A Day Off...

Such a rarity in this field. Days off don't come frequently, and when they do, girl you better cherish it. Today was only partially a day off. Given the holiday (if you can call it that...seems much too positive for such a sad event), Boston asked us to put all campaign activities on hold and instead, devote ourselves to a service project. UNF decided on a food drive for donations to the USO.


There was only one teenisey-weenisey little problem.

I didn't get this memo til 2pm Monday. The pesky thing about a food drive is people can't really donate if they don't know your drive is happening. Obviously, an email blast at 4pm wasn't super effective. To make a long story short, my solution was this:


Yep. $150 dropped at Walmart in SunnyD and granola bars. When the check out man asked which Army I was feeding with all my purchases, I proudly responded "The United States Army, sir." Grin.

Our boys are coming home a little heavier than they left. I hope they are ok with that.

After all was said and done, the future FLOTUS met us at our Manderin office to help sort our items into individual gift bags. One heck of a woman, that Ann Romney.

We also did a little decorating around the UNF student Union today. We weren't able to pull off the flag display most campuses do, so we opted for deco mesh bows instead (and by we, I mean me. Come on now, I'm the lone girl in an office full of men). For a first attempt, I think they turned out pretty awesome.


It didn't hurt that I had a fabulous team helping me assemble all 30 bows at the office last night (read, a 6 year old and two guys I practically begged to join in). Never a dull moment at the Duval Co. Headquarters.

All in all, I'll call it another good day here in Jax-city (Did I just make that up? I think so). Hearts are certainly heavy, but I'm reminded our Father takes broken things and makes them incredibly beautiful, even if its as simple as a pack of cheese crackers and a bottle of Welches.

Dates with My Daddy

I remember the exact moment the image struck me; an image that totally wrecked my view of time spent with Father.

My first semester of college, I spent every Friday afternoon in the Starbucks in the UK student center. I took my Bible along, ordered a venti hot mocha, and curled into the arm chair in the far corner for some time in the word. One October Friday, just before my nineteenth birthday, I sent a quick text to my roommate to let her know I was heading into another "coffee date" with Father, and that I would be unreachable for the next couple of hours. It was in that moment that it hit me: the image of a kind old man nestled into the chair beside me, a steaming cup of coffee clutched in his wrinkled hand, smiling as he waited to listen to the million things running through my head.

A real, actual date, with a real, actual person.

Don't misunderstand my experience. I don't claim that this was some kind of "vision" (nor do I believe God looks like a 95 year old guy), but I'm a very visual learner. This was more of a lesson taught in a way I could really understand. The realization that time spent in the word is meant to be a time of conversation between two people. A time to listen, and a time to share. A time of getting to know one another; the deepening of a relationship, and the strengthening of a love.

Its changed the way I do "quiet times" now. I often return to this image, a reminder that when I open the pages of my well loved (i.e. hanging on by a thread) pink Bible, Father joins me. We enter into conversation. We hang out. In my head, the empty chair across from me is always reserved for him (now you think I'm downright crazy). Time in the scripture was never meant to be a solo chore; if approached this way, there is really no sense in doing it at all.

Father and I had great date tonight. I finally cracked open my copy of Beth Moore's "James" study, and its already challenging the way I study the word. Part of this study involved memorizing James.

That's right. The whole thing.

Crazy as it sounds, I'm giving it a go. I spent this evening at the Starbucks down the road from my apartment copying the first chapter by hand. If you've never tried this exercise, I highly recommend it. Rewriting a passage of scripture forces you to read every single word. I find that it really makes me slow down and chew on what I'm reading, instead of letting my ADD take control and blowing through the passage too fast to meditate on its meaning.


Would you like to join me? We could hold each other accountable! It could be so much fun. You can pick up a copy of Beth Moore's "James: Mercy Triumphs" at your local lifeway store or, order one here.

Another perk of date night? My new favorite fall treat, a salted caramel mocha. I don't even like caramel, but this thing is the bomb dot com.

I'm still here.

Oh sweet friends, its been a while.

I suppose the updates haven't been on my mind as of late. August was a whirlwind, to say the least. I touched down in every single state in the SEC (Plus D.C.) in the span of 2 weeks, and a week later, found myself in a new home in Jacksonville, FL. I suppose I just can't stay away from the coast.

After camp, I made the trip home and spent a lovely two weeks with my family and the best girlfriends (Plus Brian) in the entire world. Goodness I missed these guys. There is something to be said for the friends you can be totally comfortable around; those who will go in public with you in janky clothes, lay by the pool and plan your non-existant weddings with, and those you can talk politics with as though your opinion actually matters. What a soul refresher it was. Sigh...

So here I am. My first big girl job is underway. I suppose I ought to be a little more intimidated than I am. After all, I'm a part (albiet, a rather small, bottom of the totem pole, insignificant part) of one of the most critical presidential races in modern history. I'm in a very large, very unfamiliar town. I'm living completely alone for the first time in my life. Its often quiet...luckily, I'm quite the introvert. Maybe I'm better suited for this lifestyle than I knew.

I'm happy though. I'm 21 years old (22 a month from today!), and I'm in a field I absolutely adore. Just a week ago, I came face to face with Mitt Romney. I didn't even step on his toe this time...another story for another day. I work with college students and spend my days in a fast paced office run by some truly passionate, awesome people. At the end of the day, I'm being paid to do the things I did for fun in college. What more could a girl possible ask for?

Disclaimer: No toes were harmed in the taking of this photograph.

I'm tired, but I'm content. The Lord is here. I feel him constantly. Fully. I suppose his presence is what drives out the fear that should be here. He has called me here, for such a time as this. What a grand thought it is!