12.07.08

100th post. oooh, i should celebrate.
Sigur Ros is on the stereo-totally fitting..
Ara Batur
wrecks me every time.

first day back to work after 10 days off. ugh.
can't I just stay at home and get paid.....:)
time for a little nap
sleep was minimal last night
and the fogginess is just begging me to nap.
then I'll brew a french press
make some chocolate chip cookies
go grocery shopping
and off to church.

saw an old drunk man get tackled by RPD at the Squire Room last night
what a weird thing to see.

i'm trying to get into the Word every day again . . . here's what hit me this a.m............

Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord…Hebrews 12:14

word.
loves-a.

12.6.08

okay, I'm ready for Christmas now... Last night helped me get more in the holiday cheer. We went down to the Christmas tree lighting with some friends, went to the Downtown Eatery for some warmth and cheer...and then watched A Christmas Story back at our place. a great night with great friends.
it's crazy all the talk going on about gift giving this Christmas. And my biggest desire is that people would feel this way all year long. Stop spending ridiculous amounts of money going out for coffee with friends every day, instead, invite them into your home and brew a pot of coffee. Do the the math yourself. How much do you spend on coffee when you go out... versus a 1lb bag of coffee? I think I read somewhere once that a bag of coffee yields 45 8 oz. cups of coffee. hhmm,..... I'm not trying to make you feel like crap, just trying to make you think. And think of how much money you spent on that new Rob Bell book just because you had to have it now, and you couldn't wait to borrow it from someone or check it out form the library (I'm totally talking to myself here)........... it's just crazy how much we spend spend spend because we have to have it.......NOW. ugh. Its bittersweet for me whenever I get rolling on this because it seems like it's such a big thing to tackle and that it's never going to change...but I just have to remember the influence I can have on people just by living my life the way God has called me to. And living with the posture of worship every day----with all that it entails. So I agree with the Advent Conspiracy in what they're about..
[Worship Fully]
[Spend Less]
[Give More]
[Love All]
but can't we do this all year? isn't that we're about? i urge you to start praying more for this to become your lifestyle, not just a trend you latch onto for one month out of the year. . . .
okay, I'll get off my soapbox now.
and don't get me wrong-if you're one of the ones that Advent Conspiracy made you feel like crap on how much we spend and that you're going to change your spending habits this Christmas...because that's awesome, but don't do it out of guilt-do it out of the love and honor that God has called us to live out here on earth. And don't do it just this month....
loves-a.

12.05.08

2nd Thanksgiving was incredible. Even better than our first Thanksgiving this year! The turkey turned out SO moist and tasty, the stuffing was a hit, and the mulled wine was sweet and delish. All the food people brought was delicious actually. We had TONS of dessert to feast upon. Great time sitting around with friends. Thanks to Jonesy for letting us use the house-it was awesome. If I ever owned a house that big, I'd always have people over for dinner-actually they could live there too! :) it'd be way too lonely with just Jeremy and I! What a way to finish up our life group for the year, I'm SO thankful for all of the new friendships I've made-and for deepening the other ones. So now that I know I can cook a turkey-I'm stoked, I'm ready to tackle anything in the kitchen! Kristena was telling me I should host a cooking club/life group this next year..hhmm, might be something to think about. . . .
it's a beautiful day out...wonder if it is ever going to rain. I love this weather..but i'm having a hard time getting into the holiday spirit without the cold, rainy weather. This year is going to be very simple for Team Coverdale, and I'm super stoked about that. Yea, it's nice to get presents and give them too-but it's totally unnecessary. We have enough.
so I went to the dermatologist a few weeks ago... because ever since I've been off birth control my skin has got pretty crappy (and no, just because I'm not on birth control, Jeremy and I are not trying to get pregnant-let me stifle that rumor before it starts! :) . . . I got super frustrated/and still am at the appt. I just wish SO bad that health insurance would cover me going to a holistic doctor. Just someone that actually wants to cure my skin problem internally in a healthy way. Not give me 2 antibiotics and a topical cream that warns you of all these side affects and harm that could be caused to the baby if we were to get pregnant. ugh. I'm trying so hard to be healthy with what I put in my body and I have never been one for antibiotics because I know how bad they are for your body and how susceptible they leave you to catch anything. I've done a few cleanses that have helped but I think I'm really going to get serious about curing my skin problems in an all-natural way. The medicine the doc put me on has caused my neck and eyes to get red patches that itch and burn...lame. I'm over it. Just sucks that I dropped 200 bucks almost to go see a guy that really didn't care about me, but just about giving me a prescription. So I've been reading up on earth clinic and reading a book on sugar about all these things I can do to better myself. I'm excited about it..Jeremy probably not so much:) He hates it when I go on these crazy healthy phases..but I'm really going to try to make this my lifestyle-not just a phase. I'm pretty sure this means giving up beer and alcohol which ultimately is not a big deal I guess. I'll just have my healthy, one cup of red wine when I feel the need to indulge:)
anyway..whew. that was probably a gigantic paragraph that you really didn't care about reading..but that's what's going on in my life...and really the only frustrating thing in my life right now..
we're heading down to the Christmas tree lighting with Jonsey and Shelbs and maybe the Harrison's tonight-will be wonderful. Some of my most favorite people. anyway..loves you all-a......

12.04.08

Happy 2nd Thanksgiving!!
Just got my turkey on the BBQ about an hour ago... my first ever turkey. Kind of exciting. Quite the experience trying to handle a 23lb. bird. My sis came over and helped me with the awkwardness. Got the neck and the giblets out no problem... the dang bird barely fit in my roasting pan.... anyway, just got some old fashioned gingerbread put in the oven, our house will be smelling lovely in a bit. And no, not gingerbread cookies-actual gingerbread. dElish. Next will be the Sourdough Stuffing with Pear and Turkey Sausage...yum. it's my mom's recipe and SO good. I'm not a stuffing in the turkey kinda girl-gets a little to mushy for my liking...so hopefully everyone else won't mind:).... Then I'll get the gluewhein going..what's gluewhein you ask? A delicious warm, spicy, mulled wine pretty much. I'm pretty excited about tonight. Going to be great sitting around with friends, filling our bellies, laughing, playing games.. I can't wait.
So Jeremy and I got a new ride.... pretty sweet. Affordable. WAY nicer than the Jeep....
This is what we wanted to get.....

pretty sweet, eh?....

but we got a 1997 Toyota Corolla instead. Bought it from my parents. Not exactly what we wanted but exactly what we needed. it's kinda weird driving it b/c it was the car I drove when I first got my license before I got my 1971 VW. Brings back good memories. Jeremy is installing some speakers right now-the other ones...not so good..And my wonderful musician of a husband would not have it. . . anyway-God totally blessed us with this. I really feel like He's been blessing us in a ton of ways lately. It's incredible.
well friends... must go tend to my baking/cooking. Hope all is well. Don't forget about the Christmas Tree Lighting on Friday night and the parade on Saturday. Team Coverdale will be there.. ah-the beauty of living Downtown, no more fighting the crowds parking. beautiful.
loves-a.

