Song Obsession of the Week

First heard this song on So You Think You Can Dance this season (amazing dance by Mia Michaels!!), but I heard the full version this week and can't stop playing it.

Adele - Hometown Glory

Back in the day...

Hannah made me do it!

Song Obsession of the Week

I have been a bad blogger - due to midterms, the start of practicum, weddings, and weekend trips, I have to resort to simply posting videos for the time being. More on all the other stuff to come!

A Fine Frenzy - "Almost Lover"

Song Obsession of the Week, maybe of the year

He is seriously my favorite.

John Mayer's cover of "Free Falling."

Breathing Time

I cherish my weekends. I always have, but I love them even more now that Scott and I are both in school, working, and probably busier than we should be. All good things, but sometimes it's easier to go through a week and forget to stop and breathe - to look at each other and really talk, to check in with friends and catch up, and to just enjoy the little things and be totally present. That said, the weekend is when I feel the most "present" with Scott, my friends, and all of the parts of my life that don't involve school, work, or running around. I get to sleep in, go to the grocery store leisurely, sit around and watch re-runs of my favorite shows, sit on the porch and study, play around with Facebook and listen to music, take walks, see friends for lunch, watch football games with people and eat terribly, and bake cookies. 

This weekend, the highlight was probably Friday. Got out of class early, went to Live on the Plaza where I got to just hang out with two wonderful friends, one of which we hadn't seen in a long time. We got to hang out, look at cute and artsy clothes and dream of being adventurous, and be silly. That led to VZD's, where we listened to lovely music, people watched, and laughed some more...which obviously led to a 1am trip to IHOP!!! Fabulous...I haven't done the late night IHOP thing since college, and it was so fun to just be ridiculous and eat pancakes again. Hannah captured a quote or two from the night here. Good times.

It's Sunday and almost time to gear up for the week...but that's okay, because I got to breathe, so I'm good to go. So, here's to weekends!

Song Obsession of the Week

This song makes me smile and inspires spontaneous dancing:

Lenka, "The Show"

Don Miller's Benediction

I was honored to deliver the closing prayer at the DNC on Monday night. Evangelical voices have been scarce within this party, perhaps since the Carter administration. But as strides are being made on key issues of sanctity of life and social justice, as well as peaceful solutions to world conflicts, more and more evangelicals are taking a closer look at options certain members of the Democratic Party are beginning to deliver. There is a long way to go, but sending a message to Washington that no single party has the Christian community in their pocket, thus causing each party to carefully consider the issues most important to us, is, in my opinion, a positive evolution. I am glad that, for the most part, the dialogue has been constructive and positive. Will you join me in keeping the conversation thoughtful and not reactionary?

That said, I was honored to speak to, and especially pray with and for, the DNC. Here is the full text of the prayer:

"Father God,

This week, as the world looks on, help the leaders in this room create a civil dialogue about our future.

We need you, God, as individuals and also as a nation.

We need you to protect us from our enemies, but also from ourselves, because we are easily tempted toward apathy.

Give us a passion to advance opportunities for the least of these, for widows and orphans, for single moms and children whose fathers have left.

Give us the eyes to see them, and the ears to hear them, and hands willing to serve them.

Help us serve people, not just causes. And stand up to specific injustices rather than vague notions.

Give those in this room who have power, along with those who will meet next week, the courage to work together to finally provide health care to those who don’t have any, and a living wage so families can thrive rather than struggle.

Hep us figure out how to pay teachers what they deserve and give children an equal opportunity to get a college education.

Help us figure out the balance between economic opportunity and corporate gluttony.

We have tried to solve these problems ourselves but they are still there. We need your help.

Father, will you restore our moral standing in the world.

A lot of people don’t like us but that’s because they don’t know the heart of the average American.

Will you give us favor and forgiveness, along with our allies around the world.

Help us be an example of humility and strength once again.

Lastly, father, unify us.

Even in our diversity help us see how much we have in common.

And unify us not just in our ideas and in our sentiments—but in our actions, as we look around and figure out something we can do to help create an America even greater than the one we have come to cherish.

God we know that you are good.

Thank you for blessing us in so many ways as Americans.

I make these requests in the name of your son, Jesus, who gave his own life against the forces of injustice.

Let Him be our example.

Amen."