Goal #2 - Life Updates: July

Devin and I spent our Forth of July weekend doing some apartment-improvement projects. Including this one and this one:

(the newly painted blue wall in our living room)

When we re-signed our lease for another thirteen months, we figured that since we'd be staying put for awhile, it was time for a little change. I love our new blue wall (it compliments a larger wall in the same room that was already painted a lighter shade of this blue). The deep blue makes my little antique table (which I rescued from a garage sale for $1.00 and re-painted white) stand out beautifully. Mmmm... ::contented sigh:: The whole project only cost us about $9.00 (as we borrowed all of the tarps, tape, trays, rollers and brushes) and makes such a big difference in the space.

I could blog about this subject for another hour. I used to watch way too much HGTV and TLC and I get really excited about decorating... But will move on for the sake of those of you who just barely care.

Mid-July, after spending a whole day cleaning the apartment and baking cookies, we had some new friends from church over. You know what Mama always said, "You have to be a friend to make friends." And since making a real friend at church is one of my goals, I figured I better start putting forth more of an effort to be a friend myself.

We had a blast with Keith, Kaydee, Barry and Steffani while playing some very funny games. (Ever heard of the 1990's game True Colors? Yeah. Awesome. But be ye warned: feelings can definitely get stepped on during this game. One consumer description I found said, "Do your friends hate you? They will if you play True Colors." All went well for us this time around, however, I have played the game and had friends wind up in tears... sooo... play if you dare.)

The living room looked so neat and tidy after our get-together and when Devin mentioned that it makes for such a peaceful, relaxing place to be when its clean - it really touch my wife's heart. It gave me such a desire to keep our place picked up in order to serve Devin better. If having tidy apartment helps make my husband feel relaxed at home, then I need to make a much greater effort to keep that peaceful atmosphere intact! I'm trying to pick up little things right when I see them, so that stuff doesn't pile up. So far so good. (Which is a BIG deal for me - as any of my family members or prior roommates can attest to.) (I can't take all of the credit though - Devin has been really helpful too. He's just awesome like that.)

Clean living room! (you can see both blue walls in this shot also)

I also got to go on a little trip with my girl friends for my birthday - more on that in a later post!

I spent SIX years in jail...

...and didn’t pass “Go” once during that whole time!

(click here for Devin's version of the story)

Devin and I played Monopoly the other night and for six consecutive rounds I was incapable of keeping my act clean and did not once make it past the “Go to Jail” square.

But, I learned some things during all my time in the slammer:

• Don’t hang out on Illinois Ave... Shady things happen there. Like rolling every possible combination of six (thus landing directly on the head of a police officer.)

• When one is constantly going to jail (directly to jail), one does not pass “Go” and does not collect $200, making it neigh impossible to purchase property when a double roll finally gets you out of the clink on good behavior. 

• Life is not fair - much of it is chance and plain dumb luck (or baffling, statistically unmatched un-luck in my case) 

• In this game there is only one winner.  If you spend most of your time rotting in the pokey, it ain't gonna be you babe.

• My husband will come to visit his jailbird wife, but he will not bail me out. Rather, he will spend that money on buying property. On which he will build houses and hotels. With which he will gouge me for every penny, making me wish I were back in jail where the rent was only $50.  

98 Degrees of Sunrise Devotions

Goal #30: Get up at 6:00am every weekday for two weeks and have breakfast/devotionals on the back porch.

