I feel like I'm a horrible poster now that I'm in America. Which is probably fine, because its not like a ton of people are reading this blog. But I do like to keep it updated.

Anyway, Bech and I have been pretty busy lately. We are about to head up to Oxford for the LSU game...we are going to win this year. I just know it. Ha, we probably won't...but maybe! I am so excited to be in the grove, especially when it's cold. Plus my whole family will be there, which will be very fun.

Last week, Bech's aunt, cousin, and future uncle (he's engaged to Tanta, Bech's aunt) came into town, so we got to spend lots of time with them.

Also, last weekend, I ushered at a visitation. I'm an intern with First Pres, and they ask interns to help out with visitations and funerals. I have never been able to do it before, but I was able this time. Also, the woman who died has a daughter Bech's age who he was good friends with in high school, so I really wanted to help.

The woman was pretty young (57) and an amazing lady. I have never seen that many flowers and that many people. It was supposed to be a 3 hour visitation, but ended up being 5 hours, because there were so many people. What an amazing testament to someone's character to have that many people there. She was a wonderful woman, and people loved her.

Please just keep this family in your prayers over the holidays. She left behind 3 grown kids and a husband, and I know Christmas is going to be so hard for them this year (and probably for many, many years to come). I feel mostly for Bech's friend (and my friend too). I have absolutely no idea how I could ever function without my mom, and I hurt so much for her.

Last weekend, I was at Twin Lakes for RUF fall conference. We had a pretty good group...kids were there from Rhodes, Memphis State, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Southern Miss, Delta State, Hinds, JSU, MC, Belhaven, and Millsaps. The State music team led worship and they did an amazing job. I was so excited and encouraged to see that many college kids loving the music.

In the younger circles of the PCA, there is a big movement to sing hymns set to guitar music. Some of these hymns are actually the same tune you would sing in church (Be Thou My Vision, O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus, and Amazing Grace are a few like that), but most of the hymns have been set to new music. A few are actually new words as well, but most are the words that have been sung in the church for years and years.

I absolutely love singing hymns. Not only do I love it, but I actually believe that hymns (as opposed to more modern praise and worship songs) should be a big part of worship. Please know, though, that I don't think anything bad about people who worship God in more contemporary ways. This is just a personal opinion. There is actually an article on the RUF site that is a good resource when looking at hymns vs. praise and worship style songs. Its by a guy named Kevin Twit, who has been a big part of the hymn movement.

I believe in singing hymns for a couple of reasons. The first has to do with the age and legacy of these hymns. It is so amazing to sing a song and know that Christians from 300 years ago worshipped God with the same song! I love to have that connection to the past Christians, who are now worshipping Christ in heaven.

I also love the words. No offense, but I feel like some modern Christian songs have very little depth to them. I think the words must have been written rather quickly. Also, the songs tend to focus on what we do to worship and glorify God. Hymns were not written quickly. They required time and lots of effort. The words usually focus a lot more on our depravity and sinfulness and how Christ has saved us. For example:

Come, ye weary, heavy laden,

Bruised and broken by the fall;

If you tarry 'til you're better,

You will never come at all.

Not the righteous, not the righteous;

Sinners Jesus came to call.

These lyrics are from Come, Ye Sinners...this is one of my favorites. I feel like there is so

much within this song to focus on and ponder.

Another great hymn is A Debtor to Mercy Alone. Here's the last verse:

My name from the palms of His hands

Eternity will not erase;

Impressed on His heart it remains

In marks of indelible grace.

Yes, I to the end shall endure,

As sure as the earnest is given

More happy, but not more secure,

The glorified spirits in heaven.

That hymn was written by Augustus Toplady, who also wrote Rock of Ages.

I have so many favorite hymns, so I'm not going to talk about them all on here. But if you are

interested, go here. That link will take you to the music section of the RUF site. It links to

some RUF cds, which I would highly recommend. The Indelible Grace cds are great...I love

them! They just released a Christmas cd and an acoustic cd, and I can't wait to get both.

Anyway, just wanted to put some thoughts out there...if you disagree, feel free to comment!

I am absolutely adoring fall.  Last week, there were a few warm days (that's Mississippi for you), but its been chilly this weekend.  Bech and I have been going to the farmers market and cooking a bunch, which is always fun.

Saturday night (which some of you call Halloween, but it was really Reformation Day), David and I took 15 Millsaps students to Canton to the Canton Corn Maze and Haunted Barn.  We had a great time.  It's pretty far away (at least 45 minutes).  It's been raining in Mississippi for seriously the past 2 months, so the corn maze was REALLY muddy.  Some of us went in the actual corn maze which had lots of mud and puzzles.  We were so gross, but it was great.

