bekahcubed

Categories Memes

74 Truths

3 Comments by

Another meme from Facebook. Gotta love those teenaged Facebook friends who keep me well-stocked with memes (even if they’re often overcrowded with boyfriend/girlfriend/who-likes-who questions–which I’ve taken to cutting out.

WHAT WAS YOUR…

1. Last beverage?
Water from the tap

2. Last phone call?
Anna asking me if there’s anything else we need at the grocery store

3. Last text message?
With Grace, regarding a new purchase of hers

4. Last song listened to?
Emmanuel by Michael W. Smith

5. Last time you cried?
Yesterday, while speaking with my sister on the phone.

HAVE YOU EVER…

6. lost someone special?
Yes

7. been depressed?
Yes

8. been drunk and threw up?
No

LIST THREE FAVORITE COLORS:

9. Black (I did say I’ve been depressed, right? Apparently people who like black are more likely to be depressed. But what can I say, black makes me look beautiful… Have I said yet that I’m a little vain?)

10. Blue

11. Teal

THIS YEAR HAVE YOU…

12. Made a new friend?
Yes, several. I’ve been blessed with many new friends through book club, work, and church.

13. Laughed until you cried?
Absolutely

14. Met someone who changed you?
Doesn’t every person we meet make an indelible impression on us, either for good or for ill, but always, within the will of God for our ultimate good and His glory?

15. Found out someone was talking about you?
Yep, but it was nice things! Now that’s a pleasant surprise!

GENERAL:

16. How many people on your Facebook friends list do you know in real life?
All but two bloggy buddies I’ve befriend–Becky of Boys Rule My Life and Kristi of For Such a Time as This

17. Do you have any pets?
No

18. Do you want to change your name?
I wouldn’t mind changing my last name someday.

19. What did you do for your last birthday?
I don’t remember. (That’s what happens when you get old!)

20. What time did you wake up today?
11:30 (haven’t slept in that late for at least 5 years)

21. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Last night, or tonight? Last night, bathing after a great time hanging out with Teresa and Ruth. Tonight, putting up Christmas decorations after a long day of making muffins and putting the house in order.

22. What is one thing you CANNOT wait for?
Mmm. Well, there are things I feel I cannot wait for–but the truth is, I will wait until God chooses that whatever it is occurs (if ever).

23. When was the last time you saw your mother?
Friday

24. What is one thing you wish you could change about your life?
My feet hurting (I started the day in heels, despite knowing that I had a house to clean and ~15 dozen muffins to make. Sometimes I’m a little low on sense.)

25. What are you listening to right now?
I Saw Three Ships come sailing in…

26. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom?
Several persons named Tom, actually–some of them even at the same time.

27. What’s getting on your nerves right now?
My ears

28. What web page do you visit most often?
Not sure. These days, probably UNL’s “blackboard”–I’ve been busy inputting grades and communicating with students who are preparing for finals.

29. What’s your Zodiac sign?
Pisces. And I’d claim a fish even if my birthday didn’t fall within that “sign.” My real sign is ΙΧΘΥΣ (Ichthus): Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Savior.

30. Are you a he or a she?
Now that one’s pretty obvious. I have two x chromosomes.

31. What elementary school did you attend?
Twin Maples Christian School (Homeschool)

32. What middle school did you attend?
Umm… Twin Maples or… umm… Agape Christian Academy (a homeschoolish school I attended for two and a half? years–even if I didn’t learn anything there.)

33. What high school did you attend?
Twin Maples Christian School. And Lincoln East High for a couple and a half classes.

34. What’s your hair color?
Brown-ish

35. Is your hair long or short?
Way long. As long as it can get. (Which is a different length for every person, by the way. No matter how long I let my hair grow out, it never gets longer than the small of my back–which is what it has been for the last five, six, maybe seven? years.)

36. What do you like about life?
God’s grace.

37. What do you like about yourself?
That God has chosen to work through a cracked vessel like myself.

38. How many piercings do you have?
Two, maybe. I haven’t stuck anything in ’em for years (8?)–so they might not really be there anymore.

