Quotable Quotes

"Wrong believing brings fear. Right believing brings faith."

More than words . . .

Since getting my new car and getting an initial free subscription to XM radio....I am now thoroughly hooked to satellite, something I swore I wouldn't do and had vowed to myself I would cancel once my free subscription was up....no willpower I tell you, none whatsoever.

So part of the reason I'm hooked is because I'm listening to two particular stations that are strictly dedicated to the 80's and 90's. And without fail, I frequently get nostalgic emotions from songs that were part of my youth.  I feel like I can remember exactly what I was thinking 15 to 20 years ago when I hear these songs.  At least for me, it's a strange bizarre giddy feeling when I remember things from my childhood and teenage years.  This one came up today on my drive back from work...tell me it's not the most perfect song for a beautiful summer evening...

Quotable Quotes

"If you look for truth,
you may find comfort in the end;
if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth
only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin,
and in the end, despair."

- C. S. Lewis

Good Eats - RAW

For dinner last night, great sushi with a great ambiance at......

1225 RAW SUSHI & SAKE LOUNGE

1225 Sansom Street

 Philadelphia / 215.238.1903

http://www.rawlounge.net/index.html

A comedy sketch on ....well....eye doctors

And yes, I've probably thought everything that he said the doctor was saying during his eye exam.

Quotable Quotes

Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.

 - C. S. Lewis

Identity Crisis

In bible study tonight, we were discussing how we see ourselves and our identity, in view of God's holiness.  And the question was asked, "What do you think is the look on God's face when he thinks of you right now?"

I was the first to answer, and I answered with my honest gut reaction, I said "disgust."

I see God's heavenly face filled with disgust. Disgust at dealing with the same sins, disgust at my lack of faithfulness, disgust at my lack of trust, disgust at everyday struggles, disgust with my hypocrisy, and so on and so forth.

And then I read this: "If you imagined God as anything but overjoyed with you, you have fallen into a performance mindset.  Because the gospel truth is: In Christ, God is deeply satisfied with you."

God, satisfied with me?? Not only satisfied, but overjoyed??
Ha, yeah right!  I can understand it intellectually, but I can't grasp it emotionally.

This is obviously an important component of my faith that I have yet to properly understand.  I always imagine that if I were "better", he would love me more, approve of me more, be more merciful towards me.  I know....it sounds juvenile, but when I break it down, that's how I'm living my life.

And in all honesty, living this way is just draining, physically and mentally draining...it "saps the joy and delight out of following Jesus."

I've become acutely aware today of the fact that I need to recognize my freedom and feel that joy that can only come in Christ. To be ever joyful that He has already made me His daughter, that He has already clothed me in righteousness, and that the work is already done!

Good Eats

So I've been severely neglecting posting much these days but I want to get back into it.....so why not start back up with food  :)

There's been some good places I've been to in the past couple weeks....from my first real taste of filet mignon at a high end steakhouse down to getting some cheesesteaks at a classic Philly favorite.

Really good filet mignon and lobster at ....

Davio's

Northern Italian Steakhouse

111 South 17th Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 563-4810

http://www.davios.com/

   

" ... few have delivered delicious specialties with the consistency I experienced at Davio's" wrote Craig LaBan of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Davio’s is a stylish, up-scale northern Italian steakhouse located on the second floor in the historic Provident Bank Building just off fashionable Rittenhouse Row. Come enjoy a prime steak or our cutting-edge northern Italian cuisine. We also feature an award-winning wine list.

Can't go wrong with some sinfully delicious chocolate desserts here...

Naked Chocolate Cafe

1317 Walnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19107

 

http://www.nakedchocolatecafe.com/

 

Gourmet burgers at Bobby Flay's new Philly venture (and yeah, it's considered normal to spend about $20 for a burger, fries, and a milkshake here :)

 

 West Philly

3925 Walnut Street

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Tel: 215.387.0378

Fax: 215.387.0401

http://www.bobbysburgerpalace.com/

And last but not least, a philly classic: the cheesesteak...

Geno's Steaks

1219 S. 9th St.

Philadelphia, PA 19147

http://www.genosteaks.com/

Ramblings

Tomorrow's the 10 mile Broad Street Run,
And I feel like a student,
The night before a major exam,
Knowing I haven't studied/trained as much as I need to....
And now I'm desperately praying that by some small miracle,
God will give me the necessary smarts/strength to pull through.
That's what I'm hoping for.
What will actually happen?
I'm afraid He may decide to teach me a lesson,
One that I would rightfully deserve.
It's funny how I put my inadequacies and lack of work and diligence,
All on God's shoulders at the last minute,
As if He is supposed to make everything better.
And if by some small miracle I did well,
That would of course be due to my own talents.
Backwards thinking,
I do that to Him a lot.
Anyway,
Ready or not,
Race day is coming tomorrow...
Yikes!

Dulac Mission Trip

So this past week, my best friend and I were able to join some other people from around the country to do some rebuilding work in New Orleans. We were in an area about an hour south of New Orleans called Dulac which is mostly resident to a tribe of Houma Indians. Most of the homes and buildings there were severely damaged due to Katrina, but also due to the high incidence of flooding that occurs on a regular basis.

The whole trip was truly a great experience. Our day would begin at 7 am cooking breakfast, doing the dishes, working on the community center for 4 hours, coming back and making lunch, work for another 4 hours, shower, make dinner, and then hang out playing 28 or spoons till 2 in the morning (these games were intense =P). It was a blessing to experience the teamwork and camaraderie amongst us initial strangers displayed on practically every level.

