Author / Bethe

by Bethe

Thoughts from my back porch

One of my favorite things to do is to sit on my back porch at night. It’s quiet. The twinkle lights hanging above my head emit a warm glow that makes everything look more lovely. I like the smell of the fresh air, and my view of my pretty flowers that I work so hard to keep alive.

Sitting out here calms me. It’s peaceful. It’s where I do my best reading, or Bible studying, or even homework. It’s also where I do my best thinking.

Tonight, on my way home from seeing Batman (which I loved!), I heard a radio DJ read a letter that sparked my imagination. The author was a single lady who met a cute guy on an airplane. Both were doing a crossword puzzle, and he briefly told her she was pretty. She was interested, but felt shy, so she barely spoke to him. Once they got off the plane, they got separated in the crowd. She looked for him at baggage claim, but he never came. And now, she wonders what would have happened if she had talked to her handsome stranger on the plane.

So this gal wrote to Delilah, a nationally syndicated radio DJ, to ask her to help find her handsome stranger. The odds are definitely not in her favor. But wouldn’t it be neat if she DID find him? Wouldn’t it be the perfect beginning of a love story?

Or maybe she’s a stalker. And maybe he’s creepy. You never know.

by Bethe

Laughter

Laugh uncontrollably. It clears the mind.
(from a Dove chocolate I ate yesterday)

Tonight I went out with my friends from grad school. I’ve had these girls in my classes for the past two semesters, and they’ve become very special friends. I think it’s like guys who pledge a fraternity… once you suffer through something together (like a research paper) you develop a bond that becomes pretty strong. I know all about their jobs, their academic interests, their relationships, their personal lives, their career goals, and their stressors. We’ve been in the trenches together.

Okay, so TCU isn’t exactly the trenches. Maybe I’m exaggerating, as usual. But we’ve cheered each other on through projects, research papers, and presentations. And they make school a heck of a lot more fun!

So tonight, as we sat around the table at Glorias, eating our Mexican food and talking about our summer vacation, we laughed. And laughed. And laughed. I can’t wait for the next big night out!

by Bethe

Bethe Day

One of the best things about being an adult and having a “real job” (besides not having a curfew) is having paid days off. And my job, along with a bunch of other wonderful perks, gives me a LOT of time off. Like four weeks. And next year… five!

So tomorrow I’m taking a “Bethe Day” to celebrate life and all of the wonderful things I love to do. And the best part is… I’m going to get paid to do it! Hooray!

Here’s my plan:

–Sleep in.
–Go to the gym and sweat my rear end off while rocking out to my special new workout soundtrack on my Ipod.
–Get a pedicure.
–Visit an art museum with my dad to see an exhibit we’ve been really excited about (have I mentioned I have the the best dad EVER?).
–Take a nap.
–Read.
–Play a softball game.

And somewhere in there, I’m going to try to fit in a strawberry milkshake. Just because it’s something I love.

by Bethe

Back on the horse

Actually, it’s back on the treadmill.

For the past year or so, I’ve been too busy to think straight, so working out was pretty low on the priority list. But with a short (and wonderful!) break from grad school, and plans for a much quieter fall, I’ve decided to hit the gym again.

And since I don’t do ANYTHING half-way, I’ve decided to run a half-marathon in December. Maybe. Probably. We’ll see. I tried to train for one a few years back, and got bored at around 8 miles. I mean, 8 miles just takes so darn LONG to run! And I have so many other things to do that are more fun. Like eating ice cream. And getting pedicures. Or picking up my dry cleaning.

But maybe this time will be different. It helps that I have friends who want to do it, and I’m a sucker for some good peer pressure. Tonight I ran 4 miles on the elliptical, but I had a lot of resistance, so I’m sure those 4 miles were equal to 10 or 15 on the treadmill. See, I’m practically ready for that half marathon right now.

One of my favorite posts on my old blog was from the day, back in October 2005, when I finally got my first gym membership. Not much has changed since then. Only Brandan (with an “A”) is probably in prison by now. And here’s another retro workout post for good measure.

by Bethe

Take a chance on Mamma Mia?

Mamma Mia = B-O-R-I-N-G.

I love ALL chick flicks, but this one was so bad I almost got up and left. If I hadn’t been stuck in the middle of a row, I probably would have walked out. It was THAT bad.

It’s a shame, because Sister Sarah and I saw the Broadway version a few weeks ago in New York, and it was wonderful. I think the difference is, Pierce Brosnan looks constipated when he sings, and Meryl Streep will forever remind me of the mean lady in Devil Wears Prada. This is another example of the original being better.

by Bethe

Storms… revisited

This morning I walked into church ready to teach my normal all-girl Sunday School class. But because of a series of very random and unexpected events, somehow I ended up having to teach our entire singles’ department this morning. Including the guys.

<<< gasp >>>

Yes, I’m Baptist, so you probably shouldn’t tell anybody that I taught a coed group. Luckily, there was no pulpit, and no sermon, and technically our church policy allows female guest teachers as long it’s not a married class. Until you take that ultimate plunge, it’s okay to hear from an old single gal every once-in-awhile. At least, according to the bylaws.

So I went ahead and taught the group. It was scary having all of my friends staring back at me. Here were people I’ve known for years, but had no intention of ever TEACHING. But somehow, God moved this morning in Sunday School and people opened up and started sharing. It was amazing.

We talked about the people of Thessalonica and how they had endured a heck of a lot of suffering, and Paul gave them some encouragement. He told them to keep plugging along, to not give up. They weren’t alone. God was with them, and much, much stronger than they could ever imagine. I wrote back in January about weathering storms, and this morning the folks in my class gave me some other great verses to keep in your back pocket for when those rains come. Because we all know it’s just a matter of time.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

Psalm 33:11
“But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”

Proverbs 19:21
“Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.”

Proverbs 20:24
“A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?”

Here’s to hoping that you and I don’t need any verses about weathering storms for a long time. But if we do, it’s good to have them handy.