jen tanner and i went to the coolest part of dallas today, the bishop arts district. they were having a street fair with lots of homemade craft booths. i bought an adorable scarf with a big flower on it. i love it! for lunch we went to the coolest restaurant. it is my new fave place to eat in dallas. it is called tillmans. the atmosphere and food were both fabulous. jen and i split a grilled cheese sandwich and a french fry trio sampler. here are some pics of the restaurant. oh and two things you may want to notice are 1. a movie is showing on the wall. 2. there are bird figurines on every table and on the wall surrounding the movie. come visit me in dallas and i will take you!

s(n)ooo fun!!!

yesterday at work a big discussion arose regarding "high maintenance". here is an article i found about the subject. enjoy :) are you high maintenance? (click to read)

yesterday i received the first chapter of donald millers new book in the mail. my friend lindsays boyfriend goes to church with donnie (i only wish he and i had the kind of friendship where we had nicknames for each other. i would call him donnie or millie. i think he would call me mccabe or cabe.) and since linds knows i am such a donnie millie fan she passed it along to me. it took me about .5 seconds to get situated on the couch, rip open the envelope, and fall right into the pages of a million miles in a thousand years. i love the way donald miller thinks. he thinks many of the things i do, but he says them for millions of people to read. and he communicates them in words that make his thoughts sound so honest, normal, and easy. he seems to be very observant of everyday situations. he seems to relate everything to his heart for Jesus. like in those everyday situations he observes and then his thoughts on the situation are centered around his heart for Jesus and the people in the situations hearts. i love that. when i read donnnies books i begin to see more of Jesus in the little things throughout my day. my heart seems to experience life richer. i was listening to an ole miss ruf sermon yesterday and les newsome was talking about gaining eternal life and what Jesus says to do to get it, "simply make certain that everything you do, everything you think, and everything that you say is done only and always in reference to your life consuming love of God." beautiful. hard. easy. tender. strong. lovely. deep. lifelong. passionate. with others. freeing. ministry. those are just some of the words that popped in my head as i listened to les speak those words for about the fifth time in the past twenty four hours. when i read donald millers book i feel like he lives that kind of life. i want that kind of life. i want everything i do, think, and speak about to be done in reference to my love affair with God. people would see Jesus more. i probably wouldnt compare myself as much as i do. i would love people more. i wouldnt be such a people pleaser. people would feel freer to be who God made them to be in my presence. thank you Jesus for making life with youbeautiful. hard. easy. tender. strong. lovely. deep. lifelong. passionate. with others. freeing. ministry.

i found a great website. it is a mix of anthro and urban, but less expensive. you should check it out for all those last minute gifts for the lovely lady in your life.

this makes me look forward to spring...

when my mom was in dallas she bought me a new sewing machine for christmas. i used to have one but it broke, and now i cannot wait to use my new singer! it looks kind of like this:

here are some fun things i would like to make with my new toy:



so get me your requests now and i will get started on all of your sewing needs :)
thanks mom for such a fun christmas gift!

i love knee socks. they are perfect for a cool fall or winter day with a pair of boots.

i had the best morning! usually my mornings are rushed, shower, breakfast, gather things for the day, fast time with Jesus, then out the door. this morning was slow paced though. it was one of the first times this semester i didnt have to be out the door anywhere by 9. which, to most people in the corporate world is considered late. so many of my nights are spent doing young life stuff that i sometimes dont stop working until midnight or later. but, this morning was glorious. i woke up around 7ish, heated up a mug of mint chocolate mint, grabbed my Bible, journal, and books, and spent some good time with Jesus. i loved it. it reminded me of the years when i would sit in my car at cherokee in knoxville and spend time hearing the voice of the Lord. not that i dont spend that time now. it reminded me how great slow time is for my soul.
"when i listen closely to the story, move closer to the light, my fears seem to evaporate like an early morning mist, and i can believe again. i can believe that God who made all that is became clothed in our human flesh so that we might become clothed in God. i can belive that God claims me as a beloved child. i can believe that all my days are in God's strong and tender hands. i can believe that life is good, beautiful, and eternal. i can believe that not only my days but all my days are in God's good and able hands. i can believe, rejoice, and wait trustingly and expectantly for the unfolding of God's promise given so many ways and most clearly in the Advent story. thanks be to God!"
-rueben p. job