Monday, April 25, 2011

It Starts Out Silly

Spring break!
= a (romantic?) dinner alone.
hehe

and, Hi!, I organize my DVDs from serious to silly

Oh by the way, everyone should eat a whole carrot with its tops on at least once in their lifetime...it feels very much like you're standing for a cause.

So back to my DVDs. I don't have quite enough to organize in alphabetical order or by genre. I've considered lining them up in a color order/spectrum. But the reason I have my movies in this order is actually not as surface level as it may seem. From most serious (Alias, March of the Penguins, Fireside Reflections) to most silly (Mary Poppins, Enchanted, Good Burger-not mine, my roommates'), there is something for every mood.

And since I struggle with over-empathizing, I must be very careful about what I let into my head...especially during down time. You may not make the connection. Well, my strength (yay! I can call it a strength! That's progress, people) of empathy can sometimes prove to be a burden. I have the ability to (almost) fully immerse myself into someone's woes and words and then...to stay there. To try and find a solution for them (us). To worry.

And I know worrying does no good to anyone involved. It's a Biblical mandate NOT to worry, actually (talk about pressure)! With this realization, which has come over the past few months, came another: movies totally affect my emotions. When I say totally, I mean
–adverb
wholly; entirely; completely.
I was watching too many sad movies! I was gaining too much emotional catharsis from fake people. (Ouch. That was hard to say.) But now I know that there are days when I can not handle a movie where someone dies. That's why I have Stepmom, Finding Neverland, and My Girl all grouped together. In fact, I haven't watched dying people movies in a long time. Maybe I'm afraid I'll revert to my old habits. I'm afraid that I'll sit on that green couch crying over something sad and not feeling like I can move on from it.
The truth is: I'm growing. I don't think that will be me tonight. In fact, I plan on watching an "unsafe" movie this evening (ooo, sounds scandalous...but you know what I mean). Praise the Lord for his help in lassoing my dangerous strength of empathy into something productive and sweet again. It's a process, of course, and right now I'm happy to be where I am.

(I really hope you were able to read this the way I said it in my mind. It had really good tone, if I may say so)

(Oh yeah, "Fireside Reflections" is a $1 DVD from Target that plays a fireplace...by the way.)

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Lifeline


I wish I could offer some beautiful commentary to go along with the following passages. I wish I could recount for you every moment this week when I've used these passages as my lifelines. I wish you could see just how tenderly the God of the universe has touched my heart with these words... but then again, I want YOU to experience his personal touch on YOUR heart. All I can say is that this week, I have been poor, brokenhearted, held captive, bound, mournful, and faint in spirit. And...I think you have been too. Because this passage is for God's people; the one's who really need him. Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Isaiah 61:1-4
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified.
They shall build up the ancient ruins;
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.

Isaiah 62:4-5
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for the LORD delights in you,
and your land shall be married.
For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Finally! A Spring Favorite!


I realized today that I DO like something about spring: daylight. And I think (eep!) I may have a new favorite time of day for a season. Don't get me wrong, I will never turn my back on the early bird club but right now, I really like early evenings.

I like walking home from class at 4:00 or 5-something and having the sun still shining. I like thinking of what I will make for dinner and I like opening all the windows and letting the beginnings of evening air make their way in.

God had been so gracious to me. Even though I am taking 18 units this semester, he has given me plenty of opportunities for slow mornings and sunny early evenings. He is supernaturally generous... I SHOULD NOT have as much expendable time as I have had, but he knows me well. How good is he to gift me in ways so specific to my tender heart?! Thank you, Lord.

So tonight: Thai chicken with homemade peanut sauce and brown rice...very exciting.
(oh and the photo up top is our fridge this week. i like that it's nice and colorful right now.)

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Words from my Week

Homemade crossword puzzles

New York Dance Company work out video (thanks, Rubie!)

Missing Levi...

Rest

Biggest Loser

Bare Fridge

Pasadena

Counting calories

Ticket to Vegas

No coffee (What?! Yup...a break from warm beverages)

Sore neck

Green couch

I'm going back to Turkey!

Facing my bad dish-doing habits

Prayer and strife

Squeezing out spring "love"

95 degrees. (ew)

Italian dreams

Black tank top

Honey Graham Oh!s