Millie Pup Comes Home

Well, it's been a long while since I've posted. I'll chalk that up to working and finishing a Master's degree.  But.....in all that craziness, one of the happiest things of my whole life has happened.  If you know me even a tiny little bit, you know that I have a deep and long lasting love for the canine species.  As a little girl, I barked during my first dance recital, wrote every single creative writing assignment from kindergarten through second grade about a dog, got my family to play 101 Dalmatians with me approximately 9 times a week, you get the idea.  When we got our sweet Holly dog growing up, dreams came true.  And when I went off to college, I was ready for one of my own, but not really. [Spoiler Alert: Dogs are a lot of work and responsibility, and I needed to wait.]  So, for years, I mean YEARS, I have waited patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) for the right time for me to get a pup of my own.  And then for the right pup to come along.  Here is the story of Millie.

I decided earlier in the year that I would get a puppy at the conclusion of my graduate degree.  So, I began looking diligently on adoptapet.com.  And then I found her. THE dog.  There was this little 4 month old cavapoo puppy [Cavalier King Charles Spaniel + Poodle] that needed a home.  She had been at a pet store, but hadn't been taken care of.  She got sick and rather than taking her to the vet, they were going to just put her to sleep.  East Coast Humane Society heard about this and rescued her.  When I found her online, she had only been in the shelter about half a day - so I applied quickly and was accepted to adopt!  She had to stay at the shelter nearly a month before she was healthy enough to come home.  She had several parasites, Kennel Cough, and infected eyes that would require surgery.  Once she was better, she was transported to Chattanooga where Jordan and I went to pick her up.  It was one of the most joyous things I have experienced.

She was placed in my arms by a very kind man who said, "I believe she belongs to you."  And that was it.  We were officially a pair.  She took to Jordan and me pretty quickly, although she was a little scared and visibly exhausted.  The whole car ride home she took some time warming up to us.  The sweetest moment came when I crawled into the backseat to ride with her.  And she came to sit right beside me, putting her furry paw up on my leg.  And it was in that tiny moment, halfway back to Knoxville, that we both knew we were the right match.

Millie pup has settled in so nicely at home.  And we've gotten to know each other pretty well.  She loves downtown and her fox toy and helping me make my bed (please view the images below).  Oh, and she is basically the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life.  She really is so good.  And she loves people.  She is like a furry little bundle of joy.

So, Millie is the pup I've waited ages for and she's here.  And I think she is pretty happy I'm her person.  

High Five for Friday

I haven't done a High Five for Friday, so in honor of an incredibly great week, here it is.

1.  Saw the guy's acappella group, VOLume, perform in ICCA South's competition last weekend.  They NAILED IT. And placed third in their first ever competition - I mean, it's no big deal.

2.  Snowpocalyse hit scruffy little Knoxville this week.  Possibly the most snow I've seen since the infamous Blizzard of '93.  Trust me, I didn't hate it. Not one bit.

3.  Had an impromptu date night with my main dude at our first date spot.  And they brought me a macaroon with a heart on it. Coincidence?  I think not.

4.  GOT MY CALLIGRAPHY KIT IN THE MAIL AND WROTE MY FIRST NOTE.  I was kinda excited about it.

5.  Allow me to brag on Jordan Cross here for a minute.  Upon driving back into Knoxville early Sunday morning on 3 hours of sleep, he brought coffee to me at church because he thought I might be tired.  Let me say that again. [[He thought I might be tired.]] Not sure how I was blessed enough to have this guy ask me on a date a while back, but I sure am he did.

new years.

So, it's January 30th and I'm just now getting around to posting about my New Year's Resolutions.  Why? Because I wanted to see if I actually stuck with them. It hasn't been perfect, but hey - perfect seems pretty boring to me. So, without further ado...my 14 resolutions for 2014.

1. Don't give up on resolutions. I think this one is pretty obvious.  But I am the queen of giving up by January 3rd because I missed a day. Not happening this year.

