An Ode to Comic Sans Ms

This is an ode to Comic Sans Ms.

It has got to be the coolest font out there. At least, in my humble opinion.

If it were up to me the whole world would be written in Comic Sans Ms.

Okay, so I'm exaggerating ... just a *little*.

But I really do dig Comic Sans Ms. It's a great font.

Sadly, though, not everyone agrees:

My graphics friends across the room would beg to differ.

My blog does not come in Comic Sans Ms.

Most of my teachers in college preferred the rather plain, albeit functional, Times New Roman.

But I actually had one teacher, for feature writing, who ASKED us to turn in all our stories in Comic Sans Ms. No joke.

I loved that. Maybe that was when my love for the illustrious font first began.

Okay, now that I thoroughly enlightened everyone on the glories of Comic Sans Ms, I really must move on to, uh, bigger and grander things.

Like freshening up a bit and running by Customer Appreciation Day at one of my favorite stores. Ah, yes, I can taste those mouth-watering chicken skewers already.

Today started out pretty funny ...

I was replying to our missions coordinator, who asked me about some missionaries a donor was interested in providing bicycles for. I was describing how desperately they needed bikes, as they travel three to a bike (yikes!) for outreach, along with their outreach materials I'm sure. I was like, "Three people to nine bikes!"

Hmmm ... I think I got my numbers just a little mixed up. I had a hearty laugh when I realized my mistake, as did my co-workers sitting around me when I told them. :oD

In keeping with that incident, it's been a good, light-hearted day. At the same time, as I was telling someone earlier, I am wanting to learn to focus on the Lord equally in the good times as well as the bad. Sometimes I think it's easier to focus on Him in the hard times than in the good ... but I want to focus on Him the same for both.

Well, I'm off to give a co-worker a ride home and then I'm thinking to go to the mid-week service at CC Plano. (YAY!) See you all.

I am a little sunburned.

But I think it was for a good cause.

You haven't really lived until you've done the sack races at a church picnic. It had been a reaaaallly long since I'd been in a sack race, and it was fun. I also grabbed a partner for the three-legged race. I didn't, however, enter the hog calling contest. :-)

How am I doing in general? I feel like the Lord has been continuing the lessons He's been teaching me throughout this year, about finding my sufficiency in HIM. And it's emotionally draining at times because He in His infinite wisdom allows me to go through hard things that I don't completely understand, yet by faith I am thankful for what He is teaching me. Such lessons often can only be learned in the fire.

Caty, going to lunch with you was definitely a bright spot in my day. BTW, I went and read your coffee entry on your blog. Nice!

It's been a pretty good day so far.

Slept in (of course!!!), talked on the phone for a while with a good friend from SC, used a store credit I've been meaning to use for a while. :oD

A little later I'm getting together with a friend, and I also hope to fit in a nice, long walk at the nature preserve and bake my cookies, too.

I like Saturdays.

"...we are not as strong as we think we are. We are frail, we are fearfully and wonderfully made/ Forged in the fires of human passion/Choking on the fumes of selfish rage/And with these our hells and our heavens so few inches apart/We must be awfully small/ And not as strong as we think we are."

Some of the words from this Rich Mullins song have been echoing in my head. How fragile we human beings can be. To be having an incredible week, filled with Christ's presence and feeling that nothing on this earth can faze me, to the next moment be wondering (at least, emotionally, even if I never doubt objectively) about His provision, His care.

Just because of a couple of things that, while not fun to go through at the moment, probably are not only being blown a little bit out of proportion, but also are not terribly significant in the big scheme of things. Crazyness.

Thinking back over this year so far, though, I'm incredibly encouraged. It has been rich with experience already. Some awesome times, some not so awesome, but definitely God has been doing a really deep work in my life. Teaching me those precious lessons that can only be learned in the fire. And for this, I am so grateful.

[And, a co-worker came by just now and entertained some of us with his Lawrence Welk impressions. That provided some awesome comic relief ... and, hmmmm, do I sense another great act for our next GFA talent show? :oD]

As Christians, isn't it wonderful to know that our joy is not predicated on our circumstances?

