Sin Boldly you say?

Hey guys! So I don't post all that often... obviously... but I decided to write a post for a book that I read recently... Sin Boldly by Cathleen Falsani...

The title was definetly an eye catcher for me and caused me to be rather curious as to what does it mean to Sin Boldly... and is that as a Christian a good thing... aren't we called to not sin...?

After I got out of my cloud of confusion of what direction the book would take I was surprised both by the simplicity and beauty of language. Falsani went through stories of her life by painting pictures of the experiences that God has guided her through. We have all learned at least one definition of the word grace, however Falsani tells a story of how grace prevails even in the most dire of circumstances. From remote villages in Africa, to Katrina destroyed areas, to a funeral for the late Pope.

How often do you look for grace to emerge from the ashes? How often do you pray for grace to come and over come the ugly of this world? But it does... it really does... I had never thought of grace touching each experience in my life. This book doesn't contain a ton of theological rock your brain until something convicting and wowing pops out about grace. Rather, takes a more simple don't overlook experiences look at grace. It truly is everywhere and even if you don't think you have experienced it in one way or another, you need to take a step back and realize that you really have.

Wondering what to do with this weekend...

As I am staring at the weather report it is glaringly obvious that there will be some sort of large down pour tomorrow ALL DAY...

So I am sorting out what I can do to entertain my parents tomorrow...

There are museums... which don't interest my dad...

I would love to take the boat to Georgetown from Old Town Alexandria... but the rain...

I am just not feeling all that creative...

Boo for rain during the weekend...

The crazy life

So, I would really work on posting more online... hmmm... maybe in my free time... or maybe when I'm at work and mildly bored... I just can't decide... ;)

My last free night was last week Friday... I have tonight free... and my next free night isn't until Thursday the 18th... I have various activities that I could take a day off from but yeah if I look at the schedule it's a little overwhelming... My parents are in town this weekend and next Thursday I'm heading to New Hampshire for the weekend.

So get this... I don't really like comcast... I called them last night because my internet was down but my tv was working... so I played around with my modem... my router... and my computer for 10 minutes until I realized the wrong lights were on for the modem thus the modem was having issues... so I called Comcast convinced there was a modem problem... after the guy went through and told me to switch cables... turn this thing on and off... push this button and that button... and 20 minutes later he tells me... you have a modem problem... the only two solutions he could offer... 1. having them drop one off next Wednesday 2. having me pick one up off of a street I have never heard of. when I asked for directions there he told me that 7-11's sell maps and maybe I should look into that... DANG!!! So that man really made me mad.. the nerve of some people... arg!!!

ok... now back to patent examining... ;)

Messy Spirituality

My friend Jess has given out a bunch of these books and challenged her Bloggy friends to write a review... so here's mine!! ;)

I'm a mess, you're a mess, we're all messes...

That is the concept of the book Messy Spirituality, by Michael Yaconelli. No human on this earth is perfect. We all have flaws we all make mistakes but though God wants us to strive to be more like Him, He will accept us even when we faulter.

Yaconelli tells stories and draws parellels between biblical men and women, people in his own life, and stories that he has heard from others. He uses all those examples to show what a honest messy walk with Jesus looks like. It's the alcoholic husband choosing to follow God and love his wife, it's when your child survives cancer and your only response to why she lived is "I don't know," and it's those days that though you want to give God 100% you only have 70% to give but He recognizes your growth.

Reading the book really made me appreciate the churches and people I have meant along my Christian walk. I didn't become a Christian until college, got plugged in right away to great churches, bible studies, and friendships. At no point did I ever feel unwelcome or out of place. I have never regularly attended a legalistic, it's all about the rules church. Jeans have always been acceptable attire to the services and an un-tucked shirt, uncombed hair, or even blurting out during a service never caused a stir. So in reading this book I had a hard time relating to those who felt condemned and unaccepted by others in the church. Though I do know it exists in todays churches. We need to move beyond the worlds mold, the standards, peoples view of us, how the world wants us to act, and hand the chalk to Jesus so He can replace any incorrect perceptions with how He views us, and wants us to act ALL with an out pouring of His love.

"The mess of our lives and our crippledness is what most qualifies us to be chosen by Jesus."

Michigan ROAD TRIP!!

Woo hoo! So I am officially taking off in a few weeks for a Michigan road trip...

