The Monday 8 -- Because I'm THAT Late...

1. It's been a crazy few days. But I am happy to announce we have now officially appreciated our K-5th parents, sold some summer t-shirts (get yours for $7!), recruited a few volunteers, registered kiddos for camp, and honored our graduating 5th graders. [Insert GINORMOUS sigh of relief here.]


2. Myra, Patrick, and Morgandy came to town over a week ago and we had a wonderful dinner visit along with our friend Jenn and her son Henry. This pic is obviously me with Morgandy. I was glad to renew our connection as I'd not seen her since cutting her umbilical cord 6 months prior.


3. The picture also shamelessly shows off my highlights. I've been asked for photo documentation by my friends far away. Here you have it. Ignore the weird bangs-in-face situation.



4. I'm taking a survey: Do you think I should use the "labels for this post" section?



5. Tonight starts the new round of Mustard Seed Workshops. I'm looking forward to it as I sometimes feel stuck in the "Christian cocoon" -- meaning I only ever interact with Christians, and largely within the walls of our church. So it will be great as I look for ways to expand my circle of influence.



6. We have hired summer youth interns! I am SO excited for them to arrive. There is something about summer that completely energizes me. All the activity and excitement -- it's the perfect way to precede fall.



7. Speaking of fall, I've got 2 weddings to participate in this fall. Jayna and Matt are getting married Sept 1st (and yes, the orange bridesmaid dress is on order!) and Deanna and Aaron are getting married late October (dress TBD).



8. My pal Becky and I went shopping on Saturday and as we were driving back to the mall to retrieve my car, we listened to Jack Johnson. I still want to try a banana pancake. So if anyone knows where I can get one, please pass the word along!

5

1. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my pal Luke. You've eeked out all you can from the mid-20s. Welcome to the other side of the hill.... ;)

2. It was 2 years ago today that I arrived in SA to start working at Mac. I can't believe it's been so long and yet it feels like no time at all.

3. On Tuesday, we took our secretaries to Scouzzi's for lunch in honor of Administrative Professionals Day (which was actually Wednesday). I ordered grilled chicken. And when it was brought to me, it came with a side dish of what the waiter called "chicken juice." Ewwww.

4. I had to have my car towed this week. I got a new alternator, a new alternator belt, and a CV axle. I hope this is the last time I have to report car issues. Otherwise, Jill might tell me I need a new car again.

5. I am especially thankful this week for wonderful friends and a family who loves me dearly!

Okay...So I'm Overdue...

I was told I should add an item for each day I'm late on my post. So I present to you the Sunday Seven, with apologies.

1. On Friday night, I saw the movie "In the Land of Women" and I have to say, it may be more of a rental. I was glad Meg Ryan looks slightly less plastic-y than she did a while back, but I'm still disturbed by the plumpness of her lips. One caveat: if you only like movies which resolve all areas of conflict and stress, this may not be the movie for you.

2. Steve Linscomb mentioned nothing of rain in the morning forecast -- only clouds -- so I straightened my hair. And it's pretty much been raining all day. Boo. I've switched over to ponytail mode.

3. On Thursday, I got my hairs cut and highlighted. It's been quite a long time since I've had highlights and I have to say, it was time for them. I needed a change. Plus I really, really, REALLY love the pampering experience.

4. Speaking of pampering, I also am quite fond of spa pedicures. I know some think it's indulgent, but I really am on my feet a lot and they deserve a reward for their hard work. Plus I do a terrible job when I paint my own toes.

5 I am lately obsessed with cuticle nippers. If you don't have a pair, you should immediately go out and make a purchase. Just be careful to not go overboard.

6. I have a ton of books I want to read but don't ever seem to have time to get around to them. So I'm trying a new thing where I keep a book by my bed and a try to read for at least 20-30 minutes a night. I haven't been wildly successful in this endeavor as I've forgotten on several occasions, but I did just finish a book over the weekend so that is better than nothing.

7. I'm super excited to see Myra and Patrick and Morgandy on Saturday! I haven't seen them since Morgandy's birth, which feels like forever ago even though it's only been 6 months. Then again, it's been six whole months. Goodness!

The 5

1. It's Friday the 13th. I didn't realize that till moments ago. If I were at all superstitious, I'd retroactively freak out and wait for something creepy to happen. But I'm not, so no worries.

2. My friend Meredith is getting married tomorrow. When we were in high school, we decided the perfect place to get married was on a scenic stretch of road outside of Lefors, TX, where we used to go on mission trip. There was a natural tree canopy and it was beautiful. We used to make Richard stop and let us out to walk along the street and take pictures in the sunflowers.

