"If you look back on your year and it doesn't bring you tears, of joy or sadness, then it was a year wasted." - Ally McBeal

Oh Ms. McBeal.. I've never seen your show, but I guess I'll agree with you on this one. (ps. eat a steak, please!)

Confession: I have a goal-setting problem... and not in the normal sense. My problem is that setting goals comes easliy for me. I set a lot of goals and I set them often and, not to brag, but, roughly 92.14% of the time I accomplish whatever goals I set.

On some levels it's awesome; honestly, who wouldn't want to be published on PostSecret, run a half marathon, take names at the shooting range, put bubbles in the belmont fountain, memorize books of the Bible, etc*? Those are fun, challenging and (relatively speaking) worthwhile goals...But at times I can become a little obsessive about it.. so it's always good to keep reality in check and remind myself to live in the moment. (don't forget the car in front of you, right?)

That said, this year I'm not setting goals** After all, I've still got an entire list of stellar goals in progress over on the right anyhow! --> See?

I do however have a simple hope (well many hopes.. but you know what I mean...) and that simple hope is this: grace in my heart and flowers in my hair.

Yes. I did steal that from Mumford and Sons "After the storm" (so good! so jealous! I wish I had written it!) .. but seriously, that's my simple hope (not to be confused with who my hope is in) for 2011. And that's not to say that 2010 was a storm or anything but... well.. alright, yes.. 2010 was a storm. From food stamps, to year 2.5 of unemployment to weird scary health problems to losing my loyal pet of 20 years (no judging! she loved me!) things were rough... but it was a good year too: fun trips, creative baking endeavors, snow storms, LOST, a bed!!, garage sales, family visits, new jobs etc. And maybe that's why this song resonates with me...

And after the storm,
I run and run as the rains come
And I look up, I look up,
on my knees and out of luck,
I look up.

Night has always pushed up day
You must know life to see decay
But I won't rot, I won't rot
Not this mind and not this heart,
I won't rot.

.....That's why I hold,
That's why I hold with all I have.
That's why I hold.....

And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.

...Get over your hill and see what you find there,
With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair.

"with grace in your heart and flowers in your hair..."

So long 2010..



*The sermon on the mount is so. very. long. (more like 3 chapters) But i WILL prevail!!

**I kinda lied.. i sorta have a few personal goals but really, who doesn't.. in the broad scheme of things: no goals.....save for the 101 goals...sigh...see what I mean? goal problem!

793

“ Most of us think of waiting as something very passive, a hopeless state determined by events totally out of our hands… . But there is none of this passivity in scripture. Those who are waiting are waiting very actively. They know that what they are waiting for is growing from the ground on which they are standing. That’s the secret. The secret of waiting is the faith that the seed has been planted, that something has begun. Active waiting means to be present fully to the moment, in the conviction that something is happening where you are and that you want to be present to it. " -Henri Nouwen, “A Spirituality of Waiting”

Fascinating new thing, don't betray me by becoming familiar..

Or better yet.. become familiar... So familiar that I could find my way to You with my eyes closed no matter what's going on in the world. A harbour IN the tempest. I'm finding that sometimes "newness" is over-rated, after all, familiarity doesn't have to be any less fascinating....

Merry Christmas!

May Jesus be more and more familiar to us all.

Christmas Eve Shared Vlog

The following is dedicated to Ms. Heather Snodgrass, the coolest middle-school teacher and fellow 5 New Things pal I know... Enjoy Heather.

and, yes I cut my own head off... whoops.

ps.. I lied about the christmas carol at the end.. sorry..

Merry Christmas Adam!

Happy Christmas! It's vlog day in Danica world (get it? video+blog= vlog? Yes, I am a nerd), so this particular feed gets the glasses-free me Christmas Card... Happy Holidays and "Merry Christmas Adam!"

I heard this sermon

recently that kinda rocked my world. Not to swoon on Tim Keller, but it was one of his free online downloads and the premise was this:

"Commit to the Lord whatever you DO, and He will establish your PLANS. The Lord works out everything to its proper end..." -Proverbs 16:3-4a

Keller made the point that often Christians get it backwards, committing their PLANS to the Lord and then expecting Him to bless what they DO.

But God lets us make our choices, and ultimately He establishes where those choices (that we made) lead. Keller suggests that actively DOING things and committing our deeds, our choices to the Lord is what forms us into wise people. People who start making smarter/successful plans.

Does anyone else find this as crazy/awesome/scary as I do?

I've been known to make choices without even consulting God first, let alone waiting/praying it out and committing my impending decision to Him. Half the time I choose something and then find myself praying about it later "God, let your will be done, lead me.. " etc. etc. hello! Maybe I should have been praying that before I started making decisions.

