Go.

I realized today that this is my… drum roll please… 1,000th post!

I can’t believe I’ve been at it for this long. 5 years of blogging. 1000 posts. And someone (many someones, really) actually shows up to read it. I will never cease to be amazed.

That, to me, is the significance of the number. Not 1000 posts of my words, but 1000 posts of yours. Because what makes The Grit what it is, isn’t what I have to say. It’s what goes on in the comments.

Encouragement. Prayer. Friendship. Family. Love. Laughter.

I am so grateful that you are here. That you come, however often that may be, and cozy up on our big ol’ Glorious couch. You listen to my threadbare heart (and even my ridiculous confessions), and you share your heart in return. Joys. Griefs. Struggles. Victories. All poured out over hot frothy beverages and fleece blankets. (Or you know, through laptop screens and keyboards. Whatever.)

You have made this sacred space feel like home.

Comfortable. Warm. Welcoming. Safe.

And I can only hope you’ve found as much solace, healing, and strength here as I have.

Happy 1000, friends!

Done.

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My heart is teetering on the edge right now. Let’s see if four minutes of rambling balances things out a bit, or ever-so-slightly causes me to tilt even further into the abyss…

My time at STORY has been incredible so far. It’s just been so packed that I don’t feel as though I’ve had time to process anything yet. I’ve taken furious notes, and have gotten so many great nuggets out of each speaker… but I’m not sure I know how to answer the “how is STORY?” question. I’m gonna need some breathing room to go back through all my notes and really chew on everything that’s marinating in my heart right now. (I think that analogy is stemming from my growling stomach at the moment. iHunger. Clearly.)

Soaking in God’s presence as Kari Jobe led worship yesterday morning was by far one of the highlights for me. I get lost in music. Yet I feel God uniquely find me in that place. I think I love music even more because of that paradox.

Another highlight has for sure been all the great conversations I’ve had. I’ve been able to spend time (too brief, as always) with so many amazing people. I seriously am overwhelmed to tears by the stellar people God’s put in my life. I feel undeserving to run with such giants. So, so thankful. And so, so humbled.

Okay – it’s your turn. Give me four minutes of … anything. Please?

Done.

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I wanted to four-minute about something light and fluffy. Mostly because I’m wiped out and don’t have energy for anything of substance. Besides, it’s Friday! We can all do with some extra light and fluffy in our day.

But all I keep hearing in my head is the little girl on “Despicable Me”: “It’s so fluffy I’m gonna die!”

Have you seen it yet? It’s cute. And 3-D. And that whole fluffy-unicorn bit is hilarious. Seriously. Watch the clip. You’ll find yourself repeating “It’s so fluffy!” in that creepy funny voice of hers.

Cracks me up every single time!

Anyway…  Clearly in need of blogging assistance, I sent out a tweet asking for light and fluffy post ideas. What did I get back?

Marshmallows. Angel food cake. Cotton candy. Whip cream.

Y’all are one hungry bunch. You fit right in around here! Ha.

So now we ended up with four minutes of basically nothing. Just like how cotton candy melts away into nothingness in your mouth. Minus the sugar high.

Oh geez. This is going downhill fast.

Calling it quits. And calling on you to tell me something light and fluffy…

Ready? Go!

Done.

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Five minutes is definitely not enough time to tell you about my whirlwind trip to New York City last Friday with Tracee. But here are some highlights… I’mma type fast…

The moment my favorite skyline came into view, we both bust out singing “Only in New Yoooork…” And it became our theme song for the day.

I’d heard about this initiative going on that placed pianos all over the city “to bring music to the streets”. We made it our mission to find one, and sure enough… We played on a random piano in the middle of Times Square!

We hit up FAO Schwartz because we just had to play on the BIG piano. (Our “Where’s Waldo?” game on Twitter made it even more fun!) We ooooh’d and ahhhh’d at the Apple Store, and played Skee-Ball on an iPhone 4. (So random. And so funny.) The live camera feed on one of the ginormous screens in Times Square was a blast too. Trying to find ourselves up there felt like payback for the Where’s Waldo game… But we eventually found us.

We took our time eating dinner at my favorite restaurant — 2 1/2 hours! — and savored every bite (and sip). Mmm! I love me some good Italian…

I got a long-overdue hug from my friend Natalie to end off an amazing day, and then Tracee and I cashed out on the bus ride back to DC. We were joyfully content from a day of laughing, talking, walking (lots of walking), and doing everything and nothing together.

It went by so fast. And was far too short. But it was the very best day I’ve had in a looooong time. What a gift!

“Only in New Yoooork…”

Done.

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I’ve been sitting here trying to think of what I can four-minute about. And all I can think of is NYC. So I finally decided to go with that.

Because I’m going there today!

As a surprise gift, my sweet friend Tracee bought us bus tickets from DC to NYC for the day. I am soooooo excited!

Depending on how long you’ve been around The Grit, you may or may not know that I’m from New York. Long Island, to be exact. (Go Yankees!) And after 18 months back in the States from Africa, this will be my first visit back to NY. Thus, my outta-my-mind excitement.

Is it bad that in thinking through what I want to do with my less-than-twelve-hours in NYC, all I can think about is food?! Bagels… Pizza… My favorite Italian restaurant… A pretzel-cart pretzel… (Can you tell I like carbs!?) Mmmm…. My tummy will be full, that’s for sure.

And so will my heart. All day I’ll feel so loved by my friend Tracee who’s arranged this whole wonderful gift.

I know I will. Because my heart already feels full.

Done.

I’mma tweet through this whole whirlwind adventure,
so be sure to follow me on Twitter if you don’t already.

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My mind is swirling with the ever-present barrage of decisions to be made, things to be done, and thoughts to be thunk. The music playing in the background adds yet another layer to the cacophony, and I feel compelled to check my phone every time it dings. And it dings often.

It’s all right there — constantly flowing at / to / in me. I get overwhelmed by the enormity of everything. Not knowing where to start causes me to not start at all.

I haven’t journaled out the things I’ve wanted to. I haven’t written the heart-wrestling blog posts that are currently sitting in my drafts folder as only a sentence or two. I haven’t finished the book I began reading four months ago. I haven’t given myself time, space, and emotional reserve to process the weighty things in my heart. I haven’t replied to all my emails, cleared my Google Reader, or gotten in touch with all the friends I’d love to connect with.

And all those haven’ts weigh on me as need to’s any time I get a spare minute to myself.

But in that rare moment, all I want to do is drown that list out of my mind.

And just breathe.

Maybe, just maybe, that isn’t bad. Maybe that isn’t avoidance or procrastination.

Maybe it’s my heart’s way of reminding me that life is more about being than it is about doing.

Done.

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Back on the Q’s & A’s post, she suggested I have some friends write for Four-Minute Friday. I decided to take her up on her idea…

I asked her to write one.

So here’s Mandy Thompson… on apples and oranges:

Go.

I think sometimes we can focus so strongly on the differences between us that we begin to see people as being completely “other than” us. We stare at the differences until the only conclusion is that we’re different creatures – different beings – different at a core level.

Like comparing Apples and Oranges.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Our outsides may look different in size, color, and even shape, but we all have the same kind of skin, and the same type of insides. And we can all bruise. And if you throw a bunch of apples in a bag and shake them up, they will bruise one another.

We forget this. We just jump in the bag and hurt and harm others.

We also forget that, buried safely beneath the surface, at the core of who we are, seeds are waiting on the moment when they can grow – bring life from that apple. We all have dreams and plans and desires inside of us. We all have gifts and potential to give MORE to the world – more than who we are in and of ourselves.

Each apple has within it the ability to be a life-giving tree… if given the chance.

But do we give others the chance? And do we give ourselves the chance? Or are we stuck nursing our own bruisings? Or too distracted by the outside differences that separate us from others?

Done.

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You guys asked me some great questions in the Qs and As post.

Most of them require more heart and thought than I have to give tonight, but there are some random questions I’m gonna force myself to answer quickly. If you know much about me, you know I’m not good with off-the-cuff answers. I think it’s because of the whole favorites thing… And the fuzzy brain thing… And probably a few other things as well…

Anyway…

Here goes. Just for you.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
The ability to backspace when I’m speaking like I can when I’m writing…

What do you like to do to relax?
Watch a movie/TV. Read (fiction). Cozy up with some blogs. Do nothing with a friend—my favorite!

Hugger or a handshaker?
Hugger!

What’s your middle name?
::cringe:: …Nancy

What do you love most about being a girl?
Not having to use a urinal with strangers right next to me doing the same thing …

I’d love to hear your answers to any or all of these. And feel free to leave me some more questions…HERE.

Done.

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Did you know we have our own blend of Thrive Africa coffee? We do. It’s organic, fair-trade, and air-roasted. And it’s made entirely of African-grown beans.

From Africa.

For Africa.

You can win a pound of Thrive coffee and an awesome travel mug to drink it out of.

My friend Ashleigh is doing a giveaway over on her blog. (She’s amazing like that.) You need to go read her post to discover all the ways you can enter — and you have between now and Monday at midnight to do it.

So go on over and enter your name into the giveaway.

You know you wanna.

Done.

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It still feels a little unreal to me that I’ve spent this week with my friend Sara.

For lots of reasons.

Like the fact that I normally live on another continent. And Sara lives in Iowa of all places. Iowa.

And like how I had to be perfectly healthy so I don’t pass something on to her. And that is no small miracle for me.

But all the stars aligned—by the grace of God!—and here I am.

Every now and again I still squeal out an, “I can’t believe I’m in your house!” Because it really does seem too good to be true.

And it’s coming to an end all too quickly.

I’m not ready to leave, to say goodbye, to give Sara a final hug. I’m not ready.

But I am so unbelievably grateful.

My heart is going to hold on to this week for a very long time.

Done.

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