Java with Jennifer Journal

October 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

 

 "What I really want from music--that it be cheerful and profound like an afternoon in October. "(Friedrich Nietzsche)
 
The CD I've enjoyed this month is both cheerful and profound.  It's by Carl Hergessel.   He's a gifted piano player who has accompanied Kenny Loggins for many years.  I first met him at an event with Kathy Troccoli, for he is also her amazing piano player.  His CD is called At the Piano. It's a calming collection of solo piano pieces-all relaxing, tender and peaceful.    If October had a soundtrack, this would be it.  I start my day with coffee and Carl, then I keep him playing all day and drift off to sleep to his mellow tones!  You must give this CD a taste test.  I think you will get the same impression I have...peace.  You may not turn it off either!
 
Carl's CD has been a nice soundtrack to accompany a great book this month.  It's by my friend Lysa TerKeurst called Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl.  I love her realism, honesty and straightforwardness. The book is a narrative of her life as she dismisses plastic Christian answers and shares her most personal experiences in wrestling with faith.  Here's a taste of what I mean (from page 139): "I don't know how to say this, so I'll just shoot straight. Sometimes God hurts my feelings.... I don't mean this in an irreverent way...but tiptoeing around my gut reactions and pretending to be just fine-fine-fine with everything that comes my way doesn't pave an authentic connection between my heart and God's."  In the book, what she really asks is, "Does Jesus really work?"  She answers that question with a resounding "Yes!"  Reading the book makes you feel like you're having coffee with a friend.
 
Speaking of friends...My friend Kathryn went to Chicago this month and brought back some interesting chocolate.  It came from Vosges Haut-Chocolat.  I tried several, like Red Fire Spicy Chocolate Caramel Toffee (infused with chilies and cinnamon, drenched in dark chocolate).  And I also tried a bite of Mo's Bacon Bar.  It was a piece of applewood smoked bacon covered in 62% dark chocolate.  Both were interesting, but just a little too confusing and challenging for my taste buds!  My very favorite, though, is the Creole Exotic Candy Bar. It's espresso, cocoa nibs with chicory and 70% dark chocolate. I still have half the bar in my purse for those moments I need just a little zing and zest!
 
The highlight of October for our family was traveling down to Waco, Texas to visit Clayton at Baylor University for their 100th Homecoming.  We enjoyed the parade which featured his fraternity's winning float (I'm not proud or anything!), and we loved watching the "Pigskin Classic," where selected sororities and fraternities presented the most entertaining, professional Broadway-like musical numbers.  Clayton even danced and sang!  That's my boy!  And he didn't even need a "Creole bar" to rev him up!
 
So, give these things a taste test:
 
1. Carl Hergessel's CD, At the Piano
2. Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst
3. Vosges Haut-Chocolat Creole Exotic Candy Bar
4. Check out Baylor University...Go Bears!!

September 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

 

 "Yo, Jenn!" That's what I heard as I walked into the auditorium for the Charleston, West Virginia Fresh Grounded Faith event.  If you can imagine hearing those words called out by a deep, resonant voice with a distinctive New York accent, you would have known it was...Kathy Troccoli!  KT and I loved being with the fabulous women in West Virginia and I've loved listening to Kathy's new CD she gave me. It's called Hope's Alive.  She co-produced it with her longtime piano player, Carl Herrgesell.  It includes her signature ballads, as well as fun remakes such as "How Sweet It Is" and "Put a Little Love in Your Heart."  All I know is it keeps me moving on my elliptical (when I get on it, that is!)
 
Fall wouldn't be fall without college football!  We went to the Georgia/Arkansas game on the 19th in Fayetteville and it was a blast!  Part of the fun was getting to stay on the sidelines for the whole game.  My friend Katharyn is married to Coach Mark Richt of the Georgia Bulldogs, and she just happens to be the "water girl" for the team!  So, while she served water to the players, I hung out and listened to pads crunching and breathed in mentholated man sweat! She was the best color commentator/cheerleader in that stadium! (And, Georgia won...Go Dogs!)
 
On the drive home from Arkansas, I listened to The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis.  Of all Lewis' books, his Narnia series has been my least favorite...until now!  I love The Silver Chair.  It's the fourth in the Narnia series. It's a delightful and captivating tale of talking wise owls, deviant giants who snack on humans (and carefully cooked marsh-wiggles) and a prince who is put under an evil spell.  Don't let the fairytale nature of the narrative make you think it's kid's stuff-this had grown-up symbolism and word craft that kept me totally enthralled!
 
