What is going on with my blog

As many of you know, I have been using Facebook almost exclusively to update people on my life, to track links that I am interested in, to record books that I am reading, etc. It is serving, for the most part, all the roles that this blog was filling. However, I don't want to completely surrender The Domestic Intellectual just yet. I feel that it may continue to serve an important place in my life, and I am contemplating which is preferable--my own blog or Facebook. No decisions yet.

I did want to take a moment to put out a little note about the next little adventure in my life. I am, along with my best friend Sara, going to participate in the October Dress Project. Basically, this means that I am going to wear the same dress every day for the entire month of October. I am hoping this will help me enter into a new relationship with my clothes that is simpler, more economical and less fraught with emotion. I am also looking forward to boosted creativity as I seek to work around the limitations of the same dress.

The dress that I am wearing is based on a pattern that I have made several times before and which I find both comfortable and attractive. It is really more of a jumper than a dress, but I enjoy layering and am making it out of dark gray, lightweight wool that will go with most of my wardrobe.

Hopefully I will periodically post pictures either here and/or on Facebook to show you how it is going.

What has been on my mind

This is where I am at right now, and I thought I would share it with you:

Philippians 3:10 (Amplified Bible)

¹⁰[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [^a]">[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death,

This has been my life verse since I was a teenager... I even used it as the anchor for my graduation speech in 1997. Recently I decided to re-visit it and I realize that this has not defined my life for some time. Much repentance has followed and a renewed intentionality to make central what is most important: my Beloved Reedemer, Lord and Friend. Thankfully, he still remembers me even when I am not remembering him.

Where I've been

It has been some time since I last posted. There are several reasons that sound more like excuses, but there is one that I want to put out here in earnest.

As many of you who love me know, I can be a bit compulsive. Well, at the conviction of the Holy Spirit and a medical evaluation that said I was under too much stress I've decided to be ruthless in editing things out of my life that cause stress, exacerbate my stressed-out feelings or cause me to waste my already limited time. The internet was keeping me from most of my other hobbies and from reading... as well as frequently keeping me from sleeping! Therefore, the decision was made to NOT have internet access at the new apartment and to limit my time online at work.

Jon may be getting internet access at his apartment in the next month or two to enable him to work more from home. In the event that he chooses to do that, I may have more access when we get together, since our apartments are now just down the road from each other.

However, all told, I am not sure that I will be updating this blog much. I don't want to quit it completely, but I have been writing more in my journal and spending more time reading and talking with my immediate friends and family. It really doesn't leave a lot of time for online communication... even email and facebook.

Thank you for your understanding!

Meditation

This song has been playing over and over on my ipod. I couldn't find any version with the lyrics written down, so here is are the lyrics (compliments of Terry Stauffer).

As Long As You Are Glorified

Shall I take from Your hand Your blessings
Yet not welcome any pain
Shall I thank You for days of sunshine
Yet grumble in days of rain
Shall I love You in times of plenty
Then leave You in days of drought
Shall I trust when I reap a harvest
But when winter winds blow, then doubt

Oh let Your will be done in me
In Your love I will abide
Oh I long for nothing else as long
As You are glorified

Are You good only when I prosper
And true only when I’m filled
Are You King only when I’m carefree
And God only when I’m well
You are good when I’m poor and needy
You are true when I’m parched and dry
You still reign in the deepest valley
You’re still God in the darkest night

Bridge So quiet my restless heart, quiet my restless heart
Quiet my restless heart in You

The entire cd Come Weary Saints has been an incredible blessing to me. This year the Lord has impressed deeply on my heart the need to meditate on the cross. I need the truth to sink deep in my heart until it shapes my every thought. To that end I realized that I desperately needed an infusion of theologically deep worship music. Unfortunately that can be hard to find. But then I read the good news!

In February Sovereign Grace Music ran a sale where almost all their cds were only $6 each and no shipping! I purchased a bunch (6 or 7 I think) but this one is by far my favorite. Their music has the deep lyrics that I hunger for with music that plays over and over in your head. I highly reccommend them! So now I am off to bed to mediate some more on the glory of the Cross and Christ's sufficency in my daily struggle. How will I live if I truly believed that His glory is all that matters... I long for nothing else as long/ As You are glorified?

Pierre Boulez conducting the final movement of Janacek's Sinfonietta

Thursday morning fun

Yesterday I had an extravagant experience: sitting in on a rehearsal of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pierre Boulez. They were doing the final run-through for the evening program featuring, among other things, Stravinsky's ballet with songs--Pulcinella.

