Cold Tangerines

My friend Shauna wrote this book and the following people MUST read it!
Michelle, Sandy, Brooke, Ruby, Katie, Maureen, Heather, April, Jessica, Kristie, Chelsey, Holli, Kristin, Delle, Mo, Amy, Angie, Megan, Sarah, Shelly, Kate, Brittany, Danae, Lauren, Lisa, Ashlee, Mandy, Sandra, Steph, Allison, Julie, Rhonda, Jami, Lindsay, Heidi, Mindy, Jen, Tiece, Tara, Anne, Olivia, Sami, Elaine & Jenny.

If I failed to mention you, but you think you should be on this list - then for heaven's sake, READ THIS BOOK!

Don't Miss This!

Would you like to know what Mark Beeson would say to himself if he could go back to 7th grade or his freshman year? These valuable snippets might just change your life. I grew up hearing these stories, and they certainly helped shape me into the woman I am today. Corey showed the following video clips at Lifeline last week for their "Back to the Future" series.

* Part 1 - "You're going to change. Character, faith, and self-control."

* Part 2 - "Don't make me angry!"

* Part 3 - "You're not going to have your family like THIS...forever."

* Part 4 - "Yes Ma'am, No Ma'am...Yes Sir, No Sir."

* Part 5 - "Prioritize and decide in advance."

* Part 6 - "Consequences, sin doesn't only affect the sinner."

* Part 7 - "Life is not a snapshot!"

Love

Ryan: "Have I told you today how much I love..."

Amber (thinking to herself): "Awww, he is so romantic and is about to tell me of his undying and ever growing love for me!"

Ryan (finishing his sentence): "...love my new coffee mug!"

Amber is...

So, I decided to google "Amber is..." and this is what came up.

Amber is...

• not produced from tree sap, but rather from plant resin
• in the range of 30-90 million years old
• a poor conductor of heat and feels warm to the touch
• nothing new
• a color worn by the Hull City AFC - an English football team
• genuine
• anything but sap
• buoyant in salt water
• capable of being highly polished
• more than just old sap
• often imitated by plastics
• alive
• durable enough to withstand a millenia - and also fragile

Amazing how many of those things really do apply to me. Especially the "buoyant in salt water" one. Thanks for the idea Todd!

What comes up when you do this to your name??

just gimme a sec...

There are all sorts of things I want to blog about...as soon as I have a sec.

• Shauna Niequist's new book, Cold Tangerines
• Our new friends Bre & Ryan and their little baby Cash
• The Office - specifically Dwight Schrute
• Our Awesome Church - Ada Bible Church
• Verizon - and thier stupidity
• Designvox - and the glory that is my new job

So you can be looking forward to that.

Happy Birthday ANGELA!!

You are the greatest "sista, sista" a gal could ever ask for! I love you!

"Do the best with what you have"

Check out this article in The Grand Rapids Press about my friend Jessica!

Don't Wait! Fax them your email address now!

Happy Birthday Mom!

You are the most incredible woman I have ever known and if I could grow up to be just like you, that's what I'd want to do. I want to be a wife like you, I want to love Jesus the way you do, I want to be a mom like you (someday). Thank you for being my mom. I love you.

Listening to this was a GREAT way to start my day!

Hillsong Conference 2007 Opening
Uploaded by ajchz

Our Scheffer Fix

Last weekend we got our Scheffer fix. We love our friends Michelle and Bryan - and they still live in Chicago, so whenever we get a chance to see their faces on this side of the lake, we are happy.

Bryan and Ryan had an awesome time at the Michigan game...especially because they won.

Michelle and I hung out at the Farmer's Market in Rockford, got some yummy Honey Crisp Apples, and did a little bit of shopping at Kohls. Great sales...great sales.

We also got to hang out with Carolyn for a little while which was really really fun because she is a jabber mouth in her own language.

- she is showing me her teeth in this picture.

Cardboard Creations

Check out what
THIS GUY can
make out of cardboard!

Chuck Norris uses a night light.
Not because Chuck Norris is afraid of the dark,
but because the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris.

Incase You Were Wondering...

So today on my Google homepage the "how to of the day" was
HOW TO BECOME A HOBO
which I found to be a very interesting thing to know...

