Trying Not To Do Anything Halfway

More Homemade Gifts For Sale!

2011-10-22T15:21:00.003-04:00

Oh Christmas Tree!

This magazine Christmas Tree can be yours to keep or give as a gift for $8.

The color of the buttons can be requested to fit the decor of your room.

Sizes of magazines vary.

Disclaimer: The back of this is flat. It is great for setting against a door, wall, staircase, bookcase, ect. Just know that it shouldn't be sat somewhere that it can be seen from behind.

Homemade Gifts For Sale

2011-10-22T15:00:00.008-04:00

The following pictures are a box that opens into four little boxes. On the inside are pepermints, hot cocco mix, mini marshmellows, and a note about the gift of the Magi. There are many many different decors for these boxes. You would be free to choose your design. They make great Christmas Gifts for the person that you don't know what to get! Or, if you have a big family like mine, one for everyone! They are $6 per box and include the stuff inside.

If you are interested in purchasing these lovely little gifts, please let me know. Also, if you have personalized paper that you woud like to pick out for a specific person, I would be more than happy to make one for that individual at no extra cost. All you have to do is provide me with six coordinating 12x12 sheets of paper. You can contact me by commenting here or emailing me at ebert2911@msn.com!

All of your help in spredding the word would be greatly appreciated as well. (I'm doing my best to make some extra money in the time of unemployement!)

More Homemade Gifts Are Coming Soon!

Keep Checking Back!

2011-10-13T00:42:00.002-04:00

BY THE WAY!

MONDAY'S MEET HAS MOVED TO A NEW LOCATION.
(i may still post them both places. who knows what i may do)

BUT THE ENTIRE COLLECTION CAN BE FOUND AT:
http://100peopleimetincollege.blogspot.com

Just keeping ya updated.

Wednesday's I Want: A Job

2011-10-12T23:26:00.004-04:00

Some of you may already know, but as of last week I re-entered the world of the unemployeed. Right now, I simply want a job. Actually, it may not be all that simple. Not just any job. A job I love. Its selfish really. Everyday growing up I watched my father work in a job that he has never really LOVED. He did it though. Without complaining. He did it to provide. Somehow we are very different in this area. Doing something day in and day out that I don't enjoy takes a major major toll on me. Now that I'm writing it down, it sounds silly. Its just that I'm ready to move forward I guess. Hopefully that will happen. God calls, and provides. He knows the mearsure of my heart on the matter, even if it sounds petty. The confusing thing is, so far I have yet to put my finger on one thing I really want to do. The search is on.

Tuesday's Tip: Believe Him

2011-10-12T00:29:00.003-04:00

Two weeks ago a dear friend from High School passed away after a long battle with lukemia. To say that the news shook me would almost be an understatement. It consumed me. My thoughts were back and forth between memories and worries. Lacey had a group of friends that were honestly more like sisters, and I couldn't get what they were going through out of my head. The class of 2003 Cheerleaders were undenyably close. There was one thought in the in between that simply would not leave the depths of my mind. A little background. After her death, all of the sudden my next step was to look through old year books. Senior year, right before graduation, she wrote, "Ebert, I really want to get in touch with "the man upstairs" (jk) I need to though. Jena and I have given you a hard time, but we've never meant it. And I'm so glad after your crash that you are okay. I truly <3 you (as a friend) Don't get fresh. God bless and good luck in all that you do. Lacey." As a Christain in North America its difficult to talk about persuction with perspective. However, it is faced daily in the lives of teenagers walking through the doors of their schools. There I experienced the closest thing I have ever experienced to real persuction. The truth is, Lacey really did give me a hard time about my faith in God. We were able to maintain many good times, and put our differences aside. Days would still come where the teasing would begin. Arguements would flare up over issues that I was too niave at the time to understand were not what Christ was about. Those times were tough, but I loved Lacey and her friends with all of my heart and consistantly reached out in any way possible to share the love of God. When she passed, fear struck. She may have accepted Christ beforehand, but for me to know for sure simply wasn't going to happen. A message that I pushed in all the wrong ways may not have made it into her heart. That fact broke mine. As the doubts of me making any difference plagued me, I read on. Others wrote things about my faith in ink on those pages. Someone even said they always admired my faith. Even if Lacey never accepted Him, He was still faithful. Every seed planted, and every arguement I messed up, He could still use. The only thing getting me through the unknown was the constant faithfulness of a God who loves Lacey as much as he loves me. Luckly, I was able to attend the visitation for my dear friend. While there, I ran into a few old buddies. One of which has undoubtly accepted Christ into her life since graduation. She is a light that continues to shine into that world. It makes me so pround to see my sister in Christ living everyday for Him alone. Every seed, every word. God is faithful.

Fast forward to a week later. My heath has not been the best. After a long process of trying to find answers, I came home for an appointment that I believed would be the end all be all. To my surprise, the doctor came back with news I was not prepared to hear. What they had found was unlike anything she had ever seen. She didn't want to touch it. A whirlwind of events ended in surgery to get a mass out of my left side as soon as possible. Doctors with much acclaim were telling me that they weren't very optimistic. Geez. Was this happening? Fear struck me again. Thoughts of my own death were looming over me now. Honestly, it was the most terrifying few days of my life. Emotionally, I shut down. Mentally, it was a jungle in there. It took me a while to share with anyone what was going on, but the inevitable came. First I made a few important calls. Then I sent out the dreaded group message to those I felt needed to know at that stage in the process. It was a plea for prayer. When I say plea, what it really was may have been boarderline begging. Still, my hopes were very downtrotten. Never had I been this discouraged. All of these feelings after just been smacked in the face with God's enduring faithfulness 7 days prior. Sad. It didn't take long for me to loose track. The good news is, God never looses patience, and will do anything to keep teaching me. Surgery was Friday. The report: whatever it was; was. It is gone. No longer there. Doctor couldn't find it. I had been healed. This time being punched in the face with Faithfulness may have taught me a lesson that will linger. A little longer at least.

With all that said, Tuesday's Tip has been long. The simple lesson to it all. (If you have even made it this far through my bore.)

"Though the mountians be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD who has compassion for you." Isaiah 54:10

Believe Him. He is Faithful always. He doesn't know how to be any other way.

Monday's Meet....Kenton!

2011-02-14T18:11:00.002-05:00

The early appearance of Kenton in my 100 people I met in college comes to you do to the fact that he asked me to. There is no shame in admitting it. It was coming eventually, but during my last encounter with him, he made it clear that he was ready to be the star of Monday's Meet. Which is exactly part of the reason he is so dear to my heart. No one else in my life would probably even care much less flat out tell me with such gusto. That's what makes my friendship with Kenton so special. Honesty. We have seen the best and the worst of each other. Through it all, our ability to be gut wrenching truthful has remained. Most of the time there isn't even a need to try to say it with kooth just as long as it is frank and to the point. As far as personality goes, its hard to describe. When I try I end up just shrugging my shoulders and saying, "I don't know, he's just Kenton." One of a kind. To others he may seem overly energetic but to me he has a presence that brings people out of their shells a little to be more real with themselves. This guy is the type that will say what everyone else won't admit they are thinking. And with no apologies. He is who he is. Even if that's a crazy UofL fan! There are more "remember when" moments with him than I can count. He doesn't like to admit it, but I really did teach him everything I know. Skipping class may have been on the list, which probably wasn't a good idea. But heck, I didn't turn out so bad! No matter the weather a good long talk on the campus swings could cure many a bad day. Our friendship grew as I learned more about Kenton than most people know putting many miles on the ole faithful cavalier. I have never been the type to have lots of close guy friends, but he has defined for me what that role looks like. He has never treated me any less than a gentleman should giving me a clear standard to hold other men to. We have depended on each other like any brother and sister would. That's exactly what we are, a brother and sister in Christ living like family. We have seen each other through lots of mistakes big and small. While its true that I can't always defend Kenton's actions (nor he defend mine), I will always defend his heart. He is a good man.

Monday's Meet...

2011-01-31T16:44:00.004-05:00

Preface: The theme of Monday's Meet came out of a silly idea to compile sort of a personality profile including 100 people I met in college. As my list grows of individuals to write about, my feelings about this whole idea have changed. It has gone from "look how different my friends are ha ha ha" to "wow, he/she really impacted my life." As cliche as it sounds, each one of them have been part of the journey to who I have become. That is so cliche that it almost makes me feel dumb to even type it, but it is undeniable. Some have been a big part of helping me let of go the past, some have laid a foundation of footsteps I want to follow in, and some have shown me exactly the person to never be again. In some way, every college age person goes through this. It really is the time that shapes us. We are shaped by each person that enters our journey and the path that they are on as well. With that said, my heart is thankful for the randomness of those I met in college!

With that said, let me journey back to where it all began!

Monday's Meet....Jazz!

