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zhaj
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Name: Ann
Country: United States
State: Missouri
Gender: Female
Interests: listening to music (Top 5 bands: The Beatles, Wilco, Bob Dylan, Radiohead, Over the Rhine); ranting about the environment and harsh cleaning chemicals :); cooking, walking; hiking; asking questions; hanging out with my super cool husband, Luke; good conversation and/or debate with friends
Occupation: Other
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
AIM:  zhajer
Member Since:
9/8/2003
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| Hey...I hardly ever get to use the computer anymore because mine broke down, and Luke is using his laptop constantly for work, church, etc. But today, my sweet husband left his laptop at home while he was working a barista shift at the Artisan, so I've had the computer all day. I've done all sorts of things that I never get to do. I looked at monasteries where we might have a women's retreat for church, shopped the J. Crew spring sale, Google chatted with Amanda, shopped for birthday presents for people, looked at blogs that I hadn't seen in awhile. It's been good. My day with Luke's computer has also allowed me to write this post.
Along with looking at blogs, I finally checked out this blog that Erin sent me a link to: http://noimpactman.typepad.com/blog/. You guys might want to check it out too. While reading through some of the "crazy" things this guys has done to live with less impact on the environment, I started to realize that I am becoming "that kind of person" too. I am starting to bring my own canvas bag to the store. My plan is to buy a canvas bad at Clovers everytime I do my grocery shopping there. Yeah, I'm gonna start bringing my bags to the regular grocery store. I am going to be that crazy hippie lady at the grocery store. I am also alright with that. The main thing I want to avoid is appearing snobby in being that crazy lady. I never want to make a big scene or make people feel really uncomfortable by the way I'm trying to live. Yes, people will think I'm crazy, I just don't want to be rude. I continue on the quest to make my own cleaning supplies. I think I now have a basic range of everyday cleaning items, and I get excited every time I use them. No more creepy chemicals, AND it's a heck of a lot cheaper!
On the natural living note, Clovers is a pretty great place to work. So far, everyone has been so nice and helpful, even when I'm the new girl who keeps forgetting to clock in and out (hey the Artisan had hand-written time cards....). There is still so much to learn, but I feel like I'm starting to feel a little more comfortable with the cash register and counting down the drawer and all of that fun stuff. The customers are cool. I definitely learn something new everyday. It's pretty great :)
I hope everyone's Easter was good. Mine was very good. A little crazy, but good. It was great to celebrate the Easter season at Karis. Luke and I are so blessed to be a part of this little church plant. This little church plant is also growing quite a bit recently, which is even more encouraging. We had 3 new people become members this week, and one of them got baptized on Easter. It's really encouraging to see so many new people coming and being very passionate about our vision as a church. It is encouraging to see people longing for true community, being a part of the city where God has called us, and also seeking to be faithful to the gospel in every aspect of life--in work, play, caring for people, caring for the environment, caring for the city and so many other aspects of life. I am daily encouraged by this church even when it is hard and stretches me in ways I don't want to be stretched. God is faithful indeed.
I think that's about all I have to say right now. Hopefully I can post again soon!
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| A True Granola girl? Finally?Well, I'm not sure if I'm really a granola girl or a hippie, but I do love nature and I do work at Clovers Natural Foods in Columbia now. I'm really excited. It is such a cool store, and as I have already been trying to learn how to live more sustainably and naturally already, Clovers is the perfect place to learn even more. I'm just working one shift a week, but I am already learning so much! I'm going to be the crazy mom who tries not to expose her kids to any harsh chemicals and gives them natural remedies when they are sick :) And you know what? That doesn't bother me just one bit :) | | |
| A Post.Though this is probably not a good use of time right now, and it is also probably equally true that no one ever looks at my blog anymore, I am going to post. I have come to terms with the fact that I will most likely forever be a random blogger. You never know when I'll post, though I want to try to get a little more regular than I am currently. Another truth is that I am also very bad at regular correspondence. These two truths have lead me to want to post right now, to perhaps keep up some form of correspondence in my life. I also went browsing around Erica's blog and Megan's blog and Protz's blog, and they made me want to be a more regular blogger. I probably won't really become a more regular blogger, but I want to. Doesn't that count a little bit??
So, here are some random thoughts from Ann Daugherty:
1. I am married. Last time I wrote, I was newly engaged. I am glad that I'm not engaged anymore. It really isn't all that fun. Some aspects are good, but being married is way better.
2. I really like being married. I know everyone says that, but it's true. It is not always easy. It requires sacrifice, and it makes me be a lot less selfish. Those are good things, but they are not easy. Anyone who tells you differently is just lying.
3. Not having much money can be a really good thing. It forces one to live more sustainably and think through what one really needs. In thinking how to live more sustainably, I have been doing more things like walking more and driving less. I love walking, so in many ways, learning to live more cheaply has also helped me to live more happily. Funny, eh?
