February, 2011

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A Monday List.

Monday, February 28th, 2011

1. Thank you for all your prayers on Saturday. It was a good day. It wasn’t perfect. It wasn’t my best showing. It was a good reminder that God’s strength is made perfect in my weakness. [It feels stupid to say that; I know it is true, but it feels like a cop-out way of saying "I failed."] It just could have gone better- my part, that is.

To say it politely- I’m not perfect. And I got a four star reminder of that.

BUT. It was great to see my friends and it was a wonderful event. I was super glad to be there.

[Big sigh. Moving on.]

2. I drove back to Nashville on Sunday night and for once, I decided that I would make myself listen to FULL albums, no skipping, no This American Life, just albums start to finish. And I made myself sing every song. [I love singing. So this was the easier of the two requirements.]

Here’s what I listened to:

I don’t know that this list matters to you at all. But here it is. It felt like a real accomplishment to listen to five straight albums. Very un-Annie. [I'm a shuffler. A major shuffler.]

3. My (in)courage friend, Heather, is raising money for her daughter. Some of our (in)courage sisters got together and donated a few items. The (in)courage email said “if you have a craft or a book you’d like to donate…” and I was looking to my right and to my left and then suddenly I was like, “Oh, you mean ME? Oh yeah! I have a book.” It my pleasure to donate a few books to help– so check out Heather’s Etsy site and buy some stuff, yo.

4. Speaking of books, my friend Seth Godin has a new book called Poke the Box releasing this week and the KINDLE VERSION OF POKE THE BOX COSTS ONLY ONE AMERICAN DOLLAR [until the end of TODAY]! $1.00. Seriously. So buy that puppy- it will change how you do business. I promise. [You may know the girl he talks about on page 1. I'm just saying. I died- in the good way.]

5. Also- this happened on the drive yesterday. Hair mustaches are all the rage in 2011.

[Do you love my serious face or what? I know. I'm a class act. Fully deserving of being in Seth Godin's book. Or. Possibly. This picture may cause him to rewrite the first two pages of the book, because I'm a nut job.]

6. Speaking of people who shouldn’t associate with yahoos like me, my (in)courage friend Ann Voskamp hit the NYT Best Sellers list last week with her AH-MAZE-ING book One Thousand Gifts. You need to read this book.

7. I miss Scotland.

Posted in (in)courage, I heart books., Sounds good to me. | 8 Responses »
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A big Saturday.

Friday, February 25th, 2011

I’m emotional just typing this post.

That does not bode well for my speaking engagement this weekend. My eyes are probably going to puddle for my entire 40 minute slot.

Let me back up a bit.

From 2003-2005, I taught 5th grade in Jackson County. I have never loved sixty small people as much as I loved those kids. I prayed for them every day. I hugged them, cried with them, and let them get away with way more than I should have because gosh darn it, they were the cutest.

But I never openly shared the Gospel with those kids. [I hope I shared the Gospel every day with my life, but you know what I mean.]  I taught in a public school and I believe in respecting the laws of separating church and state.

Over the last seven years, I have returned to Jackson County once or twice a year for sports events or graduations or just because I miss my friends. I love that place.

In January, I got an email from a girl in Jackson County who works at the Static Student Mall, an outreach to teenagers in that county. She had seen my book and wanted to know if I would come speak at an event.

To summarize: I am speaking Saturday, about Jesus, to high school girls in Jackson County.

Look at the math. My 5th graders? They are now 11th and 12th graders.

THE SAME GIRLS THAT WERE 5TH GRADERS IN MY CLASSROOM WILL BE HIGH SCHOOLERS IN THE AUDIENCE.

If you are a teacher or have ever been a teacher, I bet you can imagine the multiple heart explosions I’ve had thinking about the opportunity I have been given on Saturday. Even explaining it to my co-workers at Mocha Club yesterday made me tear up.

In fact, I can’t hardly think about it without crying and whispering to God, “You have exceeded my dreams… You are always good to me… You saw this all along… You. Are. The. Best… Thank You…” Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera, until I can no longer form sounds due to the tears.

In my little heart and in my short little life, this is one of the biggest deals ever.

THIS is a dream come true.

