Life Is a Balance Beam

Sometimes you just need rain. Anything in excess is wearing. I grew up in cold New England, where winter seems to drone on forever, and summers are compiled of short but sweet memories. Summer in New England is kind of like Christmas to a little kid. You wait and dream of the day you'll be able to go out with a t-shirt on. When it finally hits 65 you practically leap for joy. Your winter skin begs to be exposed to some semblance of sunlight; even a windy 65 degrees will suffice. I can remember waiting sometimes until July to really feel warm enough to even want to swim.

So here I am in the middle of the country where hot is the new cold, sweat is the new shivering, and jackets are the new goal. 108 will take your breath away, and even 10 days in a row above 100 is a little much. Try 32. That's what just happened here. I never thought I would grow to resent heat, but like I said... too much of anything will wear you right out. You can imagine my delight the other day to hear a rumbling of thunder and to feel a cool breeze sweep in. The heat wave has been broken, and the rain is coming through! I am loving just watching the earth drink it up. I have my WoodWick candle flickering and my guitar handy. It's been a nice day.

Tonight David is taking me out on a date. I'm excited to spend some special time with him. I have a job interview on Monday, so I'm enjoying my days of no obligations to the fullest. Lately everything in my mind keeps drifting back to balance. I have loved not working and getting adjusted to our new life, but I know I was designed for a purpose, and I feel ready to take that on again. I love summer, but fall seems to beckon me more loudly every day. Our Creator is the author of balance. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. He designed us to thrive in seasons. I just think that's so cool.

So I suppose my theme Bible verse for today to dwell on would be from Ecclesiastes 3. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:" You can read the rest yourself.

Coffee Shops and Familiar People

I'm sitting here at a local coffee shop called "Arsaga's" and I've officially been here for 6 hours. Holy cow. I don't know what it is, but I just got sucked in. We know the owners (they go to Cross Church Fayetteville), and the atmosphere in here was just so inviting that I haven't felt the need to leave. One sandwich with chips, a mocha latte, and an espresso later, here I am now joined by my awesome man, and I'm pretty happy.

I think I'm going to like living here. It's starting to feel a lot more like home. I'm really thankful, because this transition (though it's been much better than it could have been) has been hard.

Today we bought our tickets to go home for Thanksgiving... Woohooo!!!! I can't wait to see the family. AND to top it off, my parents are planning to come for a week in September.

Basically, today is awesome. I just had to write a little blurb about it.

Hope your day is as good as mine!

Was it a disaster or a success?

Since you've all been asking...here's the rest of it.

...and finally...it was a SUCCESS!! 

Embracing Awkwardness- A Cooking Show For Your Entertainment

Ok, let's give this another try... This time I'll try to take myself seriously. Yeah right.

And here is a great example of a smooth transition.

"Rachel's Cooking Dinner... In the Kitchen..."

The first take is always a little bit bumpy... right? Here's the birthday man... and the birthday man's... wife. ?

Cooking Show Intro... Ha

David's Birthday!

Tomorrow is David's 28th birthday. Unlike him, I am completely excited. I love his birthday. Haha! I have reminded him so many times all week about it. Every time I back into it laying down hints as subtle as an elephant knowing full well he'll refuse to pick them up.

Example:

"Lovie! Guess what happens this Saturday?!"

"What?!"

"Your birthday!!!!"

"Oh. I forgot."

We've been playing this game for two weeks now. I can't decide if it's the fact that he's in denial about being in his "upper 20's" or if he really cares so little that he keeps forgetting, but it makes it fun either way. I just love that guy. I hope, if you are single and you are reading this, that you wait until someone like my David comes along. Someone you would never live your life without because you've experienced something too good to let go of... that's what David is to me.

Don't be mistaken, he is not the thing that gets me fully or satisfies the deep wells of longing inside my soul. No... our relationship looks more like an awkward, stumbling, dancing attempt to understand and to love. This is not because we are failures at love, but rather because he is a man and I am a woman. Human... oh so human, we cannot "get" each other without trying very hard (sometimes with an effort that looks downright laughable, like a man straining, cheeks puffed out and red in the face to lift a heavy object). Needless to say, we are having fun in our wild attempts to understand one another. We keep the humor in things, and it helps to ease the frustration of countless failed attempts. I suppose what I am trying to say is that we are not "enough" for each other. Only One can be enough. When we remember this, our expectation shifts from expectation in each other to expectation in the One who can deliver and who does satisfy- that is the Lord. This is the way we live happily and in the depths of contentment. Through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ who is everything we need.

Anyway... I'm done rambling. It's time to head out for a day with my love!