Confessions Of A Chatty Girl: Life On The Go

There has been so much stuff going on!  Hence, why I have been so behind on posting.  In addition to trying to get my apartment in order I feel a little bit like I have been in a whirl wind.  Where to begin is the question.  I'll try to break it up into small paragraphs that are easier to digest.

Home

I am still getting bits and pieces of my apartment together.  Slowly but surely I am trying to attack my apartment room by room.  The living room and the kitchen are the closest to being done.  So as promised finally here are some pictures of the new place.  As I complete rooms I will continue posting pictures.

The living room:
The key niche, I just need to get a bowl to put the keys in

The living room 2:
The other side of the niche

The living room 3:
I am going to be adding some floor pillows to add some extra seating options

The living room 4:
I am going to be adding some floating shelves above the TV

The living room 5:
My french doors out to my big balcony

The living room 6:
The office niche with all of my best books

The kitchen:
My bar and I have my cookbooks on top of my cabinets for space saving purposes

The kitchen 2:
"One can say everything best over a meal" - George Elliott

The kitchen 3:
It is quite itty bitty so you have to get a little creative with storage

That is the first installment of the apartment pictures.  My next thing to tackle is my dining room.  Next pay check I will be going dining room table shopping and I will be getting some pictures I got in Paris framed to go in there.

Church

I have started attending the visitors class and am taking steps to become a member of Covenant PCA.  It is a great church.  The preaching has been wonderful.  The people have been incredibly warm and welcoming from the beginning.  Last night, I went to the monthly shepherding group which was a great time of fellowship and meeting new people.

I am involved in the College/Young Adult Ministry (CYAM) and have been asked to be on their leadership team.  They are in a stage of transition right now so prayer for that would be greatly appreciated.   In addition to be asked to be on the leadership team, I have also been asked to start a high school and college girl's Bible study.  I think that I am going to be doing a study of the book of Hosea.  Prayer for that would be greatly appreciated.  I have never lead a Bible study before so please be praying for wisdom and guidance and that God would use me and give me to words that these girls need to hear about the passionate jealous God that pursues them and draws them to Himself.  CYAM also recently started a book study on "Knowing God" by J. I. Packer.  It has been very convicting.  

 Work  

Work is still going pretty good.  Still staying busy but the projects are coming and we are making progress, which is really exciting, however, the more I work and the more involved I get in church, the more I realize that the church is where my heart is.  So while I am incredibly thankful for the job that God has blessed me with I am more convinced that full time ministry is where I need to be.  So the Lord is teaching me patience and to understand that even Paul had to make tents so that he could serve the God he loved.  Work is not part of the fall.  Work is a responsibility and a God given mandate so I shouldn't be fighting it.  So be praying for me in that.  

Well that is all for now!  I have to get back to work and then head to Panera for the book study!  

TTFN~

REE

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 :)

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.

SWF seeking GOD: "Adultolescents"

A Church-Based Hope for “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

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.

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 :)

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 . . .