The Simple Life

This is the second year in a row that it's been hard to believe that Christmas season is already here. When I was in school, Christmas couldn't come fast enough!

When we got back from our last minute trip to the UK, I had a Saturday to myself to clean and do wash. What better time to do Christmas decorating? I scoured the apartment looking for items that could be stored in the garage to make room for decorations. (I feel like I'm constantly de-cluttering our life.) I got a fairly large stack of things that I transferred to the garage, and then pulled out the Cmas decos. Of course, I then had to adjust furniture in the apartment to make room for our small tree. No big deal though!

As I pulled out our Christmas decorations, I had to smile. The tree was given to us for free from good friends who had gotten married at Christmas and had extra trees. The festive dollar store ribbon was too short to wrap around the whole tree, but nobody noticed because covered most of the front of the tree. The tree skirt was a used mattress pad. And the tree topper was a $5 Walmart star. Thanks to my mom's foresight, we had ornaments from the 2010 Target Day-After-Christmas Ransack. Even though what I pulled out of the box was very cheap but "resourceful"- it was all we really had money for and there's no shame in that.

Over the past few weeks, I've had several conversations with people who said, "we were happiest when we had nothing." One friend said that he and his pregnant wife used to wonder where their next meal was coming from. Often they'd go to the local grocery store and get 4 chicken pot pies for $1. He'd eat 3 and she'd eat 1. But-he said- those were the greatest times! Another friend said that he was happiest when life was simple and he didn't have to worry about stuff like furniture. He lived on a boat and loved it.

Being barely removed from living paycheck to paycheck, I can't say that it was the happiest of times. Sure it was simpler and absolutely we were happy. But it was stressful to think that a car accident or physical injury could plummet us into debt. It was tough to come down to the end of week 1 and know that we had 1 more week before a paycheck came and we only had $50 left. We skipped out on going out with friends for meals, shared a car, and used public internet or unprotected wireless. We went to the library or to the park on the weekends. God provided for us in amazing ways!

Everyone has these times. You use what you have. You eat everything in your freezer til it's empty and then go shopping for a few things and pray for leftovers like the feeding of the 5000. I'm not dumb enough to think we'll never be in that situation again where we'll be paycheck to paycheck. But wow- I am so grateful for both of the times in life- the famine and the plenty.

This year we have so much to be thankful for, as always. God has provided and given us much. We can now afford $5 Christmas ribbon, $7 tree skirt, and presents for family. We even have the extreme privilege of supporting Hagai from World Vision. Money is something I know that child will never take for granted! Jack and I stand proudly next to him with gratefulness in our hearts. Who knows where we'll be next year. Maybe we'll find gold in the walls of our apartment and never need to work again. But our prayer is that we'll always be generous with what we do have.

Precious Moments

What a time we've had for Thanksgiving weekend. Jack and I went to Florida to hang out with my uncle, my brother, and my niece. Wasn't sure what to expect but we had such a great time! My niece is 3 and has beautiful brown eyes and gorgeous curly blonde hair. Okay... so I just described half of the world's Caucasian babies. But this little girl is funny and sweet. She's a bundle of energy that goes and goes and goes and goes until she drops. She's moving into the "why?" phase but thankfully after a few "but why?" questions she's distracted and moves on. Lucky for us she has the attention span of Dory on Finding Nemo. If there are too many "why?"'s just tell her to look at something shiny. She won't remember what she was asking.

A few of the weekends precious moments:

A prime example of a 3 yr old who doesn't remember anything:
Brother (A.J's father): A.J, what are you going to say tomorrow when we ask you what we did today? (he was hoping she'd say "park, beach, movie" or something!)
A.J: "Thank you!" (such great manners!)
Me: A.J, can you tell Auntie Jen what we did today?
A.J: (blank stare)

Yeah... remembering is so much harder than just living!

(Schizo?)
Me: A.J., do you like the movie?
A.J: No, not really.
Brother: A.J., did you like the movie?
A.J: Yes, I liked it a lot.

Me: Hey look, A.J, there's a fish in the water.
A.J: WHERE???
Me (looking closer and realizing it was a leaf but going with it hoping she wouldn't notice): Right there.
A.J: WOW! Do you think I can catch it?
Me (turning around): No probably not, I think it's swimming away.
A.J.: I got something! (with the leaf in her hands) This isn't a fish. Where'd the fish go?
Yup, folks. I totally got busted. But she really thought I had seen a fish (which I initially though too) and she just missed it. I really did not expect her to catch the leaf.