"Your plans are yours. Your choices are yours. YOU are responsible for them. No one is forcing! God's not forcing you, in any direction. It's yours. If you do something stupid if you do something wicked, if you do something selfish, if you do something cruel there's going to be bad consequences and people will hold you accountable and they should. God will hold you accountable and he should. Your plans are yours... Commit your DEEDS to the Lord and you will become more and more a person who makes smart plans." -Tim Keller

Believing this frees me to act. It frees me to make decisions.. but it also requires me to fully commit to the Lord and His plans (which I know nothing of!), because I will make wrong decisions.. I will make bad choices... God may very well ''undo'' many of the choices I make... so I'd be smart to commit my actions to Him before I jump in head first.

Commit your DEEDS to the Lord and you will become more and more a person who makes smart plans....

I hope so! I'd like that.

Anyhow.. I apologize for the blog going all "Sunday School" lately. I just want to share things that really mean something.. or at the very least, things that mean something to me. So yeah. Learning a lot about prayer this year, and it's awesome. And hard. And awesome. I hope you are all enjoying this advent season. I've had some great conversations with many of you and I've honestly loved expanding my community and getting to know many new people who I am blessed to now call "friends" and "advisors" (Proverbs 15:22, Yes?) So thanks for being people who continually point me to Jesus (whether you are aware of it or not), and for being committed to loving me through my faults. In more ways than one your love, kindness, compassion and wisdom is changing me.

"No one has ever learned about their flaws by being told. You have to be shown... and until you see your flaws, (and the only way you'll ever see your flaws is through experience), they're gonna control your life. And secondly no one ever learned that God loved them by being told.... you have to be shown. Over and over and over as life goes on you have to be in positions where you're absolutely certain God has abandoned you and then find out later on that you were wrong. As time goes on you will find that you are finally becoming wise, you are understanding for the first time, your flaws, and therefore your plans are more careful than they would be otherwise, and secondly you are learning that God loves you and therefore your plans are more bold than they would be otherwise...." -TK

Thank-you for showing me.

My prayer is that Jesus would mold me into someone who shows others. I want to love people like that.

And I think that's a choice Jesus will bless...

(and for real, if you haven't looked up these sermons yet, you should. They're great. CLICK THIS to hear the sermon mentioned here.)

"Like an outdated map, my borders are changing." -Henri Cole

Hello friends, and Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm taking another sabbatical in light of the advent season. I hope to use this time to focus on things other than the Internet. I may stop by from time to time with a holiday tidbit or two (a great many of you have yet to see the upside down trees at North Pole City, and that's worth seeing!).. but for the most part I really want to live my life in the present, with physical, tangible people. I know many of us are separated by time zones and actual space, but there's always the phone.

I'm finding the more "wired" I get, the more superficial, or "surface-y" my relationships become. Thoughts and hopes and fears are boiled down to 6-10 words in a status update at worst, or a vague blog post at best... and that's not real life.. not as it should be anyway.

These past few months have been full of change for me, and I consider myself blessed to have people close to me here in Nashville who are present both emotionally and physically... people who aren't afraid to point me to Jesus, people who actively question me and my motives and my heart. That's real life. If my real-life, day-to-day, in-person friends can't/don't do that.. who will? The Internet? Acquaintances I met 2 years ago at that one party, or my 7th grade science partner on facebook? The new blackberry app? I don't think so. As much as I hate to admit it, where people invest their time (and money for that matter) says a lot about them... and I personally want to make a point to invest in things that matter... because so often I don't.

So that's my advent goal so to speak.

If you care to join in on the fun here's some things I'll be up to:

-Wrapping up the New Testament

-Working my way through Tim Keller's free online (awesome) sermons: http://sermons2.redeemer.com/sermons/sermonlist/6 (6 flights = lots of listening time)

- Surviving what I refer to as "Excel Hell" (say a prayer... for realz)

-Catching up on my book club reading

-Reflecting on what the season of advent means to me

-Continuing the journal

-Struggling to live this out:

"Love the Lord your God, and love one another. Love one another as he loves. Love with strength and purpose and passion and no matter what comes against you. Don't Weaken. Stand against the darkness, and love. That's the way back into Eden. Thats the way back to life" -Francine Rivers

-And maybe tackling a few 101 tasks???

Who knows. The holidays are a crazy time. (and a hard time for many, so call if you need me)

I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving Day! Since my original plans fell through and I had no plans to drive home, I wound up having the entire week in Nashville, so I'm celebrating with old friends today, through laughter and tears...Making thankfulness chains, watching football, eating yummy food (pumpkin cheesecake, orange-walnut-cranberry bread, and heavenly chocolate cups from yours truly) and maybe we'll play pounce later. Not what I had looked forward to, but I am thankful to have somewhere to be and people to be with. (my first Thanksgiving away from home, can you believe it?)

