Wide Open by Jason Aldean

At the corner cafe,
She scrapes some quarters off the table,
Says, "Thanks, yeah, now maybe I'll be able
To get that black Mercedes,
I've been saving for."
The other girls say,
"You oughta undo a couple buttons,
Start showing off a little something."
She says, "Naw, y'all go ahead,
Think I'd rather stay poor.
See I'm just making rent."
She said, "This ain't where my road ends."

"This may not be my town,
But it'll do for now,
Til I can figure out,
Who I am,
Where I'm going."
She's slinging eggs and bacon,
With a college education
Just hanging out and waiting,
For a better plan,
She's ok not knowing,
She's young,
And the world's wide open.

There's a rusty old Ford,
Lives out back behind the diner,
Sitting there waiting on her to make her mind up,
It tends to sling a little gravel,
And take her who knows where,
Maybe head out west,
Into in God's hands, I guess.

She throws down that apron,
Takes the money she's been making,
Her life's out there waiting,
Got a better plan,
That's where she's going,
She's young,
And the world's wide open.

Welcome to Boulder

I visited my friend Danielle in Boulder on Saturday. Boulder definitely has a reputation as the funkiest city in Colorado. Danielle told me how when she first moved there, when something weird would happen, people would just tell her, "Welcome to Boulder." I'd never been there before, but after one day, I love it.

Danielle took me downtown to the area where they have a farmer's market. It was over by the time we got there, but we walked by the creek and explored the public library, which is really awesome. It's built out of red rock and spans the creek. There's a waterfall inside, and the part that spans the creek is a coffee shop. Very cool. After checking out the library, we followed the path along the creek, which was not only very picturesque but very, um, Boulderesque. For starters, completely at random, we saw an old vacuum cleaner sitting by a light pole. In case anyone wanted to sweep the gravel off the path, apparently. With a very long extension cord. A little further down, we saw a guy rocking in a hammock hung in a tree by the creek. As we got a little closer, though, we realized that he wasn't alone, and he wasn't just "rocking." Welcome to Boulder.

After that, Danielle took me to her favorite coffee shop/book store. It was a really cute local place with exposed brick interior, huge windows, hanging plants, and a fun, laid-back atmosphere. Plus good coffee. I'm sold. We walked around the shops and streets and had some more "Welcome to Boulder" moments, including a veggie dog stand and a T-shirt with a picture of a tree stump tied up with yellow tape that said "Crime Scene - Do Not Cross."

Oh, and the biggest Boulder moment of all. We walked outside and heard a lot of yelling, hooting and hollering. We looked over to see what was going on, and found ourselves looking at the Boulder Naked Bike Ride. Actually, we were too far way to really see anything, but close enough to know that it was indeed a naked bike ride. Big fat welcome to Boulder.

I really loved it, though. It was a beautiful town, and much smaller than Denver, where I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of people. Closer to the mountains, too. If I stay in Colorado after seminary, I would think about living in Boulder. I need my family to move to Colorado, though.

Where the Green Grass Grows by Tim McGraw

Six lanes, tail lights
Red ants marching into the night
They disappear to the left and right again
Another supper from a sack
A 99-cent heart attack
I've got a pounding head and an aching back
And the camel's buried in a big straw stack

I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watch my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rocking chairs toward the west
And plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
And the green grass grows

I'm from a map dot
A stop sign on the blacktop
Caught the first bus I could hop from there
But all of this glitter is getting dark
There's concrete growing in the city park
I don't know who my neighbors are
There's bars on the corner and bars on my heart

I'm gonna live where the green grass grows
Watch my corn pop up in rows
Every night be tucked in close to you
Raise our kids where the good Lord's blessed
Point our rocking chairs toward the west
And plant our dreams where the peaceful river flows
And the green grass grows

Denver

I have been reminded that, as much as I love Colorado and consider it my home too, I will always be a small-town Midwestern girl at heart. Denver isn't that huge of a city, and it's definitely not as busy or impersonal as Chicago, but compared to Lafayette or a guest ranch with 50 people you all know, it seems like it. I am used to people smiling and saying hello when you pass them on the park walk, not averting their eyes and acting creeped out by your friendliness. I'm used to cars stopping at the crosswalk in front of the grocery store (most of the time), and to people not darting out in front of you when they're not at a crosswalk (except on campus). I hate that I have to get on the interstate to get to work and get lost when I try to find an alternate route. I'm also used to most males holding doors for you or letting you walk in front of them. Apparently men don't have time for that in the big city. They have to rush off to drive 70 on the interstate and cut off confused girls with Indiana license plates who they refuse to acknowledge on the sidewalk.

As negative as that sounded, I think I'm going to like it here after I adjust my expectations. I too will learn to be fast, busy and self-absorbed. :) No, really, my apartment is great--we have a fireplace, and I have my own bathroom and a closet almost big enough to turn into a guest room, plus a dishwasher and our own washer and dryer. My room mate is great, too. Her name is Christina and she's really friendly and helpful. I haven't officially started work yet--they want to train me with another girl, so they're waiting to see when she can start. Right now they're going to put me on the night shift, 10 pm-6 am, which I'm not super excited about, but it's only supposed to be temporary. My boss is waiting to get his budget review back, and if everything is approved, he's going to put me in the dining room. I got the tour the other day and met some of the residents, and so far they seem really sweet. I have to take a two-day course to become a Med-Aide, which gives me a little more responsibility somehow. I don't really know much about the job yet. But it has benefits!! No more paying monthly for crappy insurance! Just rent...and car payments...and gas and food. Let's hear it for the adult life!

Faith

“And that is faith, to do God’s will here and now, quietly leaving the results to Him. Faith leaves something to the Lord, it obeys His immediate commandment and leaves to Him direction and destiny. And so faith is accompanied by serenity. . . Concerning his yesterdays faith says, ‘You hem me in behind’. Concerning his tomorrows faith says, ‘You hem me in before’. Concerning his today faith says, ‘You have laid your hand upon me.’ That is enough, just to feel the pressure of the guiding hand.” (J. H. Jowett)

Boxing Day

Happy Boxing Day, everybody. Christmas was crazy-busy, as could be expected. They've been having me pull double duty as a housekeeper and server, but in two days I should be able to go back to only housekeeping. Christmas morning was nice, with stockings for everyone and some time to sit around the fire. I had a break in the afternoon, too, but it was kind of rough. My grandma passed away last week, and we always spent Christmas day with that side of the family. I went home for the funeral, and I hated to jump back on a plane right before Christmas and leave everyone, esp since my grandpa passed away this summer, too, and it's really strange to think of Christmas without them. There were some tears. I actually started crying when I found out the housekeepers went for a horseback ride while I was working. It's so weird how you can have deep things going on in your life that you're thinking about and trying to process, but something small and stupid will set off the tears. Now I just have to make the push through New Years. After that life should slow down a bit. I'll have two days off a week--whoo-hoo! Right now I just want one day to SLEEP IN.

Melodic Monday - Be Still My Soul and I Need Thee Every Hour

Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end

Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake

To guide the future as He has the past

Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below

I Need Thee Every Hour
I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.
I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.
I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.
I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee.