tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21476206115176490932012-02-16T03:26:53.855-06:00Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.comBlogger3091100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-78165836361549786002011-09-18T19:35:00.000-05:002011-09-18T20:05:01.264-05:00

As I've been reading through The Chronological Bible this year, I've been struck by the emphasis on keeping the Sabbath. Over and over again throughout the Old Testament, God chastised His people for failing to keep the Sabbath. (Nehemiah 13:13-21 & Ezekiel 20:12-24) Isaiah even mentioned that there was a blessing for keeping the Sabbath: "Blessed is the one who does this— the person who

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-35767824306485189082011-08-21T17:27:00.005-05:002011-08-28T20:06:45.350-05:00

A few weeks ago, I posted on here about how the summer was flying by and how I wanted to make sure that I didn't miss out. I included a link to a list of "101 Bits of Summer Fun," and I used that as my springboard. Since then, I've managed to have quite a few bits of summer fun. Here are some from the list: *Stay up late (I did this several times in order to finish books.) *Read a book, or

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-64026159912146870832011-08-05T18:21:00.017-05:002011-08-29T20:26:51.933-05:00

The traffic southbound on I-35 is always a nightmare, but the three hours are worth the stress once I arrive in Austin. Every time I arrive, a sense of peace settles on me. I can't explain why Austin has this effect on me. I don't know if it's because it was the first place I lived on my own after college. Or if it's because it has the best restaurants in the whole state. Or if it's because

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-72952755992279927682011-07-29T18:08:00.004-05:002011-08-28T20:03:33.769-05:00

It's been right at seven months, and I've hit 1,000. One thousand gifts, that is. I haven't been good about posting each gift here. Part of that is heat-induced laziness, and part of that is intentional because some of the gifts are too personal and make sense only to me. But even when I wasn't posting them, I was capturing them in my spiral. And more importantly, I was on the lookout for

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-20191332554882540192011-07-10T15:30:00.001-05:002011-07-10T21:12:38.853-05:00

It's been almost three months now without Annie. During this time, I've been adjusting to a new normal. One that is filled with a lot more silence but not nearly as much emptiness as I'd expected.God has been so gracious to comfort me in a hundred ways that I never could have imagined. I've also felt a tugging reminding me that I need to seek comfort from Him when things upset me, which is

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-35763728978095755312011-07-04T10:43:00.001-05:002011-07-10T21:12:19.027-05:00

Despite having been out of grad school for 11 years now, I still miss the feel of summer breaks. I think after all those years of schooling, my body got into a rhythm of studying hard and knowing that there'd be mandatory respites carved into the calendar. Now, summers are usually one of the busiest times at work, and I seldom take off for a real break without combining it with a continuing

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-16861096581719554242011-06-30T14:58:00.005-05:002011-07-10T21:12:04.425-05:00

I've seen how God has redeemed marriages that looked like there was no way they would survive. I've also seen how He has redeemed certain dates on the calendar--replacing the anniversary of a friend's divorce with a new proposal and changing a date marked to remember a death to a date to celebrate the life of a newborn. But I never suspected He would redeem other insignificant events.Remember

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-46789790874963091812011-06-06T18:52:00.005-05:002011-07-10T21:11:48.103-05:00

Though I haven't blogged about it recently, my list of gifts continues. The list grew exponentially after spending the past week with my family.Getting to see both my mom and sister other than the holidays is a treat because our work schedules don't always coincide. But the extra planning that went into getting us together for the week of Memorial Day was well worth it. I only wish there were

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-5650293681654550092011-05-23T18:56:00.016-05:002011-07-10T21:11:27.407-05:00

On April 1, 2010, a friend showed me this path, and we walked it together. I thought it was going to do me in with all its steep inclines. Despite the fact that the path is replete with numerous hills and that the temperature was hot most of the time, I walked this path over and over again last year until it got too cold to walk or college football season started, I can't remember which.I

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-56355869025441517192011-05-10T00:27:00.003-05:002011-05-18T20:45:48.492-05:00

Do you ever find something that you've written in the past and wonder how you lost the passion for the topic you wrote about? Over the weekend, I sifted through drafts of blog posts that were half written but never finished. This one caught my attention and demanded to be finished. So here's a blog post I started back in January.Now that Francis Chan is back in the States, I've been listening

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-80504556732045193742011-05-06T19:08:00.002-05:002011-05-18T20:46:13.766-05:00

Many who live in Cowtown have no clue of the buzz of activity that goes on down a remote road near I-35. Even after you turn off on Old Hemphill Road, you might think you've turned onto the wrong street. But less than a half a mile down, the cars lining the road will clue you in that you've come to the right place.Boys and girls with gloves and bats file into the gates and head toward their

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-69343107998904944832011-05-03T18:57:00.000-05:002011-05-07T19:45:26.255-05:00

Back on Easter Sunday, our pastor taught on how God's plans are better than our own, and his wife, my friend Krista, shared her personal story of walking through infertility and trusting God through the adoption process. She was kind enough to write out her remarks, and you can read them here.The parts of her story that grabbed my attention were (1) how her Sunday school teacher challenged her

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-1233228929681223572011-05-01T19:05:00.000-05:002011-05-01T19:56:41.337-05:00

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4 (NIV)In the midst of grieving Annie's loss, I have said over and over, "God is amazing!" And I've meant it. He has been my Comforter in so many ways over the past several weeks. Every day since Annie's death, God has used people in my life to shower me with His love. I have received countless texts, phone calls, emails,

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-56786144878115606092011-04-15T18:55:00.020-05:002011-04-18T20:13:39.279-05:00

I've learned through my sweet dog Annie that sometimes God gives us multiple gifts all rolled into one. And that when God takes away that one gift, you lose so much more than just the one.Mom had always said that dogs smelled, and so we never had a dog while I was growing up. When I bought my house in 2003, high on the priority list was a house with a fenced-in yard so that I could get a dog.

