Snow Day

It's funny how weather unites people.  How even adults get excited about 'snow days.'  I just walked to the entrance of our neighborhood and was greeted by more neighbors than I've even seen in the last month, much less spoken to.  I even had a short conversation with a guy who was smoking a cigar while watching is son snow-blow half of the street so they could go to work tomorrow.  People complain about being snowed-in and how the plows won't come for days...but secretly they enjoy it...they like the adventure, the digging out, the feeling like they're 'roughing it.'  By no means is this really a crisis...I'm sure all my neighbors have plenty of food and other necessities, along with all the latest electronic devices to keep them occupied and even connected to work.  But there's still just something about a snow day that thrills us all and makes even grown men feel like kids again. :)  Happy Snow Day to all!

Praise God!!

As of Friday, I now officially have a full-time job with benefits and paid vacation!  Woo hoo!  God is good!  (I was originally hired in December on temporary contract, but now it's the real deal.)  It's exciting to work for a place that has a positive impact on the community and to work alongside great people who are so welcoming and encouraging.  I'm starting to feel a little like a grown-up!

In other news, it is definitely winter around here!  The snow just keeps coming every day.  It has been pretty and I haven't hated it yet...hopefully this continues for the long haul....or, rather, hopefully the snow isn't here for the long haul!

Nothing else very newsworthy to report.  I've been lacking in blog inspiration lately.  Maybe next week...

End of the Year Update

Well, I guess it's been a while...

We had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed having my brother home, as well as seeing cousins from out of state. It's been years since we've all been together, so that was a blessing.  Instead of exchanging gifts this year, we had a family Wii tournament starting Christmas Eve and finishing up on Christmas day.  We played two games of bowling, 3 holes of golf, and one round of cow racing.  It was lots of fun with some good competition.  My mom thought she had it in the bag until Dave came on Christmas and surprised everyone with his amazing cow racing skills!  He came in first place and got to choose the charity that everyone would contribute to.  Fun times!

I ended up back at Gull Lake for the New Year's Conference. (I stopped by a few days before and somehow got talked into it!)  It sounded like a great idea until the end of the first night when I was exhausted and aching all over!  It was strange being in 'my' kitchen and dining room and feeling like I knew nothing (a new chef started since I've been gone and all of the processes have changed) and also not knowing a majority of the staff since I wasn't there this summer.  It was humbling, but good for me. :)  I ended up really enjoying the weekend, even though it was a lot of hard work.  It felt good to be doing something productive and it was fun to see so many families that I knew from summers past.  It makes me feel old to see how much some of the kids have grown since my first summer!

I had a memorable start to 2011 when I came down with the stomach flu the other day!  Luckily it was the 24 hour variety and I'm feeling much better now.  It definitely reminded me to be thankful for good health and feeling normal!

I started a new job in December doing administrative work for a cancer and grief support organization.  They're putting on a huge comedy festival in March, featuring Betty White and Bill Cosby among many other well-known comedians, so that's my main focus.  It's pretty exciting to be a part of!  The festival will raise money to support the organization and is shaping up to be quite the event!

I'll try to be more faithful in the blogging in 2011.  No promises or resolutions, though. ;)   Depends on how interesting my life shapes up to be!

Into the Wardrobe

Sometimes I think I live in Narnia.  Seriously.  I work about 20 minutes from home.  The other day it was beautiful, sunny, and dry when I left work, not a flake in the air.  My drive home was uneventful until I got to the Zeeland line, when all of a sudden it was a blizzard!  I felt like I had driven into an invisible wardrobe, right into the snowy forest in Narnia.  Oh, the dreaded 'lake effect.'  Welcome to December!  I would post some pictures, but that would require venturing out in the cold.  Maybe later...

What is Christmas, Anyway?

I have a struggle with Christmas.  I think it's wonderful that we set aside a time to celebrate the birth of our Savior, but I'm not sure what it really looks like to do that intentionally and genuinely.  Most people say that's what we're celebrating, but so many other things are so intertwined that Jesus often gets lost along the way.  I'm all for family gatherings, festive songs, parties, and even the gifts when given in moderation. (I can even look past the fact that Jesus was most likely not born in the winter at all.) But where does Santa and Black Friday and stress and "I want, I need, I wish..." fit amongst it all?  How do we reconcile these 'traditions' with what is supposed to be a celebration of a baby born in a feeding trough, sent to bring shalom (peace) to the chaos of the world?  Ask most Americans, and peace is not the first thing on their minds when it comes to the holiday season.  There's rushing and baking and buying and worrying and planning and wrapping.... How does this equal Jesus?  We rationalize by putting out a little nativity set next to the giant Christmas tree and going to the Christmas Eve service before coming home to put out cookies for Santa's big arrival. Ask any kid -- is the anticipation of Christmas about a baby born in Bethlehem or about a big man in a red suit at the North Pole?

Now, don't get me wrong.  I'm not saying I'm more spiritual than anyone else.  I'm not claiming to have the right focus myself.  I'm just trying to figure it all out.  My family has tried to made some changes to shift the focus from ourselves and to understand why we do what we do and what's really important.  But, it doesn't mean much to stop doing 'Christmas-y' things if we don't replace them with something to refocus on Jesus.  What can we do to truly celebrate Jesus?  What kind of new traditions can we start?  How can we make a positive difference without just looking critically at others?  Thoughts, anyone?

Things That Make Me Smile

I made this beautiful cup of coffee this morning....look at that foam! :)  I was pretty proud!

The sky on my way home the other night...I love when you can see the rays of sunlight.

Miss these people like crazy! Got to talk to two of them this weekend, which always puts a smile on my face.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is such a strange holiday.  Who came up with it anyway?  Let's all dress our kids up in ridiculous costumes and send them door to door demanding candy from the neighbors we never even talk to.  And somehow, the whole country jumped on board!  Hmm... I must say I do love to see little bitty kids in cute, creative costumes, but I hate the creepy ones (costumes, that is, not kids!).  It's a funny world we live in.