My first impression of this lovely gal was a quite interesting one. We had communicated over email after finding out that we would be roommates at Campbellsville, but you still never know what exactly you are getting yourself into. As we moved in that fall day, bags and boxes started to empty and our personal touches started to be placed around the room. Now, it didn't take long for us to connect as we were both full of energy and excitement to be there. We seemed a lot a like, with similar interests and likes. Which was somewhat true. Then again, I couldn't help but to notice some of the things she was unpacking. The best example of this is the posters: first one up was multicolored butterflies, second one up was puppies, third one up was Good Charlotte, forth one up was Avril Lavine with hot pink lips. Until we got to know each other better, I was convinced my roommate had multiple personalities with her black knee high zipper boots and flowery tank tops . It turned out that she was completely normal and absolutely precious. When the word unique is used, even if not purposeful, it sometimes holds a negative connotation. Jazz gives that word the most positive meaning possible. The girl just does her own thing, and loves every minute of it. Her joy seems impossible to be true, but it is! Our hall was the hall of misfit toys, which could have been miserable since we were so different, but with Jazz it was nothing but fun! Funny experiences just followed us. That year held tough times for both of us, but her will to fight them exceeded any effort I had ever seen. Nothing would make her give up on a worthy cause. Lucky for me, she saw me as a worthy cause. This friend was one that would defend me to the death even if I was wrong. When I think about her, my heart gets heavy wishing that I would have been half of the friend she was to me. See, I got distracted by others a lot, and it caused me to neglect and take her way for granted. If going back was possible one of the few things I would do differently is to show her then how much she meant to me. We worked together on a summer mission team, and decided to take a break from being roommates the next semester. No doubt, the time apart was needed, but one semester would have been enough. While the feeling might not have been mutual I never stopped missing her as my roommate. However, her friendship taught me to never assume someone knows their importance in your life. She's a jewel with a heart of gold. But for sure we had some good times!

Tuesday's Tip...Clutter

2011-01-11T02:02:00.003-05:00

If you are at all like me, you suffer every now and then from a cluttered living space. After time, you loose the motivation to clean it up. It can be overwhelming. You look at a pile of stuff and think, "I have no idea where to even start." Trust me, most of my messes give me this feeling. There are even shows that focus on the problems of clutter and hoarding. While my problem is no where close to that extensive, I feel that they usually approach it all wrong. Typically they say to start with three categories: keep, dontnate/sell, and throw away. Two of those categories are forcing you to part with your things right off the bat. Disclaimer: this tip is not for those unable to live a normal life due to their clutter. Those people need to be in the mind frame of getting rid of their crap! Anyway, back to the point. Automattically you are going to experience some anxiety because you are overwhelmed by the thought of getting rid of something that is rightfully yours. My theory is to start by looking at the space and asking yourself, "What do I see the most of in this space?" It could be anything: clothes, trash, magizines, books, craft supplies, holiday decorations, dishes. After figuring out what you see the most of, you attack that problem first. You pull out and organize all of that item that you see, and then step back and see your progress. Then you ask yourself the question again. Soon enough you will organize the whole space. In the meantime you may find yourself getting rid of somethings because you see how having a certian amount of that one thing creates a mess.

Monday's Meet...

2011-01-11T00:48:00.002-05:00

Meet Teresa.

You never know how important someone may become in your life. To be honest she started out as one of those people that is always in the background of your life. Being connected more to the people around you than having a friendship of your own. Somehow without realizing it, that all changed. We became friends.

It would take an awful lot to convince me that there is anybody in the world that has met Teresa that didn't like her. We sure had some good times. Most of my stories that start, "This one time in college," not only include her, but were probably her idea. Just to name a few: rubber ducking someone's house, faking an attack in the street, making multiple costumes, driving to North Carolina overnight, actors of the week, and drive by cap gun shootings. Although it was true most of the time, it wasn't fun and games all of the time. Her example and encouragement drew me closer to God than I have ever been. As I wrestled through insecurities and doubts, she supported me by searching together for answers and hope. She lives her passion for sharing the Word with the nations. Not only is Teresa full of ideas but she is also full of the means to accomplish what she sets her mind to. You could sit and talk to her for hours about who knows what, but I assure you the conversation would never be dull. She makes you think about the superficial and important things by asking questions that nobody else would think to ask. She is naturally comfortable to be around. Teresa is accepting of anybody without judgement or assumption. Expect adventure when you are around her. She lives the life of a servant leader as she would go to great lengths to do anything for someone in need. As long as its important to her, its important to those around her. Distance comes with being her friend, but loyalty remains.

Four For Friday...Daytime TV Edition

2010-12-10T13:03:00.002-05:00

Due to some medical issues, work and driving have been taken away from me for a while. Therefore, my days are spent stuck at home. While I have been trying to get some much needed things done, somehow my eyes have been drawn to daytime television shows. Here are the four that have drawn me in:

1. Rachel Ray. Last nights dinner was even inspired by this lovely lady. Her guests have been great! What I like about it is that it is not an emotional talk show with lots of crying and conflict. Its light hearted bringing awareness to the things going on around us. And you get to learn how to make a tasty treat, or something close to it.

2. Family Fued. You can't go wrong. Its classic. While you sit back and make fun of the answers family members give deep down you know that you didn't have one that was any better. Steve Harvey is the new host. His work gets two thumbs up from this Ebert. Not that my thumbs actually matter.