39. How many tattoos do you have?
None. Have I ever told you how I’m not really a fan of unnecessary pain?

40. Are you a righty or a lefty?
I’m a righty.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST…

41. Surgery?
An exploratory laporascopy(?) as a preschooler. Otherwise? A nose job.

42. Piercing?
My ears

43. Best friend?
Anna

44. Sport?
I’ve never participated in organized sports.

45. Vacation?
Black Hills, maybe? Unless you count Grandma and Grandpa’s.

RIGHT NOW YOU’RE…

46. Eating…
Nothing

47. Drinking…
Nothing

48. About to…
Post this (and then get ready for bed)

49. Listening to…
Didn’t I already answer this one? Except the music has shut off now.

50. Waiting for…
Christmas!

YOUR FUTURE :

51. Want kids?
Now that’s a REAL secret. Give a good guess.

52. Get Married?
Erm, ditto the above.

53. Career?
Already got one, thank you very much.

WHICH IS BETTER?

54. Lips or eyes?

55. Hugs or kisses?
From you at least :-)

56. Shorter or taller?
Referring to what? Taller if you’re talking counters or bookshelves. Shorter if you’re talking horrible books that you nevertheless feel obligated to finish, telephone conversations, or waits for a public restroom stall to open up.

57. Older or Younger?
Again, what are you talking about? Older is generally better when it comes to (many) books, furniture, and cookware. Younger is usually better for pipes, insulation, and energy efficient appliances.

58. Romantic or spontaneous?
Are those supposed to be opposites?

59. Nice stomach or nice arms?
If by nice stomach, you mean less abdominal fat, stomach is the correct answer. Abdominal fat is positively correlated with risk for heart disease. Even if you’ve got noodle arms, you’re healthier if you don’t have that belly fat.

60. Sensitive or loud?
Another “these are supposed to be opposites?” question.

61. Trouble maker or hesitant?
Hah. I just got it. These are all asking about what you find more attractive in a person of the opposite sex. Which means I should have been deleting this whole section. Blech!

HAVE YOU EVER…

62. Kissed a stranger?
No

63. Drank hard liquor?
Nope. Only when mixed into girly drinks–and even then, only rarely.

64. Lost glasses/contacts?
Yes, but never permanently (Thank You, Lord!)

DO YOU BELIEVE IN…

65. Yourself?
I believe that I exist. But do I believe in myself? I believe that in myself dwells no good thing. Only by God’s grace, freely bestowed, do I have anything.

66. Miracles?
Yes.

67. Heaven?
I believe in God the Father, Maker of Heaven… Yep, that’d be part of my standard confession of faith.

68. Santa Claus?
No. Never have.

69. Kissing on the first date?
I believe that people do it. I don’t believe people should do it.

70. Angels?
Yep. Those aren’t part of the creeds or anything–but they are part of the Bible–which I affirm wholeheartedly.

ANSWER TRUTHFULLY
As if I hadn’t been all along?

71. Did you sing today?
I’d be hard pressed to come up with a day that I haven’t.

72. If you could go back in time, how far would you go, and why?
Scary thought. I believe God has placed me on this earth at this time for a purpose–and that His purposes are best. It’d be fun to visit other times, I suppose, but I really am content with just living an old-fashioned life in the modern age.

73. If you could pick a day from last year and relive it, what would it be?
Ooo…that’s a toughy. There’ve been many a difficult day and many a wonderful day. I’m glad I’ve lived them all, I’m not sure I’d like to relive any of them.

74. Posting this as 100 truths?

Nope, ‘cuz I cut out all the stupid crush questions–leaving me with 74 questions. (And that’s with the eight that I didn’t realize were crush questions and a few more that I felt were innocuous enough to leave in.)

Categories Everyday Life, Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: Easy Days

Leave a comment by

It’s not too often that I have an easy day–a day where it feels like things are running smoothly and I’m getting things accomplished and I’m not too rushed.

Which means that when those days do come, I need to stand back and savor them and not forget to send my Thank You‘s heavenward.

