New Month, New Job, New Home

Happy May Day!!!
It's been a full day for me- I started my new job AND got the keys and began moving into my new apartment!
My last week in Birmingham was incredible. God confirmed for me again that Birmingham was exactly where I was supposed to be this past year, and I'm so grateful for the time I had there. I was blessed to serve a fantastic group of students alongside three wonderful co-laborers. On my last night at the BCM, I was given a scrapbook full of letters... those letters don't represent anything that I did, but the work of Christ in the lives of students at UAB. My heart was touched, though, that they thought to share with me how God changed them over the past 12 months (and I cried like a baby as I read them!) Wow- thank you, Lord, for letting me be a small part of Your work at the University of Alabama- Birmingham.
As for now, I'm liking my new job (at least, I think so after one day!) I'm training to be a project manager with a company that sells & distributes doors to commercial builders. I'm working in the national accounts department, which means that I'll be working with general contractors building new stores for Kroger, Office Depot, Hobby Lobby, and Petco- just to name a few. It's a TON of stuff to learn, and it will definitely be a challenge, but I'm excited about it.
Before I forget- here's my new address... write it in your address books in pencil, though! It's only temporary, for the summer. Hopefully I'll have a more permanent address to share with you in August.
(email me if you want it! I'm not dumb enough to post it here!)
The best part of my new apartment- besides the dishwasher and pool- is its proximity to Rob. We've now gone from living 200 miles apart to just 2 minutes apart!! (I'm just kidding- I'll take him over a dishwasher any day!!)
I also wanted to let you know that you can now "subscribe" to my blog! When you enter your email address, you'll receive automatic email updates whenever I write a new update. The emails aren't instant, but you'll get the text of my blog straight to your inbox without having to check back to my homepage. When you subscribe, you'll have to enter a "code" of random letters, and then you'll get an email from the "Feedburner" service that you must reply to in order to confirm your subscription. Maybe this will help prompt me to update my blog more often!! So sign up!
God is abundantly good...

Test post, take 2

Is anyone getting email about new posts? I got nothing!! I'm beginning to wonder if I set this up wrong... Just trying again!

Test post

It just occurred to me that I could subscribe myself to see what happens when people are "subscribed" to the blog... what kind of email do they send you? How long does it take? Etc, etc. So, for you four other subscribers- don't surprised if this post is here and then it's gone- i'll probably delete after my test run. Thanks for being my guinea pigs, though, and taking a risk on something new!!

Gainfully employed!

I got the job!!! Interviewed last Monday, got the offer on Friday, and accepted it today to make it official- I'll be the newest National Accounts team member at the Girtman Group, Inc. in Nashville. If you check out their website, you might notice that it's all about doors... yes, I'm venturing over to the foreign (to me) world of commercial construction. Don't laugh- I'm not kidding! I'm really excited about the new challenges that will come with this position, not to mention the opportunities to learn a TON of new things! Don't worry, I won't be building or installing, or even selling doors. I'll be working with the general contractors to find out what they need, when they need it, make sure everything is where it's suppossed to be on time, etc. in a project manager role. I really am looking forward to jumping into something new.
And please don't see this as a walk away from ministry either. There were no full-time positions available with any of the Nashville Baptist Campus Ministries, so I eagerly looked for a job that would put me into contact with real-world lost people on a daily basis. I'm also excited about the chance to fully dive into serving my church- something that is difficult when your job is a full-time ministry. I think this is going to be a good change for me.
I can't believe how quickly my time in Birmingham is coming to a close. The semester here ends Wednesday, and my new job begins on May 1...

Subscribe!

This is definitely still a work in progress, but I think (hope!) you can now get email updates every time I update the blog (this one- the page you're reading). If you enter your email address on the right, you will be added to a list that automatically receives an email when I put up a new post. Once I'm sure, or at least a little sure, that it's working, I'll send out a mass email. But, if you're one of the faithful few who still check this page every now and then to see if I've updated yet, you can be one of the lucky ones to sign up first and help me test this new feature!
Aside from spending a little too much time on the computer today, life is hectic but good! I went ahead and had my cable cut off last week in an attempt to save a little money and make myself more productive. So far I think it's working! There's a lot to do as the semester quickly races to the finish line... I wouldn't change a thing though. I'm trying to enjoy every minute I can with my students before they all head off for the summer and I pack up and move again. I love this journey!
PS- If anyone reads this before April 16, please pray for me as I interview for a job in Nashville Monday morning (8:30 cst)! I know that God has a plan already arranged for me, which may or may not include this position, but I'm still really nervous!