12.01.08

i know i know..it's been a few days since I blogged... i've been on vacation. sorry... this is going to be quick though.

i discovered the most painful thing ever (well, I heard childbirth is pretty painful..but i've yet to experience that..)...try hot bacon grease in your eye. oh yes. it happened to me this morning. popped right into my open eyeball. damn that bacon. so good it hurts.
spent almost 8 hours today clearing brush, cutting down trees, building a HUGE bon fire, raking, scooping... all on a massive hillside of one of my parent's friends. single mom, with no help keeping up her acres of high desert hillside. the aching shoulders and back...totally worth it. I just don't know if i'll be able to lift my shoulders high enough to drive home tomorrow.
okay..that's all for now. I've got a game of Rummy 5000 awaiting. I've became quite the card shark again over the past few days. this will be the 4th night of cards in a row. love it.

i'm thinking about wearing safety goggles the next time I cook bacon. 27 doesn't feel any different than 26. but I think birthdays aren't as eventful as time goes on. 2nd thanksgiving this week-whoohoo!! oh yes-and the Christmas parade this weekend. oh it's going to be a great week.........love you all.

11.16.08 x 2

i'm tired.
exhausted.
seems like Jeremy and I have been on the go...like whoa these days.
i know he's tired
pulled an all-nighter with Juan working on a sweet design.
so i pretty much pulled an all-nighter as well.
i can't sleep when Jeremy's not home.
just doesn't feel right.
plus i always play the worried-mother card..
you know-worried that he got in a car accident on the way home...
i hate those feelings.
hopefully soon..
when we get a little bit of money
we can go away on a little trip
to relax.
maybe over to the coast
or up to ashland.
i have lots to blog about...
but like i said...
i'm exhausted..
mentally and physically..
not a good combination when i'm trying to work on a paper.
only 700 words...
but still.
bleh.
anyway..
peace-loves-a.

11.16.08

somebody asked what my haircut looks like....
a bit like this........

k bye.

11.14.08

3 things I'm excited about......

1) having short hair again.
2) second Thanksgiving with friends
3) a homemade Christmas.

Yes, I decided to cut my hair. Think I cut like 4-5 inches off..so it's not short-short like miss Hannah's that looks absolutely stunning.. . but I like it. I think I'm more of a short-er hair person. Long hair is great.... just not for me right now.

Second Thanksgiving. I think credit belongs to Jacob, Joel, and Riley on who began it (although I'm not sure who originated it:)....Anyway-the whole idea is getting together with friends the week after Thanksgiving and having the big old delicious meal-all over again and just being thankful for those who we surround ourselves with. So, we're inviting our life group...plus a few more up to Jonesy's house for a big shindig..it's going to be great. I think I might cook the turkey-which I've never done before.... SO, I'm a bit nervous about that..but I'm sure I'll do just fine...

Third...a homemade Christmas. So Jeremy and I are pretty much going to be broke as a joke this Christmas; but I'm actually quite glad about it. I think people spend WAY too much on presents that we don't really need. We don't. There are plenty of people out there that need-we don't. Anyway, SO I'm planning on making a couple different jams & jellies, jars full of oatmeal goodness and cookie jars (you know how you make the mix and layer it all pretty in a jar), and I think probably some homemade Limoncello and Irish Cream. So yes, excited about that. . .

loves you all.-a

11.11.08

the enemy has been defeated.
a girl I know is pregnant but nobody else knows. not even the guy involved (or lack thereof). and i don't even think she knows I know. but I've been praying for her and the baby ever since i found out.
she was on her way to get an abortion...boom.
change of heart.
the baby happily grows inside her belly.
beat that Satan.


"the enemy has been defeated..and death couldn't hold You down...we're gonna life our voice in victory..we're gonna make Your praises loud..."

not in our house----------believe it.
God is moving.... like whoa--------experience it.
He is good-------know it.
God first-------------------------live it.

God sees this girl and this baby as beautiful----as His children. He loves them just as much as He loves you or I. Why shouldn't I act the same?

11.9.08 p.m.

tonight at the stirring we talked about the porn-addicted elephant. . . and really all that porn has done to us as a country. rocked me. to the core. my past comes back and haunts me every once in a while. and my self-worth, my self-image take the blow. my past that told me i had to be a certain way. my past that told me this is all your worth.

not in our house.

God kept giving me words all through the night.
restoration.
healing.
beautiful.
Mine.
cherished.
worth it.
women...........you ARE beautiful. you ARE worth more than this world says you are. you ARE enough----just the way you are------in every way. you don't have to live up to any man's fantasy. you don't have look like the women on tv and in the magazines. you just don't.

not in our house.
i wish i could put into words what's on my heart right now... i just can't get it out.
but girls... guys... talk to me. talk to someone. we're not meant to carry this burden. i can't get "how He loves" out of my head right now... "He is jealous for me..........."

isn't that enough?

11.9.08 a.m.

finally got Jeremy and I are own Klean Kanteen, at the co-op in Ashland yesterday. Goodbye buying stupid bottles of water. Hello the green way to drink water. plus with all the crap in our water here in Redding... I don't even trust the bottled stuff anymore. and thinking about how much money we'll save... awesome.
i love shopping at co-ops. i really do. someday...maybe Redding will have their own. I really don't get why we don't.
i was excited to find some unbleached wax-paper baggies for packing lunch stuff. these have been around forever-my mom couldn't believe I found them b/c her mom used to use them back in the day when she was a kid. they're really great-say no to plastic! and they're safe to use in the microwave (even though I hate using the microwave).. and they won't contaminate ground water and are non-toxic if you burn them..unlike our plastic baggies. I'm pretty sure you can buy them on Amazon but know for sure you can find them on GreenFeet.
ok enough of my greeness for today..but seriously-it's so easy to do your part.

here's the main reason for this blog. God is moving like crazy in Redding..and in the hearts of those in our community. One family that is really living out our dream for loving on the least here in Redding is The Cables. Last month they threw the people that live at Market Street Manor Hotel in downtown Redding a bbq..and it was a HUGE success...so God gave Chris this passion and He has really given Chris the ideas now...so next weekend..November 22nd, don't make plans. we need your help with a soup feed for these people...check out Chris's blog for more info. I'm SO excited about this. God has totally been putting a chili feed of some sort on my heart for the people in downtown Redding-so a soup feed sounds just as good. There is NO reason that we can't meet all the needs and then some for these people. So talk to Chris, donate some food, plan on helping out Saturday, do it. Remember.... we love.
all this thought of soup..I think I'll go make some Broccoli-Cheddar soup.... mmmm....will be delicious with the fresh sourdough I got up in Ashland....

so keep J and I in your prayers if you think about it. Pray that He'll provide a job for Jeremy and for patience for me. I'm not too worried because I know that God always provides for us-He always has. He always will.
loves you all.-a.

