Specialty Coffee Fast

I'm sipping on a sweet, delicious iced peppermint mocha. I'm a little low on energy and wasn't sure if I could make it through the day without a little coffee boost. I often hear myself or others say, "If I don't have some coffee I might die." Its quite an addiction - especially in this part of the country. People literally have coffee built into their monthly budget. So I paid $3 for my coffee fix, took a sip and decided the mocha was definitely worth the cost. But is it really worth it? And would I have "died" if I didn't get a coffee?

I'm sitting in a park off of Burnside Street in downtown Portland. I lift my head and look around me: I see a man carrying his guitar and a pack of what looks like all of his belongings, a girl laying on the grass with an old bike proped beside her, a group of young people with dreadlocks, scruffy beards and grungy clothes. I am reminded of this morning's Call to Worship at Imago. A woman read a reflection on how many of us face difficulty in showing grace to people on the street. Why can't we open our hearts to people who's appearance or presents makes us feel a little uncomfortabe? So often we walk past someone who is in need and turn our eyes and our hearts away from them. My mind usually says, "I'm not the person who can really help them; I'm just a young person living on little money, I don't have enough to spare; It wouldn't be safe to even say hello to them; They don't want my help any way." But my heart tells me something different. The truth is that I do have a responsibility and I'm not doing my part. I can do something, even if it is small.

I take another sip of my specialty coffee drink. It isn't so sweet anymore. It's not worth the $3 I spent on it. So here's my challenge to myself and to you: whenever you feel the urge to buy yourself a coffee drink, when you feel like you might die without it, resist. Use that $3 for a greater good, something sweeter than a mocha (or skinny vanilla latte). One month. We can do it! The money doesn't have to go directly into the hands of someone on the street. It could be used to buy them a sandwich,though. Or donated to a homeless shelter. Or simply saved as a reminder to live a little more simply. This month make conscious decisions to smile at a stranger or ask someone in need how you can help. A little less indulgance can be a lot sweeter.

Roller Bladding on the Waterfront

Tonight I went roller blading for the first time in about 10 years. Kaitlyn Amos has inspired me to become recreationally spontaneous (I think she also brings out my innate randomness and wierd nature). We met up by the Wilamette River this evening and bladed over the Broadway Bridge, along the waterfront, and back over the Steel Bridge. I didn't think to wear long socks and now have some bubbly blisters on my lower legs (by the way, Portland seems to be the easiest place to get cuts, scrapes, bruises and scars). Kaitlyn and I have decided to start training for the Portland roller blade derby this summer and hopefully continue on to the Summer Olympics in 2012.

Granddaddy in Portland

This weekend, Granddaddy came up to Portland for a visit! He was only here for a day and a half, but we did a lot during that time. Saturday afternoon we had a great lunch at Elephant Deli, one of my favorite spots. Then we went to the Rose Gardens which are finally in bloom. The amount and variety of roses is incredible and absolutely gorgeous. That evening we had a nice northwest seafood dinner at Stanford's.

Today was another full day. Granddaddy went to church at Imago Dei with me and got to meet some of the people in my home community group. Imago is definitely different from the typical Southern Baptist church, but I think he really enjoyed the service. Then I gave him a tour of my house and neighborhood before we headed east to Multnomah Falls. The drive toward the falls is a breathtaking route along the Columbia River. The falls is a popular tourist attraction and was quite crowded this afternoon. We took in the beauty of the waterfall, then took in the yummy brunch at the Multnomah Falls restaurant. Tonight we went to the Andre Rieu Symphony Orchestra concert - the main reason Granddaddy came to Portland this weekend. It was different from any concert I've ever been to. It was very lively and upbeat and I never knew what to expect!

Overall this was a fun weekend with Granddaddy and I'm glad that I got to show him around the city. He was my first family visitor, but I know he won't be the last (hint hint)!

Burgerville and Bubble Tea

People up here feel sorry for me because apparently I've been "sheltered my whole life". This morning I mentioned that I had never had a burger from Burgerville (a popular organic fast food chain here in Portland). "What?! You've never eaten at Burgerville?" exclaimed my boss Terry in his overly excited, high-pitched voice. "That's it - drop what you're doing. We're going there right now!" "But it's 9:30. I haven't even eaten my yogurt and granola breakfast yet!" He insists, so the other two interns (Katie and Mat), Terry and I load up in his Prius and head down the street to the little drive-in hamburger joint. I figure I will get a little breakfast smoothie or something light, but the guys start ordering cheeseburgers and pepper steak sandwiches! There's no way I could stomach such a meal with my morning cup of coffee. So I get an order of hash browns, which are pretty much 2 huge greasy fries. That wasn't exactly how I pictured my first Burgerville experience, but at least I can say I've been there (although I would like to go back sometime after noon and actually try their famous burger).