1. Take stock of your skills and experience. Any skill that is in wide demand and does not require an extended time commitment can be useful to a hobo. As long as you can advertise your services and earn people's trust (ideally through references), you can do anything.
   
2. Establish Plan B. This is a serious, life-altering decision. Don't abandon everything suddenly and disappear. You need something to come back to if your life on the road doesn't work out. Make sure all your debts are paid and responsibilities are handled before departure. If possible, have some savings set aside before you go, that you can access while you're on the road, if need be. Emergencies happen, and they cost money.
3. Be prepared. You may like the romantic idea of leaving with nothing but the clothes on your back and whatever is in your wallet, but that is a sure-fire recipe for disaster. You must assume that you will be sleeping, cooking, traveling, and essentially living outdoors, unless you decide to drive a car.
4. Make a list of connections. Look at maps of the areas in which you'll be traveling, and determine whether or not there's anyone you know, directly or indirectly, who lives there. Ask your Aunt Sally if your great uncle Billy still lives in that cabin in the woods. Ask your friend if his cousin still works at the car dealership in Utah. Most important of all, ask them if it's okay if you can get in touch with those people in case of an emergency. Some people might offer to make arrangements so that you can actually visit, which is always nice. (Just be a good house guest!)
5. Do as much research as you can beforehand. Make a list of places you can stay, eat, shower, camp, etc. It's also wise to look up churches and shelters and any services that are offered to the homeless. The more prepared you are, the more you'll enjoy your travels.
6. Learn the hobo code. Historically hobos relied on a shared system of symbols that let fellow travelers know more about their current environment.^[1] The symbols can vary from place to place and may no longer be used in many areas. Here are some symbols to get you started:
   
   • spearhead - defend yourself
   • circle with two parallel arrows - get out fast, hobos not welcome
   • wavy line (signifying water) above an X - fresh water and a campsite nearby
   • three diagonal lines - not a safe place.
   • cross - "angel food," (food served to hobos after a party)
7. Hit the road! Leave your roots behind. Find a place to live and work from day to day. See the sights of each new place you visit. Make interesting friends (you never know when they might lend a helping hand). Life on the road means that every moment is your own. With no schedule and no responsibilities (except keeping yourself healthy), you must decide how to best use your time to achieve a balance between work, travel, relaxation, and entertainment. Enjoy the variety that each day has to offer...you're earning it.

Click HERE to read the whole article and for more tips including:

If possible, attend the annual National Hobo Convention in Britt, Iowa during the month of August and join in the festivities. Have some mulligan stew and share stories around a campfire. There are many other hobos who enjoy living a free life, not having obligations, and just traveling from place to place, enjoying their style of life.

Colbert Brings Truthiness to '08 Campaign

by Gina Serpe
Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:46:47 AM PDT

President Bush is ineligible to run for another term in office, so Stephen Colbert is throwing his support behind the next best candidate: Himself.

The Comedy Central pundit, who already serves as commander in chief of the Colbert Nation, announced on Tuesday night's Colbert Report that he is officially entering the 2008 presidential race.

"After nearly 15 minutes of soul searching, I have heard the call," he said. "Nation, I will seek the office of the president of the United States. I am doing it!"

The momentous announcement was met with audience cheers, a cascade of red, white and blue balloons and a flashing onscreen recap of the announcement: "I am doing it!"

"I'm almost humbled by your response," he continued, before amending his candidacy to include campaigning in one state and one state only: South Carolina.

"I am from South Carolina, I am for South Carolina and I defy any other candidate to pander more to the people of South Carolina," said the state's—though not, Colbert clarified, his mother's—favorite son. "Those beautiful, beautiful people."

To punctuate his announcement, Colbert informed viewers they would no longer need to purchase en masse a "Stewart/Colbert '08" bumper sticker, but implored them instead to invest in a "Colbert/Stewart '08" one—provided they also buy a pair of scissors and hack off the name of his would-be runningmate, i.e., former boss and Daily Show host Jon Stewart.

Instead, the pseudoconservative said he preferred a "Colbert/Colbert" partnership: "That's a strong ticket."