I'll leave you with Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation (yup, Lincoln gave us Thanksgiving...) which my granddad reads at the table every year...

Enjoy your season of expectation...I'l see you in real life...

~Danica

Thanksgiving Proclamation

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

-Abe Lincoln

Still.

So today is a big day. (insert excited/nervous face here)

In a couple hours I'll head off to Chicago to begin training for the new job.

I'm still amazed at how quickly and flawlessly this job came together. So much so that I can feel myself getting nervous, waiting for the other shoe to fall.

And for the record, I hate this "prepare for the worst just in case" mentality that I seem to fall into. It's not like I'm trying to do it. Honestly I'd love nothing more than to not even have those thoughts enter my mind!!! But apparently this is my natural reaction to "good things," because so many "good things" seem to ultimately fall apart... So maybe it's just my reaction to being afraid of good things. Either way, it's messed up! And I'm fighting it the best I can...

So I was praying through all of these feelings and fears. The fear that the other shoe is just waiting for me to be happy before it drops. The fear that this company will bring me on board only to get to know me and then send me packing because I wasn't quite what they wanted. The fear that I won't turn out to be who they expected me to, that they'll wake up one day down the road and realize they've hired a music major who's been working as a nanny to do the job they recruit Vandy grads to do... (honestly, who am I that God has given me this job?!?!) The fear that maybe the idea of me as an employee is better than who I will actually be as an employee. Etc etc.

When I first thought all of this over my initial reaction was "just work hard!" "Focus and work hard and you can't go wrong! You can impress them with your strong work ethic..you can do this, you can do this..." etc etc The pep talks were flying, I can assure you.

But when I really prayed about it, I knew the answer was much deeper than "working hard" ..because the problem isn't about "working" or lack thereof. And I immediately remembered a verse I had read a month or so ago in Galatians:

"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." - Galatians 1:10

Umm. woah. How awesome/scary is that verse? "...If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." Dang.

Remembering this verse has helped me to remember that it's not about how hard I work (though that's certainly important).. the truth is, I could work harder than anyone else at this job and if they wanted to they could still find reason to fire me. After all... "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps." (Proverbs 16:9) Yes?

In the end, as a christian, it's not simply about doing.. it's about doing and believing... and more importantly it's a matter of who/why/what I am doing it for.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." -Collosians 3:23

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans. The Lord works out everything to its proper end..." -Proverbs 16:3-4a

Of course, it's easier said than done to work to please God rather than man... and that's why I like that Paul says "still"...

"...If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ."

Apparently Paul had some people pleasing tendencies too.. and in a weird way, this makes me feel better. Because if God decided to change that tendency in Paul, then I'm betting he will help me change that tendency too.

Today, for me, as a Christian, it shouldn't be about fear and doubt and working only to please my superiors... it's about committing whatever I do to Christ, trusting Him, and trusting that He sent me this job, and that He did it for a reason. It was not a mistake. And no matter how things turn out, God still goes before me, and with me. So in the meantime I can calm down with this "waiting for the other shoe to drop" business... because even if it does, God' s gonna make sure it doesn't squish me.

Moral of the Story: Trust in and focus on Jesus, Danica, and not on your job/lack of a job/hope for success/ability to work/inability to perform/desire to please others/ idol factory brain and heart.

Thanks for listening to me preach to myself. I swear I have to remind myself of this stuff almost every day. You'd think I'd have learned by now!

Enjoy your Monday.
~Danica

Things that have transpired...

• October was a bit of a rough month for reasons I won't get into now. Suffice it to say, it wasn't the greatest month ever. Nor was it the worst... but alas it's November now.. Hooray!!!

• I quit twitter. I wasn't really using it, and it was just one more thing to keep up with.. so for now I'm a twitter quitter. =/

• I saw Sara Bareillis play at the Ryman and it was really good. I'll admit I was skeptical going in, but the girl's got pipes, that's for sure. Good show. (being 4 rows from the stage didn't hurt either. I heart you Mother Church)

• I dressed up for Halloween, and because I had 2 different costume ideas I decided to work them both:

...why yes, I do have the same # as Sam Bradford, so glad you noticed!! Greatness has a number and it is 14! And yes.. I did wear skates all night. 3 Crow and all.

DISCOUNT! Flo sadly learned her lesson that having "witches brew" on a day where

you've missed lunch and dinner does not bode well...

• I did not get to see Mumford and Sons. Tear.

"Because death is just so full and man so small.
Well I’m scared of what’s behind and what’s before.
And there will come a time, you’ll see, with no more tears.