11.8.08

seriously. every time I go to Ashland... I wonder, why don't we live here.
Such a great town.
great people.
great food.
great coffee.
great beer.
great weather...
sheesh.
my mom and I had a beer at the black sheep last night, her first time sitting at a bar. *so great*
drank an incredible 8 oz. triple latte this morning at Mix, which proudly serves Stumptown coffee...yum. it was probably the best latte i've had in forever..although lately i've been rockin' a plain double shot of espresso. no cream. no sugar. Yes, I know what you're thinking...I am a bad ass.we stayed at the Columbia Hotel. First time staying there-and won't be the last..i seriously felt like I was staying at my Grandma's house or something..and our room looked right down on Main street-it was fun to watch all the people walking around. cheapest hotel right in Ashland too. so if you don't mind staying in an old historical hotel, that's not all fancy shmancy-stay there. you'll love it. the guy at the front desk has an incredible accent that makes you think you're not staying in America.
i feel like blogging more..but it's 9:15 and I'm tired..have to get up at 4:30 tomorrow morning for work. *sigh* I can't wait for the day when I have Sundays off .... someday...
so I made some cookies for the Obama party we went to on Tuesday....
I dubbed them Oat-bama Chocolate chip cookies..they were delish. and no eggs involved.. quite simple..and quite delish.
anyway friends. loves you.-a.

11.4.08....

crazy.
our kids and grandkids are going to learn about today in history class.
the first African-American president.
wow.
this is incredible.

11.4.08

big day.
did you vote?
jeremy and i just got back.
didn't have to wait in line.
nice.
for some reason..
i'm really at peace with the whole thing.
well, not at peace..
but I'm not worried about tomorrow.
my allegiance is not to this country.
I am not going to put country first.
I do not believe that one man . . .
can change all the bad to good.
*thanks Dan for rockin' us at the stirring Sunday*
go listen to the podcast.
my allegiance is with Jesus.
He's who I put first in my life.
. . .
I am gOing to a pOlitical party tOnight.
gOOd friends.
gOOd fOOd.
hOpefully celebration.
gOOd times at team rOsten's.

peace.
go vote.
loves-a.

11.2.08

ah. November.

an amazing fall so far.
a few pictures for you....
of a fun evening
with friends....


pumpkins make Jeremy jump for joy

some of our amazing friends Zach and Kellyi was doing the happy pumpkin dance..
but Jeremy missed the shot.
aren't my pumpkins cute?

today was nice.
chili, cornbread, and cider
with good friends.
i love Sunday afternoons.
especially rainy ones.

10.31.08

it's been 2 weeks and 5 days since I blogged last.
weird.
i was on a roll there for a while...
blogging every day.
where did i leave off?

.......

well my older and only sister, Jill got married to her darling man Erich.
over at Houda Point in Trinidad.
beautiful beach, despite the fogginess.
got to see a good old friend, Jordan Coghill.
I wish we lived closer-I know Jeremy and him would be come the best of friends.
out surfing and playing the guitar.

anyway.
the wedding was beautiful and small.
short but sweet.
erich's family is full of great people
and so is mine...
so it was a good weekend.
I love Arcata.
the co-op.
the plaza.
the hippies.
the cool, coastal air.
the pot.
j/k...but seriously-we'd been there no more than 30 seconds and we're just beginning to unload our stuff when some guy came up and asked if we wanted to buy some pot. I didn't know what to say..after all we haven't talked about the Stoned Elephant at church yet.... maybe next week..:) just kidding... amazingly enough, i'm proud to say I never touched the stuff-even living in Chico for 2 years and then moving back to Redding to become good friends with drug dealers. God was totally protecting me on that one I think..
jill and erich's reception was last weekend.
out at Whiskeytown-Dry Creek group camp to be exact.
it was fun-lots of work and hecticness..but fun.
lots of cupcakes, tri-tip, and salads.
plenty of beer and wine left over-which was weird.
wasn't expecting that.
got to hang out with some of my great friends I never see anymore...
Leah and Mike...Matt and Andrea
i hate growing up because you don't get to see the people you love as much as you did when you were young...
saw my Aunt Karry (my mom's twin) and Uncle Ed ..pretty sure they're my favorite Aunt&Uncle.
got to see my.... second cousins? i'm not sure-they're my cousins kids.
Aiden and Arianna.
cutest kids ever.
i've only seen them maybe all of 4 times in their lives-but they clinged to me like we were BFF's.
i love kids.
excited to have some of our own someday.

our life group is incredible.
one of these days, we'll take a family photo so you can see all of our friends.
thursday nights have now become my favorite night of the week (bonus that the Office is on thursdays too!)
but seriously-in all of these awkward elephant topics we've talked about..there has been no awkwardness, just comfortable conversation with plenty of laughter.

things i'm looking forward to..in the near--distant future:

1) tuesday. ....... ohana means family...you know what rhymes with ohana?
2) going to Ashland next weekend with my mom.
3) a week vacation after thanksgiving...ahhh.
4) my birthday:)
5) holiday parties.
6) finishing year 1 of 2 in pursuit of my degree!
7) everything involving the holidays....
-second Thanksgiving (and the first one too!)
-Christmas parade & tree lighting
-decorating our Christmas tree---hopefully we can afford a living one this year, if not, there's always our manzanita Christmas tree like last year...
8) thinking more seriously about buying a house, here in Redding (weird, I know).
9) making goodies like pumpkin port butter and cookies for friends.
10) maybe getting a kitty???

just got the new Snow Patrol----A Hundred Million Songs. i love this band. they're one of those I forget about and then when I hear them..... ah, it's falling in love all over again. Snow Patrol was the band playing on my little stereo back in the day..the very first night jeremy and I hung out... stayed up talking till 5 a.m. *what a great way to start our relationship*

anyway..
that was alot of stuff. sorry. it's been a while.
i'll try to blog again soon.
loves you all.-a.

