I am Time's Person of the Year!

And so are you! As I stared into my shiny Time cover at myself, I thought this a new high in lameness for Time. So I did start a blog this year, began podcasting, created a myspace page, made a few digital videos, but not really the same thing as finding a cure for cancer.

Anyways, this is officially my Christmas letter/Year in Review edition of the blog. Since I began this blog in July, I feel that most of this will be a flashback for my faithful readers, all 3 of you ; )

I tried to pinpoint the initial domino in the chain reaction of great things that happened this year. I would give Wyatt some credit, but I met him last year : ) Certainly the change of jobs in March was a catalyst for some wonderful '06 happenings. With the new job, I was able to stay firmly located in Chicago. So when I entered the airport I was one of those smiling I'm going on vacation people instead of one of those its 7 am and I have a 4 hour commute to work in coach people.

Being in Chicago during the week, I was able to start up a new bible study at church with my dear friend Tilly. I also met many wonderful women through an in depth Precepts study on Ruth. It was also a great blessing to work with the young kids in Awana on Wednesday nights!

Although I left the high flying world of consulting, I did not leave without a new found passion for traveling and fondness for airports. In February, I was two stepping in my boots at the Wildhorse Saloon and getting down in a blue grass jam at Station Inn in Nashville, TN. An unexpected end of a work project in April, sent me packing to Paris. My college roommate Tiffany graciously hosted me in Rouen, Paris, and Strasbourg, France. June brought a training class in Toronto, where I was lucky enough to meet up with my high school friend Steph for a good 'ole time eh. Summer road trips to my wonderful hometown of Pella, IA for a few weddings made many memories for Wyatt and me. October brought the awesome Desiring God conference in Minneapolis, MN with many Moody friends. And of course the grand finale in Japan where Wyatt and I were engaged!

An earlier blog is really what I was reminded of this year--risk more, reflect more, and do more that has a lasting eternal impact. Going into 2007, I will hopefully keep these things on my mind and take one day at a time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!
MANY BLESSINGS IN THIS NEW YEAR!

Memories, Like the Corners of My Mind

I may just become a food painter, for some reason this subject keeps me inspired. Next up, bento box with sushi. Bon Appetit!

When in Japan, Do as the Japanese

As the Vapor's sang, "I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so." If I could highlight some things that I found to be uniquely Japanese (or Asian, but likely since Japan conquered them ; ) they would be face masks and sentos.

With the outbreak of SARS, even the West started to see these surgical safeguard popping up on flights. In Japan (at least in the city), I would say 1 out of 50 people sports one of these shields as the run out of the subway. We are still trying to figure out the reason for these masks. So far we have heard it is a.) because the person is sick and does not want to spread his disease, b.) because he is paranoid of getting sick from others, c.) because he feels the air is unclean from pollution, and d.) because it is a fine accessory to knee high socks. Ok, not d.) but if you do know the true reason or have heard another reason, please post a comment. Wyatt had fun drawing grillz on his mask and walking through the busiest subway in the world!

The classic anime movie Spirited Away introduced me to the Japanese public bath (sento), but it did not prepare me for this wonderfully weird experience. We did our first sento on day 5 of the trip and we're hooked...this soon became our pre-dinner ritual. The average age in the sento is around 60 and it is an interesting experience to have a elderly women take you by the hand and try to lead you around the sento speaking only Japanese while you are both completely nude (this is not the place for the modest!). The biggest shock was sitting in a tub for a few moments and then realizing I was being electrocuted! (Yes, electroshock tubs are popular among the Japanese) I quickly departed that tub and sploshed over to the wonderful mineral tub. (something like a hot bath with a giant tea bag in it) We absolutely loved sentos and for an average of $4 a visit, you must make this a daily routine if you are in Japan.

In closing, just a few thoughts on the irony of the face mask and the sento existing in perfect harmony in Japanese culture. Imagine a man wearing the surgical shield on the subway deathly afraid of breathing in air of a fully-clothed, pristinely-dressed stranger 20 feet away in the car. The man exits the subway as quickly as possible, careful not to touch anything, and jogs up the stairs to exit. He turns the corner and enters the building with the Octopus kanji sign. After removing his shoes, his demeanor changes, removing everything, even the face mask. He takes a plastic bin used by several other people that day and enters a public shower room, he sits on a seat next to many au naturel men. Without restraint he enters a hot (bacteria cultivating) tub packed with people. After 30-60 minutes of communal soaking, he dries off, returns the dressing room, puts the face mask on and heads home.

Thought for the day: Diving in head first is sometimes the easiest way to enter the water.

Surviving Fugu and Getting Engaged

Just a few highlights on my two weeks in Japan. Many more blogs to come on Japanese food, fashion, culture, religion, wildlife, and people. A quick overview...we were in Japan in the height of fail foliage (I love saying that word!) and got a great flavor of Tokyo, Kyoto and surrounding Kansai region.

