Why this holiday season is different.

I imagine every holiday season is a little bit different than the last but as I approach this holiday season I realize that my life has changed dramatically this year (I learned how to use a MacBook for one example).

I've always loved the holidays...especially Christmas.  I grew up with the most amazing Christmas traditions ever.  Every Christmas Eve my mom's side of the family would gather together to eat and cut up and then in the morning I would go over to my Mama Lou and Papa's house for Christmas brunch.  I love Christmas brunch.  Mama Lou would make Breakfast Casserole accompanied by biscuits, ham, something sweet, and whatever else fancied her;  when she got cancer I took over the breakfast Casserole (with her guided instructions of course).  When she died, we continued the tradition and I became the chef...but it's not the same.  Of course.   But we adapt to this "new" feeling of Christmas brunch.

I still had Christmas Eve after all. The entire Carter clan gathered together always leads to stories that will never be forgotten (insert Merry Christmas from the Family song here).  However, this year we are one short.  On the long road to recovery after the untimely, shocking death of my uncle my family is still very much wounded and this Christmas is something I don't believe many of us are really looking forward to.

But there are good things this year as well.  For one thing, I've got to know my cousin Katie through hours in the hospital and on the phone and I've come to realize how much I absolutely love and adore her.  And how much I can learn from her.  I also realized how important my family is to me, and how quickly I could lose them--thus I packed up my bags and moved back to my hometown.  My family and friends are the same people and I felt a yearning to be closer to them.

My job stood in the way though.  After much prayer and following different avenues of thought something miraculous finally happened.  I landed a dream job.  A job that I didn't grow up thinking I would enjoy but now that I am in it I realize how comfortable I feel in it.  Teaching is easily the hardest thing I've ever done but for some odd reason the easiest as well.  I love going to work in the morning and the stress that this job comes with is easily replaced by the joy it brings.

So as I prepare myself for this holiday season (and the ungodly amount of candy corn I'm bound to devour) I'm quick to remind myself that life is short and to thank God for everything he gives and takes away.  

Happy Halloween Office Style

Whoa.

We may not go as far as The Office but it's still fun.

Everybody in their outfits

I was Harry Potter :)  Quidditch style of course.

Yes, I attached a paper Snitch to my bracelet with a barrette

We also decorate cubicles for Halloween.

So Happy Halloween everyone!

Potter Post 2 1/16

Ok, so I know it's not Saturday yet but I'll be out of town until Sunday night so I won't be able to do a Potter Post.  Instead I leave you with this:

Halloween at my office

Candy Corn Season!

Yup.  It's that time.  The time when the candy corn emerges from his dark slumber and begins his gradual take over of America.  I'll be honest.  I eat an ungodly amount of candy corn during the month of October--I don't touch it the rest of the year--but October is candy corn month.  So here are some fun facts about candy corn!

-19 pieces equals 140 calories and zero fat (and Brach's uses part honey to replace most of the sugar)
-Brach's sells enough candy corn to circle the earth 4.25 times.
-The candy used to be made hand, however it is of course made by machine now.
-Indian corn is flavored to taste like vanilla and chocolate while candy corn has no extra flavoring
-The candy pumpkin is considered a mellowcreme candy because it has more of a marshmallow tastes than the candy corn
-The candy pumpkin was used to help sway senators to vote for daylight savings time to be extended to include Halloween back in 1995.  (It was extended in 2005)

So go.  Go and devour pounds and pounds of candy corn and be happy :)

And Lent Continues.

Well, as you may have read earlier (Escaped Thoughts: Lent...Day One), for Lent I gave up cheese, TV, and meat of Fridays.

I'll be honest with you, I have not been perfect in this endeavor.

Meat on Fridays.
I completely forgot about this.  Every Sunday morning in church I would remember that I gave up meat on Fridays...and I of course would have consumed some form on meat that Friday.  Alas, it was done merely on traditional so I'm not beating myself up about it.

