Life in Augusta: "That's where they have the Masters!"

Well, it seems like my average time between posts is about three months.  Maybe that will change someday... but I'm not making any promises!  I usually feel like I should "catch up" on posts, but I'm going to give up on that and just start with where we are right now... and we're in Augusta, GA!  We've been here since the end of June, so we are learning the area and making friends.  When we found out we were moving here we would usually get one of two responses when we told people we were going to Augusta.

One was: "Oh, yeah, that's great!  That's where the Masters is held!"
The other:  "Augusta?  Why?  Is it for military or medical?"

After a few times, I learned that if they answered the first, that meant they had never been to Augusta.
The second response meant that they had been there for more than just Masters week. haha.


Yes, the Masters is here (I pass Augusta National almost every day)... and one week out of every year it is a tourist destination.  The other 51 weeks it is an old Southern river city during an economic crisis.  It wants to be revived, and has great potential, but is resistant to change.  People move here for two reasons:  Military (coming to Ft. Gordon) or Medical (coming to the medical school or to work at one of the many hospitals).  There are also those who have lived here forever (old money) and don't know why anyone would want to leave, those hit hard by the bad economy and struggling to make it, those trying to revive the downtown, and students at ASU or Paine College. I also don't know how many people have told me "yeah, we were only planning to stay here are year.  Now its been [insert number way beyond one]."  Oh, and there are the gypsies.  Yup, there's a gypsy community.  I still haven't seen it, but I will let you know when I do, haha!! 

There isn't as much to do in Augusta as in the Triangle and there are no white sandy beaches like in Sarasota, but I'm learning to appreciate what is here.  After being in Florida for a year, I enjoy seeing a little bit more change of season... cool mornings and evenings.  I am teaching dance again and that is wonderful!   We took a day trip to Savannah/Tybee Island.

A couple pictures from Savannah!

We enjoy spending time with Steve's co-workers, as well as friends we have made in church and in our neighborhood. Augusta is also close enough to drive back to NC for the weekend.  I was able to go up for both Joy and Julie's baby shower and I will be able to go up next week after my new niece is born! 

Steve and his co-residents when we all went bowling

Springtime in Florida! Part I

They don't call it "Season" for nothing. 

We had someone visiting seven weekends between March 1st and May 31st. It was so much fun and I never uploaded pictures... so I'm going to do a few posts of pictures from our last few months in Sarasota.  After that, I'll introduce you to our new home!

First, Jo came for spring break!!

[pictures forthcoming]

Second, Dan, Joy and the little girls came!!

 Yummy Gelato!

 Gotta love the St. Armands Circle statues, haha!

my job

This is where I work... on the 8th floor:

One of the advantages of working for a food company... free lunch.  One of the best things about working for BH: all the meats, cheese, and condiments are gluten free, so I just have to bring my g-free bread.

I love the fact that my office building is right in downtown Sarasota.  It is only 5 minutes from home and there are great places to walk and sit during my lunch hour!  Right behind the building is a little courtyard with tables and benches, I usually try to eat out there if it is a nice day.

However, eating out there means sitting right next to the constipated sumo wrestler...

I enjoy my job... I mean, it has its moments and there can be a lot of drama sometimes at this office.  My co-receptionist compared our position to a hairdresser or bartender.  We are the sounding board for everyone to share their joys, trials, complaints and frustrations (usually the last two)... . . Employees or guests come by and talk and and we can't get our of listening because we can't leave, haha.

Abide

Recently I have been feeling that I am not bearing fruit as a disciple of Jesus. I felt like I had lost the vision that I had a few months ago of God's purposes, I was lacking faith for what He was doing in and through and around me.  I was on a plane yesterday thinking about this and the Spirit of God spoke to me with the words of Jesus from John 15:  "Abide in me... and you will bear much fruit."

Abide.

That single word kept coming back.  He did not say "work harder" or "try harder", but abide.  Dwell in Jesus, spend time with Him. Listen to Him, live in Him. 

I had a lot of time sitting at the airport waiting for flights yesterday and this song was constantly coming to my mind... the first verse and chorus were all I could remember, but I just kept hearing it in my head, so today I looked up the rest of the lyrics.  (side note:  whenever I think of this song I hear Joe Jackson's voice singing it)

I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,

And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.

Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died;
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.

Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the pow’r of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.

Oh, the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!

There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.

There is no friend like Jesus.

Random stuff I never posted... Part 2:

My friend Christy and I went to a local pumpkin festival.  It wasn't quite as exciting as I expected, but we did manage to get this gem of a picture, haha

One of the things I love about Sarasota is all of the art!  In the fall there was a chalk festival...