Our last event of September was in Tulsa.   The excellent and endearing Michael O'Brien and I were privileged to join those wonderful women of Oklahoma for Fresh Grounded Faith.  It was a special event for me...very tender.  I got to see some of my favorite people there, like Marcy Priest (a fabulous singer/songwriter) and my dear friend Genia, whom you sweet Java friends have prayed for.  She quipped that before she lost her hair to chemo it was dark brown.  After chemo, it came back in stark white!  She is beautiful and crowned with wisdom.
 
Prior to arriving for FGF, I spoke at the 22nd Annual Celebration of Hope Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary Luncheon held at Coles Garden.  And would you believe this?  A woman handed me her book to sign after I spoke, and when I asked her name, she said, "Anita Bryant."  Of course, I asked, "The real one?"   She said yes, I screamed, she laughed, and I hugged her and told her how much I have admired her over the years!  (For my younger Java friends, Anita is a singer and social activist.  She had four Top 40 hits in the late '50s and early '60s-including "Paper Roses," which reached #5 on the charts.)   After security pulled me away (just kidding), I left the luncheon with a lovely reminder of how the path upon which I walk as a woman with a public ministry was carved by women like Anita Bryant.  I am deeply grateful for her steadfastness and the dedication of women like her who have inspired me.  It makes me want to be one of those women for those who are coming behind me.  Don't you?
  
 In the words of George Bernard Shaw, "Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it onto future generations."  So girls, let's keep shining!
 
Give these things a Taste Test:
 
1.  Kathy Troccoli's great new CD, Hope's Alive
2.  Check out Mark and Katharyn Richt's inspiring story.
3. The Silver Chair By C.S. Lewis
4. Marcy Priest music--It's inspiring and impressive.

August 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

 

Helen Hunt Jackson once penned," September days are here, with summer's best of weather and autumn's best of cheer."  Well, I guess I've had it easy--I've had the best of weather and the best of cheer in August-before September has even arrived!
 
The month began in Charlotte, NC with my dear friend Lysa TerKeurst.  I got to be a part of "She Speaks," a great conference for speakers and writers sponsored by Proverbs 31 Ministries. I met so many incredible women and one was actually a beauty queen!  One of the perks of speaking there was wearing Mrs. North Carolina's sash!  (At least for the time it took to smile for a picture!)   
 
I also had a fun surprise when I met one of my Twitter buddies this month when we went to Knoxville!  Her name is Amanda but I know her best as @ammarkham.  We were in Knoxville for our Fresh Grounded Faith conference.  What a fantastic time!  Anita Renfroe made us roar with laughter.  She also encouraged us to rest with a thoughtful line in one of the songs she wrote when she sang," Dangle your feet off the edge of nowhere." I love that.  What a great picture of resting. Lysa TerKeurst told her story to the women in Knoxville and blew them away with her honesty and humor.  I love how she comforted and challenged the women--and me!  Michael O'Brien sang God's love over the ladies, and as usual, he was quite a big hit!  Any man who writes and sings songs about coffee is a true brew brother!  (He's also a Twitter buddy!)
 
This month, I'm reading The Blithedale Romance by written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1879. One of my all time favorite authors, Henry James, called it "the lightest, the brightest, the liveliest" of Hawthorne's "unhumorous fictions."  The basic setting is a communal farm called Blithedale, where four very unique people become a family group with all things in common.  Things start to erode because of the selfish behavior of some of the characters, and unfortunately end in tragedy.   What is capturing me, as usual, is Hawthorne's ability to create such convincing, endearing and curious characters.  The Blithedale Romance is a work of fiction based on Hawthorne's recollections of the six months he spent living at Brook Farm in 1841.  In the novel's preface, he describes his time there as "essentially a daydream, and yet a fact" which he uses as "an available foothold between fiction and reality." Knowing this, it's fun and intriguing to imagine Hawthorne as the actual narrator of this fascinating story.
 
