A whiff of "Y'all"

Though I'm hit'n it up in California these days, I'm originally a proud Texan. That means the word "y'all" exists in my vocabulary, my wall wears the Texas flag even though it clashes with the colors in my room, and I get a goofy grin on my face when I wear my cowboy boots on the town.

No, I don't have an accent. I've been trying to come up with a clever or sarcastic answer for when people ask me why I don't have one. I usually just tell people I'm from the city. Sometimes I wish I could tell them that I think they are stereotyping Texans by assuming we all have accents. I could even pretend to be offended. Or answering them with an accent would be fun too. But that's just mean isn't it?

I love the moments in life when I, by chance, get a whiff of something that reminds me of home. I've heard we all have those moments. Don't you love them?

Bonfires and grills are my Texas whiffs. It's catching the whiff, closing my eyes, and seeing the fire before me and even feeling it's warmth. It's seeing the look in my dad's eyes when I devour his latest grilled creation. It's the flood of unforgettable conversations held around backyard pits. It's the impatiently burned marshmellows on metal hangers. It's being quiet, listening only to the wood popping, watching the stars, all the while being humbled of my fleeting existence in a deep and beautiful world.

This week I hope you can find your own whiff of "y'all". I hope it causes you to celebrate the deep simplicity of where you come from.

Life without an E.

What would happen if something went missing from your life for a little while?

This past week I had a few friends start their annual lent practice.

They are choosing to have something they love doing, wearing, reading, watching, etc. vanish from their lives for a season.

They choose to have it missing in their life- for many reasons. Some religious reasons, some for personal gain.

Sometimes, we don't get to choose what goes missing in life.

When something or someone vanishes from my life or I choose to let go of certain things, feelings, or dreams, I find myself in sorrow. Secretly mourning my loss.

Yet, in time, I celebrate, because I, in turn, can embrace a new perspective of life. I can type a story without the "e" and get a completely different story than what was there before.

Here's to the missing "e". And the new adventure it will take me and you on.

paper. ink. and a good drink.

Writing. If you've ever written anything (journal, blog, speech, dissertation, a lengthy letter to that significant him or her), you might find that your genius writing juices flow only in certain atmospheres or under certain conditions. I have a friend who would rather do anything else than sit down and write. There are lots of people like that in this world, but I wonder if they just haven't found their ink flow zone yet. I think I've found mine. And I hope you can find yours.

Ink bursts out of my pen (well, I'll be honest, I write with a pen 40% of the time and with a keyboard the other 60%) when there's a tasty liquid near by. Maybe coffee. Maybe tea. I'm a sucker for milk and orange juice. My mouth has recently been re-introduced to orange julius', my favorite drink as a kid. This very writing I attribute to orange julius'.

It's Simply Celabratory: my mouth is bewitched by whatever special drink the day brings- and my writing is thus effected. My cup of inspiration gets sipped through my mouth then races straight to my finger tips and into my pen, supplying it with priceless ink. Ink capable of ornate and colorful words.

Give me a pen and paper with no drink and you might as well ask me to duck hunt without turning the nintendo on. It won't happen.

Bright Ideas.

I always think I have really good ideas. Usually they're just proposterous fantasies that parade around my mind...

The top three best ideas I've ever had in my life...in no particular order

1. Not running away from home when I was five. With banana and sleeping bag in hand I was determined to run away like all rebellious children do. I made it to the end of my driveway, decided the road was too long and scary looking, and headed back inside. Lucky for my parents, my rebellious streak wasn't long lasting.

2. Continuing to pick my boogers in my adult life. I know you're not suppose to, but it's honestly the only way I know how to get them out when they're stuck. Snot rockets don't work for me.

3. Asking Jesus to wreck eternal havoc on my life. Honestly, this surpasses all bright ideas.

The three worst ideas I've ever had...

1. Spilling tea on my MacBookPro.

2. Moving to California for college. The weather has spoiled me and I wonder if I will ever be able to live somewhere cold ever again.

3. Getting a facebook. Stupid. Addicting. Socially dillusional.