I took piano lessons for a long time. I didn’t think I was very good, so I essentially gave up. 

Today, I had coffee with my piano teacher. She said I was good. That I was one of her best students back then. Funny how, in middle school, my perception of that situation was entirely different than the reality. 

Now, I’ll still argue that I wasn’t very good. I’m not very diligent and didn’t practice nearly as much as I should have. But, I suppose, I had potential. I could have been decent. If I would have realized my ability, maybe I would have tried harder. 

This is a silly thing really [but, I was really pretty excited about it today--I woke a couple friends up to tell them this morning...]. But, it makes me wonder what there is in my life now that I’m perceiving completely different than reality. 

Have you had anything in your life like this [or, am I the only crazy one...]? 

Somehow, even when I read Scripture with the intention of application, I still tend to be surprised when situations come up that test how well I’ve absorb what I’ve learned.

Case in point.

I was reading through the first few chapters of Nehemiah the other day. God calls Nehemiah to work to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. As opposition came to him, Nehemiah’s first response is prayer. Then his naysayers come to him numerous times and he stuck to what he knew he needed to do. So much of this is because of how he covered his life and work in prayer.

So often prayer is not my first response.

So today I ponder this: What does it look like for me to live a more prayerful life? One where my first response, not my last, is prayer? Where I pray before situations where I know I am weak, rather than relay on desperate prayers in the moment?

done .//

I’ve been in the States a few weeks. There are certain thing that I missed over the last year and then got home and wasn’t in a huge hurry to indulge in (like Starbucks, I still haven’t had any). But, there are some things that I forgot how much I missed. Here’s a short list in no particular order…

• Tijuana Flats
• Chipoltle
• Moe’s  (I’m sensing a pattern…)
• Dr. Pepper
• Thrift Stores & clearance racks

I drove from Iowa to Florida this week. I feel like I’m finally recovering, it was a little rough…but, all things considered the trip went really well. We arrived almost exactly 24 hours after we left. 1500 miles in 24 hours…not too shabby!

My best friend will be South Africa bound in 2 weeks. You know when you’re at the airport waiting for someone, and you see people making fools of themselves as their loved ones walk through the gate. 

That will be me. 

done.//

There is a guest here from Michigan this week. BUT, he grew up in Iowa. When I found this out yesterday I was a) not surprised [there is something about him that made me think that immediately after meeting him] and b) excited. Maybe because he reminds me a little of home…

Tonight’s dinner conversation revolved around 4-H, FFA [and no, I never really wanted to be a future farmer of America--it was more out of a favor to my ag tech teacher, okay, that doesn't sound any better...] and the increased cost of farming equipment. And I loved it! 

Granted, I think I got my fix tonight. I’m okay if I don’t talk about the price of soybeans and corn for awhile. But, I did enjoy it..

done. //

I went to get my hair done on Thursday. In creepy alley. [I have no idea what the place is actually called, but it's in this kind of creepy alley, hence our name for it.]

I went to get my hair highlighted. [It still amazes me that it costs the same as a haircut in Orlando...].

So, I’m sitting under the hairdryer and I figured to make the most use of my time, I would knit. Yes, I was sitting under a hairdryer at a salon, knitting. What does it mean when a woman 3x my age comes up and compliments me on my “lovely scarf”? Apparantly, I skipped my mid-twenties and went straight to my mid-eighties.

[as a side note, I'm almost half-way done, despite a few missed stitches--hey, they'll just give it character, right?]

Living in Florida, I became a fan of the National Hurricane Center website. Now, even 8000 miles way, I’m following tropical storm Fay…

Here’s the link. Beware, it’s addicting!

A couple of weeks ago I bought a bunch of my favorite South African cookies and candy to send home.

I haven’t been the post office yet.

I keep eating out of the stash that is supposed to be headed to the states.

Between last night and this morning, I ate a whole package of lemon cremes.

A few chocolate bars are gone too. Urgh. No self control! [In my defense that includes the expresso/dark chocolate ones...]

Shame. I guess I’ll restock this week and then send it off…

I love pickled beets.

Maybe it’s because they remind me of holidays or Grandma Fluff, but I’m slightly obsessed.

I nearly jumped for joy when I found them at Super Spar in Qwa Qwa today. [I assume they are at the not-so-super Harrismith Spar too, I just haven't looked].

When you love something, especially food, you generally want everyone else’s taste buds to experience the goodness. So, I tried to share. My friend Shannon thought they tasted like dirt and Katie couldn’t decide whether she couldn’t stand them or could merely tolerate them. Jace wouldn’t even try them, not even for R10 from Marc.

None of this can take way my excitement.

[i have no idea who this woman is, but this is what came up when I searched google images for "pickled beets". It made me laugh out loud, hopefully it brings you the same joy!--It kind of makes me wonder if this is what I'll look like someday as I show off my expert beet pickling skills...]

Last night I had a conversation about how I really miss watching Dog the Bounty Hunter.

done.//