They make me stop what I am doing. These clouds don't appear when the sun is present, rather they stretch across the sky once it is no longer visible. This color also does not appear on neat, cloudless days. There has to be some clouds in the sky for this phenomenon to occur. The show will be over in ten minutes, so you might as well pull over and find a nice spot to just watch what God is doing.

Last week I found out that there is a seminary in Denver that offers a Master of Divinity degree in Outdoor Leadership. I planned in 2006 to apply to Wheaton for their program but it was cut, and I was unable to find any other programs in that field. I have always struggled with my call to ministry - at first because I refused to recognized that I had been called, and later because I have such diverse interests and strengths. I love hiking and music and at one time was a double major in Theatre Ed. and Biology before switching to Church Music. I also love my work at the church with the database and integrating new technologies that enable ministry. Could there really be something that combined these things with ministry? And I could make a living at it??? I love being close to my family & the city. I miss the mountains terribly. When I started my job, I thought I had found my perfect career, but now I'm not sure. I still love my job, but is there something else God is preparing me for?

I don't have the answers to these questions. I don't have any desire to be a "preaching" pastor, but lately I have been uncomfortable having to sit on the sidelines. I hated that business went on as usual while our neighbors were flooding last weekend. If ever there is a time for the church to be the church, is it not this? Sure, we did our part and still are still working on long term recovery, but it seems like there should be more. I feel like I'm needing to free up some of my time, though I'm not sure why. I know that part of it being available for those times when someone does need me, and I know I need time to be learning more than what I get on Sunday mornings. I will do what I can do - which is looking for the Son & hope those pink clouds show me the way.

song: The More I Seek You

2011-03-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite praise songs of the past five years. May this Lent season find you seeking after and leaning on on Jesus.

song: This is How the World Will End

2010-01-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

Please watch this video by my favorite band, The Elms for "This is How the World Will End." A close friend of the band, Luke Renner, has been living and working in Haiti since last summer to educate the people and bring awareness to the world. In light of the recent disaster, all proceeds from digital sales of the song will go to help relief effort in Haiti through Care International and Luke Renner's Caribbean Institute of Media Technologies.

"We desire only for the images in this video to offer you a direct look at the people of Haiti as our friend Luke has gotten to know them - they are beautiful, precious people, who we have a human responsibility to always - but now more than ever. Please watch the film, take these people into your heart, and give to them of your resources as soon as possible." - from The Elms' website

You can read more here: http://www.theelms.net/news.php

event: Oyster Race Training

2009-10-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

Another new post on my adventure blog:

Look under Goodlettsville, October 18.

event: Yada Sisterhood and More Training

2009-10-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

Adventure blog:

Look under "Jackson."

hike: Natchez Trace State Park

2009-10-22T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Hiking Group at Hendersonville FUMC recently had our first camping trip. You can read about it and see pictures on my adventure blog.

Look under "Wildersville."

event: Oyster Race Training

2009-10-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

I have added more posts to my adventure blog about our Oyster Race Training:

Look under Goodlettsville on the dates September 28 and 30.

event: Oyster Racing Series - Nashville

2009-10-04T20:46:00.000-07:00

I am training for the Merrell Oyster Racing Series event in Nashville on Oct. 24. Please keep me in your prayers as I train. You can read about it on my adventure blog. Look under Goodlettsville, Sept. 25 for more details about the race.

event: Staff Fun Day

2009-10-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

There's a new post on my adventure blog:

http://www.offexploring.com/mountainear

That site does not list my posts by day, but rather by location. To find the Staff Fun Day post, look under Hendersonville, TN and then click on Sept. 23, 2009. There is also an album of pictures there. Enjoy!

hike: Hamilton Creek Park

2009-09-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

I have a new post on my adventure blog about Hamilton Creek Park. You can visit it here:

http://www.offexploring.com/mountainear/blog

Look under Nashville, September 20, 2009.

scripture: Psalm 37:4-5

2009-09-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

"Delight yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37:4-5

This verse has been coming up repeatedly for the last week. I feel like my life is in a really good place at the moment, so I'm not sure what this desire is. I know that I desire to always be growing in my relationship with God, and I have recently joined a Sunday School class at my church. For the last year, I have just been taking classes on Wednesday night, but that doesn't give you the fellowship that a Sunday school class does. I just know that generally when a verse repeatedly appears, you need to pay attention. God knows what we desire even better than we do.

Check out Rhythm's song "Delight" for a great song to go with this verse.

cupcake: Flamingos!

2009-08-23T21:33:00.000-07:00

My mom loves flamingos (we have a long history!), so I made some flamingo cupcakes for her birthday. It's a variation on the "What a Hoot!" pattern in the book Hello, Cupcake! They were really fun to make!

song: On the Willows

2009-03-19T10:28:00.000-07:00

I have had the song "On the Willows" from the musical Godspell stuck in my head for days now. A verse in my current Bible Study, The Way of Discernment, made me think of it, though once I fully recalled the song, it was unrelated to the verse I was reading.

