I Love an Awards Show!

So, I had to bat my lashes a bit to reserve the tv for Golden Globes (and not football), but I'm so excited!  I dragged my laptop into the living room with me in case any of my Skype friends were watching it too, and Mac said "Oh boy...are you blogging live from the Golden Globes?"  Haha, well I wasn't planning on it, but come on...so fun!  Watch with me!

Jenna Fischer - Golden Globes 2010 Red Carpet - Photo Gallery | Just Jared

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Context

I feel like I should add some context to my middle of the night notes from a few days back.  I have always been someone who struggles with a lot of fear, anxiety and (little wonder) depression.  So I often find that I'm surviving life like an attack and therefore, I'm always looking for someone or someones or something to save me.  Sometimes I guess I have to hit rock bottom before I'll finally look up.  When I did, I found that I already have Someone who saved and saves me.  Every day, every hour, every second...God saves me.  When will I ever get it and stop looking elsewhere?  I am so tired of making myself and everyone I lean on miserable in my empty search for what's already been found.  Either He is all the love, hope, life, joy, acceptance, approval and glory I need...or He's not.  There is no room for lukewarm sentiments here.  I for one want to believe.  God, I believe in my head...help my unbelief in my heart.

On my drives to work last week, I started listening to a podcast series from my friend Katie's church in Oregon (Imago Dei, also Donald Miller's church).  The series was entitled Rugged Spirituality and deals with the life of David, king and writer of many Psalms (one of which contains my favorite verse).  Anyway, what I had heard that particular morning was this.  We all find ourselves in a wilderness at some time or another.  In David's wilderness, he learned to pray.  The prayers he prayed in the wilderness (running for his life!) are some of my favorite Psalms today.  So think about this...when we find ourselves in a wilderness, it just might be an opportunity for us to learn to really pray from our guts...and that just might be something God uses to bless the whole world--even future generations--through us.

Clothing Wars

Dedicated to my dear friend, Beth.

When I feel blue, sometimes it cheers me up to go to a store and try on something I would probably never purhcase (or wear) in a million years.  My friend Beth and I developed a game around this when I was still living in Montana.  It's called Clothing Wars and here's how it works: 

We would enter a store together and within 5 or 10 minutes, pick out the most ridiculous clothes we could find for each other to try on.  The person who came up with the silliest/worst outfit (for the other person to wear) won.  Beth always won.  Seriously, I would pick out what I thought would be the most hideous thing and somehow, they always looked almost wearable on her.  Whereas I, on the other hand...well, you get the idea.

Another version of the game was the Prom Season version.  I don't think there was ever a winner or loser with this game, because really we both just liked to try on ridiculous prom dresses.  Yes, we were in our mid to late twenties.  Do you see the second photo below?  It is blurry because the shop girl was very angry with us for sharing one dressing room and demanded that we get out at once.  So scary!

I really miss Clothing Wars.  While it did cheer me up quite a bit to try on something I normally wouldn't wear and make silly faces while holding my camera in awkward positions...it just wasn't quite the same without my friend.  So here is what I propose.  A long-distance Clothing Wars that goes something like this:  Walk into ___________ store and pick up the first ___________ (i.e. brown) shirt you see.  Now grab the first ____________ (i.e. pleated) pants you see...and on and on until we have a competition worthy ensemble.  Then we photograph ourselves and post the pictures for our readers to judge...and then we hope that the stores don't sue us or publicly chastise us.  Hm...perhaps one day we should consider trying to make the best outfit instead...then the stores will thank us for all that free publicity!

What do you say?  Anyone else want to join?

P.S.  I actually ended up liking that black dress I tried on!  Too bad it was so baggy up top and too bad I never go anywhere but work and church.  It was cheap!

In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning...

A hard fought lesson:

The thing about God is, either He's it or He's not.  Maybe it's time to stop looking and believe.

I don't know if anyone else needs to hear this too...I just know things changed when I did.  If you say you believe God and yet are still looking for someone to die for you, approve of you, tell you belong, call you family, know you deeply and love you unfailingly...you are hurting yourself.  There's only one who can hear your heart's cry at any time of day or night--whether it's expressed in words, broken sobs, or just plain old heart wrenching.  So what are you waiting for, my friend?  Cry out.

My Weekend Apron...or, New Year's Revolution Success!

I did it!  I said I was in the mood to sew and I actually did something about it!  Granted...I was only motivated because of a last-minute gifting opportunity which failed to materialize in the end (didn't finish in time, didn't like it enough to give it away)...but hey, I sewed!  It's been way too long, I have to say.  Both me and the machine could use a few improvements, but all in all I'd say we got along rather handily.

I made up the pattern for this one, but as I was brainstorming and gathering inspiration online, I did come up with a few patterns that look fun to try.  Best of all, they're free!  I really love the internet sometimes.  I'll try to post the best of my findings soon...I'd like to make another apron in the near future.  No real reason...they're just simple and fun, and I like having the freedom to experiment without worrying about whether I'd wear it (in public) or not.  (Sadly, this worry has become less and less frequent of late, and I think I may be in need of some fashion counseling soon.)

My workspace was looking so inviting this weekend, how could I help but sew!?

I'm Sew Excited, I Just Can't Hide It*

I saw these photos from Built by Wendy today and it's official:  I'm in the mood to sew! 

This is a good thing, as Mac told me the other day that my New Year's resolution should be to sew more...to which I responded that it was!  Actually, I wrote about 2 pages of 'revolutions' (no more resolutions, I always seem to fail them!), but sewing and just generally creating more were high up on the list.

Mac gave me this sewing machine for my birthday last year.  It belonged to his mom.  I am so excited to start sewing again!

*Come on, you knew a bad sewing pun was bound to happen sooner or later.

...Et Voila!

My favorite discovery of the day, courtesy of Animal Head Vintage (a super inspiring site I stumbled upon in my usual Sunday evening blog-wanderings):

La photocabine.  It's a virtual photobooth, just like the kind Mac and me (I know, I know...it should be Mac and I) went on a cross-country quest to find.  Just like the kind I grew up using at every K-Mart, Sears and Bon Marché my little saddle shoes, Keds and jellies could drag me to...but have sadly since been removed.  Yes, just like that...only free! 

The instructions are en français, so just click the curtain to get inside and push the button when you're ready to go! 

My second most favorite discovery will be seeing the photos that all of you take.  Blog them, flickr them, facebook them, e-mail them...but by all means, don't let me down!