Call it Art.

I love handwriting.  In college, my roomies would often ask me to address envelopes or birthday cards to "make it pretty."  {Mind you, their handwriting was just fine, but they liked mine, so I obliged.} 

I remember fourth grade when we had to start writing in cursive all the time.  I loved it. 

My Nanny taught Mom and Laura to write in calligraphy, and I got to take some of her classes at Northlake Community College as well.  I felt like such a big girl.  In those classes and at Nanny's desk, I developed a love for beautiful handwriting and took it upon myself to make mine as pretty as possible.

Today I came across an article in the New York Times about cursive and how it seems to be going by the wayside.  I thought this was a valid point:

"Might people who write only by printing — in block letters, or perhaps with a sloppy, squiggly signature — be more at risk for forgery? Is the development of a fine motor skill thwarted by an aversion to cursive handwriting? And what happens when young people who are not familiar with cursive have to read historical documents like the Constitution? "

Perhaps so.  People can also miss out on a fine motor skills, it says, and most importantly, they are missing out of the art and the opportunity to "create beauty every day."

So here's to creating beauty every day, whether it's by hand, in music, in molding young minds, or with numbers.  And we'll call it art.

Some Good Reads

Well it's been almost a solid year since I got lost in a book.  (It's probably just a coincidence that this occured just a week before meeting a particular guy, right??)  And when I say lost, I mean can't-put-it-down-must-read-it-all-in-one-sitting, lost.  In college, this used to be a typical occurrence for me. Now, not so much.  I've realized, though, that reading was often my form of escape from the real world.  There are worse things, I suppose!

For example, the Summer of 2009, after college when I had a degree and no job, I read 20 books.  Not kidding.  Twenty.  And that was in between looking for jobs, which at one point, my mom looked at me and said, "I think you've done enough applying.  You should take a break."  Most of my friends were not in town, either, so I had a ton of free time.  Too much, probably.  Let's just say it was a challenging summer.

Since this past December, I've slowly incorporated books back into my world, and let me just say it feels nice.  I didn't cut reading out completely--I will always be a reader, but now I read a ton of blogs.  It fits my life right now.  I can read a blog post in two minutes and move on.  Plus, people fascinate me.  Why not read what they're willing to write?  And I've learned about all kinds of topics from decorating, budgeting, cooking, and new books, to name a few.  I've been exposed to Haiti and Africa, places that weren't even on my radar very long ago.  (And I've also learned that you can't believe everything you read.)

My parents have both moved on to the world of the iPad, which left a Kindle sitting all alone.  Poor thing.  My Dad offered to upload it with some books, and he even added this one for me...

And as opposed as I am to "clicking" my way through a book, (I'd much prefer to hold the real thing in my hands), I'm enjoying the compact Kindle and its contents.  The Pioneer Woman began writing the story of her and Marlboro Man's romance on her blog.  {Click here to read the story.}  Readers loved it so much that she kept writing and put it into a book.  Rumor has it there might be a movie coming soon with Reese Witherspoon as the main character.  Last Sunday, it was number three on the New York Times' best seller list.  That's sayin' something.  That, and the fact that I can't put it down.  I read it during my lunch breaks and any extra time that I have. 

Next on my list, thanks to blogworld, is this book...

To fight a season where getting out of bed was nearly impossible, author Ann Voskamp began writing a list of one thousand things she was thankful for.  Unsurprisingly, it changed her life and spurred this book.  I've been mustering up the courage to read it (it kind of frightens me...in a good way). 

And lastly, just to round things out and add one more thing I've learned from a blog, I thought I'd share this post for those "Looking for Thicker Skin" from Amanda Moore. I definitely could use more of that in my life.   