In Love, and Loving Spring!

I still think summer is probably my favorite season, but so far this has been an AWESOME spring!! The weather has been absolutely amazing, Birmingham is beautiful with flowers everywhere, and I'm just really happy!
I hope you were able to keep up with me and my team during our trip to Thailand a few weeks ago. We left our sweatshirts behind and headed into the 85+ degrees of Pattaya, Thailand (and I LOVED it!) It was an amazing trip!!! You can check out our team blog (link below) if you haven't already and read about all that God did while we were there.
After I got back, Spring fever was running high! I've been doing a lot of my one-on-one meetings with the girls at UAB on the local walking trail or in the park. I think this week I might move to the botanical gardens! Last Saturday, Rob and I bought kites and took his dog, Buster, to a huge park in Nashville. It was almost a too perfect day-- sunny and warm, with a gentle enough breeze to keep things from being too hot, and just enough to tease you into thinking you might be able to fly a kite! It wasn't exactly optimal kite-flying conditions, but we sure had lots of fun trying!
I've actually been spending a lot of time in Nashville this year, and am planning to move there in May after the school year ends. I love UAB, and I'm going to miss "my girls" there a ton, but as my supervisor says, "Love is pulling me away"! Rob and I have been dating for nearly a year, and we're ready to finally live in the same state! I found an apartment and am currently looking for a job. (Please pray for success in that!) I'm really excited about this transition and can't wait to see what all God has in store for me, and for us together. I'm a lucky girl!!
Ok, enough computer time! I've got the day off, and there's no way I'm going to stay inside and miss out on the sunshine! I think I'll go for a walk...

Thailand

Seriously, I cannot believe I'm leaving in less than 5 days for Thailand! I'm SO not ready, and I've got a ton to do before we go!! Please be in prayer for Tiffany, Sybil, Doug, Craig, and me this week as we prepare.
Check out our team blog! We hope to update it daily while we're gone March 10-18.

UAB Thai Team 2007

Vegas or Bust!

Nashvegas, that is!! I came one step closer to becoming a Nashvillian this weekend... I went to a show at the Grand Ole Opry! It was so much fun! Rob and I were online Saturday evening looking for something cool to do that night, and when he saw that Allison Krauss was playing at the Opry that night, he was sold. We also got to see John Waite, Jimmy Dickens, Porter Wagoner, Ricky Skaggs, and a surprise performance by Vince Gill. There was also a new band, Blue County, that we both really liked. Our night was topped off by some SkeeBall, basketball, and motorcycle racing at Dave & Busters! 10 points for Rob for a fun Saturday night Date Night!!
I'm learning a lot about Nashville, and I'm starting to be able to get around a little easier by myself. I need to share something that frustrates me though... there's a street through downtown Nashville- Demonbreun. I've passed the sign on the interstate several times now, and I always thought it would be pronounced "DEE-mon-BREW-in". Rob got a good laugh at that, and enjoyed correcting me that proper Nashville pronunciation is "dee-MUM-bree-in". MUM?!? That doesn't make sense, and I'm the one who got laughed at! I guess I probably can't say much, since my hometown has Tchopitoulas Avenue.

The Best Job Ever

Yeah, I have it (the best job ever, that is). I love working with the girls at the BCM- they're so much fun!

We went to a state-wide girls retreat this weekend... what a trip! Good music, good teaching, good times, good memories! They are a picture-taking group of girls, that's for sure. They must have spent an hour Friday night posing all over the cabin taking silly pictures and funny pictures and serious pictures... I just laughed with them! Friday night they watched "Pride & Prejudice", and even though I didn't go (I was hanging out in our cabin with my girls), I applaud the retreat planners for choosing the best girly movie of the decade! Saturday's activity time included a mini-spa, ride on the zip line, and a nap for me. It was a great retreat!

Adding to my resume'...

I've got a few new skills to list- soot/smoke removal and demolition specialist! I got to work with Rob this weekend on a couple of different jobs, and see just how intense ServPro really is!! Instead of a Friday night date, we worked together in the bathroom of a house that caught fire. Rob cut out the drywall while I ripped up the floor. He was hesitant to let me in the house at all- I had to remind him not to think of me as a delicate flower but as a tough crew member, ready to work! It was actually a little fun and somewhat therapeutic. In that house, I also helped tear down the living room walls and pulled out insulation. Saturday and Sunday I assisted on some moisture checks of a flooded house, moved about 70 boxes of stuff that was pulled from a smoked out storage unit, and helped clean some of the smokey items.
It was good for me to see what all Rob does on a daily basis. I learned that ServPro is about a lot more than extracting water and cleaning carpets. Now knowing what kinds of things he encounters and deals with, I'll probably worry about him a lot more, but it's also got me praying for him even more too. It wasn't exactly what I would call a relaxing, restful weekend. I got to spend time with Rob, though, and that's always good! (We did go on a date Saturday night... dinner at The Acorn in Nashville's West End-- wow!!!)
Though it may be a short week, I'll be busy in a crazy way... It's ok. I love my students at UAB, so I don't mind the chaos too much! Happy Monday everyone!

