Day 150: 5/31/11 Offset My Flight's Carbon Emission

Day 150: 5/31/11
New Thing: Offset My Flight's Carbon Emission 
Inspiration: Carbon Fund, May Flights, Book: "1,001 Ways to Save the Earth"   
Cost: $11.33
Time: A few minuets                 
Bottom Line: 1.13 Metric Tons of CO2 Emissions Offset

Reflection: As you may remember, one of my goals for this experiment is to do something for the environment every month as a form of eco-stewardship. Today, I helped to reduce the damage I caused by adding tons of carbon to the air during all the flights I took this month.  According to the book "How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint," flying is extremely bad for the environment.

Besides releasing 3-4% of man-made CO2 emissions, aviation contributes to climate change in other significant ways--for example, by emitting nitrogen oxides, which form the greenhouse gas ozone. And because this happens at high altitude, the impact is magnified. Taken as a whole, the warming effect of air travel is calculated to be 2.7 times greater than that of its CO2 emissions alone, meaning that it accounts for around 10%-15% of overall man-made climate emissions. What makes matters worse is that aviation is the faster-growing source of man-made emissions, growing around 5% a year, far outstripping any efficiencies that can be achieved through improved technology. It is continues to grow at this rate, we'd have to eliminate emissions from almost all other sources to have a chance of achieving the reduction required to limit climate change to 2 degrees C.

So, since I took several flights this month, I thought the best way to give back was to address this issue. Carbon Fund (link here) allows one to calculate online your seat's proportion of the flight's emissions and negate it by buying "offsets"--a contribution they invest in CO2 reduction measures, such as planting trees (reforestation is the one I chose). It was a very good way to help deduce my carbon footprint.

Day 149: 5/30/11 Memorial Day Special--Parades & Pines

Day 149: 5/30/11
New Thing: Memorial Day Special--Parades & Pines
Inspiration: All those who have bravely given their lives defending our country. 
Cost: $0
Time: All day                
Bottom Line: A wonderful day of rest, family, and remembrance.

The family in the pine groves- Doug, Ali, Deli, Me, Ken

Reflection: Happy Memorial Day! Today we headed up north to the land of my birth--the small rural town of Tunkhannock. We meant up will my little sister, Ali, for the world famous Tunkhannock Parade featuring all of the small town classics--our veterans (who always get a standing ovation), the fire department (including dalmation), our marching bands (both high school AND middle school) every little league team in the county, the girl scouts, the prom court, the fair queens, the dairy queen, the maple queen, the 4H club the Future Farmers of America club, the Red Hat Society, some horses, and, of course, 50 tractors and classic cars. Ali, Mom and I had a blast yelling at all the people we knew and it felt really nice to be back in town after such a long time. This was Delia's first parade and she was not really interested at first (just like her dad). But once they started handing out candy she was suddenly all about the parade. She is also very interested in the American Flag lately and sang along to the patriotic songs. 

I love how happy she looks to get this candy.

We do love a parade.

Yeah Band!

After that we headed over to Ali and Doug's place at Lake Winola to have the always delicious Tiger Baseball Team Chicken BBQ and to relax with Mom and Aunt Dee. (I also got three huge bags of Ali's awesome hand-me-ups which I am always so grateful to get!) We made a nice trip over to the Lake Winola Pine Grove which is apparently one of the oldest groves in the state. The topper of this perfect day was a little ice cream.  What a great day!

Summer Fun!

New crown from Gram.

Day 148: 5/29/11- Make Modern Molten Metal Medallion! (a.k.a- Make a really great necklace)

Day 148: 5/29/11
New Thing: Make Modern Molten Metal Medallion! (a.k.a- Make a really great necklace)
Inspiration: Emily (support your local artiest here)
Cost: $0 (Thank you, Em!)
Time: About two hours                
Bottom Line: This was so awesome! (And not just because I got to play with fire;)

Homemade Bling!