I fly into Detroit and kidnap my moms car, then head off. First to Saline for a night. Then to Grand Rapids for two nights. Then off to Marshall for a night. And then last but not least I head back to Farmington to spend the day with the fam before flying out the next day.

I am beyond excited to go home, I haven't been back since December. I also realized that I haven't seen many of my friends since moving out to Virginia, and I really miss them all a ton. It's crazy cause I leave next week Friday! NEXT WEEK... oh I hope this week goes by quick!

Jamie

A small plant in the middle of the African Safari...

Have you ever felt like a small plant in the middle of an African Safari...?

Welp ya'll that's kind of what I feel like...

Why you ask...

Welp, I live in the DC area filled with fun inexpensive things to do, historical documents and landmarks, and around this time of year tourists... Don't get me wrong, I can't claim the whole region as my own and I don't dislike all tourists. Yet they kind of get me feeling like a small plant in the middle of an African Safari... Basically the tourists arrive in droves for the purpose of seeing and ooohhhhing and ahhhhhing said historical things and taking advantage of those inexpensive things to do. Just as someone on safari would want to go and ooohhhh and ahhhhh at animals along the way.

But those safarians don't so much care about the small plant, they don't plan on running it over unless it gets in the way, and they don't really understand the ecosystem in which me (the little plant) is trying to survive they seem more concerned about the next photo op of a lion... just as tourists don't really notice the people who live in the DC area who are trying to exist in an already crazy area...

OK yes I did pick a crazy area to live, which is kinda my own fault, yet there is no other patent office in the US... so kinda stuck in that regard... yet from now until late August is considered tourist season... a time of New York and Florida license plates... people who don't understand that garbage doesn't belong just dropped anywhere... crowded metros... crowded metros filled with strollers... not being able to take a walk without fear of ruining a photo that someone is trying to take... people cutting across 3 lanes of traffic because they are about to miss their exit (actually that is a year round occurrence.. :) )

It kinda stinks being the small plant... ;)

All that for $50?!?!?

Hey all! I just wanted you to know that I finally finished my taxes! WOO! I had been done with my state of Virginia and my federal taxes since mid-February BUT guess who made $50 in Michigan last year...

You guessed it me.... not sure how I did it when the last day I lived in Michigan was Sep. 13th 2006...

Which meant that I was required to fill out a MI-1040, a NonResident form, and a schedule 1...

Crazy huh!?

After not realizing I needed to fill out the schedule 1 for like 2 days, and having the form tell me that I owed over $2,000 to Michigan, I was a bit emotional... but I figured it all out, wrote a check for $7 and I'm officially finished! YAY!

If Michigan decides next year that I made money in it, I think that check will be sent back... :)

Cold Tangerines

It isn't very often that I find a book that I would recommend to all my friends. In her book Cold Tangerines Shauna Niequist revisits chapters of her life, some humorous, some silly, some reflective, while others somber. Each moment is delicately interwoven with a touch of God. Seeing God in the every day and being able to learn from and/or laugh at what is set before us is truly a gift.

Shauna is able to open up and allow the readers to peek at so many aspects of her life. The chapters read almost like letters from a dear friend, as her struggles become teachable moments, and her humor has you laughing out loud. By the end you feel like you've known her from childhood.

One section of the book that brought goosebumps was on pg. 50 "True friendship is a sacred, important thing, and when it happens when we drop down into that deeper level of who we are, when we cross over into the broken, fragile parts of ourself. We have to give something up in order to get friendships like that. We have to give up our need to be perceived as perfect. We have to give up our ability to control what people think of us. We have to overcome the fear that when they see the depths of who we are, they'll leave. But what we give up is nothing in comparison to what this kind of friendship gives to us. Friendship is about risk. Love is about risk. If we can control it and manage it and manufacture it, then it's something else, but it's really love, really friendship, it's a little scary around the edges."

To have someone in your life to love you and care for you even though they know who you are is such a blessing. Reading that portion of the book caused me to pause and to think about people that have been blessings to me, who have loved me through difficult times.

I bought copies of this book for the girls in my Bible study. After they have read it I asked what part they enjoyed the most, and the best part about getting their answers is I never get the same response. The book has so many different aspects that each reader has had the ability to learn and be challenged by a different part.

The Lord knows that I am not perfect, but I do know that it's what I do with what He has given me that matters. Life is not one moment, life is a collection of moments. Those moments put together form your path, your journey. If you are looking for a book that will remind you that God is in the everyday journey, this book is for you.

The crazy life of a social patent examiner...