3. I bought a white jean jacket and have only worn it twice. My friend Dara said it was begging for a ketchup stain. I agreed, but still made the purchase. So far, I'm ketchup free.

4. I was reading a recipe the other day and it called for catsup. Why do we spell it both catsup and ketchup? I think we need to agree on one spelling it call it cool. Incidentally, the spellcheck highlighted "catsup" as a misspelled word.

5. I'm thankful today for the rain. It's brought refreshment to my spirit.

100

Several of my friends have posted 100 Things about themselves. I decided I needed to post something besides the Friday Five this week, so here goes...100 Things About Me:

1. My parents passed by Tamra's Hallmark on their way to the hospital where I was born and decided they liked the name
2. Tamra is better than Trinka, which one grandmother wanted me to be named
3. Tamra is also better than Margot
4. The third name up for consideration? Jamie
5. My middle name is Michelle. There's no special meaning behind it
6. I've lived in 5 states
7. I've lived in 4 cities in Texas
8. I spent a semester in Europe during college
9. That was so long ago, it feels like a dream
10. I've never been to Canada
11. I've been to Mexico twice
12. Both times were stops on cruises
13. I've been on two cruises
14. They were a ton of fun
15. I highly recommend cruising
16. I suggest not going too close to the rails, though
17. I'm shocked that a cruise boat sank...or is it sunk?
18. Sometimes I get confused on proper tenses
19. I took French in 3rd grade
20. I also took French in 4th grade
21. I won "French Student of the Year" in 3rd grade
22. I got a trophy for it
23. I felt certain I would win the honor in 4th grade, too
24. We moved before I could find out
25. I took Spanish in 5th grade
26. "Tamra" doesn't translate in Spanish
27. My teacher called me "Tomasita" instead
28. I hated that
29. I took Latin for 2 years in high school
30. At the time, I felt Latin would help with my SAT and ACT scores
31. It probably did
32. My Latin teacher now attends my church; he still remembers me being a good student
33. I took German for one semester
34. It was the semester I spent in Europe
35. Frau Ehler said I have a natural ability to learn language
36. Unfortunately, I don't have a natural ability to retain language
37. Aside from a few odds and ends phrases, I only speak English
38. I have one brother
39. He is almost 2 years older than me
40. Our birthdays are exactly three weeks apart
41. We both got combo presents for b-day/Christmas while growing up
42. But it happened to me more often
43. My birthday is closer to Christmas than his birthday is
44. My brother and I are opposites in a lot of ways
45. But I love him very much
46. When he wasn't beating me up, he was very protective of me
47. I think it's weird how family can be so mean and so sweet
48. I have fallen victim to that trap myself
49. I was a bridesmaid in my brother's wedding almost 3 years ago
50. My only nieces and nephews have been animals
51. I feel certain I will be a cool aunt to human nieces and nephews
52. I wish I lived closer to my family sometimes
53. I have no plans to move, though
54. I love my job
55. Even when it wears me out, I still love it
56. I realized last week that I am in a job with no opportunity for advancement
57. And that is perfectly okay with me
58. I love kids
59. I especially love the development of toddlers
60. One day, I might have kids of my own
61. That day does not look to be anytime soon
62. I'm good with that
63. The thing that looks scariest about parenting? Early mornings
64. If I could, I'd stay up till 2am and sleep till noon
65. I usually don't get out of bed till 8am on weekdays
66. I have to be at work at 9am
67. My brain doesn't turn on till about 10am
68. I love fruits
69. I do not love veggies
70. I used to eat a lot of fast food
71. I decided that might kill me, so I cut back
72. I special order my food at most restaurants
73. Sometimes I crave a Quarter Pounder w/ Cheese (ketchup only)
74. This is even after I saw that guy puke on Supersize Me
75. I haven't watched the entire documentary
76. It's in my Netflix queue
77. I keep moving it to the bottom of the list, though
78. Happy Feet is at the top of my queue, but there's a long wait for it
79. I watched The Good Shepherd over the weekend
80. It took me two tries; the movie is almost 3 hours long
81. I gave it 3 stars
82. I give most movies 3 stars
83. I give very few movies 5 stars
84. I need to change the hangy thing on my office door
85. What is up now is an Easter-ish thing with carrots that is supposed to say "Welcome"
86. Instead, it says "Welcooe" -- which I noticed immediately
87. I won the spelling bee in 3rd grade
88. The winning word? Calculator
89. My spelling ability went downhill as I relied more on the spellcheck in Word
90. I've never liked math
91. But I always did well, and even took calculus in high school
92. I now use a calculator for most math functions, even addition and subtraction
93. I sometimes think my intelligence peaked in Kindergarten
94. I still haven't finished my thesis
95. I have to do so this year if I want my degree
96. I view deadlines as starting points
97. It's part of my personality, so I act as though I have no control over it
98. The MBTI says my personality is Extroverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving (ESFP)
99. I'm fascinated by personality study
100. I am thrilled that I finished this list

The Weekly Installment

1. On Sunday, we had a scripture reading class that was offered as part of our leadership training program for 3rd-5th graders. We were talking about communication and the importance of being vocally interesting when relaying your message, which led us to a discussion of people who have done a good job in speeches and whatnot. This prompted a boy to attempt reading Psalm 23 in the style of MLK. It was hilarious.

