Minister Musings: August 2010

Sunday, August 29, 2010

the first week in midtown

here are some "midtown musings" from my first week:

i love the metro rail system: 6 minute walk from my door to the rail stop. everyday this week a train has come within 2 minutes of my arrival. 6 stops later is methodist hospital. get out, walk across the street and i'm in the lobby...total commute time on day one was 20minutes!! subsequent days proved to be just as good!!

i confirmed that the bar across the street is only open on weekends, so that combined with a little white noise via a small blizzard fan to drown out the sounds of any normal cars passing by meant good, non-interrupted sleep!

throughout the week some friends accompanied me as we tried out a few local eateries and attractions/events...here is a photo journal

kk and i walked hermann park

we tested out the tex-mex across the street from my apartment

a group of us gathered at coco's crepes...byow on a friday night is nice!

then we went to mosaic theatre to see john ramsey and a couple other up and coming comics. i have not laughed that hard in a long time. the show benefited john and his wife, who are moving to kenya for a year so he can serve with international justice mission and she can work in a local children's hospital. check out ijm. such a cool organization.

emily and i walked to the midtown farmer's market on saturday

the farmer's market is in the parking lot of monica pope's (renowned chef) restaurant, t'afia. she was outside under a tent giving a cooking lesson that morning!

then we walked next door to tacos a go go. YUM! breakfast tacos all day long!

the end to the week (and best part of it!) was a visit from mom, her friend karen, my brother ryan, kim, jacob and josh. it was jacob's 8th birthday, and he was surprised with tickets to the texans vs cowboys game. we all had a great time, even though the cowboys got spanked. it was brought to my attention that i don't really know who i am for now...12 years in dallas, but now i live in houston! hmmm.

so, as i sit here in my apartment with yummy chocolate chip pumpkin bread baking in the oven and reflecting on my week, i am so thankful. the pictures above are just a few of the good things that have made my week. i have spent quality time with people who matter to me, and conversations have begun with people at the hospital who will be a significant part of my journey. this coming week marks the start of my permanent position as a staff chaplain, and i am preparing to officiate the wedding of two childhood friends on saturday in dallas. thank you God, for all the many blessings in my life.

Monday, August 23, 2010

the apartment

the last four days has been a whirlwind...

i packed.

i moved.

i unpacked.

i put things in it's place.
i learned a lot about my new neighborhood.

thanks to mom for coming to town for the weekend to join in the work and the fun, as well as steph and her family, NATIONWIDE MOVERS (love those guys), bryan, kc & jojo, kk, kyle & brenda, emily & karen. and thanks to all those who supported me from a distance...i felt so loved!

bottom line is that i love my new place! i can't wait to hop on the rail in the morning and not even get in my car...a far cry from the hour and fifteen minute commute i was doing from katy. i look forward to more visitors, so if you find yourself in houston, come on by! in the meantime, here is a sneak peek at the place...

view from my entrance...it's just one big room with a small balcony

kitchen...might be my favorite part of the place

view from the balcony doors

this entertainment stand is my favorite new piece of furniture

looking into my bedroom...i have another balcony off my room

bedroom view from balcony side

bathroom...i'm sure this didn't need a caption!

standing on living room balcony looking at downtown. that second balcony is my bedroom.

sketchy strip center across the street from me. a.k.a. escobar night club that wants to believe it resides in nyc. it's so loud. friday @ 2am i wondered if i had made a horrible mistake moving here. saturday night was much more calm. i'll keep you posted on this...

a sign of good friends...

Thursday, August 19, 2010

the move

it's the eve of move day. a.k.a. the last night in katy.

exactly one year ago this weekend i moved here, so i just made steph have "reflection time" with me. i sat in her chair in her bedroom as she cleaned out her dresser, and we did a year in review. we remembered some of the places we have been (israel, iowa, retreats, our homes, conference, the beach), some of the things that became our rituals (walks, scones when we needed a pick me up, watching various tv shows), some of our favorite foods (salads with peppers and avacados, kashi pizza, dove dark chocolate, sonic ice), and some of the people who have come and gone in our lives (funny how this category made the most memories!). we realized how much we have grown as individuals this year. in different ways, we have both been challenged, and i am so thankful that we had each other. she is the kind of friend that encourages honesty and gives me the space to be myself. i will miss seeing her everyday, and i will never find the words to express how grateful i am for her sharing her home with me. it was not only a refuge from the world, but it literally allowed me to live into the calling God placed on my life. without her generosity, i don't know if i could have moved here to do the residency at the hospital, and it was through this residency that God revealed another step in my journey.

i hope everyone has someone in their life like steph has been for me. and if you do, tell them you love them and thank God for such a gift.

love you, steph!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

the party

being in austin last weekend for mom's 60th birthday & retirement party was just what the doctor ordered...these last few weeks have been rough at work, but all that stress was left behind for this celebration! i am SO thankful to God for my mom. she has loved me unconditionally and sacraficed much in her life as an expression of that love. hope you always remember how much you are loved, mom! here are a few photos from the night...