Happy 2007!!!

Welcome to another new year! I can't believe it's already 2007... ten years since I graduated high school (yikes!) Man, I feel old! The holidays were great, but I'm actually a little happy that they're over and life is moving on now... on with the show!
A few years ago, a friend shared with me her New Years tradtion- rather than make a list of resolutions, she makes a list of things she's thankful for. I've done lists of 100, but for the sake of time & space, I think I'll just do 27, to celebrate 2007... What things from 2006 are you thankful for?

1. Robert Moore Dixon- the best thing that happened to me in 2006
2. My family- they've put up with me for 27 years
3. Good health- my body isn't perfect, but I'm alive and thankful to be walking around
4. Jesus- no explanation needed
5. My ministry at UAB- I love my job!
6. My girls at UAB
7. My job at Starbucks- health insurance is valuable
8. Mexican food
9. I didn't have to go to school in 2006- and I'll always have two degrees
10. A nice, safe apartment to live in
11. Omar, my reliable car
12. Courtney and Shannon- my friends who've stayed close since college
13. Julie, Lorie, Tracy, Margo, and Amy- my friends who've stayed close since Prague
14. Carrie, Kari, Megan, Erin, and all the girls I'm blessed to call my friends
15. Technology- cell phones & email that allow me to stay in touch with my friends
16. Sunshine in December- or any day for that matter!
17. Flip flops
18. Freedom to read my Bible and tell people about it, whenever and wherever I want
19. Music- singing in my car makes me happy
20. New friends I've added to my life in the past year
21. Clearwater Community Church (Birmingham) and Grace Community Church (Nashville)
22. LSU- my alma mater, my launch pad, and my favorite football team
23. Pink- anything and everything
24. Photographs of friends & family whose memories make me smile
25. Blankets
26. Hope of good things to come in 2007
27. Promise of better things beyond this lifetime

(*This list was completely spontaneous, and not necessarily in any particular order)

Sometimes wishes come true!

Well, the verdict is in... I get to start "weaning" myself of the boot and replace it with a NEW New Balance running shoe a couple of hours each day, building up to being boot-free by next week! Two shoes for Christmas... Yay!!!

Other things on my Christmas list...
1. a white Christmas
2. world peace
3. Jesus Christ, the whole point of Christmas, to be known by all peoples

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:11

Merry Christmas!

Broke down

Yesterday was "one of those days"... First, I found out my foot was broken, and then my car's brakes! I was on the verge of tears more than once- not a great Monday.

So, I told you a few weeks ago about running the Race for the Cure. I didn't feel like it was important to tell you at the time that my foot was killing me the whole time. I've been having issues with my right foot for a while, but I haven't exactly been dilligent about following up with doctors, so I've just been dealing with it. After the race, I decided to try another doc and get to the bottom of the problem. It turns out I have a stress fracture in my fourth metatarsal. They shot my foot full of cortisone told me I'd get to wear a lovely black boot for 5-8 weeks. Fun times!! It's more of an inconvenience than pain. Dear Santa, All I want for Christmas is my right shoe back!

Fall is Here!

I love fall! I usually say that summer is my favorite season, but there's just something about the smell of fall that can't be mimicked. The air is cooler, and everything smells good & crisp. Wierd? Maybe, but I'm ok with that! (What can I say, smells trigger lots of memories for me!) Other fall favorites-- college football, boots, fires, scarfs...
I also have to say that I'm living in a beautiful part of the country. There aren't all the hills with different colors of trees in Louisiana or Texas! I've been spending a lot of time in Nashville lately, and Tennessee is a very pretty state, especially this time of year. The three hour drive between Birmingham and Nashville has actually been pretty nice... I've had some great time in the car praising God for His incredible creation! (I also had a fun trip to Knoxville a few weekends ago- got to see some great football between the Vols and my Tigers! I hated for Rob that his team lost that weekend, but I love seeing LSU win... Geaux tigers!!!) Anyway, all that to say, Tennessee and Alabama are good places to visit in fall, and I highly recommend it if you have the chance. I know a great place to stay in Birmingham! (wink, wink).

