Friday, December 30, 2011

SWF seeking GOD: Queen Of My Own Castle

Do you know what tomorrow is?  Yes, your right it is Saturday.  Yes, it's New Year's Eve as well.  But there is one thing you are missing.  Tomorrow is the day that I move into my new apartment!  This is a big milestone for me.  This is the final piece of the puzzle which makes me a permanent resident of Chattanooga.  The last 3 months have been pretty wild.  God has been doing amazing things and this apartment is no different.  My wonderful mother actually was there with me when we looked at them and that was a fun experience to share with her.  Not only is the a completion to the puzzle, but this also will be the first time that I have had my own apartment and without roommates.  It is very exciting!
To any past roommates reading this, I loved having roommates when I had them!  There were a lot of laughing until we cried and crying until we laughed.  There were massage trains while watching The Bachelor and Castle.  There was crazy cooking experiences involving tinfoil and microwaves.   There were wacky adventures and lots of memories to be sure. (Yes, I know a lot of you are still stuck on the fact that I watch The Bachelor, it is so fun to mock!) It was interesting and sometimes fun coming home and never knowing who or what you would find.  But there was also those times when I certainly relished the breaks in school when my much loved roommates would head home and I could have the place to myself.  This is nothing against my roommate's of course, but I definitely look forward to having an apartment all to myself this time; to do with exactly as I please without having to consult anyone; to have no ones dishes to clean up but my own; to have no ones crumbs and coffee drips to wipe but those of my own making.  Yes, there are perks to having roommates, especially having someone to share the bills.  It is lots fun and you have a ton of laughs and you are never alone.  But sometimes it is nice to come home to a quiet place.  Or to invite anyone you want without having to worry about roommates needing peace to study or roommates already having people there.  Who knows I might end up going crazy without constant contact with people but you never know if you don't try right?

I think there is a part of all women that we are born with to be the queens of our own castles.  It's a piece of who God created us to be.  I think that is a beautiful part of being a woman.  Whether you end up sharing your castle with a king or not I believe that every woman should take pride in her domain.  Let's face it ladies, there is a reason why God made most women to be neater and tidier than most men.  (Mother, I can hear you laughing, and I do keep everywhere but my room clean on a regular basis and even the latter, I am getting better at.  Yes, Amanda that is an improvement.)  There is a role there I think and it's one to be reveled in and to be proud of.  And I must admit that when I clean my room after ignoring it for a while I always feel much better and as though I can breath deeper and relax more knowing that all is in order.  

 "She watches over the affairs of her household 

   and does not eat the bread of idleness." Proverbs 31: 27

So for the next year, not as a resolution because I think that word is trite and meaningless anymore, but as a commitment to myself and to the Proverbs 31 woman I am seeking to become as I grow and mature, I will be working hard at keeping my house, that is my very own, organized and in order.  

TTFN!
REE

P.S.There will be pictures coming of the new apartment tomorrow :)

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Pondering This Treasure


Luke 1:26-38

...[T]he angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.  And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."  Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God."  And Mary said, "Behold, the bond slave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her...

Luke 2:1-20
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.  This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria.  And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city.  Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register alone with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.  While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth.  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manager, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.  But the angle said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men
with whom He is pleased."

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us."  So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger.  When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about the Child.  And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told to them by the shepherds.  But Mary treasured all these things pondering them in her heart.  The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

SWF seeking GOD: "Adultolescents"


The link above is to an article by John Piper, a pastor out in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  He is author of over 30 books, and most famously for "Desiring God".

In Sunday school last week the leader got up and read this article to the class of college students and 20-somethings.  With every sentence I was more convicted and inspired.  Ladies, raise your hand if you have ever heard your girlfriend or yourself say, "What has happened to the men out there? Why aren't they stepping up?" Raise your hand if you ever heard  the phrase "man-child"?  Raise your hand if you or anyone you know stay in school year after year either not graduating or adding a string of letters to their name without much direction, rhyme or reason. Raise your hand if you or someone you know has turned down a job because it didn't give you enough free time to "do your own thing." Raise your hand if you or someone you know has said "Why move out of my parents house?  My mom cooks, cleans, does my laundry, and it's all free?"  Raise your hand if you ever said to yourself "I am way to young to get married! I just graduated college!" Raise your hand if you ever balked at a friend or acquaintance when you discovered they are engaged to be married before the "sensible" age of 25+?  Raise your hand if you ever told that same person that they had lost their mind and they were throwing their life away by getting married so young?  Is your hand raised?  Because mine is.



Why are guys still living at home with their parents well into their 20s?  Why are people staying in college longer?  Why are we constantly needing "more time"?  Why do we keep putting off adulthood?  I must admit that this is a pet-peeve of mine.  Why is society pressuring us to stay children?  Why do we constantly hear grown-ups tell us, "You have all the time in the world!" "Enjoy your freedom!" "Live a little!" "Don't throw away all this opportunity!"  This is usually in response to engagement and birth announcements.  This is in response to "No, I am not going to grad-school."  This is the retort for pretty much anytime someone younger that 30 says they are ready to be settled in a job, a relationship, a town, a life.

