I love my church!

I was introduced to Four Corners Church through a newspaper article my mom showed me when I was searching for a church after coming back to Newnan from college.  The newspaper article was especially interested in the meeting place of this church.

It meets in a bar in downtown Newnan.

The first time I visited, I was blown away by Alex's preaching.  Then the next and the next Sundays I got to attend, well gosh he was still making Jesus come alive like I'd never seen Him before!  I kept going whenever I didn't have to work on Sunday mornings.  Sometimes when I did work Sunday mornings, I would leave right before communion so I could at least hear the preaching and be there for the music.

I always wanted to be more of a part of this place, though.  I felt like a visitor the whole eleven months I went there.  Then, one day at work, this guy who sang on the stage came in for an application.  I caught him at church the next Sunday, introduced myself, and I had someone like a friend at my church.  Through his invitation, I went to my first Gospel community group tonight, and I've made more friends (and I think I might have a Harry Potter 7.5 buddy).

But, gosh.  I was txting Caleb on my way home (I know, I was driving, but I was too excited to wait till I got home) about how wonderful it had been to be with Jesus' people again.  I love His people.  The discussing, the chatting, the eating, the laughing, the being together and being comfortable with each other, it was all so good and so refreshing to my soul.  I've realized that I don't just like this, I'm pretty sure I need this.  This Gospel-living community.  I need it.  And that's okay, because that's acutally how I've been designed.  Go figure, but God designed us to live in community with one another.

I could go on for a very long time about all this, but I'll stop after this.

I had a really awesome time tonight; it's so good to feel like a part of something good.
I love Jesus.

And I love His people.

from the Four Corners website
This is our church.

The goad

Fresh off the presses from Lauren Nicole Love...

"I Was A Prostitute: The Truth About Sex"

See, this is the kind of stuff I wish I could write.  I doubt I'll ever stop praising Lauren Lankford, her vulnerability, her continual pursuit of what's right, and her unending encouragement to join the race.

I'm single (as in, not married), I'm human, and I've had more exposure to the sexual that I would want my daughter to have had.  I've been lied to, and I've been confused, but I want to do things right, and I want to start yesterday.  I want to be a force God would use  in His redemption plan.  I want to fight against lust, the lust in my own heart and in the hearts of my brothers and sisters.  Because this filth and heartbreak I've seen is not right.  It is not of the Lord, it has nothing to do with truth, and it is the opposite of love and of life.

So.  Here I go.

Wish me luck? 

Actually, I don't want wished luck.  I want to know that I'm not the only one fighting for this.

Not having anything to do makes me feel like not doing anything.

I don't like not having anything to do.

I wish I'd known how bored I would be at home without my job.  I did have great plans of getting things done, of exercising every day, and of being all-around productive with just a bit of laziness to help me enjoy the lack of having a job for a while.  I've given my dog a bath, I've cleaned out some cabinets, and that's about it.

Before I leave for Millie's the first of June, I will:

Clean out our old toy cubbies

Bake my dad a pie from scratch

Exercise... many times

Finish East of Eden (It's so good!)

Attack the skort I accidentally bought at a thrift store (I think I can convert it to a skirt.)

Get all those extra things from the toy cubbies and my dresser to Goodwill

So help me, Lord!

Coming soon to my dad for his new excellence in helping to keep the tupperware cabinets organized!
Image from the Warrensburg school site

Bits from the Interwebs: DIY

I think I would really like to make these for my house one day.

Tree lamp
via Garden Design

Branch curtain rods
via Better Homes and Gardens

Lamps out of mason jars
via Cheney Home

Korean Culture: Bath houses

Did you know there are public bath houses in Korea?  I remember giggling in elementary school when I saw the illustrations and read about the Japanese bath houses.  In Korea, you pay $4-$8 to get in.  The spa treatments are luxurious.  The men and women are separate, and I've read that, once you try it, you're hooked, but I'm not so sure about this one.

I'll have to revisit this topic after getting there and discussing/experiencing the bath houses.

Via Wishbone Clever

"Bath houses are great for people who are comfortable with their own bodies and at ease with the nudity of others. I am neither. And yet this is the year I've chosen to be uncomfortable, so off I went."

-Cat Lincoln-

"Discomfortable: Korean Bath House"

We are a human race.

I'm reminded through a conversation with a dear friend.

We're all broken.  We're all struggling.

So let's struggle together and lead each other to the One who brings perfect healing.

The One who loves perfectly and wholly.

The One who forgives completely.

The One who restores.

via Picable

Postcrossing

Here are two received postcards from the last two months via Postcrossing!

