my sociology lesson

last night we traveled to granbury on a mission to see one of chase's properties.  as we drove and drove...and drove some more, trying to fight my stomach growling and sleepiness that had set in from riding in the backseat of his dad's lexus, i looked out the window and saw an amazing sunset.  shades of orange, yellow, light blue, and the darkening of the sky to the east...all on country road over a pasture full of hay, tall grass and trees losing their leaves.  i haven't uploaded my pics, yet, but will.  see my sample below.  i refrained from interrupting chase's story to say, "look outside everyone!"  but soon enough, he finished and said, "look at that amazing sunset", and took ownership of claiming he saw it first.  however, i knew better. :)

*taken from wikimedia- just a visual to what i saw*

we arrrived at his "close to granbury lake" property.  pitch black outside.  using his htc phone flashlight and the car headlights, chase, his mom, dad, and i walked into the house wondering what we'd walk into.  nothing creepier than cob webs. thank goodness.  as we continued to walk through the property, i imagined myself living there and how different life would be in these kind of conditions.  (did i mention it was on a travel trailor lot?)

on the way home, i intended to discuss sociology with chase...whom "clept" out of it in college.  so the conversation didn't get very far, but all i kept rehearsing in my head was a video from my sociology class at UTA that talked about the differences between socioeconomic classes in the US.  the video changed my perspective for a bit on how i view others, their status', morals, family life, and beliefs. but that "bit of time" should have lasted a little longer.  i saw a glimpse of it again last night, as we drove through so many low income homes, lots, and trailors and saw the people living in them.  i was challenged.  i am still being challenged.  God reminded me again of how blessed i am and the things that have been given to me.  nothing's my own.  it's all His.  i thanked the Lord for showing me his view on life last evening as we rode away in a comfortable, working car to go eat out at a restaurant.  things that not all people get to do.  whether any of us have any monetary things that make us seem "rich" on earth, i am here to say, we aren't.  the only wealth we have is in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  no matter what we strive for in life- a family, a good job, a nice place to live, retirement, etc, we must never forget that we have a greater wealth than any of those things.

my motion-not-so-lookalike

there is no pit...

"there is no pit so deep but Christ is Deeper still." -Corrie Ten Boom

how do you roll?

tempting, eh? waitress suggestion the temptation roll - cream cheese + avocado...

outcome =greatness!

annie and her soy sauce.
i should have taken a picture of her boots instead...:)

quotes of the evening:
A: "Hannah, do you want anymore more of my roll, I know it's spicy?"
H: "No, I'm good. I'm trying to decide if I want to save mine for Chase, since I told him I would."
A: "All it takes is eating about 3 pieces and your mouth gets used to it."
H-- staring at the tail-end of the roll..."Well I guess I won't be getting used to your spicyness."

"I see that y'all didn't have much leftover." Chase
Ana replied, "Yeah, I made sure that didn't happen."

an amazing evening with my sweet friend Annie. i got to eat sushi, see her amazing chopstick skills, and give her and fern their 1 year anniversary card 2 months late. :)

great friends never lose touch- even if it's eating sushi and talking about suede boots and how it's our dream to be stay at home moms some day.

so you're saying you need some chocolate?

haha. isn't this a great response to hear after telling your boss, "It's been rough lately. i think i need a day off, but I can't take one."? there are some joys to apathetic, unexpected answers. so happy that i've been raised by a dry-humored male that would have said this exact same thing to me had i been complaining about needing an oil change...or something even less meaningful. it also doesn't hurt to have a bf who brings me fudge after going on a vacation. :) thank you, chase.

...at this point in the day,

rather than chocolate, i'd rather have a kitchen like this one to cook dinner in tonight (with the fresh flowers bought just for me, saying, "happy day, hannah." mmm.

*housebeautiful.com*

happy tuesday.

what is black and white and re(a)d all over?

