Thoughts From a Muggle....

I just watched the new Harry Potter movie this evening.  I hadn't read the Deathly Hallows since it came out about 3 years ago, so I am sure that the movie strayed away from the book a good bit...as most movies made from books tend to do.*  But, I still loved it.  There was one line in the movie that has had me thinking all evening.  As in all the other movies, Harry has a mission, but it isn't easy.  At one point, emotions get high and Ron frustratedly asks Harry, "Don't you ever get frustrated that Dumbledore told you that you need to destroy all of the horcruxes, but he didn't at all tell you how?  Doesn't that bother you, mate?" (paraphrased....I didn't take notes like the lady sitting in the row in front of me.  True story.  There was even one lady that brought her book with her and followed along.  I wish I was joking.)


This made me think of how I feel about God and the job He has given me to do.  I'm still alive and kickin' so I must still have a purpose.  The hard part is that God didn't really give plain instructions on exactly how to achieve this task.  Sure, I have the Bible and have the general instructions to follow Jesus and do what He would do.  I got that.  (And by "I got that" I mean, I understand that is what I am supposed to do, however I don't really do it very well.  Just wanted to be clear). But what about me specifically?  What am I supposed to do to complete my, Katie McNemar purpose with the days that God has given me?


Throughout all of the Harry Potter books, Harry has never felt prepared or worthy of the task he has been given.  He almost accidentally does things right.  He will have no clue what to do and then one of his friends will show up out of the blue talking about gilly weed and then, BAM! he's back in the game.  Or he finds himself face-to-face with Voldemort right after He Who Must Not Be Named just killed Edward Cullen (aka Cedric Diggory) and has no idea how he is going to get out of this mess and then his deceased parents come to the rescue via his wand (still don't understand that part).


I find that my life is the same way.  I will be in a situation where I know I have to do something, and I have to do it fast, but I have no idea what to do or how to do it.  I'll feel totally helpless; sitting at my desk wishing that my black sharpie was a wand so that I could expecto patronus my way out of this corner I find myself in.  But instead, I get a random phone call from someone that has the wrong number, but just so happens to be the key to all my problems. 


God may not have given me a point-by-point instruction booklet on how to live out my purpose in life, just like Dumbledore didn't tell Harry exactly how to complete his mission, but despite my inability to do the right thing or feel prepared in any way, He is still able to guide me and show me the way down the narrow path.  In general, things in my life always find a way of working out.  I might feel like everything is horrible and that I will never figure it out, but God is using little imperfect me even when I feel like I can't go on or that I'm not cut out for the job.  In fact, it seems to me that God likes to use people that feel like they aren't cut out for the job and have no idea what to do.  I believe He does this because it is these folks that are willing to lean on Him and others instead of feeling like they have all the answers and can go it alone.  We are strongest when we lean on Him and allow others to walk along side us.  So here is a list of ways that Harry Potter relates to me and/or my life:


1) Hermione and I both have uncontrollably frizzy hair.  Honestly, it's like Yahoo Serious ova here.
2) Hermione and I also have a knack for falling for guys that are clueless gits and have no idea that we like them and then go off and make out with the Lavender Brown's of the world (i.e. annoying girls that fall all over them, treat them like they are king of the world, yet only stick around for a little while until the newness wears off and then go off and find another guy to fawn all over.) (Do I sound bitter?  I'm not. Really I'm not.  Okay maybe a little.)
3) I share the same haircolor as the Malfoy family.  It is an unfortunate coincidence.  Blonds apparently don't have all the fun....especially when they are has-been death eaters.
4) Even when I try to turn back from my purpose, I am somehow lead back.  I feel like this happens to Harry all the time.  The only times that he gets the guts up to do things is when he has his friends backing him and he is out to save someone other than himself.
5) Dumbledore only tells Harry certain things and certain times in order to protect him and keep him safe.  I feel like sometimes I want to know exactly what's going on, but God knows its best that I wait.
6) Harry and I both wear glasses.  Just like Harry, I don't really "have" to wear glasses.  I could wear contacts or get lasix done, but I don't want to.  Harry could do some kind of magic somethingorother and fix his eyesight, but he doesn't.  (I mean, they can regrow bones, so I am guessing they can work with eyeballs).  I wear my glasses because they are more comfortable, and also do disprove the saying that "guys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses".  Ah contraire mon frere, guys DO make passes at girls who wear glasses....I am living proof.  Wink!
7) Because of a sacrifice of love, Harry was able to live and fight against the darkness that wants to destroy the world.  Because of Love's sacrifice I am able to live and fight against the darkness that wants to destroy the world.

