Why I think Xanga is for losers.

Two posts in the same afternoon? Scandalous!

I can't help it if I'm bored to death. It doesn't appear my boss is in the office today so I haven't had anything to work on. People still haven't realized that they can get their reports a whole lot faster if they'd just freaking send them to me.

I'm going to now write a journal entry about marriage. Grossed out single people may want to abstain.

I'm very excited about getting married. I've never been married before. I'm excited about not sleeping alone anymore. I've slept alone most of my life, minus the times I've spent the night with friends and other such exceptions. It'll be good to share a bed. (For awhile anyway. But we're not talking about that.) I'm also looking forward to sharing things. When you live with roommates, things are "shared" but they are still very much private property. Everyone knows which dishes are "yours" and who bought the last tub of butter. (It'll be my turn next.) I can't wait to own things together. Everything we have will be "ours". There will be no need to keep things separate because there will be no moving out in the future. I can't wait to go shopping together for "our" things.

I can't wait to have guests over to "our" house. I can't wait to get the guest room all cleaned up with fresh flowers in a vase. I can't wait for people to see our house. I can't wait to invite people over for meals and make delicious courses.

I can't wait to make "our" friends. We've already made a couple which is incredibly exciting. (They are bodacious.) I can't wait to make more.

Ooh and kids! Imagine--"our" kids!!! Now I've never had kids that were "my" kids so the "our" doesn't seem as novel here, but the idea of having kids is! I can't wait to experience the blessing of kids... I can't wait til the moment I find out I'm pregnant, that there is a child growing inside me. The idea just gives me chills!

I can't wait til the wedding. In particular, I can't wait to take communion with him at the alter. I get tears in my eyes when I think of the beauty of remembering Christ's death with my husband.

Most of all, I can't wait to just be with Scott. By the time we are married, we will have only spent approximately 8-9 weeks together. 10 if you count the week we weren't "dating" but liked each other. It will be incomparably delightful to finally be together. I can't wait to come home every day to Scott, or have him come home to me. I can't wait to go to parties with him, to go on trips with him, to stay at home and watch movies with him, to watch storms with him. Nothing will be more precious than the quiet times with him when we don't have to talk or think or explain anything. Nothing.

The end.

Things That Make April the Best Month This Year:

1. My birthday
2. The completion of my Honors Thesis
3. Classes end for the Spring semester
4. I can finally consider myself a college graduate
5. Wedding dress shopping
6. Easter
7. Teeth cleaning at dentist (I love that.)

Things That Make This Week Suck:

1. Four tests (with one down)
2. Pressure pressure pressure! (Regarding thesis due next week)
3. First time in 22 years I will not celebrate my birthday with a party. But it's my choice. I'm too busy.
4. Loud Girl plus new Semi-Loud Girl. Semi-Loud Girl is less annoying than Loud Girl, but still loud.
5. No Scott

Inspirational Desk Calendar Quote of the Day:
"I am ready to meet God face to face tonight and look into those eyes of infinite holiness, for all my sins are covered by the atoning blood." -R. A. Torrey

The Paper Hearts

Ok so granted, I've been a little out of the loop lately with the Fayetteville music scene. I haven't been to JR's for a show in many months. But how was I so out of it that I didn't know The Paper Hearts had reunited?? And not only are they reunited, they've BEEN reunited for some time now (with a new drummer) and have just released an EP! I must say, I'm thrilled; afterall, The Paper Hearts were certainly among my favorite bands ever. But it's just so weird. I mean, isn't Aaron living in Kansas or Missouri or some place? When did Todd leave Lucero? Andrew's playing with Aqueduct now. My, how things change.

Cake!

I went to a cake decorating class today. It was so fun! This is my first wedding cake:



Close up that's...



A few of the other cakes were fantastic, too. Here's a few.





We're all well on our way to becoming pros.

I'm on my way to a "cocktail party" of sorts. I feel absolutely ridiculous. Strapless dresses aren't designed for the bosom-impaired. And too much make-up looks silly on girls who don't usually shower.

Oobladee Oobladah Life Goes On- OH! La La La La Life Goes On...

