February 2012
2 posts
1 tag
The Boss and Me: Health Cleanses and the...
First thing yesterday morning, The Boss comes into my office and says he needs help:
“Leize Marie. I need your help. Because you are healthy, and you eat healthy, and you care about my health. I can tell. So because of all this, I need you to look into something for me. Not during work hours per se because I don’t want it to interfere with your productivity. But since you are kind of...
1 tag
Receiving Grace to Give Grace
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:3-5
For most of my life, I have had a passion to serve the poor, to “bless” the less fortunate. I had the privilege of growing up in a home with parents who gave so much of themselves to others. I...
January 2012
3 posts
1 tag
1 tag
The Boss and Me: Where Are You From?
Today The Boss and I were having a conversation about vegetarianism. Somehow he related the topic to a quote by Edward Cullen from Twilight. Since I have never seen Twilight or read one word from the books, I just gave him my frequent and typical blank stare…
The Boss: Leize Marie, you don’t know what I am talking about? WHERE ARE YOU FROM?!
Me: I don’t know. Sorry?
The Boss:...
December 2011
4 posts
1 tag
Celebrating Life and Legacy
First thing this morning I learned a college friend suddenly passed away. Patrick and I met in high school as we served on the work crew at Windy Gap for a month, a place we would later reminisce as our favorite in the world. We both went to Carolina where we were Young Life leaders. After college we lost touch, it’s been years since we have spoken or even see each other, yet his death has been on...
1 tag
The Boss and Me: Birthday Treats
Tomorrow is my birthday, so this morning Boss came in with a small gift. He said, “There is more to come, but I just couldn’t wait. So here.”
He then proceeded to tell me that he got this for 2 reasons:
1. To have something on his car so he would fit in down here.
2. Because he thinks that I am more wag and he is more bark.
He finished his presentation with, “I got...
1 tag
Behind the Fence: The Difference a Year Makes
A little more than a year ago, Steve and I met for the first time. He was barely taller than me now at 6’2” he towers over me when we meet. One year ago, he looked like a kid. Yesterday I noticed he looked like a teenager, a boy on the brink of becoming a man. During our first meeting, we could barely come up with anything to talk about. A year later I am staying later to finish our...
1 tag
The Poison of Comparison
In the midst of the current social media craze, it is hard, almost impossible, to not find myself constantly comparing myself to others. Facebook statuses and Twitter posts document every moment of people’s lives. Reading these, it is hard not to be jealous that you ate a better lunch than me, or that while I was sitting at my desk all day you were hiking and playing outside. I read blogs about...
November 2011
2 posts
1 tag
The Boss and Me: Mind Boggling Toilet Humor
Today, I kind of freaked out at how dirty my keyboard was: all the crumbs in it and such. This usually happens once every few months. Just like about once a month I realize how dirty my desk is and have to have a deep cleaning session.
I spent about 10 minutes blowing it out with the duster thing. And popping keys off to get all the crap out. Which happened to require getting a letter opener...
1 tag
Stuck in the Glory of the Middle
For most of my life, I have constantly craved stability and balance. I love the middle. It’s where I sit in class, church, or any other large space full of people. The only center I don’t like is being the center of attention. I am just too squirrley to handle that. Maybe I was meant to be a middle child? Just kidding.
Recently I have been struggling with the idea that the Lord doesn’t NEED me...
October 2011
2 posts
1 tag
These are My People
Coming home from The World Race I often got questions about the people that traveled with me and how we got along. I can honestly say that those 42 people were my family for the year, and still are. There is a connection we have that can never be broken, and I am so thankful for that family all over the country. A few days ago, a new racer wrote a blog about some of this family she met at a...
The Weight of Words
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”
“I am rubber you are glue, whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you.”
So many phrases attempt to shield children from the cruel words of bullies. At the same time, these phrases also diminish the power of the words we say.
“I am sorry you feel that way.”
“I was just being honest.”
“That is only my opinion.”
“The...
