Put it into practice...

I 'follow' the ELCA on twitter...well, I follow a lot of people/organizations on twitter, but who ever is in charge of tweeting on behalf of the ELCA will once in a while ask a really awesome 'think about it' question. This past Saturday the question was 'Do you remember your confirmation verse?' And I actually have a really interesting 'relationship' with my confirmation verse.

When it was given to 15 year-old me at my confirmation, I was like 'sure, this verse is, like, cool and stuff'. Then I tucked it away in my Bible and didn't really give it much thought. I'd revisit it from time to time, but it didn't really click what my verse was about. The meaning of the verse was fairly clear, but I didn't understand why my pastor had picked this verse for me. I didn't get it.

In fact, I didn't 'get' why my pastor chose this verse for me until about 2 years ago.

The verse is Philippians 4:9 "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me--put it into practice and the God of Peace will be with you". The entire book of Philippians is a letter from the Apostle Paul to the church in Philippi, and in the fourth chapter (the last chapter) Paul is leaving the Philippians with some final instructions and encouragement. With this particular verse, Paul is encouraging the recipients of the letter to follow in his example of ministry and spread the word of Christ to the community.

Now there's some back ground on the verse, here is some background on 15-year-old me and why she didn't think this verse particularly applied to her:

When I was 15 I was toying with the idea of being an interior designer when I grew up. And while I knew I was still going to go to church and 'all that stuff' I didn't really see myself going out into the community to talk to people about Jesus...well, not intentionally, anyway.

Then about four years later, I decided to declare as a religion major in college. I came home from college for the summer and was asked to help with the 7-12th grade class for vacation Bible school at my home church. The next winter, I was asked to come along as a chaperone for the winter retreat. I talked to my youth director. I talked to the current youth director. I talked to my pastor. I talked to my parents. I talked to them about the possibility of going into youth ministry. These two small fortes into being a youth leader sparked a fire. Working as a camp counselor fanned the flame, and all this time, my confirmation verse stayed tucked away in my Bible and tucked way away in the back of my head.

After graduating and devoting one last summer to ECP, I made several attempts to be a youth director in the 'real world'. I got a bunch of 'no's which was incredibly discouraging. Maybe I wasn't supposed to be in youth ministry after all. Then my mom told me the story about how I used to teach Sunday school to my stuffed animals. After nearly a year of 'we're looking for someone with more experience', I approached my pastor and the current youth director at the church and asked if I could do some sort of 'internship' at the church in order to gain the 'experience' that I lacked. I got the 'job'. And my own office!! As I was getting my new office all set up, I decided the bevy of Bibles I have would look good on the shelves, and as I was placing my 'Teen Study Bible' up on the shelf, I decided to thumb through it. I found the slip of paper with Philippians 4:9 typed on it that I had received at my confirmation.

I was taking the things that I had learned and I was putting them into practice. This verse that was 'cool and stuff' may not have applied to 15-year-old me, but youth director me has discovered a whole new side to this verse that makes me wonder if my pastor knew something back then that I didn't...

To dance again

Tonight I got to go to a high school dance recital. I love when my students invite me to their events...but I have a special place in my heart for dance recitals. They really make me miss my dancer days. True, some of the beginning classes were painful to watch (a lot of 'hamburger hands'), and some of the student choreography was pretty awkward as well (but who am I to judge self expression?) but I saw that stage and wanted nothing more than to lace up my pointe shoes and tour jete on up there with the rest of 'em.

Aside from the fact that it would be painfully awkward for all parties involved, I doubt I can even do it anymore. It's been almost 7 years since I've donned a tutu and stepped into the spot light, and I know I sound like a broken record, but I really miss it. I miss the freedom I felt when I danced. I miss how graceful I felt when I danced. I miss the absolute high I felt while en pointe and executing a pirouette. I miss being on a stage. I miss being back stage. I miss dressing rooms, and stage make-up and costumes and tights and glitter...

Too much, too fast...

Anyone who knows me is all too familiar with my aversion to change. I'm Lutheran, I'm German (ish) and I am stubborn. I like things the way they are and if it's not broke don't fix it!

Today, the weather changed. Yesterday was winter, today was spring. It was too warm for January and I didn't like it. It's winter. It's supposed to be cold.

Today, Facebook changed. There was nothing wrong with the old profile (in fact there was nothing wrong with the old profile seven old profiles ago). I don't like the new one. It's lame. I miss the old one.

Today, my astrological sign changed. I've never bought in to the whole astrology thing. I mean, sometimes it's fun to read the horoscopes at the end of the day to see how wrong they were. But there is something to be said for the fact that I am (or was until they discovered this 'new sign') a Taurus. Aside from the fact that Taurus is a bull and bulls are stubborn, my sign means very little to me, but just for kicks I looked up on line what the traits of a Taurus were and the first thing that came up was "Change-Avoidant and Stubborn" well...okay, that's true.."Decadent and Self-Indulgent"...guilty...and finally "A Talent for Arts and Crafts" and it just got weird.

I lost where I was going with this, because it's getting to be past my bedtime, but in short...change is bad.

and all the little ants go marching...