To get right to it, the picture to the left is the last evidence of a single TLC. Unsuspectingly snapping photos like the Japanese tourist I am, a plot of proposal was in the works. A few moments later, in the foothills of the Arashiyama region, just past the bamboo forest, atop a bridge, overlooking the city (ok, ok) Wyatt proposed! I said "Of Course" : )

Another pinnacle moment in Tokyo was facing the fugu. I really wasn't seeking it out when I arrived in Japan, but by the end I was ready for the challenge. Fugu is the deadly blow fish that you may have seen highlighted in the Simpson's as Homer hilariously deflates the deadly puffer. I read on Wikipedia, that 100 people a year die from fugu poisoning, the toxins are 160,000 more deadly than cocaine, and 50% fugu deaths caused by liver, 43% caused by ovaries, and 7% caused by skin. You can see me posing with the puffer preconsumption as they are coyly swimming outside most fugu establishments. We opted to try just the fugu sashimi (thinly sliced raw fish). Without request, they also presented a salad of fugu skin (seen here)! Having read up on the more deadly skin, I was a little scared with the first bite. The fugu itself did not have much taste, but the accompanying ponzu sauce made the dish delicious. Next time I am ready for the 6 course fugu feast! By the end of the meal, Wyatt noticed a bit of numbness in his mouth and leg and I kept think my hand was going limp, but this all was likely paranoia. You can see a picture post fugu below, WE SURVIVED! (Notice us siting on the floor, I love that about Japan : )

Switching gears, I received the freebie of a lifetime yesterday! I filled out an online form for a free Nestle Cacao Reserve Chocolate Party (literally 5 min application). I was notified to be one of the 1000 winners nationwide. I received boxes of truffles, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, hot chocolate, exotic chocolate totaling over 500 pieces of chocolate! This is not your run of the mill Nestle either, the milk chocolate is 35% Cacao and dark is 65% Cacao. After a box of truffles last night, I can happily endorse this product as a quality chocolate product. Check it out here and apply for future chocolate parties! Cacao National Reserve

Thought for the day: Embrace the blow fish, harness the Cacao.

Arigato Gozaimasu

FREE Stuff Friday

So busy lately that I must shorten my blog to a few freebies. I am proud to introduce FREE Stuff Fridays. Ok, so this is a ploy to get you to visit my site at least on Friday because I will be giving out great deals. No worries, I will be back with podcast reviews soon.

The theme this week is keeping your lifeclean:

The first step is learning speed cleaning. This book will cut your cleaning time in half: SPEED Cleaning 101.

Step 2, mix in the biz and start the rinse cycle: Biz is Better.

Finally, refresh the your home with scented oils, not to mention the added mood lighting: Glade Light Show.

Happy Cleaning : )

Thought for the day: Where no oxen are, the crib is clean.

Pella Peeps

Thought for the day: The best mirror is an old friend.

Free Stuff for His and Her

My readers have alerted me that I have been neglecting my free stuff sixth sense. So I have searched out some top freebies for women and men.

Ulta is a store that offers a range of beauty items for women. I have seen a few stores in the Chicagoland area and they appear to have some excellent deals and coupons. Let me know what you think about the store. Best of all, they are offering a Free 10 Piece Cosmetic Set! for signing up for email alerts.

For the men, I will offer something you all need to use...shave gel. No more soap and water, you can have a clean finish for free- Fusion Hydra Soothe.

Thought for the day: No object is so beautiful that, under certain conditions, it will not look ugly.

Robbed the Jewelry Store, Made Me a Grill

Do you ever have a day where your perspective on life shifts a little? I had the epiphany this week where I realized I am in the season of least responsibility in my life. Thanks to a lunch with some elder co-workers who shed great light on the aging process and stages of life. Case in point, a glimpse into my week:

Chillin with my grillz in Wicker Park


Dabbling in acrylic

Pumpkins for Jesus

Not only did I do these things, I had time to take pictures.

Thought for the day: Never leave that till to-morrow which you can do to-day.

O Canada!

In honor of Canadian Thanksgiving last Monday, I would like to pay tribute to our friendly neighbor to the North. Every time I prepare to go to Canada (6 or 7 times last year), I get a rush of excitement and anticipation. My love for this country goes far beyond the exchange rate....which used to be .7 to 1, alas it is almost 1 to 1 nowadays. These are a few of my favorite things:

Banff National Park- quite possibly the most beautiful and peaceful place in North America.

Munchkins and Iced Cappuccino from Tim Hortons


Love it or hate it- Canadians have pride, eh!

Let me know what your favorite things about Canada are, leave a comment!

Thought for the day: A Canadian is sort of like an American, but without the gun.

My Hometown to Build a $155 Million Rain Forest!

The world might possibly be going mad or at least the governor of Iowa. Pella, IA (population near 10,000) is the future home to Earth Park. Earthpark will feature an indoor rain forest, a 600,000-gallon freshwater aquarium, an exterior prairie and wetland exhibits. In an earlier blog I did mention that my town is not new to the ridiculous. We built a multimillion dollar nonfunctional canal...(4 inches of water deep!) and also a ginormous windmill imported piece by piece from Holland that grinds Bulgar wheat.

A similar venture in England draws 8 million tourist a year. I will believe it when I see it, but I will be the first in line in 2010 to check it out if and when it opens. The president of the local college says "It [Earth Park] could very well be the salvation of this planet that we all call home." My guess is either Al Gore or Philippe Cousteau will do the ribbon cutting.

MSNBC Article

EARTHPARK WEBSITE
[Check out the video on this site!]


Thought for the Day: If you build it, they will come?