Last night Shelley, Cherie and I went to the mall and had supper together in the food court. It was truly a fun "weeknight getaway", and we each found some cute stuff on clearance. :o)

Today I was tested in something. It wasn't exactly the most fun, but I was been super encouraged to realize that something that would have been disappointing in the past really just kind of faded away as I sat back and remembered that my significance, security and worth are in the Lord, and not based on anything on this earth. Wow ... God is so good.

On another note, earlier this week our supervisor called a couple of us in to his office to let us know we wouldn't be going to EPA Convention this weekend in Orlando after all, as per a leadership decision that we should send fewer people. I totally understand, and there's always other years to go, and I'm happy that now I can make it to church and our church picnic on Sunday.

I am planning to make a big batch of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for the occasion. :oD

I've been thinking ...

All of our joys, struggles, dreams, disappointments, hopes, tears, laughter, friends, relatives, hobbies, marriage, vocation, family, church, mountain tops, and valleys ...

For most of us living on planet earth, ALL of these things are an intregal part of our daily lives, or one day will be. And while each of these things are very important and meaningful, and not in any way to be taken lightly, they are also not "ends" in themselves, for this world is not our final home. Each of these things are a glorious backdrop our Savior uses to draw us closer to Him and conform us ever more into His image during this lifetime, until that appointed time when, because of His mercy and grace, we will join Him in heaven for all eternity.

I want to come back to this often. I tend to want to savor each moment in life and live it to its fullest. And I think there's nothing wrong with that, and life in itself is a gift God has given us; I just want to also keep "the end" (or beginning!) in sight and remember what it's all about.

5:00 P.M. My friend Shelley comes by my desk for one of her usual visits, and hands me a small box of four Whitman's chocolates. "Thought it was about time for a snack," she tells me. I think back to earlier today ... and realize this is a total "God thing".

Shelley knows I like chocolate. What she doesn't know is that today during lunch break I went to the nature preserve and walked for a bit ... It was a nice time with the Lord, and very peaceful ... it also meant that about the time she came by my desk, I was probably ready for a snack.

I LOVE when God does that.

It's gorgeous outside.

I just got back, because after church I went to a family's house for lunch. It was nice! Then I went with some others from the church for outreach at an assisted living facility in the area. I asked about it and expressed an interest, so I got drafted! [Don't worry, though, I didn't mind. :o)]

Now I'm not sure what I'm going to do ... a group of friends from the ministry are playing soccer but they started at 4, so ... :c) I may go and take a walk at the nature preserve like I did yesterday. That was really nice.

This morning in church, the pastor talked about how all the problems and struggles we face in this life are greater symptoms, ultimately, of the infinitely greater problem of a broken relationship with God. It reminded me of how we were made for eternity, not for this life. We will always have struggles and problems in this life, to a degree.

It can be so very easy to forget we were crafted for eternity ... and that this life is, really, so very short ... because we are surrounded with, bombarded by, the "here and now."

Gotta love Fridays. :o)

It was a good day.

I went to Qdoba Mexican Grill for lunch with Cindi, a friend and co-worker. We had never been, but both give it a "thumbs up." Very reasonable, good food, enough leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. :o) We had a nice time catching up.

Tonight I caught up with my friend and former roommie, Tirina, over pizza and Dutch cookies. :o) We prayed together, watched one episode of this interesting fashion show, and watched the movie Rat Race! Then I was sleepy all of a sudden. But we had a nice time together.

Right after work today, I got my hair cut. As the lady gets ready to style it, she suddenly blurts out rather animatedly, in her cute El Salvador accent, "The flat iron is going to be your new best friend." [My hair is naturally wavy, and she decided to use a flat iron to straighten it tonight. I took pictures to document the event, as my hair will likely never be that straight again. :oD] I let out a hearty laugh, for she and I both know, or at least she should know, that:
A) I hardly even know what a flat iron is; I *barely* know what a curling iron is. LOL.
B) I like to stick to the basics and keep it very simple ... my hair "routine" pretty much consists of washing it, brushing it, and maybe putting it back in a barrette or ponytail holder. Oh yeah, and blowdrying it if I've washed it right before I need to be somewhere. :c)
C) Most of the time, I don't really even wear make-up. Sometimes I do put on lip gloss and mascara.

