Monday, December 29, 2003

Good Morning Flu...

Here's how my day started--woke up around 6:30 a.m. feeling claustrophobic (I was somehow dreaming that all these boxes were around me--probably b/c of all the cleaning I've been doing) and could not fall back asleep. It progressed into extreme nausea and I thought I was going to throw up. If you know me well, you know that puking is my absolute worst fear in life. I will do anything, anything, anything to avoid throwing up! Anyways you can rejoice because I have not had to, and I hope I never will! I was extremely nauseous all morning and couldn't fall back asleep, and I'm not sure if it's the flu or just something I ate yesterday. However, I have enjoyed my day laying in front of the TV watching the Newlyweds marathon--so much that I feel as if I live right there with Jessica and Nick. I'm feeling much better, but I'm really achy and stuff still in case you were wondering. Please be praying that I get better very soon b/c I'm supposed to move in 3 days and then travel w/ the band! I definitely don't feel like going at the moment, so hopefully that will change.

I'm sure you were all dying to know those details of my day, but that's what blogs are for, right? I can type anything I feel like typing! Well I must continue on to watching VH1's All Access about celebrity mothers. Exciting day, I know. peace out...

Friday, December 26, 2003

A Christmas Story...

You all know the movie, right? Ralphy and his family end up going to a Chinese restaurant b/c the dogs ran through their house and took their turkey. Well, there weren't dogs running through our house today, and there wasn't even a turkey for them to take if there did happen to be dogs. Instead it was just me and my mom, who did not feel like cooking for only two people. We also ended up going to eat Chinese, because nothing else was open and it sounded good after watching the 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story. Needless to say, it was the worst Christmas meal I have ever eaten in my life, and even the worst Chinese meal I have ever eaten. It was horrible, but we just laughed it off. I must say, this was ultimately the weirdest Christmas I have ever had in my life. It was actually a really boring day until we went to see Mona Lisa Smile.

That movie was absolutely incredible!!! (so much so that it obviously deserves a new paragraph in my blog) They did a magnificent job of re-creating the '50s era in which women were taught to be housewives and that they were unsuccessful if they didn't marry. I must say first that I'm glad I didn't live back then b/c I'd be considered unsuccessful at this point for being unmarried! There were times when the scenes at Wellesley College reminded me of my beloved Lincoln Christian College and the quickness of marriage there. It was such a good feeling to know that I am NOT alone in escaping there w/o a husband or even a boyfriend--if that had happened in 1953 at Wellesley College I would have been looked down on! Anyways, I found myself comparable to several of the main characters in the movie in different ways--I'm so analytical even while watching movies. It's ridiculous!

So, go see Mona Lisa Smile--if nothing else it's intriguing to be able to finally tie in the movie's title w/ the entire theme of the film. I loved it!

That was the extent of our Christmas Day. Not too exciting. However, I am reminded always to be thankful that I have such a great family even though we weren't all together today. I have so much to be thankful for, in general. God always seems to be providing and opening doors and speaking and working, yet I don't pay enough attention.

On a somewhat similar note, I'll be moving in less than a week now! I can't believe it's coming so quickly! I'm still trying to clear out my room to prepare for Cory and David moving in, and then I'll be able to pack after it's all clean. After throwing bags and bags of things away I still have piles of things for our next garage sale! I am finding so much junk! I even found a paper I wrote in 7th or 8th grade--it wasn't too bad, but funny to read!

Well I must get some sleep after this long Christmas Day...I hope you all had a wonderful day that was exciting in various ways! Tomorrow of course I'll be hitting the sales in the mall in Peoria--Dec. 26th is a great sale day! Then I'm actually going to the Riverboat for the first time ever b/c I wanted to before I leave for Indy. Soooo I should go to bed finally.

much love...
mandarin

Thursday, December 25, 2003

Christmas Eve Yule-Blog

I thought I'd give a special gift of the Christmas yule-blog. Isn't there such thing as a yulelog? What is that anyways?

I hope that everyone's doing well and finding ways to rejoice in this Christmas season! I'm realizing this year that I wish I was still a little kid...it's so different now, but I understand so much more what it's about at least! I also realize that we put way too much emphasis on the actual day--this is probably b/c ours tomorrow is extremely uneventful. My dad has to work unfortunately, leaving my mom and I with nothing to do but go to grandma & grandpa's for awhile and avoid our other relatives who have the terrible flu that's going around. Anyways, it is a different kind of Christmas this year but it's still good! It's reminding me of how I'm getting older, that's for sure...

Speaking of this, I keep having dreams about my friends in high school--totally random! They're all people I've not seen in years but they were in my dreams twice in the past few days! Weird...