Some of my best reading, though, comes in the form of 140 characters or less.  You guessed it--Twitter!  Seriously, if you don't use it yet, you should give it a taste test.  It's a fun way to stay connected and learn about people, life and God.  In fact, I copied just a few of my favorite tweets from the past month below for you to read.  These are just a few of the fab tweeters I follow:
 
SHOUTING at my keyboard, in a good way: "I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love." Psalm 59:16
@LizCurtisHiggs
 
Fear shields itself in excuses. @PatsyClairmont
 
I just woke up from an accidental nap on the sidelines of my son's football practice. I'm sure he wasn't embarrassed by that AT ALL. @cottrelltravis
 
I would love to count how many times in a day one of my family says, "Can I Twitter that?"  If you need to ask, the answer is probably "no."
@LisaWhelchel
 
God does ten thousand things in every deed.  Perhaps we know a dozen.  Maybe two.  But not enough to judge before he's through.
@Johnpiper
 
Happy is the girl who can express herself in 140 characters or less! Her husband can follow without distraction!
@jennrothschild
 
So, here's my last thought for you today, and I'll write it as a prayer tweet: Dear God, bless my sisters today as they follow You.  Give them clear thoughts and wise hearts.  May their faith be fresh and grounded.
 
 
Give these things a taste test:
1. Join Twitter! Come on, it's easy, free and fun.
2. Fresh Grounded Faith Conference--or a spiritual enrichment event for you and your girlfriends. We all need it.
3. Check out Anita Renfroe, Michael O'Brien and Lysa TerKeurst.
4. The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne

July 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

 

July arrived on the crescendo of a girls' trip with my friends Katharyn and Lori, who are both from Georgia.  We went to the St. Louis Women of Faith conference together.  Like true blue friends, they sought to make me laugh and relax by dressing up to meet my Women of Faith pals.  When we arrived at the hotel, they insisted on changing clothes so they could "make a good impression" when they walked me to see Lisa Welchel.  "Unnecessary," I thought, "but thoughtful."  So, I waited as they hurriedly opened their bags and changed clothes.  They kept giggling and I wondered what they were up to.  Finally I asked, and they couldn't contain their secret.  "For the girls' trip this year, we shopped at Goodwill for our outfits. We wanted to make an, uh, impression!"  I began to inspect, and laughed so hard I cried.  Lori had on homely, worn-out oversized overalls with a tight silk shirt and gaudy dangling earrings.  Katharyn had on tawdry tight overalls complete with silk shirt, go-go belt and high heels.  They put on their bright red lipstick and walked me to Lisa's room.  One looked like a pitiful hillbilly just off the funny farm, and the other like a mentally unstable fashion model has-been!  On the way, we ran into Marilyn Meberg, who, after my inability to keep a straight face, said, "Well, I thought they were dressed quite interestingly!"

We got to Lisa's room and in her attempt to be gracious, she seemingly ignored the appearance of my tacky pair of friends until again, I laughed.  Her response, "What good friends who would dress that awful just to make you laugh!"  So, that's how it began, and then the whole weekend was full of reunions with Women of Faith friends and laughter, tears and chocolate--who could ask for more?
 
As soon as Women of Faith ended, I left with my family to go to Cocoa Beach for a week on the Florida shore.  My brothers and their families were there, too, and the best surprise was when my parents showed up!  My dad's treatments had been suspended for two weeks and he was feeling well enough to be with us.  That was the best part of the trip.  I will always treasure sitting under the beach umbrella with him as he shared an outline for a sermon he was writing about Noah.  It reminded me of the speaking and teaching training I've received from him my whole life, and how blessed I am to have him as a dad and mentor.

The other unforgettable event was my mom, who is 67, doing the splits. Yes, you read that right; she did the splits on the shoreline! She's amazing!  Oh, I hope I'm like her in spirit (and body) when I'm her age!
 
On the beach, I sipped peach iced tea everyday that I brewed in an enamel tea kettle.   I enjoyed it so much, I've done it everyday since we've been home.  It reminds me of a lovely time and it tastes excellent with Askinosie Chocolate.  I received a bar of 70 percent Ecuadorian dark chocolate as a gift at my surprise birthday party.   I was born on December 19th, but 2 years ago I told my family and friends I wanted to no longer celebrate in December--the busiest, most stressful time of the year!  You can see my birthday change announcement here.  The funny thing is we called it my "half birthday," but being quite math deficient, I didn't realize June would have really been 6 months early!  Oh well, I still got chocolate. 
 