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-70933188209762650172011-04-11T20:33:00.000-05:002011-04-11T20:42:26.247-05:00

A few weeks back after enduring a busy season at work, I decided it was time for a little getaway for some R&R. Ideally, the introvert in me would like to hole up in a secluded bed and breakfast in a really small town (like Round Top) and read for about a week. But that didn't fit into my schedule. I opted instead for an overnight trip to Austin. And decided to try out this new place. After

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-85953596218782643232011-04-03T20:00:00.007-05:002011-04-10T20:33:32.855-05:00

If someone asks me years from now what I did April 1-3, 2011, I may not remember those dates because time seemed to stand still then. But if someone asks me years from now if I was at Passion 2011, I will respond with "absolutely!" I've never attended a Passion Conference as an attendee. But after listening online to the Passion 2011 Conference held in Atlanta in January, I knew I wanted to be

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-41769961940146295152011-03-13T21:12:00.006-05:002011-03-13T21:39:49.183-05:00

I've been on a Groupon kick lately. It's as if Groupon has read my mind and has been offering deep discounts on restaurants and activities that I've wanted to try for some time. And when I get in on such a great discount, I feel the urge to share the news with others so that they, too, can participate.As I was driving home one night, this thought hit me: Am I more prone to share a Groupon than

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-36486082955074810252011-03-08T20:14:00.005-06:002011-03-08T21:18:09.560-06:00

I confess that there have been times in my life when I've gone days, weeks, and even months without thinking about Heaven. In the past, Heaven came to the forefront of my mind when someone was battling a terminal illness or when Easter was approaching.But this year has been different. Heaven has constantly been on my mind.It started a few months ago with hearing Hillsong's "You Hold Me Now."

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-22561545181392128912011-02-20T23:24:00.003-06:002011-02-20T23:28:11.393-06:00

Because it was my first giveaway, I decided to change the rules. I decided to "draw" the winners a day early and to reward those who entered. So both commenters will receive a book! Due to the holiday, the books should go out in the mail on Tuesday. Happy reading!

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-69608136450450605002011-02-09T13:46:00.010-06:002011-02-09T20:30:25.258-06:00

It's the cure for ingratitude. It always precedes the miracle. It leads to joy.IT is eucharisteo. I hadn't heard that term before but am so grateful that Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts introduced me to it. What started out as a dare to count 1,000 of the daily gifts from God became a way of life for Ann, and in the process, she traced the roots of eucharisteo not just through her life

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-69881042393614957612011-02-02T17:45:00.003-06:002011-02-02T17:52:11.736-06:00

I posted a while back about the Psalms devotional book that my writers' group put together, but I failed to give you a sample. So while the electricity is cooperating in the midst of this icy day of rolling power black outs, I thought I'd share one of mine.Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! Psalm 100:4 (ESV)“Father God, forgive me

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-75662389449263135912011-02-01T00:38:00.004-06:002011-02-01T00:38:00.414-06:00

Why is it that when I want to write, I think long and hard and words barely trickle? But when I speak, words flow too freely, often when they shouldn't flow at all. At least that's the case most of the time.This past week, the opposite occurred. I went to pay my respects to a family who had lost a loved one, and the words would not come. I didn't know how to sum up the impact of the loved

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-54541753652279013252011-01-31T00:43:00.002-06:002011-01-31T00:43:00.376-06:00

A couple of you have asked for more details on The Christmas Jars that I posted on. I hesitated to post more on the story because the book is such a good read. But I don't want you to miss out on the blessing that is sure to come with filling and giving away a Christmas jar, so I'll do my best to summarize the premise behind the jars here.The book, which appears to be a work of fiction even

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-11461756517860945872011-01-25T00:45:00.002-06:002011-01-25T00:45:00.414-06:00

I've been reading through the Chronological Bible, and the past few weeks spent in Job have left me thinking about words with friends. I'm not referring to the popular game but rather about the ones in real life that I've spoken to my friends.Like those three friends of Job, my lips part too often, words flowing without the wisdom to back them up. Critiquing. Accusing. Not a word of

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-29214902865105292742011-01-17T00:20:00.004-06:002011-01-17T00:20:00.618-06:00

I recently listened to a sermon on "Beholding the Beauty of the Bible." One of the initial points that caught my attention was Pastor Ronnie Smith's comment: "We become what we behold." And while I was still chewing on that, he said, "Worldliness kills your capacity to behold the glory of God in the Scriptures."Enough said. I was convicted and guilty.Pastor Smith's words provided an explanation,