10.12.08 x 2

greed.
ick.
the elephant.
the BIG pink elephant.
nate.
dude, you rocked it tonight.
for those of you that missed the stirring
tonight.... you need to listen to the podcast.
do yourself a favor.
this was totally my heart tonight.
for the longest time i've been struggling with

how much that we have as Americans.
i got some new perspective tonight....
it's okay to have wealth, but it's how you use your wealth..
is it moving you towards God?
or away?
it doesn't matter how much you have
we're all in the same boat.
i made 28,000 dollars last year.
28,000 dollars! (when i think about it-that seems like SO much to me)
but the crazy part about it all is....
i can have the same level of greed as a person that makes 100,000 a year.
it's not God's fault that we have credit card debt or student loans. . .
it's my fault that I needed all of this stuff so it could fill my drawers and cupboards..
it's crazy that some of our cupboards are full
to the brim.
most of us have plenty of food in our pantries or our freezers to eat off of for at least a week.
doesn't that bug you guys?
that there are people out there that are lucky to get one meal a day.
if any.
we have a closet just for our coats....
our coats that we don't even wear all but once or twice a year.
and then there are those that can't even afford to buy a coat, so they wear a trash bag to keep the rain off...
we have to go out and buy a new pair of shoes because none of our 20 other pairs match our new sweater.
then there are those that don't even own a pair.

or if they do, they're full of holes.

can you imagine what our world would look like if we put aside our greed and focused on the need around us?
can you imagine how much we'd be able to give away if we stopped stock piling for our future? For the "American dream.."...
i'm sorry but screw the American dream.
that's not why God put us here on this earth.
it's not.
we have a higher calling.
to love.
to stop being greedy.
to start caring.
to stop the want.
to start filling the need.

i hope this ruins your world as much as it did mine.
we need it.
we need the change.
i want to be known as someone . . .
. . that gave it all away.
who cares if I don't have a retirement saved up?
I'm pretty sure that God will still be able to provide for me.
i want to be known as faithful.
i want to give it all away.

enough is enough.

one guy i know, Chris Cable is giving it away this weekend...
in the form of a BBQ for the folks living at the Market Street Manor Hotel.
he could use some help.
some people.
some toys for the kids.
some winter coats to keep the people warm.
c'mon, you can help.
stop being greedy.

i hope you know that most of this blog was directed towards myself. . . after all, that's what this is, just a way for me to get my thoughts out. . .
loves-a.

10.12.08

what a beautiful afternoon.
67 degrees out.
quiet house.
Jeremy's taking a nap
the birds are singing
the wind is gently blowing
i love this.
think i might go take a power nap too.

we went to the downtown eatery last night
pretty sure this will turn into a regular place for Jeremy and I.
great vibe.
dElish food.
nice people.
good beer on tap.
. . . really, just a great place.
they might just give old carnegies a run for their money
if they end up doing a "pint night" of sorts.
but seriously, go check them out sometime.
Say hello to Paul, Joel, David, and Bekah.
or stop into Sugarmama's and tell Kendra hello.
she's a sweetheart and is finally living her dream..
owning her own bakery.
i think someday i'd like to own my own.........
bed and breakfast/bookstore/bakery/coffee shop
hhmmm...
someday.
ok..for reals.
naptime
2 hours before church..
beautiful.
loves-a.

10.10.08

this is going to be a blog full of photos.
pictures speak louder than words right?
i'm still at a loss for words about the
Sigur Ros show.
i really wish i could convey to you
what we experienced....
oh well, you'll just have to experience it
for yourself.
same with this pie
amazing.
hannah and
i have started a pie club.
jealous?
maybe we'll let you in on the goodness but you'll have to pass a test first.
next week i think we're actually going for a pot pie. seriously.... marie calendars..good old marie. she knows what's up.
hannah is such an incredible girl.
i love her to death.
so young, so educated, so liberal.
conversation with her is great
i love that there is almost 10 years between us..
but there doesn't seem like there's a gap at all.
so either i'm immature for my age...
or she's mature for hers:)
i'm going with the second...
seriously
you see all the confetti in the picture at the left?
i never thought confetti could make me so happy
but wow...
i've been trying to find a video to show all the confetti but.... the sound quality kind of sucks because of all the drumming....but go listen to Gobbledigook and just imagine:)
i've decided that Irresistible Revolution has really ruined my life
especially when it comes to shopping...
i go out
try on some clothes
decide to buy them
and shortly after i leave the dressing room
i remember...
i don't need this.
no matter how i look at it
i don't need this
how can i honestly spend 100 dollars on new clothes?
i saw a quote on a Shane Claiborne video by Ghandi that said...


"There is enough for everyone's NEED but there is not enough for everyone's GREED."
how true it is...













word..... loves you all.

10.4.08

i don't even know what to say.

Sigur Ros.

They blow me away... every time.
I really don't even know how to explain last night.
I just spent the last 20 minutes on You Tube...
trying to find a video..... so you could feel the experience...
but nothing did it justice.

it was the most amazing night.
the rain held off just till the very end...
i don't think we even cared about the rain
the music got louder.... the rain poured down harder.

i swear the whole crowd was worshipping.
i know i was
i know all my peeps around me were

incredible.

sorry i can't give you more...but really-you just have to experience it.
thanks to Hannah, Heather, Matt, and my honey for making it a great road trip. you guys are incredible. i love you.

we got home at 4 a.m. this morning. strange. that's what time I normally get up for work. needless to say I tried sleeping in but at 8 I was wide awake, laid in bed till 9:30 snuggling with my honey, listening to him sleep. I love those kind of mornings. i'm a lucky girl.

so blessed.

10.01.08

October? Seriously?.... wow.
went to the DMV today to get my new tags for the Honda. Ran into my old friend Shelby Haskins. God bless the DMV. We ended up going to Yaks downtown to catch up b/c it's been days since we actually sat down and talked. She is such a sweet woman of God and so beautiful. It's funny because she is one of those friends I've known since I was 16 and I'm sure we'll always be friends and be able to sit down and pick up where we left off... a pleasant surprise nonetheless.. I don't really go out for coffee with people anymore, so it was very refreshing. We saw Jared Witt there as well-another amazing person totally in love with God. I'm so blessed-God has surrounded me with such amazing people (and even let me marry one of them!! :) Found out Shelby is going down to see the Sigur Ros show as well...oh it's going to be incredible....
so, it's time for #4.
Sigur Ros.
Take 4.
Oakland, CA. at the Paramount
I want to say 2005.
This was after I'd met Jeremy
and had the pleasure of introducing him to all that is Sigur Ros.
So we get to Oakland early...
weird town.
We found the venue and decided to walk around and find some dinner.
weird town.
the only thing that was open was Subway.
of course like 5 city blocks were blocked off to all pedestrians and traffic.
Why you ask?
Oh because Will Smith was out there in the street...
they were filming Pursuit of Happiness.
great movie if you haven't seen it.
So anyway, ....
showtime.
We finally get to our seats after going up stair after stair.
Balcony seats. awesome.
Awesome because we were in row Y.
yes, as in the next to last letter of the alphabet.
Row Y.
it almost made you dizzy how high up you were.
oh well-it didn't matter. we could see the stage-it's all good.
the lady usher, an elderly black woman...
came up to Jeremy and I
"you two are a beautiful couple..."
and walked away.
lights dim.
music starts.
they look like giants on stage.
playing behind a scrim.
I really think they played like 3 songs with this thing down..it was incredible.
there was like a minute of silence...
in the middle of song.
they just stopped playing.
no one said anything.
no one clapped.
coughed.
whistled.
nothing.

then out of nowhere, they started up right where they left off, all together.
it was INtense.
I told Jeremy on the way down to the show that this would be his best concert ever.
be prepared to be blown away.
to have a spiritual experience.
he didn't believe me.
but up there in Row Y....
he experienced.
he fell in love...

seriously..2 days till Sigur Ros.
**sweet**
i'm feeling much better today in case anyone was concerned. so much that I think I'll go do some housework and make some chocolate chip cookies...
loves you all.---a.

