City Girl Goes Country

This spring, we're moving to a little ranch house on an acre in the country. All of my life, I have lived in the suburbs. Since getting married, the mister and I have been in a town apartment. And now, everything is changing.

A few things scare me. It will be a good twenty minute drive to get groceries and run other errands. Right now, I do those things on a whim because everything is just down the road. There will not be a sidewalk at the front of our yard. Perhaps it's odd, but I've never lived in a place that you can't walk right out your door and go for a walk. Also, so many trees! Wild turkeys roam the backyard. All of these things make me wonder if I can handle the country life. Will I feel isolated and lonely? Where will I go on my walks? What if we have nothing to eat and the grocery store is so far away? Just expressing these concerns makes me feel a bit better. None of this is insurmountable, to say the least.

And there are lots of things I am excited for. The yard is large enough to have a garden, or even chickens one day after we get settled in. The privacy of living on an acre will be delightful for this introverted soul. I can't think of a better place to raise a family. The drive into town may be longer, but it's scenic and peaceful. Perhaps having a drive will encourage me to slow down my pace of life. I also love the idea of our new home as a respite from the world. Being tucked away in the country makes that feel more possible.

All in all, I can hardly wait. There are some adjustments ahead, but I'm quite determined that they will all be worth it.

30 Weeks Pregnancy Update

How's Baby?

Baby is nearly 3 pounds, and about the size of a cabbage. They say that babies at this point can hear outside the womb, and even start to recognize the voices of her parents. The mister sings to her most nights, which is the sweetest thing. 

I'm feeling...

Still energetic enough to keep up my workouts! My legs have never been in such good shape. I read that squats are amazing to help prepare for labor, so I've been doing them faithfully. I do make myself a protein-dense smoothie after each workout, which restores my energy so well.

Currently loving:

Dates with my husband pre-baby. On the one hand, I can hardly wait to bring along a baby in a stroller or carrier. At the same time, I want to enjoy the season I am in right now. Yesterday, we went for a pre-dinner coffee and stroll just because it was a gorgeous, sunny day. The freedom to jump in the car (with Baby H conveniently all ready to go) is delightful.

Also, I had a few strangers ask when I am due! Since my bump has been so tiny this pregnancy, it is comforting to know it's obvious now (at least when I wear maternity clothes). I nearly hugged the first person who asked the gender!

Looking forward to...

To be honest, I look forward to delivery. I'm starting to get very curious to know what Baby H looks like, and ultrasounds are quite vague as far as that goes. Also, I'm finding that I want to know what labor is like. After years of fear about childbirth, I think this is a much better place to be. Plus, once the time comes, there's no holding back this baby!

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28 Weeks Pregnancy Update

How's Baby?

Little one is about 2 pounds, and 14 inches long. Baby is mostly developed, and this third trimester will mostly be about general growth and packing on the baby fat (hoping for a chubby baby!).  

I'm feeling...

Amazing physically, happy emotionally, and delighted spiritually. God has been so gracious to give me a pregnancy without any morning sickness, cravings, or other symptoms. Other than sleeping extra at night and growing a baby bump, I don't feel pregnant. I walk 2-3 miles about 3 times a week, and do 15 minutes of weighted exercises the other 3 days. My diet hasn't changed, and the semi-paleo  eating habits have served me well so far.

Currently loving:

Feeling baby move! This week, I looked down at my belly because it seemed off-balance, as though baby was sitting on one side. As I watched, baby moved and I could see it. Now, there is movement nearly all the time. The kicks are not as strong because there's not as much room left, but I feel nearly constant movement.

Looking forward to...

Moving into our house so that I can start accumulating baby things and setting up the nursery. My highly-organized personality really wants to get everything in order and prepared. But there's no sense gathering lots of essentials to store in our apartment, only to pack up and move it all in a couple weeks. Honestly, it's probably better for me to be unable to prepare too far in advance.

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Books I've Read [Northanger Abbey]

For some time now, Jane Austen's Persuasion has been on my list of must read books. Several friends have had high praise for it, and it doesn't take much for me to read an Austen novel.

So, the other day, I went to the library in search of Persuasion. For whatever reason, they didn't have it. Perhaps it's not popular enough to have lots of copies (like Pride and Prejudice, for example). Or maybe it's so wildly popular that the library can't keep any copies in stock.

Either way, they didn't have it.

What they did have was Northanger Abbey.

