Saturday, December 31, 2011

Top Eleven of 2011!

My friends and I are sitting in our apartment watching the AU-VA Chick-fil-A bowl, and we decided to make a "Top 11 for 2011" list to commemorate our year. Despite my difficulties remembering what happened this year, and even what year it is, I managed to think of 11+ events that made 2011 one of the best years ever. I don't think I've had such an eventful year since... probably 2008. Here's my list, complete with honorable mentions.

11. Auburn wins National Championship in the middle of a snowstorm in Alabama.

10. Meeting new friends when I started leading the College and Career (CClife) group at Aldersgate.

9. Preached my first sermons at Hartselle FUMC and Aldersgate

8. Washington, DC trip with Bridget, which is a symbol for an entire several-month period at the beginning of the year in which I applied for, was accepted to, and decided not to attend several seminaries. I have yet to regret that choice.

7. Summer job at Trinity UMC's Intersect Huntsville program. I discovered a love of local missions.

6. I got a new car! I have had so many good times with my old Mitsubishi, Mitzi. I've had her since 2004, but she was getting old. In the last week of this year I bought a 2008 Nissan Versa, named Vera. She is my first major purchase as an adult, and I'm proud of her!

5. My wonderful friends threw me a surprise party for my 26th birthday! We wore togas and said "opa!"

4. A whole Summer of Adventures that I'll never forget!

3. Moved to a new apartment, Vintage 310, with two of my best friends, Bridget and Katelyn. We have lots of fun, including baking, parties, and pillow fights.

2. My career has taken a turn for the awesome. I am finally in full-time ministry, and I got to participate in the start of a new outreach ministry, Aldersgate on the Parkway. It takes up tons of my time, but the opportunity to have a new adventure for God is so exciting!

1. Joshua David Allison convinced me that we are perfect for each other. I will alway be grateful for his persistence.


Honorable Mentions:
My little brother Daniel graduated from Auburn! I'm so proud.
I went red with my hair, and I love it!
Nail polish became an obsession
Pinterest took over my free time
Game Nights with great friends
Beach Trips with friends and family
Meeting the Allison family and falling in love with every one of them
Riding in a hot air balloon!
Civil War reenactment, State fair, Mooresville, historic Huntsville, all in one day
New Year and Auburn celebrations with great friends
Watching the state of Alabama band together for tornado relief
Seeing Gungor twice!
Loving HIMYM and TBBT
Cooking at our apartment
Living with my good friends the Sneads
Getting a Macbook for work. I will never be the same.
Spending lots of time at Bridge Street with various awesome friends
Trips to Sumatanga to see Chrysalis and camp friends
Spending Spring Break serving at Urban Ministry
WC Handy fest in Florence
Iron Bowl 2011 with Joshua and Paul
Homecoming in Auburn
Visiting family, especially the little ones!
Being liturgist at the Christmas Eve service at Hartselle
Losing my best friend for a summer as she served Jesus at an orphanage in Romania. But I got her back.
Spending time with Jesus in new ways

Here's to an even more awesome 2012! Happy New Year!


Friday, October 21, 2011

Borrowed Bibles

I don't always understand people, even (especially) Christians. My collar is not as hot as it was earlier tonight, but the questions persist. Sometimes I want to borrow other people's Bibles, just to see if they're reading the same book as I am.


I mean, I know that we all get stuck in our ways but-
How can I hear Jesus say "go and make disciples of all the nations," but then I hear some people say "We don't need any more people in this church?"


I know that there are different ways to interpret scripture, but-
How do I read "love your neighbor as yourself" and some people read "let's make it impossible for an entire group of people to succeed so they'll go back to where they came from?"


I know that there is a separation between church and state, but-
How do I read Matthew 5, the part where Jesus tears down the "eye for an eye" rule in favor of peace, forgiveness and generosity, and some people read "how about we let our government kill people as punishment?"

I know that there's more to life than money, but-
How do I quote "whatever you do to the least of these, you do to Me," and others quote "God helps those who help themselves" (which is not even in the Bible, btw)?

I know that the mob mentality is a powerful force, but- 
How do I read about God perfectly forming each of us in the womb, and some people hate anyone who is different from their perception of what is right, accepted, and normal?