The chocolate is from a chocolatier here in Springfield, whose story I love.  The chocolate is one of the finest I've tasted and you must read how it came to be.  Check out "Our Story" at their website.
 
No new books this month to tell you about!  Sir Francis Bacon once wrote, "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested."   And so, I'm slowly digesting The Narnian, savoring for a second time Persuasion, and just beginning to taste How to Read a Book by M. Adler. 
 
My friend...peach tea, good books and fun traveling are all even better with friends and family.  So, enjoy all this summer!
 
Give these things a taste test:
1.  Women of Faith Conference near you
2.  Peach tea
3.  Cocoa Beach
4.  Askinosie Chocolate
5.  Read a great book this summer!  It can become like a friend or family if you fall in love with it.

June 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

 

If the rest of the summer flies by as quickly as June, we will be shopping for school supplies next week!  Is your June speeding by, too?  This month Phil and I hit the road to Nashville to finally record my vocals for the new CD.  After driving 8 hours while listening to a few CD's and some fuzzy talk radio, we decided to break down and finally get satellite radio for the ride home.  What an excellent purchase!  I love the Spa channel, Watercolor channel, and I am crazy about the Book Radio channel. 
 
Working with Kevin Perry on the CD project and getting some coaching from Travis Cottrell made the experience so wonderful.  Kevin was like an unexpected gift!  He was creative, kind and crafted some really beautiful tracks. Once we get some background vocals done, I'll give you a link so you can listen. 
 
While I was in Nashville, Travis gave me his latest CD--Jesus Saves LIVE. There are 14 songs, fully orchestrated and beautifully executed, which offer truth and encouragement in every lyric.  Oh girl, my very favorite song on the CD is I Am Persuaded.  It is moving, and if you love Beth Moore, you will enjoy her cameo on the CD.
  
After leaving Nashville, we hopped a plane and landed in California for an appearance on TBN's Handicapable show.  Paul Crouch, Jr. hosted  "Ability in Disability Night" and I was a guest, along with some of the people I admire most.  David Ring, Nick Vujicic and Renee Bondi, among others, are heroes who inspire me. 
 
Speaking of inspiration, I got a new used audio book from Redeemed (my favorite used book store) called The Narnian:The Life and Imagination of C.S. Lewis.  You guessed it.  It's about the imagination and life of C.S. Lewis.   Author Alan Jacobs takes you from Lewis' childhood days in Ireland to the trenches of World War I.  He gives a glimpse of his friendship with J. R. R. Tolkien and a peak at Lewis' late-life marriage to Joy Davidman.  The Narnian is full of the events and people who influenced Lewis' philosophy, and writing.  And it's a whimsical reminder that the mystery of this life and the wonder of our world can draw the eyes of our imagination to see God more clearly.
 
Books, music and travel are all sweeter with my newest confectionary delight--Harry and David's Dark Chocolate-Covered Almonds!  They are blanketed in rich dark chocolate and smothered with delight! 
 
So, give these things a taste test:
 
1.  Satellite radio
2. TBN's Handicapable show - Air Date: June 11, 2009
3. The Narnian: The Life and Imagination of C.S. Lewis
4. Travis's CD Jesus Saves LIVE
5. Harry and David's Dark Chocolate-Covered Almonds

May 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

 

May was one fabulous, fulfilling and full month!  We had the privilege of enjoying two Fresh Grounded Faith events:  Atlanta and Getzville.  I also went to Louisville to speak at the Southeast Christian Church Bible Study Kickoff.  The women we met were all so lovely, and our time at each place was truly meaningful and special to each of us.  I am so grateful to Mark and Katharyn Richt, Anita Renfroe and Michael O'Brien for adding the perfect blend to each FGF event. 
 
Sometime between traveling, Mother's Day happened!  Connor gave me the most fragrant crème brulee candle in a hammered bronze decanter.  He chose it to enhance my new office since it is my favorite dessert and matched all the other "rusty looking" stuff I had in there!  (I love Connor's honest and bottom-line way of communicating!)  Clay completed his freshman year at Baylor and returned home just two days after Mother's Day with gift in hand--a hummingbird feeder.  It's a lovely cranberry-hued blown glass, and he and I made the sugar water blend to fill it.  We hope to attract some pretty, feathered musicians to our back yard!  What thoughtful boys...and speaking of thoughtful, my Dr. Phil gave me a gift certificate for manicures and pedicures to last the rest of the year.  Way to go, Phil!
 