In my experience, this is not one of Jane Austen's more well-known works. There are multiple film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, Emma (I equally love the movie with Gwyneth Paltrow as well as the mini-series!), and the ever-classic Sense and Sensibility.

With Northanger Abbey, however, I never even knew a movie existed... but there is one! And it is incredibly close to the book. The heroine and hero are both lovable and feel like the characters I imagined when reading.

Of course, the book is well worth the read. I found that it went very quickly—probably because I was enjoying it so much.

As Jane Austen's first published novel, Northanger Abbey really established her style. All the wit, charm, and unexpected characters in her other classics can trace their roots to this story. For that reason alone, I think it's a perfect read for any Jane Austen fan.

One of my favorite parts of the book was how Jane Austen described the heroine, Catherine, as a good and plain girl. The author confides to the reader that had Catherine not so clearly expressed her affection for the hero, he would have never seriously considered her.

The ending quip, when Jane Austen makes a comic attempt to provide her reader with a moral of the story, was possibly my favorite moment of the book. The movie did get this in at the end also, but it was missing the full context as it had in the book.

Overall, this is definitely a book and movie I would recommend.
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Trying to Choose a Color Palette

I've got fair skin, freckles, and red hair. I can pull off a variety of colors, but there are a few that I feel best in... soft white, grey, navy, and olive green.

Recently, my closet experienced a bit of an overhaul, with the help of my sister. I tried to limit my clothing to items in that range of color. Now, when I go shopping, I look for versatile pieces that would easily work well in a variety of combinations.

While I like the concept of a capsule wardrobe, I admit I'm nervous! In fact, I couldn't bring myself to slim down to just 33-36 pieces.

Will I miss my old clothes? Will I go back to my old ways in just a week or two? The good thing is I already feel that mental space is opening up. Every day, I spend less time deciding what to wear. Those minutes add up quickly, and I can now use that time for other things!

This capsule wardrobe thing is a risk, but so far my progress is worth it.

What to Pack for a Paleo/Whole 30 Picnic

Summer was made for picnics, and everything that comes with it—gingham dresses, citronella candles, and that perfect sunset magic hour. Sadly, the end of summer is fast approaching! There are certainly a few things left on my bucket list that I'm still hoping to accomplish... more picnicking is definitely one of those things.

As we've been following a mostly paleo lifestyle, it can be tricky to find alternatives for picnic staples like sandwiches and crackers. But I've tried a few new things this summer! Out of my attempts, I've settled on a go-to collection of grain-free picnic options.

Menu Ideas

• An easy favorite is to replace sandwich bread with lettuce wraps. The ingredients for the sandwich can stay nearly the same, just swap the bread for a leaf of iceberg lettuce or romaine hearts.

• For a picnic, a glass of wine is a classic choice. However, if you're interested in trying something different, a cucumber cooler can be the perfect alternative. Simply blend together a cucumber (peeled partially), juice from one lime, 1/3 cup of honey (or sweetener of choice), 3 cups of ice, and 1/2 cup of water. It blends together in a pretty, frothy iced drink!

• Salads make a great outdoor dinner, and they're easy to prepare ahead of time.

• I recently discovered eggplant sandwiches, and they changed my picnic basket. Just slice the eggplant and bake it, then use it in place of sandwich bread.

Daily Devotional with First5

For years, I've struggled to be consistent with a daily "quiet time" or devotional. Somehow, I can't seem to make just a few minutes with the Lord a priority. There are plenty of other things I do each day...

check Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest...

drink coffee...

cook dinner...

shower, get dressed, and put on makeup...

and yet somehow I often neglect to read the Word and pray for even a few moments of the day.
Recently, I discovered First5, an iPhone app that has worked wonders in my devotional consistency. Each day, I wake up to a five-minute devotional, short prayer, and thought for the day. The Scripture for the day is included right in with the reading, so everything I need is right on my iPhone.

Probably the biggest reason I have been consistent with this is because it is not intimidating. It's so easy to get overwhelmed by the idea of a 30-minute time with the Lord—particularly on days that begin first thing in the morning. Five minutes, though? That sounds doable. And for the past several weeks, it has been!

Each daily reading includes a pretty image of the main thought of the devotional. It's always an encouragement to be consistent with something when it's pretty!

Another part of this app that I love is the built-in alarm clock. You can set your alarms for each day of the week, and slide to the daily devotional reading first thing in the morning. While I would ideally like to spend more time than this in the Word, it is a great habit to get me started!