9/27/08

so. i think i have a sinus infection. yep. that's what my dad said. my whole left side of my face hurts. so bad my teeth hurt. yuck. my dad said to get some cayenne pepper pills and my mom said to do some steam baths (i like those..)... anyway. i think i'll make it out alive. i must. sigur ros is this weekend!
so I never told you about the rest of my trips....
Sigur Ros.
Take 3.
company: Drew Maw
location: San Francisco, the Warfield.
Drew had stayed up the whole night before.
We took his Grandma's.... Grandma car.
He slept the whole time (there and back).
I'd made some sweet mix tapes.
Sang the whole way (so much my throat hurt).
This was one of those squish in like sardines shows.
Amazing still.
they didn't wear shoes.
burned massive amounts of nag champa.
Amina played with them.
(this was my first experience with Amina)
4 phenomenal musicians.
And they are all such cute girls.
The show blew us away.
I remember walking out of the show,
into the cold bay air that chills you to the bone in no time...
and just feeling this high.
It was Drew's first time seeing them..
he was stunned.
We parked in a garage a few city blocks away.
Got to the garage.
Locked.
seriously!?!?!
Walked another 3 blocks around the city..
found another entrance.
Got back in the grandma car...
drove home.
Drew slept the whole way.
I remember I stopped at a rest area..
got out... and ran a few circles around the car.
I think he woke up when I was on circle 2.
Drew's got a great laugh (when he's laughing at you especially..:)

anyway. that was trip 3. 4 and 5 to come. Saturday will be 6.
i'm so excited to be going down with so many of my friends that will see them for the first time..it's so great to be there and experience their first time witnessing all that is Sigur Ros. And at the Greek nonetheless! Pray for sun in Berkeley.. it's an outdoor theater (that is amazing)... This will be my first time seeing them play outdoors *and I am SO excited*...
okay.. it's 9:43.
I need to be in bed.
Hopefully I won't drown in sinusitis tonight.
loves you.-a.

9.27.08

sad day for Team Coverdale.
little kitty had to go home today.
back to the folks'.
feels kind of empty in our little house.
i made sure and snuggled with her plenty today.
last night i wanted her to snuggle with me before I fell asleep.
couldn't find her....
apparently she'd rather sleep in the bathroom sink.
she also likes to drink out of the tap..while it's running.
crazy kitty.
you will be missed.

9.26.08

J and I are both sick. stupid. we finally have 2 days off together, in a row, and we've got the nasty. sore throats. stuffy noses. killer headaches. lame.
oh well. i still managed to put a roast in crock pot this a.m. 1 chuck roast. 6 cloves garlic. 2 cups espresso. delicious. well hopefully-we'll see in 8 hours.
life group last night...amazing. i love our new family.
Kelly. Matthews. Nolan. Matt. Brianna. Jordyn. Amy. Jason. Jeremy. Me.
seems like we're all in that place in our lives where we're really ready to start serving God in ALL areas of our lives..not just the "Christian" part. it's so encouraging talking with each other. speaking life to each other. bouncing off ideas..thoughts..discouragements. week 2. great week.
we're about to drop off the WE LOVE t-shirts at the Stirring office. 20 bucks. buy one. shoot, buy 2. i'm wearing mine right now. jealous?... you should be.
loves you all....
ps. this time next week, we'll probably be in Berkeley...eating lunch at Cafe Intermezzo (*amazing*), anticipating all that will be Sigur Ros at the Greek theater....aahhh....

9.22.08 x 2

just read "how to vote" and "I live with another man's wife" in the new Relevant.
*wow*
go do yourself a favor and buy this. or borrow it from a friend. but read these articles. i'm probably going to be quoting a lot from these 2 articles for days to come.
the mission of a community is to give life to others-that is to say- to transmit new hope and new meaning to them. Mission is revealing to others their fundamental beauty, value, and importance in the universe; their capacity to love, to grow and to do beautiful things and to meet God-------jean vanier

9.dosdos.08

so some friends of mine... just started up this website .menu central. . ... so get check it out. give them some love. and tell your favorite restaurant how much you would love it if their menu was online. do it. give my friends some love.

stirring last night. *whew* ... nathan "brought it" as some of you would say. i was really impressed with his message. impressed..... inspired.... excited.... i did alot of head nodding last night. who cares about labels? who cares about the religion you follow? who cares about which bar you frequent? who cares about what strip club you went to last weekend? who cares what book you're reading? who cares about the naked girl tattooed on your forearm? who cares how much money you make? .... it's not up to us. like nate said... salvation belongs to God. It's not our job to save people. it's our job to live life with them. love them. speak life and hope into their lives. and to show them, through our lives, that there's IS something worth living for. i know that sounds cheesy..but it's true. . . .

we need to have the posture that Jesus had. at all times. not just at church. or in our life groups. all the time. Nathan threw out a verse from Colossians.... which got me remembering how much I love that book. i've been having a real-bummer of a time at my job lately..having a real hard time keeping a positive attitude-which if you know me..is pretty rare, i'm usually a happy girl, full of joy...and quite a bit of sarcasm sometimes....:) so anyway, i've been having a pretty crappy attitude while at work..or even talking about work.... because well, everyone else is negative there..so I've had a hard time seeing God there (but today I had a conversation with God while facing up the sunflower seeds.. . ).... so last night I dove into Colossians. .
*quick side note*... i know this is why i've been having a hard time seeing God lately-I haven't been in the Word. it's so simple. so essential.

so my friends. be inspired. . .
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving...." Colossians 3:23-24

i'm watching HGTV right now. i've come to the conclusion... vacation homes are stupid. can you imagine having SO much stuff that you need 2 houses to fit all of your furniture? . . . i don't know..it's just a strange concept to me. if you want to have a vacation house, then bless someone the other 11 months out of the year that you're NOT there, and let them live there. don't get me wrong... i love to vacation.... i just think it's crazy that people actually spend the money on a vacation home. . . and worrying about if the guest bedroom at your vacation house is BIG enough. seriously. but speaking of houses... we finally put up some shelves in our living room. a good place to put choschkees..right Lauren?

on a sad note...i have to give kitty back this Saturday. she and i have become quite the BFF's. she's sleeping on my lap right now, which means she'll be all wired up and squirly when it's time for bed tonight. great. . .

hey..... welcome my friend Kelly to the blog world.. she's great. one of my most favorite people ever. true story.
loves you all.