I am sure there are a million more parallels I could draw, but this list will suffice for now.

Love,

Frizzy-Haired Glasses-Wearing Katie

Have you seen the new Harry Potter movie? If so, what did you think?  What are some similarities you have with any of the characters or situations in the books/movies?





*If you've never read any of the books or seen any of the movies, then this post might be slightly confusing. However, I think you'll be able to get the basic premise which is this: I don't know what the hell I am doing.

I'm Thankful for.....

I haven't been blogging much lately (side note:  as I just typed the word "blogging" I accidentally typed the word "clogging" and seriously thought about leaving it.  It's true; I haven't been clogging much.)  I'm sorry to rob you of my deep insights about shampoo and conditioner stock piling, and my theory regarding jeans shopping, but sometimes you just gotta get your head on straight.  God has most certainly been moving in my life and in the lives of my friends and family in a big way and seeing as how Thanksgiving is coming up, I thought I would write a blog about the things that I am thankful for (example: I am thankful that I can end a sentence in a preposition if I want to). Here is my list in no particular order:


1) I am thankful for my job.  It can be overwhelming and difficult at times, but seeing the results of all the hard work makes it all worthwhile.  I have an amazing team of residents and attendings who support me, help me, and appreciate me.  Not everyone can say that, so I thank God that I can.

2) I am thankful for my Mom and Dad.  My parents have supported me and loved me even when I don't "deserve" it....especially when I don't deserve it.  I can't imagine how hard it was for them to let me fall sometimes, but they did; because they know that sometimes we have to figure out how to take a fall, get up, and dust ourselves off.  They've always given me what I've needed and have worked hard to do so.  I didn't appreciate any of it when I was younger, but now that I am on my own, I certainly appreciate it now.  When I have called them crying because I get tired of pushing through life on my own, they are there to remind me that I am never alone....they are there...they are "my people", as my mom likes to say.  I won't ever be able to pay them back for all that they have done for me, so I will do the only thing I can do...follow Jesus.

3) I am thankful for my brother, Kirk, and his wife Dana.  I just freakin' love them!!!!  They have always been there to put a smile on my face, cook me dinner, or listen to me talk about myself for 3 straight hours (true story).  Watching them fall in love and live their lives for Jesus has been such a blessing to me and to so many others.  I don't know anyone that can resist falling in love with them.  They are that legit.  To this day the only two people that can bring a tear to my eye at the very thought of them are my brother and my dad.  They are just so very important to me and my heart is so tender towards them.  These are my guys.  (tear)

4) I am thankful for my best friends Wajhma, Julie, and Heather.  Heather and I have known each other since birth.  She is my cousin, but honestly, she is  more like my sister.  She has been there for me when no one else was.  Through everything she never judged me or lost her patience with me.  Even that one time when we were living together and I forgot to pay the electric bill and she came home after an awful day at work to a dark house and spoiled food.  Watching her be a mommy has been totally mind blowing for me.  Her little mini-me Kylie is so completely adorable.  She and her husband Roger started dating when we were 16 and they have been best friends ever since.  Even when they would break up, we all always knew that one day they would find their way back to each other. Julie and I met in college at Marshall University.  We weren't really very close until after college when her best friend, Tiffany,  was killed in a car accident and I was the last person to talk to Tiffany.  After Tiffany's funeral Julie started calling me and asking me what Tiff and I had talked about the night she stayed over at my house.  Through these conversations, Julie and I became long distance best friends.  She was living in DC and I was living in Morgantown, WV.  When I called off my wedding and had no where to go but knew I had to go somewhere, Julie offered her couch.  A few weeks after calling off my wedding, I had quit my job, found a new one in DC, left my family and friends, and moved to DC to live on a couch. It was crazy, but Julie made it one of the best experiences of my life.  She and I have so many amazing memories and we are certainly not done making more.  When Julie was trying to move back to WV and needed a place to stay, I offered her my couch.  We are some couch-livin' fools!  She is that friend that will always be honest with you even if it's not what you want to hear.  She is a straight shooter and would do absolutely anything for her friends and family.  She is self-less and strong, and I hope that one day I grow up to be just like her.  Wajhma and I have been best friends for 3 1/2 years.  I have told Wajhma things that I have never ever told anyone or even said out loud to myself.  We met at a time when we both needed a friend. God didn't just give me a friend, He gave me a sister.  On the surface it might seem like we couldn't be more different; she is from Afghanistan and grew up in California with her four sisters; I grew up in WV with Kirk.  I am Christian and she is Muslim.  I say po-tay-toe she says po-tah-toe (just kidding).  But what we have found over these last few years is that we have way more in common than we have differences.  Even though it might seem like we have completely different lives and beliefs, we are really so much alike.  We both love God and see Him in everything.  We both want love, peace, joy, and happiness but understand that life's hardships are a necessary part of growing.  She is always willing to listen to me no matter how busy she is, or how late at night it is (like 10pm...I'm not a rock star).  Anyone that meets her first notices her smile and the joy that radiates off of her without thought or effort.  She has taught me to work hard and keep on pushing through even when things get rough and seem to dead end.  Through her friendship, I draw closer to God.

