Summer Break, Baby!

I think I've literally sent over thirty emails today. Is that normal?

My eyes hurt from staring at my laptop screen, my back hurts from being hunched over as I type, and all my brain can concentrate on is the purpose for all of this butt-busting work. I am urgently trying to finish up loads of tasks for one main reason: SUMMER BREAK. That's right. I get to do all sorts of fun things this summer, which means that this week I am practicing the discipline of delayed gratification, and attempting to tie up loose ends before the fun begins.

Before I describe the items o' fun to you, let me first say, don't you wish you had my job? I'll bet many of you are thinking, man, I really should have gone into the college pastor field. Yeah, that's what I thought.

Okay, so the summer plans. Here goes.

• Fun Thing #1: five-day trip to Catalina Island. Steve and I actually go there a lot, but it still counts as a fun thing. We'll be there with friends, basking in the warm sun, and enjoying lovely things that are hard to come by here in Los Angeles, such as clean air, trees, and visible stars.

• Fun Thing #2: my brother's wedding. My younger brother and his fiancee are planning an outdoor wedding with the coolest reception ever. Don't believe me? It's going to include classic BBQ grub, athletic gear and Rock Band. I get to be a bridesmaid (or is it now bridesmatron since I'm married?), and wear a lovely yellow summer dress.

• Fun Thing #3: month-long trip to Europe. Yep, you read correctly...a month. Steve and I will be visiting England, Italy and Spain. Some of the trip is work-related, some will be vacation. All of it will be awesome. I have been dreaming about visiting Europe for years, and am delirious with excitement and anticipation for all our adventures. Pictures and tales will follow, I promise.
  

So for the next few weeks I will be hard at work. And trying to decide what to do with the blog while I'm away (guest-posts? advance posts? blog from Europe?). And purchasing some new post-weight-loss clothes (because a baggy swimsuit is just wrong).

A Weekend at Home Means...

Before you begin thinking that my upcoming weekend seems like it might be a bit boring, you should know that I have goals for the next few days. Ambitious and noble goals. Said goals include:

1. Watch last night's episode of The Office (thank you, TiVo!).
2. Find a freebie couch on craigslist for our front porch.
   
3. Beat Steve at Mario Kart Wii. We rented it yesterday, and it's everything I dreamed it would be.
4. Decide what the heck to do with my hair. Leave it? Cut it? This is a major decision that has been giving me hours of anxiety, people.
   
5. Clean my closet, the kitchen, the carpet, and my Gmail inbox. I love Spring Cleaning!
   

With lots of perseverance and drive, I believe that I can accomplish these things, and stand victorious.

What are your goals for the weekend?

$20 Chinese Massage

The other day I had a brand new experience. I received a full body massage.

Prior to this, I had never come across the opportunity to do so. Also, I figured that spending a hundred dollars on a massage (which I can receive from my spouse for the lovely price of FREE) was just so not worth it.

But my friend wanted to introduce me to "her place." Which, in girl-speak, means: you are a good friend, and I love you, so I'm letting you in on my little secret ________ (fill in the blank with hairdresser, discount brand-name shoe store, etc.). These are very intimate moments within the sisterhood, believe me. She promised that I would love it. She had previously converted another friend, so the three of us went together.

The place was run entirely by Chinese people, and had the ambiance of my grandma's house. Big comfy chairs, zen-type plants and wall hangings, hot Jasmine tea. The service was quick, and I was soon assigned to a 40-year old woman who immediately got to work on my sore muscles.

OH. MAN. It was heaven. The angels singing, clouds parting kind of heaven. While my feet soaked in hot water, she massaged my neck, shoulders and back. Then she moved to my head, arms, legs. I had just had an intense workout at the gym that morning, and apparently had tight muscles everywhere. My woman kept making "ohh" and "uhh" noises as she massaged me, as if to convey her shock that someone with this amount of knots didn't come see her on a weekly basis. The best part, though, was the foot massage. She placed hot towels on my legs and feet, and worked on them for a glorious fifteen minutes. By the end, muscles I didn't know existed in my body felt wonderful and relaxed.

