Oh really, Linda Black?

This is what my horoscope is for today:

Today is an 8 – Your fame is traveling far and wide, and your fan base is growing. Now is a good time to schedule a tour.

How hilarious. I can only imagine what this means. One of my co-workers said it means that I am taking my grammar-teaching, cookie-baking, candy-filling show on the road. Buy tickets today!

Who says talk is cheap?

A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

Proverbs 25:11

As I babbled on and on this weekend, talking my poor guest’s ear off about how everyone should read The Introvert’s Advantage and countless other things, I came to the realization something about words.

It isn’t quite the silence that is golden. It is, perhaps, the words that come after the silence that are so highly valued. Our words, whether they be spoken or written or sung, carry so much power.

And too often we are careless with our words.

After spending time with people who really listened to me, I started thinking about how other people around me don’t always value what I say. Everyone has those kinds of people in their live, but we shouldn’t let them have any kind of stock in our lives. 

Food for thought

While at time I’ve felt defeated in other areas of my life these days, there’s one area I’m beginning to feel more competent in these days: Cooking.

Thanks to my lovely friend Shanna and her inspiring food blog (and, finally, a properly working stove), I’ve been lured back into the kitchen and tempted by its promises of aromatic delights and luscious produce.

In the last week, I’ve made hummus, tomato mozzarella salad, stir-fry and rosemary cookies. And each dish as turned out more successful than the last. 

Years ago, I used to love cooking for my family and friends. I am a nurturer by nature. But after moving to Virginia and settling into a life of solitude, my joy of cooking didn’t quite adapt to solo suppers.

Now, however, I see my time in the kitchen as a creative outlet for me. Now, I get to express my mood with food. And it’s all teaching me a little bit more about myself.

A preacher’s wife

Not too many people know this about me, but a few years back I was considering what it would be like to be a certain pastor’s wife (how serious this ever was, I’m not too sure). As I have lost most contact with that person, those thoughts have also been tossed into my mind’s abyss. Yet, they resurfaced today.

I don’t know. Do I really have what it takes to be a pastor’s wife? Me, a temperamental, passionate person who always speaks my mind? Do I even have such grace for the job?

Grace. That’s exactly what came to mind this morning when I went to Starbucks for my iced caramel latte fix. As I stepped into the nearby shop and up to the register, I immediately spotted Pastor Sharon Kelly from Wave Church. I must say, she is as inviting in person as she seems to be each Sunday morning. I wanted to go right up to her and say hello. But then I started taking stock of what I looked like.

While it could have been worse (hey, I’m trying to work on it), I didn’t feel like I should introduce myself to anyone in my yoga pants, sandals and army shirt layered over a green tank top. Admittedly, this would have all been cute if I were, say, twenty pounds lighter. But I’m not, so I felt like a mess. And so I admired her from a far as I waited for the barista to whip up my drink.

As I walked out of the store, drink in hand, I began to wonder if Pastor Sharon really does look that put together all the time. Probably. It must be hard to know that everywhere you go, people are watching you. Could I ever deal with such pressure?

Truth be told, people are always watching us. Or at least we should try to live our lives as such. I mean, not always care so much about what people think, but making sure our words speak truth to our walk.

That’s one to remember the next time I head out to run my errands.

A Closet reject

As thirty swiftly approaches me, I’ve been doing self evaluations almost daily. As one of the wise faculty members at the Maynard Institute editing program suggested, I’ve kept a personal journal of my thoughts, likes and dislikes trying to make sense of what exactly I want to be when I’m all grown up and how I should go about getting there. I continue to be a work in progress.

Another thing that continues to be a work in progress is my messy, ever-evolving closet. Seriously. I’ve cleaned out so many things I no longer want, things that no longer flatter me (if they ever did), things I can no longer fit (although I still struggle to part with some things I just keep telling myself I one day will wear again), and things I just know I’m too darn old to be sporting anymore. Yet with each What Not to Wear episode and page turn of my Lucky handbook (thanks, BFF), I know there’s more to purge.

Just look at it.

But where do I take it? All these years, I’ve been trekking to the good ‘ol Salvation Army, but honestly, I could use the extra change. To no avail, I’ve even posted some jewelry on eBay. I’m just scared of going to the consignment shops. 

I’ve had bad experiences in the past. My ego was so greatly bruised when I took all of my designer stuff to Plato’s Closet and had it all rejected. I was told that I had all of the right labels, they were just too old. Stuff has to be from recent seasons and years for them to accept it. Seriously? There are people out there that go through their closets within a year or two? Alas, I’m nervous in trying other places. Does anyone else have any suggestions? I’m in need of help (and room for a new wardrobe fast).