So We're Buying a House

As my Facebook post stated the other day, after five-and-a-half years of marriage, it's about dang time. We're buying a house. It's precious. I think a house can be precious. Because I can totally see more than the walls, doors, original hardwood floors, updated bathrooms; I see my babies running down the hall, Josh walking in the door after a day of work, kids playing in the backyard. I see what makes a house a home, and that's why it's precious.

But golly-gee what it took to get here. Cuz ya'll - there are some UGLY houses out there. This process has left me quite jaded. "Updated" has taken on a whole new meaning. "MUST SEE" - neighbors doing drug deals next door. "Move in ready" after you strip the house down to the studs and remodel. Jaded.

So I decided to share some of my home-selling recommendations for anyone out there who's considering selling their house. One thing to keep in mind, the homes we were looking at were older. Most were built in the late 50's, early 60's.
-"updated kitchen with granite counter-tops" - painting 50-year-old cabinets and putting granite on top does not update anything. If the cabinet doors stick from how many times they've been painted, they're by no means updated. They're old and ugly and now I'm going to have to rip out new granite to replace your nasty cabinets. Thanks a million.
-Smells. Folks it's all about the smell. And if I'm slapped in the face by cigarettes and wet dog odors as soon as I walk in the door, I'm not going any further. The showing stopped at your front door. Buy some Nicorette patches and 15 Scentsy candles and get after it.
-Don't take in your garage! I really don't have anything funny to say about this, but DON'T TAKE IN YOUR GARAGE! Where am I supposed to mark my car when golf-ball sized hail moves through DFW??
-"I'm beautiful inside" - HA! More like, "I hope you like how I look from the curb because that's all the appeal I possess." Seriously. We looked at a house that said exactly that, "I'm beautiful inside," and when we walked inside, the living room was missing the baseboards. The kitchen hadn't been touched since 1959. And the wood-paneling. Oh dear God, the wood-paneling.

That's all I've got for now. I will say the coolest thing we saw while looking was a storm cellar!! It was AWESOME. Smack in the middle of a neighborhood in Richardson - an old-timey storm cellar in the backyard. I won't lie. I took pictures. But that was the drug-dealing neighborhood, so don't get any ideas about weathering storms with the Braswells. But if you've got a bullet-proof vest I'll direct you to where you'll be safe in the storm.

Catching up...not really

HA! September was my last post. That makes me sad.

I determined this morning that I should blog more because writing is SUCH a cathartic experience. It's also a welcome outlet for my dripping sarcasm and cynicism in general. I found myself composing a paragraph of an email I knew I wouldn't send yesterday but wanted to write just to release some stress. It was funny too. It had to do with the fact that I was writing this email and then realized, in my delirium, that the content was supposed to be entirely different. Thank You, Lord, for my handy dandy notes and the delete button. Holiday weeks do that to you.

I feel there's so much I should say. Things I should vent. But it's 10:49pm on Friday, ya'll. If it hadn't been for a short nap this afternoon, I wouldn't be functioning - period. Josh and I are sitting here in our married bliss annoying each other with our incredibly different music tastes. However, he's now playing "Said the Sun to the Shine" which holds a sentimental place in my heart. I kind of fell in love with him to the tune of that song.

Anywho, like I said, it's late, I'm tired and a full Saturday awaits us...including a rousing game of Pandemic tomorrow evening. I'll let you know if the human race survives. Happy weekend.

Radical - Chapter One

One definition I found for “radical” was “thoroughgoing or extreme”. What is “thoroughgoing”?? Another discussion for another day. But extreme. I know that one. I also know my faith is not extreme. It is not radical. (I guess it’s not thoroughgoing either.) As I am a world-class procrastinator, I just wrote my post today - my thoughts about what my faith looks like in all its un-radicalness.

Each morning I wake up – early – start my pot of Starbucks coffee, peruse the latest status posts on Facebook, catch up with the last eight to ten hours of news, and begin my quiet time (I do this daily, so for some of you, that might be radical). After my quiet time, I get ready and go to work – for a ministry. I spend my days on the phone counseling and praying for people (and taking orders – mama gotta make money somehow). I usually listen to a podcast or two throughout the day (Matt Chandler, David Platt, Mac Brunson) and go home. Once home, I unwind with an hour or two of television, then I conquer the dishes and laundry and go to bed. One night a week I have Bible study, and that’s really the only deviation. Radical much? I think not.

In reading Chapter One, I think the two things that stood out to me the most were not the quote I posted on Facebook or the whole “cost of nondiscipleship” – it was the two questions he asks not three pages in. “[Am] I going to believe Jesus?” “[Am] I going to obey Jesus?” Am I?? I would love to say yes. I would love to give a wholehearted, YES LORD, YES. But if I were to be honest, I would say, I’m not sure. I like my non-radical life. I like the comforts of middle-class America. I like my padded pew benches. I like my routine. Do I find it incredibly rewarding? Eh.

And so I come back to believing Jesus and obeying Him. I WANT to believe and obey. I want to be sold out for the cross of Christ. I want to completely surrender all of me. I want to be radical. And that’s my prayer. Because I know the God of the universe can “break my heart for what breaks His”. I know the God I serve can take a selfish, lazy, perfectionist and make her radical.