Thankful Thursday banner

Today I’m thankful…

…for temperatures above freezing and a jaunty walk to and from my car

…for a new computer at work–that means I don’t have to wrestle for someone else’s (I’m sure Heather is just as thankful–or more–for that one!)

…for 90 days at my “new” job–and that they still want to keep me after this first quarter

…for smooth assessments. I notice and complain when admission heights and weights aren’t taken, when I have to go digging for orders or information. But some days, the nursing staff is all at the top of their game–and I need to remember to say “Thank you” that they’ve recorded all the information I need.

…for prompt faxes from MDs. Sometimes it takes forever to hear back from an MD–or the MD just seems to ignore my faxes. Today, my faxes have been returned promptly. Thank you, docs of Columbus!

…for leaving work early (just a bit, and feeling unrushed–that NEVER happens)

…for a delightful seven note sixth grade band concert. I know I’m gonna love Columbus. These kids, this life, is fantastic.

This has been an easy day–and I am most thankful for it.

Thank You, Lord, that You know when I need a little rest–and that You provide it, even amidst an eleven-hour workday.

Categories Book Reviews

Book Review: Nina Garcia’s Look Book

1 Comment by

Confession: I am not a fashion plate.

Surprised?

Why ever not?

Despite my not-so-fashionable tendencies (inwardly, I’m really a denim jumper and birkenstocks-with-socks wearing Mom, with a patchwork vest thrown over top for good measure), I adore reading books on fashion, “style”, what-have-you.

Books like Nina Garcia’s Look Book.

Garcia’s Look Book tells the reader “what to wear for every occasion”–from when you’re asking for a raise to going on errands around town to Easter dinner to jury duty. Garcia covers it all.

Pick this book up, stick a sticky note in the most often used sections, and hope that you have a REALLY large clothes budget.

Maybe some women have this many clothes, but I certainly don’t. I briefly contemplated making a list of each of the items “called for” in each of Garcia’s “recipes”, but it took me only two or three pages to let go of that notion. It’d take forever.

So it’s not exactly the most practical book.

But it can’t be denied–it is a fun book. It’s fun to revel in the options one has with clothes, to imagine having to decide what to wear to a black-tie dinner, to read little anecdotes about others’ fashion faux pas and brilliant successes. And Garcia does have a good feel, after all, for the “vibe” you want to put off in different scenarios.

No discussion of this book would be complete without a mention of Ruben Toledo’s illustrations: lipstick tubes, fun shoes, and complete do’s. These illustrations are just great.

Yes, this is just the sort of book for a not-so-fashion-forward gal such as myself, who nonetheless likes to sink into a world of glamor through the pages of a book. Glossy illustrations, out-of-my-world scenarios, and just the tiniest touch of celebrity.

It’s the kind of book I love to check out of the library but would never dream of buying for myself.

Take it or leave it according to your preference.

Rating: 2 stars
Category: Fashion Advice
Synopsis:Garcia tells you “what to wear for every occasion.”
Recommendation: Not so useful for what it’s billed as (unless you have an enormous wardrobe), but fun if you like perusing glossy illustrations of glamor.

Visit my books page for more reviews and notes.

Categories Reflections

Being Real

8 Comments by

There are two kinds of bloggers I hate.

The perfect ones–

and the perfectly awful ones.

The former never have a problem, float through life, always seem perfectly in control, always have a perfectly spiritual answer to everything that comes up.

The latter have lives composed of nothing but problems–they go where they’re thrown by circumstances. They emote directly into their posts and never self-edit. Their blogs are full of disappointment and venom and angst.

I have too much pride (and desire to stay employed) to be the latter, so I choose to self-edit. I write about my frustrations, but not in my frustration. I try to be wise with what details I share. I wait until I’ve cooled down to write.

But as a result, I fear my blog occasionally gives the impression that I’m the former–that I’ve got it all together. Sure, I talk about problems, but always in the past tense. I fear I’m like one of the small group members John Acuff lampoons on Stuff Christians Like for confessing “safe sins”:

“Someone will say, “I need to be honest with everyone tonight. I need to have full disclosure and submit myself in honesty. Like ODB from the Wu-Tang Clan, I need to give it to you raw!” So you brace yourself for this crazy moment of authenticity and the person takes a deep breath and says

…

“I haven’t been reading my Bible enough.”