I'm standing at the foot of this mountain

Wishing so bad that I could touch that sky

But in the time it takes to make my wish

I never take a step and I never try

I wish that I were closer to Jesus

But not enough to get me out of bed

For an early morning prayer before the

Rushes of my life take me instead

-Past the Wishing, Sara Groves

In high school, I used to set the above song as my alarm in the morning in hopes that it would guilt-trip me into getting my lazy rear out of bed to do my devotions. It is a great song with a great message, but it didn't work - my motivation wasn't genuine. I then put morning devotions on my 101 list because it was important to me yes, but also because I thought maybe it would help me to get a good habit started. But I can honestly say that I recently started doing my early morning devotions because I had a desire too - not for guilt and not to check something of my list - but because God has really been doing a work in me and I wanted to spend more time with Him. I didn't even really think about it being on my list until my best friend (when I mentioned to her something I had read in my devotions) asked me if I was doing it for my list. Wow. That is a sad reflection of my recent Christian walk, eh? It was such an uncommon thing for me to be having a morning devotion, that my friend assumed I was doing it because of my list. I have very much enjoyed these mornings and have seen such a difference in my heart attitude throughout the day. Something about seeing a beautiful early morning sky while talking to God and reading His Word is such a refreshing combination.

But hooooo-boy it is hot outside! Even at 6:00am(ish) the Arizona temperatures are already flirting with 100 degrees. The sleep-deprivation has been a struggle too,  I've got to fully make this commitment and go to bed earlier so that I can get up at 6:00am with out feeling drugged for the rest of the day. I started by getting up a little earlier each day to ween myself off of sleep (7:00am became 6:45am, became 6:30am, etc) so maybe I need to do the same on the other end to ween myself off of my night-owl habits. 

Anyway - I am loving this time of quiet, slow mornings and of prayer and reading my Bible. I've been so convicted, encouraged and challenged with so much of what I've been reading. Especially Luke 6:17-49 which rocked me so deeply that I studied it for three days in a row and even that wasn't enough time for me to really take it all in. I keep coming back to it over and over - trying to really let it settle in my heart so that the idea behind "out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks" will start to produce better fruit in my own life. 

I'm not sure how I survived without this time up until this point. I guess I was just too busy to notice what I was missing.

Q4U-  What has God been teaching you lately? I would love to hear about what you're reading and learning.

My Sci Fi-Musical-Drama-Action-Romatic Comedy-Slapstick Adventure

When my friend and co-worker Jeff asked me to star in his 48-Hour Film Challenge as a speechless, invisible-gun-toting, action hero/hermit - however could I refuse?

So I joined the crew over at 12a Productions to act in a three-minute film that they had to concept, write, film and edit all in the course of 48-hours. For my part in the fun, I spent the better (hotter) part of twelve hours running around the dusty, deserted streets of the rural Florence, Arizona.

Besides the 48-hour time limit, the film challenge participants had to include a specified prop (a paintbrush) and a line of dialogue ("I'm so hungry.") and draw a film genre out of a hat. 12a Productions drew "Action" (the other genres were Romantic Comedy, Sci-Fi, Drama, Slapstick and Musical.)

Out of thirty-three film, ours won fifth place overall and qualified to go on the the finals! Also, it received a special award for "Best Use of Every Genre" (you'll see why when you watch the film.)

Thanks for including me 12a! I had a blast working with ya'll. Congratulations on your win!

P.S. This is suppose to be funny and over-the-top, so don't feel bad if you laugh at us.

Goal #18 had me in stitches

Goal #18 - Attend five plays, musicals, or symphonies (3 of 5)

I used to act. Theatre once was the center of my life. Have I mentioned that before? Oh. I have? Numberous time? Oh. Well then.

Even though I haven't had the opportunity to be on stage in three+ years, I love, love, love to go to the theatre. Years back, I worked with an incredible community theatre in Tucson called WayPoint Theatre. Because of my fond memories with Waypoint, I especially love getting the chance to support other local community theatre troupes of quality. But I haven't found one I really loved in Phoenix until now.

As an early birthday present, Devin took me to see The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abriged) performed by Brelby Theatre Company. (My man knows what I love!)

It. Was. HI-LAR-IOUS.

I don't think I've laughed that hard at a theater production in... ever. The acting was fantastic, the dialogue hysterical and the props/blocking/improvisations were perfect for the production. If you ever get the chance to see this play - take it! (Disclaimer: It is definitely a P-13 rated show, so just be forewarned.) Brelby Theatre - great job! I look forward to seeing more of your work.