Much to my surprise, I also loved the feeling of getting my hands dirty doing some hard core manual labor! We were putting up drywall, spackling, sanding, painting, etc. and at the end of the day we were covered in mud, paint, dirt, and sweat.....and it all felt very good. There was something very satisfying in the exhaustion we felt at the end of the day. Everyone who came was there to work and work we did.  In the end, it was really gratifying to see the tangible fruits of our labor.

I know what we did doesn't even make a dent into what needs to happen there, but the fellowship and friendships that were formed and what we learned of the Native Americans there, just made our world a little bit smaller in seeing the plight and hardships of other communities. I look at these projects, not so much as an opportunity to serve, but to observe how God works in other communities and to broaden my sometimes very narrow worldly perspectives.

I pasted the link below to an article written about our trip in their local newspaper....some of the facts in it are wrong but you'll get the gist of the mission that's run there =)

http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20100416/ARTICLES/100419562?p=1&tc=pg
Bond attracts Indian Americans to Dulac
HoumaToday.com

DULAC — A couple of times each year, a kindred group of volunteers visits Dulac to help rebuild the bayou community from hurricanes and flooding.

Forgiven

In this life
I know what I’ve been
But here in Your arms
I know what I am . . .



An amazing song that speaks to my heart.

Nightmares Becoming Reality

I came upon this "interesting" story and all I can say is ugh! I don't know why I'm deciding to post it, but I am.  It's just one of those bizarre things you come across and read and wonder what are people thinking?

Warning: my first reaction was to gag.

The title:         Bizarre Ways to Beat Stress and Unwind

I've had one recurring nightmare for as long as I can remember and it involves snakes and picturing something like this.....and now this is a way to unwind?? A snake massage! I don't think so.  Just looking and thinking about it makes the anxiety level go up a couple notches.

If you want to read the article and even see the video (yeah, that's right, there's a video)....go ahead, enjoy
http://health.msn.com/mind-body-connection/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100256034&imageindex=2

Weird, just plain weird!

What comes to your mind on this Easter Sunday?

Here's what I'm thinking about:

New beginnings
New life
Hope
Renewal
Resurrection
Purity
Forgiveness
Love...

and an overwhelming sense of peace that comes from understanding what He had done for me 2000 years ago today......a peace from knowing that He is in complete control of ALL things.

It's a day to remember that no matter where you are in your life, no matter the path you've been on in the past, Christ's resurrection allows you to start fresh, and to start anew.....

Have a Happy Easter.

Good Eats - Toscana 52

Dinner Tonight:
a local goodie where there's a new Italian menu every week (hence the name 52)

Toscana 52

4603 Street Road

Feasterville PA 19053

Phone 215-942-7770

http://www.toscana52.com/

"Experience authentic modern Tuscan cuisine in the tranquility of a dramatic Tuscan Villa. Our team of executive chefs prepare each days menu from scatch. Features include crudo (Italian Sushi), fresh seafood, wood grilled meats, homemade pasta, our pastry chef's seductive sesaonal desserts."

Does God Really Love Us?

"Does God really love us? I say look to the crucified Jesus. Look to the old rugged cross. By every thorn that punctured His brow. By every mark of the back lacerating scourge. By every hair of his beard plucked from his cheeks by cruel fingers. By every bruise which heavy fists made upon His head. God said, "I love you!" By all the spit that landed on his face. By every drop of sinless blood that fell to the ground. By every breath of pain which Jesus drew upon the cross. By every beat of His loving heart. God said, I love you."
-Billy Lobbs

It's hard to imagine that a day where we remember unimaginable cruelty inflicted on a man that was sinless and perfect, as being called "good".  But can you imagine the consequences if these events never did transpire?  We'd be left to our own devices, to suffer the consequences of the depraved sinful creatures that we are.  But instead, because of his sacrifice, we are made clean, freed from the bonds of sin, and even made righteous....and what do we have to do? Just believe.

Indeed it is GOOD.

Hosanna!

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.  So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"  And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!" -- John 12:12-15 ESV

Quotable Quotes - Memories

Things that were hard to bear are sweet to remember. ~Seneca

Life is a rough biography. Memories smooth out the edges. ~Terri Guillemets

Nothing fixes a thing so intensely in the memory as the wish to forget it. ~Michel de Montaigne

I'm always fascinated by the way memory diffuses fact. ~Diane Sawyer

The Persistance of Memory, by Dali

Good Eats - Marathon on the Square & Philly Cupcake

Some good eats from this past weekend..
First brunch: 

Marathon On the Square

1839 Spruce St

Philadelphia, PA 19103

(215) 731-0800

http://www.marathongrill.com/index2.html

 
  and then an evening treat from:

Philly Cupcake
1132 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 625-4888
http://www.phillycupcake.com/

Reflections

Based on some discussions last night  . . .

*Why am I so afraid?
*Am I willing to be used in whatever capacity is needed to bring God glory?
*When I ask for God’s will, do I truly want to know the answer?
*How much of the joy I find today is linked to God and how much is linked to my circumstances?
*Will I still cry out His name in praise if He breaks me beyond my tipping point?
*I fear God’s power, but why don’t I find solace in it? Is it because I don’t trust in His goodness?

If I could get to the heart of these questions, how much more could I be a steward for His kingdom!?!

A Perfect Saturday

Yesterday,
A Saturday off from work,
The first day of Spring,
Beautiful, sunny, and 75 degrees,
A group of girlfriends,
Starting the day with a morning bike ride along Kelly Drive,
Followed by a great brunch in the city,
Then some leisurely walking and window shopping,
And ending the evening with some desserts from Philly Cupcakes.

I'm thankful for these simple pleasures and the people I can enjoy them with...a perfect Saturday it was indeed =)