Just Jenn

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Location: Baltimore, Maryland, United States

I am a follower of Christ!

Friday, September 23, 2005

Femininity

I am reading this book Captivity by Stasi and John Eldridge and needless to say it is really making me think. I have come to find that there are several points in the book I am not sure I agree with and several examples she gives that which I know I can't relate. She is a married women with children who struggles with depression and grew up in a home where a clean house and a meal on the table meant you where a good wife. I am not a wife, don't struggle with depression and grew up in a home where I was told I can do anything a man can do and was encouraged to work on my career so I don't have to "depend on a man". I am sure I can't relate... and I am exploring more than usual what is it to be a women of God and what it looks like to be feminine...a women.

I have thought in the past how do I, as a women, live my life trying to mimic Christ... to be "independent", yet dependent on my community and Christ, be strong yet gentle. It has been an interesting journey seeking women of great spiritual maturity to try to learn from. All of the women who have discipled or are discipling me are all different, have varying gifts and strengths but are all feminine in there own way.

I know young women my age who wake up and put a thick layer of make-up on (no matter where she is going...even to work out). [These girls]*edited* love pink and always wear skirts. I know [others]*edited* who barely own make-up, hate pink and wouldn't be caught dead in a skirt. I have girlfriends who love to cook, get monthly pedicures and cry at AT&T commercials... others that feel nautious entering a grocery store, spend there saturdays hiking and climbing rocks and can remember maybe crying 3-4 times in there life. I know some who go gahgah over the face of a toddler and still others that freeze when caught in the same room as one. All equally powerful women of God, holy, wise and graceful...all equally feminine in there own right.

So what is it to be feminine? With such a wide, complicated range of emotional tendency and character to choose from...no wonder they call us the more complicated of the sexes. I hate to think that there are women that feel that there idea of femininity is wrong or feel ashamed because they feel or act a certain way. Or that there are women who are afraid to share that they WANT to feel beautiful, they want to be saught after and desired. I hate to think that I feel that way sometimes...ashamed of a feeling that is O.K and natural!

How beautifully colored are the children of God...the women of God...How amazing a God that would create people the way He did to display such a variety and vast number of his glorious characterisitcs. Praise Him! I pray I display as many of those characteristics as He has blessed me with and that I am not ashamed of them. I pray, also, that I become more confident in my femininity and who I am as a women in Christ...whatever that means :)

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Countdown

Well lets see...
2 hours till Christina gets married
11 days till my interview at Sinai
21 days till I turn 28 years old
28 days till Christina comes to Maryland
42 days till I no longer work at the University of Maryland Medical Center
44 days till Halloween
47 days till I leave to go to Sebring with Aaron and Scott to see Christina
68 days till Thanksgiving
100 days till Christmas
106 days till New Years
151 days till Valentine's Day
182 days till St. Patrick's Day
205 days till Mark and Missy get married.
Hee Hee...

CHRISTINA IS GETTING MARRIED TODAY!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!

Monday, September 05, 2005

Labor Day and Catch-up

Happy Labor Day everyone!!!
Well, things are good. I am at work right now and we are having a community lunch and cookin' hamburgers. mmmmm
Life is chuggin' away. I have decided to resign from my Senior Partner position here at UMMS and apply at Sinai. I feel this will be a good move for me cause I will get a sign on bonus and I can bike there. Its maybe a mile from my house and I will save on gas and parking. I plan to put the bonus in an ING account to add to Fatt Caff's start-up capital.
The coffee house has been put on hold for just a short stent. I have been dealing with some interesting life change and I had to take some time to chill. I will be up and running with in the next couple of weeks for sure. Yay!
I have been getting really excited about Kid Horizon. My roomy, Missy, and Kimme Cowan gave me some really cool books yesterday to facilitate some of the lesson planning. I am excited to see what some of the teachers do with it. I pray that kid Horizon makes the same impact on our kids that sunday school made on me.
Link Group is good so far. I missed last week cause I was ill but the people in my group are awesome. I am looking for potential leadership and hope that we can get the group to where it can multiply. I pray for health and Christ-centeredness.
I want to shout out to the people that I have been hangin' with lately that have taught me so much and have just been a blessing to me.
Christina--thanks for showing me what Christ-like looks like for a woman.
My bro -- thanks for showing me wisdom and true humility, I am proud of the way you are leading.
Missy--thanks for listening and loving my brother.
Rebecca--thanks for your encouragement, time and for loving me so much.
Lydia--thanks for being yourself and making me laugh
Aaron A.--thanks for your wisdom, integrity and insight. Also, thanks for listening and talking.
Shanon --thanks for your trust and transparency last night.
Ericka S.--thanks for your honesty and for being real last night.
Scott--thanks for leading so well and for caring so much.
Tali--thanks for asking the hard questions and for being patient with me.
Bender--thanks for your understanding.
Banks--thanks for putting up with me.
Tronster--thank you for your honesty
Leslie--thanks for showing me strength.
Much love to you all.