This one is from Russia.

And this one is from Lithuania.

I gave my dog a bath.

We have a beautiful, spunky chocolate Labrador retriever.  Riley's eleven now, and she still acts like a rambunctious teenager.  There's only two things that make her slow down.  Storms and water.

We pick on her so much for walking daintily around puddles and for scuttling away from the pool when we talk to her from the water.  Today I had planned to give her a bath in our tub upstairs.  I knew it was going to be a challenge and that Riley would hate every minute of it, but it needed to be done.

She would live.

She thought differently.

She's not allowed upstairs, but the treats I held before her got her bounding up ahead of me.  She sniffed around for a while once we got up there and realized something was wrong.  Maybe it was the sweet tones of my voice, maybe it was the drip of the bath faucet, but, all of a sudden, she decided she wanted to go back downstairs and fast.

I caught hold of her haunches before her front paws took her farther down the stairs from me.  I half lifted her, half walked her into the bathroom and closed the door behind her.  The poor thing started shaking as if I was taking her to be executed.  I started to feel bad for her, and I tried to coax her into a better mood, but her shaking wouldn't let up.  Those sad, why-are-you-doing-this-to-me eyes almost had me convinced, but this had to happen.  I turned her toward the tub and nudged her forward.  I brought up her first paw and put it into the water.  Resigned to her doom, she got in.  I followed.

She shook through most of her bath, but I was able to calm her down some.  I spoke soothingly to her and sang to her and rubbed her kindly and gently as I knelt in the dirty water with her.  She let her face rest on the edge of the tub in the saddest way possible.  It was pitiful.

She knew when we were finished, and she got out of the tub before I said anything.  She shook off and got wet dog smell all over our bathroom, but I couldn't scold her, of course.  I rubbed her down with an old towel then confined her to the bathroom to dry until her high pitched, sad whining convinced me to let her finish drying outside.

Precious, no?

Blogs from Korea

 I've been doing a lot of research today.  I really enjoy exploring the culture of Korea, and my previous posts have made me thirsty for more.  I've come across a lot of interesting blogs while searching for Korean perspectives.

I read a post on Life After Cubes about the importance of learning as much as you can about the culture before you get there.  I've been on six trips abroad, and I've studied the levels of culture shock, but I feel very unprepared.  There is so stinkin' much to know, though.  The language, the food, what to where and when to wear it, Korean ideas about Americans and expats...  And then, what about the area I'm going to be living in?  I haven't researched anything about Gangnam (a section of Seoul) yet!

I'm feeling overwhelmed.  To counter this, I am going to keep a level head and do what I can to make the transition to Korea easier.  I am going to study the language, continue to push myself to spicy foods, find some more skirts from Goodwill, and, really, I need to keep getting my body into better shape.  I can't change my bone structure (these hips aren't going anywhere), but I can be fit.  Well, the Koreans' ideals of beauty and of what is best will be good for something, eh?  I will say, though, that I'm not giving up the muscle I've gained, no matter how much they value stick thin limbs over there.

I don't know if you're wondering why I'm caring about this or not, but, here's why.  Even with my dark hair and fair skin, I am going to stand out over there.  I enjoy being unique here, and that won't change when I move to Korea, but, frankly, I don't want to stand out so much in the area of my size.  I know that I can do something about that, and I know that I've wanted to for a long time, so I will add this to my motivation, and I will use it.

Bibimbap via Molyna

Those Westerner-in-Korea blogs?  Here are the favorites I've found so far.

Life After Cubes

Expat blog network

Chris in Korea

I'm no Picasso

The Grand Narrative

(This last one isn't always kosher, but it's good insight into the taboo areas)

Bits from the Interwebs: Laugh

I like sharing things.  These are all first via Pinterest.

Andrea Archembault

Kelly Mark

Jennifer Still

Awesome via SuburbanSahm

:)
via All Posters

Korean Culture: Dating

I'm pretty bummed; Blogger lost my post on Korean couples from a couple days ago (but Blogger is in the processes of restoring it).  Here's one I'd saved on Korean dating to make up for it:

Please don't think that I'm planning on getting a Korean boyfriend once I get over there, because that is not going to happen.  But, after my last post about Korean culture, I was still interesting the couples and dating scene.  I've done some research and I've got some interesting cultural differences show you.

