why did the turkey cross the road?

Traffic got a little backed up
today on Gilead Rd.

SLP, here I come!

It is official! I just bought my tickets to go to San Luis Potosi, Mexico for the month of June! I will be with Jim and Lisa McTighe, working with and training national believers for an outreach similar to a Sidewalk Sunday School or Backyard Bible Club!

http://www.servantslove.org/
http://themctighes.blogspot.com/

A picture of what OUR Father has done...

Riley's Big Day

Riley is having a special visit to the vet today.

He has had a rough week.....on Wendesday, he had his first bath after coming home caked in mud. He was probably in a fight. The vet called him a thug.

To Riley!

Spring SPRAIN (not break)

Sad! Saturday some friends and I went to play ultimate frisbee at Freedom Park....after about 10 minutes of the "Clemson team" beating us non Clemsonites, I jumped up to catch the frisbee and landed on my left foot, rolling my ankle and dashing my hopes of running in the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston.

I would like to jokingly echo the cry of the Prince, who after falling while fleeing Queen Orual in Til We Have Faces, said "curse the gods who made man's ankle.

Once again I will repeat, "SAD!"

Monterrey 2008

Here is a video I made for my Spanish class after
our trip to Monterrey. Enjoy! Some of the pictures
are sort of random....that was the teacher part of
me thinking of things we had been learning in class :)

Love that smell!

This morning I woke up to the smell of PUMPKIN MUFFINS at my friend Melissa's house. You should try them:)

1 can of Libby Pumpkin
1 box of Spice Cake mix

Stir, put in a muffin tin. Sprinkle tops with cinnamon and sugar. Bake on 375 til done. Voila! Eat and be happy!

spring training

Today we had a meeting to discuss Spring training for next year's cross country team.....over 40 students showed up! I am so excited!

Here is a great quote from Eric Liddell (well, from the movie "Chariots of Fire"), winner of the 400 meters at the Olympic Games in Paris in 1924 and Christian Missionary to China.

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."

lessons from my cat

Everyday when I arrive home from school, Riley greets me at the door with his friendly, "mrow." As I put my things down, he prances around my feet and continues his, "mrow, mrow," but now, it is not so much friendly as it is a little demanding.

I sit down to read my mail, and he decides it would be fun to put his claws in my pants....."RILEY!!!" I fuss at him and walk over to pour some food in his bowl....surely, he is just hungry, now he will leave me alone!

He eats a few bites, but as I walk away, he follows me, still prancing around my feet, sometimes almost tripping me.

"Riley! I gave you food! What's the problem?"

Finally, I pick him up and pet him for a few minutes. He purrs contentedly. When I put him down he goes and eats his food and plays for a while.

He didn't want food....he wanted me...If only I would come more often to my Father's presence desiring Him, and not just the things I want or need!

Barn "Tails"

Last night I was unloading of my car when I heard something moving around outside the barn. My imagination went wild with possibilities.....coyotes, narfs from "Lady in the Water," armed bandits.....adrenaline kicked in....I prepared to make a mad dash....I waited another second to see if I heard the noise again....I did....frozen, I waited until it came around the corner....whew! Luckily it was only a friendly goat. She came and poked her head in my apartment....perhaps she was just looking for something to eat.

snow day

It snowed less than half an inch last night so school was canceled today. Ahhh....I love snow days!
picture from www.charlotte.com

bad kitty!

The other night I was grading some papers when I heard something that suspiciously sounded like a cat in a trashcan. I got up and walked over to find Riley, with his hiney sticking up in the air and his nose in the garbage. As I prepared myself to scold him, he popped his head up......except, I couldn't actually see his head because it was stuck in a sour cream container. I had to laugh! I will save the scolding for the next time and perhaps learn to take out the trash a little sooner.

Christmas Concert: Tonight at 7pm

Hi everyone! This is going to be an amazing concert! Come and bring a friend! 7pm at Uptown Church
( 926 Elizabeth Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina 28204)
Love,
trish

sweet community

Psalm 133
A song of ascents. Of David.
1 How good and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron's beard,
down upon the collar of his robes.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the LORD bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.

Unity is so sweet and refreshing! Whenever I leave my weekly Bible Study, made up of several gals from school, I desire God more....I desire to know Him and to be in His presence. Being with them renews my heart as each of them share what God is teaching them and how He is showing them more of His character.

