A Post of Posts

I know I've been a little MIA lately. Here's what's on mind:

There are just some answers to important questions that you need to have in your back pocket. Just so you know, if I had to choose to come back into this life as a vegetable, it would be as spaghetti squash. Now you know.

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I'm getting into yoga. I love it. I started with a very basic intro yoga class that my friend Christy encouraged me to try with her on Friday afternoons. It's a Christ-centered yoga class so I knew it was a little different and it feels more like a support group that stretches, which is just my style and what I need to ease into it. It was quiet and relaxing. People talk in hushed, lilting voices. It's like nap time for adults.

At the very end of class the instructor has you lie down on your back and she rubs lavender on your temples. If you choose to fore go the lavender you are supposed to keep your hands on your abdomen. I thought I would file that little piece of info away as I'm a rule follower by nature. Sure enough, the next week it came in handy as we were working on leg strength and instead of lavender, the instructor said that she would give each person a leg massage. What? I wasn't prepared for this! What happened to the lavender? I panicked! I had had a very rushed few days and had not shaved my legs in two days. Plus my feet had been in work shoes. Thank God for the abdomen rule! I confidently placed my hands on my tummy and breathed a sigh of relief. And guess what? She did it anyway. What part of hands on the abdomen do you not understand?! I'm just hoping I'm not known as Prickly Leg Girl among her and her fellow yogis.

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Our pastor and his wife invited us over to watch American Idol. Joey received a text that day from Mitch that literally said "Do y'all watch Idol?" Am I the only one who thinks that this is a hilarious statement coming from a pastor?! We had a great time!

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I am so excited about Beth Moore's Bible study on James. This is maybe the fourth or fifth Beth Moore Bible study that I have attended and let me tell you, it's always worth it. That place is packed! There is just something about thousands of women coming together to worship God that just blows me away each time.

I thought I would be going by myself because my usual Beth Moore buddy, Becky, isn't going to be able to make it this semester. But, God placed a few new buddies in my path right when I walked through the front door that I haven't seen in a while! It was a great time to catch up and fellowship together!

I am ready to see what God will reveal to us through James. I've always loved the book of James, but have never done an in depth study on it. Beth explained that James is one of Jesus' brothers and was an unbeliever until after Jesus' resurrection when he appeared to him in the flesh. One thing I always enjoy about Beth Moore's studies is that she asks the same sort of questions that I have running around in my head on a particular text. They are usually the pretty obvious questions, but just not something I would always ask out loud.

Such as, how in the world is it possible for Jesus' own brothers to not believe in him? I have always been disturbed when I read about this in the Gospels. I mean, you LIVED with Jesus and you don't believe in him? If one of my brothers were Jesus, I think I would have figured that out a long time ago. (not to be sacrilegious in saying this, just trying to put in terms of real life)

But that's just it, I'm putting it in terms of my culture and today. Beth explained that the Jewish life during Jesus' time was so filled with religious ritual that many people appeared holy on the outside (enter Saducees, Pharisees, etc.). She gave the example of Paul who said that he knew and followed the law to the letter, but never truly grasped it until God him over the side of the head in the middle of a Damascus road.

Thank you that we have a LIVING GOD that breaks us free of a strictly ritual life!

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On a pathetic note, I am no longer on the yeast-free eating program for the month. I know, Arshunda's going to kill me as I was for a brief moment a compadre in the pain of eliminating dairy and grains. BUT WAIT! I have a good excuse, I promise. I volunteered to be a guinea pig for a new type of food allergy testing at work, but I really didn't fully know what I was getting into until the day before (which was two weeks ago now). You can't eat a diet that's different from the norm before testing. AND, the testing goes on every Thursday for four weeks. So, of course I made the sacrifice for the advancement of medicine and stopped the yeast-free diet for the time being.

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Don't think I'm getting off easy. Yes, I was dancing around like a little leprechaun when I found out that I had doctor's orders to not be on the eating program for now. But remember that this is because of FOOD ALLERGY testing. Well, guess what? We only got through two "foods" and I'm two for two. Apparently, I'm sensitive to glycerin, which is in EVERYTHING cosmetic. We're talking soap, shampoo, lotion, etc. Lovely. And get this, I'm sensitive to WHEAT/GLUTEN. That's right, I get the free pass on the yeast-free diet only to find out that I should basically be on the yeast-free diet for the rest of my life. The irony. Sigh. So, I need to fore go using bathing products and if the trend continues, not eat. No biggie. Even a caveman can do it. Again, the irony.

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I hope y'all have a fantastic weekend! I'll leave you with this pic. Someone was ready for me to get up from a Sunday afternoon nap and play.