Reflection: Today's new thing was making an amber/cross necklace with my friend Emily K. Before I describe the process and the final product, I would like to take a minuet to describe Emily and what made today such a perfect example of what makes this experiment great. Emily is the older sister of one of my favorite people Sarah B. (side note- 3 of my favorite people are named "Sarah." I will have to think about that as a name for my next child--that we are not planning, but just in case.) In college, Sarah and I would walk down to Emily's house and she would take pity on us by feeding us some of the best food that I have ever had. We bonded right away, since the key to my heart is free food. I am like a stray cat outside your back door who always comes back is you leave out a saucer of milk--whether you want me to or not. Not very dignified, I know, but it is not my fault that free food taste that much better. Anyway, Emily was not just generous with her food, she was also incredibly talented in preparing it. I was soon to learn that culinary feats in the kitchen were just a few of her many creative arts.

Among her natural abilities is an aptitude for metal work. She makes really cool jewelery out of found objects and different types of metal.  In her own words: 

I use mainly sterling silver and copper. The majority of the jewelry I make are one-of-a-kind items. I like to question what is considered to be "precious." I'm always on the lookout for found items that can be used in my jewelry (broken plate pieces found while digging a garden, stones found on the beach, a baby bird's discarded shell). I love making custom pieces out of other peoples' precious items that they've found at home and in their travels.

That kind of spirit is exactly what this blog is all about--question every day moments that others might not define as "precious" but instead seeing the holiness in them. She embodied this attitude though the whole jewelry making process--teaching me about the craft, having me try things that I would normally would not have though I could do, and helping create something precious to me out of an ordinary afternoon.  Also, who doesn't love someone who has a blow torch in their living room and lets you play with it?!

Here was the process (I have forgotten a lot of the technical names--sorry about that!)

Shaping the silver to fit around the amber. 

Sawing sliver to make the backing and base. 

Heating up the metal with a blowtorch!

Welding the base and the bracket together before placing the amber stone. 

After the welding (which was my favorite part) we placed the amber stone into the setting, filed it down and then fitted it with a hook. The final step was putting it on a chain with the pieces that were precious to me that I brought as "found objects." They were five little crosses from different parts of my life--two were baptismal gifts, one was a confirmation gift, one made with Irish green marble which was one I bought during a trip to Ireland and never left my neck for about two years, and the final one has a piece of petrified dyed Irish heather in the center which I also wore for three year. Thank you Emily, for helping me to make something truly precious to me which I will always treasure and for embodying the spirit of creativity and generosity. It was a blast!

Day 147: 5/28/11 Watch the UEFA Championship

Day 147: 5/28/11
New Thing: Watch the UEFA Championship
Inspiration: Ken 
Cost: $0
Time: About an hour                 
Bottom Line: Alot like watching a moving chess game.

Reflection: It is rare from me to actually sit down and watch a sporting event. I really like College Basketball Championships, and certainly have watched my fair share of baseball and football (although I am more of a Puppy Bowl girl myself). But when it comes to watching sports, I really prefer to do that live. That I enjoy, but watching it on television seems a little boring to me.In fact, I am not sure that I have ever watched a televised soccer game before today.

However, being married to a sports fan has opened my eyes to why sports on television can be fun. Actually, I have to say that one of the best things about Ken is that he is always willing to answer my questions about sports no matter how lame them may seem. It makes it much more enjoyable. So, toady when he invited me to watch Barcelona take on Manchester United in the UEFA Championship, I was very happy to accept. It was really fun, and although I had to leave for the Saturday night service before it was over, I got to see two exciting goals. Thanks, Hubby!

Day 146: 5/27/11 Make Sushi

Day 146: 5/27/11
New Thing: Make Sushi
Inspiration: Ellyn, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 
Cost: $10 ish
Time: About an hour                 
Bottom Line: Delicious, even if they were not perfectly rolled.

Mine were no where near this perfectly rolled, but they were yummy all the same!