Usually empathy is one of my strengths, and I can at least get a glimpse of another point of view. Tonight I'm just not feeling it. Come talk to me tomorrow, and we'll take a look at that wonderful book together.





scripture references: Matthew 28:16-20, Matthew 22:36-40, Matthew 5:38-42, Matthew 25:31-46, Psalm 139:13-17. Can you tell I love Matthew's gospel?

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Sunday, May 29, 2011

30 Before 30 List - #1 Ride in a Hot Air Balloon


The #1 item on my "30 Things to do before I turn 30" list is ride in a hot air balloon. 

Well, guess what? 



CHECK!! 

When I saw two of my Facebook friends post pictures of hot air balloons last night, I knew that this was my chance! I gathered a group of friends, and today we set off for an adventure! It was the Alabama Jubilee and Hot Air Balloon Festival in Decatur, and we got there mid-afternoon. We bought giant snow-cones and walked around for a little bit. It was so hot I thought my feet were getting sunburned just from the reflection off of the asphalt!


The balloons were taking forever to show up, so some of our friends had to leave without even seeing them. Alisha and I said goodbye to Leah Kathryn, Jonathan and Brittny and continued to enjoy the people-watching paradise that is an Alabama festival. Finally the balloons were inflated and we walked around marveling at the bright colors. 



As we strolled, we ran into someone that I knew, if only from old reruns I have watched at my grandparents' house. It was Guy Penrod, my Granny Rachel's favorite singer from the Gaither Gospel Hour! He was playing on the Jubilee stage that night, and, after some prodding from Alisha, I finally asked if I could get a picture made with him. He was very nice, and when I called Granny to tell her, she actually squealed!


We got in line to go up for a ride in one of the balloons and met our balloon-mates, a little boy who was afraid of heights and his grandfather. They were very nice, and the boy did great once we got up in the air. It was a very long line, but we finally got to go up in the balloon right before dusk! I was so busy taking a picture of the inside of the balloon that I didn't even realize we had started rising! The balloons were beautiful as it got darker; the fire from the... mechanism... lit up the inside like a lantern. It was very peaceful, for the 60 seconds that we were in the air, then it was back to solid ground for us. What a fun adventure with my friend, and I get to check off one more thing on my list! 




Ok, maybe that kid wasn't doing so great with his fear of heights...



Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Faith (and Humor!) of a Child

Tomorrow is my last day working at Latham Child Development Center. I am going to be doing mission work this summer through Trinity UMC's Intersect Huntsville Program, and I'm super excited about it! I'm not excited about leaving LCDC, however. I've been there for two years (minus last summer) and I've worked with almost every age group in the school. I've had kids call me everything from Ray Ray and Dodo to Daychel and Ray-Shoe! My coworkers are amazing, but the kids are the ones that have really spoken to my heart with their innocence and love. I have gotten more laughter out of those kids than any comedy movie or sitcom. I am reminded every day of Jesus' love for the little children around him and how my faith should reflect that of a child. I'm going to miss all of those sweet babies. I've been collecting funny things that my kids have said over the past two years, so I thought this would a good time to post some of my favorite kid quotes and pictures. Enjoy!  




These three sweeties have been in my class since they were babies!




Two year old quotes:


Dakota: Waychel... I like your...brown...big...eyes!
Me: Aw, thanks Dakota! I like your big brown eyes too!
Dakota: I not have big brown eyes! I have...tiny pink eyes!



Me: Who was born on Christmas?
Hudson: My friend Jesus!


A conversation between me and a friend in denial:
"Hey, what happened?"
"Nothing."
"Why is Dakota crying?"
"Because she isn't."
"I can hear her crying."
"...I didn't push her."



And later that day...
"Why did you push her again?"
"Because I didn't."
"Why are you being so mean today?"
"Because I am'nt."


Lacey: I love you, Moses. Say I love you.
Moses: I love you. Night night. Be good!



Isabella: Ms. Rachel, you're a nice big girl.
Me: Well thanks Isabella, but I'm not a girl. I'm a grown-up, like your mommy. 
Isabella: *gasp* My mommy's not a grown-up! She's just a mommy!


"SHOW ME THE MONEY!!! ...Ms. Rachel, what's money??"


Madalyn, while in the midst of singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for her classmates:
"Hey guys! You wanna watch my arabesque?"


