Funny story of the day:
Dave (my boss) called me laughing and said, "Ash, I have the funniest story. I'm just not sure if you're going to laugh or get very angry with me." Then he proceeded to tell me about his morning:
I was driving along, answering phone calls, taking care of business, doing my normal routine. Jon called me and I had to call him back because I was in the middle of other calls. So I took care of my other calls and completely forgot about Jon. I was just strolling down the highway, content and happy as a bug. I wasn't listening to the radio or anything, I was just in my own happy place, completely unaware of anything else I had to do. Then, I started laughing hysterically! And I said to myself, "Oh my gosh!! This is the happy place that Ashlee goes to!" [This is the point at which I started laughing hysterically.] I finally remembered and called Jon back and told him the whole story and he laughed and said, "Do you think that's a place Ashlee just goes, or do you think she lives there?" [More hysterical laughter on my part.]
He assured me that they weren't making fun of me, that they just love me so much and that's why they think it's funny. I told him I think it's great to be a person that's thought of as being generally happy in and of myself without any other influences. Naturally, I instinctively dismissed any thought of implications relating to my being slightly oblivious to the world around me or forgetful of what I'm doing. That was just Dave :)
And I'm off!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
From Port St. Lucie, FL
Dave sent me this picture today from his morning walk. He titled it "God's faithfulness" and commented on how the Bible says it's great. I think what he meant to call it is "Florida has the most awesome weather ever, and did I mention it's 65 all the time?!?" but of course that would have been too long a caption for one picture.
Can anyone say "road trip"???
Can anyone say "road trip"???
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Movie Review
[JSYK, this is my attempt at writing more posts. Quantity over quality this time around.]
Last night I saw the best movie I've seen in a very long time (PS I love you comes in a close second), and it is: 3:10 to Yuma. Excellent, excellent.
Sadly enough, I don't think this movie had enough advertising or enough publicity. I vaguely remember reading an article on cnn.com about Christian Bale and how he worked for months to prepare for this film out in Arizona, riding horses and working on his scruff. You feel me. Anyway, since most of my entries have been in list form, here are my reasons for loving this film:
1. It has my number one favorite thing to happen in a movie: The character changes! From the beginning to the end of the film, they are no longer the same. Consequently, I almost always despise movies where the main character has some serious flaws in the beginning and in the end is exactly the same. Probably why I will never really be able to appreciate Gone with the Wind. Sad.
2. Christian Bale. This morning as I was getting ready for work, I was replaying the film Newsies in my head and just making mental notes of why I appreciate him so much as an actor. His acting in this particular movie was wonderful - his voice sounded like someone else's, completely unrecognizable (and I have the authority to make this judgment because on Sunday night I watched Batman Begins, so I can remember his voice.)
3. Semi-historical/biographical nature. I also very much appreciate movies that are either based on a true story, or based on a period of time where real events happen, though this particular story may not have been true. It really made me think about what life must have been like for people in the 1800s, dealing with sickness without modern medicine, having the railroad going through their land, having cowboy gangs rule small towns, etc. My previous knowledge of this time period was probably based mostly on Tombstone ("Ash, your knowledge of history is based on movies?" Yes. This is why Rich is teaching my kids history.)
4. Almost made me cry. Not many movies can make me cry, it happens rarely. I did get all choked up in this one, though, and that's close enough. I think it was in the ending.
If you haven't seen it, see it! [That's an order from The General herself.]
Last night I saw the best movie I've seen in a very long time (PS I love you comes in a close second), and it is: 3:10 to Yuma. Excellent, excellent.
Sadly enough, I don't think this movie had enough advertising or enough publicity. I vaguely remember reading an article on cnn.com about Christian Bale and how he worked for months to prepare for this film out in Arizona, riding horses and working on his scruff. You feel me. Anyway, since most of my entries have been in list form, here are my reasons for loving this film:
1. It has my number one favorite thing to happen in a movie: The character changes! From the beginning to the end of the film, they are no longer the same. Consequently, I almost always despise movies where the main character has some serious flaws in the beginning and in the end is exactly the same. Probably why I will never really be able to appreciate Gone with the Wind. Sad.