And love will not break your heart, but dismiss your fears" -M&S

I agree with Heather. how is this dude only 24. What was I doing at 24? Not writing songs like that, that's what! Sad I missed the show. (and the not-so-secret after show)

• I had a saint buy me a last minute plane ticket home to surprise my mom for her big Swaziland opening (<--that's a new video link, by the way) . The exhibit was nothing short of phenomenal. (and I have the book on my coffee table to prove it!) I'm only sad that my friends couldn't have been there to see it too. Seeing so many of the women I worked with and reading their stories and viewing the art their lives inspired was extremely moving for me. It made me think back to my time in Africa, and how amazing that was. As for surprising my mom, that went over well too. I snuck into the kitchen while my parents were out for a walk and then came to the door and said good morning when they came home. 2 words: water. works. It was pretty special. I got some video of "the surprise" but it turned out to be more audio than anything else.. turns out, I'm not going to get hired for Candid Camera anytime soon. But I tried. )these videos inspired me LOVE the reactions here.. I'm totally doing this to my kids if I ever have them: I am SO excited! ...and Snow White!

• I went to Wrigley Field. My first visit ever.

• I jumped on a very expensive bed.

• I got hired.

• wait.. what? YES! Yes I DID! Wohooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jesus sent me an amazing job opportunity and it all happened so fast I barely had time to get all nervous about it! Though I did get a little nervous about it, especially toward the end cause sometimes it seems like my life tends to "choke in the redzone" and once I hit "the redzone" with this interview process I basically watched a lot of tv to distract myself from thinking about it the possibility of choking in the redzone. I will try and give updates on the "new job".. stay tuned!

• Speaking of football, my Sooner have lost a couple times now. Tear. I knew it would happen this season, sometimes it hurts to be right.. Never matter.. still love em.. and assuming we finish off the season strong, we should get a relatively nice bowl game out of it.

• I went camping for a weekend with my roomie and her friends. Good times.
  

Working toward wise.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.... But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." James 1:5, 3:17

"...the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. " -James 1:6

Oh James. I may be smart... but wisdom trumps intelligence... and I've still got a ways to go. Thanks for the reminder.
Love,
Sometimes smart, often wishy washy, rarely wise me.

The Days Inbetween

This has been on my mind for several weeks... and especially today.

Leslie Bond Evans

We really are living in the saturdays...

And I for one can not wait until that someday Sunday when everything will be made right.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

"For the Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 2 Peter 3:9

101 Photo Update

So I should have been posting pictures all this time, but you know how life goes. Now most of the photos I have of first few completed tasks are in books and albums and I don't have any digital copies of them. =/ But here are some pictures from my more recent completions!


#65 Start "Travel Gal" or "Fivenewthingz" blog
I actually started this back in May, but never really mentioned it (cause I didn't think I'd be able to keep it going!). I went ahead and added it to my edited 101 since it was something I had thought about doing for a while, but just never had:


















#32 Create a Will
Are you in it?? Who knows......

















#52 See a Shakespeare Play
This was a good night. I had a rare Saturday night off, so I took myself out on a date to see Shakespeare in the Park. I even treated myself to my favorite Dill Pickle Popcorn. Only wish some friends could have gone, cause it was good!

















#74 Complete FPU
13 weeks, $87 and wayyy too many miles later I finally graduated. After all my friends stopped going, I was super tempted to quit too.. but thankfully my determination kicked in and I managed to make it to every class, and I'm glad I did. (as is my savings account) If you haven't done a class, you should consider it.. it was really useful information!

















#37 Go on a Media Fast for a Week.
This is a picture of my ceiling. I spent a lot of time laying on my bed reading whilst avoiding all things technological. It was a long week.


















#35 Buy a bike
I actually got this one free! Yay!
















#59 Send a Message in a Bottle
In my letter I apologized for littering. I really hope someone finds and opens this.






















#11 Write a Piece of Fan Mail
Any guesses who I wrote to?


















#1 Make an Educational Public Plaque
I couldn't help myself. I drew this and posted it on a stop sign near my house. It stayed up for a while!


















#2 Participate in a "Learning to Love You More" Project
This was a lot of fun, and it was really hard to choose which project I wanted to do. In the end I went with "Make an Inspirational Banner and Hang it in a Public Space." I have a polaroid of this on my mirror in my room. I'm not sure how long the banner was left up....


















#92 Try a New Sport
I did rollerderby for a couple months until my schedule/eating habits got too weird to continue. (that and I can't afford the gear yet. boo) It was SO fun though. And I can't wait to get hired, just so I can start it up again.

Convicted?