The lyrics are:

"On the willows there, we hung up our lyres

For our captors there required

Of us songs and our tormentors mirth,

Saying, 'Sing us one of the songs of Zion.'

But how can we sing, sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?"

This song is taken from Psalm 137. Over and over again, the Hebrew people were placed in captivity in other lands. We find the Babylonians demanding joyful singing from the Hebrews, but they refused and hung their instruments on the surrounding trees instead.

I wonder if the Babylonians were drawn at all to the faith of God's people. What made them ask for singing? Was it for their own entertainment? Were the Babylonians mocking them? Did they want to know more about Zion? Did the Hebrews miss out on an opportunity for evangelism by refusing?

In a way we are all in a foreign land. We were made for heaven, not for this world full of pain, oppression, and hunger. But aren't we supposed to sing anyway? I know in my darkest of moments, it was music of worship that provide the greatest sense of peace and a vision for my next steps. Music also helps us remember our history, our covenents with God, His words to us. Music is one of our greatest teaching tools. I'm not saying it's always easy, but some of my most meaningful experiences with God have come when I am knealt before Him, offering what I can.

We are at a place in our story where there is a lot of uncertainty. We don't know what will become of our jobs, our security, or our nation. I think it is essential that we continue to sing even through our pain.

fragrance: Ralph Lauren Notorious

2009-03-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

My choir is having a formal wear consignment sale this week, so last night I got out all my old dresses from prom, formal dances, recitals, and weddings. It was hard to believe I had so many! One of them in particular stood out: my silver movie star dress.

I wore that dress for a Broadway Revue while I was in college, as well as to a formal for my Christian service organization. That year I sang "Someone Like You" from Jekyl & Hyde if I remember correctly. My mom supplied some sparkly jewelry as always. I always felt so glamorous in that dress! Something about the shape of it made me think of old Hollywood, where the movie stars oozed poise, style, and elegance.

Inspired by memories of that dress, I decided to try out my sample of Ralph Lauren Notorious. Ralph Lauren's website desribes it as:

"The provocative accessory of modern glamour -- Ralph Lauren Notorious, the fragrance that silently commands the attention of the room. An addictive sparkling spiced scent designed to captivate with intriguing notes of deep black currant, decadent chocolate cosmos and sensual patchouli musk."

Osmoz describes it as follows:

"The Notorious woman is desirable and magnetic, audacious and voracious. Her smoldering but subtle sexiness creates an air of intrigue and danger, as personified by actresses such as Faye Dunaway, Lauren Bacall or Ingrid Bergman (who played in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Notorious)."

Now I don't by any means claim to have these qualities, but I was hoping the fragrance would capture some of the feel of that dress. It does have an oriental chypre feel to it, but it doesn't hit you over the head like Gucci by Gucci, another modern chypre. To me it is much more subtle.

It starts off with a little burst of citrus, which wafts in and out throughout the dry down. Though I wouldn't have identified it on my own, there's definitely some chocolate in there. Chocolate cosmos is a burgundy flower that actually gives off a scent similar to chocolate and vanilla. Imagine having that in your garden! Maybe men should start giving bouquets of chocolate cosmos for Valentine's Day...

I'm not a big fan of patchouli, but it's pretty tame here, and I think it keeps it from becoming too sweet. It does not smell like a bakery or one of Terry's Chocolate Oranges. Notorious is sophisticated in my opinion, but maybe not as bold as some of the personalities being linked to it.

I like it, but I don't think it's something I would wear with any regularity. It's just not me, though I might wear it if I was going out in the evening...perhaps in a silver dress. As a person who enjoys more gourmand fragrances, I think my friend Jennifer T. would probably appreciate it.

fragrance: My Gateway Back to Perfume

2009-03-18T09:15:00.000-07:00

Since January I have been on a perfume kick. My mom has always said that I like potions, meaning perfumes, candles, lotions, etc. I have been a big fan of fig since 2005 when I tried Bath & Body Works' Simplicity Fig lotion. I could not stop smelling my skin when I tried it! As with all my favorites, they discontinued it. My sister, Jenni, knew my penchant for fig and pomegranate candles (though not mixed together!) and bought me some Bath & Body Works Brown Sugar & Fig lotion. While that was close, it was no match for the depth of my original love. Of course, they discontinued that as well, although you can now get it online from the Classics area on the B&B Works site.

I started searching around online for more fig fragrances to try and came across the wonderful blog "Now Smell This." It's a blog devoted entirely to fragrance: perfumes, candle, lotions, room sprays, etc. It has been several years since I wore perfume with any regularity, since I find most perfume counters to be intimidating. I am not a person who enjoys a lot of individual attention, and of course, I also didn't know what I was looking for. Now Smell This really helped me find fragrances with notes I wanted to try.

The best part? I found out that there are places where you can get samples and try the perfumes in the comfort of your own home! I often found that I liked a fragrance in the store, but after wearing it for awhile, it didn't jive with my body chemistry. I have learned so much through this site about fragrance notes, types of perfumes, sites for swaps and splits, and decanting (where you transfer the perfume into a smaller vial or bottle). It's becoming a really fun little hobby!