Anticipation over the candidacy announcement had reached a fever pitch in recent days, a phenomenon completely perpetuated by Colbert. On his recent book tour hawking I Am America (And So Can You!), the 43-year-old pundit made a point of refusing to confirm whether an announcement was pending, often without such an inquiry from his interviewer.

On Tuesday night, Colbert also appeared briefly on his old Daily Show stomping grounds, arriving on set by an Uncle Sam-driven carriage. Colbert promptly pulled out a hay bale and cracked open a cold beer on stage to prove his "average Joe" mettle.

"The people cry out for a hero," Stewart told his colleague, after being instructed via cue card to do so. "Are you planning a run for president of the United States?"

Not ready to confirm or deny, Colbert went cagey.

"Tonight, I, Stephen Colbert, am officially announcing that I have decided to officially consider whether or not I will announce that I am running for the president of the United States," he said to rapturous applause.

"I will be making an announcement of that decision very soon, preferably on a more prestigious show."

Namely, his own.

On Sunday, Colbert further promoted his satirical agenda by guest writing Maureen Dowd's New York Times column—chosen headline: "I Am an Op-Ed Columnist (And So Can You!)"—and informed the nation he has heard their cries for help.

"I know why you want me to run, and I hear your clamor...Nevertheless, I am not ready to announce yet—even though it's clear that the voters are desperate for a white, male, middle-aged, Jesus-trumpeting alternative."

"What do I offer? Hope for the common man. Because I am not the Anointed or the Inevitable. I am just an Average Joe like you—if you have a TV show."

Shampoo and Conditioner

I DETEST IT WHEN MY SHAMPOO AND CONDITIONER DON'T MATCH!

No matter how hard I try I can never use them equally, conditioner typically runs out first, then I have to go buy some other random conditioner to use until my shampoo runs out - which always seems to take longer than desired.


Every morning I get into my shower and I am reminded that I still haven't used up that bottle of shampoo. I am tempted to be wasteful, squirting much more than needed into the palm of my hand in an effort to make it go away so that I can go to the store, buy some matching shampoo and conditioner and start the process all over again.


Sometimes I catch Ryan using my shampoo - which typically would be irritating since his shampoo costs about .99 cents for a huge bottle and mine is...more than that - but in our case the more shampoo he uses the happier I am...


...UNLESS I have just purchased two fresh matching bottles and I catch him with the shampoo. Then I get mad that he is making them uneven.


I am really hard to live with.

Clarification through Definition

blogna sandwich: When employees spend their time reading or writing blogs during their lunch break.

ht: MMI

Around We Go

ht: Indexed

Reflections of my morning over a BLOGna sandwich

This morning I got up at 6am and went to the YMCA...

I know, I know... I don't want to be that person - but I can't figure out when to work out now that I started my new jobby job at Designvox. When I get home around 5:30pm I typically get some dinner started and who wants to work out with a belly full of chicken and rice??

This week has been an experiment. I decided Sunday night to start getting up every morning at 6:30am to work out before going to work. When the alarm rang - Ryan and I decided it was too dark to safely walk to my car (which was just a silly excuse to stay in bed) So, Tuesday I got up at 6:30am - threw on my shoes and clothes, drove to the Y, parked, walked in and put all my stuff in my locker - which gave me 18 minutes to work out before getting back in the car and going to work. NOT ENOUGH TIME TO BE SUCCESSFUL!

So Wednesday I decided (when the alarm rang at 6am) that I would try to go after work - since the morning thing didn't go so well the day before. When I got to the Y around 6pm it was PACKED! I had to wait in line for the weight machines! NOT SUCCESSFUL AGAIN!!

So, today at 6am I tried the morning thing again - but 30 minutes earlier. I did weights and the treadmill and made it to work about 15 minutes early. SUCCESS!! FINALLY!!

So that's the delimma... even though I was successful with my workout this morning I do not really want to start my official "adultish" sleeping patterns. Do I want to go to bed by 10 every night so that I can get up at 6? Do I want to start the habit of getting up before the sun? I don't think I do - but I don't know when else to work out! AHHhhhhh...

So, when do you work out?

Think About It

Innovate Sessions FOR FREE!!

This is good news for all of you that wished you could have been at INNOVATE but weren't able to make it this year. All of the sessions are available to watch FOR FREE!
Use these links...