You can download the app here... for free!

This Week's Meal Plan

The mister and I have been following a mostly Paleo diet. We do eat dairy, but otherwise stay fairly close to the Paleo guidelines of no grains, sugar, corn, beans, or legumes. It might not be a diet that we follow forever, but right now it's a fun way to cook! I have noticed my skin has improved, and the mister and I both have better digestion.

Each week (because I love my calendar and planning), I schedule dinners for each night. My go-to grocery spot is Aldi—their deals are unbeatable, and their selection is getting better and better for Paleo and Whole 30 folks!

Mostly, my meal ideas come from Pinterest. I also cook a lot of recipes from Danielle Walker's Against All Grain cookbook, which is fabulous.

Monday

Turkey Burgers (the Kirkwood brand at Aldi is Paleo-friendly!) & Portobello Mushroom "Buns"
Sweet Potato Fries
Cucumber Cooler

Tuesday

Crockpot Eggplant Lasagna (I haven't tried this recipe yet, but it looks amazing... and it cooks in a crockpot!)
Meatballs

Wednesday

Pulled Pork Lettuce Wraps
Toppings: Avocado, Salsa, Cauliflower Rice

Thursday

Cod with Mustard Sauce (this mustard sauce came from a Norwegian cookbook—it's simply melted butter and mustard drizzled over the baked cod filet)
Sautéed Kale

Capsule Wardrobe Goals

By now, it feels like everyone has heard of the capsule wardrobe concept. For a while now, I have been skeptical. Wouldn't a limited wardrobe get boring and mundane? One of my hobbies is thrift store shopping. Would I have to give up those amazing finds, like $3.00 brand-name dresses?

My perspective changed when I saw this post by Emily at Jones Design Company. Although her blog post isn't actually about a capsule wardrobe, she does a lovely job of creating ensembles around a similar color palette. 

Right away, my eye was drawn to Emily's navy, grey, and white theme. Most of the capsule wardrobes I've seen use black as a base. As a fair-skinned redhead, I do like black... but feel most comfortable in navy and grey. All these outfits feel so easy to wear and versatile.

Emily's 8 summer outfits got me thinking... maybe the capsule wardrobe concept has its benefits after all. Perhaps I spend too much time deciding what to wear, and struggling to put together the scattered color schemes in my closet. Maybe I just need permission to wear my favorite things over and over again.

As I started thinking about this more, I realized that I haven't repeated one specific outfit this entire summer. Surely I can narrow down my options and wear just my favorite things again and again! The thought of being comfortable in everything I own is so appealing.

This week, I plan to capsulize my wardrobe. First step: consider what pieces are my favorites, determine a color palette, and think through the essential closet items. Next: purge all the extra with ThredUp.

So far, I'm at the recently-convinced-to-give-it-a-try step. Next week, I hope to have a cleaner closet, and a little more mental space.

House Tour

After living here a year, our apartment is starting to feel more and more like home. Although the mister did a great job with his bachelor pad, it was still just that: a bachelor pad. With some cleaning, rearranging, decorating, and DIY projects, we're getting closer to a place that we both love. It holds books, maps, and flags (thanks to the mister), and curtains, candles, and pretty pillows (thanks to me).

When you first come in the door, the living room is on your right. This picture is taken from the doorway.

That little loveseat/settee on the far right is one of my first significant DIY projects. I purchased the piece on Craigslist for a great deal, but wasn't completely happy with the chocolate brown and orange floral fabric. So I painted the upholstery! It turned out great, and feels like soft leather. I also painted the wood on the chair and sofa. The upholstery is in great condition, but the wood was quite orange and distracting. So antiqued white it became!

On the wall above the desk, I hung two wedding photos. The dark wood hutch on the right is from my grandmother-in-law. It holds old books and a pretty white ironstone soup tureen from my mother. The cotton on the side table is signature Southern decor. The desk, also from my mom, is my regular study place (preferably with the door open and my pumpkin soufflé candle burning!).

 As you stand in the doorway, the dining room is on the left. I'm hoping to do some work in this room still. My latest addition is the two Parsons chairs on the ends ($14 on Craigslist!). 

This photo of the kitchen is also taken from the doorway. It's plenty large enough for the two of us, and I love that I can stand at the sink and look out the living room windows. 

The mister and I are serious coffee and tea drinkers, so this little station is used every day.

The dried craspedia (billy balls) in the main bathroom are from our wedding. My mother-in-law embroidered the art in the four little frames.