"The Merediths"

My dad and I share many similarities, starting with our middle names. I really love my name. Has someone ever asked you what you'd rather have as a name? I can never answer, because I like mine, Shay Meredith, just the way it is.  Not only do we share middle names, I found some old photos of my Dad this week at my parents' house, and was shocked at the similarity of these poses. Uncanny, I think! {This is me on the left and my Dad on the right.}

 

My dad's dad, "Pops" (his first name is Meredith!) has been in the hospital this week getting a pacemaker. (Valentine's week irony, I suppose.) I post often about my Mom's side of the family because I see them a lot (and love it), but not much about this smaller (but equally sigificant) side of my fam. Pops has been on my mind a lot this past week and thankfully is doing better after his surgery. We've had so many close friends praying for him and even visiting him this week in Virginia, and for that we are so touched and very grateful.

Monday morning with C.S. Lewis

Why, hello there. 

I don't know if anyone likes these more serious, non-photo posts I've been doing lately, but I promise I'll put some pics up soon.  I just got back from a fun weekend in Nashville, and it was well-documented, but not with my camera. 

As much fun as it was to visit with great friends in Katie's awsome town of Nash, I also loved the feeling of coming home...to my apartment, to my city, in my world.  I hope that doesn't come across as self-centered or selfish, because that's not my intent.  I think what I'm trying to say is that I'm really content with where I am right now, which is a really fun place to be, and I am so grateful to be in this spot right now. 

This morning I ran across a C.S. Lewis quote that I thought was partiularly profound.  My cousin Anna loves quotes, so this is for you.  Maybe you'll read it when you come back from camp counsel-ing.

But the most obvious fact about praise-whether of God or any thing-strangely escaped me. I thought of it in terms of compliment, approval, or the giving of honor.

I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless (sometimes even if) shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought in to check it.

The world rings with praise-lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favorite game-praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare beetles, even sometimes politicians or scholars.

I had not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and capacious, minds, praised most, while the cranks, misfits and malcontents praised least . . . I had not noticed either that just as men spontaneously praise what ever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: "Isn't she lovely? Wasn't it glorious? Don't you think that magnificent?"

The Psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about. My whole, more general, difficulty about the praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight to do, what indeed we can't help doing, about everything else we value.

I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed.

(C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms, [New York: Harcourt, Brace and World 1958], pp. 93-95.)

Fun stuff and Finding your Passions

I started out today very thankful for the sunshine and for the fact that I heard birds chirping outside.  It's been a while since I've seen and heard all of that!  Work got a little frazzled, as it is our busy fundraising season, but now I'm home and off to choir practice tonight.  By the middle of the week, sometimes I just want to sit and veg out, but I'm always so glad when I go.  I just love singing, especially as an act of worship.  I'm so glad I get to be a part of this.

I was reading Kelly's Korner blog today, and she mentioned going to a store that was super cute.  She posted this picture...

...and before I even saw the store name, I knew it was in Fayetteville, because I got to go there with S.M. and Katie when we visited!  I don't know what it is about Fayetteville, but I just really loved our visit.  Maybe it was the company and the fact that we didn't have to pay for a single meal, or plan where to go.  It was all done for us, which now I appreciate so much more.  Being a grown-up takes a lot of thinking and planning sometimes!  I digress.

Ok, back to the store--it's called RiffRaff, and it's just an assortment of all kinds of painted, personalized and creative things.  The girl that owns it is just about my age, and it's in an old building that used to be a daycare run by her mom.  I just love to hear of people being successful and creative, and doing things they are really passionate about.  {I think this is the right story, but it's not posted anywhere on the RiffRaff blog.  S.M.'s mom and dad could be the next mayors of Fay-town, so they just know everybody and pertinent details about them.  It makes driving around town pretty entertaining!}

{Such cute stuff!}

And speaking of finding things we're passionate about and getting to do them...I'm currently trying to figure out how I can combine all of mine into one fantastic job.  Not sure how that's going to work, but if I could involve music, writing, people (kids and adults), and maybe turn it into a ministry, then I think I'd be set.  Any suggestions are welcome.  :-)

A Full-Circle Moment

This morning I put together and participated in a conference call that involved my non-profit kicking off the spring fundraising campaign for the firm my dad works for.  It was the first time I've ever done something this big, so it was kind of a big deal (to me, anyways!).