3. The Talk. The show is similar to The View. Which at first turned me off to them. Who wants to sit at home and listen to a bunch of grown women fight over things that they can't control. Vote me out. The Talk is not political. They are all so different, but can agree to disagree without it becoming a knock down drag out first. They discuss topics that any normal person could be in on. Like the top baby names for 2010.

4. Last but not least...Ellen. It has been the first half of the Twelve Days of Giveaways. This throws the show off a little bit cause you can feel the anticipation of when the giveaways are coming, but it is entertaining none the less. She does things that other daytime talk shows would never dream of doing. Its a delight to end my afternoon of being lazy!

This Is When Faith Runs Deep

2010-12-09T19:19:00.008-05:00

Part of my absence from the blogging world has been due to what you are about to read here today. Writers block hit as I knew that the inevitable was coming. Without trying to be dramatic, the truth is that my heart was not ready to do this until now. Even though it is not in fact a Monday, today I will introduce you to someone I met in college.

Meet Charity. We met in my first class of my first day of college. Its hard to say what exactly happened after that. Eventually me and the girl in the seat to my left would become affectionately referred to as Chebert. She was a friend to me beyond being able to describe. Tough times came and went, but other ones always found their way back around. That's life. We experienced life. There is no doubt that we had many good times along with the bad. Charity is the kind of person that can draw anyone to herself. She is a zealot, doing everything she does with enthusiasm and persistence. It was contagious too. Laughter came hourly. Giving up wasn't ever an option. Listening seemed effortless. We dug deep into each other's pasts, allowing wounds to heal, and standing by each other's side as we faced our hurts. Leadership ran through her veins. She was a natural at it. She was a hugger, as was I. Not only was she my best friend, but my roommate. And a good one at that. We never were necessarily a lot alike, but Charity had a gift of becoming interested in whatever the important people in her life were interested in. I tried my best to do the same. Its hard for me to admit, but I was always jealous of her mad djmbe skills. Her heart was truly genuine. She cared like nobody I have ever met. We spent all of our time together. Sometime we grained on each other's nerves so badly, but most of the time was so much fun. You don't have to go far to find someone that will tell you about how competitive she was. They probably found out playing Nerts or Guitar Hero. We made mistakes. We had hard times. We had fights. Things weren't always the best, but we always came out of it stronger. I will treasure our friendship forever. Lots and lots of pictures taken will sometimes make me cry and other times make me laugh.

Back in Feburary I recieved a phone call from my dear friend Charity. It very well may have been the last. Without going into much detial, she called to inform me that she was choosing to cut ties with me all together. As you can imagine, this has been a very tough reality for me to come to terms with. I pray for my friend every day. She is dearly missed as an active part of my life. A favorite song of both of ours in college talks about the times when faith has to run deep. During tough times we would both cling to those lyrics for dear life. Tonight, I heard that song. This is when faith runs deep.

In closing, I will leave you with what I most look forward to with my friend Charity.

"When we arrive at eternity's shore

Where death is just a memory and tears are no more

We'll enter in as the wedding bells ring

HIS BRIDE WILL COME TOGETHER

And we'll sing, You're Beautiful!"

Four For Friday...Highlights Edition

2010-10-01T22:38:00.002-04:00

It has been a while. Glad to be back. People were reading, and writing was enjoyable but still blogging was put to the side. More explaination to come. Either way, its nice to know that my randomness was missed.

Today's Four For Friday will be the four highlights of my day today. It turned out to be a pretty wonderful day. Here is why:

1. A surprise visitor at work! Emily Snyder suddenly pops around the corner in my office today. It was quite a shocker. Didn't see it coming. But there she was! For those of you that don't know, Emily was a close friend/roommate in college. She has seen me at my best and worse, and been an amazing friend through it all. She also held the same position as me at work once upon a time. Any time spent with Em is a good time, so it was certianly highlight number one. Also, her visit lead to lots of laughter at my dad later in the day. This is how the conversation went:

Me: Guess who came to see me at work today?

Dad: Who?

Me: Emily Hamlin

Dad: Who?

Me: EMILY HAMLIN

Dad: A young gentleman?

Oh dad...

2. Emily Dunston. That's right, lots of Emily's in my life today. Ran into this lovely lady in the grill. She is normally student teaching, so seeing her has been few and far between lately. Simply put, we just had fun. Love that girl.

3. This girl got a job. My position at work was cut from full-time to part-time. Which no normal person my age could ever afford. That put me on the job hunt which is never fun. God is a provider for sure, because it was all in wonderful time. It is difficult for sure, because I am doing what I love to do. God has put activities ministry on my heart for a long long time in some way. In no way do I want to leave, but its looking like I am going to have to.

