Resurrection!

Azphalt has been on hiatus for nearly an entire year!  The original proprietor branched off (see her blog here).  Azphalt is under new management, and some great things are in store.  I'm not exactly sure what those great things are yet, but they're certainly in store!

Check back soon!

Something Beautiful

From this week's Chrio e-Newsletter...thoughts from our pastor Richard:

Church. Just say the word out loud and you’re almost guaranteed a reaction. For some the idea of church is about as welcome as eating a bucket of KFC at a vegetarian banquet. Others will gladly regale you with childhood stories of boredom so severe, they’d have gladly swapped their pew for a dentist’s chair or staying after school. And others could break your heart with true experiences of toe-curling judgment, mean-spirited rejection, or foul-smelling hypocrisy. I bet you have your own stories. If you don’t yet, I’m sure you will. I’ve got a few.

But despite it all, I still love the church. I really do. I don’t love it in the way you love your grandma who smells funny but still gives you twenty bucks on your birthday. I love it like a hungry kid and a bag of Cheet-O’s. Like a dog loves a fresh milk-bone. That kind of love.

And I know the church has lots of flaws. Inevitably, churches have people in them, and wherever you find people, you’ll find problems. (Now if we could just get rid of the people, we’d really be onto something, right?) Of course, when I look in the mirror, I find that I, too, am often part of the problem.

But here’s why I still love the church, no matter what. I love it because Jesus does. He uses words like beautiful bride, family, and body of Christ to describe us. He sees us like a proud parent watching their child stumble through “Chop-sticks” on the piano. He knows what the song is supposed to sound like, but He loves us still. And He’s able to make the song beautiful, even when we miss some notes or strike the wrong chord. He’s that big. He’s that good. Not that we shouldn’t keep practicing, keep improving. The song we play together is a work in progress. But it’s a song that still needs to be heard, a chorus we keep inviting others to join.

What makes us so valuable, so indispensable is not how “together” we are. Rather, it’s because of Jesus, the One who loves us, who calls us His own, and who makes out of us something beautiful.

Giraffe!

Enjoy a catchy tune by Pawl & Friends. Lovely lady Nicole sings with her main man Pawl...GIRAFFE!

Stunning Hope

What inspires you?

At 7am, I woke up with a promise---the stunning hope of Jeremiah 29:11:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Suddenly, my mind conjured a succession of songs.

1) Better Is One Day

2) Amazing Love

3) Take My Life and Let It Be

Even in my current state of sleep-deprivity (it's post-modern) I couldn't help but feel energized and uplifted. Poking around on facebook (oh reaaalllly) I found a quote worth sharing from my friend Allison's page:

“Adventure is a path. Real adventure – self-determined, self-motivated, often risky – forces you to have firsthand encounters with the world. The world the way it is, not the way you imagine it. Your body will collide with the earth and you will bear witness. In this way you will be compelled to grapple with the limitless kindness and bottomless cruelty of humankind – and perhaps realize that you yourself are capable of both. This will change you. Nothing will ever again be black-and-white.” – Mark Jenkins

Attitudes of the heart

When I wake, my first awareness is usually spiritual. A prayer or a certain scripture frequently emerges at the surface of my mind. Two that have appeared lately are one from Hebrews and another from Proverbs.

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Proverbs 4:23

Or when I feel sad and generally low...

Why are you downcast, O my soul?

Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

for I will yet praise him,

my Savior and my God.

Proverbs 43:5

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:4-9

And NOW to sum ALL THIS UP (but truly I could recount and reflect forever) my friend Kelli reminded me a little while ago about the longest Psalm in the Bible--Psalm 119. For 176 verses, the Psalmist communicates his desire and love in/for obeying the wisdom of God. Many times, the word obedience carries a negative connotation. It implies a lack of choice, a forced submission---against the will. Recently, in my readings for class, I came across a different view of authority. One, I feel expresses the sentiments of the Psalmist perfectly.

...authority cannot actually be bestowed, but is acquired and must be acquired, if someone is to lay claim to it. It rests on recognition and hence on an act of reason itself which, aware of its own limitations, accepts that others have better understanding. Authority in this sense, properly understood, has nothing to do with blind obedience to a command. Indeed, authority has nothing to do with obedience, but rather with knowledge. Hans-Georg Gadamer

⁴⁷ for I delight in your commands
because I love them.

(for the rest of Psalm 119 go here)

Special Delivery

Did YOU send me flowers?!? If you did...THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!! Just the little pick me up I needed. :-) Also...Adam emailed a pic of the fall display at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Pretty neat!

Amor Signatur in Hac Domo

Or in English---"Love lives in this house." I really want this sign for my entryway. Check out DesignSponge HERE for a little inspiration. And for those of us who have seen A Serious Man...

When the truth is found to be lies
And all the joy within you dies

Don't you want somebody to love
Don't you need somebody to love
Wouldn't you love somebody to love
You better find somebody to love

Do You Know Jack?

Guess who? Give up?!? It's Frankie! My mom posted this picture to facebook earlier. Pretty great costume. HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

Looking for Boo-tiful Halloween music? Go here.

Nixon in China!

Just found this!

Mystery of the Red Sweater Dress

Anthropologie included this shot in a recent email. Can't seem to find the red sweater dress on their website. Too bad--it happens to be just what I'm looking for.

Losing My...

Button.

From my electric blue duster.

Walking to class.

Spontaneous combu(tton)stion?!??

Clink, clink into the grate.

Peering up from murky muck.

Audible gasp.

Just my luck.

Riding the Rails

Just thought I would share something I wrote for Chrio. In our community, we like to get to know one another. Each week we receive an email with a personalized story from a Chrio member. For my contribution, I talked about riding the train to and from school. Riding the rails continues to be a thought-provoking experience.

