Down to Five....

I realized last night that we have like five more rehearsals before the show opens. To which I say, YIKES!

Part of me is excited we're almost to performances.
Part of me is terrified.

Part of me is so ready to be done with this show because it feels like we've been doing it forever.
Part of me will miss seeing everyone so much.

Part of me is ready to show the world I have a little talent acting.
Part of me is pretty sure I'm not talented in the least.

Part of me wants it to never end.
Part of me is ready to say 'the end.'

Strangely Free

So recently the email server at work was moved to a new server. Now, I understand NOTHING of the computer science/talk behind such a move. It did not affect me at work one bit. When I started my 'new job' at the church last August, I said I didn't want a Blackberry - I just don't want to be that connected to work, right? However, that didn't stop me from checking my work email from home at least once a day and then on the weekends. Why? I don't know. It's not like I can DO anything about any of my emails on the weekends. But, I still did.



Well, when the email moved this week, the old site I used to use to log on to check my email seems to be no longer effective. So, since 6:00 last night, I have not checked my work messages. (Not for lack of trying to see if it worked, but still).



And, what have I discovered? I am free. I am a little anxious that there is something in there I should know about, but mostly, I am happy that I haven't had to worry about it this weekend. Sure, I'm out of the loop, but, you know what? I kind of like being out of the loop. The people that need to have my cell phone number have it - if there was an emergency that needed my attention, they would call. And, guess what? I am still SOOO glad I rejected the lure of the Blackberry!

A Bunch of Random Thoughts...

I am not sure I am quite awake enough to write a 'real' blog entry, so here is a bunch of random thoughts to tide you over...if anyone cares to read them!

I finally finished a freelance project that i had on my plate WAY too long. It feels good to be done, like there is a weight lifted off my shoulders. For every one thing I get done, I am able to focus more on what is currently going on in my little world.

Most of my free time these days has been consumed with prep for a new theatre production I am a part of. It's been a great experience - emotional, powerful, draining, daring, and all those other words all rolled up into one. We're coming up on the last few days of rehearsals before the shows begin. We'll be here in Bloomington and in Indy at the Fringe Fest. If you're interested in seeing the show, contact me and I'll let you know a little more about it. Trust me, it's unlike anything you've ever seen me in.

I joined the jazzercise craze here at church. I've only gone a couple times (and because of the above-referenced play will not be able to go a lot for the next several weeks) and really enjoy it. We'll see - hopefully it will help me lose this weight, be healthier, and be more confident in myself. Plus, my good friend Tessa is teaching the class, so that makes me want to go to support her even more!

My mom, step-dad and brother are on vacation this week. They went to a national paintball tournament and then to Niagara Falls. I know I'm grown up now and do my own vacation thing, but it's still strange to think of them gone without me! Sometimes growing up isn't all it's cracked up to be!

I've also been catching up on my reading. So far in the last few weeks I've read: "The Shack," "A Thousand Splendid Suns," "The Third Option," and "The Next Thing on My List." Right now I am reading "My Year of Living Biblically." It's definitely interesting and worth the read!

And that's about all that's going on in my world...

The Promise

Over the weekend, I finished reading "The Shack." I'm sure most of you have already heard of this book in some form or fashion. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the book, and some of it is probably there for good reason. However, that being said, I LOVED it. I readily admit that there are some parts that made me stop and ponder the theology behind them, but overall, it was a great experience.

I have come to realize that there is a gaping chasm between religion and relationship - and that chasm has been on my heart a lot lately. I have wanted to find a way to bridge the gap between the way the world sees God - the 'religion' - and the way God desires to be revealed in His world - the relationship. This book really made me think more about how to approach the divide and how to help people see the way to the other side.

I am not saying it's the best book ever written. Please do not misunderstand that. But, read with an open heart and open mind, I really think it can make a reader think differently about some things in their life and see that there is more happening and more going on in the world than we could ever imagine.

Honestly, there are like a million quotes in the book I would like to put on my blog. But, here are two of my favorites for you to think about today...

"I am what some would say 'holy, and wholly other than you.' The problem is that many folks try to grasp some sense of who I am by taking the best version of themselves, projecting it to the nth degree, factoring n all the goodness they can perceive, which often isn't much, and then call that God. And while it may seem a noble effort, the truth is that it falls pitifully short of who I really am. I'm not merely the best version of all that you can think of. I am far more than that, above and beyond all that you can ask or think." (p99)

"To begin with, that you can't grasp the wonder of my nature is rather a good thing. Who wants to worship a god who can be fully comprehended, eh? Not much mystery in that." (p101)

Apparently, I'm Old

Yesterday afternoon I got the mail out of the mailbox as I do most days. I shuffled through the junk mail and support checks for our missionary friends, only to find something strange. A letter from the AARP - addressed to me.

Curious, I opened it up. Yup, there it was. My AARP membership card....21 Years EARLY! (I will scan the card tonight and add it to this post as proof).

So, apparently the aching back and sore muscles I have are not a result of my working out, but instead of my advanced age of which I was previously unaware....