I couldn't resist? Is that an excuse?

But it is true. Life goes on. It's not fair that I can't be with my fiancé while we're engaged, but it's also not fair that people break up or people have to wait to get married. For all of us, life goes on. And God's got it all figured out for all of us. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

So here I am back at school, trying to finish up my degree, working again, living with roommates, carrying a sack lunch, while Scott goes back to work, back to looking for a job, a flat, a computer...

But I'm eating strawberries. I've got leftover lasagna in the fridge. I got paid today. I'm wearing a diamond ring. Life isn't so bad.

Do our losses really outweigh the goods? Sometimes we begin to think so.

I had to eat my cereal with a measuring spoon this morning because there were no spoons....

Albeit I should be getting ready for school and reading up for this class, but I'm going to begin the photo-journal of my Spring Break instead.

(Is albeit an appropriate word in that context?)

Ahem.

Engagement
getting engaged
discussing the wedding
our attempt at engagement pictures

Family
Mum & Dad; Kate, Scott, Mum
Pete; Scott & Lori

Friends
Graeme; Stevie & Lewi; Jonathan
Sarah; Sean


Technically this was no journal but you get the picture. We had a magnificent time. For full size pictures click here. The end.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I'm home again. I admit I do love my big comfy bed, but it doesn't make up for not having Scott with me. This being away from Scott business is ridiculous. I miss him so much.

Now, in a few days I'm going to post some pictures of my journey across the sea to be engaged, but for now I will try to satiate you all with a picture of...

The Ring.




Scott is the best man in the entire world.

Virginity. I'll be glad to be rid of it.

Scotland the Brave

I bought Scott an engagement ring today for £8 but it was too small. It was cool, too, the design looked like braille. I don't like the idea of girls looking at Scott's left hand to see if he's elligible so I wanted to ring him. When the ring didn't fit, I was heart broken. So I bought him another less cool one for £3 and it bends in all the wrong places but at least it fits. Girls, back off.

I also bought him a bouquet of carnations. They were only £1.

Tomorrow we've got a super day planned. We're going to catch the half nine train to Glasgow Central and do some shopping. For my birthday present. And Scott wants some new socks. Then we're catching another train down to Edinburgh around noon or so and there we'll buy Amanda her toe ring she's been wanting and do some other little bits of wandering around. At around 2 we will meet up with Jonathan and Sarah, our new friends to hang out for the evening. Last I heard, we're going to a museum and then back to theirs for dinner and fuzzy navels. That may have changed but regardless, it'll be fun. We like them lots. Jonathan knows lots about theology (because that's what he studies) so I get to learn a lot about theology. I already learned about dispensationalism, pre-millennialism, pre-tribulation rapturism, amillennialism, universalism, and much much more. Hurray!

I'm having a glorious time. In fact, I'm not coming home. We're on our way to Gretna Green today to elope. Sorry, roommates, I don't know what to tell you about the rent. You can just send me my stuff if you don't mind. See you at Christmas!

Love, Lori

Scott is Singing in the Shower

I'm still here in Scotland at my fiancé's house. He's singing in the shower, and I'm blogging.

It's been a great trip so far. Last night we walked downtown and got chicken pakora and a naan bread to take home. Scott said it was okay to burn our trash in the fireplace when we were done so he tossed the Irn Bru bottles in the fire one at a time and watched them burn. Then he threw in the naan bread wrapper and the napkins. He asked me if we should burn the cups of sauce. Sure, I said, it'll probably burn high because of all the spices. So we topped the cups and put them in the box and threw the box on. Instead of the sauce burning, the Styrofoam burnt up (sorry, environmentalists, that's probably bad, huh?) and the sauce leaked out all over the hearth. Oops. Scott tried to scoop it up with the shovel thing but it was too fat to get in the small space. So we got out the poker and started poking it up when his dad called to say he'd be there in about five. Oh no! We poked the sauce that was now bubbling away from the fire and scooped it up, threw it on the coals, then Scott covered the stain with ashes and I washed off the tools. Just in time.