I enjoyed something old and something new this month.  The old thing was a reread of one of my favorite books--The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne.  First published in 1851, The House of the Seven Gables is one of my favorite Hawthorne books.  It's a colorful portrayal of American life and values, and it abounds with meticulously detailed characters. I've heard that in his later years, Hawthorne said that if he were asked to read his own books written by someone else, he probably wouldn't want to!   I bet this is because of the enormous amount of details he tucks in each word, phrase and sentence.  I happen to love the details.  His words are like parts of a picture...strokes from a paintbrush that create a virtual experience. I feel like I can see what he is seeing, feel what his characters are feeling, and observe what he is nudging me to notice.  If you give this book a taste test--savor the experience, become a part of the times, feel the mood and see the architecture of mid-nineteenth century New England.  You will be enriched. 
 
Then, if you want something new to do with your newly found book experience...you can Twitter!  Twitter is a way to chronicle your moments and thoughts and join a conversation with other Twitterers!  That's the new experience I began this month.  It's been interesting so far, and we'll see how well I do!  For my visually impaired friends, you can join me through www.accessibletwitter.com.  I'll share with you more about the experience and what I think about it in Fresh Grounded Thoughts. 
 
The coffee I tried this month is Mahogany by Caribou Coffee.  Believe it or not, it has hints of leather and dark chocolate!  I think you will really like it.  It's so strong that I jitter while I Twitter!
 


So, give these things a taste test:
 
1. A Fresh Grounded Faith event or any women's enrichment event.  We all need refreshing, so get some friends and have fun!
 
2.  Crème brulee candle
 
3.  Hummingbird feeder
 
4.  The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
 
5. Follow me at Twitter and start your own page.   Come on, if I can do it, you can!
 
6.  Mahogany by Caribou Coffee 

April 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

 

This month, I've enjoyed reading a book by an author friend I really admire.  Her name is Alicia Britt Chole.  She and I share good conversation together over tea and coffee the first Tuesday of each month.  She's a unique, interesting and intelligent woman who makes me laugh and learn every time I'm with her.  
 
Her latest book is called Finding an Unseen God: Reflections of a Former Atheist.  This spiritual memoir explores Alicia's rational and intellectual approach to Christianity and her conversion.  It's heady at times, but totally down to earth.  With her creative and honest style, she offers great insight to those who think atheists are just angry antagonists. The way she approaches faith, as an atheist and later as a believer, is more reasoned and intentional than many Christians.  I enjoyed the unique way she put the book together--the reader goes back and forth from the beginning to the end of the story.  You'll just have to check it out and see what I mean.
 
While I've been reading Alicia's new book, the fragrance of leather has filled my senses.  But it's not because I'm settled in a cushy leather chair-it's from a candle!  My friend Lisa sent me the most scrumptious smelling candle. It smells like sweet, soft leather! 
 
She sent the candle to be the first fragrance in my new office. We converted our upstairs piano room into my office, and I now call it my library.   It has French doors, a bay window and faux-painted walls that look like old parchment.   Phil and I had fun furnishing it.  At least I had fun...Phil had patience and self-control!  The shelf and bench in the library are from India and they are made of repurposed pieces, like old railroad ties, wood from old doors and miscellaneous hardware.  It's very artsy but still has classic lines.  I love it!  To complete the atmosphere I wanted, we got two animal print wingback chairs and a chocolate hued 3-inch shag rug!   I still need curtains, some wall hangings, maybe a lamp and items to populate the shelves, but it's already cozy.  It's a great place to read and write, think and pray.
 
To top off the library experience, I sip the coffee Lisa sent with the candle--Cafe de Maraba. The package says it's Rwanda's first and finest specialty coffee.  The flavor is robust, but what I love most is that the beans are hand sorted by Maraban women, providing rural employment and creating equality in that troubled land.  And good coffee is even better when coupled with good books!
 