  • Will you pray for me? Will you pray that the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart will be pleasing to God?
  • Will you pray for the girls in the crowd?
  • Will you pray for my students who I have invited and hope to see?
  • Will you pray for my teacher friends who will be in the audience as well?

I speak at 1pm EST on Saturday. If you would just set an alarm to pray for even one minute, it would mean so much to me.

This may be the most important speaking opportunity I will ever have.

May God be glorified.

Posted in AnnieWrites, Dreams Coming True, School dayz | 23 Responses »
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We love Annie Parsons.

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

I’m at my parents’ house tonight and we are watching American Idol and talking about how much we love Annie Parsons.

Annie was one of my very very first friends in Nashville and for the rest of my life when I list the people that I insist of keeping in my life no matter what geography says, Annie is on that list.

Towards the top.

She is loving and kind and a joy to be around. She gives past what you would think she is capable of giving. She’s funny. She’s the best. She will win your heart in an absolute second.

And tomorrow, she leaves for Haiti.

I would love.love.love. if AnnieBlogs-ies would go over to THIS POST ON HOOTENANNIE and leave her a comment of well wishes, prayers, verses, whatever God lays on your heart.

It would mean a lot to me if you would take two minutes and do this.

Remember Proverbs 16:24–

“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

Let’s flood that girl with love. In the words of Jason from two seasons ago of The Bachelor, let’s send her “on the wings of love.”

[you're welcome for that little Bach moment.]

Posted in Ze Bloggy Goodness | 3 Responses »
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If I don’t make it, you can have my car.

Thursday, February 24th, 2011

You may or may not recall this, but I have made a really bad decision.

I’ve paid real American money to compete in a half-marathon.

Thirteen miles.

Next Sunday.

Only nine days from today.

And seriously. What a dumb decision. I don’t like running. I never have. I loved playing soccer, but not because of the running part- because of the kicking the ball part.

In Scotland, I joined a gym and ran a bit and tried to keep up with training. But, I’ll just remind you again, I didn’t enjoy it.

I still don’t.

And I’m way behind on training.

This week, I did a four mile run. [FOUR out of THIRTEEN, mind you.] And I came close to expiring.

Not perspiring. [I was doing that. By the bucket-full.]

EXPIRING.

It was ugly.

And now I have nine days until I have to actually go for thirteen straight miles. I won’t run the whole thing. I won’t. [And you can't make me.] But I will finish. I mean, it may take me 4-5 hours and feel like a total waste of my Sunday morning at the beach, but I’m finishing.

AND.

I just read on the website that I can actually get the new Vera Bradley bag the DAY BEFORE THE RACE. Not good- that was a major push to make me finish. Yikes. I should not have read that.

[I love Vera. I run for Vera. Sorry- I was born in Georgia. It's in our blood.]

The only major highlight is that a handful of Nash-ladies are taking Southwest Airlines to the beach and staying in Seaside for the weekend.

I mean, I’ll enjoy Friday, Saturday, and Monday.

Sunday is still up in the air.

And if I don’t survive the race, you can have my car. And by “you”, I mean “my college friend Caren” because I’ve always promised to leave her the Camry in my will.

If I survive [I *probably* will], please don’t let me do this again.

I’m building a IT’S ONLY A HALF-MARATHON SUCK IT UP SISTER PLAYLIST to listen to while I run. I need at least 3 hours of jams. [That's a conservative estimate.... let's go for 4 hours.]

Help me out– what’s your favorite upbeat song?

Also– any advice for a first time [last time] half-marathoner?

Posted in Ze Bloggy Goodness | 35 Responses »
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@BradWomack, I hope you are real.

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011

I love The Bachelor.

I hope you do too. [Otherwise, this post is going to be daunting for you.]

For starters, I like all the girls that are left. Emily is the cutest and she used to live here in Nashville apparently and the whole of her Nash-life adores her. [I love rumors.] Ashley is cute, but she’s a goner. Let’s be honest. Chantal is my personal favorite because I think she is treating this like she would any relationship- I think what you see is what you get and I like that in a girl.

[That sounds creepy. I mean, I like that in a girl when she is on The Bachelor. For me personally, I like that in a boy. I like boys.]