I have to admit that I have often fallen right into that reaction.  Either out of habit or I am ashamed to say peer-pressure.  I was just hanging out with a friend of mine from college a few days ago.  We were in Panera.  She was studying and I was doing some work.  There were 2 ladies behind us and the younger of the 2 was giving a very long detailed and audible story of how she met her fiance.  The woman said she was 21.  At that announcement my friend almost spewed her sweet tea.  After they left, with wide eyes my friend said to me, "Can you believe that?! She is getting married and she is only 21!"  I wasn't very shocked because I am "only" 21 and I could totally see myself married (I have no idea to whom, but still I don't consider myself to young for the institution.) My friend continued, "I am 23 and I am not trying to get married!  I am fine! I have stuff I want to do!"  My only surprise at the stranger's story was that the woman said that she had met her fiance online and I was rather surprised that a 21 had thought it necessary to take charge like that so young and that she had only known her fiance for a few months.  But I did not think it inappropriate for her to make that powerful of a commitment at her age and really it wasn't any of my business, after all I was only eavesdropping.  But my friend was very adamant.

That got me to thinking.  Why is it so taboo now to get married before you graduate college or before you are 25?  I am not saying that you should all run out and get married to the first guy you find or that you are an old maid because you are not married by now.  Marriage is only one of the steps a person takes along the road of life and into adulthood.

What does all this "adultolescents" boil down too?  Selfishness and fear.  We are afraid to grow-up.  We are to self-absorbed to become adults.  We don't want to take on adult responsibilities because they aren't fun.  Do you realize that only a few decades ago, in your parents and grandparents era 18 year old men were working full-time at a job that they would most likely not leave unless fired?  An 18 year old woman was most likely engaged to be married and planning her life with her husband.  The average 21 year old man and woman already had a child or 2.  The average 20-something was a stable and settled member of society?

Does the Proverbs 31 woman shrink from responsibility?  Does she tell her husband and children "I am way to young to be dealing with all of your problems?" Does she long for the days when she could sleep in all day long and all she had to worry about was her physics exam next week?  No.  What are you afraid of?  Real life is coming whether you like it or not and we are called to be mature about it.  What is the greatest sign of maturity?  Being others-minded.  Is that something that you have to wait until after school to acquire?  Is that something that you need to be 25+ to attain?  Shoot, other-mindedness is something that a 12 year old can possess.  Maybe you are mature.  Maybe you realized you are not.  


“Do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” 1 Corinthians 14:20.  

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." 1 Corinthians 13:11


If you feel that the life that God has called you to means that you require more schooling than by all means do not take this as advice against that.  Or if you are single and feel that God has legitimately called you to that life then please do not take this as an encouragement to ignore God's call.  If you are unable to move out of your parent's home because of a disability then do not take this as a sign of failure or disobedience.  But if you are using schooling or living with your parents or putting off marriage because you are afraid of real life or don't think you are "ready" to be an adult.  I hope that Piper's article will make you think and really pray and do some self-examination and that it will inspire and convict you just as it has me!  

TTFN~
REE

Thursday, December 15, 2011

The Bookworm Project #3: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant


It has been a while since I have written a review.  This is not because I haven't been reading mind you!  Even though my life has picked up considerable moment since starting work and finding a church and friends and the like, does not mean that I am over the whole "reading for pleasure" thing or the Bookworm Project.  I am still reading and loving it!  Now, I must say that I have gotten out of chronological order of books completed though.  There are actually 6 or 7 book reviews still waiting to be written but since I literally just finished this book about 20 minutes ago and I have energy and don't feel like going to bed yet, gosh darn it I'll just write this now instead of putting it off.  So here we go.

If you know anything about ancient middle eastern culture, and let's face it who doesn't, right, you will know that women and men lived very different and separate lives from what modern day Americans call normal.  There are still cultures that hold to many of the same traditions as their ancient ancestors but as time goes one even their strong heritage and love of tradition have bowed the knee to progress in some form or another.  The Red Tent is a fascinating look into the life of women in Old Testament biblical times.   This book is written from the perspective of Jacob's only daughter, Dinah.    In your Bible she is a blip on the map really.  A side note.  An after thought.  She is portrayed merely as a way of explaining why Israel was greatly feared in Canaan.  If you do not know her story you can find what little there is in Genesis 34.  An entire life wrapped in one chapter covering one event and a horrific event at that.  She is numbered among the blemishes of Jacob's offspring and quickly forgotten.  I remember reading that chapter and thinking, "Is that it?  Is that really all there is to be said of the only daughter of Jacob?  What happened to her after that?"  It appears Diamant had the same questions.  Now of course this is all fiction and pure speculation and for the sake of an interesting story.  But it still would satisfy the imagination of many of reader.  

Although it is written about Biblical characters, do not expect to find Christian values or themes. The author has taken the liberty of sprinkling in her own ideas and extra-biblical details that work fine for the narrative.  Just don't expect to use this book as a cross study of Genesis.  It is fiction remember.  The title "The Red Tent" refers to the tent that women enter for their time of the month (sorry to any guys reading this, I am sure this is exactly what you wanted to read about tonight).  A woman was considered unclean during this time and so it was customary and required of her to remove herself from the rest of the tribe until her menstrual cycle had run its course and she had been purified.  Now, as all women know when you run in a pack you all tend to get on the same schedule so for 3-5 days out of the month the tribes entire female population was holed up in the red tent to chatter, gossip, have their cat fights, and share their pain.  The tent was also where births happened.  This book gives you a fly on the wall glimpse into what life might have been like for Jacobs 4 wives and daughter as they gave birth to the 12 tribes of Israel, as they had miscarriages, fed the husband that they all shared, and as their lives played out before one another in such close proximity.  