Cheese.
This I have followed so far.  I had an intense internal debate over whether or not cream cheese would fall into this category in the grocery store and after Ashley's wise advice to follow my gut...I slowly, and sadly, returned the cream cheese to the shelf.  My co-workers also seem intent on convincing me to eat fake cheese, but I feel like that's a huge loop hole. 
I did however dream about cheese pizza the other night...and it was delicious.

TV.
This has been a struggle.  For several reasons.  One day after Lent I had a family member pass away and had to return home for several days and I quickly learned that I could not control whether or not people had a TV on in their home.  Most of the days were spent at my Aunt's home and the TV remained on and I accepted that fact as it served as a source for comfort and bonding.  However, as the days passed our bonding time quickly moved to the outside deck for coffee and talking and then eventually to the basement for a traditional Carter pastime of Oyster shucking.  So the temptation of the TV faded into the background.  (I should also note that being part of a Southern family, we receive and give casseroles during times like these...and they all contain cheese. I ate a lot of hummus and veggies)
I made a small exception for TV during Lent pertaining to the ACC and the NCAA tournament.  If you really wantt my whole spill on why I did this and how it would be insane to judge me for it--please don't hesitate to message me :)  But in plain terms, I love basketball and March Madness is only once a year.
The real struggle abstaining from TV came when I arrived back in Raleigh after the funeral and time with my family.  I had not really been alone since Lent began and I found myself sitting in my apartment room alone staring at a black TV screen.  I began to quickly wonder what Conan was saying, who his guest was, was he wearing jeggings tonight?  Eventually I sighed and went to bed.  Wishing desperately to turn on the TV became a nightly routine for me until I focused my attention elsewhere: to friends, to my business endeavor, to blogging, to reading...to praying.  And soon I forgot the TV even existed.

It's only a few weeks into Lent I already wish it was over and I could devour brie cheese and feast on my lovely red headed Conan...and I understand that these things seem trivial but it isn't till you do it that you realize how attached you are to something so worldly.  Not everyone has the same addictions, but I promise you that if you choose to give up something you truly love, you'll feel the loss of it within a couple of days and you'll feel it hard too.  As Pastor Sam said though, this is a time to lose something, to suffer a loss in your life so that you may grow in Christ.

NCAA...Go Duke!

Today is Saint Patrick's Day.  So I should write something about this day or post a cute picture to go along with it...

...like this

Found on http://stuff.icanhascheezburger.com/

That's cute right? It's a shamrock in the middle of the cake.  Or the black plague.  Take your pick :)

But the celebration of St. Patrick's Day is inconsequential at the moment.  Why?

Because today is the start of the NCAA Tournament!  (Technically it started earlier this week...but for my fellow people who are playing the bracket game-it started today.)

So far (6pm on 3/17) I've only lost one game out of six...but this has been a nail biter tournament.  Almost every game has been neck and neck and the lower rank teams have been giving everyone a run for their money.

Earlier Morehead St., ranked 13, beat Louisville, ranked 4, and as I write Richmond, ranked 12, and Vanderbilt, ranked 5, have only 3:32 left and the Spiders are beating Vandy by one point.

So instead of recognizing St. Patrick's Day, I'm toasting my green beer to everyone out there with their bracket folded in their back pocket while they check the scores every five seconds cursing under the breaths.  This tournament will be one for the books.

18 second left in the Vandy/Richmond game....and Richmond just sunk their game winner.  And my bracket took a serious hit.

Lent...Day One

This is my first time participating in Lent and I’m very excited.  Growing up Baptist we typically did not recognize Lent, however, my current church, which has Presbyterian ties, not only acknowledges Lent but also has pledged to spend the time building a strong sense of community development.  So here is my unofficial official Lent commitment:

• Grow in community with my church as well as friends and family
• Limit TV intake drastically.  I mindlessly watch TV after work until bed way too often.  The only time the TV will be watched is in the morning for the news, Basketball games, and if invited to watch TV in company by anyone other than my roommate or immediate family.
• No cheese.  None at all.
• No meat on Fridays.

