Right now, I am so utterly tired of the stinking rain. Occasionally I enjoy some rain but we have had so much of it over this spring and summer that I want to scream when I see clouds building. Of course I must also admit that part of my detest for the precipitation comes from the fact that I only have a bikini top on my jeep and so I get very wet when I have to go anywhere. I feel so professional when I get to work and the whole back of my pants and shirt are soaked. Now one could argue that this pain is self-inflicted but I would argue that summer is not supposed to be this wet!!! June, July, and August are supposed to be filled with sweltering heat, sunshine, top-down, wind-in-your-face goodness that only comes with summer. Ok, I think my ranting is over but in case it's not clear: I am not alright with this crap weather!
On an unrelated note, Ms. Junior Arkansas came into the bank today and signed an autograph for me. I almost peed my pants with glee when she handed me a signed copy of her picture made out to me. She even spelled my name right! I am going to frame the picture and my memory of this fine day forever. (every fact in this paragraph has been mis-represented except for Ms. Junior AK coming to the bank - yes, she abbreviated Arkansas "AK") If you want the real happenings of this story, you will just have to ask me.
Out.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Friday, June 22, 2007
Ultimate Frisbee
This last Tuesday, I experienced one of the most amazing team sports (thank you Evan and Emily). Ultimate frisbee is officially my new favorite sport to play for so many reasons. First of all, I got one of the most amazing workouts I've had since high school basketball practice, but also I had a lot of fun just getting to know the "ultimate" crowd. They are clearly people that need Jesus, but are really sincere and fun to hang out with. I plan on going every Tuesday after work and running my butt off. Now yes, I have played ultimate frisbee before, just not in a competitive environment like this. The biggest and best difference was that everyone was really trying hard to win. It wasn't cut-throat or anything, you just don't feel awkward when you really try hard. Now I just need to work on my throws....
Friday, June 15, 2007
Hillsong and such
So I've decided that I really enjoy the Hillsong songs we've started singing at the Grove. Sometimes I find I come across a melody/lyric/worship combination that absolutely sends chills through my body. Refreshing to say the least.
So I cannot wait to get to Mexico! I've been in a lot of email contact with Roca as of late and it just exacerbates my desire to get there. If I'm being honest with myself, I know I need to plan well because it is such a huge move but I don't want to be patient!!! (Lafe will be rolling his eyes now) I just hope I go down there fully prepared and ready to do what God has set out before me. I know I will miss certain things, but not enough to deter me from leaving. It is such a peaceful feeling when you just know you are in God's will. I'm rambling.
Yesterday I got the opportunity to go to a meeting at the Jones Center in Springdale, but not just any meeting. There were a bunch of hispanic pastors meeting to form an alliance among themselves for the purpose of being unified in ministering to the NWA area. So not only was this cool in and of itself, but I ran into a guy I know who has a lot of contacts in the field of micro-lending and micro-economic capitalization in developing countries. How good God is! So I got to sit around and ramble on in spanish with a bunch of pastors about what God is doing throughout the world for 2 hours. Again, very refreshing.
Well I feel I've written a little about a lot so I will quit for now. I'm off to enjoy a relaxing weekend. Oh, and for what it's worth: I HATE THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS!!!!!!
So I cannot wait to get to Mexico! I've been in a lot of email contact with Roca as of late and it just exacerbates my desire to get there. If I'm being honest with myself, I know I need to plan well because it is such a huge move but I don't want to be patient!!! (Lafe will be rolling his eyes now) I just hope I go down there fully prepared and ready to do what God has set out before me. I know I will miss certain things, but not enough to deter me from leaving. It is such a peaceful feeling when you just know you are in God's will. I'm rambling.
