that’s it folks, fall 2011 mix is ready for your listening pleasure.

1. The Bad In Each Other – Feist (don’t watch the background vocalists or you get distracted..something weird going on there.)
2. How Can You Swallow So Much Sleep – Bombay Bicycle Club
3. Reel Me In – Aqualung
4. Growing Up Beside You – Paolo Nutini
5. Run Away – Sarah Jarosz
6. God Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise – Ray LaMontagne
7. Us Against the World – Coldplay (!!!)
8. Equally Skilled – Jon Foreman
9. Carbon Ribs – John Mark McMillan
10. Lights Out, Words Gone – Bombay Bicycle Club
11. I Don’t Feel It Anymore – William Fitzsimmons
12. Cosmic Love – Florence and the Machine
13. Flags – Brooke Fraser
14. Upward Over the Mountain – Iron and Wine
15. Holocene – Bon Iver
16. I Have Loved You Wrong – The Swell Season
17. Sooner or Later – Mat Kearney

Almost 6 months ago Dan and I tied the knot. Although we’re totally loving it, 6 months sounds like no time! It is the hardest yet best thing I have ever done. I am constantly being challenged and sharpened and loved. It is amazing and I am so grateful for such a wonderful man.

We currently live in Chesham. A town about an hour train journey from London. We don’t actually go into London very much. Well, never, to be honest. Chesham is a strange little town. It sits in a valley, there are a lot of rich people and a lot of people that aren’t very rich at all. We never planned to be here for very long, initially putting a 4 month cap on our stay (which we’ve already exceeded). Therefore I haven’t tried very hard to get to know people beyond the group of friends Dan already had or get involved in very much. I joined a Fair Trade committee (because Chesham is a Fair Trade town..?) which is mostly people aged 50+.

I have been on the job hunt the entire time I’ve been here (and a bit before). A couple of interviews happened for jobs I wasn’t really sure about anyway, which I guess is good they didn’t work out. Unemployment in the UK is at a 17 year high, great timing for little ole me moving to a new country with minimal work experience. So since I have the time, I have decided to pursue some more creative endeavors that I may not necessarily have tried before. We’ll see how they go.

We went on a mission trip to Estonia in August. A trip which caused us to question a lot about our lifestyle. Why do we go to a church that isn’t spiritually fulfilling or challenging? Why do we do short term missions? Why are we still in Chesham? Where do we want to end up doing missions? What significance does a job have over what we actually enjoy doing? So once we got back, we decided to make the first and most necessary change. We decided to leave our church in Chesham, which was really hard because of our (mostly Dan’s) connections there. However, we quickly found exactly what we were looking for. A church where the Holy Spirit is alive and at work. A church where there are ways to serve and be served. A church in the same community as Dan’s school. We are hoping that the other questions that surfaced during our time in Estonia will soon be answered. We are excited to see where God is going to lead.

So I think that pretty much brings us up to date. It is fall now (or Autumn, as the English keep reminding me) and England just isn’t doing it justice. The leaves are lovely and the cool weather is here. However anything to do with pumpkins is lacking. There is no canned pumpkin, Pilsbury’s pumpkin bread mix, Brach’s Candy Corn (or pumpkins), or Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Not even hot apple cider (that I have yet seen). Faith was fortunate enough to have a friend find a pumpkin spice candle at TK Maxx (that’s right, must be TJ’s brother..?) for her, but alas, I have not been so fortunate. Therefore, fall this year is not as exciting as I usually find it. I am really missing NC mountains and embracing being southern. I miss all my friends who genuinely love and celebrate fall. Oh, do I miss it.

However, Fall is Fall. The leaves are changing in England, too. The air is crisp and fresh here, too. You’ve Got Mail and Dan in Real Life have been viewed. So, as I continue to rummage through the options for the 2011 Fall Mix, know that it is harder than ever. And I hope that will make it all the better.

Praise the Lord for the new Feist album.

i loved it.

this is just a quote i’ll leave you with for the minute:

“I have sat with many Christian leaders over the years who are burned out, washed up, fried, whose marriages are barely hanging on, whose kids are home while the parents are out at church meetings, who haven’t taken a vacation in forever–all because, like the older brother [from the prodigal son story], they have seen themselves as ‘slaving all these years.’ They believe that they believe the right things and so they’re ‘saved,’ but it hasn’t delivered the full life that it was supposed to, and so they’re bitter. Deep down, they believe God has let them down. Which is often something they can’t share with those around them, because they are the leaders who are supposed to have it all together. And so they quietly suffer, thinking this is the good news.”