Still, it was kind of fun watching her try, as she proceeded to tell me all about the "how-to's" of using a flat-iron and where to buy one.

"... if Christ is raised, and if trusting him means that I will be raised with him, then this life is just a brief prelude to eternal life with Christ and ever-increasing joy with him. And if that is true, then Paul is no fool. His life of radical, risk-taking, sacrificial love is not to be pitied. Pity not them that rise with Christ. Without the resurrection we tend to want our pleasures here and now, and so we avoid risk and danger and difficulty and pain and discomfort and frustration; and so our love is tame and bland and weak and cautious and timid. But, Jesus says, if you believe that your joy in the resurrection will make up for a thousand losses and self-denials and sacrifices and dangers and risks here for the sake of love, then you will love people without a view to what you can get out of it here. It will be sustained by the joy set before you (see Hebrews 12:2). And that will be the kind of love that we all dream about from time to time."
--Jon Piper

I heartily agree with Jon Piper, that "this is the kind of love that we all dream about from time to time." But are we willing to make the sacrifices to have that kind of love?

I have been thinking lately. About how what I may want (or THINK I want) for me is not always--even often not--what GOD wants for me. I may get distracted by the "here and now," but He is always thinking about what will be best for me in the LONG run ... what will build my character. God is far more concerned with our character than our comfort. I heard that a retreat a few years ago, and it's really stuck with me. I find it very comforting when I go through difficult times.

I think about how there were certain things I wished for in college. God in His infinite wisdom didn't grant them to me, although I wanted them so badly. But if I had gotten what I wished for, the whole course of my life would have changed, and I probably wouldn't have come out here to Texas and had the privilege to serve Him here. That's not to say I wouldn't be growing as a Christian still, and all that ... but my life would have definitely been different than it is now.

By coming here to serve at GFA, there have definitely been, by default, things I've had to give up. And it hasn't been easy. There are things at times that don't make sense to me, and that I don't understand. But at the same time, from a kingdom perspective, I don't think there's any better place I could be in this lifetime ... having the opportunity to labor for eternity through my "9 to 5ish" job. What a privilege. And, too, the other day I was sitting around, thinking, "Wow, I actually ENJOY my job." How many people can say that about their vocation?

Last night I went over to Denton to hang out and eat great fajitas with other young people from the church. We all laughed really hard, and I think a good time was had by all. :o)

One of the guys entertained us with the story of his stolen stuffed monkey with orange hair. I found it absolutely hilarious that his friend actually filed a police report for a stolen stuffed monkey. :oD

My SEND! articles both came together today -- yay! That's always pretty exciting. :o) It was almost two in the afternoon before I handed them in and took a break for lunch, but I totally didn't mind becuase late lunches make the afternoon go by so fast. In celebration, I went and ate at the Willow Bend Mall (Chick-fila) and worked on Philippians. :o) I can't wait to have all four chapters memorized. I'm still working on finishing up Chapter One right now.

It's got to be one of my favorite books of the Bible.

Today our "newcomers" class at church was canceled, so I sat in on the main Sunday school class. The pastor was talking about worship, and how they are so much wanting to gear things in such a way to where people experience Jesus as their everything.

This is so much what I desire in my own life. That He be my biggest, all-consuming passion. It is wonderful to be in His presence, spending time with Him, and that's something I need to do much more!

It was fun; after church, I got two lunch invites and one supper invite for tomorrow! Today I ate with Dennis and Dawn's family, along with several others. We had pot roast, carrots and potatoes. Yum! It was a nice time. I love that I'm already getting to know people at my new church. I already felt this was the church for me, even before I really knew anybody, so it's an added bonus that I've already gotten to meet and talk to so many people there.

