I know I've been pretty silent this week and even managed to some how miss Random Thought Thursday. I've been up to my eyeballs over at the new house painting so the new carpet can come in.
But that's not what this post is about. This post is my little vocal protest of WHAT!!!!! Who in the world says this is the future of fashion
I'm sorry, but 1985 called and wants their mom-waist line pants back. And while you're sending things back, I think I had that color of lipstick in junior high. It didn't look good then either.
Maybe that's why Geo kept calling the show Project Runaway - because all sense of fashion done run away from Gretchen.
And further more, if You Want Me to Wear What? doesn't do a post discussing her line, I will be even further disappointed.
I'm sure it's that the judges didn't like that Mondo didn't "listen" to them and you know how those high and mighty get when they don't get listened to. But if she is the "future of fashion," all I have to say is look for me in all sorts of out of fashion clothing.
So after a little time for globetrotting, I'm back with before and after pics of the Shady Tree house- this post is all about Master Bedroom. Here's what it looked like when we bought the house.
I'm sure this style was perfect for them- but for me, this isn't my style.
So my style then... well my style got the idea that purple would be a fun color for the master bedroom and could be done in a completely masculine way. So when LK went to San Fran for the week, I scrapped the ceiling and then sat on my floor and cried because the owners who thought the above picture was a good idea also thought that painting the ceiling with oil based paint was also a good idea and I was left with this:
Looks like something out of a horror movie. But it wasn't nearly as scary as this:
AHHHHHHHHH - it's just wood floors and wall mounted bar away from full on 8-year-old-girl-ballet-class! Purple had done me wrong!
But have no fear- a few hours minutes in the paint section at Lowes and I had a plan. A mix of silver, pewter, and opalessence glaze and we were back on track.
Well... we were... until the great oil spill a mere few hours before LK's plane landed.
But it was nothing a pair of scissors and a shaggy rug from Target (and eventually new carpet) couldn't fix.
This week's photo challenge for iheartfaces is "orchard" which I am completely thrilled about because I love this picture and haven't found a reason to post it yet. I snapped this one when LK and I were traveling around Prince Edward Island and stumbled upon an organic orchard off one of the small roads we adventured down.
click on the button above and head over to iheartfaces to see more orchard entries.
Tonight in Q groups Geo was asked to lead the prayer.
"And God, be with the Devil."
Oh dear- I thought, wondering what in the world was coming next.
"Help him to come to know you and make good choices."
Well, that wasn't what I expected. I'm not sure what I thought was coming next, but that wasn't it. And yet, it raises some questions for me.
Why don't we pray for the Devil? I mean if he made the choice to fall, cannot he not eventually choose better? Or is he just a hopeless cause? Or if we are commanded to pray for our enemies, isn't such a prayer Biblical?
Where am I: in the living room with the backdoor open, enjoying the cool, crisp, fall weather
Listening to: The clock tick beside the computer reminding me that I still have work to catch up on- still have things waiting to be accomplished today.
Last ate: Oh dear, well, to be honest I think it was cold, leftover, Chick-fil-a nuggets ISH didn't want to eat last night. I'm sure three days from now he will remember them and want them and I will (again) have to admit that I ate them instead. I'm sure this is in some way giving my children a complex we will have to deal with in therapy later on, but then, I mean really, would the chicken still be good when he comes around to remembering it?
Thoughts: I've never considered myself to be Edmond-centric, or Oklahoma-centric, or even USA-centric.
I've traveled enough to know there are other people out there. Other people who do things differently than I do, other people who matter just as much as I do.
And yet, when I was at the Continent Care Connection, I found myself face to face with my own Edmond-centric thoughts.
Maybe it was because the first time I heard "God of This City" it was when my church was preparing for a work down in my city and so the words were clearly being applied to my life here. Or maybe it's because I had never been in another city and heard this song sung.
But on the opening day of our time with the ladies in South American, when they sang God of This City, I realized they weren't singing about Edmond, or Oklahoma. They were singing about the places they lived. They were singing about the work they are doing and the ways they are witnessing God move in their cities. And like that I felt a deep connection with the women there.