4. While writing this post, four great cd's have entered the playlist of Ebert Brown. You can't get much better than adding some new tunes at the end of your day. Here is what I have been jammin to:

Glee: Volume 2

Glee: Volume 3

Brandon Heath: What If We

The Afters: Light Up The Sky

Its been a great day. I promise that all of my post from here on out won't be this boring, but I figured this would be a great way to get back into the swing of things. See ya soon!

Monday's Meet...

2010-07-30T16:15:00.005-04:00

Monday's Meet....Joanna.

Some would describe her as a tree hugger. Passionate is the word I choose. Its true that she is all about trying to save the planet, but she is the least annoying tree hugger I've ever met. Talking about it, and doing it are two very different things. She lives what she speaks! In fact, she has been very informative. My lifestyle has changed some because of knowing her. Outside of her passion for science, her personality is fun. You never have to wonder what Joanna is feeling. You can see it all over her face. If she is having a good day, she will be the most bubbly person you could imagine. If she is having a bad day, you will be able to tell within ten seconds. Joanna is a hard worker. We have worked together on and off for a couple of years, and I have yet to see her be lazy. She is committed to her work no matter what it is. She is a helper. Constatnly checking to see if the people around her need anything. She serves gladly. Gerbra daisies are her favorite flower, hince the name of her cat. She knows Friends backwards and fowards. She eats vegtables like its her job. She doesn't eat meat. From Joanna I have learn that you can be passionate about something without being over the top. Also to recycle, reduce, and reuse.

Four For Friday!

2010-07-30T13:24:00.004-04:00

1. Checkout: When you're making your way to the checkout lanes, does the person working the cash register have any impact on your decision of which lane you choose?

Oh WalMart. Especially Campbellsville WalMart. Most places the worker would not have an effect on my choice of lanes. Its a different story at WalMart. There is a certain cashier that is habitually cranky. No matter how hard one may try, she just will not be happy. There is no such thing as cracking a smile to this woman. Therefore, my choice is to stop trying. Six years is long enough. However, being in such a small town, several of the workers are friends. Even though their jobs are tough, it is my mission to brighten their days if even a little when the opportunity arises.

2. Sandwiches: Do you prefer yours cut in half or served whole? What about hamburgers or chicken sandwiches?

Sandwiches, half. Hamburgers, whole. Chicken sandwiches, half. My sandwich habits are weird. Who knew!

3. Facebook: As of this week, 500 million people were actively using Facebook to "stay connected with their friends and the people around them." How has Facebook changed or impacted your life?

To say that Facebook has changed my life makes me laugh a little. But really, it has. If it weren't for Facebook there are people that I talk to now that I would not have kept in touch with without it. For someone that is super bad at keeping in touch, Facebook has allowed me to be a better friend to those that I don't see everyday. In fact, someone that is very important in my life used the outlet of Facebook to help me realize how truly bad my keeping in touch skills really are. Since then it has become routine for me to comment, post, like or message to friends that I sincerely care about. This generation wants to feel a sense of community and connectedness, and that is why we have social networking sites like we do. Personally, nothing thrills me more than knowing something has brought me back together with those that I care about.

4. Tweet: If you could send President Obama a Twitter message that's guaranteed to be personally read and responded to, what would send him (remember, tweets need to be 140 characters or less)?

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" Wanna see change?

Send me questions to answer next Friday!

Wednesday & Thursday

2010-07-29T17:51:00.004-04:00

Sorry about my tardiness. Yesterday was the day of the cast removal, which of course means that there was time for walking and not posting. Today, I will catch up by bringing to you, "I want Wednesday" and "Thursday's Letters I'll Never Send." Enjoy!

I want Wednesday.

This very well may be the most selfish Wednesday that you hear from me. But hey, that's why its I WANT Wednesday and not here is a list of things that I need Wednesday. Its okay to dream. The computer that these posts come to you is a desktop that was purchased in 2003 right before college. Its not in bad condition, but its not great either. It works. The Internet connection has been kinda ridiculous. There is no such thing as using Internet Explorer or FireFox, my only browser that will work is an old school version of MSN which was used faithfully in its infancy. Its inconvenient, and annoying. So it all comes down to this. I want a laptop. While I do have some preferences on which one, it is very expensive. It is no secret that that kind of money doesn't exist in my world. So any brand would do.

On this Wednesday I would also like to wish my sister-in-law a happy birthday! She told me just the other day that she has enjoyed reading my blog, so I have been waiting on pins and needles to use this as an outlet to wish her a happy birthday. Then I didn't have anytime to post. Sorry Rachel. I guess its happy belated birthday now! :) Also, Happy Birthday Granddaddy. We miss you. A lot!