I’ve never been a big fan of Lent being practiced for personal gain so each of these promises have been made after much prayer and consideration of how each of them improves my walk with God.  TV does nothing but take time away from me that I should be spending in prayer and meditation.  You might ask though why cheese? Why meat?  I’m currently taking very mindful and watchful steps to improve my health and body (i.e. my new Asian diet and kickboxing) and cheese really is not the best thing for you (especially the amount I eat).  My motivation to improve my body is not for superficial gain; I love the way I look, curves and all, and I’ll be the first to tell you.  Of course it has taken years to come to the point of loving the way I look and I’d be lying if I said I reached the conclusion on my own.  The conclusion honestly arose from a memorable comment by my best friend.  He tends to be a bit picky when it comes to looks and for some reason his comment turned into my own personal breakthrough.  Anyways, my motivation is that my body is not what it could be and as my soul’s dwelling place—I need to keep it up to par.  The meat stems from the traditional practice of Lent and I’m choosing to follow it out of respect.

So today, I embark on my first Lent...TV and cheese, I already miss you.

And before I head out to the Ash Wednesday service here is a bit of Lent history:

Purpose of Lent—to prepare through prayer, repentance, almsgiving, and self-denial for the commemoration of the death and resurrection of Jesus

40 Days—derives from the 40 days of temptation that Jesus spent in the desert-although Lent is actually 46 days, some people exclude Sundays as a day to break fasting.  It begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes on the Saturday before Easter.

Notable Days—this varies quite a bit so I’m only going to mention personal notable days: Ash Wednesday, the day of repentance; Palm Sunday (Sunday before Easter), Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem; Good Friday, the day of the crucifixion; and Easter, the day of resurrection.   (Of course these dates are commemorative…just like Christmas)

Happy Ash Wednesday!

bah humbug with marshmallows on top

I have an insane intense desire to say something.  Problem is that I'm not quite sure what.  But what I am sure of is that 2011 is going to be a great year. 

All in all I've had a great life.  I'm not trying brag or gloat, but it's true.  I've always been a genuine happy person who woke up every morning excited about the day, excited about life and I went to bed every night peacefully and blissfully.

Then 2010 hit. And it hit hard.  All the years free of trouble have finally caught up to me.  Granted I should have seen it coming, no one can have a perfect life but regardless 2010 took me by surprise.

I understand that it's only the beginning of December, and it's a bit early for a New Year's Blog and that I should instead be writing about how excited I am about Christmas.  Well I am not excited about Christmas, I turn the station every time a Christmas Carol comes on, I refused to put a star on top of my little Christmas tree (I choose a bird named Lolita instead), I will not send out Christmas cards, and the usual joy I get in Christmas shopping has disappeared.  So please don't stone me just yet, give me the small joy I have in knowing that this year is almost over.

EY (not my father or grandfather) asked me the other night what my New Year's resolution was.  I've never been a New Year's resolutions kind of girl, but after considering the question I looked at him and said "To have a good year."

To have a good year.  Now the question is how to go about fulfilling this resolution.  Most of what 2010 has brought has been unavoidable, so it's within reason to say that unavoidable misfortunes could come in 2011, so how do I make it a good year regardless?  Easy, I've learned a lot this year, now it's time to apply that.

Things I've learned:

• People are a dime a dozen.  Real friends who are there for you no matter what are very few and far between.  I've seen the true colors of many people in my life this year and I intend to be very picky on who is in my circle of trust....yes I did just watch Meet the Parents.
• Having a job is always better than not having a job.  This point is proven to me every time I make my rent check and my student loan check.  And in all honesty, I adore my coworkers, so all is well.
• Hug your family.  Hug your friends.  
• Remember that just because it seems impossible for someone to be gone forever, doesn't mean it won't happen.  Cherish your grandparents.  Call them.  Kiss them.  Cook for them.  They love you.
• Don't be afraid to try a new church out of your comfort zone.  And Korean food is awesome.  
• You are dying.  Every second of the day brings you closer and closer.  So don't let your life pass you by!  Do something.  Spend a weekend on a canoe, watch Beauty and the Beast with your friend, take a ton of pictures, take a kickboxing class, learn to make fondant, travel just to be traveling, dye your hair, learn to ride a motorcycle....never be afraid of anything.

It's snowing outside, time for me to go dance.