Speaking of boys, I almost passed out when @BradWomack started following me on twitter. And I forwarded the email to my Bachelor-watching pals and said, “Um. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!”

I took some screen shots. Because it is not every day that THE BACHELOR! follows you on twitter.

[And oh sheesh. I'm just realizing that I cleaned off my desktop yesterday and threw away those screen shots. That is annoying.]

Now you are never going to believe me. But I promise- I was one of the first 50 people that he followed.

My Bach-friend said, “Oh, he must have become a Christian so he wants to follow other Christians.”

To which I said, “You are a sweet sweet lamb and that is not at all how it goes.”

Here’s my thoughts: I tweeted about watching four episodes of The Bachelor on Saturday. [Because I am dedicated and focused and I was out of the country for four weeks and knew that there were some pressing matters I needed to take care of when I came home. Like watching The Bach.] And @BradWomack started his twitter account on the same day. So he probably just searched “The Bachelor” and found me, followed me, hoping that I would follow back.

Or.

He found me and thinks we would be great friends.

Or.

He searched for single girls in their 30s [barely] in case he doesn’t pick anyone and needs another round of ladies.

Or.

We are actually real life friends so it makes total sense for him to follow me and read my tweets. [I wish.]

Or.

@BradWomack isn’t the REAL Brad Womack. [That's what Chris Harrison says- that none of the girls or Brad are on twitter.]

No matter.

The thrill is still there, even if the screen shots aren’t.

But if you look through who @BradWomack is following, you’ll totally see me on this list. And I have kept my fingers crossed constantly that this is really him and that at some point, we might actually be friends.

[Sue me. I think he would be fun to hang out with. In a totally non-dating way. Seriously. I don't want him to give me a rose. Ever.]

Let’s chat.

Do you watch The Bachelor?

Who do you hope he picks? [Don't reveal spoilers!!! Just reveal your strongest opinions.]

Who do you think will be the next Bachelorette?

Posted in Ze Bloggy Goodness | 20 Responses »
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Rangers Game.

Monday, February 21st, 2011

I am going to try to remain seated as I type this post but I will be honest and say that this experience may have been the highlight of my trip to Scotland.

[Somewhere across the ocean, my Scottish friends are shaking their fist at their computer screens and saying, "SHE SAID SHE LIKED US THE MOST!" And I do, friends. I do.]

Outside of the wonderful friendships, this may have been the highlight of my trip to Scotland.

A REAL LIFE PROFESSIONAL SOCCER GAME!!!

[Or as they would probably say in the UK, A PROPER FOOTBALL MATCH!!!]

Here is my friend Harry and I outside of Ibrox Stadium, home of the Rangers, the much superior of the two Glasgow soccer teams. [I don't know if that is true- I'm just telling you the propaganda I was fed.]

I don’t have the energy to fully tell you about Harry and his wife Anne. My emotional state is nothing to be tampered with, I can assure you of that. So to get all sappy would ensure that I lay in my bed for the whole of Monday looking through my trip pictures and drifting between weeping and napping.

In conclusion, I love them.

Right. So. Back to the soccer game. [Prepare yourself for many pictures.]

Outside the stadium. I have on a lot of layers- hoodie, scarf, jacket tied around my waist. It’s cold over there, okay? Give a sister a break.

Those are some great seats.

This is Maurice Edu. He is an American soccer player who plays for the Rangers. I yelled ridiculously loud when he was put on the pitch and I’m sure all the Scots around me quickly figured out my American-ness [if the country accent and constant questioning to Harry didn't already reveal that].

Run-on sentences are the best, aren’t they?

That overly excited smile right there? It lasted approximately the entire game and for a bit before and for a while after.

Because I love soccer. And I love Scotland. And I love going to a soccer game in Scotland.

There are around eighteen more pictures and about five minutes of video footage that I am going to spare you simply because you have done nothing wrong to deserve that type of torture [if you aren't a soccer fan, that is]. But trust me when I say that I FULLY documented the experience.

Fine. Only because you asked nicely, here’s one last shot. The scoreboard.

SIX to ZERO, Rangers?

Hi, my name is Annie and I am obviously your good luck charm.

Posted in Scotland | 5 Responses »
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Last day in Scotland.