A friend recommended this book and it is certianly an interesting read.  Although the book's story line itself is fiction, from what little I know of ancient history, I would not be surprised at the cultural accuracy.  I do not foresee myself reading this book again but it is definitely an intriguing perspective on what life as a woman was like back then.  As a lover of history with a vivid imagination, this book painted a lot of fascinating pictures of life as Old Testament women that I would have never considered on my own.  Be forewarned there are a few scenes that are pretty racy that you might do well to skip over but as I said from a historical and also anthropological standpoint the book certainly peaked my interest in studying more about the women of that century and culture.

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Confessions of a Chatty Girl: Finale - Good Things

Monday evening I was checking my email and I saw that I had 2 emails from people I didn't recognize.  One ended up being from Jenny.  She explained that she had taken my card with her to work that morning meaning to email the choir director with all of my information when she noticed that I had "AutoCAD drafter" on my card.  This had gotten her thinking about a friend of hers that goes to North Shore who had sent out a church wide email asking for people to be on the look out for anyone with architectural AutoCAD experience he could hire as a drafter for his budding architectural firm.  She had taken the liberty of sending him my information and she wanted to let me know and to send me his as well in case I was interested in the position.  As soon as I read that email I was ecstatic!  I was in the process of responding to her when I remembered there was another email awaiting me in my inbox.  I checked back and it turns out that before I even had a chance to email Jenny or the architect to ask for more information, I had an email from him (Larry) asking for an interview as soon as possible.  I was so excited I could barely type any responses.  I emailed Larry back letting him know that I was available for an interview whenever he was free and I was really excited about the possibility.  I then emailed Jenny and thanked her profusely.

The next day Larry had responded to my email and he wanted me to call him as soon as I could for a phone interview.  I called him right away and the phone interview went great!  I was so excited at the possibility of getting in on the ground floor of something like this.  We set up an in-person interview for that Friday.  

(Side note: Background check still hadn't gone through, we are now going on 3 weeks of waiting).

Friday rolled around and I was off to my interview.  We met at his house and had a relaxing interview that went fantastic.  At one point he asked me the question of where do I see myself in 5 years.  This question always makes me a little nervous in job interviews.  I am not a career minded person.  I enjoy what I do but I see it more as a way to pay the bills not to become a huge executive of some major company.  I never know how interviewers will react when I tell them my deepest prayer is to one day be a wife and mom.  But I decided to bite the bullet and be completely open and honest.  I said, "To be honest, I am not a career person.  I can see myself doing this for the next 5 years but my heart's desire is to one day, Lord willing, be a wife and a mom.  This is what I have talent and experience in and what pays the bills until that days comes, if it ever does."  There was a moments pause and then he said, "You know I really respect that.  I am the farthest thing from a male chauvinist.  You can go ask my wife.  But I feel like women who try to be the leaders of huge companies or are all about their career and then try to have families just confuses things.  So I really respect you for that."  And that was like God just smiled at me and gave me the thumbs up.  The interview continued for a while longer and went back to talking business.  I left with hope in my heart and excited to hear from him.  He said that he would be in touch with me in the next few days.  

A few days later I had yet to hear from him and I began to feel deja vu.  I checked my email on Thursday afternoon and I had an email from him.  He was trying to get a hold of me but my phone was not connecting with the call for some reason.  I gave him an alternate number and responded to his email letting him know that I would keep my phone on me all evening.  I kept my phone with me as I said but as the evening wore on I thought I wouldn't hear from him until the next day.  Suddenly, at 8:30pm my phone rings and it is him.  "I have thought about it and I think I want to hire you if you are still interested."  I tried to sound as calm as possible as I was dancing around my room.  I was hired for an amazing position that is perfect for me at the ground floor of a budding firm making well over twice what I was making at Liberty!  

So that is where I have been working for the past 2 weeks.  And may I say that I LOVE MY JOB!  I get to hang out with some cool people and design and draw all day long.  It's still a little crazy at times being the ground floor and all.  I work up on the mountain literally in Larry's basement with him and another drafter and some days when it rains I have to bail out our office of water (true story).  And there are days when I work 11+ hours but it is an adventure and I am trusting God to keep it going!  

I am amazed and dumbfounded daily at God's gift.  He couldn't have handcrafted a better position for me.  After all of the disappointments and frustrations.  This is what he had for me this whole time.  He had been orchestrating every piece of this puzzle to fit just perfectly to provide me with this job when I needed it the most.  The Father truly does delight in given his children good things.  The night I got hired I just sat in my bed after everyone had gone to sleep and wept with joy and humble gratitude!  I couldn't express my thankfulness enough!  That night it was a little piece of heaven as I rejoiced in pure unadulterated thankfulness and joy and basked under God's smile of "I told you to trust me."  I could almost hear him laugh at my excitement and rejoice with me.