Our bedroom is cozy and bright. The bed frame was handmade by the mister's grandfather. The monogrammed sheets, quilt, and decorative pillow were all wedding gifts from family.

My favorite part of the master bath is that our grey-blue shower curtain perfectly coordinates with the grey-blue in my preserved bridal crown. The bath towels are almost the same pattern and color as our bedspread.

There is one more bedroom that we currently use as a library/music room. It has seen very little of my influence, so I didn't include it. Eventually, it'll probably become a nursery which means I could do one of my favorite things: rearrange! Until then, I ought to devote a weekend to freshen it up.

So there you have it! A photo tour of our little apartment.

Painting Upholstery

After reading seemingly never-ending Pinterest tutorials, researching chalk paint versus fabric paint, looking at paint swatches, and staring at my chocolate brown and orange floral settee, I finally worked up the gumption to paint that upholstery once and for all.

My method was unscientific and determined more by my feelings and lack of patience than by sound logic or following instructions.

Nevertheless, I am quite pleased by my before and after:

This is the first layer of paint going on. As you can see, the floral pattern is still strongly visible under the paint. It did not fully cover until the fourth coat.

I decided to use chalk paint rather than acrylic paint mixed with fabric medium. This was mostly because I already had a large container of Plaster of Paris to mix up my own homemade chalk paint. 

My ratio of water to Plaster of Paris to paint was quite flexible. I filled a red solo cup about 1/4 of the way with paint, dumped on a few tablespoons of Plaster of Paris, then filled the cup the rest of the way with water. (Yes, this was an outrageously imprecise method.)

More or less, here is the recipe I used:

2-1/2 ounces flat paint

3 T. Plaster of Paris

1 c. hot water

Mix well.

I used Behr's Ethiopia, as it is a common substitute for the color Coco in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. After mixing it up, I just applied it with a plain ol' paintbrush. It went on very watery, but the cotton upholstery absorbed quickly as I worked. 

Between each of the five coats, I let the upholstery dry for 24 hours. It felt like it took forever. The settee felt quite crunchy, but I started the project so I was going to finish, by golly!

Yet another layer... and you can still see that pesky floral pattern!

After the final coat, I rubbed in two layers of Minwax Paste Finishing Wax. For this step, I just used an old cotton kitchen towel and rubbed the wax into the fabric. This made the fabric touchable, but more firm than plain cotton. It looks like leather and feels like outdoor fabric (stronger than plain cotton or a woven fabric, but quite comfortable).

The color coordinates so much better with the rest of my living room. The total cost of this project was less than $20, since each sample of paint was less than $4.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a "new" settee to cozy up in!

Butternut Squash Soup {Crockpot}

On long and busy days, my favorite kind of dinner is one that cooks itself. Crockpot meals let me run around all day but come home to a warm supper that has made the entire apartment feel like fall. This recipe for Butternut Squash Soup was the easiest way I have ever cooked butternut squash. Typically, it requires roasting, cooling, peeling, and dicing. With this recipe, I peeled the squash, cubed it, then tossed it in to the slow cooker. The other ingredients were even quicker. When I had dumped everything in, it looked like this.

After 8 hours of cooking, the house smelled great. I purred the soup in the blender, and served it with Pecan-Crusted Chicken (another recipe worth its weight in gold) and dressed greens.

It was so delicious and cozy! As the weather becomes cooler, soups and chilis take up more and more space on my weekly meal plan. This one is worth making again. The mister said, "I wouldn't mind having this exact dinner again tomorrow night." For a guy who likes variety in his food, that's quite a compliment.

Grab the recipe here. 

Trying the Paleo Thing

A couple months ago, the mister suggested going paleo. The very simplified definition is a diet without grains, corn, beans, or refined sugars. Dedicated paleo enthusiasts also cut out dairy, but we're not very careful about that.

Nearly every day, we both have one of these green smoothies.

The most simple version is just:

1 banana

1 c. almond milk

1 handful fresh spinach or kale (spinach is sweeter)

a few ice cubes

From there, you can add in all sorts of things... frozen or fresh berries, nut butter, protein powder, and all manner of goodness to make it as filling as you like. It can serve as breakfast, brunch, post workout refreshment, or as a good mid-afternoon pick-me-up to get in lots of greens.