Tuesday, February 15th, 2011

It’s my last day here.

I can’t believe that is even true. It has flown by and yet it feels like many-a-moon ago that I was in Nashville.

I insist on apologizing again for my lack of blogging.

I just don’t have anything to say.

The serious stuff sounds cheesy and to just tell you funny stories seems trite.

I still have some great experiences to share- like my FIRST EVER professional soccer game [though I have been chastised for saying "soccer" instead of "football"] and a weekend with great friends in Stewarton and the fact that I’ve watched the entire season of Downton Abbey.

I have videos that I just found on my camera of the high school bible study group eating haggis pizza and a collection of short films from them titled “Annie left her camera here so we’re going to make movies.” It’s a strong showing.

I have one fully packed suitcase, one partially packed suitcase, and one slightly over sized carry-on that might cause a hiccup in travel.

So I have all the goods for a few days worth of quality bloggerificness.

Here’s how I see it. I’ll get home tomorrow, rest up a bit, then on Thursday I’ll finish uploading pictures. I’ll blog like a mad blog lady, showing you all the sights from the last week or so.

But for today, I’ve got nothing [except apparently 300 words explaining that I have nothing to say].

[Welcome to the world of a painfully extroverted extrovert.]

So today I’ll hang out with some friends and finish up packing. Then I’ll hop the train into Edinburgh and probably listen to something gloomy and dramatic on my headphones while I stare out the window and the passing scenery.

[Welcome to the world of a dramatic extrovert.]

This has been an amazing month. Many other adjectives fit there are well, the good and the bad, but for today, amazing feels right.

I can’t get this line out of my head from Andrew Peterson’s song Many Roads. If I could say just one thing about this trip [laughable- have you met me?], I think these lyrics sum it up:

“And your many hopes

and your many fears

were meant to bring you here

all along…”

Posted in Scotland | 8 Responses »

Smile, Wednesday: Scotland stuff.

Wednesday, February 9th, 2011

I know. It’s been a week.

Even when I had my tonsils out I continued to blog.

But apparently when I live in another first world country, I can’t fit it into my schedule.

[That's not truly the reason.]

Here’s the thing. I’m processing so many things. I feel like the dryer of my soul has been tumbling my thought laundry constantly for the last few days (weeks?). And things in there are getting HOT. [I have stretched that analogy as far as it will go, but I used it in my journal too, so it makes sense in my head.]

I can’t write about it publicly. Well, I guess it’s more that I don’t want to, just to be honest. God and I are working through some majorly great and challenging stuff, but I’m not ready to talk about it.

Just know that when God opens up doors for you to step out and be brave, He takes you, moves you, pushes you, changes you, and loves you.

Do it.

When you get the chance, do it.

If you want the chance, ask for it.

So now to a few great pictures from the trip…

North Berwick from the top of The Law

Esther & I with fancy nails

Super Bowl gathering... at 11:30pm.

Sweet Elliot & my hair looks weird.

Edinburgh Castle with The Civil Wars in my ears

Tom adding some pizazz to his popcorning.

I like the Royal Mile. A lot.

. . . . . . . . . .

Also, I wrote a post today over at (in)courage. It happened a while ago, but it still feels pretty near to my heart. I hope you get the chance to speak truth IN LOVE. It makes all the difference.

Posted in (in)courage, Scotland | 9 Responses »
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Halfway done, yet just beginning.

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011

I’m having a hard time blogging serious things while I’m here in Scotland.

It’s not that I don’t want to.

It’s just that I already struggle naturally with knowing what to outwardly process and what to ponder in my heart [Luke 2:19], and when I am sitting alone in my room outside of Edinburgh, Scotland, writing my heart’s thoughts, sometimes I can forget that this is a public record. Not a private journal.

On the other hand, you are a part of this story and a part of this process. So I want to tell you the fears and big moments and weepy days and deep knower stuff.

So if you think I’m oversharing, I’m really sorry.

If you think I’m undersharing, I’m really sorry.

If you are just proud of me for finally learning how to share, thanks [Mom].

