Strengths Finder 2.0

I've heard about this book for the past several years, but thanks to a friend of Cafe 1040, I've now been presented with the perfect opportunity/excuse to purchase it!  :)

At the end of April, this kind gentleman will bless our International Staff with a group analysis of our strengths and how we can best work together.  In preparation we each are to take the Strengths Finder test which I did today. 

After all of the warnings to put what you truly are not to select what you wish you were, I nervously opened the website to begin my test.  I HOPE I did it right!  Haha, how on earth could I have done it wrong, right?  (Somehow the more they warn me to go with my gut and the first answer that comes to mind, the more I second-guess myself.  Ah!  Such stress these self-report tests are to me!)

Thankfully, I realize that there are bigger issues in the world, so I jumped in and took the test.  It only made me skip ONE question, which was an incredible success for me seeing as how they only allow 20 seconds for each answer... and really, I think the one that I took too long on was when a phone call distracted me.  After successfully completing 99% of the questions, I was informed that the following are my Top Five Themes:

1. Learner
2. Belief
3. Competition
4. Intellection
5. Strategic

I'll post the explanations for each separately, but assuming I didn't unintentionally give false answers, these probably explain alot about me.  :)

Pre-Neti Pot

Alright friends... I've had sinus contents for the past 6 weeks+ and I'm ready to be able to sleep well again.  I'm done with my eyes being an outlet for my sinuses and I'm done with my throat being a drainage pipe, so I'm finally gonna' try the Neti.

I was at least 17 before I really got okay with blowing my nose, so this is a fairly big deal for me, but so far 99% of my advisors have said they swear by the Neti Pot, so here goes nothin'!

So I like to plan

Actually, I like to plan so much that sometimes I enjoy the fact that I've coordinated my schedule more than enjoy the events that I've got scheduled. And, YES! Of course I've already purchased and begun filling in my 2010 planner. You better believe it is color coordinated with my new work journal. (I also love buying journals... not really the writing in them part. I just like office supplies in general, but this journal was justified since my boss told me to buy it!)

This weekend I had zero plans which was perfect for this introvert who has a FULL week planned out. First, I'm hosting a dinner party on Monday night. Then Wednesday I'll be joining a couple for dinner at their new house. Thursday is Italian Wine Tasting at the High Museum of Art. And Friday night is dinner and a night out with my Spain friends in honor of Robin's visit this weekend!

I just love going over and over "the plan" in my mind, and I can't wait to make sure all the particulars are recorded on the appropriate day in my planner. :)

Curtains are up!

Last night my trusty screwdriver and I successfully installed a curtain rod.

Due to my lack of a power drill it turned into a lengthy process during which a few screw heads got stripped :), but I enjoy fixing stuff and being handy (including changing the power cord on our dryer), so it was a very relaxing way to spend the evening.

Food, Inc.

Sometimes I get a little confused

Like... why did this recipe call for 2 (12-ounce) cans of refrigerated buttermilk??? I've made it before and just could not remember in which step the buttermilk was used. (This was while I was at the grocery store attempting to fulfill one of the last items on my long list.) For the life of me I could not find canned, refrigerated buttermilk. There's canned evaporated milk and canned sweetened condensed milk, but no canned buttermilk. Deciding that even though I couldn't remember using buttermilk last time I made this recipe, I should probably still purchase all of the ingredients so that I wouldn't have to return to Publix (where I quite successfully avoided having the bagger walk me to my car! YES!!!) So I got my jug of buttermilk, that was the best I could do instead of 2 (12-ounce) jars, and my one roll of 10 biscuits along with all the other items on the list and proudly returned to my temporary home where my confusion was suddenly cleared when I re-read this...Guess I'll have to stop by the store again after all. :)

Christian World-Famousness

This week has been a big week for me... I both met a great connection for getting on Dr. Michael Youssef's calendar (ref. Church of the Apostles and Leading the Way) and apparently have Steve Fee's cell phone number.

Is this how Christians name drop?

Do you think I'm cooler now?

Would it affect your opinion if I told you that I've been asked for my autograph before? :) It's true. And it was in that moment that I realized (thankfully at a very young age) we're all just people. No matter how many people know your name or listen to what you have to say or sing (I was on choir tour in Europe... Fee probably knows how I felt in that moment... huh... we could totally bond over this) we're all just people.

I definitely do not want to discount the ministries of these men, but I do want to challenge our concept of those who are famous. As in, I have a receipt in my hand for Steve Fee's Starbuck's order. Why does that seem any cooler to me than the other Starbuck's receipt (my boss's) from that same meeting? And why do I feel the slightest bit impressive since I might get to meet with Dr. Youssef? I'm sure it doesn't make Jesus feel too loved. Or does it? Is it out of respect for Dr. Youssef that I want to meet him? And that respect comes from how he handles the truth of Jesus? So, is that honoring to Him?

Don't you just wanna' sit and sip your Starbuck's as you pick His brain and hear His heart on stuff like this. :) Haha, the Trinity must get some good laughs out of my logic! :)

Happy Weekend to you 3 readers out there. Feel free to share your thoughts or even any famous Christian people with whom you have a unique connection.