So, just in case I haven’t been real enough, I’m ready to share a less-stellar, but really real incident that occurred about a week ago.

I intended to set up my computer, enter some grades, then go to sleep. Two hours later I couldn’t get connected to the internet, whatever I did. It felt like the end of the world.

I’d been doing some reupholstering of my computer chair since my computer was taking forever trying to connect to the internet–but one thing kept going wrong after another. The axle slipped from my hand and left a grease stain on my carpet. I was tacking in the new fabric and repeatedly hammered my finger and thumb. Then I couldn’t get the newly upholstered piece back into place. My screwdriver slipped and I gouged my hand. I was alone and I yelled my “ARGGH!” through clenched teeth into the empty house.

Now I’m crying again, bawling with anger, snot running down my face.

It’s not fair, I tell myself, the world, God, anyone who might be listening. It’s not right. Why does life have to be so hard? Why can’t anything go right.

I can’t handle it, I say, enumerating what must be done. Grading to finish and grades to enter–except, oops, my computer won’t connect to the internet. A lab practical to write and study tips to give my students. A shopping trip to complete, an angel food cake to bake, a lecture and a quiz to write. Don’t know how I’m gonna get that all done, seems how I don’t have the internet on the computer that has all my class files.

And then there’s the work I still need to finish up at my other job–sometime before I leave for Lincoln. I can’t work from home just now, since I can’t get internet on that computer. And there’s the matter of the house I have to get clean before Wednesday–the house I’ll now be cleaning with bruised and bloodied hands.

Lovely.

My self-pity goes further–I dredge up all the unfairness of this last year, of the choices that others have made that have impacted me greatly, of the hopes raised just to be dashed.

I write in my journal that I quit.

I can’t do it. I can’t. I really, really can’t. It’s too much. I can’t handle it. I need a break, I need some sleep. I need life to stop being so stinkin’ unfair–Yeah right. I don’t see that happening. You know that old saying, “Life isn’t always fair?” It doesn’t go far enough. Life’s never fair.

I hate it.

I really wish I could quit.

But I can’t. URGGHHHHH!

That was after I’d cooled down considerably, by the way.

Categories The Week in Words

WiW: They Don’t Learn…

4 Comments by

The Week in Words

I’m a teacher, less than two weeks away from ending my career as a graduate teaching assistant.

I love teaching.

I love explaining things to students, helping people understand something better than they did before.

I love showing students how to do something, seeing them glow with a sense of accomplishment.

I’ve been teaching about food. And I love teaching about food.

Because I love food.

I get excited about cooking, about food, about how food fits into people’s lives.

My students can’t help but feel my excitement for food.

Which is why Don Carson’s quote sobers me.

“If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again…”
~Don Carson (via Justin Taylor)

What are the things I get excited about?

What are the things I emphasize again and again and again and again?

Are they the things I want to be emphasizing over and over and over again?

Carson says what should be emphasized over and over again:

“…What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again. That had better be the gospel.”
~Don Carson (via Justin Taylor)

I am challenged as I read these words. What is the refrain of my life’s work? If someone were to interview a dozen of my students and ask them what they learned from me, what my life message is, what would they say?

Would they say that I lived for food?

Or would they say that I lived for God, glorying in the gospel and savoring the sweetness of Christ?

I fear too often they would say the former–but my heart’s desire and my prayer is that the latter would be true.

Collect more quotes from throughout the week with Barbara H’s meme “The Week in Words”.

Categories Homemaking

Snapshot(s): Just one room

1 Comment by

For the longest of times, my cry was to have just one room in the House of Dreams done.

Just one room.

That’s all I asked.

And now, one month after moving in, one room is almost done.

My bathroom.

Bathroom in House of Dreams

A view from the door

Bathroom in House of Dreams

Over the towel rack, reproduction Red Cross posters from a calendar.

Bathroom in House of Dreams

Over the toilet, a thrifted shelf with my blueware collection (And, oops, I forgot to take that little blue lamp down after I finished cleaning the countertop–it kinda messes up the arrangement, doesn’t it?)

