So a couple of christmas' ago I bought everyone in my family a couple of books - one which was called The Conversation Piece which was just a book of questions that I thought might help me get to know them better. I gave them each a note and the book along with my e-mail and had high hopes. I also thought that at the very least they could just open the book while at the party and start talking. Well the idea fell completely flat. No one was interested which I know wasn't a jab at me. But now that a few years have gone I wonder if anyone still has their book? And maybe those gifts really weren't about me getting to know them because wouldn't I just ask anyhow? Maybe I just wondered if anyone would wonder what my answers would be? Yep, I realize that sometimes I'm just a bit too self-absorbed.

My friend Amy and I actually spent an entire year answering questions much like these and it was one of the more interesting "get to know" you long-distance e-mail conversations I had and I think it has helped shape our friendship to this day. (I know - I'm the one who at youth group didn't mind it when the UnGame got pulled out either...I just get very interested in the way people think.)

It's supposed to snow again tonight. (is it June yet?) So now I focus on the good things about winter:

1. Hot chocolate
2. That moment before you truly have to get out of bed where you just hover under the blankets and wonder if it could possibly be Saturday?
3. Christmas. I wonder if I can talk mom and dad into going to candlelight service somewhere else this year?
4. Going home to visit family - even if they don't always understand my gifts, I still really miss them when I'm not there.
5. That first crunch of crisp snow on a moonlit walk.
6.Wet heavy sticky snow that clings to the pine trees outside my window
7. Layers :)
8. Big snowflakes

Yep, can't even make it to 10 - how sad is that?

Must be feeling really guilty about the Volunteer thing yesterday...The presenter kept pausing between sections and asked - "okay group - what stuck"? While most of the group just sat there not responding to him. It must have really drove him a bit nuts but he kept doing it. So because I didn't respond to him out loud here's what stuck:

I tend to be a one-man band. I also have a hard time accepting help and at times when I take on too much it can make what should be joy-filled time, so NOT fun.

You don't really have to change until you let go.

Passion and Heart matter.

A team functions best when they play together. And thinking about playing at Ecolab, its funny that I really resent it when they make us play and I don't think that it should be "planned" playtime but rather, spontaneous play that everyone WANTS to do.

Where is God on the team? Do I ever think about that? (Is God on our team at work?)

It's about the serve and one of the great ways to connect non-believers to God is to just invite them to pitch-in (He explained this story about a function he threw to help recoginize people who helped kids - sunday school recognition- and how he invited three or four people he knew didn't know God to help at the event with catering etc. and how they each were able to learn more about God through service.)