5) I am thankful for my life.  One of my favorite verse in the Bible is Joel 2:25 where God promises to restore the years that the locusts have destroyed.  I believe that God is restoring those years right now.  As a kid, I would have never ever imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be living in Washington, DC...the capital of the world.  I would never allow myself to dream because I didn't want to be disappointed.  But God knows the desires of my heart even if I don't.  He's the one the gave those desires to me.  I spent a lot of my life weak and sick.  Even leaving my house seemed like a Herculean task at times.  But I am not that sick little kid anymore.  God has brought me through trials and hardships that strengthened me and prepared me.  When you trust in Jesus, what is there to fear?  I may worry and stress sometimes, but deep down, I know that because Jesus lives in me, I can do anything.  I was born for a purpose and I am seeing my purpose unfold every day.  I tend to lose sight of how blessed I am to even open my eyes each morning, but God is good to remind me of all I have.  I pray that God continue to use me for His will and reveal Himself to me more and more every day.  He holds my hand as I tackle difficult questions of faith, and periods of doubt and misunderstanding.  He lets me fall, but He is always there to pick me back up.  Just the thought of life without Him brings a brief memory of the pang of the emptiness I used to feel all the time.  I pray to never feel that again.

6) I am thankful for forgiveness and grace.  Lord knows that I need both.  I don't like being a jerk, but sometimes I am.  It's true.  My mom is probably nodding in agreement right now.  I make a lot of mistakes. I'm far far far from perfect.  Without grace I would be lost.  We are all lost without grace.  It's easy to forgive people and show them grace when they make little mistakes and quickly apologize, but what about the people that spit in your face and then light a bag of dog crap on your front door step? (That never happened to me, but I imagine that would really suck).  Grace is forgiving people that don't deserve it.  Grace is giving people 30 chances when everyone else gives up.  Grace is looking past the hurt and emptiness that cause people to do you wrong, and you see that they are just like you...human.  This Holiday season, I am asking you to forgive someone that doesn't deserve it and never will.  Be kind to the person that is always unkind to you.  This is God.  This. Is. God.

7) (ending with a Holy number!) I am thankful for my readers.  I have made some amazing friends through writing this blog and I can't tell you how much it means to me that you all stop by and take a peak into my brain (that sounds weird, but whatever).  I love writing and I love sharing my life and my heart with people.  Thank you for laughing and crying with me.  I love you man!

THANK YOU!!!

Love,

Katie

What are you thankful for?  Are there people that you need to show more grace to?  Who is your best friend and why?  Do you like the Holidays or dread them?  Tell me all about it......

Spring Cleaning...

I like to do my Spring cleaning in the Fall. 


Saturday was my Fall cleaning day.  I opened up all the windows in my little studio apartment to let the autumn breeze in, and cranked some Christmas music from Pandora.  There is just something about Christmas music that makes me so freakin happy.  I love it! I love it! I love it!  However, I can't listen to Christmas music or watch any Christmas movies unless it is after Halloween and before March.  Anytime outside of that window, watching anything to do with Christmas just seems depressing to me for some reason.  Is that just me!?  Probably.  (The only caveat to this rule is the movie The Holiday.  I watch it way way way too much.  But I love it, and I'm not much of a rule follower, even when it comes to rules I make myself.)


But I digress....