Ah. The good times. We went to a seafood place and she was excited about getting "fish."

It came time to order drinks.
Brother: A.J, what do you want to drink?
A.J: Fish!
Brother: She'll have milk.

Time to order lunch
Waitress: What would you like to eat?
A.J: FISH!
Waitress: Fish? What kind?
A.J.: Goldfish. They're my favorite.
Waitress: Aw, honey. I'm sorry- we don't have any goldfish. I wish we did though. They're my favorite too.
A.J: Well then I'll just have some fish.

Nieces are fun. You get to spoil them for a time and give them back. Yes indeed. It's the life.

Brillant and Fabulous

There are very few things in the world that will hold up to both of these descriptions- brilliant and fabulous. Brilliant = bringing lawfully gained employment to a society where there is 0 economics in play except for poverty. Fabulous = buying items (with all the excess money we toss around) from those who are rightly labeled "poor" in this world .

The world was so complex to me when I studied it in college. After intensely studying international business, international economics, and the effects that foreign investment might have on the global economy and those suffering under the "poverty" and "AIDS" labels, I wondered why some of these worldwide market-owning monopolies didn't take their business to Africa. Cheap labor, lots of land, and changing people's lives and the global economy can't be all that terrible of a deal, right? Well, let's factor in corrupt politician/ leaders, de-valued currency, and a lot of civil war and we'll have ourselves less of a deal than we think. A lot of businesses that are expanding internationally see no benefit in taking their business to Africa. It's too much of a risk. It's too unstable. Most countries in Africa could seriously benefit from some foreign investors. With a more even distribution of wealth, corruption in the government may lessen. However with more wealth, crime could increase.

My in-laws helped bring a new standard of living to a community and the surrounding areas by starting a hydro-electric plant. Villagers within reasonable distance were paid to help build the dam on the Zambezi River. From that money, villagers were able to buy food and clothes from businesses in their local economy. That money gets distributed to others for goods and we begin to have a trickle-down effect. People went from walking to bicycles to motorbikes in a matter of 5- 10 years all because someone took a risk and built a dam to provide electricity for a mission station a day's drive from Lusaka, Zambia. Brilliant and fabulous.

Here are two more brilliant and fabulous things.

Amazina Ministries was started by Katie Davis whose blog you can find here. To make a long story short, she is now a 22 yr old mom to 14 Ugandan orphans (who are obviously no longer orphaned.) You can read more about her children and ministry here. She has begun a business where ladies from her village make beautiful jewelry and she sells it online. By buying the jewelry, you are helping to keep these ladies from prostitution and providing a better life for them and their children. By going to the website, you can see videos of the ladies that make the jewelry. You can purchase the jewelry: http://www.amazimastore.org/. Below are pictures of their work.

Another amazing cause is purchasing from Brown Eyed Girlies
. Purchasing the accessories you see on the page will allow you to support orphans from 58Ten. I am not as familiar with this project, but cute stuff + caring for orphans = brilliant and fabulous. The following is a quote from my friend Cynthia who directed me to these servants!

58Ten was recently started by three single guys here in my church after they felt that God was asking them to be more actively involved globally. It's amazing to watch God point them to wide open doors and to see the response even just here locally. Brown Eyes Girlies is the business of a young mom here who is using her corner of influence for Christ. So thrilling to see young (and old alike) making His name known all over the world.

So what do you think? Will help change lives by doing something brilliant and fabulous?

Jobs I Wish Existed

I believe that I could be marginally successful in these dream jobs... if they existed. I'm borrowing the idea from someone who wanted to be an Ice Cream Sundae Critic. Although some of these jobs may exist in real life, they are not widespread.

Without further ado... my list:

1. Couch Softness Tester- If you are looking for a couch based solely on the irrevocable, unequivocal softness, I am your woman. I promise to frequent every store in every area near you and lounge on all the couches, feel the couches with my sensitive fingers, and maybe even jump on the couch to test its utter softness. You will not be disappointed with the results. How incredibly comfortable does that couch look?