Me: That was awesome, dude! High Five!
Moses: I not a dude!
Me: You're not? What are you?
Moses: I a big boy- Moses!


Me: You need to listen to Ms. Rachel!
Lacey: Hey, cool hair!!!


After I helped her blow her nose-
Gabrielle: I like your tissue!
Me: Um... thanks?
Is this the best picture or what? Pink skirt just dumped him.



Four year old quotes:


Patrick: Christopher is always mean to me!
Christopher: I'm not ALWAYS mean! ...Sometimes I sleep.


A four year old version of tattling: "Josh threw sand at me. So did Lana. I just made that up."


Zane is in love with me. He gives me a hug every day, that's why he's in love with me. He's pretty cute, but him and my brother are friends. Christopher is a liar and Zane is a liar, so they should get married because they are both liars.


(sniffing potpourri during a lesson on the five senses) "It smells... it smells like... ROCK AND ROLL!!!"


"Ms. Rachel, there's a beetle under there!"
"That's not a beetle, that's a crotch-roach!"
"Ohh..."


(while stroking my arm) "Ms Rachel, I like to pet you. You feel kind of fluffy and silky at the same time.


Trenton: My dad is a policeman.
McKinzie: Yeah, so your dad can do anything he wants. Except drugs.



"Ms. Rachel? Ms. Rachel? Ms. Rachel! MS. RACHEL!!"
"Yes, Mayu?"
"...I love you!!"



Trenton: I love hash browns. They are yummy in my tummy. I think there's a party in there!


Trenton: "I'm building something for Ms. Rachel, but don't let her look. She's pretty sneaky." (Who, me?)


Bella: Tell Ms. Rachel about when you went to Orange Beach.
Ari: I didn't go to Orange Beach, I went to the Blue Beach!



Miles, playing "teacher": If you talk, you will go to the office, and then... TO JAIL!!!


Other Kid Quotes:
Me: I want sparkly boots like yours! Do you think I'd look silly, or could I pull them off?
Ashlyn: You could pull them off. They're pretty easy to get off and on, if you wear socks.



Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Does God Have Skype?

I've been trying to make some decisions about my future, namely whether or not I want/need to go to seminary this August. I've been accepted (I think) to the three schools I applied for, which is encouraging. But, like most people, I struggle with how I'm supposed to know exactly what God's plan for me is. I pray and try to concentrate on listening for an answer, but I usually feel like an old radio- mostly static and white noise with whispers of remembered conversations. It would be so much easier if I could get a burning bush like Moses, or even that still, small voice everyone talks about. Come to think of it, I might not want those after all; it seems like every time God speaks directly to someone in the Bible they have to do something difficult and scary. Maybe I should be glad I can't Skype with God.

I know that there are lots of different ways to figure out what God is trying to tell you. I have friends that hear from God in dreams, that have special prayer languages, that get flashes of who needs prayer at any given moment. I also have friends who work solely from logic, like Dr. Spock. So what's my method? I think I've figured it out. It involves both my intellect and my emotions, as well as other people. I have to be really uncertain for a while, researching and pondering and going over every option a dozen times. I have to listen to my heart and change my mind a lot. Eventually, I have to talk about it. With every person I know. Lots and lots of advice. As we discuss, inclinations begin to form.  Decisions will be made without me even realizing it. Things will pop out of my mouth that take me by surprise. "Congratulations on getting into Duke!" "Oh thanks, I'm not going there." The scale starts to slowly tip one way or the other. Finally the doors will close or open, and I will know what to do. Once it's decided, I'm sure. I don't have to think about it any more; I just say "thanks Lord!" and do it.

I'm getting past the pondering stage in my seminary discernment process. I'm obviously to the sudden decision stage- Duke was my first choice at one point, but now it's pretty much out of the running... apparently. I'm waiting to visit the other two schools in a couple of weeks and find out about the whole financial aid situation. Those are the doors that I need God to open or close for me. I'm confident He'll do it and that it will be the best situation for me. I can't wait to find out; I'm not a patient person. Maybe God will reveal his Skype name to me in my dreams tonight so I can satisfy my curiosity.

How does God speak to you?