Bathroom in House of Dreams

The sink, along with miscellaneous doo-dads including my jewelry tree.

All I need for it to be done for good is to mud in and paint over the holes in the wall from the previously poorly-installed towel bars, to clean the floor really well, to replace the lightbulb that just burned out, and to organize the linen closet (and I’ve got a few little “someday I’d like to” tasks: making a couple more bath mats, getting a basket for books for the back of the toilet, adding a Scripture verse or something over the little shelf with my blueware, receiving navy blue bath linens for Christmas :-P, etc.)

Categories Memes

Someone has too much time on her hands…

1 Comment by

It’s not me, by the way.

But one of my friends (Amber) has been going crazy with Facebook memes of late–keeping me well supplied for my Saturday meme posts–assuming I’ll ever get back to regularly posting!

This meme was completed in the wee hours of this morning and set to post later. So some of the information is already outdated. My apologies, but I really do have to [groan] work today and can’t be online filling out such things (Probably shouldn’t be doing it now, for that matter.)

What does your third text in your inbox say?

Ruth is *Insert Phone Number Here*

Are you online?

Dur.

What are you wearing right now?

Red sweater accidentally put on backwards after trying on clothing at the used store (Oops), Gray pin-striped slacks. Black crew style socks. Red and Gray and Black striped ankle socks over top black crew style socks.

What are you most looking forward to today?

My papa visiting me (giving me a reason to ONLY work the four to five hours I absolutely NEED to work tomorrow–I mean–today.)

Do you THINK you like anyone?

I was reminded even today (that is, yesterday) of how much I like my coworkers.

Have you ever been awake for 48 hours?

Is the sky blue? I’m one thesis away from a master’s degree. Of course I’ve been awake for 48 hours before.

What are you listening to?

The hum of my computer, the air from my heat pump, my fingers clacking on the keyboard.

Baseball or football?

Baseball

Favorite kind of blanket?

Odd question. Warm kinds. Preferably made by Grandma Cook. Although I am partial to my own quilts.

How do you feel about chocolate-covered strawberries?

Excited when I see them, delighted when I eat them, and disappointed when they’re gone.

Europe or the Caribbean?

Europe, hands down

Who is the sexiest person alive?

Me in my sexy jeans. (JK!)

Do you like the color gray?

I like to WEAR the color grey (note British spelling–I learned to spell grey from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and have the hardest time spelling it with an a)

Is there anyone you really can’t stop thinking about?

There’s someone I’d like to not stop thinking about–but unfortunately my mind is wandering and all too often becomes focused on anything but Christ.

Look outside, how’s the weather?

It’s cold. I can see the moon dancing as it reflects off the surface of the wind-rippled lake. The bare-branched trees are waving for attention. And I am glad to be inside next to my space heater.

Are you jealous of anyone right now?

Let me think–is there anyone who currently belongs to me and is being misappropriated to another?

Nope, I don’t think so.

I’m a stickler for using the words jealous and envious/covetous properly. The former and the latter are NOT synonymous.

Did you ever think someone didn’t like you, but came to find out they really did?

I tend to think that people like me. Sometimes I’m right, sometimes I’m wrong. With luck, I never find out if I’m wrong and thus never discover reason to think ill of said person.

Last time you ate grilled cheese?

Good question. It’s been much too long. It was maybe a month and a half ago? Debbie and Grace and Daniel and Timothy and I made Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup for lunch after church.

Name something great that happened today?

I breathed.

Do you regret something today?

That I spent so much time on the computer and so little time unpacking. (How am I ever going to get settled into this house at this rate?)

When you think of the rainbow, what pops in your head?

Homosexual activism.

How are you feeling?

Through sensory neurons which detect pressure, pain, and a variety of other sensory inputs.

Do you watch the Oscars?

I did the year Return of the King won all those awards. We had a residence hall party for the Oscars that year. Otherwise, I never have.

Favorite movie?

A&E Pride and Prejudice

Would you date someone 10 years older than you?

Possibly

What are you thinking about?

