Love Never Fails

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude…It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8)

While leading a church mission trip to Brazil, I was in charge of passing out lunch tickets to the members of our group for a lunch at a Methodist camp. As I counted the tickets, I noticed there was one extra, in addition to our group of Brazilian and American Methodists. Our host, a retired missionary named Marion Way, explained that the ticket was for a young woman he and his wife were trying to help. She had come to the camp with friends that day, and Marion was taking care of her lunch.  

As Marion explained this woman’s lifetime of failed efforts to get herself on track, she sounded to me like a lost cause. She had three children, none of whom she was currently caring for. She’d abandoned one child at birth. Raised in an orphanage, this woman had been on and off drugs, and in and out of halfway houses almost her entire life. Marion sadly informed me that the woman had recently decided to leave a group home and go back out on the street.

In typical American fashion, I started to think, “why help those who won’t even help themselves?” And then I remembered the words of my pastor, Dr. James Howell, from a sermon a few weeks earlier. His words hit me so hard, I pulled out a pen to jot them down in the middle of the sermon: “God doesn't abandon us for our failure to achieve. Therefore, we shouldn't abandon others for their failure to achieve.”

Our devotional that evening was from 1 Corinthians 13, a passage I’d heard so many times that I’d stopped really hearing it. Through Marion’s living witness, that night I heard in a new way the definition of love as patient and kind.

I had to go all the way to Brazil to see the words I’d heard in North Carolina put into action.

Marion and his wife, Anita

Marion as a young man beginning a career of faithful service

My very favorite photo of Marion, courtesy of Allen Smith in 2007

Looking back on Myers Park UMC Brazil Mission Trip Memories...thanks to Marion. (Click here for my 2010 post about my church's work in Rio and more about "Saint Marion.") 

 

Two Gals & a Truck

My top 5 driving achievements to date:
1. Driving a stick shift in Madrid at night in 1997
2. Getting 15 teenagers to and from Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in a church bus in 2006
3. Navigating South Africa's wine country in a VW van on the left side of the road in 2007
4. Driving a Uhaul to NYC with Katie in 2013!!!!!



I couldn't believe it when my sweet friend Katie offered to help me move my stuff to NYC from Charlotte! Since she moved last year herself, she was sensitive to what a relief it is to have some support.

Leigh Ann of course would have helped, but she's had a wicked travel schedule of late. So, her contributions have included managing the carpet cleaning and other chores to ready my condo for its new residents in May.

Katie and I flew to Charlotte on Thursday and spent the afternoon packing up my art, kitchen supplies and some small furniture. On Friday, a handsome, hardworking crew from Gentle Giant loaded my Uhaul and dropped off a big batch of donations at Crisis Assistance Ministries. After living without my things for two years, it was pretty easy to cull through and give away more than half my stuff. How many serving bowls and casserole dishes does one girl need?!?

However, in yet another sign I picked the perfect place for myself, my kitchen has ample storage, so I brought my ice cream maker, food processor, Kitchen Aid mixer, and Mom's Waterford crystal. I am jazzed to use them all!

Katie and I hit the road on Saturday and spent the night in Alexandria with Hilary and Jeff, who have a fantastic new home. Katie parallel parked the truck like a pro! I was up with the birds on Sunday morning but let Katie sleep until 6. We were on the road by 6:45 and through the Lincoln Tunnel by 11.



Adam and Travis met us on my street, where the lack of parking led us to make a split-second decision to unload the Uhaul in a bus lane. I think we did it in five minutes flat! Adam and Travis then started carrying everything across the street and Into my building. I got in trouble with the super, who'd told me Sunday moves are forbidden, but I made a calculated choice that forgiveness would be easier to get than permission. He was peeved, but we (ahem, Adam and Travis...I just watched the stuff in the sidewalk) were done in under 45 minutes.

What a relief!!! I could have cried. I'd stressed about that move for a month and juggled a ton of moving pieces. And then to have it all come together so perfectly on a sunny day...hallelujah!!!

My helpers were thirsty, but I had no drinking vessels other than a coffee mug and my toasting flutes!

Katie dropped off the truck, promising that Travis and I would return the blankets and dolly. Travis wheeled it down 9th Avenue for me, and we laughed the whole way! 