Thursday's Letters I'll Never Send

Dear Old Friend,
Best wishes. Really, I wish you the best. Despite everything my prayer is that you would have all the good that you deserve and take all of the bad with the courage I know you have. It is hard for me to understand why we grew apart the way we did, but it just happened that way. To this day, every time your name comes to mind a smile is reflected on my face. You were a very patient, loving, understanding, good friend to me. We had some rough times, no doubt, but my best wishes go back as far as I can remember knowing you. It is good to see from a distance that you seem successful, but I only hope you are happy. Next time our paths cross it would be nice to catch up. It was a small stab last time when you acted like you didn't see me there. I know you did. Its okay. Seeing you was nice in itself. Thanks for all the good times, and even the bad. Learning is part of getting older. From you the lesson was obvious; don't sweat the small stuff, it isn't worth loosing a friend over. Love you forever my sister in Christ!

Tuesday's Tip: Falling

2010-07-27T23:46:00.006-04:00

If you have to fall, fall with grace. Be doing something interesting, fun, exciting or adventurous. Never fall down the steps looking for the janitor. Just saying, it doesn't lead to good things. This comes to you in honor of the big day. Tomorrow is the day. No more cast.

"Monday's Meet...."

2010-07-26T14:01:00.008-04:00

It has occurred to me through my lack of consistency on the blog front, a theme for Monday's post has yet to arise. After much brainstorming, "Monday's Meet.." came to mind. For several months now I have considered writing a book (not necessarily for publication) called, "100 People I met In College." The five years that I spent getting a higher education taught me more about personalities, friendship, and myself than my area of study ever dreamed of doing. With that said, "Monday's Meet...." will begin my journey of compiling a tangible reminder of all the interesting individuals that have crossed my path.

To begin: Monday's Meet...Sarah.

While I am the definition of an extrovert, she is the complete opposite. Some would say its a wonder we are friends, while others question if we are sisters. Quiet, but quick-witted. Sarcastic, but sweet. Honest, but honestly lies. She is wonderful. There is no doubt that she is called to teach. One of the most important things she taught me is to teach myself. In the end, the only one responsible for what I think, is me. Not only that, but she is a lifelong learner as well, absorbing everything. Her heart breaks over injustice, but lacks mercy when it comes to stupidity. Someone once described her as childlike, but not childish. It fits. Her unpredictability makes being her friend an adventure in itself. Her love for Christ is contagous and inspiring. So is her love for her family, blood and otherwise. It doesn't take long to see that she is willing to give of herself for others. She has given so much for me. One day children will be lucky to call her mom. She looks forward to it everyday. If she was meant to live in a different time period it would be the 40's, as she lives to be classy. Her usage of big words points to her hobby of reading. As time passes, she never ceases to surprise me. Her perspective usually puts mine to the test. She is my accountablity, teacher, inspiration, and most importantly, my best friend.

2010-07-24T13:39:00.004-04:00

For those of you that don't know, it has been three months, four days, and approximately two hours since I have walked on my own two feet. People I see in the store say, "You are on crutches, again?" AGAIN?!?! No. A simple moment of clumsiness seems to be dragging on forever. My summer has been hardly enjoyable because it takes so much energy to get in and out of the house on a normal day, much less for anything else. Also in this time, I have moved and gotten a dog. Exciting and fun transitions, but certainly difficult ones with an injury such as mine.

I say all of this though to announce the genuine excitement that it will be over four short days from now. In for days Dr. Norman will take this cast off for good. If it seems that she plans to do anything else, she will see nothing but my back WALKING out the door. Tomorrow starts my three favorite days of the week, so they will go by fast. Sunday morning I will crutch into church with confidence knowing it is the last time I will have to do so. Monday hanging out with my roommates we will be able to actually look forward to the next time we get to do this. Finally Tuesday, my Bible Study group will be able to take comfort in the fact that next week, I can get up and get myself something to drink. These moments will not pass with grief, but joy. The time is coming so soon!

Disclaimer: My friends and church family have been wonderful through this. Literally, I would not have been able to do anything without them . It would have been miserable instead of just an annoyance. Moving would have certainly not even been possible. They are wonderful, and I am more thankful for them than you can ever imagine.

You have to understand the excitement over my impending independence.

Four For Friday...Breakfast Edition

2010-07-23T11:52:00.007-04:00

The theme for today's questions: Breakfast!

1. Oh my goodness! You have to run out the door right now and you haven’t eaten! Before dashing out, what do you grab to wolf down on your way?

Either a poptart or a granola bar. If it were the poptart chances are it would be strawberry with the icing on top. The one's without it are just so dry. If it were the granola bar it would certianly be oat's and honey. There's nothing like sweet and crunchy.

2. What’s a popular breakfast you dislike?

My parents have two main Saturday morning breakfast menus. Many of you that have spent the night as youngsters know its either pancakes or waffles. Did you know that people actually put peanut butter on them??? No way! I think its gross.

