That's a wrap!

So let me just say, I've been spending a little time at work this morning reviewing how to tie a head scarf. Mom need not fear, she's in good hands! I can now make her look like an African queen. I have to be honest, there really is such elegance and art to how these head scarves (called gele) are tied, folded and molded to the head to make such beautiful creations.

I don't want to brag, but I was able to view the Advanced Gele Tying Course on youtube and so now can make an even more amazing creation. Just wait Mom, you give me 3 yards of material, 25 minutes of working and wrapping, and I'll be able to have you looking like this! Do you think you'll be able to get into the car?? Although really, with such royalty flowing through your veins, perhaps we can have James pick us up some groceries ;)

My preferred lifestyle

With life continually dishing me out a healthy dose of reality, I'd like to pause for a moment to consider a typical day in my preferred lifestyle. I would rise with the sun just beginning to beam its rays into my bedroom of my adorably simple and cozy old Florida style cottage. My feet would swing out from under the covers and touch the coolness of my terraza floor. I would greet my kitties as I walk out to the kitchen to brew some coffee, which must be leisurely enjoyed while catching up on current events that I read from the newspaper that is thrown onto my front porch every morning.
With the morning in full swing, I would change into my swim clothes, jump in my 1957 Chevy convertible and drive to the springs to enjoy the early morning ritual of old Florida natives taking an invigorating swim in the rich coolness of 72 degree water. It's so peaceful to enjoy nature in the early morning hours. Of course with these early waking hours, I could have all of this done by 9am. The question is what to do with the rest of my day. I'm pretty sure I would need to tend to my flower beds, water my indoor plants, put some fresh food and water out for my kitties, perhaps take a nap on the sun room after finishing my latest great read purchased from the second hand bookstore in town.
The afternoon hours would be spent with some light cleaning, relaxing cooking and perhaps creating a painting or two to hang on the wall. I'm not a very good painter, but I remember seeing a flyer from the local art studio where they were offering some beginning courses for the benefit of the community. I might have some close friends over for some dinner and we can discuss the happenings of town and lives of our families and friends, perhaps while playing our favorite card game and sipping our gin and tonics. Yup, just give me 40 more years and a room at the Sunny Ridge retirement village and I'll be basking in the greatness of my preferred lifestyle.

My thoughts, in random order

1. I dislike hospitals. I started to hurt just sitting in the waiting room. No matter what bed was being wheeled by, I knew I had what they had, by transference. It's totally possible.
2. I like knowing I can call people at whatever hour of night and demand they pick me up and let me hang with them, even if they force me to get a cart and push it around for them, thanks chica ;)
3. Life feels better when the house is clean. Perhaps cleanliness really is next to godliness.
4. Work seems a million miles away. Thank you Lord for a job where I can simply say I'm taking days off and it not be a big deal!
5. Coffee is not only soul-satisfying but after watching about 50 rotations of the same 15 minute news segment yesterday on channel 13, they assured me it is heart-healthy.
6. French fries are sounding quite possibly the most delicious thing imaginable right now.
7. I aggressively knit when trying to wait patiently. I think the cute little blanket I'm working on might have about 20-30 rows that are a LOT tighter than the rest of it.
8. Daytime television really IS as wonderful as I always think it is when I'm sitting at my desk whittling away the prime of my life for payday.
9. Today is one of those days where life has brought me and those I love most in this world a lot of pain, but still I say, blessed be the name of the Lord.
10. I have a great family, that's my wonderful mom, dad, sister, brother, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, all of them. What sweetness!

Banquet frozen dinners? I don't think so

This last weekend, my parents and I went shopping at The Fresh Market. It was while I was slowly strolling up and down each aisle, taking in the excitement of such variety, that I realized this simple truth. I am not meant for Walmart Neighborhood Market. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to sound like a snob! I was raised on the art of bargain shopping from the Piggly Wiggly to Winn Dixie. I know how to cut costs and buy generic. The problem is, I just don't want to. I prefer buying over-priced wasabi rice snacks and fruit/nut trail mixes that come packaged for me in little containers. I like how it feels to purchase fancy fruit juice, specialty potato crisps and whole wheat crackers with flax seed. I delight in the entire shopping experience, from the ingenious carts to the chicken salad made from rotisserie chickens done on the premises. So yea, as everyone else is shopping in bulk at their local wholesale club, trying to purchase a gallon of olive oil for $2.00, I'll be selecting the finest olive oil, hand-pressed in Italy by Grandma Ritoli for $15.99 and loving it!

Splittin' Gumballs

Backstory: Growing up, Mom always would divide things like this, one person would divide and the other person got to choose which half they wanted. It was the only way to ensure continual equality and happiness.

Scene: After lunch at the Mexican place near where I work, Mom and I walking to the door.

Me: Ohhhhhhh
Mom: Yea, you want a gumball?
Me: Heck yea, I'm hoping for a purple one. You got a quarter?
Mom: Let me see. You know we need two quarters.
Me: If you only have one quarter, I'll let you have it.
Mom: Oh no! I don't have any quaters! Let's ask Dad.
pause...
Mom: Hey, Bill, you got a couple quarters, or even just one.
(looking back at me) You know, if he only has one, I'll share it with you.
Me: You can't split a gumball!
Mom: Yea, I'll just bite off my half.
Me: (Pausing to contemplate it) Yea, well if you divide it, I get to choose which half I want.
(Laughter)

Things I find funny

1. I threw my gum out at work today, but missed the trash can. I went to pick it up but couldn't find it.
2. My Mom told me today that we should eat more cabbage because of it's cancer-fighting qualities. I told her she had better get right on that ;)
3. Driving down 426 on my way to work and seeing 3 chickens congregating by the street lamp.
4. Your friend joking with you that using them as a reference for a student loan sounds a little "iffy".
5. Chatting online with someone who is sitting in the same room as you.

Downloading Fool!

I have just discovered the incredible greatness of podcasts. Oh sure, I had seen them before when playing around in itunes, but never really checked them out or what kind of podcasts there are to enjoy. Because of a recent conversation I had about some great pastors/speakers, I decided to check out if they have their sermons online. Not only do they have them online that you can listen to, but podcasts you can subscribe to and download. Incredible! The possibilities are limitless, for they don't just have the podcasts of their sermons, but the chapel services at their seminaries and so forth. Let's just say, I have enough listening material to keep me busy for the next year! But wait, it gets better! For the same introductory price of FREE....there is now this thing called itunesU which is an organized educational podcasting center for all sorts of lectures by prominent faculty at prestigious universities. All you have to do is press the little "download" button and you can be hearing lectures by MIT, Harvard and Oxford faculty. Which means, dear readers, that education is now available to the masses, thus making the weight of that piece of paper hanging on the wall in offices everywhere a whole lot lighter.

Yea, I'd tap that....

This morning I stopped to get a bagel and coffee at my local Panera. As I walked back to my car, I noticed 5 decked-out firemen pushing a woman's car down the street and up the hill into the Panera parking lot. I had to pause for a moment, smile, and make a particular noise of appreciation (you know the one, when a woman with some flava sees a fine looking fella, she lets out a little mmm-mmm-mmmmm!!!). There is nothing quite like seeing brute strength in action, and from firemen no less. They had kindly pushed her car all the way to Panera and then walked her bags and personal belongings back to where she was standing.

And if that wasn't enough sweetness for my morning, I drove past that grouping of firemen only to see another set of about four of them (all decked-out in uniform of course) walking down the street, in front of my car, as I was waiting to merge into traffic. I tried to telepathically signal to the Escalade in front of me to take its precious time, that I was very much enjoying the sights. When it came for my turn to go, I pulled out slowly (you can't be too careful!) and took my last look. To my delight, however, there was yet another grouping of about 5 who had pulled into the gas station with the fire truck to assess the damage on another vehicle. Now I'm sure most people would see all of this glorious, manly chaos and be thankful that they were not a part of it. Unfortunately, I was actually a little jealous when I saw the girl surrounded by so many good-looking men who appeared to be making sure she was ok. My question is, how can you not be?!

Thank you Winter Springs. Really, thank you!

control, i wants it

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. I like being in charge. Oh sure, I like keeping the peace, but if you ask me which I prefer....I prefer being in charge. I like making decisions. I like knowing what's around the corner before I get there. I don't like surprises, and I absolutely detest the unknown. So you can imagine how difficult it is for me NOT to be in charge in the lives of the folks I love the most in this world. Yet when I eventually release my kungfu grip on this sweet little thing called control and take a step back, I am blessed with the sweet assurance that God cares more about the people I care about than even I do. The very same God that created this world from nothing loves 'mah peeps" more than I do. And if that's the case, well then, what more can I say... I'm good!

No applesauce? What the?

Can you believe it? I am out of applesauce! There isn't any in the refrigerator OR the pantry waiting to be opened. I noticed this when I was making me some delicious barbequed chicken this weekend, and I thought about what to have with it. In any proper Shenk family home, the answer to that is always, APPLESAUCE!!!! It makes every meal complete. You just have some pineapple wedges on a bed of lettuce?? No worries, serve some applesauce next to it and suddenly it's a well-balanced feast. Don't feel like you can have just spaghetti but don't have all the stuff to make a green salad....it's all good, applesauce it up!! So when you start rifling through your fridge and there's no applesauce to be had, it's as if no meal could truly be complete, EVER! Needless to say, I will be making a trip to the grocery store and I know exactly what aisle I will be headed to first!

Embrace the Elements :)

"Bring the rain" by MercyMe

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings You glory
And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus, bring the rain

I am Yours regardless of
The dark clouds that may loom above
Because You are much greater than my pain
You who made a way for me
By suffering Your destiny
So tell me what's a little rain?
So I pray

Holy, holy, holy
Is the Lord God Almighty

Don't Fence Me In

I had a beautiful realization today. I realized how much bigger God seems when I'm outside. I know that it is the result of my limited understanding, and imperfect nature, but sometimes when I am sitting at my desk at work, surrounded by these four cubicle walls that my view and purpose of life can feel so limited that unfortunately I also allow that to limit my perspective of God's infinite power. God is not to be contained in any measure. It's just that this understanding is more clear to me when I'm outside. His design for the universe and control of every detail are visible when you see all the beauty that nature has to offer, from a blue sky to rich, dark thunder clouds and from a bird chirping all the way down to ants crawling on the ground. So my new mantra is "don't fence me in"! Let me not allow the imperfect nature of my surroundings influence my understanding of the perfectness of God!

So cute

Overheard

Scene: waiting area in my office
Players: four nerdy looking undergrads

The comment: "Every freshman year sucks man, but trust me, by your junior year you will be an unstoppable force for science research."

why did I do it...

I watched Into the Wild. I shouldn't have done it, but I did. I kept seeing it listed in the options of itunes movie rentals, but I would continually pass over it for a feel-good rental like Enchanted or even Nancy Drew. Finally, yesterday, I decided to watch it. I had already read major portions of the book and so knew the story, but nothing prepared me for actually seeing it acted out on screen. Towards the end of the movie, when he's realized he has eaten something poisonous and becoming extremely weak, he uses his last bits of energy to write. It was a line from his final words that truly got me. "Happiness is only real when shared." If anyone else had told me this line, it would have had very little effect on me. I would toss it aside with a hearty, "well, YEA!". It's because he writes it, while engrossed in a gigantic dose of hindsight and self-reflection, that it makes the words truly heart-breaking. Regret, at any age, is a difficult thing to witness or experience. All this to say, don't watch the movie. He dies in the end. There, now you know what happens. It's not a happy movie, don't watch it. In fact, instead of the current codes for movies (such as G,PG and so on), I would like happiness ratings.

Into the Wild- Rated "D" for Devastating. Rated D for the following reasons: You will ball your eyes out, ache and hurt for the life that was lost while simultaneously experiencing your own sort of self-reflective funk. Also rated "D" for DO NOT WATCH!!!