Yesterday I got the opportunity to go to a meeting at the Jones Center in Springdale, but not just any meeting. There were a bunch of hispanic pastors meeting to form an alliance among themselves for the purpose of being unified in ministering to the NWA area. So not only was this cool in and of itself, but I ran into a guy I know who has a lot of contacts in the field of micro-lending and micro-economic capitalization in developing countries. How good God is! So I got to sit around and ramble on in spanish with a bunch of pastors about what God is doing throughout the world for 2 hours. Again, very refreshing.
Well I feel I've written a little about a lot so I will quit for now. I'm off to enjoy a relaxing weekend. Oh, and for what it's worth: I HATE THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS!!!!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007
Pure Life
The literal translation of "Pura Vida" is just that: "Pure Life." Now for a little info on this saying.
Pura Vida is a commonly used phrase in Costa Rica. In the context of conversation, it could be thought to carry the same meaning as "it's all good." For example, if someone would ask you, "How's it going?" you would respond with, "Pura Vida." It's really kind of a catchy thing to say in my opinion, but the meaning I've given it for myself goes beyond this.
I have decided to engage in a more literal slant on this slogan. As most of us do, I desire to have a life with a degree of purity that if too often lacking. I want to feel, as well as know, that God has washed me pure.....again. I want to be able to respond to the question, "How's it going?" with "Pura Vida" and really feel that way. Sanctification is a painfully slow process very often, but that's what's at the heart of this post I guess. So now you know my motivation behind the name of my blog.
In other news, there is a time capsule being unearthed in Tulsa this week. I don't know a whole lot about it except that it's a car that has been buried in front of the main post office for 50 years. My dad told me that he was watching the news and some interviews of people who had put things in the car and are now anxiously awaiting the return of their precious articles. One 75 year old man said he can't wait to get his beer back. Now, I'm not sure about this, but if he can get that beer down it will either kill him or make him live another 50 years. That's just my opinion.
Pura Vida is a commonly used phrase in Costa Rica. In the context of conversation, it could be thought to carry the same meaning as "it's all good." For example, if someone would ask you, "How's it going?" you would respond with, "Pura Vida." It's really kind of a catchy thing to say in my opinion, but the meaning I've given it for myself goes beyond this.
I have decided to engage in a more literal slant on this slogan. As most of us do, I desire to have a life with a degree of purity that if too often lacking. I want to feel, as well as know, that God has washed me pure.....again. I want to be able to respond to the question, "How's it going?" with "Pura Vida" and really feel that way. Sanctification is a painfully slow process very often, but that's what's at the heart of this post I guess. So now you know my motivation behind the name of my blog.
In other news, there is a time capsule being unearthed in Tulsa this week. I don't know a whole lot about it except that it's a car that has been buried in front of the main post office for 50 years. My dad told me that he was watching the news and some interviews of people who had put things in the car and are now anxiously awaiting the return of their precious articles. One 75 year old man said he can't wait to get his beer back. Now, I'm not sure about this, but if he can get that beer down it will either kill him or make him live another 50 years. That's just my opinion.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Pic of me in Colorado
Yeah, I needed to post this online so I could reference it for my profile pic. I will hopefully get to blog about "Pura Vida" soon.
Monday, June 4, 2007
The Great Dumpster Fire of 2007
"Stu?"
"Yeah?"
"The dumpster is on fire..."
"What??!!"
"OUR DUMPSTER IS ON FREAKING FIRE!!!!"
Now you have to understand something: Lafe and I aren't normally excitable people in the morning. It takes something special to get any kind of response from us before we head out the door. However on this morning, things were dramatically different....