Yep, you heard it from me first, my life is crazy and I think I'm a bit too social.... But in a good way of course!

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, it has been almost 2 weeks since I had a chill night all to myself at my apartment... AND hopefully that will happen tomorrow night, but until then I'm running on fumes... which is my own fault.

My last few weeks have been filled with karaoke, a wedding, friends in town, bible studies, random hangout nights, Easter, game nights... and to top it off I would often get home at 11pm and hop on the work computer and work for an hour or so...

How does she do this you might ask... welp, it helps that work is flexible and I show up when I show up, as long as I work the 40 hours I'm good to go... ;) And then I just get to be tired... but that's ok cause I'm having a lot of fun!!

I will try and post again soon, but for now gotta finish typing up an office action...

Trapped!!!

I was trapped in an elevator yesterday...

For like a minute... I know I know that isn't really all that long... but when in an elevator all my yourself, with it shaking and beeping at you... it seems like FOREVER... ;)

I soooo beat the system!! :)

So yeah, for those of you who know me well know that I LOVE coupons. I actually get excited to go to the grocery store and pick up my Washington Post with the coupons in it! Plus there are quite a few stores around here that offer double coupons on coupons of 99 cents or less...

I packed up my coupon book and took off to the local Giant (grocery) store. They were offering a sale of buy 5 betty crocker baking products (brownies, cake, cookies, frosting) for $5. But you must buy 5. Welp, I loaded up my 5 and then proceeded to look through my coupon book. I had 4 coupons of 50cents off... well when I got to the registers all those were doubled... For 5 betty crocker baking products I paid $1... I don't think Giant knew about me before offering that kind of a sale!! :)

So yeah I feel like I beat the system, battled the man, and WON!! :)

Jamie

Only at the patent office...

Would you get an email regarding someone bringing in pie and it being served on March 14th at exactly 1:59... Welp I should rephrase it... Pi was served on 3/14 at 1:59... 3.14159...

Only at the patent office... ;)

Jamie

Perks of Moving to the 4th Floor... ;)

I thought I would post this pic of me on the fourth floor....

Sadly this isn't my office, but I did get to do the photo shoot in the directors office!! ;)

Weeewww....

So, just so ya'll know I have this amazing ability to make a fool of myself/ say something embarrassing... and that really shouldn't come as any kind of a surprise...

I should probably give a bit of the history for this story to make sense...

Welp, I live in Virginia and work at the patent office, as a patent examiner. I have one main boss and then he has a boss and then there are like 3 other bosses until you work your way up the chain to Dudas who is in charge of the patent office. Well one day I bumped into my bosses boss (who is the director of my tech center) and started chatting it up and made comments like...

"I feel a bit nervous talking to you..."
"You're like a celebrity..."
"I wish I had a camera so I could take a picture..."

My office ended up moving to the 4th floor (which is where the directors suite is) So now my bosses boss walks by all the time and keeps talking about the picture we should take... SO I officially scheduled an appointment with her secretary to get a photo taken in the director's office with the director... over the whole concept I am feeling pretty lame... but kind of excited... this is what you get for making a fool of yourself every so often... ;)

Jamie

A case of the Mondays...

So, I'm totally struggling with a case of the Mondays this morning. It's a combo of the allergies that are still acting up, the jet lag that wont let me get to sleep before 1am, and just a real lack of motivation.

Though I am beyond excited to be back in Virginia. It was good to get back to church and back to friends. Now I just have to build up the excitement to be back to work... that might take a bit of time.

Something I find interesting though is many different people have asked me how my vacation was and what my favorite part was. The thing I find interesting is the response I give to different people. Some people hear about the snorkeling and whale watching while others here about the amazing food I had while others hear about how I wished at least one of my siblings had showed up so it wasn't just me and the rents for a week...

But I will admit that I came back with a tan... one that turned out darker then I had imagined (getting burnt that last day made my tan fairly dark)... I came back with a renewed spirit... and I came back with a few pineapples... :)

Boo for re-acclimating yourself... while YAY for vacation! :)

Jamie

Friday...

Hey Blog-world! Ok, so I use to blog on xanga, and that kinda fizzled (about 2 years ago)... so I will try my best to blog here as often as possible becomes some people I know... (Witte)... feel like blogs are living things, things that need to be constantly up kept and nurtured and loved.. though I did come up with a list of blogging ideas (is that dorky?) so hopefully I will write again... soon... :)