Reflection: May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! According to wikipedia:

Officially proclaimed "Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month" by President Barack Obama, this is a celebration of the culture, traditions, and history of Asians Americans and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Congress passed a joint Congressional Resolution in 1978 to commemorate Asian American Heritage Week during the first week of May. This date was chosen because two important anniversaries occurred during this time: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in America on May 7, 1843 and the completion of the transcontinental railroad (by many Chinese laborers) on May 10, 1869. In 1990 Congress voted to expand it from a week to a month long celebration and in May 1992, the month of May was permanently designated as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.

So, in honor of the first Japaneses immigrants, I decided to try my hand at making sushi tonight. The kind I made was vegetarian since I really dislike fish (especially raw fish). My sushi mentor is my friend and co-worker Ellyn who makes the best sushi I have ever had. She gave me a few tips (like what the heck I would need to buy to make sushi, and to mix a little sugar into the seasoned sushi vinegar) and gave me the confidence to attempt this meal. The actually cooking part was easier then I expected--just a little Japanese rice, some special vinegar, some thinly sliced vegetables and some nori (dried seaweed sheets). But the true art, as I soon found out, was in the rolling. It is very hard to get it roll perfectly into a little spiral like object, and I never did totally arrive there. However, it was really tasty and I am sure I will be making many more attempts in the future.

Day 145: 5/26/11 Home Mini-Retreat with Tai Chi

Day 145: 5/26/11
New Thing: Home Mini-Retreat with Tai Chi
Inspiration: CREDO
Cost: $0
Time: Two hours                
Bottom Line: I feel very centered and motivated.

Reflection: Today was my day off (I know it is weird to have Thursday off--but sometimes you have to take what you can get) and I spent a good portion of it engaged in a two hour mini-home retreat. This retreat is a part of the CREDO experience and was designed to be done within the first few weeks of your return home to help you meditate on how your CREDO plan is going. You may remember that part of my CREDO plan was to form a Rule of Life which was a great focal point for my meditation today. Since it was such a beautiful day, I decided to do the whole thing in our back yard under our tree.

The first part of the retreat was designed to spend 30 minutes in some kind of centering prayer. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to try out a Tai Chi DVD that I found at the library. I have only ever tried Tai Chi once with my sister years ago and definitely wanted to try it again.  One of the things that I am learning is that I am able to find a meditative zone much more quickly if I combine movement with my prayers. So, I brought out my lap-top and went through these fluid like movements for 30 mins. I felt much more centered and in tune with the environment by the end of it.

From there, I spent an hour going over my new Rule of Life looking for places where I have already seen God's movement. I was happy to find that even though I have not totally implemented everything in my plan yet, I am already discerning growth in areas where I have. For example, I feel like I have much more energy by making better food choices and I am feeling much less stress by committing to finding an hour of "Sabbath Time" every day. It was also helpful to see what I had already forgotten in just a few short weeks, and found that motivating to continue. I ended this session with prayer of thanks and guidance.

After that I took a 30 minuet prayer walk with Ken and then went out for a run. All-in-all, it was a great way to spend two hours.

Day 144: 5/25/11 Celebrating Towel Day in Honor of Douglas Adams

Day 144: 5/25/11
New Thing: Celebrating Towel Day in Honor of Douglas Adams
Inspiration: Douglas Adams
Cost: $0
Time: All day.                
Bottom Line: It is important to always know where one's towel is.

Reflection: Today is Towel Day, an annual celebration on the 25th of May, which stands as a tribute to the late author Douglas Adams (1952-2001). On this day, fans around the universe proudly carry a towel in his honor. Adams is, of course, best known for his fantastic Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy which, if you haven't read it, I highly commended it to you. Make sure this one gets on to your summer reading list. Along with being a fun read, it also will tell you "Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything," which (spoiler alert) is 42. 