4. I am learning to live more naturally. Luke is learning too, mostly because I talk his ear off about it, but he thinks it is important as well :) I am realizing more and more that we need to think through how we were raised to live. Cleaning supplies with weirdo chemicals are scary, and they very well may be affecting us more than we can know. Not every chemical is bad, but it seems like lessening our dependency on them couldn't possibly be a bad thing to try to do. Also, the chemicals and pesticides used in many of the foods we regularly consume are pretty freaky too. I checked out a book from the library called The Ethical Gourmet, and it has given me a lot of stuff to think about. I have always cared about the environment, but I haven't always thought about how the kinds of food I eat and how it is produced affects the environment quite a bit.
5. I am learning to live more locally, too. I want to think through my actions more carefully and think about how they affect the town that I love. This can be in thinking about supporting good, diverse local business. It might also be in thinking through how buying foods grown more locally is beneficial to the environment as well at the local economy. I know I sound idealistic. Maybe I am, but are these such bad things to think through?
6. I am learning more about what the local church should be. I am thankful for the gift that is Karis Community Church. I have too many thoughts to put down in words, but I am learning everyday what true biblical community is. I am learning that it is indeed much like marriage which requires sacrifice and thinking beyond one's self. I am seeing more and more beauty in diversity of peoples but unity in Christ. We have been through some hard times, and we are facing many challenges with support and the like, but our vision and passion for living out the gospel in Columbia has not changed. I am learning that a phrase like "living out the gospel in Columbia" is rich and complex and if it is simplified to a few things that we do, then it is no longer the gospel. I am still learning what that means, but I do know that it does not mean compromise on the core of the gospel. I still believe that I am saved from my sin by God's grace through Christ's death and resurrection alone. I also know that living out the gospel does not mean that the church should isolate herself from the world except when performing evangelism "drive-bys". Living out the gospel must be accompanied by love.
7. I want to work in a flower shop. I love flowers. Their beauty brings me so much joy, and I want to learn more about the elements of floral design: color, form, and function. Yes, I checked out a book from the library about this as well :)
8. I have learned that I am not a very good manager. I can do the job, but I have no passion for what the job entails. I am very relational, and that barrier between manager and employee is rough for me. I see how it is indeed a very important role, but I have realized that it is not a role for which I am fit. Therefore, I am looking to do something else, i.e. work in a flower shop.
9. I love cooking. Although I am seeking to leave food service work, hardly anything brings me greater joy than trying a new recipe and making food for people :)
10. I can talk entirely too much. I hope that writing a lot on applications does not hinder people from hiring me. If writing a lot is a hinderance, then I will surely not get hired by anyone....
And I think that is all I have to say for now. If anyone still checks my xanga, please say hello :)
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| My prayers go out to the Wilhoites right now. They are a family
in our church who have a young baby boy, Gary, and Amy, his mom, just
got diagnosed with leukemia out of the blue. None of them were
expecting it. She started a prayer blog,
and I encourage you all to read it. Her strength in the Lord is
so encouraging. Please keep Amy, Brandon, and Gary in you
prayers.
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| The proposal....It happened along the Missouri River on June 10, 2006. It was
thoughtful, simple, and sweet just like I wanted. I still cannot
believe it actually happened sometimes :) But it did, and I'm
really happy :) So, back to the story..... Luke had
apparently gone to the winery in Rocheport the week before and found
the trail that goes down to the river and planned to propose to me on a
bench at the end of the trail. That sneaky fella ;)
I had no idea. It had been a long week, and I was so excited that
we were going out just the two of us. I knew a proposal would
come in the relatively near future, but it is also Luke so our ideas of
"relatively near" could be vastly different. As we drove to the
winery, it poured. And it poured even more as we sat in the
restaurant eating. I was bummed because we had planned on walking
on the Katy Trail after dinner. Luke was bummed for other
reasons, but he played it off really cool. So, we finished
dinner, and there was a break in the storm. The trees dripped on
our heads a little, but neither of us minded. We conveniently
"found" a bench along the river, so we sat down because it was lovely
even though it was damp. Luke proceeded to pull out a CD he made
me and read a poem he wrote along with it incorporating the songs from
the CD (in Luke and Ann fashion). It was sweet, and I started to
cry from the get-go. Even as he read, I hoped it was a proposal,
but I didn't want to be disappointed, so I didn't get my hopes
up. As he neared the end of the poem, and he was crying too, I got
a suspicion it was more than just a regular sweet gesture. Then
he got on his knee and proposed, and I said, "Yes" (though at the time,
I was so overwhelmed, I don't even know how I managed to say
that!). Then we cried and smiled along the Missouri River.
The end :)
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