Words for today

More than (3)

Psalm 4:4 ~ "Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and wine increased."

"How can we reach the place where we can say 'More than'? Have you noticed that, from that place where you stand, there us always a shining way on the water, in the sunrise or in the sunset, or when a bright planet like Venus is rising or setting? There may be a hundred people on the shore, and yet each one sees that path beginning just where he or she stands. I shall never forget my astonishment when I saw this for the first time.

It is like that with the Bible. Wherever you are reading you will find a path that leads you from that place straight to the heart of God, and the desires of God."

~ Amy Carmichael, Edges of His Ways

Back to the grind

Well, it is officially mid-August, and we all know what that means. Summer is wrapping up, making way for the beginning of the school year. The sun is setting a little earlier each evening, reminding us that fall is on it's way. The carefree days of summer are soon to be replaced by the schedules, routines, and planners of September.

I am sad that the diversions of summer are officially over for me, but in a way, relieved to be back to more of a settled routine. It had been a lovely summer, brimming with blessings -- I feel so grateful for all the opportunities I had to enjoy new adventures, see new places, celebrate milestone moments, and visit with dear friends and family. Since May, I was in 10 states (4 for the first time!), attended 3 weddings, had a friend from Washington, D.C. to visit, a friend from Louisiana come to visit, a friend from Missouri come to visit, and my sister from Pennsylvania come to visit. During which, we explored the delightful summer fun that middle Tennessee has to offer (more on that later). I also got involved volunteering at a super fun cooking school at the Nashville Whole Foods, and began volunteering with women's ministry downtown.

My cup truly overflows, and I am so grateful.

Though I it is slightly depressing that the summer is drawing to a close, there is a lot I am looking forward to this fall. Classes start at the college where I work this coming Wednesday. I am looking forward to having the students back, and for the library to be bustling once again. (Although I might regret saying that in a few weeks.) I also have been working on several new projects over the summer that I am excited to implement this coming school year. I am looking forward to continuing to grow professionally, as well as continue to develop relationships with my colleagues and help foster community within the campus.

I am also looking forward to being a bit more diligent about my fitness and healthy eating endeavors, and to make that more of a routine priority. It is difficult to maintain a good exercise and eating commitment amidst all the traveling and company. Here's to buckling down and making that a big priority once again!

And of course, with more of a routine, is the hope that I can be back blogging again regularly!

How about you? What were the highlights of your summer? What are you looking forward to with the coming of fall?

But for today, on this Saturday in mid-August, the bright warm sunshine still boasts of summer ripeness. Perhaps I might even get to take a dip at my friend's pool. And in a few minutes I am going to head out to the local farmer's market where summer's bounty will still be abundant. For today, I will relish the summery-ness while it lasts!

Purple mountain majesties

I spent this past weekend with two good friends, camping, hiking, and sightseeing in the Great Smoky Mountains near Gaitlinburg, Tennessee. Taking in the majesty of the mountains, the awe-invoking vistas, the peaceful meadows, the bright green tree-canopyed forests, the burbling brooks, the clear rushing streams, the graceful waterfalls and the tiny trail wildflowers, was refreshing to my soul, indeed!

The Edith Stein Project talks online

My summer continues to be rich and full of dear visitors (my sister came this past weekend!), new volunteer activities, and a busy work slate. Lots going on, but I still enjoy my periodic downtime when I can surf the blogsphere...although I usually don't have enough energy by that point to actually post something!

Something that I thought you readers might enjoy is checking out the talks from the 2011 "Edith Stein Project" held at Notre Dame, February 11-12. I had heard about this conference last minute thought it sounded really neat. The topic for this year's conference was "Irreplaceable You: Vocation, Identity, and the Pursuit of Happiness." Since I wasn't able to go in person, I was thrilled to find that some of the talks online. I would love to make my way through all of the talks. So far have listened to two, which I would love to share here.

The first one is a talk by Dorothy Cummings McLean (aka, "Seraphic Singles author): “Waiting for Your Marching Orders: Staying Sane while Single." I am a huge fan of her blog, and thorough enjoyed watching her talking online! It was delightful! She is just as good of a speaker as she is a writer. I would recommend this talk to any of you singles out there, wondering how you can live your life fully as beautifully while you are in the single state. I would also recommend it to anyone who knows single people. (Translate, everyone). It will help you understand the unique struggles that the single person faces and in turn, how you can best encourage them and challenge them along their current journey.

