Sitting Solo in the Stillness

I have started sitting outside at night in order to practice the discipline of being still before the Lord. I love the night symphony of birds and crickets as well as the steady flashes of lightening bugs. It is a different kind of silence. There is something about sitting under the open starry sky that helps me clear my thoughts in order to focus on the Lord and listen for His voice. I don't want to miss what He may have to say to me because I am too busy or self-focused or distracted or what-have-you.

I have mentioned that my sister and I are moving soon. I don't think I have ever been so excited about moving. :) It has been awesome (and fun) to watch the Lord provide furnishings for our new apartment before we even get there - a second bed, a love seat, a futon, floor lamps... My sister and I had only a bed to our name - which makes for a rather empty apartment - but now we have the whole place almost completely furnished! 

Summer Movie Review: The Soloist - 4.5 out of 5 stars

I have wanted to see this movie since I saw it at the rental store in Fredericktown last summer/fall, and my sister and I finally took the time to watch it a few weeks ago. It did not disappoint. The movie is based on a true story about a journalist (Robert Downey, Jr.) who discovers a homeless man (Jamie Foxx) with incredible musical talent. Downey thinks he has found the perfect story to cure his writer's block and, in the process, finds out that there is more to this man than meets the eye. This is one of those movies where the plot slowly develops, which I like because, most of the time, I like to watch things unfold (both in movies and in real life). The story line and acting are both really good and the writers do a great job of keeping the story on track (without adding unnecessary details). Plus, it had good music. Now, you may be wondering, why not give this movie a full 5 stars?  Well, let me just tell you. :) The movie had this weird color scene (like watching visualizations on a media player) that seemed to go on and on, which leaves the viewer wondering, "Why is this happening?" But, on the bright side, it's like a built in bathroom break. :)

The Past Weeks (and a Movie) in Review

It is currently pouring down rain outside. I love it. :) I just stood outside the door, letting the rain splash onto me as it hit the ground. 


There have been a few changes during the last few weeks. My roommate got married and moved out and my sister moved in. Boxes are the decor as of late. In a little less than two weeks, Kristi and I are moving to a new apartment across town. It's closer to work, school, ministry and church. A blessing from the Lord. He laid upon my heart earlier this year to move out of the basement I live in and it's finally about to come to fruition. What's really exciting is that our new apartment has an oven! I told Kristi that I am going to celebrate by baking. :)
This will be the fifth time I have moved in the last year (!). I have become quite the expert in packing. Although, I am not holding my breath as to how long I'll be at this next place. :)

At work, I have been flying solo. My boss has been out of town on a well-deserved vacation (her first one in 20 years!). It can be overwhelming at times, but the Lord is gracious and has provided me with the needed strength and endurance. During my early years of college, I thought I wanted to own a small business. The Lord has graciously given me a taste of it...and I don't think its for me. :)

Summer Movie Review: Secretariat - 5 out of 5 stars

It's been a long while since my last movie review. As you can tell, I am not that much of a movie watcher. There just seems to be so many other worthwhile things to do. :) I had heard rave reviews about the movie Secretariat, so I finally watched it with my friend Melissa. It did not disappoint. It is based on a true story, which automatically makes it more interesting. Plus, it is about a horse. I have always liked horses. When I was younger, I hung pictures of them on my wall and I asked my parents, on multiple occasions, if we could have one (despite the fact we didn't have anywhere to keep one). I have said multiple times that if God had called me to stay in the States, I would want to live on a ranch. Anyway, the movie was great. The plot, acting and camera-work were all superb. Plus, it began and ended by quoting from the book of Job, which is fitting because the accomplishments of Secretariat are an amazing testament of God's creative work and power. If this movie is not on your to-watch-list, it should be. :) 

Do you give the horse his might?

Do you clothe his neck with a mane?

Do you make him leap like the locust?

His majestic snorting is terrifying.

He paws in the valley and exults in his strength;

he goes out to meet the weapons.