One of the most important thing that an intergalactic hitchhiker can do, according to the book, is to always carry a towel with them. In the book, this is more then just a practical tip, but more of a way of life. Thus, "knowing where one's towel is" speaks to the hitchhiker's state of readiness and preparedness in the face of the unknown.  About this phrase, wikipedia writes:

Somebody who can stay in control of virtually any situation is somebody who is said to know where his or her towel is. The logic behind this statement is presented in chapter 3 of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy thus:

“

... a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: nonhitchhiker) discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, washcloth, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet-weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitchhiker might accidentally have "lost". What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

”

Douglas Adams got the idea for this phrase when he went on holiday and found that his beach towel kept disappearing. Thus, on Towel Day, fans commemorate Douglas Adams by carrying towels with them.

I have to admit that I did feel very prepared with my towel all day. I tried to think of as many uses as I could for it--seat cushion, napkin, shawl, flag, and of course, towel. And I was able to remain calm and not panic all day. Perhaps it was due to the towel. Who can say? For now, I will simply end with the predictable "so long, and thanks for all the fish!"

Day 143: 5/24/11- Scrapbooking With Delia

Day 143: 5/24/11
New Thing: Scrapbooking With Delia
Inspiration: Delia's Wonderful Teachers
Cost: $?
Time: I am hoping no more than an hour.                
Bottom Line: Let's see if this will be a memory they actually want to keep.

That's right--scrapbook.

Reflection: Tonight, Delia and I will have a project to work on for "Teacher Appreciation Day" at her school. Each family has been asked to create a scrapbook page for the teachers which will be collected into one large book. Now, I have always been more of the "buy a photo album and just through the pictures into that" kind of gal', but tonight, I am going to try to dig deep into the recesses of my creativity to create and expression of gratitude for all the wonderful work that they do. I am hoping for scrap--not crap. Wish us luck!

Day 142: 5/23/11- Set up a Hummingbird Feeder

Day 142: 5/23/11
New Thing: Set up a Hummingbird Feeder 
Inspiration: Bruce M. (Thank you!!)
Cost: $0
Time: About 15 mins.                
Bottom Line: I am so looking forward to seeing these little guys!

Come and get it!

Reflection: A few days ago, I received a knock on my office door and was delighted to find Bruce M. on the other side bearing a present for this endeavor. It was a hummingbird feeder! I was thrilled because we used to have one of these when I was growing up and I was always fascinated by these little winged wonders (indeed, they are my second favorite bird.). We have had rain for over a week now, but I couldn't wait any longer to put this up. So, when we had a break in the clouds today, Delia and I mixed up a little sugar water and hung up our new feeder in our back yard garden where it is sure to attract some hummingbirds and butterflies.  Thank you so much, Bruce!

Day 141: 5/22/11 Trinity Church Picnic

Day 141: 5/22/11
New Thing: Trinity Church Picnic
Inspiration: Trinity
Cost: $0
Time: About 2 hours                
Bottom Line: Good times had by all!

Hey, Boo-Boo!

Reflection: Today was the first time we have had a Trinity Church Picnic in at least 3 years! After church, several of us headed over to a local park to have food, fun, and fellowship. It was a blast, and I am very thankful to all who helped to make it a success! 

Day 140: 5/21/11 See "Brides Maids"

Day 140: 5/21/11
New Thing: Be Caught up in the Rapture See "Brides Maids"
Inspiration: Friends
Cost: $20
Time: About 2 hours                
Bottom Line: Surprising disappointed.

Reflection: I know what you are thinking: 2 movies in one month! It is really rare for us!

Today, I had the fun of presiding at a wedding of a very nice couple. (Congratulations, Ben and Justine!) Since Ken and I were invited to the reception afterward, we thought it might be nice to have Delia visit Nana Connie and Grandpa Randal for the night.

Well, the wedding and the reception went off without a hitch and since the Rapture never happened, Ken and I decided to take this opportunity to go out on a date. We had been hearing alot of good things about the comedy "Brides Maids" and headed over to the movies. 

