Paul Zahl's Grace in Practice

A friend sent me this excerpt a while back:

Grace is love that seeks you our when you have nothing to give in return. Grace is love coming at you that has nothing to do with you. Grace is being loved when you are unlovable. It is being loved when you are the opposite of lovable.

I decided to read it and my brother and Shannon gave it to me as a Christmas present.  I finally got around to reading it this week.  And I LOVED it.  Zahl challenged me a lot.  Especially in my ideas about the law and grace.  And free will.  Some other passages I really liked:

In this theology of every day life, the word of the cross in marriage can take a simple form. It is a plan so simple that it sounds lightweight. The word of the cross in marriage consists of daily exposure, very early in the morning, to the Bible. They read a verse or of the Bible, not more than a few sentences; the husband asks the wife what her prayer request is for the day; the wife asks her husband what his prayer request is for the day; and they pray out loud, briefly and extemporaneously. It takes about ten minutes. It makes all the difference.

...

Birth pangs of compassion. The moment you understand that people are not as free as they think they are, especially in the sectors of compulsion, you are able to have compassion for them. You begin to "try a little tenderness."

The P Word

Dear Pollen,

You make my eyes itch and water and become red and tired.  You make my throat sore and tight.  You dirty up my car.  You make me take Benadryl which makes me sleepy.  While I appreciate all that you do for flowers and such, please know that you are welcome to mosey on at any time.  The sooner the better.

Yours truly,
Allergy sufferer

Good Eats

Imagine yourself sitting on a dock; the warm sea breeze rustling your hair, the aroma of salt and oysters lingering around you. No cars, no business, just you and a group of your best buds. Grab another beer from the bottomless cooler, top it off with a steaming plate of Charleston's the South's best seafood, and you have a scene straight from the pages of a fairy tale.

There's your dreams, then then there's Bowens Island Restaurant.

Ok, so I didn't write this.  I got it from http://www.bowensislandrestaurant.com/index.html.  But every word is true.  The food is delicious and the scenery superb.  If you're going to be in the Charleston area any time soon, I think you should give it a shot.  There is nothing pretentious about this place, which makes it all the more appealing. 
 

Catch and Release

I usually talk about the book I've read on here. And I usually enjoy the book. But this book, same kind of different as me, is one of the best books I've ever read. If you are going to read one book this year, it should be this book. I laughed, I cried, I learned more about myself and humanity. I don't want to spoil it for you if you haven't read it by sharing my favorite parts or things that I learned. But GO READ this book.

http://www.samekindofdifferentasme.com/

EA struggles against the forces of worktime oppression...

...the bathing suit edition.

me: so guess who just took off her underwear in her office and replaced them w/ her bathing suit bottoms? and no one noticed
Leigh: ridic
me: the top will be more tricky
hahaha
Leigh: omg
you are ridic
me: you knew this already
Leigh: that's true
me: i mean lets be honest, i've done much more rediculous things
Leigh: that's true
tough the top...that's bold
me: i know esp. in button down oxford shirt
erm
Leigh: super redic
me: w/ shorter sleeves i could slip off the bra then pop the bsuit top on
i mean this is like self amusement at its best
hahaha

(time elapses; other conversations)

me: so should i put my top on on top of my bra or just take off the bra?
Leigh: if you're gonna do this do it right
take . it. off.
me: i'm cracking myself up
and you're making me laugh harder
which is harder b/c i'm trying to be stealthlike
me: not gunna lie to you leigh. my bra is 1/2 way off. i cant get the straps off through the sleeves. its a bit uncomfortable
Leigh: ha!
you can do this
power through it
me: one strap down
Leigh: rock it
me: how f'ing embarrassed would i be if my male boss (1) came in here (2) called me down to his office
Leigh: you would die
me: bra is successfully in my bag!!
i feel like a superhero
Leigh: king of the office!
me: now the other thing i didn't tell you: this shirt isnt the most opaque. its not see through but i always wear a nude bra with it...know what i mean?
and the bathing suit top is navy
so that could be interesting
Leigh: ha!
do you get off at 4 or 5
me: 4:30
almost there...
top just needs to be pulled up
i mean bsuit top
Leigh: one quick yank
me: easier said than done my friend
b/c its a fitted button up shirt
no juli dont come in here...sit back down.
thats right
i i'm a hot mess right now
success!!!!
bathing suit completely on!!!
Leigh: nice
me: not gunna lie, i'm pretty stinkin proud of myself!
Leigh: you done good
me: just think of how often this can come up at a dinner party...what, you've never changed into a bathing suit whilst working in your office?
a shame.
Leigh: i can't believe it hasn't come up sooner
me: i know, right?
i'm so unprofessional sometimes. i love that about myself.