I was a little leery of being on this call because I don't want to be known or introduced as "Gary's daughter."  Not that I mind being his daughter, I just don't want to be that girl.  Oh well, it is what it is.

Well, also on that call were about 15 other people from all over the state, and one of them was a lady named April.  Here's where I attempt to make my story make sense, now that you have this background.

{At Troy's HS Graduation Party...I forgot to mention they love T-roy too!}

My dad introduced me to April about eight years ago.  At the time, she worked for the communications department at the firm.  Her job was to communicate internally with people, making sure everyone got the right information.  She sent out a daily newsletter and did a million other various things, I'm sure.

My dad suggested that I go hang out with her at the office one day to see what sort of things she did.  He thought that we would get along, and he (wisely) wanted me to be exposed to other career opportunities.

At the time, I wanted to be a teacher.  I've wanted to teach since I was in first grade.   I came home from school to play school.  It's how I spent my afternoons, my summers, and all my extra time.  I had grade books, homework, students, a whole Lillian Vernon Teacher Kit, and who knows what else.  I think I played school well after elementary school.  I would even dream up themes for my classroom.  (Today it would be jungle themed...just sayin'.)

My dream to be a teacher continued all through high school.  Meanwhile, about a year after I spent the day with her, April had twin boys, and later another one.  I began to babysit them and spend summers and weekends keeping the kids, getting to know April and her husband Jack, watching the dynamics in their home.  To say it was entertaining and eye-opening would be an understatement.    Now, it's as though the boys are my own almost.  They are precious to me, and I love seeing them.

Originally, when the boys were a few weeks old and I was 16, April hired me to help alongside her, just to have another set of hands.  Twins are a handful.  Double the trouble, especially if they're these boys!  I got to spend quite a bit of time with her, and we have become good friends.  Although there is about 10 years in age difference, we bounce ideas off one another and kept in touch while I was away at school.

Back to school...I was going to be a teacher, remember?  Well that all changed about three days before Baylor orientation.  I talked my good friend Allison, and she said, "If you're not 100% sure you want to teach, then get your degree in something else, and you can always get your teacher certification later."  Which is what she did.  That was probably the best advice I was ever given.  Or at least the most life-shaping.

So fast forward to age 23...I became a Public Relations major, and now I do that sort of thing for a non-profit company.  I would still love to teach, but for now, I quench my desire to be in the classroom by living vicariously through my teacher-roommate and I still hang out with the three hoodlums.

The Twins, J and G.

To say they're a handful is an understatement.  But I love them.

Baby K.  

Not really a baby anymore, but will you look at those eyes?  Makes me melt.  Every. Time.

Now that we're back in the same city, I get to see them a bit more often, and April and I are now working together.  My dad shared a brief version (basically that April was my mentor, and now we're working together as peers) today on the call.  April said it well when she summed it up with a "Thanks for the Group Hug, Gary!"  It was slightly embarrassing, but I'm not going to lie...I did kind of enjoy the attention.  Just a bit.

Thanks for making it to the end of my super-long post.  You're a champ.

Links worth Looking at...

Here's an update from my friend Katie in Haiti.  They are getting into a new routine and teaching about 65 students, grades K-12 again.  Please continue to pray for them and the people of Haiti.

Here's a story about a Houston family I've been following that has been trying to adopt a child from Haiti for several years.  After a very long process, including the dad going to Haiti to fight for their son, Ronel is finally coming home!  It's been such an amazing story to follow, and the mom, Debra, has a pretty cool blog, too. 

Here's an article on Matt Chandler, The Village pastor on how he and his family are trying to suffer well.  A really great piece. 

Here's a Washington Post article on Tim Tebow's upcoming "Celebrate Family.  Celebrate Life" ad during the Superbowl is already generating a lot of talk...in a good way, I think.  And it's not just because he's good looking.

And on a lighter note, here are some things I've enjoyed reading lately:


Valentine Treats

Cake Recipe and Coffee Cookies from MckMama

Funny Valentines from LOST and 24.

TV Valentines designed by Jennyology

Hope your week is going well.  Enjoy!