There's this speech going around on Facebook from an abortion survivor. I finally watched it the other day. The entire speech is amazing, but the part that stood out to me the most was toward the end where she stops and speaks directly to men and women.

Seriously, it gave me chills. It made me want to take all my guy friends out for lunch just so I could encourage them and say, "Have courage. Remember? You were made for greatness!" and to sit down with all my girlfriends one-by-one over cocktails and say, "Chill out. Remember? You were made to be fought for... forever!"

I have no idea why this made such an impact on me, but it did. It made me want to have kids just so I can raise godly young men and women from scratch, and raise them to know and believe that they were made for greatness, that they were made to be fought for... that growing up is hard, but it is good and that part of our "calling" involves working through that tension, intentionally growing into men and women who were made in God's image.

I could go on and on about this. I just can't help but wonder how different things would be if christian women truly lived as though we believed we were made to be fought for, and if christian men truly lived as though they believed they were made for greatness. As a woman, I can say that believing we were made to be fought for would honestly put an end to any/all acts of desperation that we too often stoop to.. not to mention it would weed out a lot of guys we probably shouldn't be dating anyway. And I would think (though being female, I can't be sure) that as a man, believing that I was made for greatness would give me the courage to be fighter and a defender, to aspire to something higher. Oddly enough, each of these statements speaks directly to mens and womens specific insecurities.. I mean..wow. Yeah. I'll stop now.

I guess I just felt convicted watching this. Convicted for forgetting, convicted for my lack of belief. Convicted for not reminding my friends of these truths more often. The last thing I want is to look back on my life and to feel as though I only enabled myself, my family or my friends to live mediocre lives.

You were made for greatness!!

You were made to be fought for!!

Watch if you like... minutes 2:40-4:52.. I couldn't find the full 15 minute version on youtube, though it's all over facebook if you want to see the full speech, it's pretty incredible.

(and ps. she sounds borderline angry given that she is speaking to politicians about abortion and such,... but I don't think her words here are meant as angry news at all, I think it's hard news, but true news. Awesome news!! And with all the bad press 20-somethings have been getting in editorials these days, I think this is the most loving, encouraging piece of someones mind that I've heard in a while. Male or female, this may be the best news we hear all day...)


"Now is your moment. What sort of man/woman do you want to be? A man/woman who is obsessed with their own glory? Or a man/woman obsessed with the glory of God?"


Goosebumps.

October, please play nice.

I can count on 2 fingers the number of times I've had to lay down on the bathroom floor. (gross)

This morning at 5am was one of them.

Thankfully my fever broke and now 3 hours later I feel fine, aside from wanting gatorade and applesauce (I see a Kroger trip in my future.. why don't I keep these things in stock?). Unfortunately I had called in to work during the throws of sickness, and they filled my job for today which I desperately needed. =/

Way too many cancellations lately. My overnight weekend job called me Monday to cancel as well, and more than anything I wanted it just for distraction from the weekend.

Anyways, I still have hope for October... after all we're only 8 hours in, right?

...Hopes for the Month...

• Less financial stress/More work. These weeks with only 15 hours of work are taking their toll, financially and otherwise
• That at least one of my roomates would be home at night with me more often. Not that I'm scared.. well, maybe a little.. but really it's just lonely, especially after a full day at home alone without work.
• That I might be able to get to OK for the Swaziland art opening. Not only has my mom worked tirelessly on it, but rumor has it that some of my favorite African ladies may be there. I'm thinking if I leave Friday night and come back Sunday I could find a road trip buddy and make it work... but I don't know.

If you think on it, pray for me. I'm in the middle of doing several things work wise/health wise I said I'd never do (all good I think, no worries) and it's weird for me. Humbling. Weird. Also, my brother and his girlfriend are starting pre-marital counseling, so the face of our family is potentially starting to change (also good, but weird).. just a lot going on I guess. Meanwhile my life is in this strange sort of limbo on just about every front and I'm praying daily that God would increase my faith and imprint his patience on me while he tells me to wait... cause right now that's definitely my "word from the Lord."

While contemplating "waiting" I got to thinking about Jonah, and Joseph and how different their stories were.. Jonah was told what to do and Joseph was told what would happen. Both did a lot of waiting. I often wonder how their lives would have played out if each had been given the others advice. If Jonah had been told what would happen, would he have just gone to Ninevah? If Joseph had been told to go into slavery without any explanation, would he have done it? And THEN I got to thinking about how selfish I am, because I always want God to give me both. To tell me what to do AND what will happen. And honestly, how often does God do that? Does God ever do that? I don't think so... I mean, that's part of what faith is about right? The truth is, that if God told me what to do there's still an 80% chance that I wouldn't even do it... I know me, and I'd probably sit and debate with myself whether or not it was really God speaking to me or whatever, and if God told me what would happen.. well, I'd probably waste my life looking for the end result rather than living.

