Horror on HAMILTON

Yesterday marked our first snow of the year, there was snow, followed by slushy stuff that stung your face, topped off by howling winds and rain...so let's just say by the time I got home from my work dinner at 9:45 it was fierce outside and I was exhausted...and you know me I watch far too many crime shows. So there's the background and scene...

Walking down dimly light Hamilton Ave, I wish that I could have found a closer parking spot as I dodge large puddles of winter slop. As I round the corner to enter my building water pours from the gutters and hits me square in the head...ugh, are you serious! Almost home, I start up the stairs and wonder to myself, almost speaking it aloud, why are these footprints so big...I know my roomates are not Amazon women. I get to the top of the stairs and fumble with me keys and as I look up realize that something is wrong...the door is wide open, the cat is sitting there looking at me like I am crazy and the apartment is pitch black! Um, do I go inside or do I go back to my car....this is the moment in all the horror movies when you're screaming at the TV, don't go in there, dumb girl what are you doing!!! But of course, dumb girl here, goes in and starts screaming Rachel's name...no response, no sound....RACHEL!!!!!!

At this point I'm beyond concerned...and then she pops out of her room, hey what's up...phew...ahh, relief! I then realize that there is really no way to explain to her that I thought just maybe she was dead on the floor...brr it's chilly in here!

The Church

Everyone who knows me knows how much I love my church, and I strongly believe that we are the church, the church that Jesus speaks of is not a stained glass encrusted building or an ancient cathedral it's in you and me. Having said that, there are a few things which I believe may be slipping...in saying that the church is not the building...that does not mean that you can or should disrespect the building or behave in ways that would not be honoring to God! Hello, folks, why would that be ok? If you wouldn't do it in your mama's house in her face you definately should not be doing it in God's House!

So not going to happen - or is it?

You may recall from last week that I was super duper excited about Mellow Mushroom! I was also excited that I could order it online and get it delivered fresh to my door, what could be better? Well much to my dismay, today I went to order my pizza and my pizza total came to $15...I selected the mandatory overnight shipping, which is understandable. Ground shipping would almost definitely lead to massive food poisoning. Well back to the point, shipping...once that was figured in my total sky-rocketed to $45! What in the world are they doing, and why is it $30 to ship 2 pizzas? Ugh, now I'm sad and trying to figure out how many pizzas I'd have to order to make a $30 shipping charge worth while...it's so good!

R&R and randomness

So I just spent 2 days in Hilton Head with my parents and an equal amount of time driving back. All was not lost since we listened to 2 books on tape - and I don't kid, they left you wanting more...seriously did I just listen to 7 hours of that for an ending where they happily rode a train off into the Italian sunset...really, come on now?!? I'll give you one more disc Grisham if you'll write a new ending, because I tell you man after 7 hours that was a real downer!

We made a much needed stop in Kentucky and took a tour of some of the most beautiful horse farms you will ever see. My favorite attraction was a beauty named Tiznow, a stallion worth roughly $150M...and giving treats to some of the current race horses. I forgot how much I missed horses, their big heads...and super soft noses...all nuzzled up and then when you least expect it - CHOMP!

There were many funny moments on this trip, but here's one of my favorites...we were trying to figure out the mascot for Virginia Tech or was it Vermont Tech - um no there isn't a Vermont Tech - even if there is the game that was on was most definitely Virginia Tech...so mom chimes in with Porkies...really Porkies...no way, it was strange but not that strange...insistent that it started with a P, we went to work figuring out the name, refusing the aid of the internet...we admitted defeat and finally I looked it up today...Hoakies...a bird, so very not a pig! Oink Oink!

The most ridiculous...

My itinerary for tonight is the most ridiculous thing I think I've ever booked...so here goes. I wanted to save some money and my Thursday, and I had a report due today...so that rules out all flights that depart and arrive at a reasonable hour...

If I left in the morning I would lose all of Thursday, if I tried to leave at a reasonable hour tonight I might not get all of my work done.

SO, here's my solution...at 9:30pm I'm flying to Boston, where I will sleep...not sure where, perhaps on a park bench with a newspaper...not sure. At 5:00am I board a plane for Charlotte followed be a plane to Savannah where I will arrive by 8:47 am...which gives me all day to read and lay in the SUN!!! This seemed like a much better idea when I booked the flight...oh I well I guess I'll embrace my inner homelessness!

Mellow Mushroom Addiction

Caroline did a bad bad thing to me...she got me addicted to Mellow Mushroom quite a few years ago. It was in the early 2000's, not really sure how to say that properly...but she took me there for the very first time and I fell in love with the pretzels, special sauce and that awesome crust...

So my obsession has turned to great excitement whenever I see a Mellow Mushroom and it seems that there is now one on one of my favorite islands in the country, HILTON HEAD...so long story short Thursday morning I will be at Mellow Mushroom, I think it will make a divine breakfast.

Even better, I just found out today that they will overnight pizza to what they call "remote locations" like Chicago!!! Pizza Party - party of 1!

BOOM....Body of One Messiah!

The SLAM year is about to start and we are team BOOM, Body of One Messiah! I am super excited for this year of SLAM, to meet the kids and really get to know a few of them well. We went out into Cabrini last night to make sure the kids all knew it started next Monday and had a truly blessed evening. EJ (Evangelist James)was our guide and he took us through his old and our new stomping ground. During our time in the row houses we talked with a few adults who just happened to be having a meeting of the Cabrini Governing Body - woo hoo, praise the Lord, they asked us in to tell them about SLAM and how they could partner with us!

We also stopped by to see Dorkus, her mom and miscellaneous nieces who were over at their place in the reds. Her mom Pam is such an amazing woman of faith and I just love talking to her. We met over the summer, watching baseball talking about SLAM and she remembered me...how fun! One of the little ones at her place was Tank, she is just cute as can be. A tiny little thing who dances with such enthusiasm, some of her dance moves would be questionable for a teenager or adult but Pam is working on stopping that.

Please pray for our team and all the volunteers and staff of SLAM. There will be challenges and celebrations this SLAM year and we could use prayer for all of them. Please also lift up the nearly 200 kids we expect to have in the program as well as the kids that are not there. Pray that they would find peace in Cabrini and in Chicago through Christ.

If you want to learn more about SLAM and GRIP the broader organization go to www.gripyouth.com