AWESOME

This post is to clear the air on any Piper/Driscoll controversy. As I said in my blog yesterday these men are united in proclaiming the Supremacy of Christ. Congratulations to Mark and Mars Hill on their 10th Anniversary. 1.5 million raised in one day, awesome!

Even yesterday as I surfed the blogsphere, I became aware of the influence the cyberworld has and also the potential danger. A reminder to myself from this is to be careful not to engage in or put out gossip online.

Piper and Driscoll exchange emails

Thought for the day: Be slow to anger and quick to forgive.

I Want to be Hip Too, Man!

So much to blog, so little time. I could write a minor novel on the wealth of knowledge dispersed from last weekend's Desiring God Conference. Instead, of course, I will direct you to quite possibly the best podcasts you have heard this year to ponder for yourself. You must check out the conference podcasts (Listen Now)! This was the conference of all conferences!

The conference was inspired by a book entitled Above All Earthly Powers by David Wells. Dr. Wells kicked off the conference with a message on the Supremacy of Christ in a Postmodern (1) World. Wells is an elder theology professor with the most endearing British accent. He listed some facts that Christianity is moving South and East in the world. On Sunday less than 2% of New Zealanders go to church, while nearly 80% attend in many African nations. Questions to think about: What is your treasure? How can we reach suffering people--both physically and psychologically suffering?

Definitely check out both of the Q&A sessions for some candid, touching, and affecting conversation. Highlights include precious David Wells asserting, "I want to be hip too, man!" in response to a question comparing him and younger Mark Driscoll. John Piper saying "smart ass" quoting some people from the emergent camp. D.A. Carson's emotional recounting of his father's faithfulness during a time of little fruit in ministry. Wow, these two sessions were worth the trip, so much fun!

Voddie Baucham, an African American preacher from TX, delivered a moving message on The Supremacy of Christ and Truth. He describes the two prevailing worldviews of Christian and Humanist perfectly. Africa came to my mind during this talk and how it in many ways is a modern day Holocaust. Voddie is a powerful, powerful speaker; you must listen if you haven't heard him before.

Tim Keller who heads a church in NYC had many insights on the topic of The Supremacy of Christ and the Gospel. This guy is smart and I can't help but think prophetic. He describes the nation as having pockets of "Christ-haunted" people, but also large populations of people who have no idea what the concept of sin, man, hell are. He is an advocate of contextualization of the gospel, which in short is something like if you live in Japan you would speak Japanese, learn to use chopsticks, etc. Solid gold, you must listen!

My personal favorite, Mark Driscoll, was the talk of the conference! Some people were upset John Piper invited him, but I still can't figure out why. Driscoll was genius with his example of the closed and open hand. The closed hand is where you hold things you won't compromise, like theology. The open hand is where you hold things that should be adaptable, like music. Piper lightly rebuked Mark during the conference saying his cleverness might get in the way of showing the glory of God. However, later Piper humbly stated an observation by a young fellow that while Mark was culturally clever, he was academically clever and therefore just as much in danger as Mark.

John Piper was the closer for the conference and the highlight for me. He again shows how our joy comes from glorifying God. Deeply passionate and stirring, you will be moved to make changes in your life from this message!

I definitely thank God for each speaker at this conference and the vastly different gifts they each possess. The impact of their ministries and even this conference will be great. Driscoll may best reach the tree huggers of Seattle, Piper might best reach academics, Keller might best reach NYC intelligentsia, but they all are united in proclaiming the Supremacy of Christ above all things!

Personally, I have been moved to do and change many things in my life from this conference. Earlier this year I got onto a blog site of the EBay Atheist that was run by the emergent church movement. I was drawn in by the conversations and dialog this group was trying to create. I thank this conference for helping me see the great danger in what this movement is doing. Stay tuned for more life changes....

Other blogs to check out: Joshua Harris (pastor and author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye) and Challies (live blogger at Reformed Christian Conferences)


Thought for the Day: Christ is Supreme!

(1) [Definition of Postmodernism as stated by D.A. Carson: Postmodernism recognizes how much of what we "know" is shaped by the culture in which we live, is controlled by emotions and aesthetics and heritage, and can only be intelligently held as part of a common tradition, without overbearing claims to being true or right. In the domain of religion, postmodernism focuses on relationships, love, shared tradition, integrity in discussion.]

Does God Really Know the Plans He has for You?

This is the John Piper dedication blog...who I should have posted on long ago, since I listen to him very regularly. Also I am headed to Minneapolis this weekend to go to the Desiring God Conference hosted by John Piper! Wohoo! I will be taking notes, so look for some very insightful blogging next week ; ) Ok, so the following is an ginormous topic (50+ pages in many systematic theology books), which I am condensing into a one page blog. Please forgive any shortsightedness.

I felt the need to post a blog about the topic of God's providence because I have come across a lot of information about this in the past few weeks. I've heard people say God is sovereign and in the next sentence say God doesn't know the future.

Since contradictions abound when talking about these matters, whether an artifact of hearing and repeating Christianese or a incorrect preconceived notion about a term, I will refrain from using the terms Calvinism, Arminianism, predestination, and free will in this post.

A recent podcast by John Piper has made me realize how serious this thinking about foreknowledge is and how it changes your view of God. A.W. Tozer once said, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us."

