Valkyrie

On Friday my dad and I saw Valkyrie, the new World War II movie with Tom Cruise. I'm not the world's biggest TC fan, but I love action/war thrillers especially about this particular war. I get it from my dad.

So we went to that while my mom, Heather, and Daniel saw Marley and Me. I really enjoyed it, and I thought Tom did a good job as von Stauffenberg. Honestly, I was more captivated by the story. It was intense, even though I knew going in how Hitler actually ended up dying in real life. And that Claus von Stauffenberg...I'll say this: the man was ballsy. (Aside: Can I say ballsy on my blog? Well I just did.)

Hitler was only in the movie a little bit, but it was quite chilling. It's hard for my mind to wrap around the effect that this one man had on the world and the course of history. How can one person be so full of hate and hungry for power? It scares me that a human being has that capacity. And the fact that he escaped death some 15 times...incredible.

Overall, I was engaged in the story from the get-go, I rooted for the protagonists, and hoped the villain would be defeated. Not too much blood and guts, which I also appreciated. If you don't like war or suspense movies, you might not like it, but I give it my stamp of approval.

Bookworm

For Christmas this year, the only thing I really asked for were books, and boy did I get my wish. One thing I never like about being a student is that there's so much required reading for classes that there's hardly ever time to read for fun. Since I'm currently not a student, I want to read as much as possible. Plus with all the traveling I have coming up, I'm going to need some reading materials. Here's a list of the random mixture of books I got:

1. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
2. The Right Stuff by Tom Wolfe
3. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
4. A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah
5. The Last Campaign: Robert F. Kennedy and the 82 Days That Inspired America by Thurston Clarke
6. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

I'm not sure what I'll read first, although I've already read the first few pages of Persepolis. I'll be sure to let you know what I think of each book as I finish it!

Emmanuel, God with us

Isaiah 9:1-7

For to Us a Child Is Born

"But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time, he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shined.

You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil.

For the yoke of his burden,
and the staff for his shoulder,
the rod of his oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult
and every garment rolled in blood
will be burned as fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this."

And one of my favorite hymns-not just at Christmas-as sung by Shane and Shane:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

'Til He appeared, and the soul felt its worth!

Tradition

I've been reading on other blogs about family Christmas traditions, and it has me thinking about our traditions and ones I want to adopt if I have my own family.

Christmas Eve

• We usually go to church today and just hang around the house all day on Christmas.
• After church we usually go home and have dinner and then drive around to look at some Christmas lights.
• Then we go home and open one present. This is the most lasting tradition, and we've been doing it since I can remember. It's always the same thing: pajamas. It has never changed for the 21 Christmases I have celebrated, but we have to pretend we don't know what's coming or my mom gets sassy.
• We usually watch a classic Christmas movie before bed. Last year it was It's a Wonderful Life, but the two family favorites are White Christmas and Holiday Inn.

Christmas Day

• The time of waking up to open presents has gotten progressively later as my sister and I have gotten older. I remember when I was younger, Heather and I would always sleep in the same room, and come 6 AM we would be busting to come out. This year Heather and Daniel won't get here until around noon on Christmas Day, and I don't mind the few extra hours of sleep.
• Christmas breakfast is always delicious blueberry muffins and hot chocolate. I don't know why, but I'm pretty sure this is a tradition my mom brought from her childhood.
• After breakfast and presents, we put in another Christmas movie, usually whichever of our favorites we haven't watched yet.

I love most of our family traditions, but there are a few more I want to add if I have kids.

1. On Christmas Eve morning, I want my family to go serve somewhere together. It's important that my kids grow up with the mentality of service and compassion, especially when it comes to a holiday like Christmas. It doesn't matter what we do as long as we're helping someone. I think it would be really fun way to spend time together as a family and focus on giving to others.
2. We usually have a fake tree, which I think are can be really pretty and much easier. I remember trying to string lights and the stress it always brought. I'm excited to have my own tree and get to decorate it however I want. Our family tree is kind of a mish mash of ornaments from the past 25 years or so, and it's always fun taking them out and remembering. I like that aspect of it, and I want to get ornaments every year for each of my kids. Apparently, lots of people have multiple trees! This thought has never occurred to me. Maybe I can have one standard tree with matchy ornaments and another for kid ornaments.
3. The story of the birth of Christ will be read at some point, maybe Christmas Eve or Christmas morning before opening presents. Again remembering the true meaning of the holiday is really important.
4. I don't ever really make gifts to give to people. I'm not too crafty, nor do I come from a line of crafty folks. I think it would be fun though to put together little gifts to give out to friends, neighbors, the mailman, etc. Something practical (refer to post about how I hate giving impractical gifts) but cute.