Since my studio apartment is small (and adorable) it's pretty easy to keep it clean and picked up.  I am not a neat freak by any stretch of the imagination, but my soul always feels more settled when my residence is in some state of clean.  I hadn't done one of those "moving furniture" type cleanings in quite some time (I am making this statement vague on purpose), so I decided that yesterday would be the day. 


Growing up, we cleaned our house from top to bottom every. single. weekend. (and in between as needed).  As soon as Kirk and I were big enough to carry a dust rag, we were expected to participate in child labor house cleaning.  I was usually responsible for cleaning the bathrooms and dusting; occasionally when my dad was able to weasel his way out of vacuuming, I would have to do that as well.  (Something about having job....I don't know...it sounded like a cop out to me.) 

What I'm about to say might sound weird, but I'm just gonna say it.....I love cleaning bathrooms!  Seriously, I love it.  I especially love cleaning bathrooms when I am stressed out.  Maybe all of the scrubbing releases some tension, or perhaps its just the fumes from the mold and mildew cleaner....but after I clean a bathroom, all feels right with the world again.  So, if you see me arm deep in a toilet bowl, you'll know...Katie must be stressed out.  Don't get me wrong, cleaning bathrooms isn't just for when I'm stressed.  Sometimes when I'm super stoked and loving life, I'll just feel this need to take a toothbrush to my shower grout, or maybe even attack some hard water stains or lime deposits....who knows!?  It makes me happy just typing that.  If you no longer want to be my friend or read this blog, I understand.  But just know, that if I lose friends and/or readers it's only going to send me right back into my bathroom to scour for hair stuck on the tiles and moldy shower liners.  If you are still with me, thank you.  For your dedication, I would like to offer to clean your bathroom.  I'm coming into a really busy season at work, and I'm going to need more bathrooms to clean or I'm not going to be able to relax. 

What's really sad (or awesome, depending on how you feel) is that I don't get grossed out by cleaning bathrooms at all.   For example, one time I cleaned a guy's bathroom that I was dating without asking him or telling him I was going to do it.  Let me explain...

We had only been dating for a few months, but every time I came over to hang out at his place I would dread going to the bathroom.  The rest of his place was really clean, but his bathroom was just....it was just wow!.  I grew up with boys, I know about their innate ability to pee all over the entire bathroom even though there is a clearly marked target for them to hit.  One of the only times I can remember really cussing in front of my parents when I was a teenager was the 100th time I had sat on a peed-on toilet seat because my brother was too lazy to lift the seat.  I came running out of the bathroom screaming "I swear to all that is good and holy that if Kirk pisses on the seat one more time, I'll make sure he has a reason to sit down to pee for the rest of his life.  How hard is it to lift a freakin' toilet seat!?  He has the dexterity to flush the toilet, and yet can't seem to use his fingers to lift the seat!?"  But anyway, I'm getting away from the boyfriend story. 

So, I go in his bathroom one day and while I am enjoying a totally non-peed-on toilet seat, I move the shower curtain aside (my version of looking in someones medicine cabinet...which I also do, so never mind) to discover that his shower is covered in black mold.  It took all I had in me not to scream like I was in a horror movie and had just opened the door to a room in which the bad guy had been patiently waiting to hack me to bits.  I quietly sneaked out of the bathroom and into his hall closet where his cleaning supplies were, grabbed the supplies and brought them to the bathroom, shut the door, and started cleaning.  Seriously...I didn't even know this guy that well.  Who the hell did I think I was!?  Well, I was someone that cared enough to not want to see someone get pneumonia from the mold growing in their shower...that's who I was.  After about 15 minutes, he knocked on the bathroom door and asked me if I was okay.  I didn't realize I had been gone that long.  So, I reluctantly opened the door with the X14 in one hand and an unfortunate hand towel (I couldn't find anything else) in the other.  He was obviously a little shocked.  I mean, who would ever imagine that the girl they are dating would leave the comfort of cuddling on the couch watching Crash (yes....I was able to pull myself away from the movie Crash in order to clean a bathroom.  I completely understand if you are currently planning to stage an intervention for me....most likely in a place without a bathroom) to clean a shower (and sink).  He looked at the hand towel, then me, then the X14, then me, then his hall closet, then me, then his shower, then me.  Then he silently shook his head and walked away without saying a word.  Guess what I did!?  You guessed it.... I finished cleaning his bathroom.

