Love is Looking For You

"Maybe you're just jaded from some nobody's unforgotten words / Maybe you're just faded, a little gray from every time that you've been hurt / So you're lookin for your skin that you never did fit in / You can't hide when you're turned inside out / Love is looking for you now"  -Miranda Lambert

Love, sweet love.  I avoid writing about it because it sounds cliché and pouring out my heart on the Internet doesn't seem like the best decision for me, the men in my past, present and future, or future job opportunities.

Today, however, I was reminded of a great idea by a simple post on a friend's blog.  The entry stated: "The world would be a different place if every man knew that he has what it takes and every woman knew that she is worth it."

Truth, people!  Simple truth.  

It seems that so many men these days falter when it comes to taking simple action.  All it takes is a question: "Would you like to go on a date with me?"  (Please note that this does not mean Ruth's Chris or $100 symphony tickets.  It could delightfully mean a picnic or a free concert -- c'mon, we live in the Nash.)  Rejection is scary, I know.  But if you never, ever ask, you're never going to get rejected, sure, but you're also never going to get a date!  Take the risk.  The worst she can say is no, which means there is someone better.  The best she can say is yes and then you get to hang out with a super cool girl.  (Please also note I am speaking generally and not just about myself.  I'm not that vain.)

It also seems that women falter when it comes to evaluating their self-worth.  How many times have we asked ourselves, "Why is she with him?"  Or perhaps, on a more personal note, we've asked ourselves after breaking-up and cooling down, "What did I ever see in him?"  Women get caught up in flattery and often settle for attention when what they really want is companionship.  Deep down women want a true friend not just a lover.  But so many women don't think they're worth waiting for -- and I'm not just talking about sex.  I'm talking about finding the guy who really does complement you.  A guy who makes you laugh, holds the door, treats you with respect and dignity in conversation and in front of his friends.  A guy who wants you to meet his family, wants to listen to your dreams and wants to help you achieve them.  Women deserve that.

Two great Christian examples?  St. Joseph and Mary.  St. Joseph had to take an unwed pregnant woman as his wife and travel all over the place with her.  Talk about a challenge.  But did he ever rise to it!  St. Joseph buckled down and trusted in God that he had what it took to survive the pregnancy scandal, care for Mary and then care for Jesus too!  Courage, bravery, dedication, leadership, hard work -- Very manly qualities!  St. Joseph shows men that they can "have what it takes" in the face of adversity, no matter how big or small.  Mary was entrusted with bearing the Son of God.  Even though she probably asked herself, "Really, God chose me?" she responded in trust and confidence proclaiming that she was the handmaid of the Lord -- That God had made her worthy to accomplish His will.  So God makes all women beautiful and worthy to accomplish His will for their lives.

We've all been hurt, been "jaded" like Miranda Lambert sings, but we can rise above it.  Men -- You can step up and be true men.  You can not only ask a woman out on a date, but you can provide for her, you can protect her, you can be gentle and strong.  You can.  Women -- You're worth so much more than precious stones.  You have inherent dignity and beauty, and you deserve a man who will treat you as a daughter of God.  In return, you must remember to treat your man as a son of God.  Remind him often that he can do it!  And his actions and words should always say to you that you're worth it.

Sure, it involves risk, but what doesn't?  Doesn't that risk, that vulnerability, make it more worth it in the end?

Love is looking for each of us.  Most of us have an earthly companion -- husband or wife -- waiting for us.  But in the bigger scheme of things, Love -- God -- is forever looking for us, always searching for our hearts and drawing us closer to Himself.  Let's not forget that, for it is perhaps the biggest risk of all that we take -- Being vulnerable with God.  We're supposed to give everything -- not just a lot -- to Him.  And He will give everything back.

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless -- it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.” -CS Lewis

Dear Publix, I Love You.

"Publix.  Where shopping is a pleasure."  -Publix Motto

I love Publix.  I really do.  When I first moved to Nashville, it was very disappointing that no Publix existed within a reasonable distance to school.  Where did people buy groceries?  Do other grocery stores even exist?  If you're from Florida like I am, you're at a loss to answer those questions.  I quickly heard about other stores...

Kroger.  I visited.  I never wanted to go back.  Blech.  Did people actually buy food from that place?