2. Christian Bale. This morning as I was getting ready for work, I was replaying the film Newsies in my head and just making mental notes of why I appreciate him so much as an actor. His acting in this particular movie was wonderful - his voice sounded like someone else's, completely unrecognizable (and I have the authority to make this judgment because on Sunday night I watched Batman Begins, so I can remember his voice.)
3. Semi-historical/biographical nature. I also very much appreciate movies that are either based on a true story, or based on a period of time where real events happen, though this particular story may not have been true. It really made me think about what life must have been like for people in the 1800s, dealing with sickness without modern medicine, having the railroad going through their land, having cowboy gangs rule small towns, etc. My previous knowledge of this time period was probably based mostly on Tombstone ("Ash, your knowledge of history is based on movies?" Yes. This is why Rich is teaching my kids history.)
4. Almost made me cry. Not many movies can make me cry, it happens rarely. I did get all choked up in this one, though, and that's close enough. I think it was in the ending.
If you haven't seen it, see it! [That's an order from The General herself.]
Monday, January 14, 2008
A Year in Review
Recently I was reading in the book of John when Jesus fed the 5,000. The next day, the crowds of people came searching for Him again and he responded to them by saying, "I assure you, you have been searching for Me, not because you saw the signs and miracles but because you were fed with the loaves and were filled and satisfied." He goes on to tell them not to toil for the food that perishes, but to strive for the lasting food which endures unto eternal life.
This concept was very challenging to me, especially at the turn of the new year. I was struck at how often times in our lives God does incredible things - answers prayers, performs miracles on our behalf, changes all kinds of circumstances - and yet, his purpose in doing all of these things is not simply so that we can be "fed", so to speak. I believe that God's purpose in these everyday workings, big and small, is to cause us to believe on Him more than we do now, to entrust ourselves into his care in a greater and deeper way. John 6:29 "This is the work that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent."
So, going back to my point, I've been challenged to review and take an account of the great things that God did in the last year, 2007. It was an incredible year for me...
To start off, in the first week of January of 2007, God gave me a scripture to hold on to for the rest of the year: Luke 1:37, "For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment." Of course, I held on to this scripture for about a month and then promptly forgot it. Thankfully, God continued to do the impossible the rest of the year without my remembering his promise.
These are the "impossible" things which happened the rest of the year:
1. I purchased a home. Those of you in DC know the impossibility of this quest, especially for a single person. However, I held this dream out before the Lord, fully believing it was impossible and he came through! Of course, the circumstances didn't quite work out as I had envisioned - it was actually better than I could have imagined. Not only did I find a home that I liked and was at a reasonable price, but two incredible things happened: 1. I offered $18k less than the listing price and they accepted without any negotiations!, and 2. I had two people who were interested in investing in the Norfolk area actually put down cash on my home as an investment, thus saving me beaucoup amounts in interest and PMI! I could not have foreseen either of these things happening and it seemed like God just orchestrated it all for me. Talk about amazing.
2. I completed a triathlon. If you want to read the details, go to my first post (skip the one underneath this one, and it's next...hehe). Definitely an impossible. I actually didn't believe it was possible even on the day of the event. The whole time it seemed impossible, that's why I called that post "Doing the Impossible". There was never a point when I said to myself, "I think maybe I can do this!" No, never. It was always a mystery, that's what makes it so incredible to me that I actually finished.
3. I left DC. Now, this one is a littler harder to understand from the outside why exactly this would be impossible, so I will try to explain. In general, my personality lends itself well to adjusting to its surroundings. I normally can bend on most things in a disagreement and one of my weaknesses is that I tend to desire peace at all costs. The outcome of this is that unless a situation is extremely uncomfortable (as in, not tolerable in any way whatsoever, even for me), I won't change it. At least this was my attitude in the past. Of course, I'm always trying to be diligent about seeking God and changing behaviors in my life that don't line up to the Word. I'm more referring to big life changes, such as where you live, work, etc. An example of my past inclination would be when I stopped working at La Perla (the restaurant I worked at during college). When I think back about the kind of situations I put up with there, I'm amazed that I stayed as long as I did. God literally had to defeather the nest to an intolerable place such that I literally had an emotional breakdown at work before I realized it might be time to go. So, the amazing thing about leaving DC was simply that I did not want to leave. In every way, I loved life. I had a great church, my job was working out great, I had an incredible family and friends, and don't even get me started on the Lukie B. To leave a place of comfort required very clear communication from the Lord. After I arrived in Norfolk I suddenly realized what I did and I got so happy! I said, "God! I really do follow you no matter what! That's incredible!"