September 2011
5 posts
Different Sides... blog from Matt Ruple.
My friend Matt is working with a team called The Kenya Initiative, working to create a healthy environment for people who lost their homes in the election violence of 2007. This is such a beautiful picture of the disparity short tern missions can create and the importance of implementing sustainable relief.
Visit his blog… http://mattruple.theworldrace.org/
I was in shock by the scene I...
1 tag
Behind the Fence: How Do You Become a Man Without...
Waiting for Steve, I was more nervous than I ever. I could hear juveniles banging on the doors of their solitary confinement cells. I knew that when he got to the room he would be cuffed, shackled, and in a jumpsuit instead of his state-issued khakis and collared shirt. We weren’t in the usual volunteer center. I came to visit him in lock-up, and lock-up felt like prison. Steve looked like a...
Confessions of a Squirrel: Too Much Transparency...
I hate the doctor. I never really go. Today I decided, however, to not let this pesky sore throat turn into the whooping cough as I normally would.
Who knew the hardest part of the appointment would be the nurse’s preliminary questions:
Nurse: Are you a smoker?
Me: Nope.
Nurse: Have you ever?
And this is where I get awkward. Did she not believe me because I am hoarse? I just...
“Prayer is the light of the spirit, and the spirit, raised up to heaven by...”
– John Chrysostom
Mamma's Facebook friends with the Dali Lama
My mom and I were having a conversation about education and it took an interesting turn:
Mom: The Dali Lama had a great quote on Facebook about education the other day.
Me (shocked): The Dali Lama is on Facebook?
Mom (equally shocked): Of course the Dali Lama has Facebook!
July 2011
1 post
1 tag
Behind the Fence: Just Another Death
The statement was so nonchalant, I almost didn’t think twice about it. “Oh. Staten shot himself in the head.” So normal. Like I shouldn’t be shocked. About to move on to the next topic of discussion, I suddenly realized the weight of that statement, “Wait. Staten. Staten Bratton. Your homie. The one who hung out with us at the Christmas party. The one who was just released.” “Yeah. Dey...
June 2011
2 posts
1 tag
One Year. Nothing is Different, Everything has...
Today marks a year. A year in the same country, mostly the same city, same room, same bed. A year with every comfort imaginable, and the only travel being weekends with a small carry-on bag, not a backpack. A year of sitting in an air conditioned office. A year of being able to eat whatever I want when I want, no beans or rice. A year of making new friends in the city I left. A year of learning...
“Maybe the radical faith that the world so longs for is not is what we do, we...”
– Great perspective on unity in the Church- http://www.jeffkeuss.com/blog/?p=916
May 2011
3 posts
“Rich Christians must be careful not to distort the biblical teaching that God...”
– Ronald J. Sider Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger
1 tag
The Fleet Foxes May be Reading my Mind...
This song may be exactly how I feel at this point in my life. I love when that happens.
I was raised up believing I was somehow unique Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes, unique in each way you can see And now after some thinking, I’d say I’d rather be A functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me But I don’t, I don’t know what that...
1 tag
Love and Light
Over the past two days, I have been deeply disheartened by the celebration of the death of Osama Bin Laden. Yes, he was a force of evil in this world, but he was still created by Christ. His absence may make the world a safer place, but there are hundreds of others waiting to fill his role. I hope that people who were victimized by his actions can now find peace and solace, but I also hope that as...
April 2011
7 posts
1 tag
I Went. Will You Go?
Over two years ago, I was sitting behind a desk feeling like I was wasting my life. My roommate and best friend would email all day discussing what we COULD be doing with our time. Then she found The World Race. Holland sent me a link to a site with hundreds of stories of people changing the world. It didn’t take five minutes for us to click the link to sign up. We wanted more. We wanted an...
1 tag
The Boss and Me: The Silent Intimidator
All day, My Manager has been popping in and out of my office for no particular reason. This morning, he came back from his doctor’s appointment, and bowed to greet me, as if he were Japanese, and began speaking with an Asian accent. I was very confused until I realized his “doctor’s” appointment was actually acupuncture. After lunch these incidents continued. My Manager...
