I love Jesus but I drink a little.

As some of you may know, I do not work full time yet so I do spend some time in the mornings watching day time talk shows.  I don't watch The View, because, well, its The View and the women on it are stupid.  I don't watch Oprah because she thinks she is the greatest thing given to this planet and she's on at 4:00, and frankly I just have better things to do at that time.  I don't watch Tyra because she only talks about herself.  If you haven't noticed this about her before, please go and watch an episode to see how she will interview her guests and then turn the conversation around on herself.  I used to like Regis and Kelly because I think their chemistry is fantastic and Regis just makes me happy.  However, I have begun watching Ellen when I can and that's on at the same time as Regis.  Let me tell you why I like Ellen: she doesn't take herself or life too seriously.  A lot of talk show hosts convince themselves that they are changing the world by being on TV.  Ellen, on the other hand, is entertaining and she treats all of her guests with respect.  Plus, she begins every episode with dancing!  All this to say, watch this:

In His Image...

I dare you to read the following and then try not to act more like Christ.  I don't think it's possible.  It is a quote from Ray Stedman's book The Queen and I:

"When, because of your faith, your life too becomes perceptibly different; when your reactions are quite opposite to what the situation seems to call for and your activities can no longer be explained in terms of your personality; that is when your neighborhood will sit up and take notice.  In the eyes of the world, it is not our relationship with Jesus Christ that counts; it is our resemblance to him."

He is mighty to save and with that we have so much to be joyful about!

The alternative to The View

Bonnie Hunt has a talk show.  For some reason this nauseates me.

Roommates

I miss having roommates!  It is 10:06 pm as I begin writing.  If I were still in college and lived with roommates, I would not be sitting by myself in the dark as I am now.  Chances are that I would be doing one of the following:

• Watching a movie with my roommate.
• Looking through magazines with my roommate.
• Venting about classes/boys/life to my roommate.
• Listening to my roommate as she vents about classes/boys/life.
• Praying with my roommate (this was one of my favorite things to do)!
• Tormenting my roommate by trying to cuddle with her after ten pm (I love to cuddle, but for some reason I always had roommates who did not appreciate it the same way I do - someday I will have a roommate who will like cuddling with me).
• Making a snack with my roommate and trying to find ways to justify eating junk food after 8:00 pm. 
• Doing homework in the living room with my roommate.
• Drinking hot chocolate with my roommate out of matching sea lion mugs that were foolishly and wonderfully purchased online after drinking a couple glasses of wine (but clearly not wine because I went to Bethel...wink).
• Picking out my outfit for the next day and asking my roommate for feedback.
• Encouraging my roommate.
• Listening to my roommate's encouragement.
• Having "on that note" with my roommate. Side note: this was a practice that was unique to Stephanie and me.  We would always talk to each other when we were in bed before we fell asleep.  One night we were talking and the conversation got so awkward that one of us just said, "Well, on that note...goodnight."  The phrase stuck and that's how we ended every night.
• Brushing my teeth with my roommate.
• Walking around my apartment in my unmentionables just to get a reaction from my roommate.
• Baking cookies with my roommate.
• Sharing my deepest thoughts, struggles and joys with my roommate and listening to her do the same.
• Having a sleep over...every night!

Since I have graduated from college my life has changed dramatically.  It is not because I no longer have homework, or because I have no job, or even because I've been blessed with Nate, but because I no longer have the companionship of a roommate.  I love Gloria, but she's not the same.  I miss living with the girls.  Yes, it was a pain in the neck at times, but overall it brought me wonderful joy!

Economic Revolution

I came across a letter that Kate sent me a while back.  We are pen pals. Kate, sorry I didn't write you back yet.  I have a letter half-written in my purse waiting to be signed, sealed and delivered.  At this point I will rewrite the letter all together.  In her letter she brought up our role as young professionals in this economy.  She wrote (and Kate I hope you don't mind me sharing this, but I just like it): 

I've come to believe that we're about to experience another revolution.  This revolution will totally change the current economic landscapte and will stem from the individualistic youth (us!) who despite corporate conformity, who with the tools of the internet, will market themselves and their own ideas in the free market and will, in that way, make a satisfying living.

That excites me.  When there are no jobs out there we have to be creative and motivated enough to survive.  I just met with my dad to create a business plan for my auctioneering.  I have been looking for jobs for the past three months and have decided that I want to focus on my desired career path rather than wasting my time and energy on something that will merely pay the bills.  That is something to get excited about!

Bacon

The street sweepers were out today, and, as Nate pointed out earlier, that is the sign that it is spring in Minnesota.  Forget about the glorious sunshine and comfortable weather.  Sweeping the dirty streets gives us hope for the new life that will be popping up very soon.  I love spring.  It just puts me in a bouncy mood.  Like I'm so happy I could just bounce.

We went to Jensen's (or is it Jenson's?) in Burnsville this morning.  They have the best bacon in the whole wide world.  One piece is pretty much equivalent to three pieces of regular bacon, and it is the perfect amount of crispy.  Healthy? No, but it surely is delicious.

I have an interview with a family as a Nanny today.  It's not quite what I thought I'd be doing after college, but I'm not the one who directs my steps anyway...

Enough Said

around the corner

I left one of my blinds open last night by accident.  I normally don't like to do that because it weirds me out that people can see inside my big windows, but it turned out to be a good idea.  I woke up to sunshine this morning!  I went upstairs to eat breakfast and have coffee with Grandma, and it was so sunny that I couldn't sit in my regular spot at the table because the sun was blinding my eyes.  Gloria and I began to rave about the glorious sunshine...spring is just around the corner...pretty soon we'll be able to eat breakfast on the deck...it's like we're in Maui...gosh, it's just so nice outside.  As usual, Grandma G. decided to turn on the weather channel where all of our optimisms were shattered.  In the lower right hand corner it read our temperature: -2.  In unison we screamed, "WHAT?"  I still believe spring is around the corner.