9.20.08

God was at the Squire Room last night.
He totally showed up around 12:30 a.m.
outside, in the parking lot...
as we were getting ready leave.
Jonesy and Matthews and I....
encouraging each other
speaking life to each other
recognizing God in each other's lives.
challenging each other to live out what God has called us to...
incredible.

good night.

pizza at Millhouse..always good.
packed house.
great people around, thanks for coming guys...
Kelly. Pete. Lyn. Jill. Erich. Matthews. Jonesy.
Heather. Chris. BV19. Christian. Jesse.
J. Edwardson. David.
we love being surround by the people that make up our lives.
we made a new friend at the Squire... Mark.
Nice guy, drives for Fed Ex, drinks Bud Light,
likes to fish, pretty down to earth guy.
we played Little Mexico with him.
he schooled us.
we talked about old music that we listened to in Jr.High.
Pinkerton and Dookie.
we talked about relationships
and life.
Jeremy got his number. They're supposed to go fishing.
i hope they do.
i know God has called us to meet people to live life with
in the places most don't think it's okay to go to.
i think you can be intentional with people everywhere you go.
our conversation never involved the word church, Christian, or Jesus...
but what an incredible conversation.
it's amazing when you have incredible conversation..
with a complete stranger. that's what it's all about my friends..
think of how many people Jesus met every day...
and had incredible conversation.
God loves the Squire Room.
got home at 1:37 this a.m.
slept till 8.
ready for a nap again...
kitty is asleep on my lap
i'm drinking a delicious french press.
the mockingbird it outside singing it's heart away....
and it's 67 degrees..
beautiful.

in the alley outside of the Squire Room..
we somehow got to talking about Job..what an incredible story.
we'd been talking about how we'd respond if God asked us to give up...
everything.
feel the love that Jesus had for us----knowing the people he met on this earth---
He was going to die for them...can you imagine being that selfless?
aahhh..
so I decided to take a short break from reading Acts and hit up Job this morning...
it's crazy-the first "test" that God allows Satan to do on Job,
Job lost everything.
he lost his oxen, donkeys, camels, sheep, servants...and his family. all of his son's and daughters... can you feel that? what if God came and took that away from you? I know I'd have a hard time not being angry at God.....
how could Job not be angry at God?.....no.... he worshiped God instead..
falling on his knees in worship
"Naked I come from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." Job 1:21

amen brother....amen. we can't take it all with us when we go.......
loves you all-a.

9.19.08

so i told Hannah that we should trade mixes. seriously. i love making mixes. i remember countless hours of recording songs of the radio and putting them on a tape. yes. a real mix tape. having a big ole stack of cds and my little boombox and making some amazing playlists for my friends. it used to be my thing I did for the boys I had super crushes on. . . I know I've made Jeremy quite a few..
but these days, I make them for friends, for myself (lack of iPod makes it hard to shuffle between all the music you own...
anyway... the mixing of cds... I don't find as much pleasure in it.. for some reason tapes had more love put into them..anyone feel me on this?
Hannah isn't going know what hit her.
the mix has 4.4 hours of music....
61 songs.
mP3 disc I'm thinking..or maybe I'll a 1-2-3 box set...amy's originals. we'll see.
I always have some staples that are on ALL of my mixes...
1) Sigur Ros
2) Death Cab for Cutie
3) Bright Eyes
4) Radiohead
5) Foo Fighters
but lately these days.... it's been more
1) Sigur Ros (yea, this never changes...)
2) Cold War Kids
3) Spoon
4) Wilco
5) Band of Horses....

music is amazing. tells so many stories.... so many songs from my past bring such great memories to mind. remind me of mixes forgotten friends made. road trips with best friends. incredible shows. . .

Sigur Ros Take 2
location: Great American Music Hall---- San Francisco
this trip was with my dear friend Vanessa..
we were both living in Chico at the time.
i believe it was 2001..
the album.. ágætis byrjun
She drove a Dodge Neon
I drove a piece of crap Toyota Tercel
we took her car.
drove 99 down...
car made some funny noises..
we made it.
balcony seats.
we walk in...
The Album Leaf is playing...
they weren't on the bill.
incredible.
Jimmy Lavalle is a genius.
between sets, I turn around to check out the crowd.
some great friends from this band Remember August...
sitting right behind us.
weird how small of a world it is sometimes.
Vanessa and I didn't talk the whole show.
just sad in amazement.
once again.
spent some time with the boys.
went back to Leif's place in Berkley for a while.
got coffee at 2 a.m. at this amazing coffee shop
don't remember much of the drive home.
Sigur Ros kind of does that to you..
puts you in this daze....
almost like a drug.

how amazing is it that it's 1pm...and 70 degrees outside. i'm a happy girl today. this is MY weather. love it. the blues festival tomorrow will be incredible. great weather. great park. great music.... nice....

9.18.08

just realized I posted the wrong date yesterday. either that or my day went by real fast without me even knowing it.........

tonight was our first life group *yea*.... love having people over at our house.... Thank you Jason, Kelly, Kaitlin, and Amy for joining with us. Jeremy and I were a little worried we'd have a packed house b/c quite a few people said they were coming but they didn't show... so i guess that's good... except I made crazy amounts of goodies....so now there's a bunch of mini-cheesecakes in my fridge tempting me. I heard cheesecake is great breakfast food....:)
anyways, tonight was just a night of getting to know each other...we talked quite a bit about money, possessions, and time..and what we do with them. we talked about the homeless and the lonely....and how sometimes all they need is us to sit and listen to them. . . we talked about how we need to be prepared for the commitments we make.... and how God will show up and He WILL bring you chances to act out what you say you want in your life. . . . I've been reading up on Acts (as most of you are)...and I keep going back to that verse about the people that houses and land that would sell them and give the profit to the church to give to those that had need..... think about it. if God put in on your heart to sell your most prized possession...whether it be your house, your car, your computer...whatever... and NOT keep the money but give it away... how would you feel?
Kelly brought up some great points about wealth...and how wealth is NOT a bad thing. God created wealth..... money is not a bad thing.... but the love of money...that's where it gets bad. it doesn't matter how money you have..the important thing is that you're giving it away. if you have an abundance, give to someone that is in need. it's really not that complicated. really. it's pretty simple.
so what do you think friends? what's your favorite material possession? what if I needed it? or what if I was hurting for cash...and you knew you could get "X" amount for your car..would you sell it?
loves you all. i best be getting to bed..gotta go in to work tomorrow :( then go take my car to the shop... hope Jacob will be okay-he hasn't had a tune up in a while..but i wanted to make sure he's running good for our trip to see Sigur Ros.....

oh yes, Sigur Ros...
take 1.
the first time I saw Sigur Ros was...... 2000.
8 years ago.
yes, i AM their biggest fan.
paid 50 dollars to see them.
well actually 100.
went with my friend Kat.
they played at the Fillmore in San Francisco
*beautiful place*
we realized when we got to Berkeley that the tickets were sitting on the end table.
in redding.
*insert swear word here....* :)
ended up buying a ticket of a scalper out front.
thank God for scalpers.
saw a good friend Matt Krombach (I always butcher his name....:)
he was looking for a ticket too.
made it in just as Sigur Ros took the stage.
Kat and I worked our way all the way to the front.
some crazy Icelandic opera singer was touring with him.
It was incredible.
seriously.
well worth the 100 dollars.
met up with some more friends... (I feel like Olivia and Christian were there too..)
i remember we went to some little cafe afterwards
had milkshakes...
it was all of our first time's seeing Sigur Ros.
words just can't describe.
it's a spiritual experience.
can't wait for take 6....
loves you all.

