C-Love - A Monday Meme

I haven't done any memes in a while, but thought this one looked like fun. My new friend Sarah listed ten things she loves that start with P, then assigned letters to anyone who wanted to play along. She gave me "C," so here's my list: Ten things I love that start with "C."

1. Cinnamon. Chocolate is too obvious (though a life without chocolate would be a sad, sad life indeed!), but I love food so much, you know I had to put SOME sort of food on this list. What's not to like about cinnamon? The smell is so warm and inviting, and it tastes so good in so many things: quick breads, cookies, muffins, lattes...yum.

2. Camera. I jumped into the DSLR world two years ago when I got a Nikon D50 for Christmas from Steve and my parents. It was spendy, but well worth the investment. My favorite thing about my camera is the shutter response time. Unlike my first digital camera, when you click the shutter, it takes the picture instantly--no lag time!--which means you actually capture the face the child is making. Essential for taking good photos of my little guy. I also love being able to take photos in low light without using the ugly built-in flash. I still wish I knew a lot more about photography; I've barely begun to learn what this camera can do. But even though my skills are limited, it still takes great photos.

3. Cuddling. I can't think of any physical place in the world I feel more safe and secure than curled up next to my strong husband. We just fit. And we lucked out when it comes to "love languages"--physical touch is his number one and a very close second for me--so we both enjoy snuggling close constantly. I'm sure we are that couple who makes people gag sometimes, but you know what? We're fine with that :) (But no, we don't do massages in church!)

4. Cards. If physical touch is my number-two love language, words of affirmation definitely takes first place--which is probably why I love sending and receiving cards so much. I first got hooked on Hallmark's "fresh ink" cards, thanks to my friend Kathryn. I don't buy cards very often anymore (though I am a sucker for cute packs of notecards), because my friend Melissa got me sucked into Stampin' Up and making my own cards, which I have really enjoyed.

5. Colorado. I spent the summers of 2003 and 2004 in Denver working for Kingdom Building Ministries and fell in love with the area. The weather is perfect; the scenery is breathtaking. There was nothing like seeing fabulous mountain views on your drive to work every morning! Estes Park is especially dear to my heart because it was the site of a life-changing retreat with my mentor in April 2005...and Steve proposed to me in Rocky Mountain National Park in July 2004.

6. Chorale. While we're walking down memory lane...without question, the highlight of my college years was the time I spent with the Indiana Wesleyan University Chorale. Four-thirty p.m. every weekday was sanctuary for me. In both rehearsals and concerts, we had some incredible times of worship and made some glorious music. The group was my family; nearly all of my closest college friends are chorale comrades. I learned more than I can recount from Prof Guy, an incredibly talented conductor and one of the most passionate people I know. And it was serving as women's chaplain for the group that gave me a passion for women's ministry and cultivated some of my gifts. So many fun and crazy and touching memories...ah, I miss it.

7. Conversations. Few things in this world bless and energize me more than a long heart-to-heart with someone thoughtful. I despise small talk, but I love having deep conversations about things that matter.

8. Contemporary hymns. I've really swung back and forth dramatically on the worship music spectrum over the years, but what I love about contemporary hymns is that they strike a beautiful balance. I'm so thankful for songwriters who combine rich theology and deep, thoughtful lyrics with modern music that stirs my heart.

9. Counsel. Mentoring has been a passion of mine ever since I was first paired with Diane as an intern at KBM (see #5 above). I love to learn from older, wiser, godly women who are ahead of me on this journey and can challenge and encourage me. I think it's so important to humble myself and seek wise counsel from others, even if pride makes me struggle with being teachable at times. And, I'll be honest, I love to share what I've learned and give counsel to others--though I try not to pass out too much unsolicited advice :)

10. Cross centered living. (Ooh, double points for two Cs!) My exposure to various people from Sovereign Grace Ministries and then reading C.J. Mahaney's book The Cross Centered Life a few years ago radically transformed my understanding of the Christian life. I experienced a huge paradigm shift as I came to realize that the cross wasn't just something to think about on Good Friday, that the gospel wasn't simply a story nonbelievers needed to hear to become Christians and then move on to deeper things. The glory of the cross, the truth of the gospel has relevance to every aspect of my life as a believer. I cannot ever move on from here.

And there you have it! If you'd like a letter to make a list of your own, leave a comment below and I'll send you one.