Dancin Machine

So I was invited by my graceful, elegant friend to go dancing at the community center recently.  My friend, whose legs are twice as long as mine and has been dancing ballet for years, obviously felt more comfortable on the dance floor than I did.  I tried tap dancing at the age of five, quickly learned that dancing was not for me, and bowed out of the dancing world for many years. 

Travel with me down the road many years later to college where I decided to join an amazing campus wide performance where many student social clubs and organizations competed with song and dance.  Surely I could blend in the large group of sixty on the stage.  During one practice the dance instructor said, "Row number 2, try it again."  My row was the special row that couldn't quite get the timing down.  She finally said, "We'll come back to you."  I remember freezing during the country song when I was on the front row during the live performance.  I performed several years donning many costumes such as a frog, a Newsie, and an Egyptian.  I really thought I had improved by my senior year, but upon watching the tapes, I looked as though I was barely moving.

I had the privilege of attending several modern jive dances with a friend in Manhattan around ten years ago.  My dancing was pretty stinky at first, but I was in passing awarded the "Most Improved Dancer" from the instructor (pity vote?).  One dance partner with an Australian accent told me, "Don't look at your feet.  They know what they're doing."  Well, even if my feet knew what they were doing, I didn't know what they were doing so I wanted to look down and find out.  Every time I goofed up with another partner, he would take the blame saying, "Whose fault is it?"  Such characters!

At a wedding in San Antonio, I was asked to cut a rug (seriously, that was the terminology he used, how fun).  I decided to imitate and act my way through it because I just had to get on my boogie shoes.  Although there were a few times that I seriously botched his attempts to spin me, a friend watching stated, "I didn't know you were such a good dancer."  Apparently, I was a better actress than a dancer that night.

So, I thought that maybe I had improved my dancing skills after years of old exercise videos, Fred Astaire movies, "Boogie Wonderland" on the X-Box Kinect, and a successful wedding dance.  I was wrong!  At this recent dance lesson I was partnered with a seasoned swayer.  He was a great teacher, really he was!  I wasn't offended at all by the comments, "Noodle arms," or "Lose the stiff leg."  Which leg was that?  Whenever I had a partner who knew what he was doing, a few steps into the waltz or rhumba, he would start counting for me or giving me tips--which I appreciated.  I asked the T-A-N-G-O speller to keep it up, I needed the help.  After dancing with another partner, I said, "Hey, I'm getting better," to which he replied, "You'll get there."  Although Ginger Rogers I am not, I had a blast, and I am not giving up.

A few nights later, my shattered dancing ego was boosted with my niece and nephew as we 'let the dogs out' bustin' a move with their new Wii Just Dance for Kids.  As with many things learned in life, I need to remember to take one step at a time and have fun with it!

Winter Cardinal

Here's a chubby little fella I saw in the snow.

Keepin' My Eyes Wide Open

Lately I have been blessed with some amazing views of nature.  Well, really they could be considered quite ordinary, but maybe it's all about perspective.  In the last few weeks I have enjoyed viewing an amazing sunset, a cardinal or two, and a beautiful flock of white birds.  

I read a book years ago called Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge.  By far the part that has stayed with me the most from that book was about the special glimpses of God's glorious creation that this couple were given.  Stasi wrote about how her husband was given having a special time with the Lord, and he saw a whale.  Stasi prayed for the same later during her special time with the Lord.  She prayers were answered in a different way:  she saw a school of starfish.  Is that what you call it?  A school?  

A few years ago, I realized that I kept seeing cardinals, again and again in different locations.  Now, I'm not a huge bird person (I've been bitten and pooped on before...by birds); however, I grew to look for and appreciate the beautiful crimson cardinal.  I decided to research a little bit and see if the cardinal had any special meaning.  All I could find was that the cardinal was considered to be a symbol of Christmas.  There you have it.  What is Christmas but Jesus, and what is Jesus but love?  So, whether you believe it or not, I will continue to consider my glimpses of cardinals a special little "I love you," from my Savior.  

I don't see cardinals everyday, but that makes seeing them even more special.  Oftentimes, I see one when I especially need encouragement.  It catches my breath at times. 

I keep looking up at my view of the river at just the right time to see a flock of white birds (what kind are they?).  They are in a V-formation skimming the top of the river with the orange glow of the cliffs behind them.  The beauty of it gave me chills the other day.

You might think these are simple things.  I want to keep my eyes wide open (shout out to Switchfoot's song "Your Love is a Song").  I don't want to miss a thing (shout out to...nah).  I am reminded not to worship the created but the Creator.  I am invited to appreciate the beauty all around.

Psalm 19: 1  "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands."