And thus ends the job hunting saga for me.  So thank you all for praying with and for me in the crazy journey that to tell the truth is only just beginning!  Keep praying, as this is the ground floor, there is still some risk involved as we are just now getting off the ground.  Work keeps coming praise the Lord and I am definitely staying busy.  I really feel God's hand on this whole thing and I will continue by his grace to trust in him for my daily bread.  To him be all glory, honor, and praise for the great works he has done!

TTFN!
REE

P.S. And do you know, that furniture place called me during the middle of my 1st week with Larry to tell me that I had a clear background check and that I needed to call them soon so they could get me started ASAP.  Call me rude, but I waited a few days to email them back to let them know I had excepted a better offer :)

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Confessions of a Chatty Girl - Part 2: God's got something up his sleeve

Waiting on my background check continued.  I wasn't incredibly surprised because I knew that background checks can take a while and the company wanting to hire me didn't really strike me as a business that was really on top of things.  I hate to sound prejudice but you can only expect so much from people who wear cargo shorts to work everyday (Just kidding!).  So I continued sending out emails, praying, and holding on to any hope that God threw my way.

I had received a tip from a colleague back in Lynchburg about a company in the area he knew of that was in the office furniture business, something that I had experience with at Liberty.  So I began more actively following that lead.  The contact responded to my email and wanted to meet with me, even though at the moment he didn't think he would have anything solid to offer me.  I went to the interview praying that he would take one look at me and my resume and hire me on the spot.  Well, that wasn't in God's plans because I walked out of the interview without a job.  But I would not be dismayed because I did, however, get an invitation to a reception he was having for the architectural and design community in Chattanooga to celebrate some new fangled office chair or some such nonsense.  I was excited for the opportunity to network and hopefully get my name out there.  Who knows maybe someone at the reception will take one look at me and my resume and hire me.  Yes, I am that optimistic.  As the day of the reception got closer I began thinking that I should probably have business cards to take with me to hand out.  God tapped into my inner kid wanting playing grownup to light a fire under me to get those cards made.  I set about putting a design together (FYI: VistaPrint is the way to go!)  With business cards in hand, I headed to the reception hopeful and praying the whole way.  I met a few people and even got my cards in the hands of a couple.  There was no offer that night, surprise surprise, but I left praying that my cards would do some work for me.  Well, my cards decided to be lazy that week.  I got diddly-squat from them.  I continued to pray.  I was thankful I at least had a job in the works even though I wasn't sure if I could rock the cargo short look.  It made the rejection and the disappointment and waiting just a little more bearable.  

During this time, I really began to get involved at North Shore.  I had started going to the small group in my area and began to really get to know some of the dear people there.  Before I go any further I would like to say that what I am about to tell you may seem very random.  I promise this all has a point that will be made clear, I am not getting off on a rabbit trail and I must share things this way because it is the best way I know to highlight God's all encompassing plan and providence and to give him all the glory for his intricate will that he sometimes reveals.  

Now as I was saying... 

One Sunday I was sitting behind a couple that I had yet to meet.  After we had sung a few songs the woman turned around during our time of greeting those around us and was complimentary of my singing voice.  I thanked her and thought nothing of it, except that it was a nice stroke to my ego (little glimpse into my heart for ya).  We went through the service and sang a few more songs at the end.  As soon as the benediction was over the woman turns around and blurts out "Would you be at all interested in singing in the choir?"  I was a little surprised and was not really sure what to say.  I didn't even know there was a choir and I had just barely learned this woman's name, which was Linde, by the way.  I told Linde that if there was a need I would be willing to offer what I could.  She lit up.  It was almost like a secret alarm had gone off that only choir members could hear because before I knew it choir members were popping up everywhere around me like a game of whack-a-mole and it was all I could do to remember names and keep track of who's hand I was shaking now and why I was smiling so profusely.  Linde called over one last woman named Jenny.  She was incredibly sweet and welcoming and I instantly liked her.  She was charged with the duty of getting my information to the choir director standing just several feet away because my legs had apparently broke unbeknownst to me in all the excitement.  Jenny asked for my information so I handed her one of my cards I still had in order to save time trying to track down the ever illusive pen and paper that always seem to disappear somewhere in the catacombs of your purse at times of great necessity, leaving you with nothing but a piece of what you think is unused tissue and having to bum a crayon off the 5 year old near you.  Thankfully my card saved me from such a charade.  With my card in hand she was off to her mission and I was off to lunch never suspecting how God would use this new acquaintance to fulfill such a grand scheme he had up his sleeve.

To be continued . . .

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Confessions Of A Chatty Girl - Part 1: Job hunting

I have been horribly remiss about writing.  I was supposed to write 2 blog posts this week and unfortunately I was not thinking and decided to promise them the first week I started work.  Not one of my brightest moments.  Sorry about that everyone.  Now that the first week is over, I can finally take a breathe and figure out what the heck I am actually going to say and fill you all in on.  So first things first, to update you on my life and all the changes and amazing things that God has been working out and doing in my life.  This is the first part in a 3 part narrative so keep on the lookout for my other 2 posts.

I have a job everyone!  Yes, it is true!  After searching and looking, applying to countless jobs and plenty of interviews.  After a whole lot of almost's I finally got a job!  God literally tailor made and gift wrapped a fantastic job for me that, get this, I absolutely love!  In order for you to appreciate the beauty of God's plan let me go back a ways and fill you in.