There are things that I loathe when it comes to cleaning.  For example, I hate doing dishes with a passion so intense that it would put a Spanish Soap Opera to shame.  If I didn't love Earth so much I would use disposable plates and silverware for every single meal.  I would get rid of the sink altogether and just add in another little mini-fridge.  I would rather dust than do dishes and I HATE dusting.  This Saturday, I found some dust bunnies so big that Earnest P. Worrell would gag, you know what I mean, Vern!? (If you don't know what I mean, then I suggest you hit the Wikipedia, and I suggest you hit it hard.)  Seriously, I moved one of the chest of drawers in my closet to find a dust bunny that had collected all of the items that I had fallen behind the drawers and was holding them ransom.  There were hair ties, receipts, price tags, earrings, buttons, and other random items all balled up in this massive dust bunny.  I made a tough decision and just threw the whole mess away whilst screaming like a girl at the utter yuckiness of what had been living in my closet.  And don't even get me started on what I found under my bed.  It gives the phrase "Sleeping with enemy" a whole new definition.  I'm surprised I don't have the black lung after some of the dust bunnies I found under there.  Some of you are probably thinking, hey Katie, why don't you just clean under your bed more often and you would have that problem. And to that I say this:

1) I do clean under my bed, but living in downtown DC means that you are in a constant battle with dust and debris.  Even with the windows closed all the nasty dirt from the city somehow finds its way into my humble abode.  I blame global warming. Al Gore has me blaming it for everything anyway, so.
2) More importantly......I don't want to.

When you live by yourself, if you don't clean, no one else will.  I don't have any kids to con into clean it for me. Unlike my dad who would purposefully mess up all jobs given to him by my mom so that he would never ever have to do them again....I have to suck it up and grab the Swiffer.  (I am of course referring to the red t-shirt/ white laundry incident of 1994.  I'm sure you heard of it.  One of his lesser known evil genius plans was to somehow devise a way to melt all of the Tupperware in the dishwasher so that my mom would never let him near another dish again.   I have so much to learn from him.)

I hope you have enjoyed yet another random rambling blog.  There is a lot of awesomeness and craziness going on in my life right now, so instead of blogging about stuff that matters and could touch hearts and change lives...I'm going to skirt the issues and blog about toilets.

Love,

Katie, Queen of the Scrubbing Bubbles

Random Saturday....

Do you know what time it is???

This is what I look like when I try to be flirty.  I know....overwhelming awesomeness.

It's RANDOM RAMBLING TIME!!!!

YAY!!!

Let me start my random ramblings off with a short list:

1) I love making lists.  I make lists in emails to my friends.  In business emails.  And in blogs.  Lists are awesome.
2) For reasons I don't understand or want to try and figure out, I have a crush on Ron Swanson from the TV show Parks and Recreation.  Is it the stache? Is it his woodshop in which he makes harps and canoes (small bit of trivia...Nick Offerman, who plays Ron, actually makes canoes in real life.  Also, he is married to actress Megan Mullally.  Okay I'm done.)?  Could it be his affinity for guns and explosives?  How 'bout the fact that he basically doesn't work and just sits at his desk playing online scrabble with one eyebrow raised?  I don't know the answer.  All I know is that I have a crush on him.  Let the psychoanalyzing begin!

Ron Swanson love brunettes and breakfast foods.