As I read through the intros last week, I came across one person (I think it was a girl), who said that her fear was that she’d read the book, really let it do a number on her heart, and walk away unchanged. Jesus, I DO NOT WANT that. I want You to make me extreme. I want You to make me “thoroughgoing”. I want You to make me radical.

Radical

If you know me well, you know that I LOVE David Platt (not in the romantic way - but in the dude-you-preach-an-incredibly-convicting-sermon-every-week way). If you haven't heard him preach, I encourage you to drop-by The Church at Brook Hills website and listen to these. But be prepared, they will "radically" change your life and faith. I was introduced to young Platt (he's only 31) about two years ago, and I think it was probably the greatest introduction of my life (besides my hubby - he was definitely the most important). Anywho, I came to LOVE Platt, his preaching style and his PASSION for the Lord.

As it goes with most pastors who are pretty good, they eventually write a book, and Platt did so earlier this year. Radical came out in May, and I bought it the days of its release, but then it was sadly relegated to my bookshelves partly because I knew what was contained within and I knew it would really do a number on me - a good and needed number - but a number all the same. So it's been sitting there, and over the last few weeks as I've heard the book mentioned on countless blogs and heard the prodding words (ahem, David Taylor) of good friends to READ IT, I've felt God gently telling me that now is the time...

And wouldn't you know that God is faithful to provide excellent motivation and accountability when He wants you to do something. God is so good. A few weeks ago I was perusing the blogosphere as is quite my habit and came across Marla's blog, and guess what she's about to start?!?! A Radical-read-along!! So tomorrow begins the journey. If you want to join the read-along, feel free to jump in tomorrow when we have introductions on Marla's blog, and if you'd rather hear my thoughts and feel spurred to read, then check back here next Tuesday, September 14th as I share my thoughts on Chapter One.

If I've piqued your curiosity, and you want to learn more about Radical, go here.

The Glow

I intended to post this a few days ago, but time got away from me. And no, "The Glow" does not refer to the pregnancy glow. HA!! It's actually in reference to "the morning-after-the-first-night-of-Bible-study glow". Say that ten times fast. So yes, this week began a new semester of Bible study. I'm blessed to live in the Bible belt, and perhaps even "the belt buckle" of Dallas, Texas where I'm surrounded by churches offering a plethora of women's Bible studies. And following the metaphor just a little further, I attend Bible study at the largest buckle of them all - Prestonwood (P'wood, Six Flags Under Jesus, etc). I'm not actually a member of Prestonwood - it just happens to be close and offer a myriad of studies at a number of different times.

This semester I've chosen to re-do Here and Now, There and Then by Beth Moore and go through for the first time Modern Girl's Guide to Bible Study by Jen Hatmaker. (By "re-do" I simply mean that I started it this summer on Sunday afternoons, but after a few weeks Sunday afternoon naps simply called louder than did Revelation - I've since confessed and repented.)

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of hearing Jen Hatmaker speak. She's HI-larious. Seriously, if we knew each other well, we'd be BFFs. She's sarcastic, and self-deprecating and she LOVES the Lord and His Word, and she's passionate about seeing women study His Word and benefit from those awesomely wonderful sixty-six books. And she so speaks my language - get a load of the title of the second chapter: "Nair, Diet Pills and Other Things That Don't Work - Effective Strategies for Connecting with Scripture".

Now you might be able to understand my excitement Tuesday night and the after-glow on Wednesday morning. But beyond re-doing and Nair, I'm just so stinkin' thankful that God has given me the opportunity to experience gospel-community with other women - to glean wisdom from their maturity, to press into His Word alongside them, and grow in godliness.

So how about ya'll?? Anyone else got "the glow"??

Top Eight, Top Ten, Whatever

I have found a fellow book-lover at work, and today we are exchanging a list of our Top Ten Favorite books. My list is actually my top eight...I have tons of books that I "enjoyed" reading, but they're not quite allowed admittance to the very exclusive "favorite" category. So here's my request, I'll share mine if you'll share your's. It doesn't have to be your top ten...it can be your fav five, spectaculor six or exclusive eight (I love alliterations).


Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers
Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen
A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving
The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield
The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
A Time to Kill, by John Grisham
The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee

Count your many blessings, count them one by one

Over the last few days, weeks and months, our economy has been in a tailspin. As I write this, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hovers slightly above 9,000. I, also, just finished reading an article about the sacrifices so many are making on a daily basis just to make ends meet (just learned that it's "meet" not "meat"). And then the song "Count your many blessings" popped into my head. So often, during difficult times, we are consumed with our struggles and completely forget to look at all the blessings God has bestowed on our lives. I read a devotional the other day about what an amazing gift every breath is, and we should thank God every morning we're able to get up and take those breaths. The writer encouraged the reader to take time to sit and breathe, and with every breath in to think of something to be thankful for, and breathe that out. So today, amidst topsy-turvy stock markets, unreal unemployment rates and outrageous gas prices, think of all the blessings in your life (and I'll do it too), and then, just breathe.