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-75432872533812216592011-01-10T01:18:00.003-06:002011-01-10T01:18:00.048-06:00

When I mentioned the idea of not giving family Christmas gifts this year, my mom immediately threw out the idea of doing Christmas jars for others instead. She said that she had read a book about this tradition and thought it would be a neat idea. She said that she'd send my sister and I copies of the book.Last week, the book arrived in my mailbox, and I couldn't wait to read it. If not for

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-45123789514727804132011-01-05T18:09:00.003-06:002011-01-09T20:28:58.513-06:00

For several years now, I've been wanting to take yoga. I went to a few classes a long time ago and got discouraged at how advanced they were, how big the classes were, and the type of message that yoga was sending. I wanted to find a Christian yoga class, but I couldn't find one. I also developed a list of additional requirements for such a class should I happen to find one:It can't be New

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-26546265641279225812011-01-02T14:06:00.000-06:002011-01-09T15:05:28.714-06:00

The problem with not knowing my one-word resolution ahead of time is that I tend to want to adopt what others have chosen. For instance, Ann Voskamp has chosen 2011 as the Year of Here. My friend Kirsten has chosen intentional. And I originally thought my word for 2011 might be focus. But the more I thought about it, the more that word didn't seem right. I could easily make the focus about me

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-38857948972913218502010-12-31T19:05:00.003-06:002011-01-09T15:26:28.345-06:00

Two years ago, my writers' group embarked on a big task: we wanted to put together a monthly devotional on the Book of Psalms. And just before Christmas, our efforts resulted in a book that we can hold in our hands:As noted by the title, the devotional covers thirty-one days and can be used repeatedly throughout the year. Each devotional ends with an application portion, which will hopefully

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-67334245231397655992010-12-25T15:27:00.005-06:002011-01-09T16:59:02.142-06:00

Dear Family and Friends,A friend of mine has a "disclaimer" on her blog that states:If you read much at this web address, you may be overcome by the warm fuzzy thing. Is my life one big warm fuzzy? Of course not. I would think it would be similar to yours. . . . So for every warm fuzzy moment recorded here, there are 100 other moments that have been messy, forgiven, and washed with His grace.With

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-12127937556331708912010-12-08T21:34:00.001-06:002011-01-09T19:17:10.049-06:00

About two months ago, I saw on Facebook that the band Green River Ordinance would be playing a concert at a small venue here. And since they call Cowtown home, they were planning to record this particular concert for a live DVD. I had just recently heard about GRO from a friend and enjoyed the songs I'd listened to, so I decided to purchase two tickets to the concert and live taping. I thought

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-14060979948946749232010-12-05T19:57:00.000-06:002011-01-09T19:18:04.468-06:00

Each year at Christmas, one song seems to stand out for me. In the past, I've featured "How Many Kings," "While You Were Sleeping," and a list of my Christmas music must-haves.This year, Francesca Battestelli's "You're Here" won my heart. I heard it several times last year, but this Christmas, it was the song that I wanted to hear again and again. Its message--that God chose not to leave us on

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-19154547964535087032010-03-28T18:29:00.016-05:002010-03-28T19:26:58.448-05:00

I've been away from the blog for so long that I thought I might have trouble logging in. I've been pondering so many different things and haven't made the time to put them into blog posts, and some I don't even have the words to put into posts. So to avoid another month-and-a-half-long delay, I thought I'd ease my way back into the blogosphere by sharing some pictures of recent events so that my

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-327097342787649682010-02-12T15:21:00.004-06:002010-10-22T20:23:15.176-05:00

Memoirs tell stories from a person's life, and for whatever reason, usually leave me thinking more about the particular person featured in the memoir. Mary E. DeMuth's memoir is different. As she artfully tells stories from her life, Mary takes the focus off the personal tragedies and hardships that she faced and points instead to how God's grace carried her through those times. After finishing

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-16070794965381825062010-01-31T14:52:00.006-06:002010-01-31T15:11:04.774-06:00

After Christmas each year, it's a process to find places for the gifts that I've received. Sometimes it takes a while because I need to get rid of some stuff in order to make room for the new things.That same process applies to my calendar as well. With the start of the new year, I wanted to be open to trying some new things, like working out at the gym, starting a new Bible study, volunteering

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-12267725646323326022010-01-03T20:48:00.005-06:002010-01-03T21:12:45.251-06:00

It's the beginning of a new decade! I somehow missed that piece of info because no major attention, like that in 2000 with Y2K, was given to it. And yet, I'm not sure that will affect how I approach this year.I've been doing a lot of reading lately and have lots of ideas in mind for my new one-word resolution, but I've had a hard time trying to narrow it down. Here are some of the things that

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-39323288767558342342009-12-28T19:55:00.005-06:002009-12-29T20:58:16.050-06:00

Hopefully, I'll return to "real" writing, rather than list writing, in the coming week. Until then, here's a quick recap of my time at home.10. Viewing the lights around town, multiple times. I'm pretty sure that we are one of the only families who tried to visit every home or business that won an award for their lighting display.9. Going to both the 4:30 and the 7:00 Christmas Eve services. It

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-49854758055257761522009-12-24T11:35:00.008-06:002009-12-24T21:48:28.236-06:00