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/salone-internazionale-del-mobile/the-new-contemporary-sofa-low-soft-stylish-salone-internazionale-del-mobile-2011-144402

2. Chocolate Wrap Critic- Raise your hand if you thought I was talking about food. Wow- so many admitting it! Well, I was not. I am referring to a luxurious spa relaxation technique. I will offer myself in a sacrificial fashion to have warm chocolate spread on me for the health of my skin and mental state. And with the benefit of knowing, you are not taking on any calories. I will report back with the facts as to which is the best wrap. Or perhaps you'll be able to tell from the condition of my mental state and skin, but probably not, because I'm extremely relaxed and stable in my current condition. It would be difficult to become more awesome.

3. Professional Jewelry Compliment Seizer- Perhaps you have bought a particular piece of jewelry with the intention of deriving compliments from the un-expecting casual observer of you. But before you wear it and find out if you will receive compliments or not, I vow to wear your jewelry of any variety (but especially of the valuable jewels kind) and let you know if I receive compliments. This keeps your delicate self-worth in tact and you can leave the house knowing with absolute assurance that you are the envy of all who see you. This.. is living.

4. Horse Fuzziness Specialist- You are frustrated and ready to give up. After parading past hundreds of horses, you cannot find the perfect horse for you. Fabulous news- I am here to help. With my expert guidance, I will assist you in finding the correct horse for you based on fuzziness. My unique approach includes snuggling, petting, cuddling, and riding your horse bareback to find out if the horse has the right amount of fuzziness for you. My fee includes sugar cubes, carrots, and hand sanitizer to help me accomplish the job as quickly as possible. Blissful.

http://www.allbordercollies.com/forums/Thread-Fuzzy-horses

5. Country Hopper- Have you ever wondered if it was possible to visit a different country every day, eat a meal, and make it to all the countries without skipping a day? I have. With a chartered private plane, I will take my expertise to a whole new level. With the dedication of Around the World in 80 Days, I will visit each country (a different country each day) and have a meal (something that resembles pizza or a burger) and I will tell you if it is a possible task. I know you've been dying to know. Better yet, you've probably been dying to watch a National Geographic show on it.

http://funniez.net/Funny-Pictures/exotic-food-in-beijing.html

So what's a job that you wish were real?

Black Friday Is Coming

I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week. I'm looking forward to being with my brother, niece, and uncle!! I thought about whether or not I'd participate in Black Friday this year. Last year was fun getting to know the people I stood in line with for 2-3 hours.

I found a list of what not to buy on Black Friday here. Some of the items might surprise you. For example, don't buy toys, Christmas decorations, name-brand tvs, watches, or jewelry.

However not mentioned in the list are clothing, shoes, most electronics including game consoles, DVDS, and sporting equipment!

Happy Black Friday to you! May you stay awake as you stay up late and save much! May you also get to the store early enough so you can stand in line and eventually get what you're looking for!

Top Black Friday stores? Wal-mart, Best Buy, Target, Costco, Staples, and Sears. Do any of these surprise you?

Some of the best places to find out actual savings and deals is on couponing websites. Think I'm crazy? These people track product pricing all year long. They can tell you if you're going to be getting a deal or not. So check out some of my favorites Southern Savers, Coupon Pro Blog, and The Krazy Coupon Lady

Tebowing

Tim Tebow is an American football player who became famous in college for his skill and sportsmanship. When he came into the spotlight, people quickly realized that there was more to this guy than great skill. He is a Christian.

They call this one the "Black Bible Eye"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/01/ephesians-2-8-10-tim-tebo_n_409193.html

He is well-known for his faith and Christians around the country totally support him. He is using his platform to make the name of Jesus great.

There are two trends that have come along with the Tebow fame.

One is wearing a jersey with "Jesus" on the back above Tim Tebow's number.

http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/msn/tim_tebow_jesus_jerseys_draw_mixed_emotions_from_holiday_shoppers/8111617

This has drawn controversy from Christians more than unbelievers. Is it defaming the name of Christ? Is it making Jesus famous? Or making light of Jesus?

The second trend is called "Tebowing" and can be found at www.tebowing.com. It has drawn a lot of criticism as well. People take Tebowing pictures and send them in online.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/shutdown_corner/post/Introducing-Tebowing-It-s-like-planking-but-du?urn=nfl-wp10549

One article compares Tebowing to planking (where you lay face down on objects)

http://www.planking.me/

I find the whole thing fascinating. It's really great that Tim Tebow can have such an awesome testimony. With that testimony comes a lot of living up to the pressure in the public eye and I'm glad an athlete is taking on the challenge. I can't decide whether the trends he is setting are good or bad. On the one hand, you have people hearing about Jesus from a football star. On the other hand, some trivial trends have come out of it.