I don’t want to be a missionary. Never have. I’m a major creature of comfort and I love being able to see my friends and family relatively easily. I mean, Nashville is 3.5 hours from Marietta [hometown what what!] and it still about made my heart stop to move that far away.

What I’m saying is that it takes a super strong human to be a missionary.

And super strong human I am not.

But when I’m in Scotland, I feel like I’m home. I mean, I know I’m not HOME, but it feels like home. It is this strange deep feeling of contentment that I rarely find. In fact, I have only felt this in two other places: Marietta and Nashville. I’ve stayed a month in California, weeks in Costa Rica and Africa, a blessed week in NYC- and while I love those places, none of them have known me the way these three seem to have always known me.

I’m not packing up my life and moving it to this side of the ocean. At least, that not what I’m sensing God stirring in my heart. Instead, I have this feeling of completeness. This sense that I have found the places where my life will be lived. What percent here and what percent there and how many days over there? No clue.

I’m just telling you my deep knower stuff.

It’s also really hard, by the way. Because I miss my family. I miss my friends like w.h.o.a. and I miss Baja Burrito. I’m grateful for Skype, so I can see Rock and hear him say my name and so my co-worker Jeff and I can be idiots even though we aren’t in the same office.

[Modern technology, I owe ya one. You're making this all work for me, MoTech. Thanks.]

But it’s not the same. It’s not a hug or a shared meal or two hours on the couch watching The Bachelor.

To be BRUTALLY honest, I spend a lot of my thinking time weighing out gains and sacrifices, wins and losses. I picture scenario one and scenario two all the way to scenario fifty-six and I try to feel them each and I have cried on the train more than once just playing things out in my head.

And I think about how scary it could be to build a life around these three cities when I am 30 and single. [Sorry, this most definitely is oversharing.]

But. I also am super excited. I feel weirdly comfortable here and I’m enjoying pursuing friendships that feel real and strong.

So what I’m saying is that this post has gotten FAR too wordy and I love Scotland and I love America and I love the fact that He’s got the whole world in His hands.

So my trip is half finished- 2 weeks down, 2 weeks to go. But yet, in the deepest ways, I feel like everything is just beginning….

. . . . . . . . . .

Most importantly, today is my baby sister Sally’s 23rd birthday! I still remember waking up to go to school and my grandmother giving me a BIG SISTER pin to wear that day in 1988. It’s only gotten more awesome since then. Happy birthday, Salita! Love you.

Posted in Scotland | 11 Responses »

Sounds of home.

Tuesday, February 1st, 2011

This is a happy Tuesday in Nashville.

Very happy indeed.

And me thinks you will enjoy all three reasons.

#1. THE CIVIL WARS

This is the best $7.99 you are going to spend today. Get Barton Hollow by The Civil Wars. Please. It’s like turning on your grandma’s radio in the kitchen. It makes you feel like wearing an A-line dress and writing on a typewriter.

It makes you want to hear it again and again.

Here they are singing the title track, Barton Hollow, on Jay Leno. [Yes, Nashville collectively pooped their pants in excitement the night this happened.]

#2. SETH JONES

I love this guy. And the music he writes is insane. That’s the only way to describe it. I remember being in a living room with some musician friends one night and when it was Seth’s turn to play, he sang one of the most heart-wrenching songs I have ever heard. I think the line was something about how being on a plane would be the only time he would be “over” the girl who just broke his heart.

[I just butchered that. But Seth didn't.]

You should spend $4.99 on Seth Jones EP today. You won’t be mad about it. Great cooking music. [Do you listen to music when you cook? I do.]

#3. DREW HOLCOMB & THE NEIGHBORS VIDEO

Drew and Ellie’s new album comes out next week [don't worry- I'm remind you], but today they released the video for their song “Fire and Dynamite” and I. Love. It. [And a bunch of our friends are in this video, but my friend Andy wins for looking supes cute at 2:22. He used to be a model. He can't help it.]

My favorite lyric: “You are a novel in a sea of magazines.”

Sheesh.

Sigh… I love Nashville. I love that Nashville talent stretches over the ocean and joins me in the UK.

Hope y’all enjoy these artists. I mean, I’ve never led you astray before, have I? [uh... have I?]

Posted in Scotland, Sounds good to me. | 12 Responses »
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