Found these two videos.
Mast Brothers
Billykirk
For as long as I can remember, I've thought that it would be wonderful to own a small business. Through the years, I've had different ideas-- bookstore, bakery, bed and breakfast-- but my overall vision has lasted. My thoughts are expressed so well in these videos. Craft and creativity, independence, quality production, adventure, process. All of these things are so important and are the reasons why I've envisioned having a business.
Maybe I'll never own my own business, but I understand the need for a creative outlet. And these videos are inspiring. Love them.
24 September 2011
18 September 2011
Lately.
So many good thing.
1. Last week, I drove to Ohio and experienced the wonderful hospitality of these friends by staying at their lovely apartment for a couple of days. So blessed to have them in my life.
2. Saw my younger brother lead worship at his school. I'm not sure I've ever been more proud of anything. It's incredible to watch a younger sibling use his gifts to whole-heartedly praise God.
3. I surprised Matt by being at the airport in Cleveland when he came home from Alaska. It was perfect.
4. Spent several days in Ohio and had a wonderful time catching up with Matt and his family.
5. Went to a covered bridge.
6. Baked a delicious blueberry pie.
7. Ate falafel.
8. Walked around Little Italy and had gelato from a cafe/bakery.
9. Discovered my new favorite place, the West Side Market, and felt like I was back in Europe while eating gyros and crepes.
10. Watched Matt and his brother-in-law, Chad, fix a car. Impressive.
11. Eventually, said a somewhat painful goodbye (that is alleviated by knowing that, this time, being apart doesn't involve months of not being able to communicate).
12. Traveled to Indiana.
13. Enjoyed the hospitality of my wonderful cousin, Hannah, who cooked me an amazing dinner. Spent hours watching the Food Network (have you ever seen the show Chopped? It's my new favorite).
14. Visited my favorite bakery and officially started the Fall with a pumpkin pie!
15. Drove to my grandparent's house, where I've been helping them pack in preparation for their move in a couple of months, and was given TONS of books that they were getting rid of (because I can never have too many).
16. Had coffee with my close friend and roommate, Jordi. So good to catch up and to hear about her life.
17. I'm now continuing to look for a job, which I know God will provide!
Friends, family, food. Things have been wonderful lately. So much of my life is split between Georgia, Ohio, and Indiana that I feel equally at home in each of these places. It's like I've created my own amalgam of a town.
But I'm starting to feel that it's time to settle in somewhere, to grow some roots, make some new friends, to feel graduated. Eventually, it'll happen. Just trusting in God to provide the life he wants for me.
1. Last week, I drove to Ohio and experienced the wonderful hospitality of these friends by staying at their lovely apartment for a couple of days. So blessed to have them in my life.
2. Saw my younger brother lead worship at his school. I'm not sure I've ever been more proud of anything. It's incredible to watch a younger sibling use his gifts to whole-heartedly praise God.
3. I surprised Matt by being at the airport in Cleveland when he came home from Alaska. It was perfect.
4. Spent several days in Ohio and had a wonderful time catching up with Matt and his family.
5. Went to a covered bridge.
6. Baked a delicious blueberry pie.
7. Ate falafel.
8. Walked around Little Italy and had gelato from a cafe/bakery.
9. Discovered my new favorite place, the West Side Market, and felt like I was back in Europe while eating gyros and crepes.
10. Watched Matt and his brother-in-law, Chad, fix a car. Impressive.
11. Eventually, said a somewhat painful goodbye (that is alleviated by knowing that, this time, being apart doesn't involve months of not being able to communicate).
12. Traveled to Indiana.
13. Enjoyed the hospitality of my wonderful cousin, Hannah, who cooked me an amazing dinner. Spent hours watching the Food Network (have you ever seen the show Chopped? It's my new favorite).
14. Visited my favorite bakery and officially started the Fall with a pumpkin pie!
15. Drove to my grandparent's house, where I've been helping them pack in preparation for their move in a couple of months, and was given TONS of books that they were getting rid of (because I can never have too many).
16. Had coffee with my close friend and roommate, Jordi. So good to catch up and to hear about her life.
17. I'm now continuing to look for a job, which I know God will provide!
Friends, family, food. Things have been wonderful lately. So much of my life is split between Georgia, Ohio, and Indiana that I feel equally at home in each of these places. It's like I've created my own amalgam of a town.
But I'm starting to feel that it's time to settle in somewhere, to grow some roots, make some new friends, to feel graduated. Eventually, it'll happen. Just trusting in God to provide the life he wants for me.
The covered bridge
Matthew
Me
10 September 2011
Today is awesome.
Today is the day I've been waiting on for nine weeks (and, really, anticipating for longer than that)!
No more waiting for a 20 minute phone call, every other week.
No more hurried, incomplete conversations.
No more worrying about bears and other dangerous Alaskan creatures.
Matt comes home TODAY!
08 September 2011
On the road.
Sometimes it seems like a lot of my life is spent in the car, on road trips. Can't complain about that!
No time to write. Off on another adventure!
I'll be back... sometime (I'm not great at scheduling and planning when I travel).
05 September 2011
Social media.
Recently, I signed up for Pinterest.
And, although I originally thought that it would just be a great way to organize the recipes, projects, and ideas I find on the internet, I quickly realized that I was spending quite a bit of time browsing through the things that others had pinned, looking at houses I'll probably never have, recipes I can't eat (because of food allergies), and clothing I can't afford.