 

Harlem Pizza Party

I've been so lucky to meet some fabulous new gal pals of late! Friday night, a group of us got together at Marianne's brownstone in Harlem to make pizza.

It was such a treat...her place is amazing! It's been fully renovated and is a great mix of the old fixtures and modern upgrades. She even owns a Manhattan unicorn: her very own washer and dryer!

We made three pizzas: tomato, mushroom and mozzarella; sausage with caramelized onions and peppers; and sweet potato with rosemary and ricotta. So good!!

I'm already looking forward to our next trip, when we get to make use of her terrace...

New Digs!

It's not often you can say you surprised yourself...but I've done just that in the past month: I rather suddenly decided to get my own place!

With my two-year anniversary of moving to NYC looming, my renter in Charlotte let me know she'd be moving out at the end of March. Since I rented my place fully furnished two years ago, I needed to deal with the stuff I left behind when I moved. I gradually got excited about the idea of having my own nest in the city, surrounded by my own things. So, I'll be moving some of my things here from Charlotte in April and donating the rest.

Apartment hunting in NYC is a tough job, but I managed to find what I think is the perfect fit for me: an alcove studio in Hell's Kitchen. It's an easy commute to work, and it's in a new building with doormen, a roof deck, gym, and other amenities. There are lots of great bars and restaurants nearby. And, after two years in a fifth-floor walk-up, I have an elevator!! (To be honest, that was kind of low on my priority list, as the stairs were a great cardio boost.)

Anyway, here's a look... The first pics were snapped when I viewed the unit and it was still being cleaned from the prior tenant. I fell in love with the amount of natural light!

As you can tell, the kitchen is fully renovated/upgraded, which was a huge plus. At first, I thought it was more space than I wanted, but I gradually adjusted to the idea of it, because it's a studio that feels a little more like a one-bedroom. This will be great because I can have people over for dinner, etc. (Not to mention rooftop cocktails!).

Funny enough, my friend Eric is now moving in with his boyfriend Matt. The timing was great for both of us. I got his bed, bookshelf, sofa and TV. The sofa and TV are just on loan for now, but it kept me from investing in a sofa, and it kept him from having to store the items in case he wants them back. Win, win!

I hired movers to transport Eric's stuff from Queens on Thursday, so here's a peek at what it looked like once his things arrived...

Here's a look at the view...it's actually much quieter than you'd expect for something so close to the bustle of Times Square.

On Saturday morning, I moved my clothes from Kurt's. It took me about three trips. I'm proud to say I treated myself to taxis! Can you imagine schlepping this on the subway?! Ugh. My sweet friend Kathleen helped me with the last haul.

More fun...my friend Gavin works at Macy's and helped me get a fabulous deal on a comforter and duvet cover. I've supplemented those with a few other full-price pieces, which I picked out after poking around the store displays yesterday afternoon... My bedding pick (for now) is to mix the palmetto green pieces with the beige quilted coverlet. I have a really jazzy piece of art that I think will pop over the bed, with those colors as a neutral background.

I'll basically be urban camping for two weeks until I get the rest of my stuff from Charlotte, but it feels like a great adventure! I'm so lucky to have had a terrific roommate for two years and know I will miss Kurt's company (and cooking!)...especially when Downton Abbey and Homeland come back on. But it's exciting to feel like I'm starting a new chapter on my own. Stay tuned for more pics! 

Life with K

I must share with you how creative my adorable roommate is! Check out this clever Sunday night "picnic" he hosted recently to celebrate the birthdays of his friends Claire and Allison. This was the first course. He followed it up with cheese fondue, with miniature cupcakes for dessert.

That same weekend, he turned our bread scraps into a tasty breakfast casserole. Technically, this was my idea, but he actually made it happen -- and used some of the leftover fondue. Ingenious!

We have had fun watching Homeland together and continued our CIA-ddiction with a trip to Zero Dark Thirty, where I purchased an appallingly large popcorn and Coca-Cola (and M&Ms, natch!).

Phantom of the Opera recently held a gala at the New York Public Library to toast the show's 25th anniversary on Broadway. Kurt managed to get me and Tim inside to enjoy the festivities. Such a treat!