What am I thinking about? Mostly about the ridiculousness of these “would you date…” questions. How would I know whether I’d date someone 10 years older than me? That’s an awfully small (and relatively unimportant) piece of information to make such a decision based upon.

Have you lost contact with someone you wish you didn’t?

Yes, many people. One of my great regrets in life is that I have not actively worked to sustain relationships after situations change so that we are no longer “forced” into relationship. It’s something I’m working on.

Do you think you’re old?

The day I turned 13, I told myself I was an old woman. That way I’d never fear growing old, ’cause I already was.

So far, so good.

I might be old, but I’m not afraid of growing old :-)

Are you afraid of the dark?

No. I’m afraid of what might be lurking in the dark. (Which means that I try to avoid being outside in lesser lit areas late at night–and if I have to be in said areas at those times, I choose to be aware of my surroundings and have my keys stuck through my knuckles for ready self-defense.)

Do you have unlimited texting?

Yes

Do you wear glasses?

Yes

What are you looking forward to in the next month?

Being done teaching (and therefore done commuting)

Categories Technology

It’s Cold Inside

1 Comment by

Do you follow LloydandLauren.com?

You don’t?

Well, you should.

I found Lloyd and Lauren through a real-world friend of my family, who had Lloyd as his computer teacher in high school. I took a peek and have been avidly watching for each new installment of Lloyd-and-Lauren’s crazy/sane/mundane/completely-out-of-the-ordinary life.

This video that the couple made and posted a couple days ago is a wonderful example of everything I love about Lloyd-and-Lauren: they’re talented, fun, self-deprecating, and–well, fun.

By the way, it just so happens I have another connection to Lloyd-and-Lauren. Lauren’s mom followed my link from a comment on LloydandLauren.com and has been a regular reader and occasional commenter here on bekahcubed. Thanks for reading, Nancy!

Categories Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday: By the skin of my teeth

Leave a comment by

Well, I’m just barely making it in under the midnight deadline–pretty much by the skin of my teeth.

Thankful Thursday banner

I’m thankful for all the things that I’ve been able to get done–or that have gotten done for me–JUST in time (not a moment too soon–but not too late either).

Today I’m thankful for…

…grading finished (with just enough time for the students to have a weekend to study before their lab practical)

…interviews with hard to track down resident completed (with just enough time to complete their assessments and move on to the next thing)

…a house cleaned and gotten out of (thanks to Mom’s help with cleaning–she contributed 6 of the 17 woman-hours that went into cleaning my Lincoln house–and we got done just a bit after midnight our selected day of vacat-ion)

…the amazing forbearance of God, who is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth

Categories Everyday Life

I’m not dead…

3 Comments by

Just letting you know.

Actually, I’m just massively busy.

As of yesterday a little after midnight, I am officially a resident of only one city. I got my house in Lincoln cleaned up and locked the door one last time. Now, instead of commuting to Columbus for work at the nursing home, I’m commuting to Lincoln to work at the University :-)

This week is probably the busiest yet, with a rush of papers to grade before I give my lab practical at the beginning of next week and catching up from the holiday at work and dealing with a few really touchy issues.

So (except for a Thankful Thursday post that I’m still hoping to have time to write tomorrow :-P) you probably still won’t be seeing me until at least the middle of next week–or more likely, the end of next week.

Nevertheless, despite the busyness and a number of relationally/emotionally/spiritually challenging little events, I’ve been delighting in the greatness of God (Thank you, Pastor Justin, for an excellent intro to JESUS this past Sunday) and unexpectedly surprised into tears by the gospel-saturated lyrics of (you’ll never guess)
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…
…

LeCrae.

…
…
…
…
…
…
…

See, I told you you’d never guess.

Not a fan of rap. Not a fan of CCM. Picked up a bunch of CDs from the library, procrastinated listening to that one because I don’t like rap or CCM. Finally popped it in on my drive this afternoon. Found myself literally in tears over the immensity of depravity and the awesome greatness of election.

Dang. That’s good stuff.

Anyway–I’d best get to bed. I’ve got a full day ahead of me.

Hope you have a wonderful, Christ-saturated rest of the week!