9.16.08 x 2

it's 10:02.
ugh... past my bed time...
oh wells.. just got done making 24 mini chocolate chip cheesecakes for Jeremy's birthday/our life group starting tomorrow. oh they look delicious....maybe i'll post a picture tomorrow.... after I make some Bittersweet Guinness Cupcakes. oh yes. beer in cupcakes. oh snap-is that breaking the life-group rules? ah...no worries friends, the alcohol cooks out... no devil's juice :)... but oh, Guinness is so good. tastes like coffee. down it goes..down to my belly...
ok kids. goodnight. sleep well my friends...sleep well.
loves-a.

ps. remind me to tell you the story of the other day when I was doing dishes and my mid-3o's -kinda white trash neighbor was in his backyard, standing in a kiddie pool filled with water. just standing there...... i could've sworn i was on the set for a new Napoleon Dynamite.

9.17.08

so i made some killah spaghetti last night..yep yep. seriously. who doesn't love spaghetti? Jeremy told me last night it just so happened to be one of his favorite foods.... weird-you think after knowing him for 4 years, being married to him for 1 1/2 of those-i'd know that already..but no, it's news to me..... but seeing as how i love making saucy goodness, this totally works out...figured I'd share the recipe.. its so simple, it's ridiculous....

Amy's Killah Spaghetti Sauce.......
1/2 lb. each spicy hot sausage and sweet Italian sausage (i use pork... but i'm sure you could use whatever kind of meat you like..)
1 red onion, chopped up.
4 cloves fresh garlic, minced (i actually use like 6-7...but not everyone loves that much garlic..and may I stress-use fresh garlic, not the already minced stuff in the jar.... fresh is best)
2 cans (28oz.) crushed tomatoes
1 tbs dried basil (i know i said fresh is best..but when cooking a sauce for a while like this one, dried herbs hold up better..otherwise you gotta add the fresh ones in later in the process and i don't think you get as good of a flava)
S&P to taste (I've got my s&p in grinders..so i just grind away till my arm hurts...that's usually good:)
a few pinches of sugar (this mellows the acidity from the tomatoes..)

that's it..pretty simple. so you brown your meat in a soup pot.... add the onion and garlic-let them cook down for a few minutes..sweat out the yummy flavas... Add the rest of your ingredients and bring to a boil..watch out for erupting bubbles of tomato lava..they can stain a white shirt in no time...and hey-aprons are SO in these days, and i highly recommend them with anything involving tomatoes:)... so you after it comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low, put a lid on..... and go do something else for an hour or so... well, stay at home so you can occasionally stir the sauce..you'll find that the liquid tends to settle at the top, so you'll want to stir it every 15 min. or so...
and you know how to boil noodles right? :).... that's all that's left..boil your spaghetti noodles, pour a big ole ladle full of this meaty sauce on top and sprinkle some fresh grated Parmesan on top...and wa-la. this recipe will make enough sauce for you to throw some in the freezer for a later time.... or to share with a friend..or have a spaghetti feed for your neighborhood...:) Anyway.. you get the idea.
it's so rewarding making simple things like spaghetti sauce... because it's SO easy to just pick up a jar of Prego at the store..and yea, that's okay; but it does not have that home cooked taste..i don't care what you say... sure you can add some spices, thrown in some extra garlic..but by then-you'd be spending more on one jar of sauce than this recipe! oh..and don't forget the french bread..... must have. especially for spaghetti sandwiches the next day...

3 weird facts about me..in the kitchen......
1) i love to peel garlic cloves... most people hate it, some how I enjoy it.
2) i use onions in almost every dish and they ALWAYS make me cry..i keep thinking i'll become immune to it; but no. how do they do it on cooking shows... must be fake onions.
3) mincing herbs makes me happy. it's amazing to take a big bunch of cilantro or parsley and just mince away and end up with this tiny little pile of goodness.

alright... enough of the amy's weird kitchen world.... tell me about yours...... c'mon, you've gotta have something. c'mon humor me.
oh yes.. tomorrow is Jeremy's birthday..... we're going out to MillHouse on Friday night for pizza and fun... Join us?
one last thing.. i'd like to give a shout out to my BF Bloggers Christian and Hannah for always leaving me great comments:) you guys are great. Sigur Ros. T-minus 16 days.

a little picture from our camping trip on the coast July 08 with Team Rosten and friends. this was after I'd drank a whole french press to myself... nothing better than sitting by the fire early in a.m., coffee in hand, mist on the face, everyone still sleeping.....aaahh, i love that part of camping. sorry Jesse, I stole this picture from you..don't hate me. :)
i guess i've been feeling inspired lately..blogging like whoa. i think i'll blog about my Sigur Ros shows next... in anticipation :) loves you all.

9.16.08

paper done.
*sigh of relief*
i hate writing papers. why am i a psychology major? seems like all i do is write papers. sometimes i question my major.... i just want to teach kids. . . help them... understand them... so i guess psychology isn't a bad idea after all... i've had some real weird feelings about the whole "career" thing lately. Do you think this is what God intended for us? Do you think He wants us to sink thousands of dollars into a degree just so we can get a better paying job?. . . . it makes me sick thinking about it sometimes. I feel like there's a whole nomad-hippy world out there we could all be living. a world that isn't concerned with money, fancy cars, big houses. . . ugh. i keep going back to that passage in Acts..about the people that had land and houses, would sell them-and bring the money to the Apostles, all of the money-not just some of it... just so the wealth could be shared among the people. Why don't we do that? Do you think God intends for us to have money in saving accounts? . . . or do you think He wants us to put HIS money back into the community-back into loving people. . . tHiCk. .. ...
this whole money thing going on with Wall Street and the economy has really lessened my faith in the American way of living... well maybe not faith-but my hope for the future. . .. maybe it's not a bad thing living paycheck to paycheck. maybe it's not a bad thing renting a duplex. maybe its not bad having a 10 year old honda and a 20 year old Jeep. maybe it's okay that i work at grocery store.
i don't know... I just feel that God has something bigger for us---a better way of living..but we get so caught up in the american way of life...that we forget what our real purpose is. we're here to spread the love..not stock in up in our bank accounts.
i've kind of come to terms with the fact that Jeremy and I aren't going to have a super nice house and fancy cars..but that's okay..as long as my house is a place where people feel comfortable... a kitchen big enough to feed everyone i know... plenty of floor space for friends to crash when needed. . . i've kind of become fond of our little place lately.... it's not much; but hey its what God has blessed us with right now---and it works. it totally works.
Jeremy and I are super excited about life group starting this week..a little worried about not having enough room :) had lots of people say they were planning on coming so far..i think that's great though---so what, we might not all get a spot on the comfy couch; but we'll be meeting together....locking arms... lovin'.
anyway... just a few thoughts. had to get something creative down after writing that paper...... loves you all.