In This Issue - October 16, 2009

From Our Chrio Community | The Gathering | Community Opportunities | Thought From Richard | Pray

From Our Chrio Community

Kendra Robert's story on facing unknowns...

Monday through Thursday I take the light rail to ASU’s Tempe campus. Sometimes, the train is quiet; I take one of many empty seats and settle in for an uneventful and peaceful ride. Other times, I’m not so lucky. It can be packed to the brim and I have to stand uncomfortably close to strangers, endure terrible odors and loud, obnoxious conversations. It can also be frightening. Today, two women quickly sprinted past me—I heard yelling—they were running away from a fight. Three young men were squaring off, about ready to really let each other have it. People unable to move away gave fearful looks. A man began to shout at the three guys to take it off the train. It seemed gang related. I worried they might have guns.

So far, even with the drama, I make it to and from school safely. Maybe you don’t ride public transportation, or, maybe you do. Either way, no matter where we are, what we do or—how we get to where we’re going to do what we do…we all face unknowns. The one thing that remains constant throughout our daily experience is God’s nature: his unfailing love for us. This is my courage and strength. We are beloved children of God!

It's Academic! (or Electric!)

In case you were wondering...

I've been reading, writing and singing. A trend likely to continue ad infinitum.

Some say it's mystic
It's electric
Boogie woogie, woogie
You can't resist it
It's electric
Boogie woogie, woogie
You can't do without it
It's electric
Boogie woogie, woogie
Jiggle-a-mesa-cara she's a pumpin' like a matic
She's movin' like electric
She sure got the boogie

Openin' to the Nine

Directions:

1) Click on picture

2) Watch video on Phoenix Symphony's website

3) Eat pancakes

Setting Myself Up

For what? Good things I hope. Desk came from IKEA. Each leg $10 and the glass-top $79.99...a grand total of about 100 bucks. It might not be my dream station----but it was colorful, cheap and easy to put together. Now...enough chit chat...GET TO WORK!

You Don't Have To Take My Word For It...

What's that?

What?

There, on your face...is that...

What?!?

A Wrinkle?

Adam just couldn't help himself this morning---reminding me that I was getting older. Now I know 26 isn't old, but it tips the "dreaded" scale closer to the big three zero. Speaking of demise, on our way to Adam's office NPR ran a story about the end of Reading Rainbow. I *gasped* when the story said cancelled "AFTER 26 YEARS"... Adam responded to my gasp with a very loud and concerned "WHAT?" And I said, "26years!!!!!! That's a very bad sign for my birthday!"

Going Raw

Yesterday, Nicole and I went raw in pre-celebration of receiving her white-coat this Saturday. We decided to prepare Zucchini Linguine with Basil Pesto. Before noon, I made a trip to Trader Joe's and picked up some zucchini, basil, garlic, lemons, sea salt, heirloom tomatoes, pine nuts and other fresh wonderfulness. Back at the apartment, I put the pine nuts on water and a bit of sea salt for their 4-hour long soak. When Nicole arrived, we mulled over a few paint color ideas. Here's one we both liked:

Not sure for what room, possibly the living. After browsing options for a little while, it was time to make pesto. My recent success fixing the food processor held up under several culinary adventures: from pesto...soup...to smoothie. I made some pasta in case Paul or Adam needed it to supplement the zucchini as linguine. Turns out our food was both delicious and photogenic---as Nicole captured so beautifully:

Click HERE for the recipe from RAWGURU.

6 Years Y'ALL

6 years y'all. Adam whisked me away to Tucson last weekend to celebrate our anniversary. It was a complete surprise. He told me to pack a bag and make sure I had a bathing suit, jeans, boots, and something nice to wear. I picked him up from work Friday and we left from the office. Such a strange feeling to drive toward an unknown destination. Especially because he never once consulted a map. After a couple hours, we arrived at the El Conquistador. A beautiful place situated at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountain range just outside Tucson. As if simply getting away wasn't enough of a surprise, he told me we needed to get to bed "early" because we had an appointment in the morning. Early was 6:30am, and we quickly threw on jeans, boots and a couple ball caps. Outside was the perfect temperature, and a wonderful mixture of quiet and tiny desert creatures. A golf cart, with a friendly host, drove us the short distance to... the...stables! I thought maybe we were going on an early morning desert hike---but instead we saddled two horses --Cash and Danny--for an hour journey through the surrounding landscape. My absolute first time riding a horse and I loved it! Though, I can't imagine how people galloped for miles and miles on the creatures. My hind was pretty sore and we stuck to a trot!

Cats and Dogs

Cloudy today in Phoenix.
Early morning thunder and heavy drops.
Reminds me of home.

paint = omg

So...we have a new place...AGAIN...and I need some serious inspiration. Ever since my independently married state, I have lacked any real motivation to style our living quarters. My excuse had something to do with the impermanence I perceived in our future. But I have now realized that this ISN'T a GOOD EXCUSE. Who cares if we are only somewhere a year? Or two? How long do I have to be somewhere before I slap some paint on a wall? Maybe I still have this idea that we will -settle down- soon...make a house a home. What if that takes ten years? Or...heaven forbid...it never happens? Shouldn't I forget all this waiting around and get busy? YES! There might be a teentsie other reason for my style procrastination...practical use of cash-ola. Spending $30 @ grocery = reasonable / spending $30 on paint = omg. Is this really just about buying paint? OMG. Time to get out of the rut. And where better to start than Design*Sponge? I already found a post that has to do with my current city of residence, Phoenix. Pretty great to think that most of the places mentioned are VERY CLOSE to my new spot. Click on the pic to read more...
Now, the pressure is on. Mistakes (I just threw up a little) inevitable. Not spending the next several years of my life looking at white walls...priceless.