Happy Little Trees

Sometimes I feel really self-centered. I feel like my problems are the biggest problems in the world, and the world revolves around Planet Beth. It’s nice when God puts people in my path to pray for, and to help me get my eyes off of me, and onto God and his purposes.

Last night, I went to pick up a quick bite at my favorite grocery store, Central Market. The young man behind the counter told me if I didn’t like the Organic Whipped Sweet Potatoes, he would give me the shirt off his back. But then he digressed because he couldn’t give me the shirt because he was leaving to move to Vegas today. So, then somehow we started talking about God. Because anybody moving to Sin City, definitely needs to have God and a whole system of accountability.

He tried telling me he was a “lone wolf,” and didn’t need anybody, like his idol: James Dean (and a few other guys that died in their early 20s and 30s). He said he wasn’t afraid to die, and did believe in God. I told him that God might have a purpose for his life beyond age 30, and that it might involve relationships that were lasting. I encouraged him to keep reading his bible.

I understand what it’s like to be living the “lone wolf-ette” life, since I’m far away from my family. But my family has been extended beyond my inherited blood type. I am so blessed by the friends and families I get to be around here in Houston.

God has not designed us for a lone-wolf lifestyle. We need fellowship. We need encouragement and love from one another--God’s love in us, being given to those around us (and being given back, too). It’s a beautiful thing.

And also, dying-schmying: fear-schmear. It’s not about whether YOU are afraid about death. It’s about making peace with God. Life isn’t over the moment your heart stops beatity-beating. There’s more. That’s what you have to be fear, if you don’t KNOW God. Not just believe in Him, but KNOW him as your LORD and Savior. This life is just a smidgen of real life.

I’m praying for little Lone-Wolf to know Jesus Christ, and to find people in his life to pour God’s love into him, and for protection as he travels. I’m glad I got to meet him, and not just because he was right about those Organic Whipped Sweet Potatoes—which happened to rock my taste buds.

I went to visit my favorite chocolate shoppe last week. It’s called Chocolate du Monde, and the shop owners are sweet and kind, and are always willing to sell a girl some chocolate. The shoppe has chocolate colored walls and a gorgeous case of chocolates coming from far away lands famous for chocolate-making like Belgium.

My favorite chocolatier displayed is Joseph Schmidt. Their truffles are absolutely amazing and cause my eyes to roll back in my head (but only for a bit) after I take a bite. They make chocolate that you can taste down to your toes.

I wanted to buy some Joseph Schmidt mosaics and the shoppe owner broke the news to me that Joseph Schmidt had been bought out by Hershey’s. [sound of record scratching—errrrwwwhh] I was devastated. Joseph Schmidt and I have only had about five years together. That hasn’t been long enough. The shop owner tried to reassure me by saying Hershey’s wasn’t changing the recipes, but they had decided to ditch the mosaics. This is almost worse than Landry’s buying the Grotto, and then taking my favorite dishes off the menu.

Joseph Schmidt. I’ll miss you. [Attention all potential suitors—you might need to quickly order boxes in advance for my birthday to try to capture any remaining boxes of mosaics.] We had some good times. You can see I’ve enjoyed our relationship, but maybe if you leave, then my hips can stop lying about the size jeans they wear.

My Favorite Cereals as a Kid

Cap’n Crunch
Crunch Berries
Lucky Charms
Raisin Bran (until I found a worm in it—then I didn’t eat it for a year)
Frosted Mini-Wheats (the frosted side for the kid in me)
Rice Crispies (with lots of sugar added until it all sunk to the bottom of the bowl)

My Favorite Cereals Now

Kashi Good Friends Raisin Crunch
Central Market Raisin Bran
Central Market Honey Toasted O’s
Lucky Charms
Kashi Autumn Wheat or Cinnamon Harvest (the adult in me likes the fiber)

Worst Cereals Ever Made

Cocoa Puffs
Cocoa Crispies
Count Chocula
Fiber One
Smurf Berry Crunch (we gave it to the neighbors-blech)

The majestic wonders and intricacies of nature amaze me and make me feel awe in the presence of God. In other places I’ve traveled and lived, those moments of awe from nature are so commonplace, that they can sometimes become unappreciated. In Houston, sometimes I must be a nature detective to discover things which will awe me. I must pause. Take a breath. And be pleasantly surprised by the captured moment.

Today, I captured a moment with a little bitty tiny snail (and I also captured a pic). It was hiding under a leaf.

Hi, little bitty snail! Hello! Can you understand English? Or did you take a long trip from Mexico? Hola, pequeño caracol minusculo! Soy su amiga!

I had to go back to work, and he had to go back to hanging out on his leaf, but I was glad we got to meet today.

For some reason, I don’t have the same compassion for the ants. I tried squishing them. Sorry, little ants.

I made a vow that I would never have a Myspace page. I’ve seen far too many people addicted to it. Most people have started to snub their noses at Myspace considering it more of a post Gen-X-er thing, but that’s not the only virtual realm that can become like an unofficial and unpaid parttime job in your life.

Last night, my friend showed me his Facebook page, and was encouraging me to start a Facebook page, too. As I clicked on various people, I discovered all my friends were having a secret online friendship affair with one another. [Perhaps one of you reading this right now is under some conviction. You know who you are.]

I explained that I didn’t want a Facebook. I already have a blog, and it takes up enough web time, but satisfies my need to write and share pictures and helps to get some thoughts out of my head. If I added one more thing that was computer connected in my life, I might blow a gasket. I already text message, e-mail, listen to voicemails, spend tons of time on my cell phone, and search a few too many times on Google throughout the day.

My friend said that with Facebook, I could e-mail friends and also send them virtual gifts.

Come on, people! If we’re virtually dating, virtually being friends, and shopping online spending virtual money, --and now we’re giving virtual gifts? Okay, this has gone too far. I want the real deal. But maybe there could be an advantage to this…I’ve been feeling financially strapped and really would like to give all my friends who are having weddings, babies, and birthdays some type of gift…hence, the virtual gift had become my gift of choice!

Note: The Beth that has a profile on Facebook from Texas is not the ulovebeth affiliated with Happy Little Trees, and I’m sure isn’t as cute as me.

2nd Note: If you’ve become overly defensive at the comments I’ve made, then that could be a sign of a problem. And I feel your pain. A friend once confronted me about my blog, and suggested I might be addicted to it. It’s okay, really, I can handle it. It’s not a problem. Really.

I had a mini-revival last night. What is God’s will for my (your) life? Well, I found out. If you didn’t go to Metro LiVE, you missed it. Sorry about that.

I KNOW the answers. But I tend to forget them. Or the order. I’m helpless. I’m got mush in my life, and only He can make my mush gush into something beautiful far beyond what I think I need or think I want.

KNOW God. Take time to let Him KNOW you. He likes you. And, He loves you, too. I like him, and I love him, too. (Okay, I’m preaching to myself, sorry you have to be here.)

And come to Metro LiVE if you get the chance.

(Okay, just because the gift of God's will just isn't for me, there's a link on the question above to Afshin the Dream's message. The wonders of technology!)

I think my new co-worker just saw me bouncing in my chair with both my arms out office-chair dancing to the Black Eyed Peas “They Don’t Want Music.” (click and choose #10 for some serious dancing to come out of your body)

Whatever. I got the funk. And I can’t let my nine-to-five hold me down.