Sunday, March 6, 2011

A Conversation

I haven't wanted to blog about the whole Rob Bell/Universalism hullabaloo until I read his book and actually had an opinion, but I have been really frustrated about all the mean-spirited bickering and condemning that has been going on in Christian circles in response to this. My friend Jonathan (check out his blog, jbvenable.wordpress.com) sent me the link to this article in Sojourners' magazine that addressed the whole situation, and we had a conversation on Facebook chat that I think sums up my views on what has been going on. I've edited out the chat lingo for grammar and conciseness. You should probably glance at the article if you want to understand the conversation.




Rachel: Wow, point 1 is kind of what I've been trying to figure out how to say for a long time. I told a friend that if Bell can make a good biblical case for universalism I would be so happy because I really want to be able to believe it.


Jonathan: It will be interesting to see what he says and how he frames his points. I just think you have to find a balance but yet everyone tends to be extreme one way or the other which isn't really healthy. I went to a seminary that connects itself with John Piper so I understand his point but I also understand Rob Bell's point or what we assume is his view from everyday life.


Rachel: Yeah, my brain understands both sides, but my heart wants Rob to be right. Well, I don't really know what he's going to say in his book, but my heart aches for universalism to be true. 


Jonathan: I had a guy tell me one time that God sends people to hell to glorify Himself, and I looked at him and thought "how can you say that?" I don't think God gets delight out of condemning people; I just think that where we have to find a balance is how  we perceive Jesus a a Judge.


Rachel: I think you're right, I just hate how divisive this all is -just theology in general. That's the opposite of how Jesus would want his church to be, I think.


Jonathan: I think a lot of people have tried to make a career out of Church instead of making it a lifestyle. By making it a career they have in turn tried to push their thoughts or pursuade us to think they are right and we need to follow them instead of Jesus. Tony Campolo made a comment at Youth Workers that really caught my attention, He said that Catholics have done a better job of following the Red Letters of the Bible than Protestants have. He said that we try to see the Gospel through the eyes of Paul instead of Jesus, and by doing so we have missed it.


Rachel: Yeah! I heard him say that and liked it. Paul and I don't always get along anyway, haha. 


Jonathan: Not to say that Paul has bad things to say but again Paul, Peter, John, they were all in some sense giving us an interpretation of Jesus which again they were human just like us and may very well have given us their slant just like we tend to do. I don't know all the answers but I do think what ever we read from any author we should always see how it matches up with scripture, especially what the Red Letters say. That's all we can do. None of us have it figured out but if we claim to follow Jesus we must walk in his footsteps and follow the path he set out before us and trust that he will empower us to do so and he will give us the strength and courage to go forth.


Rachel: Exactly. I told a friend I was a "New Testament Girl" one time and he looked at me like I was crazy, but really what I should have said was that I'm a Gospel Girl. I value the rest of scripture for its history and wisdom, and I do think it is inspired by God, but nothing can cover the words of Christ. He's the beginning and the end.


Jonathan: Very true indeed. People just seem to be reactionary, and I have to admit when I first watched the video for the new Rob Bell book I was a little hesitant, but I want to read it to see what his view is and go from there. If I was an author I would at least want people to read the book and not judge it by its cover or what I say in a pre-release video. My first thought is that this infighting isn't good for Christianity because in essence it would turn people away.


Rachel: And truthfully there aren't that many people who are that interested in theology. People are more interested in what Christians are doing than what exactly they believe


Jonathan: I think this is a great opportunity for Christians to really look at world situations through the eyes of Jesus. The question we have to ask ourselves (via David Platt) are we going to die in our religion or are we going to die in our devotion?


Rachel:Good question from your hero. Point 2 in that article is also very interesting.


Jonathan: Well he has a point though, because if we spend all our time trying to debate with one another on theological things then we lose sight of what we are called to do.


Rachel: True. I meant interesting in a good way. I've never really noticed how Jesus himself changed the lines in different parts of the Gospels as to who's "getting in" to heaven.


Jonathan: He had compassion for everything in that day. I think he probably had compassion even for the Pharisees even though they were a pain in his side.


Rachel: Yeah. Pharisees are a pain in my side too.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Can the Church Evict Jesus?

No, but it can certainly try to.