Well, I am sad to say, that I have to respectfully disagree with my friends who love this film. About 20 minuets into it, I could tell that this was not going to work. The jokes felt incredibly stale, the plot woefully formulaic, and the humor seemed to go for the lowest common denominator. I think the things that had me most disappointed was  the fact that it could have been better and it could have been a very strong female comedy cast which is a rare thing. I would not recommend spending the money to go see this in the theaters despite the hipe.

However, it did let Ken and I engage in one of our favorite activities--"Why this (thing/product/movie/artiest/philosophy/etc.) was not very good and how it could have been better." We do so love correcting the world. ;) Also, I had some very lovely sorbet. So, it's all good!

Day 139: 5/20/11 Attend my First Even Parent/Teacher Conference

Day 139: 5/20/11
New Thing: Attend my First Even Parent/Teacher Conference 
Inspiration: Delia
Cost: $0
Time: About 20 minuets               
Bottom Line: Such a proud Mom!

Reflection: Today is another parenting first for me: My first parent/teacher conference. Delia goes to a wonderful Episcopal Montessori School and today Ken and I sat down with her teacher to discuss how she is doing. This was really fun because Delia is normally so tight-lipped about what her days are like that we call  her the "Little Soviet." So, now we know that she is making wonderful improvements, that she is well loved, and that she can be stubborn. All things are very true! My favorite line from her report card was, "we now believe that Delia knows not to lick the cream cheese knife." I am seriously so proud!

Day 138: 5/19/11-Listen to a Hip-Hop Easter Meditation

Day 138: 5/19/11
New Thing: Listen to a Hip-Hop Easter Meditation
Inspiration: DJARM18, Easter
Cost: $0
Time: About 18 minuets               
Bottom Line: Another awesome theological mix--the Re-up Gospel.

Word.

Reflection: You may remember in March (can you believe it was that long ago?!) I used a hip-hop mix created by my good friend DJARM 18 to meditate on Lenten themes.  Well, he has done it again--and this time he has created a "Re-up Gospel." He describes this mix as, "four hip hop songs loosely organized to parallel the story of Holy Week: first, the people's rejection of the Son of Man, Judas' betrayal, the faithful keeping vigil and the ultimate resurrection of Jesus Christ." Since I have been traveling so much, I have missed this until now, but luckily we are still in the Easter season so these themes are still on our minds.  I think that he has outdone himself this time and this mix really did help to reinterpret these themes in a very modern and yet universal way.  Thanks, Andrew!

You can find the link here. Although this is a "cleaned" version, I will mention that there are still adult themes involved.

Day 137- 5/18/11 Celebrate Zombie Awareness Month

Day 137: 5/18/11
New Thing: Celebrate Zombie Awareness Month
Inspiration: The Living Dead
Cost: $0
Time: All Evening              
Bottom Line: What you don't know could eat you.

Classy

Reflection: Did you know that May is Zombie Awareness Month? No?! Well, prepare to be eaten for that lack of knowledge, my friend. According to the Zombie Research Society:

"Many films important to the evolution of the modern zombie are set in the month of May, from the original Night of the Living Dead, 1968, to the well received Dawn of The Dead remake of 2004. Also, because Spring naturally brings with it a sense of renewal and hopefulness, May is the perfect month to emphasize continued vigilance in the face of the coming zombie pandemic."

In order to do my part in educating others of the danger of the upcoming zombie scourge, I will be donning a gray ribbon (explanation below) tonight as well as serving Delia buttered noodles to act as "brains" for dinner. Best Mom Ever!!

Gray Ribbon "Supporters of Zombie Awareness Month wear a gray ribbon to signify the undead shadows that lurk behind our modern light of day.  From May 1 through May 31, concerned citizens take this small step to acknowledge the coming danger."