Big Time Catching Up

Ok, now you all know- I'm a horrible blogger! (as if I had to tell you that!) I honestly didn't realize until just now that it's been a whole month since my last real post... I know "I'm really busy" is a lame excuse, but really- I am!!! Here is the Cliff Notes version of what's been going on with me. Feel free to ask for more details on anything...

UAB HOMECOMING

I went to my first (and only, thus far) UAB football game on Homecoming weekend. I was pretty impressed by their activities throughout the week- decent parade, good bonfire/ pep rally, tailgating. Now, the students shocked me when they said the tailgate party started THREE hours before kickoff... only three?? That stuff starts on Friday night in Baton Rouge! But this is Birmingham, and it was still fun- Just on a different level from what I'm used to. And we beat Troy... GO BLAZERS! (The picture is of me & Teresa at the game)

RACE FOR THE CURE
I ran in my first 5K race a couple of weeks ago- the Birmingham Race for the Cure. Yup, you read right-- I ran/jogged the WHOLE way!! It wasn't a competetive speed by any means, but I beat my goal time by 4 minutes, and that was pretty exciting! I have to say- that's an amazing event that the Susan G. Komen Foundation puts on. Thousands of people out there rallying around a good cause- and everything was PINK! Can it get much better?!?! I was inspired by all the survivors walking around in special pink t-shirts, and as I thought and prayed for women with breast cancer along the route, I found the motivation to keep running. My friend Doherty ran the whole way with me, cheering me along. Believe it or not- that picture was taken just after we crossed the finish line. We don't even look tired! That's a scary disease, and I'm grateful for my good health. A cool bonus for the day: I won a $100 door prize gift certificate from Coldwater Creek! (got a fun new jean jacket, nice computer bag, and cookbook for that one)
Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month in October... buy pink M&Ms!!

GIRLS' NIGHT IN
I had a bunch of girls from the BCM over for a totally girly girls' night... pizza, painting toenails, and Pride & Prejudice. I think we could have quoted the entire movie between all of us! It's definitely one worth watching over & over again. (Rob is incredible and absolutely my #1 guy- but Mr. Darcy is a close second!)

WE LOVE THE 80s COSTUME PARTY
Now, I love my students at UAB, but I was a little disappointed in their so-called 80's enthusiasm. I mean, they didn't even know who Alex P. Keaton was!!! They came up with some really good costumes though. My favorites: Rainbow Bright, Jane Fonda, Marty McFly and Care Bears. I went as Molly Ringwald- not so Pretty In Pink. The disappointment lingered, though, when all the girls oohed over my teased bangs-- and asked me how I did it!! All those mornings in the bathroom & cans of hairspray back in the 80s & early 90s led to a hideous costume... gosh, all that experience actually came in handy! I can't believe I used to do that to myself on purpose every day!

ROB & ME
I couldn't write an update and leave him out! We've been able to see each other a lot lately (which may have contributed to my lack of posts!), and that's been awesome. He took me out for a great date night to celebrate our 6 month anniversary... dinner at PF Changs, then take-out pie from Johnny Ray's and back home to watch SEC football! Last weekend, we went to a bonfire & hayride with some of his high school friends and had a great time... I love smores!
Rob's big news- all systems are go for him to purchase the business he's been looking at in West Nashville. He's going to be operating a flood & fire damage restoration franchise. God has given him a great vision for the ministry opportunities that will come along with this, and I'm really excited for him! Please keep him in your prayers as he prepares for this new endeavor (he's in training right now and will take over in mid-December).


Thanks Gloria and Amy for keeping me accountable on the blogging. I promise- I'm trying to get better!!

Update coming soon

I promise to write an update (or several) by the end of the week... a lot has been going on that I want to tell you about, but I haven't had time to stop and type it all out!!!