These are all I can think of right now. It's fun thinking about carrying on family traditions and making some of my own. So Shannon needs to know...what are your favorite holiday traditions?

Precious faces

This is a video that a guy who spent the fall working with HandsOn put together. I'm pretty sure he was working in the same area I'll be in, with the same missionary family. Seeing the faces of these children filled my heart with joy I haven't felt in quite a while, and I can't wait to meet them so soon.

They're on my mind during the holidays, just knowing that my Christmas experience is vastly different from theirs. I find comfort in knowing that we have this simple thing in common: Christ's birth was for every single person, regardless of status or wealth. No matter where you live or what your life's circumstances are, the birth of Jesus is amazing evidence of God's love and mercy for each person. There's a reason the angels appeared to the lonely, poor shepherds on the night Jesus was born. These children are equal partakers in the grace that Christ's life and death offers, and they are loved by God so fully and abundantly. That is a God worthy of worship.

I hope by next Christmas, many of them will be celebrating the birth of Jesus as their Savior for the first time.

there are how many days left until Christmas?

If my little santa buddy is correct, we have less than four days until Christmas. Where did the time go?!

And guess who hasn't bought a single thing for her family yet? I'm totally going to be that girl, at the mall in the 11th hour searching desperately for gifts. I've been so busy in the past month and keep putting it off to finish other things. I also have gotten absolutely no clues from the fam as to what they want. If they don't let me know soon, it's going to be a very gift card Christmas for the lot of them.

One thing I cannot stand is buying gifts for people that I know they won't use. I like giving thoughtful gifts at random times, not buying gifts under a time crunch. I want to get presents that are useful and/or meaningful and not just stuff to take up space. So this makes it even more difficult.

Thus, gift ideas for a mom, dad, and newly-married sister and brother-in law would be greatly appreciated.

South Africa update

Less than a month and still so much to do before I leave. This past week has been a little discouraging to be honest. I've been scrambling to get everything together for my visa, and we're kind of on a time crunch.

And if you haven't ever applied for a visa before (like me), apparently it is quite a task. Yesterday was by far the most discouraging day I've had in this whole process. The travel agent needs all my materials by Monday, and I ran around all day trying to get forms signed completed without a lot of success. It was an emotional day, where I had to hold back tears and avoid the doubts that have started to creep in.

As it stands now, I don't know when I'll have the whole application submitted. It might be Monday, maybe Tuesday, and maybe later. I don't know if I'll have my visa in time for my flight on the 13th. I honestly don't know what it going to happen. So I'd greatly appreciate prayer for the whole process. That I'd get everything finished and sent asap, and that when it does get sent, the approval process would be fast and smooth.

I've done everything I can think of and now it's in the Lord's hands to determine what happens. I want to trust Him, and I'm trying to remember that it will all be worth it. This is how faith is grown and perfected (right?).

Peaks and valleys...peaks and valleys.

Trails of Lights

On my last night in Austin, my lovely roommates and I ventured out to Zilker Park for the annual Trail of Lights festival. The three of us went together last year, so it's kind of tradition. It definitely wasn't as cold this year as it was last year. I took some pictures with my new camera, but these are stolen from Liz's camera because I haven't uploaded mine yet. (Side note: I miss them already, and it's only been a day.)

Backstory to this picture: There were some people there handing out evangelism materials to the people walking the trail. We're all about sharing the Gospel, but let's just say, Allison and I didn't exactly approve of their methods.

Moving day

Hi bloggyland...I know, shame on me for being a bad blogger. I'm still trying to adjust after NaBloPoMo. I should have plenty of free time after today.

It's a big day...my last day of work at AFI, and then I pack up my car and head to Houston. It just hit me a few days ago that I won't be living in Austin anymore. It's a sad realization. I've decided a few things about goodbyes.

Firstly, I don't like them.

Secondly, I don't think they are always necessary. I was starting to get into the "this the end" mentality. I wanted to go to all my favorite places, eat at favorite restaurants, etc. Then it dawned on me, that this isn't the end. I may end up in Austin, I may not, but I'll be back. There are way too many people here that I love for me not to at least visit.