My traditions would not be complete without the Christmas Eve candlelight service. The service at our church is filled with all my favorite Christmas hymns and Scriptures on the birth of the Christ child, and it ends with the darkening of the church to allow us to sing "Silent Night" by candlelight.As we gather together as a community of faith with lifelong friends to celebrate the real Reason

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-24196195271712722152009-12-16T00:13:00.003-06:002009-12-16T00:13:00.266-06:00

Some traditions stick because they are so easy. And this is one such example. Every Christmas, we "open" our stockings first. After my sister and I make our way through the ornaments and other little (or sometimes not so little) gifts in the body of the stocking, we always check the toe of the stocking for an orange and an apple. I think "Santa" has only forgotten them one year, though many years

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-69562223299500050312009-12-15T00:15:00.001-06:002009-12-15T00:15:00.145-06:00

"It's better to give than to receive." That old saying is sometimes hard to grasp as a child, but I've found it to be absolutely true the older I've gotten. Nothing makes me smile more than to find a fun, surprising gift for a friend or family member. But sometimes, it's not about driving all over to find the right gift. And that should be great news with only 10 days left until Christmas.For

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-64003058155049335712009-12-14T00:04:00.003-06:002009-12-14T00:04:00.650-06:00

One of our family traditions that keeps moving up on our calendar because we can't seem to wait until Christmas Eve is our tour of the Christmas lights in various neighborhoods in my hometown. It's always a treat to see the winners of the local lighting contest and to see the creativity change from year to year.But the one thing that can sometimes get lost on me is the symbolism of the lights.

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-30901947592916548072009-12-09T19:41:00.003-06:002009-12-09T20:00:50.349-06:00

Does Linus quoting Luke chapter 2 get you every year like it does me when A Charlie Brown Christmas comes on television? Or do you wait for the tongue-stuck-on-the-flagpole scene from A Christmas Story? Or maybe you prefer a more recent movie like Home Alone, The Santa Claus, or How the Grinch Stole Christmas.It seems like the Christmas season, with family gathering and time off, provides the

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-87076952779157881722009-12-08T00:08:00.000-06:002009-12-08T00:08:00.157-06:00

I can still remember waiting in line at the local Wal-Mart. It seemed like we spent half of each December there waiting in line with my mom and sister as we tried to get the annual Christmas photo taken. All the while Mom worried that our hair and our dresses wouldn't stay nice for very long amidst our attempts to entertain ourselves during the wait.Now that we are spread out across this and

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-3456859162224063752009-12-07T00:28:00.002-06:002009-12-07T00:28:00.303-06:00

The reason I rush to my mailbox every day during December is for the chance to find a Christmas letter or card (or maybe even several) in my mailbox. It's a time to find out what family and friends from near and far have been up to throughout the year. I learn about new babies, new jobs, and new addresses. I also learn about the losses and the let downs that friends and family have experienced

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-72695750239255454792009-12-06T16:26:00.031-06:002009-12-06T22:30:50.730-06:00

I've prayed for them all season. Not for wins, necessarily, but for safe travel, for protection from injuries, and for overall good health. So when I found out that UT would be playing in the Big 12 Championship in the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, I bought into the "for everything else there's MasterCard" campaign and got tickets near the 50-yard line. I couldn't not be there. I knew

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-35275071511648310672009-12-03T19:51:00.007-06:002009-12-03T20:34:20.298-06:00

I love how my mom's kitchen transforms into Candyland and Cookieville every year at Christmas. When we were growing up, my sister enjoyed helping with the baking, while I was more of the quality control tester and deliverer. We'd deliver the goodies--intricate tea breads and decorative containers filled with Spritz cookies, gingerbread cookies, English toffee, white chocolate covered pretzels,

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-37449488776779499422009-12-02T00:25:00.004-06:002009-12-03T20:33:13.976-06:00

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is the theme right now as Christmas parties have kicked off as of last night. As with every tradition, this is one of the areas that can easily become stressful, especially if the invitations and the programs are aplenty and the nights available are but few.Growing up, our family's focus was on the programs and parties associated with church and school. But

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-82266093415450146742009-12-01T00:04:00.004-06:002009-12-01T00:04:00.132-06:00

"How can you creatively celebrate the birthday of someone whose love languages are gifts and words of encouragement?" This is the question I started pondering in late October, and immediately, the idea of a blog tour came to mind. I thought it would be fun to have several friends post something special on their blogs to celebrate this sweet Friend's birthday. And thankfully, I found volunteers

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-75553711444558849952009-12-01T00:01:00.004-06:002009-12-02T22:09:18.403-06:00

"It's not Christmas without The Carpenters," my sister recently proclaimed. And I agree wholeheartedly.I can't think of a single Christmas when we failed to listen to Christmas albums by The Carpenters and Andy Williams, nor is Christmas complete with The Muppets' rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," which includes Miss Piggy's variations on "five golden rings." Over the years, our

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-42495159146867317222009-11-30T00:14:00.004-06:002009-12-02T22:09:48.156-06:00

I've noticed a pattern: blogging comes easier if I have a theme. So over the course of the next few weeks, I plan to share some of my favorite Christmas traditions. Most of these activities and items are free or inexpensive and have been part of my life since my first Christmas. They aren't meant to be a checklist for you to add to your holidays, but maybe they will give you new ideas to try or

