Tomorrow

Here on PARDYMAMA, I've never held a contest.  I've never had a give-away or interacted with my audience much beyond your gracious emails and comments.

With everything going on between job searching and trying to keep my head above water, this blog has become a deeper source of encouragement for me than I could ever imagine.  I want to do something to reach out to all of you, to say THANK YOU and to just have some fun.

So, I'd say it's high time we have ourselves a little contest!

Mark your calendars, cause starting TOMORROW, August 15, 2013 (and running through September 1st) I'll be holding PARDYMAMA'S very first contest!!!

Don't worry, no need to get out your sweatbands or put on your running shoes.  If you know me at all by now, then you know I'm more of a sit-back-and-click-and-let-me-sip-my-latte kinda gal.  And that's pretty much all the amount of effort it will take on your part to enter this contest!

It will be simple, and fun, and there will be a drawing for a fabulous prize at the end.  I'll explain everything in detail tomorrow, right here on the blog.  But, I just wanted to give you a heads up so you'll be sure and check back first thing TOMORROW and help me kick-off this exciting event.

Get ready!

Bummer Day

Okay, so I'm sure you are all wondering how yesterday went?  How did the big job interview go???  Well, as you might gather from the title, it was not the winsome and celebratory day that we longed for.  As my three-year-old Matilda says, "It's a bummer day, huh mom?"  (Though I think she was referring to the fact that I wouldn't let her eat cookies for supper.)

Unfortunately, not long into the interview, they began asking my husband about his experience in graphic design - of which he has none of.  That is to say, the job is not the "perfect fit" we were led to believe it might be (no design qualifications were listed in the job description, nor are they on his resume).

Josh came home disappointed, frustrated, and confused.  I could feel the cloud of discouragement settling over our house, so I promptly scooped the girls out the door and headed out to run a couple errands and let my beloved ponder in private.  This was a good move for everyone, and many hugs and long sighs were had when I returned home.  Misery loves company - but, only after a good while of decompressing the day's events.

It's frustrating.  You do all you can that's seemingly within your control only to have all of the things that are out of your control spin out of place.  So, we pray.  We wait.  We try to occupy ourselves with pursuit of any other speck on the horizon that might soon come into view as the direction we're meant to head.  There are still many applications and resumes out there that are floating in and out of people's hands, and prayerfully making their way to the proper time and place and person.

I'm not embarrassed I blanketed the internet with prayer requests for my husband.  It's not like I'm rolling the dice here, hoping that one of those prayers hits the jack-pot.  On the contrary!  I'm so insanely thankful that I have the body of Christ to support us at this time!  Thank you, and keep em coming.

I'm reminded emphatically tonight of this verse below, and I hope it lifts your spirits as it does mine.  It is such a TREASURE to be fighting for what is good and righteous, and I'm impervious to defeat when I put my faith in God alone.  Hallelujah!

2 Corinthians 4: 8-9, 17-18
8. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9. persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed...17. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Job Interview

Today, my husband Josh has a job interview!!!  I put this out there, anxiety-ridden-and-all, to humbly ask you to pray for him, for this opportunity, and for God's will in this situation.  He'll be interviewing at the Nashville Rescue Mission at 2:30pm Central Time.  The position is Creative Services Manager, and it seems like an awesome fit.  Not only does he fit the criteria, but it's something that he would really love to do.

Anyway - I know this is really bold to just lay out for you.  In fact, I'm red in the face as I'm typing this, feeling the pressure build up as questions like "Won't this post be embarrassing if he doesn't get the job?" float around in my head.  Sure.  Of course.  "Defeat" sucks and rejection never feels good...so, yeah, I'm running that risk.  But, who am I to be embarrassed for asking for prayers?  We need em, you got em, and sometimes it really IS that simple.

The thing is, when it comes to things I really want - the hardest thing about praying isn't asking for prayers - it's asking you to pray for God's will in every circumstance.  It's hard for ME to pray for God's  will in every circumstance.  Because, even as I tack on a "...according to Your will..." at the end of my prayers, God still knows that in my heart I'm shouting "THIS IS WHAT I WANT!" So sometimes it just seems silly.  But, it's not.

So, what does it even mean to pray "according to God's will".  This can be a deep and sticky subject if you really dive deep.  There are whole volumes of books out there that will try to knock-down-drag-out what the idiosyncrasies of what and how much God has defined in our lives already.  But, I'm not going there.  Not because it's not important, but because at the end of the day, if you are praying sincerely to a God who wants the best for all of us and believing that HE alone can make best of ANY situation, then I think you already have your priorities straight.