Common answers: a newspaper, a sunburned zebra, penguin or skunk...someone once said, Bob Saget at the beach...:P haha.
My answer: the Bible.
I was pondering this silly joke this morning and thought about the words written in RED in the Bible - sayings of Jesus. Of course, I know this isn't part of the orginal versions and that the writers of course didn't get out their red gel pens when they quoted their Lord and Savior, but it helps me remember the saving grace of His blood, death, and amazing resurrection. Now 2000 years later, we can memorize, live, and breathe His word. All of us. The Bible, "at least part of it has been translated into at least 2,454 languages, at least one of the two Testaments exists in at least 1,168 languages, and the full Bible is available in at least 438 languages. During the past four centuries there have been hundreds of English Bible translations, and dozens are actively used today...." Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears

Whether red or read, it all matters.

It's been sharpening me daily. His Word. It truly is sharper than any two-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12 (For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.) So whether you're thinking about Bob Saget in a swimsuit on the beach or the Word (hopefully the latter), remember that we are called to read and live this Word. Red and read.

in Him.

dinner dates

the tricky things and the beautiful things

sometimes lists are the best way to express any-given situation.

here are some tricky things (thoughts, decisions, etc) that are processing in my mind right now:

1. understanding God's mercy

2. learning to love the hard to love

3. managing time

4. enjoying family when life is taken away

5. learning to use html settings to set a pretty background for my blog

6. getting through fridays when the weekend is hours away

7. opening bottles with oily fingers

8. knowing sarah is far away

9. deciding to eat healthy when there are unhealthy options all around

10. doing what you love

here are the beautiful things that manifest from thinking about any of these things for any given period of time.

1. never will understand His mercy. just knowing that He is all I need. relying on that one promise is enough to get me through any challenge.

2. mmm. still processing. "and the greatest of these is love..." 1 Cor 13:13

Heard the other day one of my close friends say, "I know I have to love (him/her), but I don't have to like (him/her)." I think this is so interesting.

3. we'll never be masters at this. i am convinced. no amount of organization or $$$ spent at the container store, ikea, or target will ever organize life...we just can't fit it in a container/file cabinet/desk drawer/journal/blackberry/macbook. so i am relaxing and just thanking God for patience (beauty) through it all. my life that is...and it's little nuances that cause me to stress over organization.

4. i learned a little bit more about loss this past weekend. such a bittersweet (beautiful) moment. can't tell you how sad it is to lose a loved one, but can say that i praise God for salvation and his promises for a heaven that is to come for those of us alive on earth that will one day be with Him.

5. beauty. not in a silly blog page. but the fact that He allows me to express myself in many ways. greatness.

6. i like that starbucks has free wi-fi to be able to give me a place to take a break from work. aren't breaks, pure bliss?

7. haha. had product on my hands this morning and couldn't get a bottle open. silly, i know. but the nerd that i am thought about the chemistry behind oily emollients and the things that break down oil. lol. what normal people call soap. hannah- go wash your hands already.

8. sending her funny cards. mail. beautiful thing. ...more importantly, the art of a hand written letter. thanks mimi for teaching me the importance of so many long-lost ways of art.

9. i gave in. baked goods. pumpkin loaf on a friday, just in time for my pre-run day carb-up. :) the beauty of it all....it tastes like fall in my mouth and i haven't one single regret. i'll just sit here and take my time savoring it all up.

10. i live. that's what i love. reading a book, Lifegiving. wonderfully written by two ladies (Tamra and Tammy)- about life and things that go wrong and how, as women, we have such a God-given ability to offer life to others in so many ways. the beauty of it all, is that no one else (meaning men) can't do it the way we do. i love this. chase, you may call me a feminist or w/e, but i am truly happy to be blessed as a woman of God...i may not like certain things that i do day to day, but i love being a vessel who offers life to others.