I took an hour nap this afternoon, chatted with my mom, and knew I needed to buckle down and work on my SEND! articles, with the deadline close approaching. But I felt I should have time with the Lord first, as He needs to be my inspiration so I can write His words. So ... I felt like He wanted me to read in Exodus. I didn't necessarily have a strong desire to read there today, so I was like, "Are you sure, Lord? Did I hear you right?"

Anyhow, God is SO awesome. I started reading in Exodus and could hardly put it down. Six chapters later, I finally was like, "Okay, I've GOT to start working on my articles." The awesome thing was that reading about the Egyptians and their slavery totally parallels the article I was planning to work on tonight, about our outreach to the Dalits who are in a sense enslaved as the "lowest of the low" in their society.

And the really cool thing? I was reading about Moses, and thinking, Whoa. He got to be a part of liberating the Israelites; how exciting for him! Then I remembered, Wow, I'm getting to reach out to the Dalit people and see THEM experience freedom in Christ. Incredible -- what a privilege.

God is so good.

It's Friday.

This week has gone by so fast. I'm about to go home and make a recipe in the crockpot, then get out for a little bit. :o)

Last night I found some really cute paper lanterns at Old Navy. They were 3 for $10, which seemed like a good deal. So I got three.

Tonight I'm going to get some batteries for them at Wal-mart, and some twine. I can't wait to see them all lit up! :oD

Tomorrow I'm meeting up with other young people on staff for volleyball/frisbee/cookout. That should be fun! I'm hoping I can play volleyball without my feet really hurting, since it's not a lot of running around like soccer would be. ;o) Earlier tomorrow afternoon, a few gals are coming over to see me and us go swimming at the complex! Not sure who all is coming; Maddie's getting a group together.

Then this Sunday is church. I can't wait! I like my new church so much.

Well I had better get home and start my crockpot recipe before the night takes a life of its own.

I took the first part of the day off to run errands, which kind of made the afternoon go by fast. I'm enjoying a lot of the various writing projects I've been working on. The two articles I've been working on for our upcoming SEND! are going quite well so far. I'm so thankful!

I love working on SEND! stuff.

It's been overcast all day, and there's a light drizzle outside right now. Even though I usually much prefer sunny days, there's something kind of pleasant about it.

I still need to get my car inspected. I thought about doing it right after work, but I may wait for another day. I am thinking about using one of my Chick-fila coupons tonight. :o) I have one for a FREE sandwich.

100th customer.

I wasn't, but it sure would have been nice if I were. It would have meant FREE FOOD at Chick-fila, my all-time favorite! And you wouldn't believe, but I very narrowly missed being the 100th customer of the day.

I think it was the lady who was helped right after me, at the next register over. Suddenly I heard all the people behind the counter cheering and yelling out, "100th customer!"

But at least I had a coupon, so my meal was still pretty cheap. The 350,000th customer gets free Chick-fila meals for a YEAR. For a Chick-fila lover like me, this would be a dream come true. ;oD I mean, you're talking to the person who was willing to dress up in a cow costume, just to get a free combo meal during a special promotion they were having. Unfortunately, I got sick that day and was unable to perform the feat, but I had witnesses who going to be there to document the special event!

Aren't you glad God's grace, His unmerited favor, is limitless ... and not confined to "every 100th or 350,000th time"? I know I am. I thank the Lord for the lessons He has been teaching me lately, and I want to be more faithful in applying them.

My dental cleaning went very well. I enjoy going over there and chatting with the people who work there. Now I'm going home to rest a bit before tonight's prayer meeting, which I'm looking forward to. My team leader will be getting to share requests for our department, the C&E Department, tonight! He has been such a blessing in my life. I truly thank God for him!

This will probably be short, as pretty soon I'm leaving the office to go eat at Wendy's (and pray together!) with my good friend Tirina. :o) We're meeting at Wendy's at 6:30, so this has been a good opportunity for me to catch up on blog entries.