Session 1 by Guy Kawasaki
Session 2 by Mark Beeson
Session 4 by Tim Stevens
Session 5 by Rob Wegner
Session 7a by Troy Gramling
Session 7b by Scott Hodge
Session 8 by Mark Beeson

Directory of all sessions here.

Lake Charlevoix

I know it's been a while since Labor Day, but I wanted to post some pictures from a little trip we took up to Joel's parents house in Boyne City. Joel & Sarah, Luke & Lindsey, and Ry & I had a GREAT couple of days swimming, boating, wake skating, eating BC pizza and hanging out with dear friends from HOPE COLLEGE.


Pictured Below: teacher, lawyer, and doctor.

I had never been to Boyne City in the summertime - only in the winter to ski. Lake Charlevoix is HUGE! It's got a rocky bottom, which makes the water incredibly clear. It was absolutely PERFECT weather the whole time we were there.
Such great friends! So much fun!

First Day @ DESIGNVOX

I am SOOOO PUMPED to be on the team at designvox! Last night I had this nightmare that the alarm didn't go off and when I woke up it was 9:07am and I was late for my first day on the job! ...luckily it was only a dream, and just goes to show you how excited I was to get started!

• The team is brilliant. I am amazed at how creative God is...because he created these creative geniuses in his image!
• The office environment is SWEET! My desk is right by this wall of windows, and the sun shines on me after 3pm...which I love!
• All the furniture is on wheels, so basically they can have a meeting anywhere and everyone just rolls on over.
• I'll be working closely with Amy & Mo, two INCREDIBLE women who are teaching me the ropes.

It's so crazy looking back over the last 8 weeks - seeing now that doors were opening and I was making relationships with the right people at the right time. I wish that I naturally trusted God more. Looking back its easy to see how He was taking better care of me than I ever could. I was so frustrated and worried about finding a job...How many times in my life will I have to learn this lesson before I just TRUST GOD and let HIM be in CONTROL. I have a long way to go.

"I have provision you know not of,

more than you could ask or imagine"

BRILLIANT!

Niagara Falls

On the drive back from New York we decided to spend the night in Niagara Falls, Ontario. one word - AWESOME!

The falls were unbelievable! It's no wonder the town has become such a tourist trap. Check out the rainbow in the mist!

I highly suggest putting "take a trip to Niagara Falls" on your "to-do list.

They gave us these snazzy blue rain ponchos before we boarded the "Maid of the Mist" boat. Earlier that morning I called the Maid of the Mist company to book our tour. The lady who answered the phone chuckled as she explained that the tours happen every 15 minutes and over 600 people fit on each boat...which is to say there is no need to schedule ahead of time.




We were SOAKED by the time we emerged from the base of the falls. I think the captain was having fun since this was the 2nd to last tour of the day.

We had a blast! I also highly suggest that when you visit the Falls, you go see the Falls Movie on IMAX. It tells the stories of the crazy daredevils who went over in barrells and lived! Some died...but other LIVED! Crazies!

Elk Mania

Soon to be hanging over the fireplace....

INTRODUCING...

CHRIS COX! Welcome to the blogosphere Chris! Your photography makes this planet a better place. I am so excited to see the world through your lens.

Granger's Media Player - NOW AVAILABLE

This is huge news! The Online Media Player is now available for churches to purchase. Check out Daryl McMullen's Blog for all the info!

Skaneateles, NY

We had a great day yesterday. It only took 11 hours to drive here from Grand Rapids...which was a tad longer than we had anticipated, but still a beautiful drive. We learned some things while driving through Canada.

1. Don't buy gas there if you can buy it in the US. You may think you're getting a deal when the sign says $.96 but then you remember that they sell by the liter! oops.



2. When buying lunch at Tim Horton's, don't pay with US dollars unless you want $20 bucks worth of Canadian change.



3. What's with all of the Golf Courses and Golf Resorts in Ontario?
   

After a really great service yesterday at Eastern Hills Bible Church we went to Skaneateles (one of Ryan's favorite hometowns) to walk around downtown and by the lake. The weather couldn't have been more perfect!We followed up with a glorious dinner at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que downtown Syracuse.

...yes, it is a Harley biker hang-out...with some really delicious ribs!