After the dinner ordeal, we went to the Alpha course which is a very basic Bible study for addicts at the church. I just love the work this church does with addicts. The topics are very basic--last night was on how the Bible is God's inspired words. They watched a video then discussed it with questions. The questions were very relevant. They asked things like, "What kind of problems do you find with the Bible that makes you question whether it is really God's inspired words?" and "Do you find delight when you read the Bible?" I just loved hearing all the people talk up. Most of what the majority of them said made no sense but showed that their hearts were eager to learn. Many of them vied for attention and approval and some merely wanted to engage. My heart was touched. It renewed my excitement about getting involved with Teen Challenge. I can't wait to be here now, so I can give of myself and my time to sharing God's love and Jesus' life with people who are simply hopeless.

I also can't wait to be married to Scott. That's the other big excitement. He's a babe.

By the way...

To read about me and Scott (and Jonathan and Sarah)'s excellent day yesterday, simply click here.

On the Subject of Submission

When I get married I will be joining Scott's church where women must wear head coverings. I am fine with this.

My birthday is in a few weeks so I've talked Scott into buying my present for me while I'm here.

I've asked him to buy me a hat.

My first birthday present from my future husband will be a symbol of submission. Aren't we romantic?

Safely here!

Hello all my adoring fans.

I am typing to you with much difficulty on a Scottish keyboard. Safely at Scott's house.

To make a long miserable story short, I finally got to Scotland after several delays (one in Chicago that lasted an hour due to winds and "restricted materials" on the aircraft sans proper paperwork causing me to miss my connection in London and then my standby flight was also delayed over an hour...)

But then the good stuff happened and I got ringed by the handsomest man in the world. He was very sweet and cute and got all nervous and I loved it and I love my ring. I love him.

Today we met up with Jonathan and Sarah who are Americans habitating in the land of the Scots. They are super duper folks and we like them a lot. We spent the afternoon restaurant hopping--we stopped in and sat down at 7 restaraunts before deciding what we wanted to eat and got grunted at by an angry Italian restaurante owner-- and then we went back to theirs for a cup of tea and theology. Yippee!

That is all for now. I will post some pics soon. After I take some.

Tomorrow's the big day.

Before I go on, I just realized something. Just yesterday I was thinking about how a contraction alone never stands as the only verb in a sentence. But I don't know what I was thinking. Of course it can. "Tomorrow's the big day." "She's ten." "I've a headache." "You're crazy." Must've had some kind of block. I was thinking you couldn't say things like "You've to be there" instead of "You have to be there."

Tomorrow I fly out to see my honey. Jen is picking me up at 8:15 to take me to the airport. Then about twenty hours later I'll be in the arms of the sweetest, handsomest, wonderfullest man in the world. We'll be together for eleven days. I'm ecstatic! (Again... Contraction.)

I love him.

Loud Girl drew attention to my fashion statement.

I don't know but I'm hoping to pull off a fashion trend today... I'm not sure I'm cool enough...

Wish me luck.

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." -John 8:32

I had a dream last night that I was explaining to some of my friends why I believe the Calvinist perspective is Biblical. I was pointing out verses when one of them said they felt this doctrine to be really upsetting and binding to them spiritually. In my dream I responded that I knew how they felt, that it often upsets me too and makes me feel restricted. Then I said "But I know that the truth will set you free. It may be a year from now that I am actually able to feel freedom in this regard, but the truth WILL set me free."

I woke up and remembered something Jonathan Edwards said in his Personal Narrative:

"It used to appear like a horrible doctrine to me. . . But I have often, since that first conviction, had quite another kind of sense of God's sovereignty than I had then. . . The doctrine has very often appeared exceeding pleasant, bright, and sweet. . . But my first conviction was not so."


Thought for the day:
I'll be seeing Billy Blanks in Heaven.

Confused

Why does that one worship song called "Hungry" or something say "We lift our holy hands up"?

My hands are far from holy. Filthy is much more like it.

I like friends.

I don't have many of them, but I sure thank God for the one or two I have.

Friends are great. I like staying up late talking to them about funny stuff, serious stuff, and in-the-middle stuff.