For quite some time, I've been thinking about the impact that social social media and the internet has on my life and, more importantly, how I interact with these things in light of my faith.
A blog entry written by my (wise) older brother, which you can see here, and an extremely thought-provoking article that he posted a link to, found here, have been instrumental is causing me to search my heart for my true motives when using technology.
I've been asking myself questions. Does my faith have any bearing on how I use the internet? Shouldn't it, since my relationship with Christ should be reflected in every area of my life? What attitudes do I have because of social networking that bring me closer to Christ or draw me further from him?
Do I use Pinterest to catalogue DIY ideas I've found so that I can make a gift to bless a friend OR do I use it to look through pictures of things that I want but will never have, making me discontent with my own life?
Do I use Facebook in a wise way, to keep in touch with others, while still making sure that I spend less time contacting through Facebook messages than I do showing genuine interest in my friends through phone calls and face-to-face interaction OR do I simply waste time with impersonal "contact"?
Do I use this blog to encourage others, to present valuable ideas and to show the joy that Christ brings to my life OR do I use it as a place to focus on myself, generating selfishness and a self-centered lifestyle?
I've been reflecting on Scripture in order to answer these questions.
James 3:1 says, "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."
And Proverbs 17:28 says, "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent."
Unfortunately, I know that my use of social media has been reflective of my self-centeredness and has served to make me discontent with all that Christ has given me, more often than I would like to admit. There have been times when I should have kept silent and times when I should not have presumed that I had something to teach.
So what does all of this mean? As of now, I haven't come to the conclusion that I should cease to use the internet. Or that I should delete my Facebook, Pinterest, and Blogger accounts. Right now, I'm simply realizing the need to pray and think through the things that I put on the internet and the fact that all of my thoughts should be taken captive for Christ, including those that are influenced my social media.
Christ is not outdated. He does not simply live in ancient Israel. In fact, if being in Israel this summer taught me anything it is that he is alive and continuously working in the lives of those who believe. So, even though it might seem that Christ has little interest in Facebook or Twitter or any other internet site, his love for us as individuals and his desire that we surrender every area of our life to him, dictates that my social media usage brings him glory. And that is what I'm going to continue to strive for.
And, although I originally thought that it would just be a great way to organize the recipes, projects, and ideas I find on the internet, I quickly realized that I was spending quite a bit of time browsing through the things that others had pinned, looking at houses I'll probably never have, recipes I can't eat (because of food allergies), and clothing I can't afford.
For quite some time, I've been thinking about the impact that social social media and the internet has on my life and, more importantly, how I interact with these things in light of my faith.
A blog entry written by my (wise) older brother, which you can see here, and an extremely thought-provoking article that he posted a link to, found here, have been instrumental is causing me to search my heart for my true motives when using technology.
I've been asking myself questions. Does my faith have any bearing on how I use the internet? Shouldn't it, since my relationship with Christ should be reflected in every area of my life? What attitudes do I have because of social networking that bring me closer to Christ or draw me further from him?
Do I use Pinterest to catalogue DIY ideas I've found so that I can make a gift to bless a friend OR do I use it to look through pictures of things that I want but will never have, making me discontent with my own life?
Do I use Facebook in a wise way, to keep in touch with others, while still making sure that I spend less time contacting through Facebook messages than I do showing genuine interest in my friends through phone calls and face-to-face interaction OR do I simply waste time with impersonal "contact"?
Do I use this blog to encourage others, to present valuable ideas and to show the joy that Christ brings to my life OR do I use it as a place to focus on myself, generating selfishness and a self-centered lifestyle?
I've been reflecting on Scripture in order to answer these questions.
James 3:1 says, "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."
And Proverbs 17:28 says, "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent."
Unfortunately, I know that my use of social media has been reflective of my self-centeredness and has served to make me discontent with all that Christ has given me, more often than I would like to admit. There have been times when I should have kept silent and times when I should not have presumed that I had something to teach.
So what does all of this mean? As of now, I haven't come to the conclusion that I should cease to use the internet. Or that I should delete my Facebook, Pinterest, and Blogger accounts. Right now, I'm simply realizing the need to pray and think through the things that I put on the internet and the fact that all of my thoughts should be taken captive for Christ, including those that are influenced my social media.
Christ is not outdated. He does not simply live in ancient Israel. In fact, if being in Israel this summer taught me anything it is that he is alive and continuously working in the lives of those who believe. So, even though it might seem that Christ has little interest in Facebook or Twitter or any other internet site, his love for us as individuals and his desire that we surrender every area of our life to him, dictates that my social media usage brings him glory. And that is what I'm going to continue to strive for.
03 September 2011
A (brief) visit.
This weekend, I had the pleasure of spending time with two very dear friends. Jordan has been once of my closest friends for years and when we met her (now) husband Dishon around the time we were in middle school, it was clear that they were destined to be together. Well, maybe it wasn't clear back then. Since they began their relationships several years ago, however, Jo and Dishon have been a constant blessing to me.
I'm so glad that they had a chance to stay over on their way to a friend's wedding, giving us some (sweet but brief) time to catch up.
By the lake
Dishon
Jo
Though they couldn't stay for long, we were able to talk a bit, share breakfast together, and take a walk around the lake before they had to leave.
Thank you, friends, for visiting us. Come again soon!
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