Our story begins with me borrowing the First Security Bank "Teal Grill" for Grovefest last night. Lafe was the resident chef and used the grill to make all the food that we enjoyed at Wilson Park. Now, fast forward to this morning as Lafe and I are waking up. I offered to help Lafe clean out the grill before returning it, but he said he'd do it by himself (really a very nice gesture in an effort to get me to work on time). So I jumped in the shower while Lafe went outside to dump the coals from the night before, and by the time I was out, we had a certified bonfire in our dumpster. Poor Lafe!!!! Who would have thought that those coals would still be hot?! Not Lafe. If ever I have wanted a digital camera, it was now. The smoke billowing out of the gigantic trash receptacle was enough to make you think there was a controlled forest burn somewhere nearby. So we spent the next 15 minutes running pitchers of water from our apartment to the dumpster in a losing effort to control the blaze. Our downstairs neighbor even pitched in, but to no avail. The fire department showed up and one of the guys greeted us with, "Thanks for the help, but I think we can handle it from here." So the firemen doused our blaze and the fire marshall took down all of Lafe's information while the Cliffs apartment complex wreaked of burning trash. The smoke was enough to make one think there was actually a thick blanket of fog on this early morning. My jeep still smells....
"I always wondered how we were gonna get evicted from our apartment."
-Lafe Benson
"Yeah?"
"The dumpster is on fire..."
"What??!!"
"OUR DUMPSTER IS ON FREAKING FIRE!!!!"
Now you have to understand something: Lafe and I aren't normally excitable people in the morning. It takes something special to get any kind of response from us before we head out the door. However on this morning, things were dramatically different....
Our story begins with me borrowing the First Security Bank "Teal Grill" for Grovefest last night. Lafe was the resident chef and used the grill to make all the food that we enjoyed at Wilson Park. Now, fast forward to this morning as Lafe and I are waking up. I offered to help Lafe clean out the grill before returning it, but he said he'd do it by himself (really a very nice gesture in an effort to get me to work on time). So I jumped in the shower while Lafe went outside to dump the coals from the night before, and by the time I was out, we had a certified bonfire in our dumpster. Poor Lafe!!!! Who would have thought that those coals would still be hot?! Not Lafe. If ever I have wanted a digital camera, it was now. The smoke billowing out of the gigantic trash receptacle was enough to make you think there was a controlled forest burn somewhere nearby. So we spent the next 15 minutes running pitchers of water from our apartment to the dumpster in a losing effort to control the blaze. Our downstairs neighbor even pitched in, but to no avail. The fire department showed up and one of the guys greeted us with, "Thanks for the help, but I think we can handle it from here." So the firemen doused our blaze and the fire marshall took down all of Lafe's information while the Cliffs apartment complex wreaked of burning trash. The smoke was enough to make one think there was actually a thick blanket of fog on this early morning. My jeep still smells....
"I always wondered how we were gonna get evicted from our apartment."
-Lafe Benson
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Inagural Post
There are so many things I want to say right now, but I will just keep it simple and say, "Here I am blogosphere!"
Now, why have I resisted so long in joining the ranks of the bloggers and why am I starting now? Well, I am a face-to-face communicator. I truly prefer personal interaction as opposed to internet musings, but soon I and all of my friends will be vacating NWA and so I need a good way to keep in contact with everyone: hence the caving. I hope to awe and entertain everyone who comes across my blog with mind blowing creativity and pizazz. More accurately, I just want to fit in.
So bear with me as I develop my blog into something more exciting. I realize that there will be very few links/pics for a while, but that will all change with time. Ok, I have to get back to work now, but I can't wait to see you all soon. Oh, and I will discuss the meaning of "Pura Vida" in my next post.
Now, why have I resisted so long in joining the ranks of the bloggers and why am I starting now? Well, I am a face-to-face communicator. I truly prefer personal interaction as opposed to internet musings, but soon I and all of my friends will be vacating NWA and so I need a good way to keep in contact with everyone: hence the caving. I hope to awe and entertain everyone who comes across my blog with mind blowing creativity and pizazz. More accurately, I just want to fit in.
So bear with me as I develop my blog into something more exciting. I realize that there will be very few links/pics for a while, but that will all change with time. Ok, I have to get back to work now, but I can't wait to see you all soon. Oh, and I will discuss the meaning of "Pura Vida" in my next post.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