We may not all live in the same city- even the 17 women from the Connection Team don't live in the same city let alone the 41 participants. But we all witness the same God move in amazing ways where we are.
So when I came back I knew this song needed to be added to the way I now see not only Brazil, but also the way I see the numerous other places these women came from. Their mission is now deeply within my heart- the same mission I have here in my city- to show others how great the love of God is- how much he wants to be in our lives. To show them that no matter the city, He is God.
Our final day with the women. Before they left we wanted to remind them that, as one participant said, sometimes they need to be washing feet, but sometimes they need to have their feet washed.
And we wanted to have one final time of worship together.
But after all that calm and quiet wrap up was finished- my fellow photographer and myself took on the mountain of a task of downloading the pictures and videos from the week onto the participants computers.
And burning CDs for the ones without computers. All with only 1 1/2 hours before the bus arrived to take the ladies to the airport.
By the time the bus arrived we were short only two CDS, so we advised two ladies with computers how to initiate a burn CD while sent them all on their way, 3 hours north to the airport.
So far, we've only learned of one CD and one computer that had only 1 file on them (instead of the almost 1000 pictures and roughly 13 videos it should have had!) I figure 2 out of 41 isn't too bad. But here's to hoping they are the only ones.
When the bus arrived to take the women back to the Sao Paulo airport, it was time for final goodbyes.
It was truly a blessing to spend time with such amazing women.
Complete with all things junk-food that the ladies don't get very often while living in South America
But don't worry, we had some healthy snacks too
And for the talent the ladies put on different skits. In one of the skits a participant put on a bang up impersonation of me. This girl nailed me! I told her I was changing my facebook profile to a picture of her from that night and everyone would just think I got a good tan in Brazil! She studied me right down to the spikey hair and nose stud.
It was definitely good to share many many many laughs with the ladies before they headed back to their work.
Another amazing day! I'm guessing it's because we finally sang "There is Sunshine in my Soul" that begged the sun to come out. We all flocked outside during the break to soak it in.
Let's just say they weren't too happy with me when it was time to ring the bowl and have them all come inside. Did I mention I have the job of time guru? I guess someone filled them in on the secret that my life is run by my phone timer and they thought I would be well suited for the job. Plus I really like to clang the singing bowl- it makes me feel all Eastern-like :)
In the evening we had a prayer walk on the beach with the women
and had the most amazing sunset.
In case you're wondering, this is exactly how these women see me
I'm pretty sure they think I don't have a face.
And in the evening the women from Brazil sang a song for us in Portuguese that they sing in church. When they were done the women who live in Spanish speaking countries shouted out we sing that too! And then they sang it for us in Spanish. I think MRCC should learn how to lead this I've always wanted to "ooooyuo!" in church.
Oh- and my friend's babies continue to do well. If you want to see their faces while you pray for them you can watch this video. Their mama is the one singing at the end. Beautiful!
Things are going well at the Connection. This was our first full day with the ladies and it was a day full of connecting with God through worship
and through taking time to process moments of definition in our lives- times when the world has seemed upside down. But we are working through these moments to see how the hand of God did (or in some cases is) moving to bring us into closer communion with him.
And we also connected with each other through Connection groups and fellowship
and through times of prayer with one another
And it has been amazing to what these women come together and support one another.
I read a blog a while back that talks about how they put on a Brave Girl Camp. And I think the concept behind what they do is pretty cool. However, I'd say I'm at my own kind of Brave Girl Camp right now full of women who have left all they know- their families, their friends, their country of origin- all for the love of a Savior. All because they deeply believe in the message of hope He has to offer and they are willing to give it all up for Him. I am deeply honored to be here.
But for all of you who feel this may be getting a little too touchy-feely (I'm at a retreat full of spiritual women, what else do you expect!). Here are a few shots from around town that I took with one of my teammates, Christy. We borrowed bikes from the hotel workers (see how fabulous mine is!)
and had fun watching for cars whose drivers have no regard for human life and catching a few pictures here and there.
I'm an uber travel agent who works from home while parenting two curly headed boys. After 11 years of marriage to the wonderful LK, I'm still more complykated than domestykated and figure I may always be.