Sigh.

Thank God I can't manipulate God.. that's all I gotta say.

Anyhow. Didn't mean to ramble on so. If you made it this far, I'm impressed!

I still need to post pics from some of my finished 101 tasks... so stay tuned I guess.

In the meantime: October, please (pretty please) play nice!

The Gatorade calls.....

Silly Paul.

Reading through the Bible the other day I was reminded that Paul is quite an interesting fellow.

Sure, he gave us great texts about grace and justification and the fruits of the spirit, and freedom and love... absolutely!

But then he also comes out with stuff like Galatians 5:12:

"As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!"

People never seem to choose verses like that when quoting the Bible.

Oh, Paul.. I gotta hand it to you... you certainly knew how to throw down an insult. (though, yes, it makes sense in context)

Too funny (via ExShutz)

A girl I knew in college now writes a blog that casually chronicles her married life (congrats on 4 yrs by the way!)... the following post of hers made me laugh. Couldn't help but share. Reminds me of so many other friends from back home, so I know some of you will appreciate this!

Oh and PS. #17, #52, #67, and #74: done, done, done and done. =)

A Triumph in Effective Marital Conversation

WIFE: What time will you be done with your activity? I need to know so that I can plan my day accordingly.

HUSBAND: I don't know.

WIFE: Well, what time are you going to DO your activity?

HUSBAND: Uh... 1? 2?

WIFE: Is the place you're going open at that time?

HUSBAND: Huh?

WIFE: (getting impatient) Have you called them? Do you know if they're open when you want to go? I'm sure they would know how long it takes to do what you're doing.

HUSBAND: No, I haven't called and I don't know! Why are you getting upset at me?

WIFE: Well if it were me, I would have already called the business to make sure they were open at the time I wanted to go and I would have asked them how long it will take. I realize now that this is a completely unfair expectation for me to have of you, because we do things very differently.

HUSBAND: You're right, that would have been a totally unfair assumption.

BOTH: Let's make out.

END SCENE

Things I've Considered Blogging About (but obviously haven't yet)

Sometimes in life I keep a mental running list of things that I feel are internet worthy. Of that list maybe 2% of them ever actually appear in my published content. Lately I've had lots of random "potentially-internet-worthy" posts running through my brain, and basically I've been using/saving them for real-life conversations, (or mentioning it in passing on 5NT) but today I've written up a short list of things I may or may not ever expound on.. at least online anyway. Message me (may have to email, not sure if the comments are fixed, though I tried!) and we can discuss details over a walk in this AWESOME FALL-LIKE WEATHER. I might even wear a hoodie...

Things I don't Understand

• Why on earth is my internal clock set for 7:40am no matter what time I go to bed? Why???
• Why would a complete stranger consider "Hey lady, here's your choice: we can find $10 to play fooseball, or otherwise you'll force me to make out with you on the table," a good opening line? There is so much wrong with the world.
  
• Why do male strangers not find it creepy to follow a lone woman to her car? Come on now!
• Why must I get called in to work during every football game I care to see?
• How is it that I have yet again wound up living in a house where I am the only football fan? Something about Nashville, I guess.
  
• What the heck is Winn-Dixie? (other than a grocery store) I'm ashamed considering I clepped out of AP US History...but I don't get it. I have no clue what it was/is. No clue.

Kids

• I've had some great, great families lately.
  
• Families with kids who remind me of this little angel (who's turning 5 in a couple months. Can't believe it!)
• As frustrating as nannying is at times... sometimes it's incredibly rewarding. Incredibly.
  

Movies

• I took some kids to see "Dispicable Me" last night... and I really liked it! I cried. I did, I admit it. I cried. So good.
  
• Saw "Date Night" as well and it was really weird...
• I was thinking about "High Fidelity"and Jesus and freedom (the 3 actually go together well if you really think about it) and then I got that strange feeling that you sometimes get when you've been a blogger for almost 8 years... I like to call it "De ja Blog".. so I did a little search-a-roo and LO & BEHOLD. I have talked about High Fidelity and Jesus before... and I gotta say, I'm kinda proud of my little 24 year old self for making some of those connections. Apparently I am ahead of myself.
  

The Bible

• I read Hosea yesterday, and it was amazing.
  
• Just call me Ephraim
• And I dare you to read the book and to try not to tear up when you get to chapter 11.. or specifically 11:8.

