Thursday, July 3, 2008

Potpourri Friday and a Contest

This post contains a contest so it will remain at the top of my blog until July 3. Scroll down for more recent posts.

I haven't done a Potpourri Friday in a while because my Friday's have just been so consumed lately. But today I feel like a chatty, newsy post - so let's see what happens.

This week has been one of just getting back to work, processing all that happened at the She Speaks conference, and looking ahead to the future. Good days - busy days.

It's no secret that I don't like my job. It's not really the job I don't like, well maybe it is, it's not very challenging to me. But what I really don't like is having to be there, having to plan my life around my work hours, giving the best of my day to something not of my choosing, when all the while my mind is whirling with the things I would rather be doing. Several years ago I began working at this university because it offers a tuition remission program. That means that as long as I work here my kids can attend for free. Even if they are married. Until they are 25. It really has been a gift from God as we could never afford to send our kids to a private Christian university. And what I started doing for one child, I am now obligated to do for the rest of them ;). So this fall my youngest daughter will start here. Which means that in 4 more years I will be free to either continue working here or find something I like better. Unfortunately, I will probably always have to be providing an income. Four years isn't that long and it has gotten me to thinking about the things I want to do after that.

Things like:

Take care of my grandbabies

Spend more time with my husband

Sew more

Read more

Write books

Garden more

Clean my house more

Work in Women's Ministries more

Travel more


I don't know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future. So I am trying to make myself be content - yet look ahead. It helps me keep striving towards the goal when I strain my eyes to see what might be up ahead.

A couple of people mentioned, after seeing my photos of the She Speaks conference, that we were all wearing black and white. And although it certainly wasn't planned - a lot of us were all wearing black and white. Apparently it is a fashion trend. Apparently I lucked into it!

One funny thing that happened to me at the airport in Charlotte was I was getting hungry. And I had been a teensy bit disappointed at the conference to not have any good southern food. We don't get good southern food in the northwest you know. So at the airport I noticed a bar-b-que restaurant with a southern flair to it. So I ordered a bar-b-qued pork sandwich with fries. The first thing I noticed was they plopped a big scoop of cole slaw right on top of the sandwich. That struck me as a bit peculiar as we don't ever do that here. But I like coleslaw so when in Rome . . . When I sat down I picked up one of the large fries and bit into it. To my surprise it wasn't a fry at all. It was a deep fried pickle! After I got over the shock of dill pickle juice running down my chin, I actually enjoyed it. They just served it as a bit of an appetizer I guess. I also missed having my diet Dr. Pepper all weekend. We had the choice of water or sweet tea. Everyone always asked for sweet tea. I finally asked what sweet tea was. We only have tea or tea with sugar in it. I was a little embarrassed to discover that sweet tea is simply tea with sugar in it. Duh!

Our weather has finally warmed up. I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to have a summer. But now it's nice and warm and just a little bit breezy - perfect for dinners on the patio. And coffee on the patio. And reading on the patio. I love my patio. It is a peaceful place in my life. I love nothing more than sitting at my patio table, my sweet dog Josey on my lap, a glass of ice-cold diet Dr. Pepper, reading a good book or magazine. That is like heaven to me.


And speaking of good books - I am going to have a contest! I have a copy of Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. In my opinion this is one of the best Christian fiction books ever written. I remember when I first read it - we were staying at a bed and breakfast in Bozeman, Montana with my brother and his wife. My sister-in-law went to the Christian bookstore and we eached purchased a copy of this book. We went back to our room and laid on the bed and we could not stop reading. We read all weekend long. Our husbands were thrilled.

Francine Rivers calls this book her statement of faith. It's the first Christian novel she wrote after writing many "bodice-ripping" books. It is a parable of the Book of Hosea from the Bible. It tells of the incredible and unfailing love God has for us his people. It will change you.



If you have not read this book - you really need to. You will love it. So here is what you need to do to win this copy.

1. Enter a comment telling me what one of your favorite books are.
Even if you don't want to enter, I would love to hear what one of your favorite books are.
2. Be sure to leave an email if you don't link back to a blog.
3. Post a little blurb on your blog telling others about the contest.

On July3 I will draw a winner using the random number generator thingy. Pretty simple.

Have a great weekend ya'll. I'm still speaking southern.

16 comments:

Unknown said...

You know, I just recommended this book to some women in my online read-through-the-bible-chronologically-in-a-year group. We are reading Hosea right now and Francine Rivers' book made the book of Hosea come alive to me.

As I said to them, Hosea proves you cannot define God's love. You can only demonstrate it.

One of my favorite books is the one I just finished. And I can say that just about every week, when I finish a new one.