As I've reflected back about these three things and the real purpose that God had, I can see that 2007 was a year of teaching me to stand on my own two feet, just me and God. Being willing to walk away from everything comfortable to reach the goodness that God promised - that was it. And now I'm terribly excited about 2008. In every way it's a year of new beginnings. I don't have a new verse for the year yet, but in the last 2 weeks, I've already had things start changing. I look forward with great anticipation to the coming year!
What about you - what did God do for you in 07???
This concept was very challenging to me, especially at the turn of the new year. I was struck at how often times in our lives God does incredible things - answers prayers, performs miracles on our behalf, changes all kinds of circumstances - and yet, his purpose in doing all of these things is not simply so that we can be "fed", so to speak. I believe that God's purpose in these everyday workings, big and small, is to cause us to believe on Him more than we do now, to entrust ourselves into his care in a greater and deeper way. John 6:29 "This is the work that God asks of you: that you believe in the One Whom He has sent."
So, going back to my point, I've been challenged to review and take an account of the great things that God did in the last year, 2007. It was an incredible year for me...
To start off, in the first week of January of 2007, God gave me a scripture to hold on to for the rest of the year: Luke 1:37, "For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment." Of course, I held on to this scripture for about a month and then promptly forgot it. Thankfully, God continued to do the impossible the rest of the year without my remembering his promise.
These are the "impossible" things which happened the rest of the year:
1. I purchased a home. Those of you in DC know the impossibility of this quest, especially for a single person. However, I held this dream out before the Lord, fully believing it was impossible and he came through! Of course, the circumstances didn't quite work out as I had envisioned - it was actually better than I could have imagined. Not only did I find a home that I liked and was at a reasonable price, but two incredible things happened: 1. I offered $18k less than the listing price and they accepted without any negotiations!, and 2. I had two people who were interested in investing in the Norfolk area actually put down cash on my home as an investment, thus saving me beaucoup amounts in interest and PMI! I could not have foreseen either of these things happening and it seemed like God just orchestrated it all for me. Talk about amazing.
2. I completed a triathlon. If you want to read the details, go to my first post (skip the one underneath this one, and it's next...hehe). Definitely an impossible. I actually didn't believe it was possible even on the day of the event. The whole time it seemed impossible, that's why I called that post "Doing the Impossible". There was never a point when I said to myself, "I think maybe I can do this!" No, never. It was always a mystery, that's what makes it so incredible to me that I actually finished.
3. I left DC. Now, this one is a littler harder to understand from the outside why exactly this would be impossible, so I will try to explain. In general, my personality lends itself well to adjusting to its surroundings. I normally can bend on most things in a disagreement and one of my weaknesses is that I tend to desire peace at all costs. The outcome of this is that unless a situation is extremely uncomfortable (as in, not tolerable in any way whatsoever, even for me), I won't change it. At least this was my attitude in the past. Of course, I'm always trying to be diligent about seeking God and changing behaviors in my life that don't line up to the Word. I'm more referring to big life changes, such as where you live, work, etc. An example of my past inclination would be when I stopped working at La Perla (the restaurant I worked at during college). When I think back about the kind of situations I put up with there, I'm amazed that I stayed as long as I did. God literally had to defeather the nest to an intolerable place such that I literally had an emotional breakdown at work before I realized it might be time to go. So, the amazing thing about leaving DC was simply that I did not want to leave. In every way, I loved life. I had a great church, my job was working out great, I had an incredible family and friends, and don't even get me started on the Lukie B. To leave a place of comfort required very clear communication from the Lord. After I arrived in Norfolk I suddenly realized what I did and I got so happy! I said, "God! I really do follow you no matter what! That's incredible!"
As I've reflected back about these three things and the real purpose that God had, I can see that 2007 was a year of teaching me to stand on my own two feet, just me and God. Being willing to walk away from everything comfortable to reach the goodness that God promised - that was it. And now I'm terribly excited about 2008. In every way it's a year of new beginnings. I don't have a new verse for the year yet, but in the last 2 weeks, I've already had things start changing. I look forward with great anticipation to the coming year!
What about you - what did God do for you in 07???
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