2. I am extremely thankful for the amazing family I've been blessed with, both by blood and by choice. I'm reading If It's Not One Thing, It's Your Mother, a hilarious book by Anita Renfroe, and so I am especially mindful of my mom and the Other Mothers who have helped shape me these past 28 years.

3. I spent over 3 hours and practically my entire life savings at the shop getting my brakes and other odds and ends replaced. It wasn't until I was leaving that I realized they also sold windsheild wipers. Stink -- I missed my chance.

4. It's Good Friday -- a religious holiday -- and we don't get it off for work...at the church. Incidentally, we do get off work for MLK.

5. If you haven't watched "The Nativity Story," I think you should. It was pretty well done and there is even a bit of comic relief from the 3 wise men.

Friday Five

Maybe I should challenge myself to be more regular in my blogging. To that end, I present the Friday Five:

1. Our weekend kids retreat was rained out. Sad times -- this makes 2 years in a row!

2. Number of times I ate Chinese food this week: 3

3. I need new windshield wipers but am too lazy to put them on myself and feel ridiculous about having the kind folks at Wal-Mart do it unless I am also getting my oil changed.

4. I won't need an oil change for another 1,500 miles. I checked.

5. I think that movie "Monster in Law" is hilarious. It's on right now (I'm home for lunch) and I can't stop laughing!

wonder why

Let's say you're in a store and someone walks past you who really catches your eye. It's likely you'll turn around and watch them as they walk away. That makes sense.

What does NOT make sense to me is why a pedestrian who checks out a driver turns around after the driver has sped away. What are they looking at? The car's bumper??

the better part

In our ladies Bible class, we’ve begun a series based on Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver. Have you read it? After getting a mere 5 pages in, I already am convicted of a few things about my life.

Luke 10 dedicates a scant five verses to the story of Jesus coming to Martha’s house where she was frantically working on preparations while her sister Mary simply sat at Jesus’ feet.

Martha was frustrated by her sister’s seeming laziness, so she marched herself right up to Jesus and tattled. She expected Jesus to chastise Mary and make her help with the work. But in a surprise move, Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen the better part and it would not be taken away from her.

I can just imagine Martha standing there with her jaw to the floor, wondering how on earth Jesus could let Mary get away with not helping. How many times have I wondered why someone got off easy while I had to put in the hard work? How many times have I been so focused on the preparation that I missed out on the fun? And how many times have I run to God, telling on so-and-so for doing such-and-such when I felt so sure I was right and he or she was wrong?

There’s a lesson to be learned in that. But I think if you dig a little further, there might be an even more important lesson waiting to be found.

Jesus’ words are important. He told Martha that Mary had chosen the better part. There was a choice, and it was open to both sisters. Martha and Mary had the same choice to make and Mary chose the better part. Speculation says Mary’s personality was more suited for natural worship, but she still went against the cultural norms by sitting among the men to hear Jesus. Martha had the choice to stop was she was doing in order to absorb the words and wisdom of the Messiah, but she deemed the preparations more important.

And that’s the message I challenge you to take from this story. We have a choice. Sometimes it comes easily to make the choice for the better part. For some, it may be a natural fit. But so many times, at least for me, making the choice for the better part is easier said that done. It may mean that we have to give up what comes naturally to us, or makes us happy or gives an air of importance. Whether it's to follow our nature or not, we have the choice just the same.

Where are you being a Martha in your life? What do you need to change in order to be a Mary? How can you choose the better part? These are the questions on my mind. Maybe they'll help you or maybe you'll come up with some of your own.

'tis the season....

Confession: I'm a Christmas junkie!

On Saturday morning, I rolled out of bed at 5:45 a.m. If you know me, then you know I'm not a morning person. And you would expect that only fear of losing my job would drag me kicking and screaming from the oasis of my bed, and my attitude would reflect as much. But not this day. No, no, friends -- this day, I rolled out of bed with a SMILE on my face...HUMMING Christmas songs.

So here's wishing you lots of "fa la la's" this holiday season. Merry Christmas!