So as you know I have been looking for months to find a job.  I got pretty close to getting several or at least so I thought but for some reason there was just nothing that ever panned out.  I have had people promise me the moon only for them to change their minds last minute.  I have had what look like great opportunities that look like the perfect fit dissolve right before my eyes.  Anyone who has ever job hunted knows what I am talking about.  My story is not much different from the norm.  It was so frustrating.  I couldn't understand why God was refusing me these jobs that seemed to be so great!  It just didn't make sense.  But I knew deep down that I had to keep trusting even though I had no clue what he was doing or why he was doing it.  A lot of times I would just get down right mad at God that he wasn't doing what I wanted him to do.  It just wasn't fair!

Before I ever came down to Chattanooga I had sort of set a schedule for myself that if I didn't get a job in 3 weeks that I was going to head back to VA and give my friends housing me a break from my free loading.  This didn't seem hard because there was a job that I had already had 2 interviews with that had both gone really well.  I was sure I had it in the bag.  The hiring manager had told me that I would be hearing from her that week so I get down to Tennessee and settle in to wait for the call.  A few days go by and I hear nothing.  I get a little concerned but the week is not over yet so I calm myself and trust God that he will work it out and they will call if I am going to get the job.  Finally Friday afternoon rolls around and I have yet to hear anything from the hiring manager.  At this point I am tired of waiting and decide to force their hand and make them tell me one way or the other.  I call.  "Oh hey! Yeah sorry I never called you. We have been really busy. We actually hired someone else.  Thanks for applying though and good luck!"  That did not go the way I had expected.  But in my head I had peace still because a) the excitement for that job had been fading in my mind and b) I knew that that job apparently wasn't the job God had for me.  It was a set back and frustrating for sure but I wasn't that disappointed overall so it was back to the salt mines again.  I began getting on job search engines again every day trying to find anything and everything I could lay my mouse on.   I began feeling my 3 week clock ticking and I began to get nervous.  I found 2 jobs online that looked interesting.  Both were immediate positions at 2 different furniture stores.  The first one I had never heard of but the ad looked promising so I applied.  The second I recognized but the ad wasn't as impressive but I applied anyway.  Just 2 days later I got a call from the first furniture store.  They wanted an interview!  I was so excited!  We scheduled the interview for later that day and I rushed about getting into my professional costume.  It took me forever to find the place (I am not a fan of Google maps).  I ended up having to stop and ask for directions.  When I finally found it I was over 30 minutes late.  The store which was really more of a warehouse was back in the back of a sketchy looking cul-de-sac and the entrance was literally a loading dock with a ramp up to it.  Not impressive to say the least.  The guy who was supposed to interview me wasn't even there.  He had just walked away and no one seemed to know where he was.  So some other guy came out and he didn't even realize I was late.  So I counted that as a blessing and answer to prayer that they didn't discount me and still interviewed me but I was not impressed with their lack of professionalism.  I went through the interview and by the end of it I was hired.  I just needed to pass the background check and I could start.  I was excited that I had a job and that it meant I could stay in Chattanooga but I was leery of how it would be working at a furniture warehouse in a rather sketchy part of town with all men in their 30s.  But I was thankful for the job and I had to trust God that he would provide and protect.

I decided to keep my options open.  The warehouse job would be my fall back really.  I didn't want to put all of my eggs in one basket either.  Judging from the kind of business they ran who knew if they would even remember they had hired someone in a week.  So while I waited for the background check to clear I kept looking.

I went over to the other furniture store that I had applied to to see if I could convince them to give me an interview even if they hadn't contacted me back yet.  I walked in and walked back in about 10 minutes with an interview set for the next day.  I was excited and hopeful.  The next day came and I had my interview.  I sit down with the hiring manager and the interview begins amiably.  He seems impressed with me and is speaking very positively.  He then gets to the part about work schedules.  Weekends are mandatory.  Now something you might not know about me is that when it comes to working on Sunday I am very adamant.  I will not do it.  If I was a police officer, or fireman, or EMT or nurse/doctor or something that would be different.  But my personal conviction is that God set Sunday aside as his day.  Not just the morning when church is in session but the whole day.  So as soon as the manager informed me that Saturdays and Sundays were mandatory I knew the interview was pretty much over unless I could convince him otherwise.  I couldn't.  He legitimately looked disappointed for me and genuinely seemed like he wished he could change the rules.  I told him not to worry this was not the first time it had happened to so it was fine and he wished me luck.  I was positive as I left but I was pretty disappointed as I drove away.  I even wondered if I should turn around and compromise my convictions and accept the job.  But I knew I couldn't.  God had been directing me this whole way and I couldn't just disregard that and throw it all away.  So I had to turn it over to God and pray that he would work it out.  I still had a job. It may not have been a dream job but it was a paying job.  God would provide and protect.

To be continued . . .