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-37962384241271010062009-11-29T20:20:00.003-06:002009-11-29T20:20:00.219-06:00

I don't want to start the Christmas season before taking time to reflect on Thanksgiving 2009. Throughout this holiday, I have been thankful:For the health of my family;For friends who provided transportation to work, to the train station, and from the train station home;For a friend who watched my dog while I was gone;For a job that doesn't require me to work on holidays and provides the money

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-84484321753347454082009-11-15T21:19:00.003-06:002010-10-22T20:24:35.284-05:00

I'm continuing to slowly wade through my reading stack and finally made my way to a book I purchased a couple of years ago entitled Simplify Your Time by Marcia Ramsland. This lady speaks my love language: lists. And she possesses organizational skills that I had never even dreamed of.The book is divided into thirty short chapters, allowing the reader to change one thing each day and hopefully

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-7437870877757180822009-11-08T19:36:00.005-06:002009-11-08T20:15:50.768-06:00

Over the weekend, a friend sent me a link to a blog about a family who adopted two children from Ethiopia in June. In two of her recent posts, here and here, the Mom writes about how her life has changed from being childless to mothering two little ones. Her "new normal" has come with lots of little interruptions in the form of "one-more-big cuddle hug." And she loves it.I had just read those

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-37485361969467204312009-11-03T20:42:00.009-06:002009-11-03T21:21:25.983-06:00

The electric bill arrived in the mail with a note that said I needed to call for a meter reading schedule because they could no longer estimate my electricity usage. I postponed making the call as long as I could because I knew it wouldn't be easy, but I had no idea what I was in for.Call #1 (after following the automated prompts and receiving a live person):Me: Hi, I need a meter reading

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-72998219110902636802009-11-01T18:14:00.005-06:002009-11-01T19:05:39.348-06:00

This is the post that's been rumbling around in my head and my heart for the past couple of weeks. It's the one that I wrote and then was tempted not to post. I kept trying to tell myself that it's not a big deal; it's not worth posting. But really, it is a big deal to me, whether I like it or not. So from that standpoint, I've persuaded myself to go ahead and post what I wrote during my birthday

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-27127568199057899732009-10-14T22:02:00.004-05:002009-10-14T22:19:15.049-05:00

One of my biggest fears played out today, the day before my big 3-5 birthday.When I got ready to leave work, Elevator No. 6 showed up. Because that particular elevator trapped my friend Clarissa in it for 30 minutes on a Friday evening, I refuse to ride it at the end of the work day. So, I got in it, pressed the button that would send it to the bottom floor, and got out before it departed. I

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-11348978243157099602009-10-08T20:00:00.000-05:002009-10-08T20:13:00.813-05:00

I drive under this bridge at least once a day and sometimes twice. Throughout all the torrential rains we've had, I've noticed how it provides a bit of shelter. No matter how hard it is raining, the rain can't penetrate this bridge. So whenever I drive under the bridge, my car gets a little reprieve from the pounding rain.The weather forecast predicts more storms tonight. But maybe thunderstorms

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-61204996777164087302009-10-03T21:01:00.015-05:002010-10-22T20:25:19.643-05:00

Instead of the usual book review, I decided to participate in the writing assignment/challenge issued as part of the blog tour for Mary DeMuth's latest novel A Slow Burn, which is the second book of the Defiance, Texas trilogy. The book released this week and is available on amazon.com here. For a list of other participants in the blog tour, check out this link. I received my copy for free as

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-64736878868716455712009-09-28T00:40:00.001-05:002009-09-28T20:21:34.469-05:00

When a church sets as one of its core values to honor God through the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of its ministry, watch for amazing things to happen. Like having 168 church members work for four months to produce and present a Broadway-caliber performance and to then give out tickets for free.I witnessed this firsthand over the weekend as I sat in the audience for Christ Chapel Bible

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-45102995206025687722009-09-22T22:01:00.002-05:002009-09-22T22:16:10.039-05:00

Do you ever have those times when you start to hear the same verse or the same theme talked about over and over during a few days or even weeks? That happens to me often. Most recently, I heard a speaker who wrote a book on the following verse from Joel, "I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten . . . ." (2:25) I can't say I've ever heard that verse discussed, and I

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-31697933040210010532009-09-20T19:02:00.004-05:002009-09-20T19:39:35.892-05:00

The past two weeks have flown by. Many blog-worthy events occurred; I just had no time to write about them. So here's the recap:The day after Labor Day served as our "first day of school" at work - the day when things start afresh with a new fall schedule. My small group kicked off its fall study. And then I attended the sixth annual North Texas Christian Writers' Conference where I caught up

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-47357928077676668562009-09-07T19:49:00.006-05:002009-09-07T20:06:29.551-05:00

Not much laboring going on here.Just sunbathing.Laughing.Birdwatching. And preparing to head back to work tomorrow.