Random stuff I never posted... Part 1:

On "National Museum Day" we visited the Ringling Museum of Art, Circus Museum and Ca d'Zan (John & Mabel Ringling's mansion).  It was pretty awesome (and even better that we could go for free)! 

 

  Ringling was kind of obsessed with everything European, so he modeled his home after a Venetian palace and brought European art over for the museum.

 

The grounds were amazing... my camera was running out of batteries, so I didn't get a lot of pictures, but I did manage to snap a few of the Banyon Trees...

The house is literally right on the water!  There was a wedding on the patio while we were there...

Here we are at the Circus Museum :)

One year ago...

This was me a year ago... me and the last gluten that I have eaten (intentionally at least... there was that pretzel M&M that I thought was a peanut one and a few other "oops" moments).

Ah, look at it, so fluffy and soft! haha.

But, then I look at myself in the picture and realize that giving it up is worth it. Whew, looking pretty rough...of course, this was just a couple hours after coming out of anesthesia (hence the ghostly pale face)

I have learned a lot this year!  I'll write more about that later.  But, for now I'll just leave you with a quote that I read this morning... it was very appropriate and encouraging for me today:

“Our bodies shared the ruin into which sin brought our race. Mortality and corruption took possession of them. They became subject to pain, and weariness, and disease—in every organ and limb. The one drop of poison coming from Adam’s sin has spread itself out and pervaded every part of us. Our flesh, from the cradle to the tomb, is feeble, broken, ready to faint—the cause and the inlet of a thousand sorrows.
All this shall yet be reversed. Former things shall pass away. This head shall ache no more; these hands and feet shall be weary no more; this flesh shall throb with anguish no more. ‘God Himself shall wipe away all tears from these eyes; and there shall be no more death; neither, sorrow, nor crying, for the former things are passed away.’ ‘He will take these vile bodies of ours and change them into glorious bodies like His own!’
He who once hung upon the cross, but now sits upon the throne, says, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ ‘This corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this mortal immortality, and death be swallowed in victory!”
— Horatius Bonar
The Revelation of Jesus Christ 

I can't wait for that day!! 

Here is a picture of me after a year without gluten! 

Christ, only Christ, live then Thy life in me

I have been reading the book "Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God".  Each chapter is a mini-biography of a Christian woman who was faithful to God's calling on her life...following him wherever he called her to go. You can read the book for free online and I highly recommend it!   I just finished the chapter about Helen Roseveare, a missionary doctor to the Congo.
This paragraph sums up what God taught her through her life there:

As Helen Roseveare stood by our fireplace and looked into their faces, she reached  backward toward the mantel and eased a longstemmed red rosebud from a tall vase. As she spoke, she broke off the thorns, the leaves, the petals, the green outer layer of stem—every elementvthat makes a rose a rose. All that was left was a lithe, straight shaft. The pieces that lay on the floor were not bad things. But, she explained, they had to be removed if she were going to make an arrow. God does this to us, she said. He removes everything—even innocent, good things—that hinders us from being the arrows that he will shoot for his purposes at his intended target.

This week I have also been reading and meditating on Romans 12.  I want my life to be a living sacrifice!  This poem was included at the end of the chapter on Helen Rosevear, and is a beautiful prayer in response... 

Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted,
Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard,
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.

Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow,
Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear,
Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden,
Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.

Not I, but Christ, no idle word e’er falling,
Christ, only Christ, no needless bustling sound,
Christ, only Christ, no self-important bearing,
Christ, only Christ, no trace of I be found.

Not I, but Christ, my every need supplying,
Not I, but Christ, my strength and health to be;
Christ, only Christ, for body, soul, and spirit,
Christ, only Christ, live then Thy life in me.

Christ, only Christ, e’re long will fill my vision;
Glory excelling soon, full soon I’ll see
Christ, only Christ, my every wish fulfilling—
Christ, only Christ, my all in all to be.

 [A. B. Simpson, “Christ, Only Christ.”]

Hello? Anybody still there?

So, I guess I need to catch up on September and October. I got a job and Steve's residency is in full swing!  Basically, we have settled into "real life" here in lovely Sarasota...vacation is over. 

I'm working full time as a receptionist in the corporate office of a company who will remain nameless on this blog. If I give the name, then I have to be careful what I say about them since the marketing department keeps a very close watch on what is said on the internet!  I'll just say that they make high quality deli meat and cheese.  You can find it at the deli counter in your local Harris Teeter or Kroger... or Publix if you are in Florida.  I'm enjoying it and eating a lot.  There are over 100 people in the office and no one has a direct line, so things stay pretty busy.  Occasionally we get some funny calls...  customers usually think they are calling directly to customer service and go into their questions/comments/complaints, which can be interesting/entertaining.  There was the guy who claimed that he broke his tooth on our product, the people who call just to say how much they like our products and then finally get to the point and ask for coupons (only to be disappointed that we don't do coupons).   

