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