9.14.08 x 2

i think God has given me a heart for this city again. . . Jenna led that song... "there is no one like our God." you know the one that goes "Greater things have yet to come, greater things are still to be done in this city...."
last time we sang this song, i was bitter. Bitter? not sure if that's the word, but more discontent. Jeremy and I had talked so much about moving to Portland in the next couple years that my heart had already moved. it sucked. every day i was looking at craigslist (which is pretty normal for me....I'm addicted)...but in Portland. . .
then all of the sudden the other day I realized how happy Redding makes me right now. God is moving so much in my life, here. I just wasn't giving Him the chance to show it to me. Jeremy and I were down at the park by the river the other day, having a lovely picnic....we talked about being more committed here. . .even if that means liking the palm trees... (see previous post:)
it's so hard to not get caught up in the world of having a good paying job. because we all know that Redding is not the easiest place to get one of those.... but I know that's not the point in following God. He could care less about how much money we make or how much money we have in our savings account. He cares about what we give away. He cares about what we share.
a while back I think I shared this.... but I want to be remembered as faithful, not successful. . .

faithful
not
successful

this is what God's calling me to be. faithful. and in that being faithful... i want to give. i want to love. i want to stop being so selfish with my time. i want to commit myself to you----- my family.
i can't wait for Thursday when our life group starts.... i can't wait to have people into our home. to share what God has blessed us with. to break bread. to eat cupcakes. to kick back with my family. to lock arms with them.

"to be a part of the church was to join a countercultural society that was partnering with God to create a new kind of culture, right under the nose of the caesars. These Christians made sure everybody in their midst had enough to eat. They made sure everybody was able to pay their bills. They made sure there was enough to around. . . " -Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis

9.14..08

51 palm trees.
1 road.
seriously?
i've been meaning to blog about this for a while...but I keep thinking, maybe they'll grow on me. but no..they haven't. Maybe if I lived in Hawaii I'd be okay. Just think if you were driving on a road in Hawaii and you saw a bunch of Maples, Oaks, or Fir trees..just wouldn't look right. . . oh well. apparently the nor-cal thing wasn't working for us, we're going for nor-wish-we-were-so-cal. maybe it's just me.
i've even got Jack Johnson playing right now... just not feeling it, Redding.
and hey..why don't we close cypress too. just makes me want to stay on the west side. i'm not a freeway driver...and now I'm being forced to. lame. but hey-December 2010 is just around the corner, seriously? they've been working on that bridge for a year already-they need 2 more? . . maybe I should go help.....:)

planted flowers yesterday. helped the husband hang some shelves. rearranged the living room a bit. cooked a pot roast. baked a tasty, fresh peach cobbler. Hannah joined us for dinner. she's amazing. I love how God brings different people into my life of all different ages. it's wonderful. Heather came over later-she's amazing too. and the best part... we all have tickets to see Sigur Ros down in Berkeley on October 4th. This will be time # 6 I've been so blessed to see them perform. ***aaaahhhh*** (that was a wonderful sigh, not a scream).... we're planning on hitting up IKEA and H&M while we're down there.. maybe a little Rasputin's...Amoeba...Buffalo Exchange..you name it, we'll be there.

so i'm procrastinating. I have a 1050-word paper due tomorrow in my Biological Foundations of Psychology class....not feeling very inspired at the moment. Interesting topic though... the treatment of ADHD with extended release stimulants and non stimulants along with the development and use of clinical guidelines...oohhh, sounds wonderful doesn't it? sure. just not exactly how i'd love to spend my Sunday afternoon. Just made myself a tasty couple shots of espresso on ice-the real stuff-no foofy here.... going to go at it for an hour... get ready for church.. come home, work on the paper a bit more.... and watch Extreme Home Makeover :)
take care friends... -a.

9.13.08

sometimes you're on a blog-roll.... this is one of those times.
woke up this morning at 7am. that's sleeping in for me. *sigh* husband still sleeping soundly.... it's actually okay, I like the quiet mornings......
this morning in particular has been quite lovely. a slight chill in the air, windows open all night... got the flannel pj pants on..... first morning since April that I made a french press...drank it all to myself..... Put a roast in the slow cooker. I love chopping up veggies in the morning. I always feel so productive and ..... like susie-homemaker....:) the house is already starting to smell wonderful. Is it fall yet?.. so maybe I'm jumping the gun a little bit, pulling out the crock pot..but who cares that it's supposed to be 97 today... i'll just transpose the numbers and say 79 will be the high for today.....
thanks to Christian, I picked up Velvet Elvis again. My mother-in-law had this book before us... not sure if it was Jeremy's or hers..anyway, she marked some pages, actually quite a few pages, so I was scanning through them.... and came across this one section that slapped me in the face......check it..
"there is an issue of identity. it is letting what God says about us shape what we believe about ourselves. This is why shame has no place whatsoever in the Christian experience. It is simply against all that Jesus is for. As the writer to the Romans put it 'Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.'
None.
no Shame.
No list of what is being held against us.
No record of wrongs.
It has simply been done away with.
It is no longer an issue.
Bringing it up is pointless.
beating myself up is pointless.
Beating others up about who and what they are not is going the wrong direction. It is working against the purposes of God. God is not interested in shaming people; God wants people to see who they really are.
'Let us live up to what we have already attained.'
I am not who I was.
You are not who you were.
Old person going away, new person here, now.
Reborn, rebirthed, remade, reconciled, renewed.
Jesus put is this way: 'You are in me and I am in you.'
When we stumble and fall back into old patterns, we call them what they are: old patterns. Old ways. Old habits of an old person.
Something new is happening inside of us.
I thank God I am forgiven.
I make amends with anyone who has been affected by my actions.
And then I move on.
Not because my sin isn't serious, but because I am taking seriously who God says I am. The point isn't my failure: it is God's success in remaking me into the person he originally intended me to be.
God's strength, not mine.
God's power, not mine...." -Rob Bell

I think I will leave it at that..... Rob Bell, bring it.
peace-a.

ps-you didn't now Jesus and Elvis were BFF's? yea..... me neither...