2. Get healthy. This is not a goal about a magic number on a scale and that makes my heart sing.  This is about lifestyle choices - being active, eating well, learning to cook. So far, so good. Also, Trader Joe's is a gift from above.

3. Tidy up. This has made my life significantly simpler.  At the end of each day, I take about 10 minutes to do things around my apartment that need to be done - folding clothes, organizing my desk, putting away the dishes. Some nights are more effective than others, but I have avoided "cleaning parties" by doing things a little bit at a time.

4. Get fit. Once again, not about weight loss.  Growing up, I danced multiple hours a day just about every day of the week.  I have lost flexibility and stamina and I'm working to get those things back.

5. Don't snooze.  This is the least successful goal so far.  I have a terrible habit of snoozing in the morning.  We're talking SERIOUS separation anxiety with my bed.  I'm gonna get over it...one day...maybe.

6. Make my bed.  I love a clean room.  And a made bed is a large part of that.  I've been pretty diligent about making my bed in the morning and it has made a huge difference.  Such a simple change!

7. Hydrate.  Drink. More. Water. Period. End of story.

8. Read.  Read a book a month. A little behind on my January reading, but I'll catch up!  More to come on my reading list.

9. Be intentional.  I have a lot of dear friends and family who do not live in good ol' Knoxville.  I want to be better about having phone conversations, writing notes, and going on coffee dates. Who doesn't love a resolution that is all about words?

10. Travel.  I just want to go places. This year, I'm traveling to the Big Apple.  It is happening - 100%.

11. Finish projects.  I am the queen of starting something and never getting about to finishing it. So, watch out Pinterest. I'm coming for ya.

12. Be still.  I have not done a great job the last little while about having quiet time.  I want to listen to what God is telling me, but I am terrible about being silent.  I'm looking forward to setting aside time to be in The Word and just be still.

13. Learn calligraphy.  I think calligraphy is a beautiful art and a skill that will be such a fun one to acquire.  I have ordered a "calligraphy how-to" kit and am so excited to write beautiful notes and letters.

14. GET A PUPPY. I can hardly bear how excited I am about this goal.  But come June, there will be a new member of 449 and I could not be more thrilled.  I'll be rescuing and am so excited about what this new adventure has in store!  Until then, you can find me googling all things puppy until the wee small hours of the morning.  How glorious!

rain.

I've written about rain before. I'll write about rain again. Today, I write about grace.

You see, I'm thankful for rain because storm clouds make for cozy days, full of flannel and grilled cheeses and favorite movies.  I'm thankful for rain because my childhood memories are flooded with summer showers on a porch swing or evenings chasing puddles in my drive way.  I'm thankful for rain because it makes the whole world slow down a little bit.  And because I have a really cute umbrella.

But more than that, I am blessed by the rain.  Because rain reminds me of a God of grace.  A God who knows what His earth and His people need.  A God who knows how I love the rain and uses that to display His constant pursuit of my heart.

Amidst a long string of days that have felt dark, cold, ugly, and dry, I greet this rain like a child whose parents have come home from a long trip - with arms reaching only up…clinging to the familiarity, yet resounding mystery,  of unconditional love.

And I sing the words of that hymn that speak so clearly to my soul:
"O to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be.
Let Thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it!  Prone to leave the God I love.
Here's my heart, O, take and seal it, seal it for Thy courts above."

This rain. It is good. And it feels like it was sent just for me.

fallin' for f a l l

There are few things I love in the world more than fall.  And there are few places where fall is more stuffing than the mountains of East Tennessee.  On mornings like this, when the air is crisp and chilly, I look forward to the season to come (Christmas is 37 days away. When did that happen??) and I look back at autumn and smile.  Because the colors and the football and the pumpkins and the scarves and the sunsets and the rainstorms are wonderful.  And I'm exceptionally grateful for living in this place - where my mountains take my breath away and there is nothing quite like looking at the stars on a clear, cool night.