Piper addresses foreknowledge in a podcast series from a conference at Mark Driscoll's church entitled: The Whole Glory of God: Governing and Knowing All that will Come to Pass (I&II) and The Whole Glory of God: The Imputation and Impartation of God's Righteousness. (Listen Now!) Not only do you get a poignant and truth speaking message about providence, but also Limited Atonement is explained (TULIP)!

In college, I got really caught up in trying to define God from a philosophical standpoint. But then you end up with something as simple as Anselm's That-which-nothing-greater-can-be-thought to as mind warping as Aquinas' five proofs of God. Then I realized this was a bit foolish since God proclaims clearly who He is in the Bible.
Piper shows beautifully how Scripture is also the place to turn if you want to find out about God's foreknowledge.

The controversy is mainly flamed these days by a group of people who claim Open Theism-basically that God chooses not to know the future. While on the other side lies people who believe God knows everything in the future from who will win the Scrabble game tonight to the exact moment you will die. In the podcast, Piper goes as far to say that open theist call the deity of God and Jesus into question.

The danger in doing this is that you are saying the future is open to God and in fact you can surprise God or God can be wrong?!? Piper explains how this view makes you a little god who is ultimately self determining.

Some important points John Piper makes about sin and suffering in God's providence. First, God does not sin in willing that people sin. Yes God does purpose suffering for His ultimate good purposes. (See I Peter 4:19 says So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.)

Doctrine matters because things thought now will show up in future generations. So I urge you no matter where you fall on this issue to think about it further and wrestle with any questions you still have. Certainly there is a little mystery in all our theology (otherwise we would know everything and be God!), so the important goal is to draw the line where the Bible draws the line.

In closing, if anyone is actually listening to the podcasts I post about, please leave a comment with your thoughts! I would love to get some dialogue going : )

Thought for the Day: God is most glorified when we are satisfied in Him

FREE Online Wine Course!?!

Wyatt, Cory, and I recently had a lengthy debate about which one of the 5 senses we would get rid of if we had to. Wyatt and I chose what we thought was least useful--smell. Cory, on the other hand, went with sight because he thought it would be cool to not know if he was awake or asleep. I was then reminded about how much smell and taste were linked by my friendly online wine expert Bill Wilson.

Wine for Newbies is your free online wine course ($150 value!). Bill Wilson the host is a lawyer and wine enthusiast, who has worked on litigation to try to improve wine laws. I have never personally met Bill, but I have exchanged emails with him and he is super nice! He will answer any questions you have and even did a few shows based on suggestions from me.

Bill is currently airing a wine course he is teaching at Indiana University (South Bend) (Listen Now!) If you were to take this class in person it would cost you around $150, but through the wonderful medium of podcasting it is 100% FREE.

I would like to take a brief moment to say how great podcasting is and what you are missing out on if you aren't subscribing! First and foremost, podcasting is free to you the listener and if you haven't gotten the picture yet there is a lot of high quality, entertaining, inspiring information out there that you would normally be doling out the big bucks for. Podcasters are typically very passionate about what they create, do it for no pay usually, and spend a good amount of time and effort to produce a show (think about scripting, editing, research, ect).

Now wine or alcohol, for that matter, isn't for everyone, but if you do plan to purchase or order wine in the future I highly recommend getting the basics down to greatly enhance your culinary experience. I must admit I knew the bare minimum about wine, but after getting Bill's insight I can now comfortably go into any wine store and talk intelligibly with the wine expert about picking a wine or sit down at a business dinner and select a wine to pair with the meal I order.

I cannot pour all of my wine knowledge into this blog, but a few tidbits I have learned will have to suffice. Try wines outside of California, France, and Italy because you can find hidden gems at a great value. You can't go wrong with an Argentian Malbec, South Eastern Australia Cabernet Sauvignon or German Riesling. Don't just pick up that cuddly critter wine (Yellowtail ect.) from your megagrocery store, do a little research and talk to the experts at a local wine shop...its worth it!

I will leave you with Bill's mantra--Drink what you like and keep trying new things!

Thought for the day: Every day is a new day

Risk, Reflect, and Reach Beyond Today

Based on a study done of 50 people over the age of 95 who were asked what they would do differently if they had life to live over again. They responded by focusing on the following:

a. They would risk more.
b. They would reflect more.
c. They would do more things that would live on after they were dead.

I first heard a podcast by one of my favorite sociologist and evangelist Tony Campolo three years ago. The three points stuck with me and I have often returned to listen to the message If I had to Do it Over Again (Listen Now!).

Lately I have been reflecting a lot on the entirety of my life and the last year of my life, which usually happens at the New Year but I guess I am getting an early start this year. Two trips back to the place where I was born this summer really hit me with how much I have been influenced by the circumstances I have been in over time.

And yet there was a point in my life where things changed drastically and circumstances became secondary. That point in time happened when I started reflecting on the life of Jesus. Its still unbelievable and amazing to think about how transforming knowing Jesus can be.

Risk is definitely something the world tries to minimize, just look at what the US is fixated on...minimizing the risk of a terror attack, maximizing its investments while minimizing the risk of loss, social security, homeland security...SECURITY! We are conditioned by society to risk as little as possible. But why shouldn't we Boldly Go Where No One has Gone Before! Its all going to be over in a flash and you don't want to sit there at 95 and think what might have been.