Although we started a modified version of the paleo diet for fun, it has quickly become a lifestyle. Maple syrup, honey, and stevia took the place of sugar. As much as I love bread, giving up grains has been easier than expected. We eat lots of burgers, fish, veggies, sweet potato fries, and eggs. When we're eating such yummy food for brunch and dinner, it's hard to feel like I'm missing out.

Having limitations makes me more creative in the kitchen, too. For example, who knew all the ways a person can prepare cauliflower? It has become a staple in this apartment.

The food is good, nutritious, and generally easy to prepare.

But perhaps my favorite part is that it encourages us to eat at home. Actually, this alone would be enough for me to keep up the crazy paleo thing. It causes pre- and post-dinner conversation in addition to sitting down at the table for a little bit each day. 

One Year Later

Somewhere between lots of concerts and lazy Friday mornings, an entire year went by. Instead of anniversary day, we had a weekend of fun evenings recreating special memories of our early married life.

We spent our first week of married life in North Carolina at a cozy little cabin, tucked away from the world. In the mornings, we would sit on the spacious porch while drinking our coffee, and simply stare out at the stunning fall colors. When the backdrop is that beautiful, you can never quite soak it all in.

The evening we arrived, it was dark as we pulled up the long gravel drive to our cabin. Although we were both hungry for dinner, I was unwilling to drive back down that scary driveway on a pitch black night in search of food. Luckily, we had Trader Joe's trail mix leftover from our trip. Once we got settled into our cabin, we discovered that the vacationers before us left pistachio ice cream and fiber cereal. Just a few minutes, and voila! I cooked my new husband our first dinner: pistachio ice cream topped with trail mix and fiber cereal.

On our first anniversary, we established a tradition of recreating that very special dinner. It tasted a little better this time.

Throughout the weekend, we talked about what we've learned, how we've changed, and what we're thankful for. It has been a splendid year, and I imagine it will just get better.

Uff-Da Days

At last, my long searching has come to an end and I have found the answer to my lifelong question. The mystery is revealed, and the case is closed. Why do some women love to cook? Because behind their skill deciphering a recipe and prowess with a mixer is the hidden secret of their talent: a darling apron. All right, perhaps that's not the only reason. Maybe my mother cooked even when she didn't have an apron. It could be that she cooked for our family for all these years simply because she desires to serve God and family. That could be why she has made meals day in and day out for years now.

I suppose women like my Mom didn't always feel the delightful urge to "whip up a meal." It works out perfectly charmingly some evenings. I have everything on hand, chop up the veggies in advance, have plenty of cleared counter space, and pull the dish out of the oven at the perfect time, as if it were a breeze. Can it be more dreamlike? Probably not.

However, that meal was rather remarkable. No recipe confusion, missing ingredients, or messy kitchen to start out my venture, and I actually had a touch of makeup on. Other times something happens to at least diminish my plans that sounded quaint and simple at the beginning of the day. Or, if I do turn out with a good eat and clean kitchen, my disheveled hair, bare feet, and tired sigh show exactly what I went through to make it.

Perhaps life is similar. Every once in a while, things go just as I planned, the food turns out, the decision is successful, and all the time I've been feeling radiant to top it off.

More often, though, things don't go quite as I hoped: the meal was an experiment, I look more than a little lopsided, I make the wrong decision, have a poor attitude, or feel uncertain. In other words, there are "uff-da" days ("uff-da" is a Norwegian expression which roughly translates as "Oh, my!").

The Psalmist had more than his fair share of troubles a thousand times greater than mine, yet nearly every Psalm ends with a reminder to his own soul about the good faithfulness of God. To follow this example, I ought to give up to God my entire life, uff-da days and all.

Our Love Story

The mister and I met at college, where he was my freshman music history professor (!!). He called me "Miss" and I called him "Mister." I was the sweet, awkwardly shy girl; he was the intimidating professor whose blue eyes seemed to see into my very soul. We occasionally chatted between classes and ran into one another around town... but I was a student at college, and he was a teacher. Of course, neither of us dreamed that we would even become close friends.

We went to the same church, where churchgoers knew us by our first names, leaving behind the student-teacher distinction. Before long, I was playing violin on the worship team most weeks. The mister happened to be on the music team, and made sure I kept coming to Sunday morning rehearsals.

We became good friends as we discussed theology, books, music, economics, family, church, and life. When I finished school, I moved back with my family, who were states away. The mister and I came up with enough excuses to keep up our friendship. A few months later, when he discovered I was going to be in town, he asked me out.