I know I'm rambling and might not be making much sense, but fall can do that to a person.  I get so caught up in how splendid things can be that I'm not even certain that my thoughts are coherent.  But, I don't mind being joyfully jumbled - because this life is certainly a beautiful thing.

Oh Jesus

If you haven't had the chance to listen to Jon McLaughlin's new album "Holding My Breath" I highly encourage you to change that.  Some of his best work yet.  You can listen to it all on Spotify - check it out.

One song that has spoken to me is called "Oh Jesus." It is hauntingly honest and it's simplicity makes it one of the most beautiful songs I've heard on a pop album in a long time.  It is human - it reflects some of my own insecurities and doubts and fears and questions.  But, the true beauty of this song is found in it's chorus "Oh, come what may...I will thank God for you."  Oh, that I might have that type of faith - to thank God for Jesus, no matter what my life might hold.

Oh Jesus, can you hear me know?

Oh Jesus, I'm just wondering how I'm doing...

Am I proving worth all the time you spent?

Oh Jesus, I know you're there.

Oh Jesus, have you decided where I'm going?

You know, I was hoping to be with you in the end.

And oh, come what may, through the black and blue

I will thank God for you.

Jesus, I am so confused

Oh Jesus, have you seen the news?

Tell me please, help me see the way it all really works.

Oh Jesus, we yell so loud.

Oh Jesus, and your name rolls out our mouths like fools,

Tell me, do you we help or do we hurt?

And oh, come what may, through the black and blue

I will thank God for you.

Jesus, have your scars healed?

Oh Jesus, can you still feel that cross? And the friends you lost?

And do you ever want to take it back?

Oh Jesus, yeah I know,

Oh Jesus, that I owe you so much more than I can give,

but this life I live you can have.

And oh, come what may, through the black and blue

I will thank God for you.

Cause I am because of Jesus.

teenagers.

I read this blog today (a friend had posted it on Facebook) about parenting teenagers and it got me thinking.  I am certainly not a mother, although I hope to be one day.  But I do have the distinct privilege of working with teenagers on a regular basis.  And here is the deal folks - teenagers are remarkable.

My mom has always said that children are influenced by the power of suggestion - if you tell them they will change upon midnight of their thirteenth year, they just might prove you right.  But I can tell you with sincere confidence, there is much more good in our high school students than bad.  They face different obstacles than any generation before them, are constantly bombarded by various forms of media, and experience tremendous pressure on a daily basis.  But what I see is not the "monster-like" stereotype that seems to be broadcast among the adults of our culture.  The youth I spend time with love one another, encourage one another, and lift each other up.

Allow me to give you an example.  In the youth band at Church Street UMC, we have started a tradition at the end of each rehearsal called "Peaks and Pits."  Each individual shares their high and low point of the week.  The students have become increasingly invested in each others lives - asking from week to week about the things they have shared.  One student had a rough start to her year - new school, moved houses, lots of change.  One week she said, "Well, I don't think I have a pit...it's actually been a really good week!"  The joy that the other kids had for her took my breath away. They were genuinely thrilled that she had turned the corner in her school year, and it brought tears to my eyes.

Why am I sharing this, you ask?  Because I am on their side.  They are not perfect.  They mess up.  They can be unreasonable and impulsive and unfocused and emotional and stubborn.  But they are also kind and generous and wise and strong and funny and determined and beautiful and good.  We shower them with recitations of 2 Timothy 4:12 - "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young..." but do we forget that this passage might be meant for us too?  A reminder that they are more than capable, that they are a force to be reckoned with, and we shouldn't discount who they are.

The youth I know show me the love of Christ all the time, and most of the time, they don't even know it.  So, here's to our teenagers - the ones with braces and learner's permits and growth spurts and questions and big dreams.  Let us love them well, because they deserve it, and so much more.