Monday, November 7, 2011

The Bookworm Project #2 - The Lovely Bones


It might be a surprise to you that I read this book.  Especially, considering how different it is from the last book I posted about.  If you heard about it, saw the movie or even saw a preview you knew that this book was not a light and happy-go-lucky story.  Pretty much anything with the word "bones" in the title you know probably is going to be a little on the dark side, at least.  Well, this book is no exception.  I first saw the film.  I was not overly impressed with it but the story intrigued me intellectually.  I knew that it had originally been a book and I wondered how it had been altered from the original narrative.  I had spoken to a few people who had seen and read the story and the general consensus was "the book was better."  Big shocker there, right?  

First off, I would like to say that I have an odd quirk about me.  I absolutely love TV shows that have anything to do with crime, typically murder.  So does my mother, so I blame her :)  My dad refers to them, mockingly, as our "killer shows" even though we secretly know he has to fight getting sucked into them himself :)  The science of criminology and watching them catch bad guys is really interesting to me and I have to admit that I am also interested in knowing how the crime was committed.  You probably had no idea that I was that dark, huh?  Sometimes I think I should have been a criminal justice major and gone into law enforcement of some kind.  My favorite shows are Bones, Castle, Body of Proof, NCIS, etc. The original NCIS, mind you! Not to be confused with NCIS: LA. Don't even get me started.

All that is to say, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold was not a stretch for me in my line of interests.  To warn you plainly this book is not PG13.  I do not recommend this book for the faint of heart, particularly anyone who is closely acquainted with the crime of rape and/or murder of a family member.  I can imagine that this book would be incredibly painful.  It was painful enough for me, who by the grace and mercy of God has been spared such tragedies.  The book is written in the perspective of the victim, which coupled with Sebold's portrayal of heaven is largely what intrigued me about it.  There are not many stories written in the perspective of a murder victim for obvious reasons.  It was fascinating to see how the tragedy affected a family of unbelievers and how each character in the book processed and ultimately healed from it without turning to God as a source of comfort and strength.  

The theology was pitiful but to be expected of a writer who for all intents and purposes appears to be an atheist.  Sebold definitely has a very hedonistic view of heaven, which is to be expected.  It was wonderful to get a better understanding of how a non-Christian would try to explain the after-life and how they picture heaven.  I found it fascinating to watch Sebold try to reconcile her idea of perfection with the snags she would naturally run into with her theories.  Her theories were rather predictable but at times I could almost feel her stumbling on how a humanistic version of perfection could ever logically exist.  It felt like at times that she was questioning her own ideas through her characters, but would have to quickly dismiss them and move on for the sake of the story not getting caught in a theological struggle.    

To summarize, I would say that I came away feeling benefited by the book solely for the purpose of having a deeper understanding of a non-Christian worldview.  Sebold is obviously a talented writer no matter the subject matter.  I found the characters dynamic; the writing perspective unique and Sebold's concept of heaven thought provoking.  Proceed with caution if you decide to read this book. It might, however, intrigue and interest you on the same level and for the same reasons it did me.  If so...

Happy reading!
TTFN~
REE

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

SWF seeking GOD - #1 Getting Fit


Proverbs 31:17 "She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong."


Now, that might not have been the passage that you were expecting.  To be honest this is one that I didn't really notice until the other night when I was trying to think of what to write about in this post.  I pulled out my Bible and read good old Proverbs 31, always a good kick in the pants, right?  Here I am reading and I come to that little verse, just 10 simple words.  Well, it got my attention for the first time, after I don't know how many times of reading this passage of Scripture.  

The Proverbs 31 woman works out?  Really?  I mean, yeah, she is running around taking care of everyone and everything and getting stuff done but she actually exercises?  I had never thought of that before.  I mean I knew that is was good to stay in shape and be active to stay healthy.  After all, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit.  But for me, at least, I never really paid attention to exercise and physical strength being part of a Proverbs 31 woman.  Well, needless to say, this is definitely something that an SWF can do.  Now the problem is doing it.  Yes, I will admit it for all the world to know! I AM LAZY!  There I said it! I enjoy sitting around on my backside doing anything but working out or burning calories.  Back in Lynchburg, among my RUF friends, I was famous for saying to all of their many pleas to go hiking with them, that I hate walking up hill, I just don't do it.  Now thankfully, walking up hill is not the only way to get in shape but I probably wouldn't mind walking up hill so much if I did other things to keep up hill hiking an easier and generally less wretched experience **please note all RUF friends reading this that the exertion was the only thing wretched about hiking with you.  I love you all dearly :)  

So, my encouragement and challenge for all of you Proverbs 31 women in training.  Get out there do some walking, pick up running, do some sit ups, lift some weights.  I am not saying you need to pull out the P90X but at least do some P31 :)  You will feel great! You will look awesome!  You will have energy! And who knows you might actually have some fun too!  Here is a list of what I am trying to get in the habit of doing in case you might be at a loss of where to start.

**Because I have to: Please consult a medical professional before starting any of these exercises listed.  I have no idea what you should and should not do for your own health.  This is just what I personally do and what I have experience doing from gymnastics and volleyball.  So now that you can't sue me . . . 

1.  Stretching is good! This is a great way to relax before bed and work out all the kicks of the day.  Also works to tone your muscles and gives you some pretty sweet flexibility!  Splits are great party tricks, provided you can get back up from them.

2. Start walking briskly or running if you dare.  I personally want to die every time I run but you might like it.  Unless, I am being chased with a deadly weapon, sorry I will walk off my burgers and fries, thank you very much.  It's one of the easiest things you can do to burn calories.  