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-18884242423760230162009-08-31T00:07:00.003-05:002009-08-31T00:07:00.509-05:00

Over the past couple of weeks, repairs topped my to-do list:The car needed a new timing belt and water pump and some sort of right steering boot. Two wooden fence posts had rotted and needed to be replaced.Loose boards on the outside of the house needed to be tacked down. The neighbor's trees, which stretched toward my roof and siding, required trimming. Covers on recessed speakers wiggled

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-47203596828165015832009-08-26T19:36:00.006-05:002009-08-26T19:59:17.546-05:00

Last month, I started a new habit. One I absolutely despise but know that it is good for me. One that was born out of a desire to become stronger and maybe even healthier. Before you assume that I probably joined a gym or started running, you should know that I'm not the least bit athletic. I needed to start small. So I chose to start climbing the stairs every afternoon during my break. The

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-27975979796209172672009-08-17T00:10:00.015-05:002009-08-17T00:10:01.001-05:00

A friend once mentioned that the decline of literacy is showing up in, of all places, the jury box. The mark of a good lawyer used to be measured by the compelling story he/she could weave for the jurors. But now, this fast-paced culture has created jurors who crave bullet points because they are used to communicating in 140-character tweets and texts full of abbreviations. For lawyers facing

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-71846051736750578282009-08-11T20:33:00.007-05:002009-08-11T20:40:41.456-05:00

This is my lawn in early July after my lazy watering. This is my lawn now after some good rains. Enough said.

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-35572806222203140172009-08-10T00:21:00.000-05:002009-08-10T00:21:00.716-05:00

"Come with me to the next car on the train," motioned the father to his son.As the son looked through the glass door, watching as the car up ahead bounced and swayed and failed to make a straight path, he shook his head, "No way!""I'd really like you to come with me.""But why?""Because it will be fun.""No, Dad. Please don't make me.""Well, you can stay here. But I'm going to the next car."The

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-41803302955913650502009-08-03T19:56:00.012-05:002009-08-04T21:53:07.136-05:00

I grew up in a town with anywhere from 6,524 to 7,202 people in it, depending on which census numbers you look at. The best thing was that everyone knew everyone. The worst thing was that everyone knew everyone. And between the town grapevine and the scanners, of the radio frequency variety not the copier variety, everyone heard everyone else's business. But I didn't mind; I enjoyed hearing

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-11019704628241794052009-07-30T21:51:00.013-05:002009-07-31T22:18:10.237-05:00

It's not a presidential election year. But that doesn't mean that the year holds fewer decisions to be made. Instead, the decisions tend to be on a personal level rather than at the national level. Or maybe that's just the case for me.The posting here came to a grinding halt almost two weeks ago because an opportunity had arrived in my email's In box. That opportunity surprised me just as much as

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-64627465498767336942009-07-20T00:15:00.015-05:002009-07-30T21:51:38.513-05:00

When I think about where I live, these are the stats that are fun to hear:Fort Worth is the fastest growing large city (pop. 500,000+) in the U.S. with a population increase of 25% between 2000 and 2007.In 2008, Fort Worth’s population passed the 700,000 mark and is projected to reach over one million by 2030.The DFW metroplex is the second fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S. with a

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-90840263029510515722009-07-17T00:15:00.007-05:002009-07-17T00:15:00.437-05:00

Thirty years ago, on July 18, 1979, my status as an only child changed forever. A little seven-pound baby sister named Erin arrived. I quickly decided that I no longer liked my name and changed it to "Karen" in order to rhyme with my sister’s name.My expectations of an immediate playmate were dashed when I realized that she could not write her name at six weeks of age. But Erin more than made up

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-69903418298324911082009-07-16T00:25:00.019-05:002009-07-16T00:25:00.452-05:00

During the two years that I've been blogging, I've often wanted to go back and repost some of the earlier posts or put together a sampling of posts that I think represent what "Bluebonnet in the Snow" is all about. And since I haven't done that before, I thought I'd do that today as part of this week's "Blasts from the Past" series.Let's Start with Semantics (originally posted June 3, 2007)For

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-25997285145690700022009-07-15T00:21:00.010-05:002009-07-15T00:21:00.411-05:00

I wish I was as smart as I was in college. Seriously. When I look back over some of the papers I wrote, I have no idea how I came up with such lofty ideas or how I came up with so many of them for all my different classes.So today's post is a short paper I wrote during my first year of college. This particular paper jumped out at me because I remembered the meditative part of the assignment (

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-86413576743798063662009-07-14T00:15:00.007-05:002009-07-14T00:15:00.126-05:00

When you look back over your past, what do you regret most? The actions you took or the actions you didn't take? Mark Batterson on pp. 115-16 in his book In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day says this:All of us have action regrets, but I think our deepest regrets are missed opportunities. Action regrets taste bad, but inaction regrets leave a bitter aftertaste that lasts a lifetime. Inaction

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-66134736141923772012009-07-13T00:25:00.004-05:002009-07-13T00:25:00.445-05:00

One of the best parts about having a personal blog is getting to choose the pictures. And by that, I mean choosing the best pictures of myself, so I can put my best "face" forward. So throughout this blog's history, I've purposely chosen not to post pictures in which my eyes are closed or I'm wearing glasses or where my hair is doing strange things. But in honor of my "Blasts from the Past"

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-62858237497029242742009-07-09T06:00:00.002-05:002009-07-09T06:00:00.345-05:00

Collage of 2009 Fireworks Photos by Lee Ann of Moore MemoriesAfter seeing all the fireworks over the weekend, I have this urge to post some "blasts from the past." So be sure to check back next week to find out what I'm talking about. And yes, there will be pictures.

