making connections

*house update: waiting to hear back from the mortgage company. i'll let you know when there's exciting news!

i was talking to today with my sister-in-law about social networking and how it has changed the way we interact with one another. i know this isn't a new concept and plenty of people out there in the blog world are talking about it. it's just that i find the subject so interesting and fascinating. the world we live in is constantly changing, which means so are we. the way we approach relationships are completely different than even the way it was done just 25 years ago. there are pros and cons to this new technologically advanced society that we live in and i just wanted to talk for a few minutes about it.

i consider myself to be a technology junkie... i love the newest gadget and computers make me happy. it's a whole lot easier to deal with a machine than a person. even still i find myself amazed at the speed at which information can travel. last fall when i presented a need i encountered in africa i used the internet to share that need. in less than a month $1500 was raised and 38 students at a deaf school had mattresses to sleep on. read more about that story here. i literally shared a story and using social networking sites, the news spread. and the need was met. someone i know recently shared on facebook how she needed a larger vehicle to accomodate some family she has coming into town. money is tight and renting isn't really an option. so she posts it to facebook and within an hour 3 different people offered their vehicle for her family to use. she was surprisingly shocked by the response. but imagine if there was nowhere for her to post her need? calling the people you know to ask if you can borrow their car can be intimidating and put pressure on people to say yes. putting it out there on facebook allows those who really want to help, to do just that. incredible.

on saturday my sister-in-law is visiting her family in oklahoma for a week. she's traveling alone with my 2 nieces and put out a request on facebook for a portable dvd player to borrow. sure enough, a friend (more of an aquaintance really) responds that she has one they can borrow. we picked it up today. again... incredible.

imagine how much good is being done and can be done through utilizing these resources. it is simply amazing to see how far we've come and what is possible when we are more "connected" together.

the flipside is that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. so that means for every good thing happening in social networking, there is bad. we all know the stories. we hear them every day. i won't focus on those today. the simple downside to me is that we lose that personal touch with one another. i find it easy to keep up with friend's daily happenings through twitter or facebook and then realize that a month has gone by without face to face interaction with them. it's relationship, but without the committment. i say that to challenge myself to be better about having real encounters, with real people... not just through social networking means. the temptation is so strong and it's so much faster... so much less hassle... so much less effort.

but aren't all good things in life worth the effort? i would dare to say yes!

just a thought for today.

coffeepot of faith

i've been a little m.i.a. in the blogging world for a couple weeks... so much has been going on!

last week i was out of town for 5 days attending a conference in northern new jersey. it was great, but i didn't have internet at the house where we were staying. thank God for my iphone and google reader. i was still able to read all of your blogs, but commenting was another story. not impossible, but painstakingly complicated.

after returning it's been a whirlwind of trying to catch up but still feeling farther and farther behind on things. and to top it all off, i am in the process of buying a house! some of you might remember my post back in january where i shared my house woes... the process of making an offer and then being beat out but someone else. i've done a lot of thinking and praying since then and the recent developments have been very exciting!

there is a community of homes within the city of coatesville that were built about 6 years ago. they are these adorable little townhomes nestled on the east end of the city that are home to a diverse group of people from all different backgrounds and races... it's a beautiful mixture and it really has that "community" feel. neighbors actually talk to one another and pop over just to say hi. kids can run around freely and everyone keeps an eye on them. my pastor and his wife actually live there as well. it's just a great place to be. honestly, it feels like home when i'm there.

so long story short there's a house for sale there and through some crazy circumstances i have the opportunity to purchase it for about $50K under the normal asking price. seriously, this has GOD written all over it! i would not have been able to afford a home like this under normal circumstances and God knew that. since it's newer construction i literally have nothing to do but paint. granted there are some things i would like to get my hands on, but that can always wait. i already have 2 people who are interested in living with me which would help me out with finances tremendously... it's just incredible the way things are working together.

in about a week i should be hearing from the mortgage company and then things will really get going. i'm not at liberty to discuss all the details on here, but it's possible i could own a house in less than a month! i'm so excited to get my hands on that place and put my own touches on it.

i was at target the other day browsing the clearance isles and i came across this awesome coffee pot which was 50% off. i decided to purchase it in faith that this house purchase goes through. i can't wait to brew my first pot in my new place.

now all i need are cups. :)

bundled up

i thought i'd enter the i heart faces contest this week just for fun. the theme is "bundled up" and i took this picture of my adorable niece kylie during one of the february blizzards. her snowsuit kept her hands trapped so she sat down and just started eating the snow. she is too cute!