Our Christian walk is most fully lived out in community.....God Himself is community: Father, Son, and Spirit. But, how often I reject that community in an effort to figure it all out on my own. Looking back, though, I realize that the times when I have followed God most closely and lived out his requirements more carefully have come when I was willing to throw myself into community and allow myself to know and be known, to serve and to be served, to love and to be loved.

Caedmon's Call: Carry Your Love
We are called out; we are ransomed
We are not of the world were in
we are chosen; we are blessed
to bring light to the lives of men
so father sow your seed
give us life in community
wake us from our sleep
this is your time; this is your place
and we are vessels for breaking

(CHORUS)
under your grace we are lef by your spirt
you have redeemed us by the blood of your son
send down your word we are eager to hear it
ready our hearts to carry your love

you are sunlight you are morning
your the hope of a brand new day
your are comfort; you are blessing
and you wipe all our tears away
so change us from within
render miracles from our sin
remind us once again
this is your time;this is your place
we are vessels for breaking

ode to padme

one day
she went away
without a coat
without a note
into the cold
she was quite bold
to leave from home
now free to roam
i miss her purr
and her soft fur
kitty cat!
please come back
unless, of course,
you're some dog's snack...

i love my job

The past two days have been a reminder of why I enjoy teaching! The assignment: you and your partner are forming a travel agency. Research a Central American country, prepare an itinerary, do a commercial (memorized and in Spanish), make some authentic food, and convince us why we should use your agency. The results: Some AMAZING projects and great food! Good job everyone! I am so proud :)Catherine and Samantha conviced us to come to Panama!
Kate, Elizabeth, and Becky made some awesome dip....and even though Mexico isn't technically part of Central America, our happy bellies didn't mind :)
Sarah and Kierra went all out! Definitely gets my vote for most enthusiastic.
Yum, Audrey.....what is that delectable dish?

just wait...

by Russell Kelfer
Desperately, helplessly, longingly, I cried;
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, God replied.
I pled and I wept for a clue to my fate...
and the Master so gently said,"Wait."

"Wait? you say wait?" my indignant reply.
"Lord, I need answers, I need to know why!"
Is your hand shortened? Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word.

My future and all to which I relate
hangs in the balance and you tell me to Wait?"
I'm needing a 'yes', a go-ahead sign.
Or even a 'no,' to which I'll resign.

You promised, dear Lord, that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
Lord, I've been asking, and this is my cry:
I'm weary of asking! I need a reply.

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate
as my Master replied again, "Wait."
So I slumped in my chair, defeated and taut,
and grumbled to God, "So, I'm waiting...for what?"

He seemed then to kneel, and His eyes met with mine...
and He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the heavens and darken the sun.
I could raise the dead and cause mountains to run.

I could give all you seek and pleased you would be.
You'd have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.
You'd not know the power that I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through clouds of despair;
you'd not learn to trust just by knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me
when darkness and silence are all you can see.

You'd never experience the fullness of love
when the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save, for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of My heart.

The glow of My comfort late into the night,
the faith that I give when you walk without sight.
The depth that's beyond getting just what you ask
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

You'd never know should your pain quickly flee,
what it means that My grace is sufficient for thee.
Yes, your dearest dreams overnight would come true,
but oh, the loss if I lost what I'm doing in you.

So, be silent, my child, and in time you will see
that the greatest of gifts is to truly know me.
And though oft My answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all is still "WAIT"

Finish Strong

Saturday, September 29
5K time 27:29
Improvement from last race: 1: 35
Excitement Level: 10 out of 10!


I am really enjoying running lately....I am not sure why! Perhaps it is the challenge of pushing yourself beyond where you thought you could go.

I am enjoying seeing our cross country kids run and get faster and do more than they thought they could do. There have been times I almost cried to see them push themselves and finish strong.

Maybe it is because running gives such a great picture of our walk with Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Psalm 119:32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free.

Lord, give us hearts that run after you! Help us to finish strong and make it to our goal: home, with you, forever.

out of the silent planet

"Yes," said Oyarsa, "but one thing we left behind us...:fear. And with fear, murder, and rebellion. The weakest of my people do not fear death. It is the Bent One, the lord of your world, who wastes your lives and befouls them with flying from what you know will overtake you in the end. If you were subjects of Maleldil (God) you would have peace."
Out of the Silent Planet, 139
C.S. Lewis

"neeeeeeigh"bors

So, I am moving towards the end of July. I am excited about being in a new place, but sad about losing some great roomies. You have to meet my new neighbors, though...I think they might be great company!

Meet Mr. Horse, whose name I do not know, and Patches and Puddles the goats, whom it seems I have interrupted from their morning breakfast of hay and coffee.