This morning I read this post on a friend's blog that he had written in response to this article from the New York Times. The article tells the story of a Catholic hospital that ordered an abortion to save the mother's life. The Catholic church excommunicated the nun that made the decision and cut ties with the hospital (a step which stops the hospital chapel from saying mass). The author of the article called it "evicting Jesus" and said that the Catholic church has lost the compassion that Christ so championed.

My friend's post disagreed with the author of the article. He uses Matthew 25:41 to make a point that Jesus wasn't all about compassion, and the church has a right to punish those who sin.

The problem with his use of this verse is that he didn't keep going. In Matthew 25:41 Jesus says this:
Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
Sounds pretty judgy and compassionless, right? Well, this is the parable of the sheep and the goats, which happens to be my favorite passage in all of the Gospels. If you keep reading you find out why Jesus was so hard on those goats. Verses 42-43 say:
For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.
This passage is about compassion for other people. The goats were damned because they didn't have compassion.

So yes, Christ says we will be judged for our actions. But does He ever tell us to judge each other? No, in fact he says the opposite. The final judge is God.

Did Jesus ever punish anyone while he was on earth? No, you won't see Jesus sending someone to Hell in the Gospels. He did send people away from him, but usually it was because they were too stuck on rules, or they cared more about money than people or following Him. In fact, Jesus went out of his way to stop people from stoning that prostitute (a woman that would certainly be ostracized in the Catholic church. Most churches, as a matter of fact).

He also didn't tell the church to punish people by trying to sever their ties with God. He told Peter, the guy he was going to build His church on, to feed his sheep, not try and make them stay inside their pen. He wants the church and its members to have compassion to all of his sheep, including, but not limited to, the broken and downtrodden, and certainly the sinners.

I'm not going to try and pass judgement on the whole abortion situation. I wasn't there, and I wouldn't have known what was going on if I had been. But I do know that that decision that the nun, and other hospital employees, had to make was probably one of the hardest decisions of her life and that she is going to have to live with it for the rest of her life, especially now that her calling, her life, has been taken away from her. Even if she is judged by God for that decision, He sent Jesus to earth for the exact purpose of forgiving the sins of His people, even if the church doesn't. That's the verdict: forgiveness.

Of course the church can't evict Jesus - he's everywhere- but it can turn people away from Him. Fortunately, there are others working very hard to bring those people back. As the New York Times article quotes,

"Though they will be denied the opportunity to celebrate the Eucharist, the Eucharist will rise out of St. Joseph’s every time the sick are healed, the frightened are comforted, the lonely are visited, the weak are fed, and vigil is kept over the dying.”
Hallelujah.

What do you think?

Monday, January 17, 2011

Our Nashville Adventure, Told in Several Unnecessarily Dramatic Installments ~Part 3, Awkward Side-Hug

PART 1 ~Hotdog Money~
PART 2 ~The Creeper~

PART 3 ~Awkward Side-Hug~

Bridget and I stand in front of the Hampton Inn, peek around the bushes at the man across the street, and pull with futile strength on the door handle. It doesn't budge. We see a plaque beside the door that says "guests only, use room key for entry." We stand in shock for a moment, until all of a sudden the door swings open and a couple walks out. They glance nervously at our tense faces, but they hold the door open as we scurry inside. The warmth of the hotel lobby swirls around us and makes us shiver, partly from cold and partly from nerves. We continue to skulk around the lobby and try to see out of the high windows to where we had left our perceived stalker. Unable to see him, I decide to take charge of our current bleak situation. Back when we discovered the car was missing, I had instantly decided that I was going to handle this ordeal on my own, without calling my parents. Now I rededicate my energies to this challenge. I am 25 years old, I think. I should be able to take care of myself without having to call my Daddy. I feel independent and confident, if a little shaken by all of the fleeing that we have been doing. I think Bridget just feels cold.

We head toward the front desk to ask for sanctuary, much like Quasimodo in his bell tower (My purse is starting to feel a little heavy at this point, so my stooped posture probably bears a passing resemblance to the famed hunchback's). As we approach the desk, I observe a man and a woman standing behind it, and what I at first think is a school-age child, dressed in a bellhop's uniform, standing beside it. Then the child speaks to me, and I realize the person I had taken for a preteen is, in fact, a diminutive adult. Simultaneously I discover that not only have I mistaken the age of the tiny valet-- I am also unsure of its gender. Is this a pubescent boy or a masculine yet dainty woman dressed in nondescript black and white? A first glance is not sufficient to make the call, and I realize that I have completely missed what he or she said to me.