(If any one lives in the Phoenix area and is looking for some great and affordable theatre - check them out!)
(And if you are in Tucson, go support my buddies over at Waypoint!)

Wierd Things Happen When There's No Rain

Seriously, people in Arizona get a little batty when anticipating the rainy season during a dessert summer. After enduring throat-parching heat since mid-April and knowing that our next reprieve from the 100+ degree temperatures won't arrive until late October, the bless'ed weeks of monsoon storms during late July are a cherished moment in the life of Arizonians.

Point and Case:

The other night, while working in our at home office, Devin and I heard thunder and what sounded like rain (finally!) Being the rain-deprived Arizona kids that we are, we both got giant grins on our faces and raced out to the back porch to see the rain. When we ran outside and I heard the rain, I tossed up my arms in delight and let out a exuberant “WOO-HOO!” This echoed loudly off the other apartments in our complex. It was at that moment that I realized what I had heard as rain was actually people splashing in the pool just below our patio, mixed with the wind rustling through the trees. There was no rain. Just some crazy lady shouting “Woo-hoo” at the people in the pool below.

But in my defense (wow, now I really do sound crazy), it is truly a monumental event when the first rain of monsoon season hits the parched dessert and it’s inhabitants. I don’t (generally) run around shouting “Woo-hoo” at the top of my lungs in public places, but for the joy that is rain – I made an exception... And learned my lesson in doing so.

I love the "You Know You're In Arizona When..." lists that are scattered across the internet and emblazoned in the hearts of Arizona natives.. Live Survive in Arizona long enough and these expressions will become vital truths in your own life:

You Know You’re In Arizona When...

• You no longer associate bridges or rivers with water.
• You can hear the weather forecast of 115 degrees without flinching.
• The best parking spot is determined by shade... not distance.
• You run your air conditioner in the middle of winter so you can use your fireplace. (It’s true – I’ve done it!)
• It's noon in July, kids are on summer vacation and yet all the streets are complete devoid of both cars and people.
• You can understand the reason for a town named "Why"
• Due to summer hibernation, Easter weekend is the last time you will see your friends and neighbors until Halloween.
• You think someone driving while wearing oven mitts is clever.
• A rainy day puts you in a good mood.
• The temperature drops below 85 and you feel a bit chilly.

To solidify my point, below are two photographs of me in college. During a late monsoon downpour, my friends and I joyfully played in the rain like five-year-olds until thoroughly soaked. Oh yes... we may have also stole a shopping cart and pushed each other through huge puddles whilst sitting inside said shopping cart... Like I said... weird things happen when there's no rain.

Goal #27: Scrapbooked into Oblivion

Goal #27: Scrapbook three pages and week for six weeks.

I wrote this goal the way I did because I was hoping to pace myself and not become overwhelmed. But as any scrapper knows, once you pull out your mounds of scrapbooking supplies, there is really no sense in putting them away again until you've scrapped yourself into a dazed stupor.

I scrapbooked 30 pages in three days - nine months worth of life in three days. This goal is completed as far as I'm concerned. If I didn't have the latter half of 2009 and all of 2010 still left to scrapbook, I would probably swear off of scrapping for the rest of my life. But I will truck on. Eventually.

The only way I was able to get through nine months worth of memories was by eliminating about 1/3 of the photos I had already printed. I figured I saved myself about 15 pages worth of work. But there was a certain level of guilt in tossing photographs of my loved ones and friends. Buuuut after 30 pages, I got over it.

Funny thing about memories and picture taking - I will take gobs of photos at any and every event and while they are fun to post on Facebook, scrapping that many photos does put into perspective which memories are really worth preserving. When I was in high school and college, my friends monopolized my scrapbooks. Now, it is photos of friends that get narrowed down in order to keep photos of family members. Interesting how your viewpoint on what is important shifts as you grow older.

I just counted how many pages I still have left to finish up 2009. Thirty more to go. Heaven help me, but I'm halfway there!