1 tag
The Boss and Me: Wedding Season & Scheduling...
So it is officially wedding season, for me at least. For whatever reason, only one of these weddings is on a Saturday. This has caused me to sit down with My Manager on various occasions to discuss my schedule. He even has an Outlook calendar set up just for me noting each event.
Today I sat down with him to discuss next weekend’s plans. This included an attempt to get off early on Friday...
Michael Hindes: Happy Easter, or something like... →
Exactly.
michaelhindes:
A few years ago someone told me that I shouldn’t use the phrase “Happy Easter”, because “Easter” was a reference to an ancient mystic god of fertility. They went onto explain how “the new agers” had a strategy to use that name to undermine our Christian values. So instead I should use the…
The Boss & Me: The Obscene Lunch Order
My Manager is Catholic, which means during Lent he is not eating meat on Fridays. Which is proving to make ordering lunch slightly more complicated.
Friday we decided to order Thai…
My Manager: Leize Marie, please order me the vegetable curry.
Me: Ok. Do you want tofu in that also?
My Manager: Hell no! Just vegetables! If I ordered tofu, I would also have to ask for a side of tampons to...
Confessions of a Squirrel: Attempting to be Cool...
Sometimes in awkward situations, or any situation, I have a tendency to become even more awkward than the actual occurrence. My friends and I like to say I can be a squirrel. When conversations get awkward, a lot of attention is focused on me, or a number of other things happen, my body tenses, my face reddens and gets hot, and I start to stutter. Over the years, I have learned how to contain my...
The Boss & Me: Getting Schooled
My Manager, being from Connecticut, and UCONN graduate, is a die hard Huskies fan. However, this year, for the first time ever, he did not pick them to make the Final Four in the NCAA tournament, and in our work pool, my bracket ended up scoring much higher than his. The same bracket he reviewed before the tournament, laughed, and said “Leize Marie, I feel really bad about taking your money...
1 tag
The Boss & Me: Passively Observing an Active...
As a part of out “employee assistance program” we had a guest speaker come in and teach a seminar on “Active Listening”. While you would think a lesson on active listening would only include listening, there was also a lot of group participation.
To begin, we had to partner up and each individual was given a role as either the speaker or the listener. The sweet, quiet...
March 2011
9 posts
1 tag
“Lord, our efforts at faithfulness are fraught with failure more often than we...”
– Shane Claiborne, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals
“The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts: it is beyond our vision. We...”
– Oscar Romeo
1 tag
The Boss and Me: Road Trip and Street Cred
Currently I am in my own hotel room in Missouri, wondering when I became old enough to be on a “business trip”. I have no clue what to do with my own hotel room that is twice the size of my bedroom with a bed twice the size as my own, my own bathroom, or cable (which my roommates and I don’t want to pay for). However, that is beside the point.
My manager and I flew into St....
1 tag
The Boss and Me: That Facebook Thing
As part of Operation Improve Employee Morale I made a special Monday morning treat- chocolate chip s’more cookies. They were about the size of my head and yet another success in the workplace.
A few minutes after arriving, My Manager peeks his head into my office-
My Manager: Leize Marie, we need to talk about this baking thing.
Me: Why?
My Manager: Because I have a weight problem, and I...
1 tag
Trust and Follow
First thing yesterday morning, I was overwhelmed by the headlines of the tsunami in Japan. I started crying over the destruction, the floods, and impending nuclear disaster. I thought about those on the West Coast and in Hawaii simply waiting to for the tsunami. Third world countries in Central America could be devastated and all they could do was wait and see.
This on top of the continuing...
1 tag
The Boss and Me: Operation Improve Employee Morale
After discovering one of my strengths from Strengthsfinder 2.0 is positivity, I took on the role of “Employee Morale Improver” at work. Of course I was self-appointed, and have yet to share my title with anyone, but I decided someone needed to help bring unity to the corporate office. Over the past few months I have implemented a few phases to Operation Improve Employee Morale.