3. Do some crunches or ab twists as I like to call them. This is where you basically get in a half reclined sit up position and reach your left arm over to your right side and touch the floor and then your right arm to the left side and touch the floor.  Repeat a few reps and you will feel a great burn all over your abs!

4. Push ups! Even if its the girlie ones! It's ok, I won't tell if you won't.  

5. Backwards push ups for lack of a better name. Place your hands on the edge of your couch with your back to the couch. Stretch your feet out in front of you and lower yourself until your butt almost touches the ground and then raise back up.  Repeat a few reps and your arms will be killing you...in a good way!

So go gird yourself! That sounds awful...uh just have fun getting fit! :)
TTFN~
REE

Friday, October 28, 2011

A New Twist Beginning November!

If you read my post from last night you had a little glimpse and warning that I was going to be adding a few things to my list of what to post about.  If you like the kinds of posts that I was doing before, never fear, I am still going to be writing posts like those.  I am just adding some variety and a little more fun-ness to my blog :)  In an effort to get more organized and be more diligent I have decided to continue in the vein of expanding my horizons and apply it to my blog as well.  I have noticed that without a schedule and plan my original goal and hope for this blog kind of got lazy, so I will be keeping a schedule now.  Here is what you have to look forward to starting in November!

2 alternating Mondays a month - The Bookworm Project 
I will be posting a new book review.  Since I got this idea only just now I know that I have at least 6 weeks taken care of on that front.  Books are very thought provoking for me so I would like for my posts to be a little deeper than just "I would recommend this book." or "I would not recommend this book."  So keep a look out on Mondays.  I will post links on the new Facebook page I will be creating for this.  It makes it easier than cluttering up my personal page with a bunch of links every week.  So "like" the page and you can stay up to date.

2 alternating Wednesdays a month - SWF seeking GOD
I will be sharing my thoughts about what it means to be a Christian Single White Female.  There is a lot of pressure on single Christian women to get married, start a family and be a Proverbs 31 woman.  Well that is all well and good but how does that apply to a single woman who is not about to go out on a man hunt?  Prayerfully it will be enlightening and encouraging to all of us as I share my experiences, my convictions, and lessons God brings along.

The last Friday of every month - Confessions of a Chatty Girl
This will be in the same vein as what I have been doing up to now of sharing updates of what life in Chattanooga is, what it is becoming and how God is using the change of scenery and change of station to further my sanctification and understanding of the Gospel.  This will also include a Snapshot segment where I take some pictures of life in Chattanooga so you get a chance to see what I see instead of just trying to imagine it! 

I know that all might sound pretty confusing, scheduling wise, but once you get the hang of it you will know what to expect in a given week from me. So keep on the look out for new and more consistent posts! Also for some possible aesthetic changes! The designer in me can never be satisfied for long :) 

TTFN~
REE

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Becoming A Bookworm

So to preface this and subsequent posts, I would like to say that I was not an avid reader growing up.  I am a creative and active person and when I was younger the thought of sitting for hours at a time devouring a book just seemed torturous to me.  I loved and still love to draw, color, sing, have long and thought provoking talks with people.  I love being outside, playing with kids, getting dirt under my fingernails, cooking, playing pretend (which turned into a love of theater), and generally doing everything that the right side of my brain could think of.  Those things were always what kept me most entertained and interested.  Lately, however, I had been wanting to start expanding my horizons.  I had all of those things that I loved but now it was time to add something else to the list of hobbies and interests.  So I began to read and I am finding that I am loving it!  So each week for as long as I have time I want to post my thoughts on books that I am reading.  Depending on the book, I am averaging about a book a week.  I think this will also keep me going on this and it might expand into something entertaining for us both!  So here we go!

 
Book 1
Now to begin this, I must say that I consider myself quite knowledgeable about the story of Jane Eyre.  I have seen the movie that just came out in this year; I have seen the musical performed live; I own the soundtrack and now I have read the book.  I must say that this is by far my favorite fictional narrative I have ever come across.  This book is haunting to say the least.  

Let me say that I am not your average girl in that I get warm and fuzzy toward stories of couples seeing each other across a crowded room and just knowing deep in their hearts that they have found their soul mate.  I do not believe that you can fall in love in an instant or that you can know you will marry someone just by locking eyes with a stranger across a crowded room.  I am sorry if you would like that to be your story or if you think that is your story.  I would have to disagree with you on that one but that is another argument for another day.  

My ilk leans far more to the realistic stories, ones that are not all sunshine and roses.  Life is crazy and not always pretty and when it comes to love stories there is a vast lack of realism in most.  Jane Eyre's love story is a messy, messy story.  There are hard decisions made.  There is actual love lost.  There is unyielding commitment.  There are morals and values.  That is what I love so much about it.  I can sympathize with Jane in tough decisions she had to make.  I can respect her for enduring the heartache that she felt in standing firm in those decisions.  And I can see and admire the beauty in her respect of herself and of the man she grows to and learns how to love over time and whom she chooses to love and stand beside come what may.  I am not going to spoil anything for you in this post so don't worry.  But there is no fairy tale in this book.  But there is love and loss; there is redemption and hope.  Even though Jane Eyre is a fictional book filled with fictional characters I have a lot of respect for many of them and especially for Charlotte Bronte in writing such interesting and deep characters.  Bronte gave Jane, specifically, a very carefully weaved and dynamic soul that is almost palpable. I walked away from the book feeling incredibly attached to Jane.  I felt like I had watched a dear friends life play out before my eyes and I was almost grieved to see it end.  It is definitely a book that I will be reading over and over again.  