Sunset

Here is a picture of a sunset that I enjoyed this weekend!

Revisit

I am writing today to encourage you to revisit.  Huh?  Revisit your readings.  Sometimes I find myself trying to consume as much knowledge as I can.  I want to learn so much, but how much am I absorbing?  

I was recently very upset after an incredibly frustrating day.  I found a passage that I love to read again and again.  In fact, I have been reading it for over ten years.  I go to it when I need encouragement to carry on or when I have been unselfish and ungrateful about my life.  It teaches me again about power and to have a thankful heart no matter the circumstances.  I wish that I could put this entire passage on here so that I could share that encouragement with you.  I can't do that so I will tell you where you can find it.  It is the story about "Mabel" in the book The Life You've Always Wanted by John Ortberg.  In the story it describes a woman who has been bedridden for twenty-five years.  When asked what she thinks about each day, she talks about how good God has been to her.  I cry every time I read it, and I am greatly inspired.  

Another good reason to revisit readings is to be more readily able to share them verbally with others (speaking to myself here).  

Favorite verses that I frequently return to:

Matthew 11: 28-30

Matthew 6: 25-34

Isaiah 40: 28-31

Lamentations 3:19-24

Psalms, Psalms, Psalms!!

The Barf Cake

I should try something new in 2012:  following a recipe! 

Mistake #1:  I had a package of marshmallows which needed to be used.  I bought a yummy chocolate cake mix which I prepared according to the instructions.  I took the cake out 10 minutes early and scattered the fluffy mallows across the top of the cake.  I cooked the cake for 10 more minutes to allow the marshmallows to melt.  It looked okay when I took it out with the exception of the crusty sides.  I finished getting ready for the New Year's Eve party I was attending, as usual, not leaving myself much time to get ready.  I for some reason strayed from my usual chocolate icing and had purchased the coconut pecan icing (which is brown and chunky) commonly used for German chocolate cakes.  The instructions said to allow cake to cool completely before icing, and it was only a tad warm.  As I began to apply the icing, some of the marshmallow oozed up in spots creating a most disgusting globby mess.  I decided I would cut it in pieces and place it on paper plates so that I would not have to go back at the end of the party and claim a baking dish--no one would know I was responsible for the barf cake.  However, the pieces kept falling apart.  I gave up on the barf cake after throwing the pieces back in the pan and shoving the lid on.  

Below is a picture of the lovely cake.

Mistake #2:  I am going to a party.  I must bring something, I thought. I've learned that it is better to show up empty handed than with a pitcher of sugar-free apple cider that is too strong.  It was a strangely warm December night and no one wanted any cider anyways. 

The irony:  A girl walked by the stove about 10 minutes after I had put the cider on the burner.  She pointed out that the wrong burner was on. Oops.  Ironically this was the same girl who later caught the oven on fire.  She made a completely understandable mistake when she started the oven which was used for storage instead of the nonhazardous oven that was not underneath the stove.  This oven was filled with extra pots, pans and perhaps an oven mitt or towel--I couldn't tell when it was aflame.  

Mistake #3:  Although I recall from the Conversations in the Kitchen course I had taken years ago to always put your hair up when cooking, I failed to do so when making the barf cake.  I thought I would take the cake to work where they will eat anything.  My embarrassment was doubled when a fellow employee announced that there was a hair in the cake.  The teacher's lounge was full, and someone asked, "Who made that cake?"  The hair finder announced, "I don't know, but she has brown hair."  I turned red, clammed up and could not bring myself to claim the barf cake at that time.  Life has always presented humbling situations for me.  The next day I fessed up to the hair finder, and we had a good laugh.  It should be noted that the cake was entirely eaten by the staff.  Ha!

Is this how the Pioneer Woman started?  Probably not.

Happy New Day!

Happy New Year!  

And Happy New Day!  

Yes, we have rolled over to a fresh set of 365 (oh, I think it's 366 this year) days.  Some may say it is a time to forget past regrets and hardships of the year we are leaving behind; a time to set new goals and resolve to start new diets, programs, studies, etc.; a time to forgive and refresh and move on.  For those of you who work in a school setting, you may consider your new year to begin in August for that is when the biggest changes of the year commence.  However, any old day (or each day!) of the year can be that new beginning!  You can begin a new exercise program any week of the year. His mercies are new every day!  May this day be a reminder that we are new creations and we can always start anew!

The word that comes to mind today, January 1st, is NEW!  Here are some verses from the Bible (NIV) that I studied during breakfast this morning.  

Psalm 40: 3  "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God."

Ezekiel 36:26  "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

Ephesians 4: 22-24 "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

I can't help but hear Steven Curtis Chapman's song "All Things New" playing in my mind today!!