3. You’re going out for breakfast anywhere you want, and someone else is treating! Where do you go and what do you order?

Cracker Barrel. Sunrise Sampler. Eggs well done. Biscuits with gravy. Bacon. Hashbrowns to replace the nasty grits. A milk to drink with a coffee on the side.

4. You’ve been invited to a breakfast potluck. What are you most likely to bring?

The occassion has yet to rise for this. But I suppose, time permiting, I would bring pancakes. My parents taught me how to make the best, and it would be nice for me to share that with the rest of the world.

For next weeks Four For Friday...let me answer your questions. Ask away, and I promise an honest answer.

Thursday's Letters I'll Never Send

2010-07-22T17:06:00.004-04:00

Dear Prayer Warrior,

It was nice to meet you. To say that thoughts of crossing paths again haven't entered my own mind would be to tell a lie. My parents taught me not to lie. There are close friends that have not prayed for me the way you did that day. Such sincerity came in the words of a mere acquaintance. In a world of rush, this simple act was met with much surprise. As odd as it may seem, brother in Christ, you mean so much to me. My heart was troubled with many unknowns before this encounter. The unknowns are still not known, but at peace they lay still. For thirty minutes it was not hard to see fruit in your life. Thanks for the encouragement.

Until we meet again,

Ebert

I want....Wednesday

2010-07-21T14:01:00.002-04:00

Today I want the Spirit to help me seek out intimancy with the Father.

The book "Forgoten God" by Francis Chan, has really matured my thinking and understanding of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the whole book, the author has pointed out charistics of the Spirit that aren't necessarly always thought or talked about. So far my two favorites have been the role of the Comforter, and the role of Interceeder. In a time of my life when things are so uncertian, it is hard to always know how to seek intimancy with the Father. This is where the Spirit steps in like the herion He is.

Spirit, step in.

Four For Friday!

2009-12-18T07:37:00.004-05:00

1. With the many challenges people experience during the holiday season, The Salvation Army in Spokane, Washington, has decided to give the red kettles an additional role: collecting prayer requests from people in the community. Would you place a prayer request into a Salvation Army kettle, and if so, would you feel compelled to make a donation while doing so?

Yes I think I would put a prayer request in The Salvation Army's red kettles. Its pretty cool that there is an organization out that that is so popular around the nation that is attempting to continue to keep Christ the center of the things they do. The more people out there praying for the needs of the people in this country, the better! I think its a wonderful idea. I probably would feel compelled to make a donation if I put a request in the kettle, but honestly I don't ever carry cash, so I would be scrounging around trying to find something to put in.

2. Katie Couric anchors the CBS Evening News; Brian Williams anchors the NBC Nightly News; and now, Diane Sawyer will be anchoring ABC's World News Tonight. What role does a national or local news anchor's personality play in your decision to watch a particular news channel or show?

The news anchors personality plays a huge part in my decision to watch a particular news channel or show. Growing up in a small town that has a pretty impressive news, when there was a new anchor it would take two or three weeks to adjust to their style of delivering the news. When I got older and moved to a bigger city, I litterally felt like I had to "shop around" for a news station to watch since there were so many options. I had to find the group of anchors that got on my nerves the least. Even when it comes to nighttime news, or latenight shows, there is a choice of who I feel delivers the information to me the best. Picky? Maybe.

3. Tiger Woods says he's taking "an indefinite break" from professional golf because of, well, you know. If you could choose one other athlete, politician, or public figure to take a similar indefinite break, who would you like to see on that list?

This is a funny question. I feel like its asking me, "If you had the chance to off anyone, who would it be." Poor people. On a similar track of the previous question, I think I'm going to have to say Nancy Grace. Could there be a more annoying show? I mean, if someone is watching it, I will sit there and listen to whatever she has to say. But the more I watch, the more I feel my blood presure rise. She is nosy. She is rude. And I wonder how she would feel if someone dug around into every detail of the worst times of her life. For goodness sake, give it up woman!

4. According to a leading research and advisory firm, spending on restaurant, retailer, and other gift cards will fall slightly in 2009, from $91 billion to $87 billion, of which nearly 6% (some $5.75 billion) will go unused by card recipients. When you receive a gift card, do you tend to use it once for a purchase in an amount less than the card's total value and never use the card again, or do you use the card to the fullest extent possible?

Its money! Of course I try to use it to the full extent. Now, I may have a purchase that is worth less than the value of the card, but I keep it on me. Even though I may not remember to pull it out and use it for my very next purchase at that store, I know its there and will use it evenutally. Even if it takes me a while.