Steve is in his third rotation at the hospital.  His first month was in pain management, last month was in oncology and his current rotation is in the Intensive Care Unit.  They also keep him busy with lots of presentations, as well as his year long research project.  Steve has decided to pursue a specialty in oncology pharmacy.  It seems like we just got here, but we are already looking into residency programs for next year!

One of my favorite things about Sarasota is the sunsets.  Since we are on the gulf side we can go watch the sunset at the beach...they are beautiful!  Here are some pictures...

 

Siesta Key when Mom visited

Lido Key the following night

 

Siesta Key on our anniversary

And this was right outside of our apartment.

Happy Birthday Steve!

In August and September I get to celebrate my husband and best friend.

August 7 was our first anniversary and yesterday was Steve's birthday!

Steve is an answer to prayers I prayed and prayers I didn't even think or know to pray. 
He is one of the most loving people I know and has helped me to understand the love of Christ in a greater way.  He is patient and kind, he is not arrogant or rude, he does not keep a record of wrongs, he is not resentful or irritable, he bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things.  He is filled with the Holy Spirit and loves the word of God.  He is a hard worker and never complains about long hours at the hospital or the studying he has to do when he gets home.  He always makes time for other people.

On August 7th of last year when I said "I do",  I had no idea everything this year would hold... full of joys, and also some trials, and lots of changes... but I am so grateful God gave me this man to be by my side.  He makes life so much fun!

I love you cross my heart and hope to live to make you smile,

cause I don't deserve all the times you held me down,

listen to me now, I love you...  [Lecrae]

The easiest job in the country

...is being a meteorologist in Florida. Thankfully the thunderstorms don't usually last very long.

Asian Grocery Store Trip - Steve's Inaugural Blog Post

For our next trip to the beach, I want to make something special for Bethany that I used to have as a kid when my family went to the beach called onigiri. Onigiri are rice balls with various other ingredients. They are a great picnic or outing food.

Onigiri can be pretty simple but I lacked one important ingredient. No, don't worry I have plenty of rice. The ingredient I need is a pickled plum called umeboshi. It's not a requirement for onigiri but it almost seemed like one when I was a kid because that's usually the kind we had. My mouth waters a little just writing about it.

There are several Asian grocery stores in the Sarasota-Bradenton area. Going to a new store can be exciting but it can be disappointing. I've come to appreciate some Thai, Viet, Korean and Chinese cooking but I am usually looking for something Japanese. Unfortunately, the Japanese section of an Asian grocery store can be quite small.

I am happy to report that isn't the case with Oriental Food and Gifts. I was actually very impressed with what they had. They had everything that I had hoped to find and more. They had all kinds of sauces, noodles, rices, flours, canned vegetables, dumplings, frozen fish (including sushi grade tuna and salmon), mochi and there was even a whole aisle of sea vegetables (I call it that not because I dislike the term seaweed but because it might sound more appetizing to my Western-palated readers). They also had some dishes, cookware and a small selection of clothing.

Pictured is what we came away with. Clockwise from top left: nori (the kind of seaweed vegetable that is used to wrap sushi), wakame, bento flakes, wide rice noodles, and in the center is the umeboshi.

The heat is crazy, we are crazier.

One of my favorite things in Sarasota is the farmer's market every Saturday.  Fresh fruits and veggies, flowers, artwork, fresh fish, old guys playing their steel guitar on the street corner, even a booth with g-free baked goods.  I love things like this. 

 In the background is one of my other favorites... Whole Foods!

Steve and I had been talking about walking down there one Saturday morning....well, Steve wanted to run, but then I reminded him who he had married.  Anyway, we planned to do it last Saturday... we slept in a little later than planned, then or course I kept forgetting things, so it was already pretty hot when we got started... but that didn't stop us!  It was about a 25 minute walk/jog to the Farmer's Market. 

We picked up a couple things, then headed over to Whole Foods to find some lunch!

 This guy was playing one of those Caribbean drums outside of Whole Foods.  Ever since going to Bayfront Park, I thought it would be delightful to go back and have a picnic there.  So, we picked took our sushi lunch and walked down there.  Here we are nice and sweaty by this point....

View of the bay from our picnic table....

  Steve really liked the eco-roof on this building.  I really like the clouds.

After our lunch we were energized for the walk back.  There are sculptures all over downtown Sarasota. We saw this one on the walk back...there were a bunch of them, different sizes, in front of the newspaper office building.  Kind of random.

 Back home!  This path goes from the parking lot back to the little park behind our apartment building.  We pretty much crashed after we got home... but it was a fun adventure!