It all started when one of Jon's senior associates gave him a pass for 2 to attend a CSO reshearsal. This was a perk given to contributors to the orchestra. Jon and I were very excited and my boss very cheerfully granted me a few hours of vacation when she heard about the opportunity. We had grand plans of breakfast together and then 2.5 hrs of joyous listening in the lovely Symphony Center.

As the plans grew, so did my excitement, until it all came crashing down. Monday morning Jon informed me that he had a conflict on Thursday--a meeting at work that he was convening and directing, and which was taking place at the same time as the second half of the rehearsal. To say I was disappointed was an understatement. Not only could Jon not be with me, I wouldn't even be able to go. He had the pass and we were not going to see each other before the Thursday morning meeting.

Jon, being in need of a computer and an internet connection, decided to come into the city on Wednesday night. Not only would I get a chance to see him, but he was bringing the pass;-) I tried to find someone to take his place, but in the end it was just me.

I showed up at the concert hall after a long morning (that is another post) to be greated by a lobby full of gray heads. Being firmly in the non-ageist category, I don't mind gray heads at all. However, it is a bit unnerving to find yourself the youngest person in a group by several Decades! How could I forget that the primary audience of mid-morning events is the retired crowd? Not to mention that this was an event open to donors only, which also requires you to have some spare change. Not my usual crowd, but an interesting one, nonetheless.

One of the best things about this performance/rehearsal was that it was open seating through out the hall except for a couple of reserved boxes. I was able to listen to the entire event from Box J! That is the box above and slightly to the left of the double doors in the picture above!

Pierre Boulez was French to the core and an entertaining conductor. It was a bit disconcerting to hear such beautiful music coming from men and women dressed in everything from tracksuits, to flannel shirts and jeans, to business casual wear. However, one of the highlights was from the first piece, Janácek's Sinfonietta. It calls for 12 trumpets lined up in the back of the orchestra. In both the first and fifth movements they are supposed to stand up when they play. Boulez was very picky about when and how this would happen: it must be all together, and it must NOT look like jack-in-the-boxes! They went over which measures it was supposed to take place, and how they were to rise. We saw/listened to that several times:-)

The weather was sunny and warming, the music was amazing and it was REALLY hard to go back to work! I can't wait to until summer and all the marvelous free music in Grant Park.

photo compliments of margotat at InstantEncore

Congrats Daniel and Amy!

My beloved little sister Amy and her wonderful husband Daniel celebrated 9 years of marriage today. It is hard for me to believe that they have been married for so long:-D They inspire me continually with their faithfulness and love for each other. They give commitment a good name! God has been so gracious to them and I can see His Spirit at work in their lives in so many ways. Check out Amy's blog and see some fun pics from this last year.

I love you, DnA!

Happy Birthday Johnny Cash!

Today would be Johnny Cash's 77th birthday. In honor of that, I encourage you to check out this music video of his cover of the song Hurt written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. I am not sure when I first saw this, but it moved me then and it still moves me now. I love reality in art, and this definitely is redemptive reality.

Latest computer update

This week the RAM and the external hard drive were delivered. My ever-available techie friend said he could probably come by on Friday or Saturday to install the RAM, so I am hopeful that picture-editing will be happening soon! Not that I have many pictures to edit, mind you, but I do have some that have been sitting on my hard drive for a L-O-N-G time waiting to be posted and blogged about.

Good computer news!

Thanks be to God! My computer did not crash as originally believed. Rather, my ipod had interfered with the boot-up and it was only temporary. When the possibility was brought to my attention, I shut it down, started it up and all was well. I still need to upgrade my RAM and add an external hard drive, but I don't have any need to fear for the moment. Now if only I could remember to save toward a new computer so I am not taken by surprise when it finally does kick the bucket.

Bad computer news:-(

Earlier this week, right as I was planning to upgrade the RAM on my laptop, it quit working. Nothing. Just a black screen and the fan humming along. Because there was no great grinding or other scary noises I am hoping that the hard drive is OK. Not only that, but my best techie pal went out of town the next day and is not expected back until mid-week next week! So, this means I only have internet access at work. Sorry for the delay... although I wasn't getting things up here too quickly anyway.

Thanks for your patience!

Sorry for the delay #2

Life has been very intense since the new year rolled in. Jon and I are doing much praying and seeking the will of God for the future, so it is difficult to write our story right now. Your prayers are appreciated and what I said earlier still stands: the pain of trying to have your own way is always far worse than the pain necessitated by following hard after Jesus.

Will try to get some other random posts up this week.