what i'm loving wednesday (2.1)

it's been awhile since i've participated, but not for lack of things to be loving!

so here's a very short list of what is making my heart full at the moment :-)

i'm loving my cell group girls...what an AMAZING group of God-seekers who daily inspire and uplift me. 

i'm loving my amazing husband who cleans the kitchen to surprise me on regular occasions, who won't let me touch the vacuum, who changes the litter box in rotation without complaint, and who will look at me at times and say "let's just watch big bang theory instead of organizing that room tonight".  balance, people.  we have it.

i'm loving intentional time spent with friends.  in my new year's post i mentioned that i wanted to let my yes be yes.  anthony is doing the same...i don't even know if he's meant for it to end up that way, but in looking back over january, we have had 12 separate occasions where friends have come over, shared a meal or conversation, and just enjoyed being with each other.  february is shaping up to be similar and we LOVE that.

(can i also just say i'm loving the creativity of those God lets me call "mine"?  cooking in my kitchen with my husband and/or my girlfriends makes my heart sing in a way i never noticed before.  and that's just one facet of the creativity surrounding me!)

i'm loving the warmer weather lately.  i mean, 64 and sunny yesterday.  come ON.


i'm loving opportunities to make some extra cash while loving on people's kids.  i'm so thankful for the opportunities to invest in their lives while at the same time put a few extra dollars towards non-necessities and paying off debt.

i'm loving being healthier and happier...i'm still slowly progressing in weight loss, but it's not necessarily about that.  i'm moving more, even if it isn't "true" exercise...staying active and having fully nutritious food 90% of the time makes those nights that i need to be a slug and consume chili cheese fries perfectly ok.

i'm loving great changes on the horizon...SO excited about what God is doing right now.

it's a short list, yes...but my heart overflows.

thursday's ten: the newsworthy edition

wanna know what's NOT news?
anything to do with someone who's famous for being famous
pictures of a kiss
someone's clumsiness or accident while performing.


sometimes we get a little too caught up in that stuff.  i have a tendency to care a bit too much about surface stuff like that. but people...it's not news.


wanna know what IS news?







1. people are doing good things.  like this guy in pennsylvania who handed $100 bills to poor people in his city and insisted on being annonymous.  (story)
that's news.
2. AIDS is declining, and it 20% lower in outbreaks from it's peak in 2005.  there are so many great organizations out there giving help and information...that's news.
(story)
3.  if you have a local food bank, chances are they could use a little extra in donations.  (story)
4,  a small "victory" -- a rape victim who was jailed for adultery was released.  because she promised to marry her attacker.  not sure which is the better fate there... (story)
5.  there are really, really good organizations out there that are really really helping people.  like Safe Haven, here in nashville (story)
6.  teenagers are doing great things...like rescuing people from fires (story)
7.  sometimes irony hits: a dog shot his owner while they were hunting.  oops. (story)
8.  too little too late?  but at least it will do good in the future...Penn State is giving 1.5 million to sex crimes groups (story)
9.  random acts of kindness DO still happen.  in iowa, a woman paid over $1000 to make sure people had running water for thanksgiving.  (story)
*i find it incredibly sad that this is characterized as "odd" news.  what if we made things like this the normal news?!
10.  if wer must talk about celebrities as "news" let's actually talk about what they are doing to contribute to healing and help in the world.  yes, entertainment is it's own form of help...but people like bono who are continually using their fame to bring awareness to needs around the world...that's news. (one.org)  or even rachael ray and her organization that has teamed up with former president bill clinton (yum-o.org) to fight childhood obesity.  come on people.  that's news.


so you'll pardon me if i don't get too excited about which kardashian is pregnant and which one says she'll probably never have kids.  or worry too much about who j lo is kissing.  or do more than say a prayer for and cheer on the celebrity who just entered rehab.  all that is gossip, and while it may hold a fleeting interest for a few of us (and we shouldn't feel guilty about being *interested*) ...it's not news.  just wanted to draw that line today.


i know we can't all afford (monetarily or with time) to do some of these things.  but find something you care about...some good thing...and just donate what you can.  you'll be amazed at what a tiny bit can do.


next week we'll be doing a favorite top ten list of mine -- Christmas/holiday movies that you love!  please join me :-)