3) I watched a documentary called Foodmatters and now I feel like I'm eating badly even when I get an organic spinach and quinoa salad from Whole Foods.  This documentary really pushes the raw food and/or vegan diet.  I watch what I eat most of the time, I love veggies and fruits, and used to think I was doing pretty well....until I watched this.  I've been much better about taking my vitamins and such since watching this, but I love steak you guys.  I don't eat steak very often, but I love it.  I'm sorry cows, but I love your cow meat.  I want to eat better, but if I can't even cook my carrots without feeling bad, then I am just going to have to say fagetaboutit to the raw food diet.  Also, while eating a Z Burger I decided that I can't be vegan. 
4) I broke up with my gym.  Yes, I did.  I've known for quite some time that it just wasn't working out (pun intended), but I just didn't have the guts to face Graham, the hottest gym manager/personal trainer that has ever existed in the history of gyms and managers.  When I walked in there I started telling myself that things weren't that bad, I could make it work, maybe I should give it some more time, maybe I am just being too picky....but then I pulled myself together and moved forward with the breakup.
Here is my conversation with the extraordinarily gorgeous and fit Swedish lady that works at the front desk of my gym:
Swedish lady: Hi! How are you today? (smiles) How can I help you?
Me: Hello! (big smile)  I'm fabulous, thank you.  (I nervously begin to tuck my hair behind my ears) I, um, well, I want to cancel my gym membership. (big smile that says, "don't hate me I'm cute")
Swedish lady: (still smiling) Oh, okay, sure.  May I ask why? (still smiling, probably because she doesn't think I have a big enough pair to face Graham.)
Me: (long pause) (sweaty hands) Yes, yes you can ask why. Ummm....(another long pause)  It's not you...it's me.  It's just, I don't know...it's just not working out. (I was so nervous I missed the pun)
Swedish Lady: (giggles) (she did not miss the pun)
Me: No seriously though, I'm just not feeling it, ya know. (blank stares from the Swedish lady) (long pause) (more hair tucked behind my ears) I've just decided that this gym just isn't....um...my style.  Yep. So, I'd just like to cancel...thanks.
Swedish Lady: (FINALLY not smiling anymore, however, she is definitely looking at me like I'm crazy) Okay, let me send an email to the manager.  I can't cancel your membership, he'll have to do it.
Me: (No longer smiling because I finally realized that I am going to have to face Graham after all) Oh, yeah.  That sucks. (I can be quite eloquent)
Swedish Lady: (polite smile.....that she gives non-gym members, I'm sure) Okay, so I'll let him know to call you and he'll take care of it.  Have a great night.
Me: Sweet!  ( big smile) Awesome. Great.  Thank you. Thanks. Okay, bye.
I felt great walking out of there. I did it.  I told some random Swedish lady that I've never met that it wasn't her, it's me.  It felt good.  And, as luck should have it, the manager that contacted me wasn't Graham the Hotty, it was his manager, who could potentially also be hot, but I've never seen him, so.  Now, I will join a gym that I feel more comfortable in.  I am done staying with a gym just because I should like it.   So what if you have cucumber flavored water!?  I like (filtered) tap water.  Your gym is so clean that you clean the machine while I'm still on it!???  Big whoop!   I want a gym full of loud and dangerous weight dropping, sweat covered equipment that probably only gets wiped down at the end of the day, gym employees that don't look like super models, personal trainers that don't talk to you unless you pay them to, and so many people there that no one will notice when I only do one set of biceps and then leave to go get an ice cream cone.  I like my space.  That's how I roll.

Okay!  List time is over.  I could go on, but I think I've given you all enough to ponder.  Have a wonderful weekend!

Love and Hearts and Puppies,

Katie

Penny For Your Thoughts....

I love my walk to work!

 
Quite a few years ago someone sent me an email forward about a rich man that always picked up the heads-up pennies he saw on the street because they say, "In God We Trust", on them.  These pennies were a nudge from God that reminded him where to put His trust.  I have no idea if this is a true story or not, but I tend to think that all email forwards are 156% true, so don't listen to me.  (kidding)


After I read that forward, I have picked up every heads up penny I have come across; even if I am in the middle of a busy intersection (kids, don't try this at home).  What I've found over these last few years is that if I go out  looking for a penny, I almost never find one.  It always happens when I least expect it.  (This same concept can be applied to LOTS of things in my life...wink!).


On Monday, I was walking to work and was feeling a little blahtastic (I mean, it was a Monday, who could really blame me).  God drew my attention away from my prayer (whining) and toward the gorgeous fall leaves that were covering the sidewalks.  The colors were truly breathtaking (please see pretty leaf pic above).  How did I miss this before??  It was so super pretty that I totally forgot about my worries (whining).  And then, I saw something shiny amongst all the leaves.  As I got closer, I saw that it was a heads up penny.  It was the shiniest penny I had ever seen.  I bent down and picked it up.  As I usually do, I checked the year...2010!  Until then I hadn't seen this year's penny.  I immediately felt God saying to me that this penny represented a new start.  A bright, shiny new start.  I love new starts.  I love second chances. Okay...more like 20 chances.  But who's counting?? Answer: me.....not God.

I pray that I never miss these moments in life where God reaches out and speaks to me.  Hugs me. Heals me. I hope I am always able to see Him in everything....even on a Monday while I am praying (whining).

Do you pick up heads-up pennies too?  What are some of the little, unique ways that God reaches out to you?  Do you count how many times you've done the same thing over and over again?  Do you LOVE fall like I do!!?