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-59819022865176709892009-07-07T21:01:00.002-05:002009-07-08T22:09:40.091-05:00

"Overachiever" is not a word that I would use to describe my lawn and gardening skills. I despise having to go out in the 101-degree heat at 8 p.m. and water the lawn. So much so that I merely put the sprinkler in the middle of the lawn, turn it on high, and let it go for about 40-50 minutes, depending on how long it has been since I last watered the lawn. And the results are . . . well, not

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-20888455378010587912009-07-05T21:17:00.013-05:002009-07-06T22:52:23.671-05:00

It hurts to watch.That thought went through my mind as I watched the awards presentation following the men's Wimbledon final in which Federer defeated Roddick 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14. If those numbers look weird, that's because they are. It was the longest final in the history of Wimbledon. And it didn't turn out the way I wanted.Andy Roddick had dropped fifteen pounds, had changed his

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-90815418012445716032009-07-04T14:23:00.010-05:002009-07-05T20:56:22.303-05:00

On Friday at noon as I left work, my thoughts raced toward meeting a friend for lunch and spending the weekend watching Wimbledon, gathering with friends for a cookout, and catching a fireworks show. But that was before I saw the motorcycle cop stop in the middle of the crazy four-street intersection, stopping traffic for a funeral procession to pass. Innumerable bikers followed, displaying

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-12131125178091737782009-06-30T21:26:00.006-05:002009-07-01T20:29:55.300-05:00

Worth turning around.Worth going back in to get the camera.Worth waiting for the truck to pass by.Worth taking multiple shots.Worth capturing this real-life painting of sorts.Because it lasted only a few minutes.Because it needed to be seen.Because it reflected peace.Because it made me smile.Because it demonstrated God's artistry.

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-6383474261617017952009-06-28T23:30:00.003-05:002009-06-29T00:05:58.973-05:00

This back fence once lined up perfectly with the side fence. Until the storms came. And then, it started moving down a new course. One that wasn't planned and looks a bit awkward.Looking at this fence, I'm reminded of the plans I had for my life. Plans that I thought lined up perfectly with God's will. My plans didn't include any storms or any derailments. Just a straight line, a "normal"

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-72064055494487878612009-06-25T20:42:00.008-05:002009-06-25T21:29:24.928-05:00

Stephanie and I at a co-worker's wedding reception in AprilToday, we had a luncheon to bid farewell to another one of my co-workers and friends, Stephanie. (For those who are keeping count, this makes two good friends who have left in just a little over a year.) When they opened up the floor for people to speak, only one brave lady did. Everyone else was fighting back tears and didn't want to

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-11949123688901346582009-06-21T16:58:00.008-05:002009-06-22T18:20:03.701-05:00

Here are some words I've been chewing on from some recent books I've read:Because the rewards are quiet, being dependable in common love is not always inviting. The reward of putting rock on rock isn't always visible. Sometimes the work is dirty. We get scraped and bored. We don't always see the wall of grace we're building for the Lord.From p. 87 of Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-15611102941706672342009-06-19T10:09:00.008-05:002009-07-01T20:30:35.431-05:00

Author Shauna Niequist, in one of the essays in her book Cold Tangerines, describes coming across a card with those simple words on it. Don't they make you feel like you are understood? They remind me how blessed I am to have so many friends who "get" me.Last month around the 20th, one of my friends who is also doing the Dave Ramsey envelope system happened to mention how she was ready for the

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-81167565440409884142009-06-07T19:14:00.010-05:002009-06-07T19:40:39.261-05:00

Sitting in a 55-degree windowless conference room for eight hours straight is not my idea of a good time. I'd much rather be at work, but continuing education is a necessary evil. The one highlight--the location of the conference allows me to visit a great city and catch up with friends and family.After arriving, the first order of business was to walk down Congress Avenue,hang a right on 6th

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-6322593152293444852009-06-01T21:06:00.010-05:002009-06-01T21:39:35.542-05:00

Growing up, summer meant lots of time to read. And though I wasn't much of a reader back then, the summer reading program at my local library lured me to read with promises of a certificate and a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. But more than the certificate and pizza, I think it was the competitiveness of reading lots of books over a short period of time that captured my interest.Last

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-86748062337352429892009-05-26T01:34:00.007-05:002009-05-26T01:34:00.611-05:00

"You heal well." At least that's what my dermatologist said as she studied her previous handiwork and scanned for other unfit moles in need of removal.Her comment struck me as unbelievable. I look at my skin and see scars. Those that are brighter than others make me self-conscious, knowing that everyone can see such obvious evidence of imperfection. Take for instance the circular indention on my

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-78821838734186936872009-05-24T18:37:00.008-05:002009-05-24T22:02:38.030-05:00

Unless you attend a piano recital, it's not often that you get to listen to someone playing the piano sans the orchestra accompaniment. And, it's even more rare to get to listen to professional pianists play in the comfort of your own home. But throughout this weekend, I've had that opportunity.The sound of solo piano music streams out of my computer speakers. But it's not just any piano music