By the way, printed on the leather candle is this: "Never lend books for no one ever returns them; the only books I have in my library are books that other folks have left me." Anatole France 
 
So, give these things a taste test:
1.  Finding an Unseen God by Alicia Britt Chole
2.  Make a place in your home for you to read and write, think and pray
3. A leather fragranced candle to freshen up a room
4. Cafe de Maraba: Rwanda's Finest Coffee

March 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

We visited the great state of Texas twice this month. First, to Houston for our Fresh Grounded Faith event.  What a wonderful time we all had!  Chonda Pierce joined me again, and she was funny and keen as usual.  Her version of "Heat Wave" is better than Martha and the Vandellas!  When it came to some serious singing though, Shelley Jennings sang down heaven!  Her song "My Prayer for You" is one of the most lovely, inspiring and moving songs I've ever heard.  
 
Our second trip to Texas landed us in Dallas for the Christian Book Expo.  We saw lots of old friends and met some new ones!  I also came home with a bag full of audio books from christianaudio.com-A.W. Toser, C.S. Lewis, Oswald Chambers and lots of other "dead authors" whom I love.  I am certain you will get a taste of their writings as I savor them over the next many months.  
 
This month, I am reading Little Women for the first time. Little Women tells the much-beloved story of the four March girls--Meg, Jo (who is modeled after the author herself), Beth and Amy--as they grow to adulthood in 19th century New England.  Louisa May Alcott wrote it for younger readers, but truly, it's so beautifully written and its insights are so clear, that this grown up girl is really enjoying it!  I just got through Meg's wedding and was inspired by its virtue and simplicity.  Alcott is a fascinating author.  My friend Lisa sent me an Alcott quote recently that I can really relate to:  "She is too fond of books and it has addled her brain!"   Yep, I can relate, can you? 
 
Well, if your brain is slightly "addled" for any reason at all, I have just the tea for you!  It's strong enough to un-addle and re-settle even the most stressed out among us!  My friend Kathryn brought it back from India, and it's so delicious.  It's Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea.  It's an exclusive blend of robust teas with exquisite aroma and taste.  The box promises it will cheer your senses!   And it did just that!
 
 
So, give these things a taste test:
 
1.  Fresh Grounded Faith event
2.  Chonda Pierce's videos
3.  Shelley Jennings' music
4.  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
5. Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea

February 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

The highlight of February was our trip to Washington D.C.  It was only one day, but it was enchanting and packed!  We started early Wednesday morning with a tour of the Capitol.  A highlight for me was standing on the old House floor where John Quincy Adam's desk once sat.  I loved how the room was so brilliantly designed for maximum acoustics.  I also loved walking throughout the lower floor where the Supreme Court was once housed.  We popped in for a brief bird's eye view of the House proceedings.  And we arrived just in time to hear our very own representative, Roy Blunt from Missouri.  He was passionate and compelling.  We then ate lunch at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, and Connor got some freeze-dried space ice cream for dessert!  
 
Then it was off to the Lincoln Memorial.  It was stunning and moving.  I loved hearing Connor read the words of the Gettysburg address as we were shadowed 'neath the likeness of the great leader.  We also stood on the spot where Martin Luther King gave his famous speech on the steps of the memorial.  I am so appreciative of our great nation and those who made it great.  It was inspiring! 
 
After a Starbucks coffee, we headed to the Ford's Theatre where Lincoln was shot, and then to the tiny house where he died...but they were closed.  President Obama was to attend a gala at the theatre that night to celebrate it's reopening after an 18-month renovation.  So instead of seeing past history, we got to see current history in action while SWAT teams gathered on the roof!  Connor got to see temporary structures being erected for the safety of the crowd and the President, and swarms of Secret Service agents on the street.  Fascinating! 
 
After showering the D.C. soot off, we dawned our party clothes  (yes, these clothes include the pants I blogged about) and headed to the Mellon Auditorium, which is in the Department of Commerce.  The room was abuzz with all sorts of interesting people!  There were senators, congressmen, former cabinet members, actors, philanthropists and one very handsome ten-year-old boy in his first suit!  I don't intend to name-drop when I mention the names of those who attended the party.  I mention them to say this-- each person there was attending "For the Love of Sight," a party sponsored by the Foundation Fighting Blindness.  Each was there because they cared deeply for eradicating blindness.  The foundation head, Gordon Gund, has led a courageous and tenacious fight against the devastating effects of blindness, and I admire him and all those who partner with him to make a difference.  It was another inspiring and very special night.
 