be blessed, friends, today. not because of anything you're doing or are able to do, but because life is so precious. :) have a lovely weekend. ~h

sparkly glass walls

Healing Begins

Mike Donehey/Jason Ingram/Jeff Owen

So you thought you had to keep this up

All the work that you do so we think that you're good

And you can't believe it’s not enough

All the walls you built up are just glass on the outside

So let them fall down

There’s freedom waiting in the sound

When you let your walls fall to the ground

We’re here now

This is where the healing begins

This is where the healing starts

When you come to where you're broken within

The light meets the dark

The light meets the dark

Afraid to let your secrets out

Everything that you hide could come crashing through the door now

But too scared to face all your fear

So you hide but you find that the shame won't disappear

Sparks will fly as grace collides

With the dark inside of us

So please don't fight this coming light

Let this blood come cover us

His blood can cover us

...

Ever need healing? Yes, a broken leg, arm, or skin tear from crashing your bike or running it into a parked car (this might of happened to me...just saying) might need healing; but what about heart healing? I find it amazing that God knows about how paper thin our hearts can be sometimes. He knows the little things that tear us apart...and the big things ...those that may completely wipe us out. In 10th Ave North's CD (big fan, btw)- Healing Begins is track #1. I have no idea why they put it first (true, it has the words to the title of the album in it), but I find hope in track one dealing with healing...I need healing at the beginning. Before I go anywhere with the Lord, He has to heal me. Why is it that we think something has to be broken to be healed...most of the time, broken things come looking new. ie:

Walls. Texas is notorious for foundation repairs. Hairline cracks occur and we homeowners, putty and paint over them. Not healing the crack, but fixin' it.

China. Same thing happens in foodservice with China and glassware. How often to goblets, coffee cups, and bowls get used and obtain hairline cracks?

In the song, the guys, write:

All the walls you built up are just glass on the outside
So let them fall down
There’s freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground

Don't know what my glass walls really look like, but I know they're custom built, sparkling from how many times I have used Windex on them, and thick. :)) It's ridiculous really. The whole idea of having these walls that people can see through...

So I crashed mine. Last night.

I suggest a breaking point for everyone. The sound of it all hitting the ground really is something to Praise Him for - and then, healing begins.

He's waiting right there. Never changing. Just there. Ready to pick you up and carry you on. Without sparkly walls up anymore. (there were streaks anyway- I'm glad there gone, it really is better when the walls are removed.)

Suzi & the lifeguard

Sometimes at the end of the day, it takes a good foot rub and fresh coat of paint to change my mindset on things....that's just what I did last night.

Jinny the lady at the nail salon gave me my pedicure. It's just what i needed after a stressful week (yes it was only thurs night). Now, I have to get over the bruised spine that I have from the massage chair. It's amazing how just sitting back and relaxing changes things....I had to stop the massage chair unfortunately because it was "punching" a little too hard. Left with my toes looking pretty, legs relaxed and ready for the weekend.

Maybe the pool is an option this weekend...? mmm. Only place that it won't be 105 degrees.

warrior dash

So, I am taking on an endeavor in November called Warrior Dash in Austin. Going to be quite fun, I can imagine. I was looking at the site, and well...read below...I can't wait! (italicized words taken from their site http://www.warriordash.com/index.php)

How do I train for Warrior Dash?
1. Day one: run as far as you can. Go home. Day two: do the same thing.
2. Find the dirtiest pond in your neighborhood and snorkel in it - in your slippers, without goggles.
3. Practice your climbing and crawling skills at your local jungle gym. Ignore the small children and parental glares.
4. Do not shower or shave for weeks in order to obtain a true Warrior look.

Seriously though, your best bet is to do plenty of running leading up to the race.

Well, I can definitely tackle the 3-4 mile feat. I did double that this am, mud, though...I need to buy some all terrains soon...gear...well, I think Ames and I will have to decide on special costumes and hats for that day (FO SHO!).

In all things, we are more than conquerors! (Romans 8:35-37)
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:"For your sake we face death all day long;we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:35-37

Have a blessed day, friends.