One of these days you're going to die, they're going to throw dirt in your face, and they are going to go back to the church and eat potato salad. Are you living for a title or for a testimony? Pharaoh had a title, but Moses had a testimony. King Nebecanezer had a title, but Daniel had a testimony. Queen Jezebel had a title, but Elijah had a testimony. King Herod had a title, but John the Baptist had a testimony. Pontius Pilate had a title, but my Jesus had a testimony!

I think this quote I've often heard sums it up best: Only one life will soon be passed, only what's done for Christ will last.

Thought for the Day: Fix your eyes on Jesus.

Viva Las Vegas or Sin City?

Or City of Blinding Lights or City that Never Sleeps. Maybe City of 100,000 Japanese Tourist or Land of Mega hotels, but those are just my observations. Its actually Entertainment Capital of the World, but I guess that is a matter of what you consider entertainment.

I am plugged in at the Bellagio this moment, where I have been living for the past few days. I can't say that I had many expectations for Vegas, but I have been underwhelmed. The themed hotels take a few minutes to walk through and gaze upon the artificial, slightly cheesy reconstructions of things like the Eiffel tower, Colosseum, Venice canal. Gambling isn't my cup of tea at this moment and Gucci bags don't fit in my shopping budget for the year.

So what am I doing in Vegas? I have been living the life of a geek at a Tech Conference where the men's line is significantly longer than the women's (literally 50:1). If I was a single woman that would be great odds : ) The conference has definitely been worthwhile, drinking from the fire hose as my boss puts it. The freebies have been a nice perk too! I have to give a shout out thanks to my sweetie Wyatt who has been giving me all the little pushes I need to get out and do things like Vegas, Paris, and a new job this year.

Tonight I decided to be a true Las Vegas tourist and hit the buffet at the Bellagio. After waiting in line for 30 minutes, I got down to business. My refined buffet strategy for most bang for the buck has evolved over time and tonight I think I did pretty well. First course was raw fish...so anything sushi, sashimi. Second course I would title as MEAT, so prime rib, lamb, buffalo, sea bass, and swordfish. Next I did a pure Alaskan King Crab palette cleanser, which lead nicely into dessert. With much restrain I limited it to flan, minitart, and key lime mousse. The keys to a buffet are portion control (treat it as tasting menu) and eliminate inexpensive filler foods(like breads and potatoes). Definitely check out this buffet if you are in Vegas, excellent selection and quality!

More to come on Vegas; I need to pack for a hotel change tomorrow.

Thought for the day: You got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em.

Untitled: A Short Story from my Youth

Life has been busy, so I had to take a break from podcasts this week for the most part. So on a completely random note, I have decided to post a short story I dug up last time I was home.

We always had to do creative writing in middle school and then have our peers review it. I would usually wake up in the middle of the night and write, so common themes would appear in my stories. Maybe you can get a glimpse into my absurd adolescent mind.

Next week, I am packing up my things and will be blogging at you from Sin City. Look for a travelog and the most ridiculous picture of the week.

I stared at the incandescent stars on my ceiling as they slowly faded into the darkness. I turned my head slightly so I could see my digital clock, squinting my eyes to focus in on the red numbers. It read eleven o'clock. I couldn't believe it was still this early. It seemed as though a million ideas had gone in and out of my head in the last five minutes. I knew what was bothering me. The choices facing me were driving me crazy. If I made the wrong decision about one simple thing, it could change my life indefinitely. The thing that troubled me most was the fact that I had no idea about my future, where I was going, or what I was going to become. This led to my distress and sleeplessness.

At that moment, a tiny beam of light struck the wall across from my bed. Being in the state of mind I was in, it didn't startle me at all. I am usually frightened by anything out of the ordinary that occurs at night because I feel helpless in the dark. But this ray of light drew me to its point of origin, the window. My hand drew open the shade of the window to reveal a figure on the ground. As I stared at this figure, I felt the need to go outside.

I slipped on my old tennis shoes lying by the door to my room and exited into the hallway. The kitchen was pitch black except for the green numbers on the microwave. My foot stepped on the carpet which indicated I left the linoleum floor of the kitchen and entered the living room. I groped my way down the stairs on my hands and knees to assure myself I would not fall. My hand clutched the doorknob to the back door and turned it. The sole of my shoe came down on the cold cement floor of the garage. I felt a light breeze of night air, so I knew the garage door was open. I took a deep breath as I opened the final door before entering my backyard. One look at the figure to assure me it was real was all I needed. I turned and ran.

My feet kept going as I headed down my street. I took a left at the corner and kept on going. My breath seemed everlasting as I passed house and house. The tall trees up ahead indicated I was coming upon the creek. Stride after stride I made it up the hill next to the creek. At the top of the hill I stopped abruptly. I spread my arms and fell backwards knowing the hill would catch me. I laid in the grass and stared up at the stars.

My eyes opened and I felt a great peacefulness. My mind was free from all worries. I looked at my digital clock to find it was time for another day.

Intepretations are welcome, leave a comment!

Thought for the day: You wouldn't worry what people think about you, if you realized how seldom they do.

I've been Everywhere Man!

As I was feeling the burn in a downward facing dog pose this morning, my eye caught my Eyewitness Travel France book and I was inspired to write about a travel podcast. The following is a must read for anyone planning to travel soon.