...
“God is faithful to God’s promises. Before you die, you will find the...”
– Henri Nouwen, The Inner Voice of Love
February 2011
7 posts
“Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom that CANNOT BE SHAKEN, let us be...”
– Hebrews 12:28-19
1 tag
The Name Game: Relationship Advice from My Manager
I think I have mentioned that my manager likes to make fun of the names of my friends.
He will say things like, “Oh, you have to have a fancy name to be friends with Leize Marie,” and always emphasizes the last syllable, “like Hol-LAND, McKen-NA, WilKES.”
However, he always seems to forget my roommates’ names are Katie and Brittany, and my bestie in Seattle is named...
Warning: Hipsters are Taking Over the World
Recent current events, have led me to believe a very sobering truth: hipsters are taking over the world.
This thesis is supported by a few things:
1. The then little-known Arcade Fire won the Grammy for Album of the Year over popular opinion- Beiber and Eminem. I am happy I am not the only one without Beiber-fever (I just don’t get it).
2. Recent uprisings against “the...
1 tag
Gaps in the Fence: Today, I Wish I had Pulled Over
She smiled as I paused at the stop sign, revealing missing teeth. The bags she carried, probably containing all her earthly possessions, seemed to weigh her down as she walked down the sidewalk. Her husband/lover/brother/friend walked down the sidewalk on the other side of the road with twice as much baggage as she carried. I waved and said hello out of the open window, sympathizing with how out...
1 tag
You Know it's Bad When... A Lesson on Mother Earth
As I was finally straightening up my desk, My Manager walks in to tell me something. During the conversation, I threw a small stack of paper into the trash can, however, we have a shredding service that recycles paper…
My Manager: WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! Why don’t you just go cut down a whole forest?!?!
Me: It was just a small stack of paper.
My Manager: I am telling you, if I am the one...
1 tag
When to Eat: Worries of an American
This week, we had a really big presentation to corporate, but it was around lunch time. My Manager became concerned about when he was going to eat, and interrupted our conversation to go get food. As he passed back by my office, he poked his head in…
Me: So you got to eat?
My Manager: Yes. I didn’t think I was going to be able to eat before the MOR, and all I could think was,...
1 tag
You Know it's Bad When... A Lesson on Pop Culture
So The Boss is gone, and now it is just My Manager and me.
In my house, there is no television. That’s right, not just no cable, but not even one t.v. My Manager thinks this is hilarious, and loves to make fun of my lack of pop-culture knowledge…
My Manager: Leize Marie, you should open a high-end retail store called “Bash”.
Me: Oh?
My Manager: See, you don’t even...
January 2011
6 posts
1 tag
Ultimate Lunch Break: The Ice Cream Catastrophe
For his last week at work, The Boss and I took an ultimate lunch break together.
Leaving Panera, The Boss suggested an extra stop.
The Boss: Maybe we should stop by Chick-Fil-A for an IceDream. No, no, too many calories.
Me: Not if you get a little one.
The Boss: Oh yeah! Small ones only have 200 calories or something. Let’s go.
As I drove my car to the drive-thru, I ordered 2 kids...
1 tag
The Boss Gives a Parting Gift
So, The Boss is leaving. This next week will be his last at work; he is moving on to bigger and better things in a bigger and better city. Over the next five days everything is going to be ultimate: ultimate outside time, ultimate lunches and learns, and ultimate high five Fridays.
Last week, while discussing the priorities of the day, The Boss gave me a parting gift:
The Boss: Here, I want you...
1 tag
Braving the "Blizzard" to Keep The Company Running
This time last year, I was sweating in Kenya. I did not at all envy my friends who were playing in the snow and hoped that this year would be a mild winter. Well, In the past 2 weeks I have seen more snow than I have in my entire life.
Here are some highlights of the South Carolina “blizzard” today:
1. Scraping the 4+ inches of snow off my car with a CD. Who needs an ice scraper...