Dorothy Cummings McLean: “Waiting for Your Marching Orders: Staying Sane while Single" from NotreDameIdentityProject on Vimeo.

Additionally, the other day I watched the talk by Catherine Pakaluk: "Being Mary in a Martha World: Edith Stein on What Women Want." I thought that this provided an exceptional analysis of the vocation of women and the question of careers, motherhood, and vocation discernment. Dr. Pakaluk discusses Edith Stein's writings the vocation of women and the nuances involved in considering work/life balances for women. One of the best discussions of this topic that I have heard yet!

Catherine Pakaluk: "Being Mary in a Martha World: Edith Stein on What Women Want" from NotreDameIdentityProject on Vimeo.

I hope some of you find the time to watch some of these. I would love to hear your feedback, too! There is lots of fodder for discussion within both of these videos!

Just peachy

I love peaches. They are one of my favorite summer fruits. Especially really fresh, sweet, juicy local peaches.

Now that I live in the South, I am much closer to "peach country." This weekend, I decided that it would be fun to visit a peach orchard and pick my own peaches off the vine. Although trekking to Georgia to get the full "Georgia Peach" experience wasn't really an option, I figured that finding an orchard in south central Tennessee was my next best option.

Hence, this Saturday, my friend Manda and I found a delightful pick-your-own-peach orchard just an hour south of Nashville. Manda is a native Southerner, hailing from Alabama. So she was able to add to the authenticity of the experience, along with sharing tidbits with me about peach preservation and peach recipes from her 'Southern Living' magazine.

The afternoon was just lovely. The weather, although quite hot, was sunny, blue-skies, and there was a nice breeze in the air.

I never realized peach trees were so pretty! I had just trying to capture the scene on my camera, although my cheap-o camera does not begin to do it justice!

After we arrived at the orchard, Manda and I strolled through the orchard with the provided wooden baskets and joyously plucked the peaches off the branches. We harvested two different varieties - Red Fury, a tarter, large peach, and the Contender, a sweet, smaller peach.

I think I gathered about 20 peaches or so. Some ripe, some still a bit hard so I can space out the use.

After we finished with our harvest, we sat out at one of the picnic tables, took in the beautiful rolling hills of the Tennessee countryside, and each enjoyed one of the warm, sweet juicy peaches. There is nothing like fresh fruit, sun-warmed and straight off the vine!

Now I get to experiment with ways to use the peaches. Yesterday I made a "Peach Crumble" which I took in to work with me and seemed to be a big success. I am excited to find creative ways to use the peaches, and perhaps even preserve some so that I can enjoy their deliciousness in the coming months.

Hope you enjoy some of the photos of my little orchard trip!

~ Yum! ~

Submitting all things

Have you ever had that sudden, jolting realization about your spiritual life that for a brief moment, wakes you out of your spiritual stupor?

In particular, the realization that when you think you trusting, laying your life and your future in God's hands, surrendering to His will, suddenly as clear as day you see that there are one or two prayers that you do not believe God will answer? Parts of your heart that you refuse to lay bare to the Father, because you fear utter disappointment?

I struggle intensely with the tug-of-war between resignation to life's circumstances, and tenacious trust in God's power.

How do we expect that life will be full of our own "bitter cups", large and small, while clinging with hope against hope that Christ makes all things new?

I suppose that this is the Christian paradox, but one that we are called to wrestle with each step of the spiritual journey.

Do you with eyes lifted to the sky pray for the miracle, the gift? Or do you tense your back a little tighter because you anticipate the inevitability of the cross?

I am not graceful enough yet, to pray for the gift, to look into the Savior's eyes and plead with Him, that His will be done in my life. Is it that I am not brave enough to bear the cross? But I wonder if it isn't rather, that I am not brave enough to bear the gift.

I am not brave enough to realize that the Father, when I ask for an egg, will not give me a scorpion (Luke 11:11). I am not brave enough to trust in the depth of His love and the way that it covers all things in my life.

It is moments like these that make me realize that my faith often coasts on the firm grounds of life, but falters when it must leap.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to." ~ Philippians 4:6

Words for today

"If, in the next life, we could feel sure of being met by even one soul who said to us, "Through you, God found me," I think that would be sufficient for our beatitude. And I don't think that, if it happens, the soul will be one that we consciously tried to instruct in Christian doctrine. It will be someone who noticed our certitude and our joy." ~ Evelyn Underhill