Harris Teeter.  Okay... but seriously overpriced for the quality.

Trader Joe's.  Trendy.  Cool.  Good food.  But sometimes I don't want to be trendy and cool.  (Yes, I know I live in Nashville which is the trendy/cool/hipster capital of the South, but I don't think I'll ever fully fit in.  I grew up much too preppy in Catholic school to forsake my strange Northern/Southern SoFla roots.)

Alas.  What was a Florida girl to do?  Nashville was almost perfect.  It just didn't have a Publix.  At least for the first three years of schooling I had a meal plan that could have fed me and two other people... Probably why I had to buy new pants almost every year.  I blame brunch.  All you can eat on Saturday AND Sunday?  My waistline doesn't thank you, Vandy.  I digress.

Then... it happened.  I was in someone's car coming from somewhere after doing something.  We were driving down West End.  I saw it.  A sign from Heaven that Nashville could be home forever.  The sign said "Publix Coming Soon."  I almost died.  I forget who was in the car with me, but whoever it was got a whole lot of excited shouts and exclamations of "OH MY GOSH, PUBLIX IS THE BEST GROCERY STORE IN THE WORLD.  NO, REALLY.  YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND."

Publix opened.  Now I make a weekly trip to the second happiest place on earth (After Disney World - Florida is full of good things).

Free coffee while you shop, free wipes to clean off the shopping carts before use, meals being cooked right in front of you with all the ingredients necessary to make the dish at the ready, fresh produce, a delightful bakery, and the friendliest employees you'll ever meet.  One time I asked for a recommendation about guacamole.  The man handed a package to me, and I put it in my cart.  I ran into the same man nearly 20 minutes later on the other side of the store.  He was holding a different guacamole package, and had been looking for me because he'd realized he'd handed the wrong one to me!  Now that's a job well done!  (Especially since good guac is no laughing matter.)

All in all, Publix is great.  You should shop there.  It's pretty and shiny and full of deliciousness.

**Please note that this is not an official endorsement, and Publix did not pay me to say any of these things.  I just really love the store.  Go find another Floridian.  I bet they back me up.

Also note that Nashville will be even more forever-liveable shortly.  Nordstrom opens at Green Hills this fall.  What?!  I just died again.  (Nordstrom didn't pay me either.)

"When women are depressed, they eat or go shopping.  Men invade another country.  It's a whole different way of thinking."  -Elayne Boosler

Unfathomable Designs

"Holiness does not consist of extraordinary signs.  Above all, it consists of the daily acceptance of the unfathomable designs of God." -Archbishop Colombo


Well, by some miracle I have completed my 1L year.  It was a whirlwind of hard work, frustration, and spiritual, emotional and physical challenges... all made bearable by my dear family, friends and faith.  So, hats off to y'all for being there for me!  I am so grateful to still be here instead of at Notre Dame or Texas all by myself!


Exams went.  How they went, time will tell (although I wish I didn't have to find out).  I feel okay about three of them.  But Civ. Pro.  Oh, Civ. Pro.  We'll see.


Now I'm in the middle of the Write-On competition to *hopefully* get onto a law journal next year.


Once that finishes, it's off to see my family for a week and then back here to begin my internship with the Public Defender and research assistant position for an IP professor.


I am excited for summer for many reasons, but most of all to see what God has up His sleeve!  This year has been surprising in so many ways, and I'm still chugging along and trying to trust in Him for everything.  I think I'll have some pretty crazy work experiences and hopefully learn a lot.  I'll be able to spend a lot of time with friends (no homework!) and the thing about Nashville is there is ALWAYS a party.  We aren't called Music City for nothing.


Summer Highlights:

• Seeing my family
• Celebrating my grandfather's 90th birthday
• Work 4 days a week (yeah, 3 day weekends!)
• No homework
• Swing dancing in the park
• Friend-time
• Friends' wedding
• Moving into a beautiful new apartment
• Reading books for fun
• Exploring Crim. and Copyright
• Live music all the time
• Learning the guitar (Thanks, Stine!)
• Practicing piano
• Creative writing
• Europe + World Youth Day in August

So, let's go!  One step at a time.  One moment at a time.  +JMJ+

"Not all who wander are lost."  -JRR Tolkien