He laughs at fear and is not dismayed;

he does not turn back from the sword. Job 39:19-22

Maybe the Tides are Turning...or Turning More Liberal

I heard on WAY-FM that marriages are more stable and divorce is less common than in the 1980s. Over 70% of the people who got married in 1990 are still together. Even though less people are getting married today, the ones that do are sticking together. I find this very encouraging. Maybe the tides are turning. :) Divorce is a devastating and horrendous (and, most of the time, needless) reality in our culture. When one looks at the ultimate reason God designed marriage - a visual representation of the relationship between Christ and His church (i.e. the Gospel; Ephesians 5) - then the travesty of divorce is all the greater. Since I work in the wedding industry, I see the very beginning of marriages as I work with excited and hopeful couples. Rarely do I get the chance to see anything past the wedding invitation. We have had, however, a few customers come in recently to buy invitations to celebrate fifty years or more in marriage. I think that is awesome. I get excited when I meet people who have been married for a long time. With the divorce, lack of commitment & responsibility and the exchange of love for lust that so permeates our culture, to meet a couple that has been married for over ten years is a rarity and privilege. My own parents will be celebrating their 35th anniversary this July. :)

On the same radio program, the DJ's were talking about the increase in women proposing to men.. Sign of the liberal times, I guess. Apparently, women get sick of waiting, so they pop the question to their man. There is something very disturbing and upside-down about this shift in our culture and points to the passivity in many men in our society. Sort of along the same lines, I have noticed a rising trend in women not taking their husbands' surnames in marriage. Here are some reasons I have heard for it: fear of losing her "identity" (whatever that means); afraid people won't know her in the professional world with a new last name; and a the desire (though not verbally expressed, but implied) to go against tradition. Several married women have come into Papers Unique lately to order stationery with their monogram or name on it announcing to me that they have either kept their previous last name or hyphenated their new last name with their old. They then want to know how their name and/or monogram should appear on their stationery. My answer (well, at least in my head): take your husband's last name and the world would be a simpler, happier place. :)

I was talking to a friend once about relationships, marriage and divorce. This friend does not trust men in general and believes that a woman must be self-sufficient so as not to be dependent on her husband. She broke my heart as she told me she didn't plan on being married to the same man  for the rest of her life. I explained to her God's design for marriage (along with the Gospel of Christ), the relational roles of the husband and wife and how ultimately our trust must be in God who sovereignly orchestrates all things for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). It was a difficult conversation, to say the least, but the Lord has graciously given her a heart to learn more of what the Bible says on the matter. She is not a believer, but she has come to see that God's design for marriage is good and right and that Jesus makes the difference in relationships. Pray with me that she will also see that Jesus is the one who will make the difference in her life and that she will realize her need for Him.

Summer Movie Review: Country Strong - 2 out of 5 stars

Now that my sister is out of school and summer is practically here, we can now hang out and do fun things...like catch up on movies we haven't seen. I have created my first movie list, which consists of about 10 movies (some newly produced and some older). Country Strong wasn't actually on my list, but it looked interesting and the title was appealing. I mean, the Hovis girls are country strong, right??? ;) This movie was not what I expected. It was terribly depressing. There was no conflict resolution, a lot of sex and a horrid ending. The fact that adultery was in it automatically prevents it from having more than 3 stars. Kristi and I decided to give it 2 stars because the music was good (we appreciate good and genuine country music) and the acting was superb. As depressing at it was, the plot could have been taken out of real life (but don't we watch movies to escape real life?). Throughout the movie, the main character was referred to as "a strong woman," "tough as nails," etc. This woman had fame, riches, honor and everything this world could buy, but she had no hope and no peace and her life reflected it. She needed Christ. The movie is a perfect picture of what happens when we try to live life in our strength - our strength runs out and we fail. I ran across this verse after watching the movie in my study in Isaiah:

And the strong shall become tinder, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them. Isaiah 1:31