So put on some cozy cloths. Get a cup of hot chocolate and snuggle up for a riveting story of a girl, most peculiar.  Happy reading! 

TTFN~
REE

Monday, October 10, 2011

Chattanooga So Far

Well it has been a week since I moved here and I am sure that you are wondering how I am doing, beyond what I have posted on Facebook or Twitter.  So here we go...

I still feel pretty transient for obvious reasons.  I am still living out of a suitcase.  I don't have an apartment of my own or a job to support myself.  I still feel like I am on an extended vacation and not like this is my new home.  It won't feel like home for a while even after I get those things.  21 years of "home" is pretty hard to override.  All of these things are very understandable and expected.  It has been such a blessing staying with Mandi and Greg and my niece, Caitrin.  I can't express how grateful I am for them letting me stay here.  Getting to hang out with Mandi and talk to her and catch up on life is so great.  I have missed her since she moved here.  It has been great to watch her grow into her roles as wife to Greg and mother to Caitrin.  I am loving getting a deeper knowledge and understanding of these different sides to her.  Playing with Caitrin on a daily basis and getting to know her little personality and quirks is so exciting.  Each day I learn something new about her that surprises me, makes me laugh, makes me love her more, or all of the above.  Getting re-acquainted with this family unit that I have literally watched from its inception is really such a blessing. In those moments, I know exactly why I moved here.  

That is where the clarity stops, however.  Now please don't misunderstand me.  Just because the rest is very hazy does not mean that I am giving up on the whole idea of moving here.  It doesn't mean that Chattanooga wasn't everything I hoped it would be. Honestly, I still don't know, because after all it has only been a week. I still feel that God directed me here for a reason.  I just am not sure exactly what that reason is yet.  

I went to a great church yesterday, North Shore Fellowship, and really enjoyed the message and the music.  I got a little lost so I ended up getting there a few minutes late which, led to me sitting in the very back (not according to plan) because that was literally the only place to sit other than the balcony.  The church was a lot bigger than I expected.  My pew companions ended up being some tardier college students, probably sophomores at the most, who kept to themselves. Not a surprise, as I remember very clearly what that was like.  One or two of them, I recognized from the soccer game I had went to up at Covenant the night before.  I filled out the visitors card and said I was interested in women's ministry and small groups, but that was as connected as I got, which is not a shock, after all, still first week here.  I was not expecting to be swarmed by people wanting to meet me and get to know me.  I was not expecting to walk out with a mass of new friends and connections on my first week.  Although there was a little idyllic part of me that hoped a more realistic version of this would happen.  Who can blame me, we all do it.  But I didn't put myself out there really either.  So I did not leave disappointed at all.  It seems to be a good solid church and I definitely plan on returning next Sunday.  I plan on being more punctual and get a better seat this time as well.  I know enough about churches to know that these things take time.  Especially in a larger church like North Shore.  

Today, in the shower though, I started thinking about why I am really here.  Before I left I was having coffee with a friend and he mentioned that he hoped I found whatever I was looking for down here.  That has kind of haunted me ever since he said it.  What am I looking for?  It's not friends, because I have great ones that I love dearly back in Lynchburg.  It's not a better church, because Mercy was a phenomenal church.  I know I wanted to be closer to Mandi and Caitrin, but there has to be something else.  I know they aren't the only reasons why I wanted to come here.  I know I wanted to feel like a grown up.  There is something about living in the same town all of your life that you feel perpetually stuck in adolescence.  Was this move about any of those things?  Was this move about finding a new adventure for myself?  Having a change of scenery?  Partially, I am sure those were large factors.  Was I unhappy in Lynchburg?  Toward the end, I can honestly say no I was very happy in Lynchburg.  So why did I leave?  Why am I now in Chattanooga? 

Well here is a thought that struck me in the shower, "where I do my best thinking".  Maybe this move wasn't about me.  Maybe this move wasn't about what I can get out of it or how it will benefit me.  Maybe this move is about other people that I can serve better or in a deeper and fuller way here than I could in Lynchburg.  Because let's face it no matter how happy I was in Lynchburg there was something that felt ill-fitted deep down.  When I drive around Chattanooga I feel very peaceful.  I feel contented and happy.  I breathe deeply and my heart smiles.  That never happened really in Lynchburg.  I don't know if that is some sort of sign but it's a plus.  But again maybe I need to stop trying to answer the question of "What can I get out of this?" and more wonder "What can I make of this? What can I put into this that will glorify God and proclaim the Gospel to people around me, in my sphere of influence?"  Maybe I should have been asking that question all along.

Well that is where my mind and heart are.  That is the answer to that ever so pregnant question of "How are you doing?"  Please keep me in your prayers.  I appreciate them more than you will ever know.  God is so good and He is providing beautiful reminders of His grace.  

TTFN~
REE