Away Game

I'm hitting the road TODAY and am I'm bound for Austin, Texas. Although I wish I was able to see some fabulous friends on this trip, but this time I'm flying in and out for business. FOR BUSINESS. Because I'm an adult and all that jazz. That's craziness, my friends. Crazy good.

Without my searching, publicizing, or advertising I have found myself as speaker for a weekend winter retreat. This opportunity to speak into the lives of young women (my most favorite thing) just fell into my lap. (Thanks Big Papa!)

I've spent the past month preparing and being thankful, but I will also admit that I have allowed myself to doubt this endeavor. I wonder if I'm ready to go alone, to speak to a group of teens I have never met. I also question if I'm really ready to actually DO rather than just dream. I told D my fears last night.

His response: "That makes sense. It's your first away game... But I know you. You're going to be great on the road."

Hey batter, batter...

"Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel." Ephesians 6:19

Snowless Snow Day

When I left for work this morning, it was 17 degrees outside, but felt like five. FIVE. That's fine for cities like Denver or St. Louis, but I live in TEXAS, y'all.

IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO GET THAT COLD HERE.

I passed two traffic lights with no power, but didn't really give them a second thought. Then I arrived at work and walked into our building. Our DARK building. Immediately I came face to face with our entire IT department standing outside of the server room, with ceiling tiles on the floor, a ladder in the hallway, and flashlights all around.

"This could be good for your blog," Cody suggested. No thanks, Code Man! I come up with my own ideas and- wait a minute. I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE.

My department has interior offices, aka no windows. So we sat around a campfire lantern for a few minutes before seeking out friends with a little sunlight. And after about an hour of waiting around THERE, and the building getting colder and colder, we were all sent home.

That's how I found myself sitting on my couch wearing pajama pants wrapped in my comforter and catching up on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" at 11:30 on a Wednesday morning.

Oh happy day!

Later on I met up with friends at McAllister's for some potato soup, followed by a viewing of "Groundhog Day," because like, it's totally perfect that it's actually Groundhog Day and we're like watching the MOVIE "Groundhog Day!"

GET IT???

I came back home for dinner: a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that was originally destined for today's lunch. Mmmm.... a gourmet meal hot off the... out of the... plastic bag... um... who said I'm not domestic?!

Later on it was time for Zumba class with JAVIER, and there was actually a pretty good turn out for a 26-degree evening! You heard my thoughts on Zumba already, so all I'll say is PARTY FOUL: I don't think tall, funny, tall guys who look like a cross between Jared Padalecki and Teddy Dunn should be allowed at Zumba. Especially if they're married. Especially IF THEY'RE TALL.

Up next: that new episode of Cougar Town isn't going to watch itself.

Peace out, homeskillets.

Old Spice

"God is changing the world through ordinary people doing ordinary things with gospel intentionailty." - Scott Brown

That was my take home from the sermon on Sunday. My little Presbytarian church has been walking through the book of 2nd Corinthians for the past few weeks. We arrived at 2nd Corinthians 2:12-17 this week. Here are verses 14-17.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God."

Why share this well known passage? I memorized this verse as a kid. I've certainly read it many times but I've never understood what it means to be the aroma of Christ. I know that I've wanted to be a good smell, so I usually picture deodorant when I hear this. True story. It's also usually some Old Spice Pure Sport. I'm weird. I know. [True story side-note. I wore Old Spice Pure Sport from June of 2000 until September of 2010. I started wearing it on a Mission Trip to Mexico because of the lack of showers. I stopped wearing it because I was getting married and decided it wasn't great to have the same deodorandt as your husband.]

ANYWAYS... here's what I learned on Sunday that was news to me:

I'm sure you could have discovered this on your own in your Seminary class or in your studies of the passage - but as much as I love backstory and knowing the origins of the illustrations used in the Bible - this one had totally passed me by. I couldn't help but share.

Incense of Victory sounds way cooler than Old Spice... and it smells better too.

Yes! We HAVE Always Been This Cool!

Mondays are always "Blast from the Past" days on the Facebook page I run for work. I find old photos from past decades and share them with our followers, always enjoying the crazy hairstyles and rather, uh... interesting facial hair. But why should they have all the fun?

Today, Blast from the Past happens here... MORBY STYLE.

First up, Ginger lookin' like a boss. Val lookin' like a veg (etable.)


Time for an afternoon of rollerblading with Uncle Ken. See? G's skillz with a pair of rollerblades go way back. My skillz with a dorky pink helmet ALSO have a history. (AND: the t-shirt tucked into the cotton shorts? Seriously- looking good, Morby.) (ALTHOUGH: Ginger's black shortalls are kind of giving me a run for my money.) (Let's be honest.) (On second look, no. No one looks worse than Val here.)


Sorry this picture is a little cut off, but it had to be shared. This was our Christmas card circa 1999, I believe. I remember selecting our clothes for the artistic comment of simplicity converging on to more complex patterns, in the form of solids followed by stripes followed by plaid. That's just the sort of intentional, creative statement my family is famous for making!*


Just after Ginger's performance in the Homecoming musical "Guys and Dolls" in 2003. This is back when my hair wanted to be Chloe Sullivan's hair. (It didn't really work.) It was all my hair's idea! On the right is Cousin Shanni, not a long-lost third Morby sister.

So I'm sorry, but no, this blog is not about to get more interesting with the addition of another sister. It's still just us.

*Not true but at all.

Sunday Snapshots

My husband received a Home Depot gift card for Christmas. This was his purchase.

In preparation for the 5lbs of meat currently smoking, he has made five different kinds of bbq sauce. That's right. FIVE.

I just had a meeting with Valerie over Skype. Did you know Val is an excellent editor?

It's gonna be a good Sunday.

But Do They Bring A Kid Kit?

It's good to see that Kristy's still getting mileage out of that great idea she had.

Spell real good.

There's a box that's been sitting in my basement since my parents brought all my treasures (trophies, papers, childhood pizazz) out to Arizona in August.

I've recently started letting myself comb through the contents of the purple plastic container. Today's selection is apparently circa 2nd grade, but I'm not going to let that orange marker actually tell me my spelling and handwriting were that bad in 2nd grade. Maybe this is the summer between 1st and 2nd grade. Regardless... I'm thankful for this informative Sunday School worksheet from Lutherans for Life.

Hi. I'm Ginger. I spell real good.

Please note that while my family is very fun and loving...

...they are also apparently mucicule (musical), inresponsibil (irresponsible?), lazzy (lazy), and yeilingly (YELLING!). This summary is amazing.

Now let's see how many words we can make from my name. O look. Robart, chilly and poon. That totally makes sense from the letters provided.

Let's take it a step further and meet my parents.

I like that my dad makes malts and is mucicle. But mom buys my favorite foods... sometimes.

Note that while I cannot spell, I am getting all the questions about Jesus correct. Yess.

Finally, let's talk about all the members of my family. Perhaps my brother wasn't old enough to actually be considered a member of the family. :)

Oh and also, I'm a really fast runner.

I'm Ginger. I spell real good.