I have a problem.
An ant problem.
And don't like it.
When I first discovered ants in my bathroom (random place for ants) I attacked them with a stream of hairspray. Mostly because its was 10:30 at night and that was the only thing I had at my disposal. Not only did it kill the ants, but it also sealed them to my floor a little bit and made my bathroom floor all sticky. So the next day I mopped my bathroom floor with bleach-water and the ants still didn't go away. So I bought ant traps, and now the ants are just mocking me. They are treating the trap like it's a little ant-sized Starbucks. They are just chilling out in and around it. They go in, they come out, they bring their friends...and it's driving me CRAZY!
Last night at dinner, a friend of mine inadvertently gave me a brilliant idea. She had mentioned seeing an anteater at the zoo...so I thought that maybe getting an anteater for my apartment would help me with my problem...but, ever the voice of reason, she reminded me having an anteater in my bathroom would just cause and bigger and stranger infestation. How would I then get rid of the anteaters? Is there such a thing as an anteater eater? And what is the difference between an anteater and an aardvark? Why is aardvark such a funny word?
Yes, an anteater would cause a much bigger conundrum then a bunch of little, tiny, ants.

I might invest in a can of Raid, though...

Shallow Boy!

I am so grateful for my DVR!! For one, SNL comes on way past my bedtime...but I still get to watch it through the magic of technology.

But also, because Boy Meets World comes on before my wake-time (slash during my getting ready time).

There is so much awesome about this show that I don't even know where to start. I'm pretty sure I will always have soft spot for Cory Matthews and my heart still breaks every time he and Topanga break-up. But, I think my first love was Eric "maladjusted woman hating loser-freak" Matthews: in the early seasons...y'know...before he got dumb and fat.

I just love coming home for lunch and taking a trip back to the 90s to revisit one of the awesomest shows from my childhood...

My favorite episode was on today!!

This is the best part:

Just another story caught up in another photograph I found

During crazy Christmas family extravaganza of 2010, the grown-ups decided to pull out a box of old pictures...which was so much fun.
Aside from a bunch of pictures of some really stern looking German people, (which my mom has been able to trace back to the mid 1800's), there were baby pictures of my mom and my uncles, photos that gave me insight to what my mom's life was like as a teenager (there were lots of sheep), and some precious shots of us cousins with the g'parents from way back in the diaper days!
I love sorting through old pictures, and I'm afraid that my generation has gotten so digital that my grandkids aren't going to have anything to sort through. 50 years from now when I have my own crazy family Christmas gatherings, they're just going to sit in front of my computer and click through thousands pictures. Plus, I'm not really sure that I want my grandkids to see all my pictures...
I love my digital camera and its convenience. No film + immediate results means I can take several versions of the same picture until I get the exact one I want, it's great!! But I think that there is something to be said of using an old 35mm (or whatever). Film definitely limits the amount of pictures you can take, but I think it also allows you to be more selective in your photography. For instance, do I really need to take 20 pictures of Sleeping Beauty's castle EVERY TIME I GO TO DISNEYLAND?? Probably not...
I'm sure with film cameras, there were quite a few moments missed, but there were also some significant moments captured.
I had my mom make some copies for me of a few pictures of my grandparents, and they are just so classic

This my grandparents leaving for their honeymoon, something about this picture reminds me of a couple of old fashioned movie stars being caught my the paparazzi!

And here's my grandpa!
When we were going through pictures and I commented about how handsome my grandpa was...my gramma's reply was "yeah he was"...oh, Gramma

Recipe for Disaster

Along with being less of a stay-at-home loser, for 2011 I am also going to attempt to enjoy cooking. I can cook; I mean I can read and follow a recipe and all. I'm a pretty decent baker, and I really enjoy doing that...but cooking just never really clicked with me, but I am vowing to give it a chance.
So far this year I have tried 2 new recipes, I made a really tasty mac & cheese in my slow cooker which lasted me two dinners and two lunches. Tonight I tried to make these chicken tenders. They were supposed to a health, grown up alternative to chicken fingers. I covered chicken breast cutlets with PanKo bread crumbs, onion soup mix and crushed Ritz crackers and then baked them in the oven. They were gross.
I hate when I cook something gross for many reasons. 1) I put the work into it; 2) I don't get dinner; 3) I hate wasting food; and 4) I hate wasting my money. I was really disappointed, and I think this is one of the reasons I'm so soured on cooking. The results are so unpredictable. If you are trying a new recipe, it's hard to know what to expect. It's so hit and miss.
With baking a cookie is a cookie. Also, I can make peanut butter cookies or brownies or cupcakes as many times and I don't get sick of them, but I can only stand enchiladas so many days in a row without going crazy.
I'm still going to try to enjoy cooking more often, and maybe try a different cookbook as well...
Here's hoping!

10...9...8...7...6...5...

4...3...2...1.
As glad as I am that I am starting this year with clean clothes, I hope I have something better to do next New Years' Eve than my laundry...
I hate making New Year's Resolutions because I never keep them. I should work out more, stress out less, blah blah blah…
I did make some last year because it was part of a party game. I didn't want to go too personal with my resolutions because who wants to resolve to be 'less single' in front of a roomful of people, especially a room that included my ex-boyfriend and his wife (who, btw resolved to have a baby in 2010…awk)
I have kept all the resolutions I made last year, I went to Disneyland (4 times, actually); I found an apartment; and I made it to 2011.
This year I need to make more friends, try not to be so much of a homebody, and have someone to kiss when I ring in 2012 (or at least not to spend next NYE alone, blogging in my sweat pants watching Carson Daly's schpiel on NBC)

Here's to hoping 2011 is less lonely than 2010...