(time elapses; other conversation)

bathroom. you can totally see bathing suit to p through my shirt
it could happen to anybody
Leigh: ha!
classy
me: i'm not sure thats the right word for it but it sure is something
Leigh: totally classy

Venting a bit...

Yesterday, Courtney suggested that I meet her and Sullivan at the beach once I got off work.  She'd get my bathing suit and towel from my house and I'd just have to show up.  Sounded perfect.  My first beach trip of 2010.

That idea was de-railed once I got in my car to drive home.  To say that traffic was bad would be quite the understatement.  Imagine NY or ATL rush hour, but on the little ole James Island Connector.  Not cool.  So not cool.  I soon realized I wouldn't make it to the beach.  Tear.  The traffic was so bad at my exit, I assumed there must have been a wreck there, and I'd continue to the next exit and back-track my way home.  I'm not sure if taking my exit would have been faster or not, but it sure as hell couldn't have been slower.  I sat.  And sat.  And sat.  Now, in the midst of making these decisions, I realize that my gas light has come on (of course!), and have been asked to pick up some chips and salsa for snacking.  Also in the course of this time, my blood pressure and anger continued to rise, and rise, and rise. 

Yes, I do have some road rage issues and those issues came out in full force yesterday afternoon.  I eventually made it to the gas station and then headed towards the grocery store.  Have you ever had one of those moments when you were so angry and frustrated that you just wanted to cry?  Well that was the moment I was having when I pulled into Bi-Lo.  Though the tears didn't come, I was exasperated.  So I did what any rational person would do, I pulled straight up into the New Moms / About to Pop a Kid Out parking spots. 

1. I have NEVER parked in a Handicap parking space and completely see the need for those spaces.
2. The mom spots have always bugged me.

If you are a mom and this irritates you, I'm ok with that.  And if I have kids one day, I may be singing a different tune.  But, those spots drive me nuts.  Its not that I'm against those spots, as much as the fact that other people (not just moms) have stressful lives/things going on and might deserve to get a special parking spot once in a while, too.  So I took the liberty of granting myself that special spot yesterday.  And to be honest with you, it felt awesome.  This isn't something I plan on doing all the time, but when in need, why not? 

Of course I almost ran over this cute guy around my age (yes, I'm single) as I was backing out of the mom spot.  He was super nice about it, flashed an attractive smile, and let me back out first, before he went on his merry way.  As I drove off I realized he probably assumed I was a new mom...  I put Blue Indian on repeat and tried to calm myself down before I got home.  The margaritas at home helped.  Normally, I pull into my driveway at 5:00.  Yesterday it was 5:46. 

I almost feel bad writing this post, knowing that there are millions of people in the world that are really suffering...and my trivial problems yesterday were just that: trivial.  But I did go to a really good two hour meeting yesterday about saying "yes" to them when you're really saying "no"...and letting people vent before they blow up.  Oh the irony...

Best Pup Ever

Unless you count a hermit crab, I didn't grow up with pets.  I'm allergic to cats, which as a single girl in my late 20's, I now find that to be a good thing -- I will never become the spinster with a cat.  (Yet there is no guarantee I won't become a plain old spinster, without a cat.)  So cats were not allowed in our house and my  mom isn't a huge fan of dogs.  Hence, no warm, furry, cute pets for us.  As a small child this made me sad, but as I got older I was totally ok with it.  I think I realized that I didn't really enjoy animals all that much. 

And then I met Sullivan.  She is definitely my favorite animal.  Ever.  I mean, look at that face!  And she's so soft!  And loveable!

I lived my HLP for 6 months last summer/fall, and Sullivan and I spent a lot of time together.  I was a stay at home person, writing my thesis for graduate school and then searching for a job.  We went on walks just about every day.  I think its safe to say that the love is mutual.  I asked Courtney if I could have Sullivan if she died.  Some find that morbid, I find it smart to think ahead.  Courtney didn't really answer me the first two times I asked, but being the persistent one that I am, she agreed on the third try.  Yay! 

So, now I have a goddog.  AND she's coming to Charleston today!  Wa-hoo!  Court and I have taken her to the beach before in the winter and its always awesome.  Saturday we're taking her and it will actually be warm.  Can't wait!