When I was preparing to travel to Nigeria about a year ago, I searched and searched for any travel information I could find. Unfortunately, the travel section of Barnes and Noble was lined with two walls of travel to Italy and maybe one book on travel to West Africa. To my surprise a few months ago, I discovered a Lonely Planet travelcast (Listen Now!) and a Nigeria travelcast!

Lonely Planet was recommended to me by a well travelled Nepalese German studying in France who swore by it for any travel destination. I have since listened to several travelcasts to get inspiration for places to travel and find out about the road less travelled. Definitely check out the travelcasts: Destination Nigeria and Destination Turkey. The Nigerian podcast was spot on and will give you a little flavor for visiting Nigeria (although the man doing the pocast is borderline certifiable). Destination Turkey has definitely encouraged me to visit this location in the near future for a unique cultural experience.

For popular cities, I have found the Knopf Mapguides are unbeatable (Buy here). I am directionally impaired; so to navigate around an unfamiliar metro area of 10 million people with everything in a foreign language seemed a bit daunting. I proudly state that this guide helped me scour almost every major neighborhood of Paris without getting lost once or even asking for directions! Each guide is light weight, inexpensive (~$9) and conveniently fits in your purse or pocket. The guide has a fold-out, detailed street map (including subway stops) for the major sections of city including points of interest. Guide books like Frommers, Lonely Planet, and EyeWitness Travel are best to read before going to the location because they expensive, heavy, and information laden.

So start listening and let me know about your latest travels and tips. Bon Voyage!

Thought for the day: Life is a journey, not a destination.

How do we meet single people in real life and not just online?

Am I a serial coffee dater? How do I meet the "one"? How do I meet a guy whose not a player? Should a girl pursue a guy? Is there a 12 step program for dating?

Have you ever wanted to ask some pretty straightforward questions and actually get straightforward answers? Then I have to podcast for you!

First, it has come to my attention that some of my readers do not have itunes or even an ipod.
So today I made a wonderful discovery about the Mars Hill Church: Everything Audio podcast. Go here Mars Hill Church Site and then click on the Menu, then Downloads link on the left. Mars Hill is very technologically advanced and has the option to directly on their website make your own playlist of sermons, music, video, ect. and you can play it straight from the website!

Once you are in the Downloads section, drill down to the Covenant Q&A Forum and Top 10 Things to look for in Spouse audio downloads by this pathway: Downloads -> Classes -> Covenant Media. Also you can find many more downloads here than are on the itunes subscription, which holds a limited amount of podcasts.

I appreciate people who are frank. So you will find the common thread in the podcasts I post on is that these people tell it like it is and don't skirt around the issue or question at hand. The aforementioned podcasts are presented by a married pastor and his wife. These podcasts offer one of the more honest, candid looks at the topic of dating, marriage, and courtship I have ever heard. The Q&A format is great and you won't believe some of the questions asked (see title).

Hard to summarize the above podcasts, but a few things that stuck out to me. We live in a low risk, minimize the chances of things going wrong culture, but if you want to meet someone and eventually get married you need to risk something. Love is blind, so seek council. From the Top 10 list for a future spouse, I like the point-- Does this guy enjoy being a man?--I will leave it at that for now, but ladies definitely pay attention to this one!

I also listened to a food podcast today with Sommelier Alpana Singh and she was relating wine to relationships. Here's my take on it. When you start out with a good bottle of wine--decork it or nowadays unscrew the cap, drink it, enjoy it, savor the subtle nuances of tannins and oak aging, breathe in the different flavors of peach, gooseberry, and blackberry, maybe even a little hint of flint or coffee. Wow its really good! Put in your vacuum pump, leave it in the fridge and drink it over the next few days and its going to mellow out a bit and still have a steady pleasant taste. Start out with a mediocre to bad bottle of wine (the ones with the Animal labels or critter wines as my favorite wino Alan calls them ; ) and it may taste like wheat, grass, or dirt when you first open it; just wait a few days and it only gets worse. (If you think this analogy does or does not hold up or have something to add, please leave a comment)

Thought for the Day: R-I-S-K

If you podcast it, they will listen.

I'm going to make him a podcast he can't refuse. Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful podcast. Show me the podcast. Keep your friends close, but your podcasts closer. You're going to need a bigger podcast. Carpe diem, sieze the podcast, boys. A podcast, shaken, not stirred. I feel the need, the need for podcasts. You can't handle the podcast. Podcast.

If you can correctly identify the word podcast is replacing in these quotes, chances are you like movies. And if you can correctly identify all the movies in these quotes, you are probably a movie aficianado. (If you can do either of these, leave a comment with the correct answers because I will be impressed.)

If either of the above describes you, I am going to go out on a limb and recommend the best film podcast out there: Filmspotting (Listen Now!). The hosts of this show are based in Chicago and one is originally from Iowa, so I definitely appreciate the tidbits they throw in about these areas in the podcast. They have a killer format and offer a weekly podcast reviewing the latest movies and usually an older movie, massacre theather, listener feedback, and a top 5 movies in a genre.

Film does offer entertainment, but I would argue even more than that it is art. Every film has a point of view and is saying something about the world. Haha, well now I am just trying to justify why I like to watch movies, but this podcast definitely goes far beyond the blockbusters and touches on some material that is really poignant and will cause you to think.