Before too long, he came for a visit. I enjoyed seeing him fit right in with my family. He immediately loved the happy, crazy bustle of my siblings. After that visit, we started writing old-fashioned letters.

Our wedding took place at a little country chapel in Tennessee, with our close family and friends gathered around. After the ceremony, we celebrated with a barbecue picnic dinner and homemade pie for dessert. It was one of the happiest, most peaceful days of my life.

More Than Good Advice

As my church has been going through a sermon series on the book of Proverbs, I've been reading a chapter a day. (It works out grand because there are 31 days in July, and guess how many chapters in Proverbs? Why yes! 31 exactly.) My view of the book has been that it's a collection of random sayings that are slightly more inspired than the Chinese proverbs, or quotable quips from classic authors. The Proverbs, in my eyes, were God's how-to's for sticky situations and social scenarios.

However, upon reading them this time around and hearing the book preached on each week, I've come to hold a different view of the Proverbs. This inspired book is more than the good advice I gave it credit for. It's a portrayal of wisdom: who she is, what she looks like, and how to win her.

There are so many things in life I enjoy... financial security, a stable home, physical health, the approval of others, and friends and family. Yet walking through the day to day with all those things isn't the ultimate goal. No matter how many blessings I experience in life, there is still something more worth acquiring than security, stability, and stuff: wisdom.

A pastor described wisdom as the ability to navigate life in a God-honoring way. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that wisdom is an important spiritual characteristic as well as being straightforward and down-to-earth help. For example, Proverbs 3:30 says:

"Do not contend with a man for no reason, when he has done you no harm."

In one verse, God points me to spiritual character (patience, self-control, and joy) as well as a practical follow-through (don't become irritated with someone with no cause--a lesson I could work on from now until I'm 100 years old!).

 Navigating life is tricky... and my life is pretty simple compared to the experiences that many go through. If I desire to develop tact, grace, and a God-honoring way of living, I better be seeking wisdom. And for that, Proverbs is a good place to start.

Genuine Callings

Living out the Christian faith looks differently for different people, since God calls us to fill various roles within the church. Some individuals will pursue more intellectual work, teaching or writing or speaking. Others serve with their hands in jobs ranging from construction to sign language interpretation. Homeschooling moms devote most of their time to educating their children. Still others boldly preach the Gospel far from home. That's one of the beautiful things about Christ's church: everyone has widely diverse gifts. If each of us were forced to have the same education, career, and family life, it would be sad! Not to mention unhelpful.

Scripture encourages various manners of serving. In 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, Paul says, "Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one." The author encourages quiet, virtuous living for the Christian. At the same time, the Bible clearly supports mission work and evangelism: "And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:18-20). To me, these two can seem contradictory. And God says both are good ways for the believer to serve Him.

Yet lately, there seems to be a pressure to be called in a certain way. Those who make an immediate, visible change in the world are seen as dynamic, godly Christians than the ones who follow Christ in a quieter life. We glorify the paths that are risky and radical above the simple and ordinary callings. Being a missionary in a foreign country takes more bravery and devotion than I can ever imagine. I admire the men and women I know who give their lives to spreading the Gospel in other nations. Still, maybe my personal respect for missionaries doesn't make their calling more genuine than the one called to witness to a neighbor just down the street.

Anthony Bradley, in his WORLD Magazine article, wrote: "Perhaps the best antidote to these pendulum swings and fads is simply to recover an mature understanding of vocation so that youth and youth adults understand that they can make important contributions to human flourishing in any sphere of life because there are no little people or insignificant callings in the Kingdom." Perhaps I shouldn't redefine "true" Christianity as one unique type of ministry. Instead, I should acknowledge that God's callings are always intentional, and fit into His good and perfect will.

God-ward Gaze

One of my favorite passages is Psalm 34. As I read it the other day, I was struck by how the author's perspective is completely transformed when he looks at the Lord. Throughout the book of Psalms, a common theme is looking to the Lord in both good times and bad. When the Psalmist is rejoicing and safe, he sings praise. When he's in trouble, he cries out to the Lord. Over and over, God protects and delivers from trouble. This in itself is amazing! But the work of God doesn't stop there. Beyond just keeping us safe, the Father uses these troubles to get us to look to Him. Psalm 34:5 says that the ones who look to the Lord are themselves altered. God is so gloriously good that we become radiant just by gazing in His direction, and our whole countenance changes to reflect Him.