Other Books

• "This is Where I Leave You" -very odd. not a big fan
• "What is the What" - awesome, but sad
• "Breakfast at Tiffany's" - nothing like the movie
• "The Girls from Ames" -interesting.
• "And Then There were none" - still working on it

Time

• It dawned on me that this is my first September in Nashville in 3 years.
• I also realized that I often see my parents over labor day... in 08 before I left for tour, and in 05 after I was dumped on the first day of school Senior Year and then this year when they came out to visit me.
• And then I got to thinking about all the Septembers I can remember.. tour, making my very first 101 list, organizing Crisis Care Kits for Katrina, Writing up a Fair Trade Resolution for Belmont... Needless to say, I feel like I should be doing something more than just working this year.
  

#37 Check

I only slipped a couple times, and none of them involved social media... so we're counting that as a win.

But it's over. Cue the dance party.

And I don't know why the comment section is screwed up.. I'll work on it.

At least 2 more tasks will go down this week. What could they be?

Oooo, ahhh, mystery.

You're Killing Me Smalls!

Ok...

If I were conducting a social experiment I could definitely prove to you that a person can go weeks, months, sometimes years without seeing some people and never hear anything of it... however if you disappear from FACEBOOK, you will undoubtedly have a reaction within the hour.

Apparently I have some explaining to do.

That said, everyone exhale.... as I take a short break from my mission to say to you: #37.

Yes, #37, as in: "go on a media fast for a week"

I still have a few days left but I am allowing this one break in the "fast" to uh, "clear things up" after receiving several phone calls and texts and emails all surrounding my lack of social media activity.

=)

Ya'll are sweet.. but I'm pretty sure this is how rumors get started!

Yes #37. Probably my least favorite 101 task to date.

No facebook
No myspace
No Twitter
No Foursquare
No daysinbetween
No fivenewthingz
No reader feed (that's gonna come back to bite me in a week)
No internet (other than this post, and email, since that's how I receive jobs and 2 trips a day to the job boards)
No phone apps
No TV
No DVD's
No Radio (I'm allowing myself unlimited classical music, and one lone CD, cause sometimes you just need a voice, ya know?) *** Cookies to anyone who can guess what lone CD I have allowed myself! 2 hints: 1. "brrrr" and 2."I've considered it"

Just listing all the things I can't do right now makes me wonder how I ever had time for anything before. So far on the "fast" I've managed to finish books, start new books, clean, go on long walks to nowhere, play music.. Suffice it to say, I'm a borderline productive person.

But let's be honest, it's really hard! Especially when you work 6pm-1am in a house with a sleeping child and you've already read 200+ pages and you can't turn on the TV or get online.

But I'm determined to tough it out, especially now that I am a few days in already. Since #37 is one of the hardest tasks on my list, I figured "there's no time like the present!" So I just jumped in and randomly started one impulsive afternoon. (it's one of my many flaws, impulsiveness) Then it dawned on me that I probably should have given a little heads up so as to avoid the uh, "concern" that followed. Lesson learned: think first, act second. We'll see if that sticks...

So there you have it.

NO I haven't "blocked" you (or anyone, for that matter)
YES everything is fine (though maybe some of you should consider a media fast... I'm just sayin!)
and NO it's not forever (thank goodness! 1 week is bad enough).. in regards to our friend FACEBOOK everything comes back exactly the way it was once I log back in in a few days. If I had any confidence in my willpower I would have just tried to stay away on my own... but ya'll know me....

Alright. Glad we sorted that out. =)

No worries, Danica loves youuuuuuuu

I'll be back.

(pray for my technologically deprived soul!)

Progress Report: 101 is just about half done?!

And by half done I mean time wise, sadly, and not task wise.. though I am on my way.

For those keeping track here's the list: the bold tasks have been completed... I'm currently sitting with 25 completed tasks...(that's roughly 1/4th for the math shy among us) Hoorah!

Maybe some pics of completed tasks coming soon? We'll see...

To learn more about the 101 in 1001 official project, please visit their site here: http://www.dayzeroproject.com/

Join me on an uncompleted task, there are plenty to choose from!