A recent recommendation by Filmspotting that I wouldn't have seen otherwise is: Brick. This indy film was recently released to DVD and is very creative. It is a modern day noir mystery set in a high school with a lead actor who I always enjoy watching Joseph Gordon Levitt. With a budget of 500,000 and a first time director, this film is incredibly done and worth checking out.

My taste tends to be in the foreign film and documentary/special interest genres, so if you enjoy those and want some recommendations (or have some for me), I would be happy to help. A few I have recently seen: Spellbound (documentary on the National Spelling Bee), Seducing Dr. Lewis (French Canadian film on a very small town trying to lure a doctor to the town, so they can get a factory.)

Since I am on the topic of movies, I also wanted to note that the Mars Hill Church: Everything Audio podcast I recommended last week also has a section called "Film and Theology". They analyze movies and note many Christian themes in them.

I already paid homage to Filmspotting's massacre theater in my intro, so I will close with a tribute to their Top 5 with Top 5 Reasons you Should Listen to the Podcast.

5. All the cool kids are doing it.
4. They blow Ebert and Ropert out of the water.
3. Movies are expensive and you should find out if they are worth your 10 bucks!
2. They might recommend an obscure masterpiece movie you wouldn't have seen otherwise.
1. It's free.

Thought for the day: Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Dudes and Wingnuts

A dude is definitely a guy, but I'm not sure about wingnuts. I think it is reference to the fringe, slightly crazy people who sometimes sit in the wings of churches? These are terms frequently used by one of my new favorite podcasting preachers, Mark Driscoll. I first learned about Mark Driscoll a few months ago from John Piper's vodcast for the upcoming Desiring God Conference (which I am super excited about attending in September! You should go too The Supremacy of Christ.)

Needless to say, anyone John Piper endorses, I am going to check out. So I started listening to Mark Driscoll's podcast Mar's Hill Church: Everything Audio (Subscribe Now!), and after an hour sermon I was hooked. Twenty two hours later and I am still listening. Wow there is so much I could say about Mark Driscoll, but the most important thing is that he preaches the Word.

In an interview, Mark Driscoll said he gets his theology from Martin Luther and his preaching style from Chris Rock (or some other comedian). He is very frank, funny, and preaches for an hour (most sermons are typically 20-30 I think). I promise you won't be bored. An excerpt from his sermon Single Like Jesus:

Some of you dudes need to be honest and say I just don't think I'm going to make it. You need to grow up, get a job, get a Bible, get a gal, get to the alter, and get 'er done.

Mars Hill Church started about 10 years ago and has grown from 2 to 5000 members in a city that is near and dear to my heart, Seattle. It is amazing to see God working in one of the most unchurched cities in the US.

This podcast has excellent music as well, so definitely check out the songs too (especially Mars Hill Acoustic Band)! Right now, the sermon series is I Corinthians "Christian's Gone Wild" and covers singleness, divorce and remarriage, idolatry, sex, suffering, humility, wisdom, church discipline, spiritual gifts, and much more.

I wanted to give an introduction to the podcast in this blog, but I will hopefully get a chance to comment on specific podcasts in the future and highlight some of my favorites.

Thought for the day: Be Bold

Kudos for Tyson

Just wanted to post a quick note to say how impressed I am by the Tyson food company. I was alerted that they were giving out a free booklet called Giving Thanks at Mealtime. Of course, I filled in my vitals and requested one with little hope for the contents (hey, its free). I expected some new age book that reinvented how to give thanks at meals....something like We give thanks to the great earth who has bore forth the grain that has nourished this succulent Tyson chicken.

I received this booklet today along with two free samples from Walmart ; ) To my surprise, the front flap included a letter from John Tyson which states one of Tyson's core values is "to honor God and be respectful of each other, our customers..." The booklet is being sent out to encourage families to remember God at mealtimes and give thanks for our daily bread.

Just a few of the thanks from the book:

For the blessings you've bestowed upon this home and on this family,
For all the days we've had together and all the days to come,
For the joys and sorrows that bind us closer,
For the trials we've overcome,
And for teaching us that we can do no great things only small things with great love,
Lord, we thank you.

Benedic, Domine, nos et haec
tua dona quae de tua largitate
sumus sumpturi
Per Chritum
Dominum nostrum. Amen

Cristo, pan de vida,
Ven y bendice esta comida.
Amen

My personal favorite: Good Lord--Bless these sinners as they eat their dinners. Amen.

Giving Thanks at Mealtime

Thought for the day: Give Thanks.

Dining with Sharks, Dandelion Wine, and Dutch Letters

Do..doo..do...do...do..doo..do, Jeopardy question of the day: Where is the smallest Walmart in the world located?

Did you know there is a canal in Iowa? Aside from the fact that it serves no functional purpose, the canal is a nice aesthetic addition to the dutch community of Pella, IA. I am going to dedicate this blog as a travelog through the state of Iowa. Whether passing South to North or East to West, I recommend that you stop by Pella and gobble up a few Dutch letters at the local bakeries or buy a pair of wooden shoes and hike to the top of the ginormous working windmill.