]]> http://sociallyactive.wordpress.com/2011/10/09/love-wins/feed/ 2 sociallyactive http://sociallyactive.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/so-theres-a-lot-to-catch-up-on/ http://sociallyactive.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/so-theres-a-lot-to-catch-up-on/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:09:57 +0000 sociallyactive http://sociallyactive.wordpress.com/?p=1537 Continue reading →]]> but i’m just gonna quickly leave you with a few things that are keeping my heart happy:

Today’s devotion in Jesus Calling

“Grow strong in your weakness. Some of My children I’ve gifted with abundant strength and stamina. Others, like you, have received the humble gift of frailty. Your fragility is not a punishment, nor does it indicate lack of faith. On the contrary, weak ones like you must live by faith, depending on Me to get you through the day I am developing your ability to trust Me, to lean on Me, rather than on your understanding. Your natural preference is to plan out your day, knowing what will happen when. My preference is for you to depend on Me continually, trusting Me to guide you and strengthen you as needed. This is how you grow strong in your weakness.” James 4:13-15; Proverbs 3:5; Isaiah 40:28-31

This song (and album which we JUST purchased thanks to some leftover Christmas iTunes vouchers!!):

And this man.

So, just sayin’…I am soo trusting this right now.

Pinterest

i have some serious style-envy going on right now. how does this girl have time to be a mom AND be so cute? i can’t even do it without a baby!!

and this, my friends, is why i don’t look at blogs too often! jealous.

i want those glasses. shame i have 20/20 vision.

therefore, operation “let’s make some stuff” is in full force.

i bought a “vintage british railway” calendar the other day, knowing we would be cutting it to bits and doing something else with it. the pictures are lovely, here, have a look:

so, my friends, until we can afford frames to put them in to spice them up even more, here is our new and improved den wall:

Hey, it beats a bare wall! Now..two more walls to go! Next we’ll be doing our own variation of this lovely idea:

weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

It’s called The Help, and I’m sure those of you in America have seen it sitting on the end of the aisles in Target’s book section. Well, BUY IT! It’s historical fiction set in the Civil Rights era in Jackson, Mississippi. It was so, so good and the attention to detail was fantastic. After having done an in depth study of the Civil Rights Movement for my Social Movements and Revolutions course in college it was so refreshing to read this book and know what the events they were mentioning were–The death of Medgar Evers, James Meredith trying to get into segregated Ole Miss.

It’s written from 3 different POVs–Two housekeepers named Miss Minny and Miss Aibilene and white, upper class Miss Skeeter. Miss Skeeter is a member of the Junior League and all of her friends (including her own family) have “help.” Miss Skeeter, having graduated from college and hoping to become a writer, decides that things in Jackson just aren’t working and that things need to change. She, along with the help of Minny and Aibilene, begins to write a book regarding the way things are in Jackson between the two races, knowing it will put all of their lives in incredible danger.

I’m telling you, it is good.

until then, check this out. if i get the job, i’ll be walking right past this big guy every single day.

I’ve just been catching up on several of your blogs and reading about the sweet bits and pieces you’ve been up to lately. I find myself really missing NC summers. Knowing my Mama’s out in the pool in the summer heat and my Daddy’s out with the animals in our pastures. Here I sit in little ole England in my tiny flat with no yard and no views and 1% sunshine. Although there is much to miss, I sit here with my sweet husband which makes it all worth it. We have been doing a lot of figuring out and learning and forgiving since we said our vows.

Marriage is such an adventure. We just received my bank info for what is our, now, joint bank account. Mr and Mrs D. Dwight. We are learning how to merge our dreams and try to dream together. It’s harder than I imagined, compromising certain hopes and dreams. But with the loss of those somewhat shallow dreams comes the excitement and depth of dreaming together a life that will glorify our Lord. Living in ways that make us uncomfortable knowing that it’s in pursuit of Christ and sharing Him with a world that is yearning to know such Love and Hope.

Life has been very slow since our move to England and I’ve been trying to settle in. It’s so much different being here and not knowing when we’ll leave to go somewhere else. Or what will take us there. For the first time in a long time we’ve decided to put down (temporary?) roots. Dan just took on a full-time job for the fall, teaching at an elementary school. I’ve been applying for jobs in London, only 1 of which I’d actually REALLY like (and for which I will soon interview!). It’s been a hard decision for me, whether or not to work in London. We live on the last NW stop on the Underground and the position I’ve applied for is in the heart of Westminster, just down the street from Parliament. That means a 79 minute train commute and 15 minute walk from the station. I’m still not bent on being a commuter but I have decided that if I’m going in for a cause I believe in, that justifies that journey, then it’s worth it. If this job doesn’t work out and I find it difficult to find another cause worthy of my travel, I think I’ll try to stick to something local. We’ll see what happens! Prayers would be greatly appreciated as I interview next Wednesday (6/22) afternoon!

We’ve been able to see quite a lot of Faith, Simon and Adlai since being back which is such a blessing. We love Adlai (and F&S of course!) and are so pleased to be near them for this period in our lives.

Now…onto finding an outfit appropriate to wear to an interview! Hmm..any suggestions?

Lots of love xx

ps-here are some photos from my phone from england life so far!

Click to view slideshow.

Our lovely friends in the UK streamed the wedding on TV, dressed up, and had a party! Check them out..so sweet!