So what do you think? Is Tebowing a good trend or bad? Leave your comments below under Anonymous if you don't have a Blogger account.

An Internationally Comforting Smell

A large portion of my time spent in the UK was spent out and about at shops. It was windy and chillier than southern USA. However, we had prepared well and brought jackets (and I brought a scarf for which I was sooo glad to have.)

Brief rabbit trail: I realized my last year of college that scarves were absolutely invaluable to keeping warm. Often when I was cold, it was not because my jacket wasn't keeping me warm, but because my neck was chilly and a breeze was coming in the neck of my jacket. Solution: scarf.

So in our journey through the centers of Durham, Newcastle, and an outlet mall, we repeatedly passed store after store. One particular smell caught my attention. I think if I weren't able to see, I'd still be able to identify the smell of this kind of store. I know what you're thinking- coffee right? Or maybe soap/bath stores? Both are easily identifiable. But the smell I recognized is something I just realized that I appreciate. That's the smell of a shoe store. Go ahead and nit-pick and say that it's the leather I smell. It doesn't matter. Leather stores are just as comforting but just not as popular as shoe stores. There's nothing quite like walking into a store full of shoes and inhaling deeply. My suggestion is not to try this around the holidays as you'll be detecting other scents than the leather. Find a shoe store that isn't full at all, step in and see if you notice the smell of the new shoes.

What's a comforting smell for you?

Keeping Your Sense of Humor

I think the best bit of sagely advice that I could offer in my short life is to "keep your sense of humor when it comes to travel." I learned this best from my grandparents who traveled with my family to Switzerland a few years ago. When my parents were getting uptight, my grandparents would just laugh and suddenly the whole trip became more enjoyable. In 2008 when my international flight got rerouted from Newark to Madrid to Switzerland instead of straight to Switzerland, I remembered to chalk it up to adventure and laugh. Who cares that no one knows English in the Madrid airport and could barely tell me where my gate was?

Tell me something. Do the people who create airport bathroom designs actually use the bathrooms? I appreciate that they have a metal, fold-up shelf for my handbag. I very sincerely appreciate it. But do they have to stick the shelf at head level next to the toilet while sitting? Let's think this through, shall we? After I seat myself, I don't want to be staring at a bag inches from my face and then stand up and risk smashing my head. Couldn't the shelf be attached to the door instead of the wall? Just a thought.

I, for one, am glad the international flight have curtains that separate the classes. I would hate to see the people in business class. Just close that curtain. I don't even want to know they're up there. I don't want to know that they get dinner menus and warm washcloths for their faces.

Below is a video of an accurate depiction of what happens:



This past flight, I was dangerously close to losing my sense of humor and breaking my own rule. We were seated in an exit row on the international flight over next to a man who was clutching his bag to chest until the flight attendant made him put it up. Also down the row were 2 crying children. Ugh. So I was excited to be able to watch "The Help" and then go to sleep. I was tired and ready for sleep. I popped my earphones in and my sweet husband set the Ipod to my go-to album for falling asleep, Colbie Callait's first cd and I closed my eyes. And didn't sleep. And didn't sleep. And didn't sleep. Unfortunately the sleeping pill I had prepared for myself suspiciously disappeared out of my pocket with no where to be seen. How was everyone else on the flight sleeping except me? Finally, I'd had enough. I got up and got another pill out of my bag in the next class up. I looked at the clock and we had about 2 hrs left to the flight. WHAT?!? I took the pill and closed my eyes. And didn't sleep. And didn't sleep. Lo, and behold, about 45 minutes before we landed, I fell asleep. After a 7-8 hr flight, I only slept the last 45 minutes. I remained in a fog in the airport for the layover and slept on the connecting flight. By the time we were picked up by family, I had slept a grand total of 3 hr 45 minutes since earlier the day before. And yet I was surprisingly cheery.

Overall, I had to laugh at some of the funny stuff that happened. People can be legitimately ridiculous.

One funny moment, Jack and I were talking about the Hindu faith and we couldn't remember if they had a Mecca type trip in their faith. So I said, "What would you call a Hindu Mecca?" And Jack quickly responded with, "Hecca."