Thursday's Letters I'll Never Send

2009-12-18T07:06:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know, its Friday and not Thursday. However, I worked a 12 hour day yesterday, so a new post wasn't really an option. I backtrack because I consider Thursday's a very important day of post for me. Letters I will never send gives me a chance to get things off my chest and be brutally honesty with myself, and the person that will never read this.

Unloyal friend,
In the past few days I have been really nervous that everything God is showing me right now is for the purpose of getting me to the point that I can forgive you. Which I have to be honest, is the last thing that I want to do. When you left me, walked out of my life without explaination, it hurt. Yes, you hurt me. Maybe I have allowed it to hurt to a deeper level than I ever should have, but I am not willing to make excuses for you. Loyality is the most important thing to me. You knew that. You left anyway. The sad part is, I can honestly say that I still love you, and would still do anything in the world for you, but there isn't a chance in the world that I could look you in the eye and tell you that. Which is only hurting me. Forgiving you has been the last thing on my to do list for a long time. But I have been called to love. I have been called to forgive. And not to do so grudgingly but genuinely. You don't deserve it. But when Christ died for me, I didn't deserve it either. Its going to be a long road to forgiving you. I'm not even to the point that I'm in the car yet, right now I just see that I have somewhere I need to go.
Only because I'm supposed to,
Me

I Want....Wednesday

2009-12-16T09:00:00.002-05:00

I want my friends to come back. My full time job requires me to stay in this college town longer than everyone else. I miss them, and want them to come back.

On a happier note, I want a bike to ride to work. I'm going to work on lending a helping hand toward saving the plant. Inspired by a nature conscious friend.

Tuesday's Tip: Coaching

2009-12-15T20:50:00.005-05:00

Funny that the title of this post makes it seem like I have some wise truth to tell you about how to be a great coach. However, its more about what I don't know rather than what I do. Tuesday's Tip will be about a mixture of things. Some tips will be a life lesson that I have learned and I choose to pass it on so that you have the opportunity to learn it vicariously. Other tips will be good advice on the how to's of life. This one will be something I have learned.

I'm a basketball coach for a 1st and 2nd grade girls basketball team. There are six girls on my team. They are overall wonderful. Talented, attentive, and quick learners. The problem: I don't know anything about basketball. See, I am the brains behind the league. I have spent the past three months organizing, finding coaches, ordering uniforms, scheduling practices, etc. Without being arrogant, things have gone so smooth so far. We were one short coach. Trying to believe in myself, I stepped up ready to accept the challenge. Well, its not going well. The longer I let this go on, the more I feel like I am cheating them out of a good experience. I don't feel like I am doing anything halfway, but maybe they deserve more than what I'm giving them. They are getting half. Sad.

The tip: Don't volunteer for something that you don't know anything about. Its not fair to the other party.

So much for the Sabbath

2009-10-11T23:06:00.005-04:00

Sundays are supposed to be a day of rest for me. Especially this particular Sunday. I have been running frantic for weeks doing what I feel is generally too much for me to handle. None of it optional. Tired might not be good enough word to describe it. In fact, I do not know one that would quite do it justice. Needless to say, this was the day of rest I was imagining. Most of today has been spent worried, crying, hurting, and thinking. Normal day for me? No. It used to be. The horrifying teenage years were filled with days like this. Slowly as I have grown days like this have crept out of normalcy. I cannot say that I've missed them. Nope, I have not. Tomorrow will not be like this, my determination will guarantee it. Next Sunday = will get rest.

A Proper Introduction

2009-10-10T23:12:00.005-04:00

Let me explain the title of this out-pour first. I hate giving up. Even when I am simply looking for something that I have lost in my hopelessly dirty room, it will take an hour sometimes because I want to know that I have accomplished the goal that I set out for myself. Sometimes this quality is a great strength and other times it is an annoying weakness. Am I a perfectionist? Not exactly. Its simple, I want to be the best that I can be. Some of you may be suggesting that I join the Army. Not the same kind of best I am thinking. As long as I have the integrity to know that I have done my absolute best, I can face much adversity. It's surprising the amount of freedom that realization has given me.

Now that you know that, something else that you may want to know is that I love people. I have found myself surrounded by the most intriguing individuals on the planet. Eventually I would like to write a book filled with pictures and descriptions of all the personalities I have come across. (Book for myself and not for everyone in the world to read.) Of the people that I dearly love my family is high on the list. With friendship being so important to me, I used to put them on the back burner more often than not. This is really a shame. As cliche as it is, much of who I am today is because of the things I learned from my family. Each and everyday I find something else that I find myself saying, "I think that because of situations that I have seen come through my house." You simply cannot replace lessons like that. Friends are family are my life.

To conclude, today I was described as considerate, thoughtful, and exuberant. Being called these things was an honor. Thanks to the people that made my smile be more than just showing my teeth!