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-18249822307575263922009-05-16T17:09:00.000-05:002009-05-16T18:15:08.639-05:00

I just finished reading 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper with Cecil Murphey. It's been on the New York Times Bestseller list for quite a while now, so I don't feel like a review is necessary. However, I do want to highlight two paragraphs both found at the beginning of Ch. 14 (on p. 137 in the paperback edition):Some things happen to us from which we never recover, and they disrupt the

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-26903295464310890842009-05-10T00:22:00.003-05:002009-05-10T15:54:29.523-05:00

For those who've wondered where I get my love for Jesus, my heart for those who are hurting, my desire for justice, my (former) ability to study for hours on end, my handwriting, my need to accessorize, my gift for baking, as well as many other gifts, they all came from my sweet mother who possesses much more of each of those traits and abilities than I, as her offspring, received. She's my

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-53248518476078791182009-05-06T21:25:00.008-05:002009-05-06T22:13:08.058-05:00

It's been three days since I saw The Soloist, and I can't get it off my mind. I'm not sure if that's the mark of a great movie or a guilty conscience. Maybe both.I keep wondering if I had met musical genius Nathaniel Ayers on the street in LA (or my town), what would I have done? Would I have walked on by or would I have befriended him like journalist Steve Lopez?I know the answer, and it's

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-8072488853768637822009-04-29T22:38:00.008-05:002009-05-01T21:02:10.475-05:00

I've been reading Ann Voskamp's blog for a while. Her beautiful writing compels me to. And after reading her post today, I couldn't stop thinking about the question her husband posed back to her in response to some of her questions: "So. Are we doing anything at all in our lives that requires real faith in God?"Does that wash over you the way it did me? Did you look at your day to see if

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-73717814807897007752009-04-26T21:09:00.009-05:002009-04-26T21:53:51.398-05:00

The sign read, "Do you want God's help or God?" Count me convicted. Clearly, God intended for my retreat to start before I even arrived at the camp because that sign appeared early in the drive to Glen Rose. A simple reminder of the retreat's "Unexpected" theme.Once I arrived, the simple reminders of God's presence were everywhere. From the beautiful, bold decorations that welcomed us to the

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-53487052531540097142009-04-16T19:39:00.030-05:002009-04-18T17:15:35.493-05:00

It's hard for me to sum up my Colorado trip. My default mode is always chronological order, detail by detail. But just because it's easy for me to recall things that way doesn't mean that's the best way to read about it.So I tried to think of a theme that would encapsulate the trip, and "unexpected" came to mind. Maybe this word was on my mind because it is the theme for our church's women's

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-26249840227250009852009-04-15T22:00:00.007-05:002009-04-15T23:02:53.859-05:00

Being a survivor of the twenty-nine-hour bus ride to Walt Disney World as a teenager, I decided it was high time for another bus adventure. This time, a mere fifteen-hour trip to Colorado Springs for Easter would have to do.During the first leg of the trip from Cowtown to Amarillo, I sat next to a guy who was heading to Amarillo to pick up a semi, so he slept most of the way. That gave me plenty

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-43822542141011077332009-04-14T21:18:00.009-05:002009-04-14T21:25:48.986-05:00

Before I recap the bus trip I took during my time off, I feel it's necessary to set the stage. So here's a piece I wrote a while back for my writer's group: Greyhound Goes to Disney World.All teenagers go through phases, and during the summer of 1988, I happened to be going through my no-flying phase; I refused to fly on airplanes because of a bad flight I had endured on a previous

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-15488824048862359552009-04-06T20:25:00.003-05:002009-04-06T20:35:46.363-05:00

This evening, as I sat down to write what I wanted to write, I sensed a nudge urging me to take a break from blogging and to focus some time reflecting on the events of holy week. So have a wonderful Easter, and I'll see you back in the blogosphere next week.

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-41026225440131707402009-04-02T21:38:00.012-05:002010-10-22T20:28:20.563-05:00

A box labeled "Cards Worth Saving" sits on my shelf. A folder of emails entitled "Worth Keeping" overwhelms my email storage space. Why? Because good words are worth reading again and again.Ace Collins knows this well. He's the author of the new book Sticks and Stones: Using Your Words as a Positive Force.I greatly appreciated the practical examples in the book of what to say when you don't feel

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-65130709736858489782009-03-29T23:30:00.009-05:002009-03-30T00:08:26.700-05:00

Yesterday, I viewed The Kimbell's new exhibit Love & Art in Renaissance Italy. It wasn't the typical exhibit with just paintings. Instead, the collection included works of art that were given to commemorate special life events. Rather than landscape paintings, the collection opened with portraits of different brides and grooms. In addition to the portraits, other objects of art, like wedding

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2147620611517649093.post-82454004162098231762009-03-24T19:28:00.006-05:002009-03-25T18:56:56.156-05:00

Let me preface this post by stating that I am not a Metallica fan, but this article about a stunt that they pulled intrigues me as a music lover and a writer. In a nutshell, Metallica showed up at the South By Southwest Music Festival in Austin last week to play at Stubb's BBQ under the guise that they were "a young band from Norway" that was trying to get a record deal, just like all the other

Alyssahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17324510248543290901noreply@blogger.com3