Further on in the Psalm, we are encouraged to "taste and see that the Lord is good" (verse 8). So many things that we taste and see day to day are good. Fresh morning sunshine, the warm aroma of brewed coffee, the love of family, a breathtaking sunset, a fun roadtrip, and the luxurious taste of rich chocolate all bring us delight (particularly chocolate!). And yet all these lovely things in life are like the yellow brick road leading to the very source of all this beauty: God Himself.  It brings us real and good joy to be near the Lord... just enjoying Him is refreshing.

In his book Eyes Wide Open, Pastor Steve DeWitt wrote: "Every created beauty was created by God to lead our affections to Him... We enjoy the divine music of beauty, but our enjoyment often stops there. The greatest wonder is not the music itself but the Musician, not the creation but the Creator. He is beautiful." All the beautiful things that bring us pleasure are just a hint of the overwhelming beauty of the Father.

C.S. Lewis said: “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

The Psalmist tells us to "taste and see that the Lord is good" because He is beautiful, and we get to delight in that beauty! Just by turning to him, we are changed. "Those who look to him are radiant." God's beauty is lasting and satisfying, beyond the things in life that bring us pleasure. Surely this is reason to enough to join with the Psalmist and "glory in the Lord" and "exalt his name together."

Psalm 34

1 I will extol the Lord at all times;

 his praise will always be on my lips.

2 I will glory in the Lord;

 let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

3 Glorify the Lord with me;

 let us exalt his name together.

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

 he delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant;

 their faces are never covered with shame.

6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

 he saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

 and he delivers them.

8 Taste and see that the Lord is good;

 blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people,

 for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 The lions may grow weak and hungry,

 but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 Come, my children, listen to me;

 I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 Whoever of you loves life

 and desires to see many good days,

13 keep your tongue from evil

 and your lips from telling lies.

14 Turn from evil and do good;

 seek peace and pursue it.

15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

 and his ears are attentive to their cry;

16 but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,

 to blot out their name from the earth.

17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;

 he delivers them from all their troubles.

18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

 and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

19 The righteous person may have many troubles,

 but the Lord delivers him from them all;

20 he protects all his bones,

 not one of them will be broken.

21 Evil will slay the wicked;

 the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

22 The Lord will rescue his servants;

 no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

Lost Luggage

The flight from Nashville to Chicago is a mere 1-hour and 20-minute jaunt. Basically, the plane reaches its altitude, the flight attendants pass out peanuts and serve tiny beverages, and then the descent starts. Voilà! Flight over, destination reached.

Well, the trip home for spring break was not so idyllic. Far from being a direct flight, I switched planes in Ohio and had a layover. When I booked the trip, I knew it wasn't a nonstop. But it was less expensive than the other flights. (Now I know why.) So what could have been traversed in 2 hours became an expedition lasting 7 hours.

Anyway, when I reached Midway in Chicago, my luggage did not get off the plane safely like I did. In fact, it never came at all. Apparently, when I walked through the airport to get on the next plane, my suitcase did not follow my lead. It went over to Los Angeles instead. I headed home from the airport, my luggage on the other side of the nation.

Of course, this made me a tad bit stressed. The idea of getting ready for church without anything but the jeans and T-shirt I was wearing bothered me. Knowing I would be leaving the house on Sunday morning without an ounce of makeup was slightly less than comforting.

At 1 in the morning that night, I got a call from the airport saying my bag had arrived, and they would deliver it to the house. At 4 in the morning, I got a call that the delivery guy was at my house with my luggage. I woke up my brother (so I wouldn't have to answer the door at 4 in the morning by myself) and the delivery man saw a shocking manifestation of the word bedhead.

Once the delivery man left, my brother and I had a great conversation, since we both happened to be awake. And the next morning (or rather, that morning), I had my luggage all restored to me.

The moral of the story is: patience. Honestly, patience was a theme through my week of break. When the great question marks of life loom overhead, I don't want to wait on God. Questions like: Where will we live? What will I do? How will God provide? all seem too big to be entrusted to anyone... even the Lord. I tend to get restless, and want to know a detailed 5-year plan with a to-do list each step of the way. But a lot of times, God calls us to wait on Him. In the end, He has all the details planned out perfectly. I would have missed a meaningful conversation and the memory of an adventure if my luggage popped out with everyone else's upon arrival. God uses little things to teach big life lessons. Over spring break, He used lost luggage and a 4 a.m. delivery to teach me a little more about the importance of waiting for His timing.