Stuff

I had a fun weekend! I went up to Nashville to spend the weekend with Rob & his parents. On Saturday, he took me to my first University of Tennessee football game at Neyland Stadium. Despite the drenching rain, we had a really good time! I may be in danger for admitting this in a public forum, but I ended up buying a bright orange t-shirt, and even sang "Rocky Top" a few times! Honestly, I love SEC football in general, so I knew it would be good. Don't worry, though- the Vols will ALWAYS take a backseat to my beloved Tigers!! A bit of irony for the day- a UT professor was giving a lecture that afternoon before the game on the "water shortage crisis" in America... funny topic on a day when it rained 4-5 inches on the field before the game started! If we had had a bucket, we could have helped him with that crisis!!
On Sunday, we went to Grace Community Church. When Rob & I were both overseas, GCC sent a team of volunteers to lead worship for all the missionaries in our region during our annual meeting. It was such a neat church, and even though I'd never been there before, it brought back lots of memories. I miss Prague...
God is so good to me; He constantly reminds me that He is in control, and His plan is so much better than anything I could dream up. Last week, one of the students asked me how I ended up in college ministry after being called to international missions. As I thought about the journey I've been on the past few years, I realized how different that path looks compared to what I had mapped out. My calling is to the Lord, to follow Him in obedience- not to a specific place or even type of ministry. That in and of itself has led me on an incredible ride! Don't be afraid to follow Him because of where He might take you...

Tired, but still happy

Did I really say I was going to put up a new post every week? What was I thinking?! And who out there was crazy enough to actually believe me??? Gotcha!!!
It's been a good couple of weeks. Starbucks is running full-speed ahead, and getting busier every day (which I love, by the way). It's got its challenges, but I guess every job does.
The BCM keeps me running around when I'm not making lattes. With the good, the bad, and the ugly- I still think it could be the perfect job for me. My favorite part is absolutely my weekly meetings with the girls. In addition to the regularly scheduled ones, I usually end up having several spontaneous meetings too, and those are just as much fun. Yesterday I got to go with a group of students to build a sidewalk/ramp at the home of a less-fortunate family. It was hard work, but I know more about concrete than I ever thought I would! Don't get me wrong, it's not all easy; I'm being streched in lots of different directions and learning a ton in the process, and that's great no matter how dificult.
God continues to teach me a lot in my personal times with him, too. Last week, after reading in the book of Numbers, Rob and I were talking about chapter 22, when Balaam's donkey turned around and spoke. We both agreed that we hoped we would never be so stubborn that God had to use an animal to speak to us!
Please keep praying for my ministry to the students at UAB. I am so grateful when you lift us up!
(And thanks to those of you who have commented or emailed me about the blog... I was wondering if anyone still reads it!)

What a week!

It has been a whirlwind week in my little corner of the world, and I've loved every minute of it! I was thinking this morning that I should have re-instated my old updates before venturing into this new ministry at the BCM, but I didn't, so I'm thinking about using the blog instead. My goal is to have at least a weekly update every Sunday... hold me accountable!
School started this week at UAB. I spent a lot of time on campus, meeting with students and attending welcome-week events. I've got 11 girls that I'll be meeting with weekly, and was somehow able to schedule all 11 last week without any schedule conflicts. It's a lot, but they're a great group of girls and I'm having fun with it! We had our first Thursday-night worship at the BCM with 160-180 students! (That's nearly double what they averaged last year) I only hope we can keep that momentum.
And as if I didn't have enough going on, Starbucks finally opened this week too! Wednesday and Thursday we had pre-opening "Friends & Family" days, and the big day was Friday. It's going really well so far, and I'm enjoying meeting our new regular customers.
Saturday I got a special delivery at work- a huge bouquet of yellow & white daisies (my favorite flowers!)- from my favorite Tennessean... I love surprises like that! Isn't he great?
I'm so grateful for all that God is doing in my life. I know that all these good things are a result of His work, not mine. I'm just happy that I get to be a part of it!
You can be praying for several things this coming week... Monday I'll be going to Birmingham Southern College to meet students and spread the word about a weekly Bible study we'll be starting there. Thursday, I'll lead the first in a series of four freshmen Bible studies before our regular weekly worship- ask God to speak through me to reach the new students at UAB. Also remember worship Thur. night and all the student-led Bible studies that are starting on campus this week. And to finish the week, I'll get to drive home to Louisiana next Friday to spend the weekend with my family.
Let me hear from you sometime.... I miss ya'll!

Step 1

They say the first step in battling an addiction is admitting you have a problem. So, I'm going to start with that right here. I'm addicted to 24, the tv series. It's a pretty intense show: 24 episodes per season, 1 hour per episode, each hour representing one hour in "the longest day of Jack Bauer's life". So basically, at the end of the season, you've seen what happened all 24 hours of a single day for a federal counter-terrorist agent.
I watched ALL 24 hours this past weekend!!!
Now, to cover myself a little, with no commercials, each hour is actually only about 40-45 minutes. AND, I had a mild case of food poisoning on Monday, so I wasn't going anywhere anyway. But yes, I watched season 1 in its entirety between Saturday afternoon and Monday night. I think anyone who's ever seen the show will probably sympathize with me, and understand what I went through. I'm addicted just the same though.