I just read Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult. Wonderful book. Right now I am reading a short story called "Small change" and I am loving it. It is a total of about an hour and a half of reading. Great story.

Peace Like a River is one of my all time favorites. The author writes like harmony in a song. So beautiful.

OK, those are a few. So maybe I'll win. I'd love to have any book by Francine Rivers to tell you the truth.

And sweet tea is not EXACTLY sugar. It is more like a sugar syrup. You dissolve the sugar in a little bit of hot water and then mix it in with the tea. Officially that is. It curls your toes and hurts your teeth.

Have a great weekend Robin.

Wow, this is a long one.

Spring M Fricks said...

Robin-That is one of my favorite books. As soon as I started reading it, I was consumed until I read the last page. After that, I bought a copy for all the women in my life. It is truly life changing! I just have to tell you that I was also wearing black and white at the conference. How funny is that. Of course, I was so nervous about my book appts, I didn't notice the black and white commonality. Too funny.

Dawn said...

I happened upon that book, don't remember how. I absolutely loved it. It just amazed me as I read it. I remember exactly where I was, too - visiting Kev and Sema during his first year of school at Biola, before his life unraveled, so God could put it back together. I would walk to their beautiful park down the street, reading as I walked. I can just FEEL it. I would love to own a copy so sign me up!

As for a favorite book - that would be so hard for me to say. Right now I'm reading Jennifer Chiaverini's series and absolutely love them. Hard to put down. She quilts a beautiful novel!

I had a great day yesterday, and will love not having the alarm go off at 5:00 Monday morning - in fact, not go off at all. We neve can sleep past 6 anyway.

I am so sorry you are not enjoying your job. That makes it tough to go every day. I didn't enjoy my last years as much as the first, as you may have discerned. Is there a chance of making a transfer to something more challenging? I can't remember what department you work in.

Have a wonderful week-end!

Bebemiqui said...

I like Dallas Willard's book...they take awhile to chew through.

Girl Raised in the South said...

I've read this book, it IS wonderful but dont enter me - I'd rather someone else get the change to read it - it's one of my favorites too.

windycindy said...

Hello, What a wonderful post. I enjoyed reading your thoughts! The book has a lovley cover and I know the author is a very good one. I would so appreciate being entered in your book drawing. One of my all time favorite books is "To Kill a Mockingbird!" I think it carried values that are relevant throughout time. Many thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

One of my favorite books is Israel My Beloved by Kay Author.

dbstout[at]juno[dot]com

Anonymous said...

One of my favorite books recenntly is Becoming a titus 2 woman by Martha Peace.Awesome book and Bible study.Pleaes enter me in your contest.
Rachel
mashelle68@yahoo.com

Tammy said...

Over here from Becky's...I would love to win this one! I have heard so much about it and have yet to read it!

I've only read one by her, and it was powerful, called "And the Shofar Blew". Loved it...so I'm sure I'd love this too!

This is a slightly different writing style, but I am just finishing up the Mitford series- this has become one of my favorite series ever!

So to "meet" you...please enter my name, and hope you can stop by and say hello!

Blessings,
~Tammy

Tammy said...

P.S....I just realized I'm actually meeting you for the first time! I've been here before! LOL
But I'll have come back more often! :)

Lucydolls' ramblings said...

I love reading your blog. I spewed un-sweet ice tea all over when I read the fried pickle story.

I am reading Tamera Alexander Fountain Creek Chronicle series. They are pretty good.

Anonymous said...

I love this book and I realized that since I borrowed yours again, I should probably have my own. I find some truth about God's love for us each time I read it.

My favorite book...that is like trying to pick a favorite pair of shoes...I think I like the Voice in the Wind series...

Love you mom!!

Andrea

Tiffany said...

As of right now my favorite books are the "Love comes Softly."

My email is tissyno@yahoo.com

Im going to try my best to repost this Im still new to this "blogging thing" and dont know how to do it all yet, but Im going to try. The book sounds like a great one!

Anonymous said...

"Redeeming Love" is my all time, favortie book. I don't have a copy because I gave mine away!

One of my next favorite books is a series by Francine Rivers, "A Voice in the Wind." You want to have the faith of Hadassah after you read it.

Blessings,
Cazandra

Kathy Schwanke said...

Hi Robin, loved reading about your southern fried pickle. juice dripping down and all (still talkin' southern here too!)

Loved Redeeming Love (did we talk about that?)

You should post a pic of your patio...
love, Kathy

gail@more than a song said...

I've been gone and am trying to catch up! Sorry I missed the book thing! I thought I'd read that book long ago but can't quite remember so maybe I should reread it. I started Plain Truth a few days ago.
Sweet tea, a very southern thing!
Your pictures from the conference are all good!