I'm sure it will hit me in a few weeks, and I'll start feeling the need to say goodbye to every poor soul who crosses my path. Until then I'm going to try and enjoy my friends and family as much as possible, and remember that being obedient to God's will is the most important and beautiful thing.

Stay tuned for: the graduation post I've been promising as well as pictures from my last few weeks in ATX. They'll be up soon!

One month and counting

In one month from today, I will be getting on this:

to go from here...

to here for a 12 hour layover:

then to here...

and then the short flight to here:

And then I'll finally reach my destination...exhausted, jet-lagged, but happy to be alive!

One month, people...what?!?!

The new baby

Yes, I'm the proud new owner of a Sony A200 D-SLR camera. A graduation and Christmas present wrapped in one sweet little package. I'll admit, I have much to learn. I know very little about taking legit photos with a fancy camera, but I'm excited to learn. Here is a little sample of what I've taken so far...

A winter wonderland?

Dear Texas,

Yesterday, it was 80 around lunchtime. Then around 11 last night, it started to snow. Like legit snowflakes coming down. Quite magical. Today, it's snowing in Houston. What the heck?! I'm not complaining, but seriously...

Your friend,

Shannon K. Frawley

Βοήθεια!

I promise a whole rundown on graduation weekend and what it's like to be a college graduate is coming. I'm waiting on some pictures from my mom's camera. But for now have you heard about what's going on in Athens?

For the full story, read here. Basically a Greek teen was shot and killed by a police officer, and the youth of Greece have been protesting, demonstrating, and rioting since it happened on Saturday. It's so crazy reading about the specific places in the city that these riots are happening and remembering being in those very spots just a few months ago.

All of the Crusade staff living there are fine, thank goodness, but this is not showing any signs of letting up. I'm praying that the violence will stop soon so that the country can get back on its feet. Many of the students I talked to this summer expressed extreme mistrust of authority, and they often go on strike when the government does something they don't like. This is kind of taking it to the next level. So please pray for Greece and the people there. It is an incredible country with warm, relational people, but there's a lot of brokenness there too.

Photo by Aris Messinis / AFP - Getty Images

so long, farewell.

The goodbyes have started. It was inevitable but still surprising, nonetheless. I'm about 30 minutes away from finishing what will probably be my final shift at the LTC. I already said goodbye to one of my supervisors, Rob. He has been awesome. On my way out, I'll be bidding farewell to my other supervisor and coworkers. And in the next two weeks, they'll keep rolling.

Hopefully, I'll see lots of my lovely friends over the break, but there's no telling. I'm not sure how I'm going to handle it all. I'm feeling so indifferent about the whole graduation deal in general. I'm excited, but it's not an active, emotional excitement. I'm just kind of ready to be done. I know there will be some hard goodbyes in there. I have a feeling it will all hit me some time in the 48 hours before I get on the plane to Africa. That's usually how I roll, at least.

I'll miss my school. Seeing the tower lit up burnt orange. It's one of the most beautiful sights in the world. I'll miss walking around campus and the different buildings I have inhabited over the past three and a half years. (I can tell you what I will not miss: the jerks of Parking and Transportation Services. Good riddance to them.)

On Sunday, I'll say goodbye, at least for the time being. God has blessed me in my time at UT, and whether I end up in Austin or not, that is what I will ultimately remember this school and city for. The first place where I really saw God move and stir hearts. That's priceless.

I'm a Texas Ex in less than two days...

this and that

After blogging for 30 days straight, missing a few days just doesn't feel right. It's been a crrrrazy week, but I'm happy to report that I am one project away from being done with college.

This is my plan for tomorrow...go to work. My last day as the unpaid intern. After work, I'm treating myself to a manicure/pedicure. Then at some point tomorrow night, I will be drinking an adult beverage. It's going to be off the hook.

What else? Texas got a bum deal from the BCS. I saw it coming, so I wasn't too shocked or upset. I'm just hoping with Bradford's injury that just maybe Mizzou can pull it out. I realize this is an unrealistic pipe dream.

Also, have you heard that the US is officially in a recession? Thanks for the update, Captain Obvious.

I'm gearing up for the weekend...Heather and Daniel are coming in Saturday followed by the 'rents on Sunday. I have some celebrations to attend for myself and fellow graduates. At this point, I'll just be relieved to finish all of the schoolwork. Everything else is icing on the cake.

I'll try not to go three days without a post again. That's just too long. Peace out homies!