I try to make some sort of snack each week for MCF.  This past week I made pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese icing...here's the recipe.  They taste so good...sort of like an early Thanksgiving treat!

Okay, I know Bech and I are weird because we take pictures of our food.  But sometimes food is just so pretty!  Here is a salsa verde Bech made for our chicken the other night.

Here is some grilled chicken with salsa verde, mashed sweet potatoes (made with sweet potatoes that Bech's brother grew), and green beans with lemon juice.  I just love all of the different colors.

This weekend is going to be busy.  It's Mistletoe Marketplace, which is a huge Christmas market put on by the Junior League of Jackson each year.  It's one of my favorite times of the year, probably actually my favorite second to Christmas.  Plus, we have RUF fall conference this weekend.  I am going to be very busy!

random thoughts

There is not really anything exciting going on in our lives right now, so I thought I would just share some thoughts on various things:

1.  There are several things that were new to America last year that I think are ridiculous.  The first is "Twitter."  Seriously, no one should update the world on every little thing that happens to them.  It is boring.  No one cares.  Okay,  yes, your subscribers care, but they shouldn't.  I have been told that you have to have a twitter account in order to read someone else's twitter update.  I have also been told that news channels and other similar businesses/organizations/etc. have good "tweets."  So I guess thats a semi-good reason to have a twitter account.  Other than that, it just weirds me out.

Also, snuggies are creepy and not very attractive.  No one needs to walk around wrapped in a blanket at all times.  And the animal print snuggie totally weirds me out.

The Jonas Brothers tv show.  Need I say more?  Maybe the Jonas brothers were popular before I went to Malawi...I don't know?  I babysit a lot, and some of the kids are a little older.  Plus Bech learns all about them from the "seedsters."  And I don't really like them.  They can't act.  Plus I dreamed I was dating one of them last night, and I am very upset that the Jonas brothers have made their way into my dreams. 

2.  Okay, enough about what bugs me.  Here's what is cool:  when your head pastor/boss tells a little story in staff meeting about his good friends R.C. Sproul and Sinclair Ferguson...whoa!  I wish I could tell little stories about my good friends Derek Webb and Donald Miller.  Seriously though, how amazing is that?  I work at a cool church.

3.  I am loving fall.  It is not as cold this week as it was last week, but it is still chilly.  Every Tuesday I cook something for MCF.  This week I made pumpkin spice cupcakes with cinnamon cream cheese icing...oh my goodness!  They are SO good!  I found the recipe here.  You should try them out...today...or maybe tomorrow.  That's how good they are.  And they are pretty easy to make.

4.  This Saturday, MCF is going to a corn maze...I am so excited!  We are going to this place.  I have never been to one of these, but I think its going to be really fun.  

Okay, enough boring-ness.  I am going to put up some pics of our living room soon, because it's almost all together!

the grove

We had a wonderful, albeit tiring weekend.  Friday night, we ate at Sal & Mookies with Cortney and Colby...so good!  The humus there might be better than Keifers, if that is even possible.

Saturday morning, we got up at the crack of dawn to head to Oxford.  The game wasn't until 6, so we didn't need to leave that early, but we wanted to be in Oxford for most of the day.  We pulled in at 10.  Mom and I got to do some furniture shopping (I found a really cute end table for our living room...now I just have to sand and paint it), while Bech hung out some with Hunter.  We hung out at the condo and made pepperoni bread (best stuff ever) and a dip, then headed to the grove.

If you have never been to the grove, you are missing out.  Basically, the campus of Ole Miss is built around some grassy, tree-filled expanses (the Grove and the Circle).  On game day, these areas are filled with tents and overflowing with people.  Most people dress up for the games.  Girls wear dresses or sometimes nice pants, boys usually wear khakis and a button up.  Blaise, who is pledging, had to wear a blazer and tie like the other pledges.  People either make lots of food or get it catered.  Some of the tents go all out...they bring flat screens so they can watch other games, or even hire live bands.  Plus there is lots of drinking (therefore lots of funny drunk college students).

We went to the game after the grove, but only stayed until halftime...it was freezing!  We were all huddled up under blankets.

This is Mike, one of Bechs good friends from ceramics at Ole Miss.  He is a grad student, and he is really good.  Plus, he's getting married next spring!

Here is my "frat-tastic" brother!

We had a blast...the grove can be a little overwhelming sometimes, but I think everyone should get to experience it at least once in their life!