On a completely different note, as I was sitting in our church candlelight service tonight (trying to ignore the fact that it was much unlike the talent in LCC's Christmas in the Chapel) I heard for the millionth time Amy Grant's trademark Christmas song, "Breath of Heaven." Every time I hear that song I wonder "what on earth did Mary think about carrying GOD around in her belly?" That had to be SO weird! Why on earth did God choose her? I wondered what I would do if I were in her place...and then I realized that in a different way, I am. In fact, we all are. No, of course we're not carrying around Baby Jesus's in our bellies, but we are carrying around His Spirit just the same. We're carrying around the gift of the gospel just the same. Why have we been entrusted with such a great gift--after all, we're just lowly, imperfect, sinful people who don't even deserve coal in our Christmas stockings! However, God has chosen to entrust us with something so weighty as the story of Jesus just like he chose Mary to be the one to give birth to him! Similarly, I'm sure her entire pregnancy and labor were not easy; neither is carrying around the gospel. Nevertheless, it's what we're called to do and I'm thankful for it!

Those are my Christmas thoughts...and I promise, there's plenty more where that came from! I had many many random thoughts tonight during the service and elsewhere that I'd love to share but I won't bore you with my crazy mind any longer.

For any of you who were wondering, I had a good time in Ohio w/ the fam. Also, I'll spare you the details behind this, but my sister and brother-in-law and niece Maddy will be moving back to Streator in the next week or two! (I'm beginning to wonder if my parents' gift of luggage was a hint to me...) They'll be living in our house for awhile so it's a good thing I'll be going to Indy! There won't be room for me!

OK seriously that's enough rambling for me...if you've made it this far through reading my blog I give you the great reward of gratitude for having nothing better to do! ;-) Just kidding I know you're just hanging on every word I write!

Well have a blessed Christmas and I am sure I'll be back for another yule-blog tomorrow night... Love ya'll.

Wednesday, December 17, 2003

Yay! Tomorrow on our way to Ohio I'm meeting the people I'll be living with in Indianapolis during my internship. I can't wait to see the house and meet them and get the full experience of where I'll be for the next 6 months or so. I'm really excited!

Wanna know what else I'm looking forward to? Of course you do! Seeing my beautiful niece Maddy and my sister and brother-in-law. I love going to their house.

It's so weird to not have an agenda each day! I no longer have the joy of crossing off each thing on my list! However it's much greater to stay up late, sleep in late, get ready as quickly or slowly as I'd like, and do whatever else I want to. Today my activity of choice was...shopping! Yep--I went to 2 stores (Value City and Wal-Mart) and I'm pretty sure I was gone for a good 5 and a half hours! Being indecisive takes a lot of time! Now...to finish my Christmas shopping: what do you get a dad and a brother-in-law? I'm horrible at shopping for men!

Complete change of subject--I'm going to start picking a song of choice for each day I have decided. Here is today's:

"All That Is In Me" by Shane Barnard (not on any of the CD's, it's a song I found back in the day when downloading was legal)

It's not often enough I lift my hands in worship
It's not often enough I sing a song of joy
So often I'm reminded of His love and how He's so faithful
So I offer Him a sacrifice of praise

All that is in me, all that I am
There's nothing I'm withholding from you
All that is in me, all that I am
To glorify the Lamb

Oh I offer up a sacrifice of praise to you my God
For you alone are the King of Kings
My heart, my mind, my soul, my life
I give you all I am
Oh I wait for you to come and rescue me


Wow, just reading the lyrics does not do that song justice, because it is an incredible song. It's like a gut check every time I hear it, because I realize it's NOT often enough that I lift my hands in worship or sing a song of joy. Then when I realize that I have neglected to do so I recognize how God has been faithful and loving all the while. He deserves my sacrifice, so why do I always withhold things? I think that's a lesson learned for all.

I suppose enough is enough--and I have clearly written enough. I need to get some sleep and pack for our adventure to ohio. So long, my friends.

Tuesday, December 16, 2003

OK, I have officially figured out how to do the links on this page so I thought I'd go a little crazy adding links to webpages of the artists that I love most! If you know me well you know I absolutely love music, so it's necessary that I let you in on some of the best artists! Speaking of...I was supposed to see Shane & Shane in Wheaton this past weekend but that unfortunately unsafe white precipitation we call snow had to get in the way! Also, Matt Wertz (another favorite) was in the area Sunday night but I didn't go...I suppose another day, perhaps.

For the times when I'm looking back and wondering why I started this blog--you just moved out of college and you're thinking it will be a good way of keeping everyone else updated on your life and you're hoping everyone else will catch on!

It is extremely late and I should be getting to bed...although I really don't have exciting plans for tomorrow. I get to renew my license, which equals taking another lovely picture--yay! Maybe do some Christmas shopping, and who knows what else? Why am I typing this on here anyway, because no one even knows my blog address yet! Basically I'm just sending this out into the great unknown of the worldwide web. maybe some bored person will find adventure in the journey of my wandering thoughts...

who's cool with their choice of words? it's me, it's me! (see previous sentence)
So i'm checking out this whole blogging thing and I'm realizing that I'm a complete idiot. I have no idea how to do these things, but I will continue to make my measly attempts. I know it can't be hard, and I will figure it out...oh yes...I will figure it out.