Day 136- 5/17/11 Make Crock Pot Oats for the Morning

Day 136: 5/17/11
New Thing: Make Crock Pot Oats for the Morning
Inspiration: Sarah Tax!
Cost: $0
Time: 5 mins of prep time, 8 hours of cooking                
Bottom Line: This is a great way to start the day.

Thanks to Sarah and "The Needle and the Damage Done"

Reflection: I purposely waited to write this post until now because yesterday's new thing wasn't enjoyed until this morning. Several months ago, my dear friend, Sarah Tax, set me this link to a great blog called "The Needle and the Damage Done" which had a good recipe for crock-pot oat meal.  I put this all together last night using some organic oats I got at the King's Herb Mennonite Farm, and let it get nice and toasty in the crock-pot for the morning. It was a perfect start to the day and was delicious with a little maple syrup and butter. It was so tasty and easy I might make this once a week. Having a hot breakfast is something very rare for us and Ken and I  took full advantage of this--even if Delia refused to try it.

Day 135- 5/16/11: Mo. Laura's Sabbatical & a 'Farewell' to our Organ

Day 135: 5/16/11
New Thing: Mo. Laura's Sabbatical and a 'Farewell' to our Organ
Inspiration: Mo. Laura & Our Aeolian-Skinner
Cost: $0
Time: Day One of Three Months                
Bottom Line: And here we go.....

Reflection: Today makes the first day of Mo. Laura's sabbatical meaning that I will be acting as Priest in Charge for the next three months. God help us all! Yes, I am a little nervous, but the good news is that she has left things in wonderful order and has been an even better teacher. Trinity is also filled with gracious people who are ready to step up to help fill the large gap she will leave for the next three months. So, I am hopeful that the church will still be in one piece when she comes back.

However, to be honest, it is actually in several piece already! Today we also said "good-bye" to our charming Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ which will also be on sabbatical for about the same amount of time. It has not had any major repairs in 60 years and it will be coming back to us better than new. I spent an hour with them in the church today watching them take apart pews and wheeling out the main console. I will miss it during the summer, but am excited for the way it will return. 

Day 134- 5/15/11 Book Club Reviews "Sliverlock"

Day 134: 5/15/11
New Thing: Book Club Reviews Sliverlock
Inspiration: My Book Club (esp. Leslie) 
Cost: Under $20
Time: Several Hours                
Bottom Line: I found this to be an enjoyable read.

Reflection: I am really lucky to be in a fun book club with several of my friends. It was started by my good friend for college, Lauren and we try to challenge each other by choosing books outside of each-others' normal genre choices. This month's book was Sliverlock a novel by John Myers Myers (I have no idea why he has the same middle and last name) published in 1949. The novel's settings and characters, aside from the protagonist, are all drawn from history, mythology, and other works of literature. Here is wikipedia's description: "While on a sea voyage, A. Clarence Shandon's ship founders and he is washed ashore in a fictional land known as "The Commonwealth of Letters". He is befriended by Golias, who nicknames him "Silverlock" and who becomes his guide. Silverlock and Golias encounter figures from history, literature and mythology." It reminded me alot of Gulliver's Travels and I did enjoy it. However, there were times when I had to look up some of the literary references which were less then obvious in the glossary found in the Companion version of the book and that did slow down the story at times.

Day 133- 5/14/11 Visit to Flint Hill Farm and Trinity Tea Party

Day 133: 5/14/11
New Thing: Visit to Flint Hill Farm and Trinity Tea Party
Inspiration: Delia, Church
Cost: (a small offering to the Church)
Time: Several Hours                
Bottom Line: Pony rides and princess tea party--a little girl's dream day.

Courtesy of Apples the Horse

An afternoon of refinement, civility, and little tieras.

Reflection: Today was pretty much a little girl's dream day. We started the off by going to one of Delia's school friend's birthday party at Flint Hill Farm.  This is a 28 acre agro-educational facility located in Coopersburg, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Delia was a little shy at first (we think because she did not take her nap) but really got into when she went for a horse ride with me next to her. We will definitely be back to visit again.