I look forward to the time we'll have together. It's always encouraging sharing what the Lord is doing in our lives as we meet together to pray each week, and I am very excited about the food and fellowship, too! :oD

Tonight I am not sure what all I'll be doing. Probably relaxing and watching a movie and doing some things around the apartment. Also, I'd like to maybe get out in my garden plot at the complex to water and weed it. My little rose bush that I "inherited" is producing beautiful little pink roses again; I like to see those!

Tomorrow I have a dental cleaning at 11:30.

Resurrection Sunday.

I went to my new church again. [I had to miss last Sunday because of a previous commitment at my previous church.] I was so looking forward to being back again. The message was really good, about the demon-possessed man (Mark 5:1-20) whose life was radically transformed by Jesus. The pastor made some great points about what being a follower of Christ truly means, and also brought up the very encouraging truth that if God can transform and use a man possessed by so many demons, how is not ALSO able to transform and use OUR lives, however unpromising they may seem at times?

Very encouraging. I know there's MUCH I desire to see the Lord do in my life. And that excites me. Of course, I need to be willing, too. Truly willing.

I like this new church so much and every week feel so thankful for it ... and excited to be there! I thank the Lord for His faithfulness in leading me there.

When I reached home, I had some wonderful time with the Lord, singing worship songs. I also pulled out of the freezer some white chicken chili I made earlier in the month. I also took a nap and watched a little of Pride and Prejudice while picking up a little around the apartment. It was such a restful and peaceful time.

And tonight, the husband and wife Shelley and I visited this weekend (she's the one on bedrest for 3 months!) had me over for lasagna. It worked out really well for them to have lasagna today, because that's their traditional Easter dinner anyhow, and if I'm not mistaken, Len (the husband) is the one who generally makes it as well. I think Tiffie was able to get up for just a little bit yesterday to start her special homemade sauce on the stove. It was all delicious. We all had a nice visit together; they expressed that they were so glad I could come, and I was incredibly touched, too, by their hospitality.

It was a good day.

I slept in late.

It was a beautiful day out, and very warm. I went swimming just for a little bit. The water was very cold at first, but once I got in and got used to it, it wasn't bad at all. ;o)

Tonight Shelley and I joined a bunch of other single folks to eat Easter dinner with Chloe, a dear widow on staff who very graciously opened her home to us. The food was delicious and it was nice sitting out by the pool in the back, with the wind blowing.

And we even got Easter goodies! That's right, she brought us each a bag of Easter goodies. It was really fun ... it felt like getting an Easter basket all over again. It's been a LONG time since I've gotten one of those. I used to LOVE that. That, and getting a stocking.

[Then again, it's fun being "all grown up". :o)]

Shelley and I ate at Quiznos and went to the mall. That was fun! We mainly went in Christopher & Banks, where I found a really cute skirt and shirt that I got as an Easter oufit. It was fun trying things on and asking the friendly salespeople for feedback. :o)

We also went to another store in the mall, where we each found pretty necklaces for just $6. My necklace has bright pink buttons on it. I like it!

Before setting off on our shopping excursion, we did get to visit for at least an hour with the young wife going through hard times. [It depended on how she was feeling today, so we were to call her and check to see.] Because of a sciatic nerve problem that is causing MUCH pain, it sounds like, she is prescribed to bedrest for the remaining three months of her pregnancy. She and her husband have been an incredible example to me in their perspective through all of this. When he shared with the rest of our staff one morning during prayer meeting, he basically told us, "Tiffie wants all of you to know that in no way does this change our resolve to be here. We know this is where we are supposed to be."

Tonight Shelley and I went to a special service at Stonebriar Community Church (my old church) for Good Friday. It was a powerful time of reflecting on Jesus, how great is His love for me, and how much I love Him back . . . and being convicted and realizing I want to show Him, in practical ways, that I love Him much more than I have been lately. I journaled during the service some of my thoughts and how powerfully I was sensing the Lord's presence. He almost felt close enough to touch.

I love moments like that.