• When a girl is asked out on a date, it's usual for her to bring a friend to help keep her safe and in check.  In fact, she would risk appearing loose if she didn't.
• The guy still has to pay for the friend, though, and everything else.
• Besides holding hands and grooming each other's hair and faces, PDA is no bueno.
• Guys almost always carry the girls' purses.  It shows that he pays attention and cares about her.
• Interracial dating is frowned upon by the older generations.
• Boyfriends are pretty possessive of the girlfriends.  Not sure how, but they make sure everyone knows that she's his.
• Dating isn't a casual thing over there.  You don't date, you're in a relationship.
• When you've got a boyfriend, you basically don't have any other guy friends.
• Korean girlfriends whine and complain.  And the guys fall for it.
• Young couples take pictures of each other incessantly.
• The younger couples, they groom each other.  Incessantly.

Korean girls seem to like guys who are tall, funny, sensitive, jerk-ish, and smart.
Korean guys seem to like girls who are thin, pale-skinned, have large eyes, soft and not very muscular, and who flatter them.

"On-the-go grooming" by the Metrpolitician

Works Cited
"Korean Dating Culture" from AsianDatingZone.com

"Dating in Korea" from LifeAfterCubes

"Dating in Korea" forum topic led mostly by GI's in Korea from Dave's ESL Cafe

"Young Love" by the Metropolitician

Talking on the phone with my friend Emily who's been there fore and is there again now!  Holla, Gangnam-Seoul!

Brian MacGregor and his beautiful works

 My family and I took a trip to Savannah to see some of my dad's family this past weekend.  While we were there, Mom and I explored the art district.  We both like looking at the paintings and the photography and all of the other interesting things.  Stopping in at Brian MacGregor's studio and talking with him was the best part of the adventure.

My favorite pieces were paintings of golden roses over sheets of dream journals.  

"Golden Rose"
 Brian MacGregor

This one above is my absolute favorite.  I would like to buy it sometime (or a similar piece).  I think it's so beautiful.  And I love the mixed media, the humanity and imagination written in the pages, the rich colors...

"Spiral Rose Blossom"
Brian MacGregor

"Spiral Rose Maze"
Brain MacGregor

Walking through his studio made me want to know more about this fellow, so I asked what first encouraged him in his art.  He said that his parents were both artists, and they encouraged him to continue developing his first language of art.  He briefly explained how art is the first language for each of us (think drawing pictures to explain and to communicate), and it's up to each of us whether we decide to continue using and refining it.

I asked him then what was it he was trying to communicate through his art.  Mostly what he's feeling, he said.  Whatever he's feeling at the time, it just naturally comes onto the canvas.  He directed me to a painting he'd done depicting the path of life and a woman's reaction to it.  He pointed out how she was off life's path, she wasn't even looking at it, the roses, and the roses pointing downward...  It was a beautiful piece.  It was commissioned, he said.  Always nice to have someone take such an interest in his work that they commission a piece.  And, in addition to the dream journal pages he had already collected for the work, the commissioner had added some of her own.  So intriguing to me.

When Mom and I left, he thanked me for being the first person to have asked intelligent questions that day.
New goal: Encourage beauty wherever I see it.

You can check out more of his stuff here at Brian-MacGregor.com

My last day of work

I was getting ready to leave work for the last time last Thursday when Dana came to take my spot at the register .  She said, "You didn't tell me you were leaving," then she added under her breath, as if we were all trying to break out of this prison, "found somethin' better?"
"Well, I'm going to Korea," I answered, hoping this sounded like something better.

"Woah.  That's extreme."
...

"Um, yeah.  That's just how I roll."

------------------------------------------------------------

I have worked at this office supplies store during the breaks of 3 years. I've gone from cashier to inventory to a little bit of the copy and print department, then back through the positions again.  Many customers have given me their business cards while they've been in to get more printed, to get flyers made, or just to promote this book they're selling.  I've talked with some interesting business owners over the years, but this last one takes the cake, the pie, and the ice cream.


This adorable elderly gentleman with navy coveralls, an old trucker cap, and dark aviators handed this card to me as he left, "in case you need a second job.  It comes with checks."

I have no idea how he thinks I'd be able to help out, but I'm not sure I want to know.


I pulled the card out of my pocket to read it during a slow period at work.  I collapsed onto the counter in laughter and knew that this would make a good story.  What's wild?  It gets better.

After work, I headed directly to Dayton, Tennessee, to see some of those college friends of mine before they graduated.  We convoyed to Knoxville for the Thor premiere and got there plenty early so we'd get good seats.  With hours of wait time, I figured it'd be fun to pass around this business card.  My friends stared and asked questions in turn, but I didn't expect to look down the aisle and see Elise on the phone.  I climbed over the theater seats to her just in time to hear her start leaving a message:


"Hello, this is Savannah Cunningham, and I have this here business card for an Ernest R. Soto.  Now, I was wondering if you could help me out with a couple things.  I'd like to get a chastity belt... I don't think I need any uprisings quelled, but I would like to get some of those possum dinners to go, and...  what?  Oh, hello.  ...Oh-okay.  Um, yes, okay, check your books.  All-all right, I understand.  Okay, sir.  Good bye."