Next we headed over to Trinity for a fund raiser called the Trini-Tea where Delia and I had a princess style tea-party with her best friend Katherine. It was alot of fun and really good food. 

Day 132- 5/13/11 Watch "Thor" in 3D

Day 132: 5/13/11
New Thing: Thor
Inspiration: Ken
Cost: $14
Time: about 2 hours               
Bottom Line: Not bad for the god of thunder.

Reflection: As many of you know, my dear husband is something of a comic book nerd. Yet, he also has very good taste in movies which means that he rarely likes films based on such literature. So, when ever a new super hero movie comes out, we see it only with some trepidation as they are normal abysmal.  Thor was pretty good as far as these things so. The effects were very good and the 3D was nice for some of the space shots. I was especially happy that there was never the classic "damsel in distress" moment that these movies almost always have. All-in-all, a fine start to the super hero onslaught that will be coming to theaters this summer.
 

Day 131- 5/12/11 Try "Five Guys Burgers and Fries"

Day 131: 5/12/11
New Thing: Try "Five Guys Burgers and Fries"
Inspiration: Ken
Cost: $8 ish
Time: about 30mins               
Bottom Line: It was seriously worth the hype.

Reflection: Ken has been telling me for about a year now that Five Guys are the best burgers ever. So, I broke down and gave one a shot along with the fries. It would have been better not knowing just how good they were because it will be harder to pass by one of these in the future. There is just no going back.  

Day 130- 5/11/11 Make a Mother's Day Debbie Quote Book

Day 130: 5/11/11
New Thing: Make a Mother's Day Debbie Quote Book
Inspiration: Debbie, Lesley
Cost: $0
Time: A little bit here and there all day.                    
Bottom Line: Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Reflection: I know that I missed Mother's Day since I was on the road, but that does not mean that I can't celebrate it today! In honor of my mother, I am making a little book of quotes that she is famous for saying (such as, "Just call me Debbie" and "Things Always Look Worse at Night"). The book itself is also special since it is a little origami book which was handmade by my good friend Lesley years ago. I have been saving it for something really special ever since. My Mom has shown me so much love that it will be hard to put all that into one little book, but it will stand as a small token of my love and gratitude. Love you, Mom!

Day 129- 5/10/11 Watch "Lady and the Tramp" with Delia

Day 129: 5/10/11
New Thing: Watch Lady and the Tramp with Delia
Inspiration: Delia
Cost: $0
Time: A little over an hour                   
Bottom Line: Getting to share another childhood favorite.

Reflection: Today I got to share another childhood favorite with Delia, Lady and the Tramp. This was one of the three or four movies that we owned when we were kids and Ali and I watched it all the time. Delia loved it as well and when it was time to go downstairs she turned to me and said, "Come on pidge'" which is what Tramp calls Lady. That cracked me up.

Day 128-5/9/11 CREDO Day 8: Good Byes & Going Home

Day 128: 5/9/11
New Thing: CREDO Day 8: Good Byes & Going Home
Inspiration: CREDO, Flight
Cost: $0
Time: All Day                   
Bottom Line: Glad to be home.

Reflection: Well, I have to say that I am pretty tiered so, these two post will be short and sweet. Today was the last day of CREDO and I am really excited to bring home a renewed sense of Vocation and peace. Let's hope it lasts! Seriously though, I am so happy to have had this experience and will carry these lessons with me always. The best part was coming home to m wonderful husband and beautiful little girl.

Today's new thing was checking out the cockpit of a plane! I had never been in one before, so I asked the pilots if they would show me around. They were really welcoming, showed me how everything works, and let me push a button that changed a display on their screen. I was in there talking to them for like a good five minuets, and may have held up the flight, but I learned alot and can only assume the other passengers are down with that. I didn't get any pilot wings though.