Danica's 101

1. Make an educational public plaque.

2. Participate in a "Learning to Love you More" project.

3. Go a week without carbs.

4. Swim with Dolphins.

5. Give blood.

6. Go on a ghost tour.

7. Act in a play/musical.

8. Learn sign language.

9. Take a pottery class.

10. Try 3 drinks I've never had.

11. Write a piece of fan mail.

12. Go an entire month without eating out.

13. Get a Y membership.

14. Paint a room.

15. Floss everyday for a month.

16. Attend a random funeral listed in the paper.

17. Get a pen pal.

18. Grab a friend, grab a map, close our eyes and point to a place, then roadtrip to that spot and explore the area

19. Send Christmas cards.

20. Memorize 5 poems.

21. Memorize the Sermon on the Mount.

22. Memorize the love chapter.

23. Go to the OU/Texas game!!

24. Go to the Texas state fair eat my fill of junk.

25. Get an ESL teaching certificate.

26. Start a wine book/journal.

27. For a month, buy one random food item each week, find out more about that food and figure out how to cook with it.

28. Buy a new guitar.

29. Get a new mac.

30. Buy an ipod

31. Change my own oil.

32. Create a will.

33. Visit Dollywood.

34. Catch Fireflies.

35. Buy a bike.

36. Sponsor a child.

37. Go on a media fast for a week.

38. Take a dance class.

39. Visit a mosque.

40. Have a water fight.

41. Have clothes tailored.

42. Go curse-free for a week.

43. Have business cards made (better ones).

44. Make a piece of clothing.

45. Complete another music project.

46. Go on another tour.

47. Volunteer with the USO, go to the airport to cheer on soldiers coming back or leaving to war.

48. Get an external hard drive and store music and pics on it.

49. Participate in NaNoWriMo

50. Go scuba diving.

51. Learn to make a paper crane.

52. See a Shakespeare play.

53. Go out dancing. Salsa, swing.. something other than club crunking. ha

54. Play a benefit show.

55. Make a photo-journal comprised of each accomplished task on this list.

56. Read War and Peace.

57. Host a big-band 1940's old fashioned party!

58. Participate in an artisan fair.

59. Send a message in a bottle.

60. Invite a homeless person to join me for a sit down dinner.

61. Take a cooking class.

62. Visit a friends hometown. (one I haven't been to)

63. Visit Anne Frank's house in Amsterdam.

64. DOSMWD.

65. Start "Travel Gal" or "Fivenewthingz" blog

66. Shoot a deer. Tear.

67. Send flowers to a complete stranger.

68. Skydive.

69. Ride in a hot air balloon.

70. Save $5,000.

71. Read the entire Bible.

72. Go zip-lining... in Costa Rica if possible.

73. Read all my unread books.

74. Complete FPU

75. Finish watching the Sight and Sound Critics Top 10 Films & Directors Top 10 Films.

76. Be in the BC Clark's commercial

77. Participate in a Sader dinner.

78. Go geocaching

79. Take up recycling.

80. Attend a sing-a-long at the Alamo.

81. Pay off my credit cards.

82. Go to Central Market/Whole Foods to purchase some new-to-me exotic fruits and veggies.. then picnic with them.

83. See a movie at the lake.

84. Watch a sunset at the Oasis.

85. Sleep on the beach... over night.

86. Visit friends and family in states other than OK, TX, or TN.

87. Be specifically thanked in a liner note.

88. Stand on the edge of Crater Lake and feel small.

89. Get hired

90. Write up and test out my project proposal.

91. Chamber of secrets?

92. Try a new sport

93. Have lunch with Abe on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

94. Be in a movie.

95. Go pescatarian for 1 month.

96. See a MLB game.

97. Get a cello and learn to play.

98. Allow myself 1 guilt-free round of edits 1/2 way through the 1001 days

99. Drive an admirable portion of the Pacific Coast Highway.

100. Donate $10 to a charity of choice for each uncompleted task at the end of this 101.

101. Make a new list as soon as this one ends.

Braggin'

Thought I'd take a moment to brag on my awesome mom.

Last summer while I was working in Africa distributing grants with a firm based out of DC, fate would have it that both of my parents would not only be in Africa, but in the same country, and same cities as I was.

My parents church (also the church I grew up in) had started a project called "The Swaziland Partnership" and the firm I was a consultant for was in charge of earning and distributing funds for the project.

Side note: The goal of the Swaziland Partnership is to reduce the indidence of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland through the development of spiritual, compassionate, and educational resources.

My mom felt moved to use her "gifts" to support the church and the Partnership and so she and my dad decided to go on a short "mission/vision" trip to Swaziland with about 60 others from their church. While my dad worked construction, my mom brought 2 photographers along and began researching and collecting the stories of Swazi women to be a part of an Art Exhibit she was fashioning back in the states.

In her words, "The objective of this exhibit is twofold: that abstract interpretive art elements be offered for exhibit and that, in addition, the general public be provided an informative element designed to encourage understanding and compassion. The ultimate goal is that the combined elements of art and education would encourage support for the "Swaziland Partnership.""

You can see a short video (2.5 minutes) about the partnership, Swaziland and my mom's exhibit here: http://measureofmystrength.com/ (and if you look closely you'll see my hip and half my body at 2:15... don't blink though!)

Clearly I am partial, but I have no shame in saying that my mom is exceptional. While it's an incredibly intimidating shadow to live in at times, I can't help but be overwhelmed with pride in who my mom is and the various things she's accomplished.

What can I say?

My mom's a badass.