I was dying in a fit of giggles, the conversation was getting better and better, but I was all ears when she hung up the phone.  She told her enraptured audience that Ernest had picked up the other line midway and started to tell her he'd have to look in his schedule.  He was pretty booked up, and this was a tall order she was listing off.


I told them that I'd had no reason to believe that this man wasn't completely serious when he'd given me his card.  We all sure beleived him now.

Three things to be happy about

After doing some figuring with my bank account, I've learned that the worries I've been building about this summer, especially about the gas it'll take my sister and I to get from Georgia to Pennsylvania and back, can be set aside!  No more worrying.  Besides, I could always take an instrument and set up on a street corner, so, no need to worry ever!

I've began East of Eden again (to get the full effect, since I didn't finish it before), and I am in love!

I am also in love with this super cool guy I've been dating for four months yesterday!  Four months doesn't sound like all that long, but it's brought us so much further than where we were January, and I'm so very thankful for all of it.

Street sign art by the Canadian artist Peter Gibson
via Pinterest via ThisBlogRules

Obsession: The Avett Brothers

A came across a bunch of awesome photos of one of my favorite bands, The Avett Brothers on Pinterest, and I was repinning them all over the place.  Instead of annoying all the Pinterest users, I'll annoy you instead!

No really, these guys are awesome.

They sounded very harsh in my ears when I first them (which is very understandable considering the songs I'd heard most were the likes of "Die die die" and "Distraciton #74")   Millie played them all the time in the car, and, not having a car and us being good friends, I had to endure their sounds a good deal.  I'm so gad for Millie's persistence, though, and her invitation to their Augusta concert two Septembers ago.  It was taking me a long time to get used to their tornado of bluegrass, rock, and folk, but that concert made me an instant convert.

They're so much fun live.

Millie and I first heard songs from their album "I And Love And You" at that concert.  That was the turning point.  I love that album.  Love, love, love.  When I'm introducing others to their brilliance, I always start there.  It's a lot more gentler than their earlier stuff.  In fact, if you're curious, here's where you can listen to the whole album for free from their website!  Even further, here's a video Paige5461 uploaded of their performance of "January Wedding" from that very concert.  (I totally remember that drunk guy yelling around 3:06.)

And, did you know that Scotty was featured on Design*Sponge?!  How did I miss that?

Bob Crawford is the bomb diggity.
Image via The Wounded Jukebox via

They were featured in Southern Living as well!

Image by Art Maripol for Southern Living

Super awesome poster by Goodmorningvoice on Deviantart

Image via Popmatters

Ballin' print available on Etsy from srahchiarotdesign

This is my favorite picture of Bob Crawford I've ever seen.  (This set done for the Denver Post)
Check out more awesome shots at Todd Roeth Photography

And, I'm not much for wearing hearts, but this necklace makes me smile.
Sold on Etsy by luckyduct

"See, maybe it's a good thing I wasn't born a boy, because I'd just want to be an Avett brother, but I was born to you [Mom], so I'd be a... McKissick brother.  But instead, I'm a McKissick sister."

"I'm sure if the Avett brothers knew you, they'd want to be McKissick sisters."

Before I get too carried away...

Lindsay's dose of humbleness, the left arrow key, enter stage right:

(Even with Laptopkey.com's help, it's not properly fixed.)

Guess what, friends... [Three things to be happy about]

I only have one more day at my minimum wage-ish job!

 I'm going thrifting with my wonderful boyfriend tomorrow!

Aaaand, 

I'VE GOT A JOB IN KOREA!!!

Isn't that all ludicrously happy news?!!

I'll be working in Gangnam-Seoul with a branch of the Sogang Language Program (henceforth to be referred to as SLP).  I will leave early July and return the next July.  I'll be 10-15 minutes walking distance from the school, and 15 minutes by public transportation from an underground mall which I've been told will offer whatever I could need from the States.  I'll have a housemate, too, which I wasn't expecting but I'm glad of.  And that's all I know for now!

I've sent my FBI clearance off to the U.S. Dept. of State to get it authenticated with an apostille.  That's the last document I've been told to get nailed down, and things will be underway for my visa once it comes back!

Holy cow, this is really happening!

This is where I'm going to live for a year!
This image is a product of my ling dragging talent+Google maps+MS Paint
:]