My best friend and I discovered last night that all the problems we've ever had were linked to food. That's a good friend.

You Don't Know What Ya Got Til It's Gone

-to quote an old country song.

This year I'm going savor and celebrate every season that comes. I'm going to spend much of the spring outside. I'm going to relish the hot summer. I'm gonna play in the fall leaves. I'm gonna pray for snow.

I'm going to grow daffodils in a pot.

This is my last Arkansas year. Within the past few years I've come to realize how much I love Arkansas. I complain about the hot summers that draw out the sweat from your face the moment you step out of doors. I stay inside a lot doing indoor things. I rarely hike or walk or bike around these parts. But this year, I'm going to.

Because next year, I won't be here. Next year I won't have a beautiful spring where the air is just perfect and skirts blow around your bare legs in the wind and birds wake you up in the morning. Next year I won't have a three month long heat spell--and the little heat I do get will be sans air conditioner. I don't know if daffodils grow along the roads in Scotland.

Even if they do, it won't be like here. It won't be an Arkansas year. Arkansas will be a memory, no more than "A small state to the east of Texas." No one will know where I'm from. No one will know how beautiful Arkansas is in the Spring. It will only be a memory for me. Arkansas will be replaced with a different kind of beauty, that of the greenness of Scotland, the crispness, the freshness.

So this year I'm going to celebrate Arkansas, as every season here will be the last of its kind for me.

Broken Link

I just realized my Disposable Art Crimez link on my sidebar has not been working. It is fixed now. Please give it a look when you've got good time on your hands. Preferable for times spent trying not to work.

Glasgow Hipsters

When I move to Scotland, I'm going to become a hipster and start hanging out in Glasgow at all the hipster cafes and pubs with people like Stu Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian. I'm going to get a job somewhere that books bands to get in on all the cool happenings in Scotland, and then I'll start going to parties with famous Scottish hipsters. And I'll bring my drooling husband along with me, and he'll hide behind me, holding on to the hem of my ultra-cool top, and ask me to introduce him to everyone.

I could live like a hipster and still feel good about myself. Scarves and neck ribbons, here I come.

I was reading some old posts of mine when I found this quote.

"The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. We must not select a few favourite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian."- A.W. Tozer

It's still true.

Love Me Tender

I'm eating toast & jam and drinking milk out of my Elvis "Love Me Tender" glass, thinking about how wonderful Scott is. You know a man loves you when you can call him at 4:45 in the morning because you're scared you're making a mistake, and he will lovingly comfort you for thirty minutes without making a groggy, just-out-of-bed voice.

I'm not making a mistake.

Loud Girl is back.

This.

On a lighter note,

Things I Must Exchange When I Move to Britain
1. Old Navy for H&M
2. Fast acceleration for great gas mileage
3. Thai food for Indian
4. Tank tops for sweaters. (Excepting two weeks in July)
5. Tumble dryers for clotheslines
6. Target for IKEA
7. Singlehood for marriage.

The word marriage makes me think of a diaper. Something about the onomatopoeia of the noun.

I love my future husband.

Back to the Basement

Just when I think I could get used to the basement...

I share the basement with student callers. They are the way-too-happy kids who call your parents and try to get them to give money to the University. These callers aren't supposed to come in until 5:30. But apparently, they like to take the free reign to come in all throughout the day when they have a break during class or whatever. So today, starting at like 2, I've had to listen to five or six chipper voices repeating the same pitch to caller after caller. It wasn't too bad until Loud Girl came in. Loud Girl is right next to my desk and doesn't realize she doesn't have to shout into the phone for the listener to hear. She is SO LOUD.
"Hi is this Mr. [Blank]? This is Courtney and I am a student at the University...!" Of course her name is Courtney. She does all these ridiculous laughs when you know the person on the phone didn't make a joke. She makes comments like "It's too nice outside to be inside! Hahahaahaha, thanks, sir, have a great day!"

I have an elephant sized headache.

Make these people go home. "Yes, I'm wondering if Mr. [Blank] is available?? Hi, my name is Courtney and I am a student at the University...!"