The book I chose to read in February was far less inspiring though.  In fact, I think I only finished the book out of sheer hope that no set of characters and no story could really be as bleak as this seemed.  I was wrong!  It was totally and thoroughly bleak.  It began slightly hopeful, turned depressing, remained miserable, and finally ended with the tiniest ray of light in the otherwise dark, dank and downright nasty story.  The hopefulness I felt at the end was the kind of hopefulness you feel at the end of a root canal--glad it's over, even though the memory will haunt you forever!   The book?  Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.  Have you read it?  I would love to know your opinion if you have.  
 
It was her only novel and was published in 1847, and although it was initially rejected by the public--and I can certainly understand why--it has now come to be highly acclaimed.  On first read, I, like many others, saw it as being only a disturbing love story, but as I've reflected upon it, there are many themes far more consequential--like the effects of oppression, selfishness, evil, and even education on the human spirit.  There were many underlying messages in this enigmatic tale, but most poignant were those focusing on the juxtaposition of the two houses--Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. Even though it was a tough, unrelenting story, it was well told, well written and worth the time to consider.  If you choose to give this one a taste test, take it in small sips, on sunny days, with lots of caffeine!
 
My latest coffee enchantment came from the new café that just opened this month here in Springfield.  It's called Fog City Coffee and finds its roots in San Francisco.  Coffee snobs say the Bay area boasts a rich history of roasting some of the finest coffee in the world.  Fog City Coffee keeps up this tradition by hand roasting premium coffee beans in small batches to craft a full-bodied flavorful blend.  I loved their "Jazzy Java!"  It will inspire you!
 
So, give these things a taste test:
 
1.  A visit to our nation's Capitol
2. Foundation Fighting Blindness
3.  Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
4.  Fog City Coffee

January 2009 Taste This!

What I Am In To Lately

This has been a month of historic moments...the inauguration of our 44th President, the plummeting economy, and the beginning of Season 8 of American Idol!  Yes, I know the Bible says in 2 Timothy we are to avoid "idol chatter," but I am quite certain Paul didn't write that verse with the TV show in mind!  Whew!
 
For the New Year, Phil decided he needs to start drinking green tea to lower his cholesterol.  So, I've been on a quest to find the most flavorful green tea.  I've about decided that finding a green tea with flavor is like ­finding a candy bar with no calories, but I think I've settled on Tazo Zen.  It's a green tea accented with mint and lemon flavors.  Here's the official description: A healthy blend of eleuthero, peppermint, cinnamon, licorice and echinacea.  It tastes great!  And that's a good thing because it can't help your cholesterol if you can't swallow it!
  
I've been sipping the green healing nectar in some new mugs my friend Suetta sent me.  They are part of the Scripture Dinnerware collection.  The dinnerware is ivory tinted porcelain with black trim.  Scriptures are written in black scripted lettering on the rim of the plate and the reference is given just inside the bottom of the rim.  There are 16 different themes, with each of the 5-piece place settings having a different scripture within that theme.  The mug usually has the summation of that theme, i.e. "Faith! Hebrews 11:1."  I've been shopping for new dishes for a while since my set has gotten smaller from breakage, and the ones that remain are scratched.  So, I think I've found my new dishes!  I am starting with the "Faith" collection and planning to add accent pieces over the years for birthday and Christmas gifts.  You will just love them! 
 
The book that kept me curious during January is American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham.  Though Jackson is a controversial figure, his story is compelling.  The book briefly touches on his orphan beginnings, his romance and marriage to Rachel, and his wartime heroics, but mostly focuses on his eight years in the White House.  What I appreciate most about him is his loyalty and love for his wife, family, friends and our country.  God bless America!  I'll drink some green tea to that!
 
The month came to a historic end with our Fresh Grounded Faith event in Shreveport, Louisiana.  Chonda Pierce and Alicia Williamson Garcia joined me to make the experience a perfect blend.  My favorite Chonda quote from the weekend was: " I now wear two pairs of Spanx.  When one got a hole in it I thought I had a tumor!"  My favorite quote from Alicia was: "Worship is a response to God, not a reaction to circumstances."  We had such a great time with 900 of our closest friends!  I wish you had been there, too!
 
So, give these things a taste test:

 

1. Tazo Zen tea
2. American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham
3. Scripture Dinnerware 
4.  A Fresh Grounded Faith Event near you with your girlfriends