Earlier this week, I overheard Katie and Mat talking about a strange concoction called "bubble tea". Curious and intrigued, I asked what exactly this foreign drink is... possibly a tea/soda mix? "You don't know what bubble tea is?!" You would think I was an alien from another planet. I felt like a wierdo, an outsider, a total freak of nature! So tonight, the three of us took a trip to The Fat Straw so that I could experience this drink which originated in Taiwan. It was interesting to say the least. I can't say whether I liked it or not, but I probably won't make it a weekly indulgence. It's a sweet drink made with coconut milk and flavored tea (I chose white peach). But what makes it "bubbly" is the tapioca balls they top it off with (or more like bottom it off with because they quickly sink to the bottom of your cup). The reason this place is called The Fat Straw is because you have to slurp through a big fat straw in order to suck up the tapioca balls (which one might mistake for large, squishy, gummy, flavorless bug eyeballs). Well, I think I've been descriptive enough about this specialty drink, but don't be afraid to give it a try if you are ever in Portland or Taiwan (which are probably the only places in the world who actually know what bubbly tea is).

the 3 current Murdock interns: Katie, me and Mat

Katie and I at The Fat Straw

There's a 1st Time for Everything...

Oregon has an odd state law: you are not allowed to pump your own gas within the state of Oregon. We are the only other state beside New Jersey in which it is actually illegal to pump your own gas. This week, we discovered that Katie has never in her life put gas in a car! But now she works in Vancouver, WA every day so she should experience the gas-pumping freedom she has always been denied. So we made a special trip to Exxon with her yesterday morning so that she could partake in this glorious yet grimy priveledge. It was a slow, difficult process for Katie (I'm not sure if it was the petroleum fumes or the inexperience) but she successfully filled her gas tank and her self-confidence!

Tons of 2s

As you all know, I have been an avid babysitter for the majority of my life. When I was 10 years old, I used would beg my oldest sister Emily to take me along with her when she would babysit. "Pleeease, Emily. You don't have to pay me - I'll pay you! Just let me go with you." I was desperate to play with little kids, even though I was just a kid myself. Soon I was getting my own babysitting gigs. As an eighty-pound thirteen year old, I was responsible for the safety and care of young children, including putting the little babies to bed (some of whom I could barely lift over the crib bar). I remember the akward drive home at 10:00 (way past my bedtime!) with the father, since I was way too young to drive. As a sophomore in high, I began nannying for a three-year-old little boy, Will. I would pick him up from school several times a week, so his car seat was always buckled into my car. Many times when I was getting my backpack out of the back seat in the Waco High parking lot, a fellow classmate would notice the car seat. "Ooh, Mary you got a baby? Girl, we didn't know you was a Mama!" Babysitting is how I earned my spending money throughout high school and college. But it wasn't just a way for me to make money, it was something I loved doing; time well spent.

I've really missed babysitting and spending time with kids since I've been up here in Portland. I haven't babysat once in the past five months! However, I have received several phone calls from Wacoans - one even as recent as last week - asking if I would be available to babysit that night (a little too much of a commute for a few hours with the kiddos).

Yesterday was my first day as a volunteer in the Imago Dei two-year-old class. I had a great time playing with play-do, cooking in the PlayMate kitchen, reading stories, having kids climbing on my back. Every other week, I will help out with the little ones during the 9:00 Sunday service. Its incredible how little ones have the power to brighten up out lives!

Bad Rep

I admit it - I've been known to pull pranks a time or two, but I wouldn't consider myself a "prankster" by any means. Yesterday Dana, one of the program directors, walks into my office, gives me the eye and comments, "My jaw really hurts from those jaw breakers." I felt somewhat sympathetic, but mostly confused. "Oh, um, I'm sorry to hear that...?" "Yeah, I bet you are," he said sarcastically. "What? I don't know what you're talking about!" I quickly become defensive. "Yeah right. You know exactly what I'm talking about," he says as he rolls his eyes. We banter back and forth as I try to figure out why I'm part of this very odd conversation. Apparently, someone replaced several of Dana's golf balls (which are orderly arranged on a shelf in his office) with large, bright, colorful jaw breakers. After a few other coworkers saw the absurd wall decore, a consensus was reached that I was the culprit. Why they would even consider me a suspect is outrageous! I have to say, it is a pretty clever prank... so if I was responsible I would take full credit. However, I have started a full investigation and intent to find the guilty party and prove my innocence!