So, please and thank you, pray for God's will for Josh's interview today.  We want the job.  We hope for the job.  We pray for the job.  But, we won't be defeated if this is not the job.  We rest in the assurance that God's will is for what is BEST for us, and however we can bring Him the glory and be the greatest testament to His awesomeness, then THAT is what we strive for.

Thank you, all!  I have no idea how long it may be until we know something about this position...but, I will keep you all posted!  I can't tell you enough how much we appreciate your prayers and look forward to celebrating God's answer to this prayer.

My City pt. 3

It's been awesome giving y'all (I can officially just start using "y'all" unashamedly now) a virtual tour of my new city, Nashville.  Yesterday I took you through 21st Ave, West End, and Downtown.  Today, we're exploring some areas off the beaten path, starting with another Avenue, not too far down from where we started yesterday.

The area of town deemed "12 South" is quickly becoming the new 21st (though they each have their unique qualities, and with the growing population of young-somethings in Nashville there won't be any need for these areas to compete).

Twelfth Avenue is greatly re-gentrified since I lived here last.  It's riddled with hip small businesses, giving you a taste of the local scene and the organic underground that is surfacing with catchy titles like "Moda Boutique", "Portland Brew", "Urban Grub" and "Frothy Monkey Coffeehouse" (get a turtle latte or white monkey mocha for some seriously delicious caffeine).

Other spots of interest will be Burger Up, Las Paletas (which you may have seen on Food Network) and the ultra hiip (yes, it deserves the extra i) "Imogene & Willie clothetier that will custom fit denim so incredulously to your form that it is nearly a crime to just call them "jeans".

Now that you've had a full dose of hipster for the day, let's head out of town.  If you ever visit Nashville, the Opryland Hotel is an absolute must.  It's one of those things that you just don't think you care to see until you are there, and it is spectacular enough that you'll probably want to go again.  Sure, once you've seen it, you've seen it, but it's still in the category of "just gotta see it" if you are anywhere in the area.

Basically, the Opryland Hotel brings the outside inside, and you can take full walks around various GIANT areas of perfectly landscaped atriums named "Cascade", "Delta" and "Magnolia".  Yes, it is the perfect outing for parents and grandparents.  But, they also serve great food (incredible brunches overtake the hotel on holidays like Mother's Day or Easter) and the entire premise is surprisingly stroller-friendly.

Next to the Opryland Hotel (and this is about 25 minutes east of Nashville) is the NEW Grand Ole Opry (I actually saw Taylor Swift's Grand Ole Opry debut there way back when she was "Taylor who?" True story.) And next to that is Opry Mills, which is pretty much exactly like any other "Mills" shopping center if you've been before...but, they do have the only H&M in the city, so it's worth the trek.

Last stop, Green Hills.  Heading back into the city, past downtown, and just south of the 21st Avenue area, you'll find Green Hills.  It's been my theory that if you want all the rich people to settle into one area, simply tag "Hills" on the end of the name and they'll eventually congregate there.  This holds true for Green Hills, and it lives up to it's lush name.  (The mall has marble floors! and a Nordstrom!)

There is a newish Green Hills shopping area called "Hill Center Green Hills" (see, I'm not kidding about that HILL theory) and it's posh, and perfectly snobby, and exceedingly pretentious, and you will totally love it.  Here's where you'll find your Whole Foods, your Anthropologie, and West Elm.  There's some smaller shops too, all neatly tucked in between those shops we just always feel "not as cool as we could be until I buy THAT" and so it flows well.

Surprisingly, just a few blocks away and across the street, you'll find a very authentic, boring little shopping center.  But, in this little nook of town lies one of Music City's treasures:  The Bluebird Cafe. You've seen it in movies, you've heard about it, and if you aren't watching the show Nashville then you're missing out on glimpses of it on a weekly basis.  The thing is, you've probably envisioned it in the middle of Music Row or Downtown next to a honky-tonk; but, you've been sorely misled.

The Bluebird is as legendary as it gets in Nashville, and if you can catch a songwriters-in-the-round night there, you've struck gold and might be witnessing music history.  It's simple, it's small, you'll want to order a domestic beer to be cool and act like you don't care that you are sitting in a venue that's so legendary.  And you'll wanna kick up your boots and just listen...cause, that's what you do in Music City (if you're not playing, you're listening).

I hope you've enjoyed our mini-tour.  There's LOTS left here that I've left out.  I didn't even delve into East Nashville or Brentwood, or a zillion little eccentricities that make this city so great.  We didn't even visit the Farmer's Market or the Capital.  We didn't drive south to Franklin and visit the old theatre.  Well, maybe you will just have to visit sometime.

And if you do, let me know.  Cause I ain't never leavin.

(Y'all come back now, y'hear)