I feel like I talk about weather too much.  It just has such a big impact on me.  

Enjoy the sunshine!

In like a lion out like a lamb

March.  It could possibly be the grossest month of the year.  I hate February too, but I can at least tolerate it given that it is only 28 days long and it is honest.  March, on the other hand, is nothing but a tease.  The only thing that gets me though the month is knowing that once it's done, the weather will have calmed down and it will be spring.  If you are a seasoned Minnesotan, however, you know that there could very possibly be snow in April.  Granola!  Anyway, we'll be there soon enough.  

Today is officially Purim.  It goes from sundown of last night to sundown of tonight.  In honor of the jewish holiday, Laura and I baked the traditional Haman's Pocket cookies.  They were quite the project, but they are quite tasty. If we were to really celebrate the day Esther saved the Jews we would have taken part of all the other Purim festivities:

• Reading the Esther Story and booing for Haman and cheering for Mordecai.
• Partake in festival-like parties.
• Eaten Matza balls.
• Drank wine until we confused Haman and Mordecai (this is seriously written in the Talmud).
• Partied like it was 478 BC!

I have an interview with a Nanny Agency tomorrow.  Please pray that it goes well, and that they can perhaps put me with a family that would be a PERFECT fit.  Nannying can be either awesome or horrible.  I'm praying for awesome!

Bethel Student Activities Refund

Still no job.  God will provide what is necessary...as usual. 

God is cool?  Yes.  As you know, my hours/pay were cut immensely due to my demotion at Bare Escentuals.  It wasn't my dream job by any means, but it paid the bills...sort of.  A couple days after I found out my terrible news, I received a check in the mail for almost the exact difference of what will be missing in my next pay check.  The memo on the check was "BSA activities refund." Perhaps they found out that I didn't attend a single BSA activity all year and they recognized it as a wise decision so they gave me my money back.  However, it's more likely that they initially charged me for two semesters when I only attended Bethel for one semester this year.  Anyway, I needed the money now and God provided.  He is so good.  

Thankful for the money you do have?  Check out Spencer's message that he gave at Evergreen Bloomington.

To whom it may concern:

I need a job.  I'm joyful and willing to work hard.  Please hire me.  

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Sarah Jean Whitson

I am so sick of sending out my resume.  

for such a time as this

Ever since I played Esther in a school play in 5th grade I have had a special interest in this Biblical figure.  I have always had an interest in Jewish tradition.  Perhaps it is because I have a very very small fraction of Jewish blood in me.  Maybe it is because Mrs. Allison, the Bethany Academy music teacher, used to teach us about Passover, Purim, Hanukkah and other Jewish traditions.  It could also be that it is the roots of our Christianity and it is important to understand.  I don't know why it fascinates me, but it does.  Jewish traditions give us the chance to remember and reflect on what our God has done.  God is good and we must not forget it!

Back to Esther.  I was just reading through Esther 4 where she finds out about Haman's plot to kill the Jews and Mordecai (her uncle) tells her she needs to talk to the king.  The thing is that even though she is the Queen, it is against the law to approach the king with out him summoning her.  By "against the law" I mean that she could literally be put to death.  So Esther has the most legit excuse in the world to cop out of her calling, but it didn't fly with Mordecai. 

What would Ben Tipler say?  I don't want excuses, I want results.  Here's what Mordecai said,

"Don't think for a moment that because you're in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed.   If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die.  Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for such a time as this?" (4:13-14)

Oh snap.  Talk about a chilling reminder that the only reason we are where we are is because God needs us there.  Some how this makes my worries seem so trivial.  Praise Jesus for that reminder.  Beth Moore reminds us, "I had to accept that I was not called to an easy life.  I was called to a purposeful life.

Side note: Purim is coming up.  I think I blogged about Purim last year because I was reading a book about a woman who was figuring out her religion, switching between Orthodox Judaism and Christianity.  Purim is March 9th this year.  More to follow.  

Head Congestion

I am sick.  I can't breath out of my nose and I have mucus clogging up my throat.  Gross.  I keep having to sneeze.  I HATE SNEEZING!  What's even worse are the times where I have to sneeze, but I can't. So I am stuck making a stupid face while I wait for a sneeze to emerge.  I am living off Tylenol Cold and Head Congestion, herbal tea and Girl Scout cookies.

The cat went home today.  I am not sad at all.

Nate went home yesterday.  That does make me sad, but I was very lucky to see him.

Now I'm watching the season finale of the Bachelor.  It's the first episode I've watched all season, but I wanted to be a part of the girls' conversation at work tomorrow.  This show is so easy to get hooked on, but it makes me sick at the same time.  In about 45 minutes Jason will propose to one of the girls he's in love with.  ONE of the girls he is in love with.  He is in love with TWO women, and he was in love with a different girl last season.  Talk about baggage.  What will he do?  I must go and find out.

With lots of love,

SJ

It's not personal, it's business

As Kathleen Kelly questioned in my all-time favorite, You've Got Mail, "What does that mean anyway? 'It's not personal, it's business?' Because it was personal to me."

I was recently demoted. After my boss strongly encouraged me to step down from my position she said, "Sarah, it's not personal." I responded, "I know...it's business." I wonder if she picked up the reference.

I consider myself humbled.