"I'm sorry?"
"I said 'can I help you?'"

We tell our whole sad and scary story to our rapt listeners, and they quickly agree that we should stay inside the hotel lobby while waiting for the police to arrive.We settle ourselves into some cushy armchairs and get ready to wait. I busy myself with calling the dispatch office to tell them our location change, the hotel to let them know we'd be fairly late checking in, and the various tow places again to see if any of their trucks had brought in my car (no luck). By this time it is about 10:30 at night, and Bridget has had a full birthday, to put it mildly. She gets comfortable and starts to relax. We try to make plans for the rest of the night.

Our gender-neutral friend, or "Pat" as I've begun to call him/her privately, comes over to us every once in a while to check that we are ok. He/she offers us coffee, hot chocolate or a number of vending machine choices from the hospitality center. Bridget takes a cup of hot chocolate, mainly to take advantage of the warmth it gives off, and I reject the offer. "My stomach is too nervous to eat," I say. Our friend keeps going back and forth to his/her post at the front door, and each time he/she comes back, the offers of refreshment grows stronger, especially toward me.
"I must look like I'm in shock." I say to Bridget. "That person really wants me to eat something."
"I'm sure that's it." Bridget says, a little smirk on her face.

The fourth time that I am offered a drink, I say "maybe in a little while" in an attempt to get some peace. This apparently is seen as encouragement, as my new friend leans down, puts a hand on my arm and says
"My name is Katie. You just let me know if you need anything, and I'll get it for you, free of charge."
My first thought as she is speaking is, of course, ohhh. The mystery is solved!
"Katie!" I say with a bright smile. "Thank you so much!"
My second thought is to notice the hand on my arm, the more than generous offer, and lastly, the wink that accompanies her statement.


...uh oh...


As Katie walks away, Bridget struggles to hold in her giggles. I smile gamely and say "well, at least we know her name is Katie!"

After a few mixups with the dispatch office, a police officer finally arrives and informs me that I can't file a claim with the police department unless I have proof of ownership, which is, of course, in the car. He does, however, take my information and promise to keep an eye out for it. I thank him and grab a taxi that is letting out passengers at the hotel's front door. Bridget and I slide into the cab, then I am stopped by my conscience. I can't just leave without thanking Katie. She was very nice and helpful.

I step out of the van and find Katie around the corner smoking with her coworker. I tell them what the officer said and that we are heading to our own hotel now. She pulls out a pen and says
"You have to call me and let me know when you find your car. Be sure and call me. I mean it, don't forget. And if you're ever in Nashville again, give me a call..."*
I let her give me her number, and then I attempt to climb back in the van. But before I can fully get in, I find myself in the midst of the most awkward side-hug in the history of the world. And I have had some awkward side-hugs. This one definitely took the cake. I am in mid-hop when she grabs me, and her short little arms barely reach the opposite side (although that might be my fault, fitnesswise). She gives me one hard squeeze with strength that surprised me coming from such a small person, and then lets go. I fall clumsily into the taxi, and the door closes. We watch her grow smaller in the distance as the van pulls away from the curb and Bridget almost falls out of her seat laughing.

The police officer calls twice on the way to the hotel with information about my car. The first time, I'm pretty sure he has pulled over some lady who drives a blue Galant with Alabama plates. I can hear her in the background yelling "I told you this is my car!" The second time he calls he tells me that he has found my car! It is in an impound lot and we can pick it up in the morning. Our spirits buoyed by the good news, Bridget and I go to bed without too many more interruptions, and she sleeps like a baby while I start awake at every noise, convinced that someone is breaking into our room to get us. I must not have been as calm throughout the whole thing as I thought I was.

The next morning, Bridget and I eat a delicious breakfast and take another cab to an impound lot run by an old mountain man with a ZZ Top beard. There is my car! We run to it, overjoyed, and pop the trunk to make sure all of our valuables are still there. So relieved to find everything is safe, I walk toward the driver's door... and step in a big, steaming pile of dog poop. I look down at my favorite TOMS shoes, sigh, and chuckle.

A fitting end to our big, steaming Nashville adventure.



*I know you're wondering, and no. I never called her.