And the best part? The entire experience cost me $20 (including tip). Steve was so envious, that we decided to go again today. Saturdays are our date day, so we decided on Chinese massages and dim sum for lunch.

Go find your own cheap Chinese massage place.* I highly recommend it.

*Oh man, am I going to get all sorts of weird hits from people googling Chinese massage now?

I Love Tuesdays & Chicken Tortilla Soup

I adore Tuesdays.

Because of the nature of my job, many of my weekends are consumed with meetings, conferences, and other work-related activities. So Tuesdays are my consistent day off - my personal day to rest, relax and spend time doing things that I enjoy.

So what have I done today? To start, I slept in without an alarm clock...ah, pure joy. Who else can do that on a weekday? Then I ate breakfast, watched You've Got Mail, played Facebook Poker, and got a haircut. A pretty nice way to spend the morning, no? I think I'll go and curl up with a good book next to the heater now.

But before I leave, here's a recipe for some yummo chicken tortilla soup that we enjoyed recently. And as a bonus, I've included my recipe for insanely-easy-to-make flour tortilla chips. Enjoy your Tuesday!

Chicken Tortilla Soup
4 skinless chicken thighs
1 14.5 ounce can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 jalapeno chile, diced
Coarse salt
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
4 large scallions, thinly sliced
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
1/4 cup cilantro sprigs
1 lime, cut in wedges

In a large pot, bring chicken, broth, jalapeno, and 8 cups of water to a boil over meduim-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until chicken is cooked through about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and let cool. Using a large spoon, skim fat from the surface off the broth, and strain the liquid through a sieve into a clean pot. Shred chicken, and return it to the pot. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Garnish with remaining ingredients as desired. Serves 4.

Baked Tortilla Chips
12 flour tortillas
Vegetable cooking spray
Coarse salt

Preheat oven to 375. Cut tortillas into eighths. Spread tortilla pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt. Bake until chips are crisp and slightly golden, about 10 minutes.

Restoration for the Soul

"Bamboo" - oil on canvas

In need of some deep physical, emotional and spiritual restoration, I am headed to Catalina Island for a few days of personal retreat this weekend. I am looking forward to having space to just be. To be still, to have silence and solitude, to enjoy nature, to do things that are life-giving. I desperately long to become a person who abides in God and experiences his peace and provision and freedom and grace. I am so far from being that person, but I hope that taking this retreat will help propel me in that direction.

Every Woman Loves a Bubble Bath

Today I had the entire day all to myself, which is a rarity when one works in full-time ministry. I kicked off the day by sleeping in till 10am, and then having breakfast in bed. The rest of my day pretty much consisted of reading, watching Amélie (yes, for the first time...and yes, I LOVED every second of it), and taking a long, hot bubble bath with the works - candles, bath salts, the latest issue of Real Simple, and the soothing voice of Enya. It was marvelous. I was considering starting a new painting today, but that felt like too much work. Maybe I'll paint my nails instead. Ahhh, the small joys of life.

I also spent some time giving The Larissa Monologues a makeover. I felt like it was in need of a cleaner, crisper look. So there ya go.

Green Pastures and Still Waters

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters."

I was thinking about this recently, and began wondering why I have such a difficult time slowing down. I always have this need to go 80 miles per hour all the time, and then end up either feeling burned out or bitter at the world. Just yesterday, a friend asked how I was doing. And my first response was to let out an exhausted sigh, and begin listing off the twenty things that were wearing on me that day. But the Bible says that God the shepherd provides for all my needs, including peace and rest. The question is will I accept and receive the things that God offers me? Will I lay aside my preoccupation with my To Do list, and let go of my tendency to find worth in my productivity? Will I be satisfied in being a sheep in need of a shepherd?