If you are traveling via I-80, don't miss the former Community of True Inspiration--the Amana colonies. This former idyllic commune turned tourist mecca still serves authentic German fare and sells products all made in the colony. The Amanas are also the home to many vintners, who produce wine from 20+ fruits. To my delight they had dandelion wine, which I have been wondering about ever since I read the excellent novel Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury in the 7th grade. A sample of this weed wine proved to be quite tasty. A side note--If anyone has thoughts on communal living (good or bad?) send me an email or comment. I am very intrigued by the simplicity and community it creates, so let me know what you think.

Since I am on the topic of wine, I cannot help but tell you about this free deal I heard about today. Bill Wilson of the podcast Wine for Newbies (I will definitely post a blog about this podcast in the future) has alerted me about a FREE book available at WinesFromSpain, which he rates as a $10 value! If you are at all interested in learning about wine, Bill recommends this free resource.

Sushi in Iowa!?!? Yes, it is true and it is good : ) I give a high recommendation to stopping in Iowa City, 20 minutes from the Amanas and right off I-80. This college town is the home to several food finds. Check out the Java House to get a latte the way it shoud be made (ahem Starkbucks, are you listening?). Imagine being transported to nearest coral reef, where you can sip miso soup a few inches from a nurse shark and zebra eel. Takanami offers Japanese fusion cuisine and sushi in the heart of Iowa. The ambience blows any sushi joint in Chicago out of the water and the food rivals most of them (no one beats Mitch from Toro in Chicago).

Thought for the day: Give until it hurts.

Walmart is giving away free things!?!?!?

Is that a deer running down Main street? Kristen, is that your brother and ten of his friends in a pick-up truck chasing it? Welcome to the Iowa addition of my blog. After 18 years of living in Iowa, I saw my first deer running down Main street this summer.

Not only is this the Iowa addition of my blog because I am in Iowa at this very moment, but also because Walmart is a mainstay in every major village in Iowa. Some people loathe Walmart because they drive any mom and pop shop out of town, but being the good deal minded person that I am, sometimes I cannot resist their cunning lure.

Walmart will not pay its employees a decent wage of $10/hr, but they will give out free samples and lots of them! I have received several free samples from Walmart over the past few months and they are prompt in sending them and packaged nicely. Check it out WALMART FREE SAMPLES. Bookmark this page and check it often because they update their samples regularly.
Happy Sampling : )

Thought for the day: Mapquest may not be the best bet for getting from point A to B, take the scenic route.

Do you have the cloud on your Google Alerts?

The title of this blog was inspired by my friend Cory who actually does have the cloud on his google alerts. At first I just found this humorous, but as I listened to a podcast yesterday I realized maybe I should have the cloud on my google alerts too!

I grew up in a reformed, moderately evangelical church for around 14 years of my life, but I cannot remember one time that the second coming of Jesus was preached on, let alone talked about amonst the churchgoers there. It may be that I missed the one sermon on it, while trying to create a new and innovative oragami animal with my offeratory money...but I would think something this powerful would have gotten my attention:

"Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, 'Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.' So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested."

Since I am not an expert on the second coming of Jesus, at this point in the blog I will refer you to a podcast that has an excellent message entitled: The Olivet Discourse – A Review. Dr. David Jeremiah, senior pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church in San Diego, California, delivers the last in his series on Signs of the Second Coming.

If you don't get a chance to listen, I will summarize the highlights for me. The point of talking about the second coming is not to be obsessive about trying to figure out when its going to happen, but to be ready for it to happen. He touches on The Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25 and being a good steward of the talent, time, resources, influences you've been given. In a nutshell....Be Ready, Be Resourceful, Be Real, Be Right. And finally a nice parallel to the business world and world in general that also ties in nicely with how God created the world:

"It isn't what you've done that counts, but who you know that counts or more importantly who knows you."

In closing, I want to give a shout out to OnePlace.com, which is a wonderful one stop shop for Christian podcasts. Check it out!


Thought for the Day: Manage what you've been given well.

Prime for Podcasts

It has taken a while, but I finally decided to delve into the world of blogging. My main reason is to have a central place to post things I find online and podcasts I enjoy. I am also a connoisseur of fine deals, so look for exceptional free finds that I must share in this blog.

I listen to upwards of 8 podcasts daily, so I will try to highlight the most inspiring one for me each day. Please send me podcasts that you think I would enjoy as well.

Since it is Sunday and I typically don't listen to podcasts on Sundays, today I will give you a free deal that I have been enjoying for over two years!

Every month Walgreens publishes an EasySaver booklet that contains rebates up to $600 and many of them are completely free! Some people think rebates are a waste of time, but Walgreens offers an array of free products monthly that you would typically buy anyways.

For example last month I bought $50 in P&G products that I normally would have bought and also received 4 free movie tickets ($40 value)! The beauty of the Walgreens rebate system is that they give you a 10% bonus on your rebate money...so you actually make money : ) The highlight of my two year run of free products was a month where I got $80 in completely free things and made $8 in the process.

If you enjoy clearance or saving a few bucks, I assure you the monthy Walgreens rebates will bring much satisfaction and a little bit of joy.

Without further ado, I give you the Walgreens rebate site online: http://www.walgreens.com/store/rebateclub.jsp?cf=ln You can also pick up the rebate booklet in your local Walgreens.

Thought for the day: You reap what you sow.