Day 127- 5/8/11: CREDO Day 7: Early Morning Lake Logan Canoe Ride, Massage & Finale CREDO Plan

Day 127: 5/8/11
New Thing: CREDO Day 7: Early Morning Lake Logan Canoe Ride, Massage & Finale CREDO Plan
Inspiration: CREDO, Vocational Discernment, the Lake   
Cost: $55
Time: All Day                   
Bottom Line: True Sabbath.

This is not actually me, but it was just like this.

Reflection: Happy Mother's Day! I have something special planed for Mom when I get home, so watch for it later this week.

All true southern fair.

Last night was really fun! We had a true Southern Pig roast which I had never had before. It was a locally raised hog cooked for over 9 hours and we have five different regional homemade B-B-Q sauces which were all incredible. No lie, I was one of the top 10 meals of my life.

This morning, I took one of the canoes out on Lake Logan foe an hour with only a duck to keep me company. It was transcendent and I could have stayed out there all day.

To top off this true Sabbath morning, I had the best massage of my life. I really helped me be so relaxed. What a great start of the day!

We are now at the last leg of our CREDO time and I have a 4 point plan to put into action. Today we will offer our plans for transformation to God in a special ceremony. I have been truly blessed to have this time and am so grateful. 

Day 126- 5/7/11 CREDO Day 6: Meeting with a Vocational Adviser & First Shot at CREDO Plan

Day 126: 5/7/11
New Thing: CREDO Day 6: Meeting with a Vocational Adviser & First Shot at CREDO Plan
Inspiration: CREDO, Vocational Discernment     
Cost: $0
Time: All Day                   
Bottom Line: Trying to put a plan in motion.

Reflection: The hike was awesome yesterday! Diana (my seminary friend) and I hiked all the way to the top and could see the whole camp and Lake Logan. It was the perfect weather day for a little hike and we had a blast.

Today really marks the shift into transformational space during the CREDO week. We have all been given some great tools to help us collect our inspirations and hopes for the future together and start putting a plan into action. I love this because it does not just leave you in the "wouldn't it be nice of you got this part of your life in order" space. Instead the plan will help you look at those areas were you feel called to grow and transform and say, "if this is a call, how are you going to get there?" It is like New Years Resolutions that are divinely inspired and might actually be put into motion with a plan. To help go a little further with this I will be meeting one-on-one with a Vocational Adviser. Prayer for this time are welcomed and needed!

Day 125- 5/6/11 CREDO Day 5- Discernment & Hike

Day 125: 5/6/11
New Thing: CREDO Day 5: Discernment & Hike  
Inspiration: CREDO, Nature    
Cost: $0
Time: All Day                   
Bottom Line: Trying to Listen to God.

Reflection: Last night, we went into Asheville, NC for a few hours which was totally new for me. It is such a cool little town! Lots of organic food and wears and local artists and I had a great little time touring the area. I also tried a fork-full of goat-milk cheesecake which was really good- but I think I like the normal kind better.

Today is a day spent in discernment. I am finding that when I have more space to do this kind of meditation, the less anxious I am.

Later, I am going on a mountain hike with a friend of mine from seminary to an over look of the Lake. We are in the Appalachian Mountain Range here (which is very near to my heart since I grew up in the same range) and it sounds like a great little hike. I am sure I will love this!

Day 124- 5/5/11 CREDO Day 4: Vocation & Grits

Day 124: 5/5/11
New Thing: CREDO Day 4: Vocation & Grits  
Inspiration: CREDO, Breakfast    
Cost: $0
Time: All Day                   
Bottom Line: Big Questions

Reflection: We have a really big day today, so this will have to be short.

Can you believe I have never had grits?! That has been remedied! They are really tasty, and I had them with a little butter & salt in what I was told was true southern fashion (although there was certainly some debate about this at my table).

Today was dedicated to Vocation Discernment and we have already looked at some of our over-arching images for change and how much our world is changing. I have already started to fill out some of my CREDO Plan in this respect. It's going well so far, but there are some really big questions that they have asked that I will need to take some time to ponder.