Hey Fighting Tigers

As I was before the 2007 season, I am super primed up for football season (and well all know what happened then). The following link explains why:

http://collegefootball.about.com/od/schools/tp/rankings-preseason.htm

That year, I argued that we were preseason #2, we had a tough schedule, and if we got through it, we were guaranteed a spot in the BCS game. We got through, barely, with two losses, but we won. This year, I've been arguing superstition about always playing in the BCS game when it's in New Orleans. I argue tough schedule like last time as well, only with a #4 ranking this time around. Let me explain.

Rankings:

1. Oregon

2. Oklahoma

3. Alabama

4.LSU

5. Stanford

6. Boise State

7. Oklahoma State

8. South Carolina

9. Texas A&M

10. Wisconsin

11. Notre Dame

12. Ohio State

13. Florida State

14. TCU

15. Michigan State

16. Penn State

17. Virginia Tech

18. Nebraska

19. Missouri

20. Mississippi State

21. Arkansas

22. Florida

23. Auburn

24. West Virginia

25. Miami

Now, that MIGHT be the most obscure top 10 of all time, but we start the season playing #1, we can make that work. Then, we have to play two more top ten teams over the course of the season. NOT TO MENTION the five, count 'em FIVE other top 25 teams we must beat. If we can knock out Oregon in that first game and set ourselves up for greatness, we are guaranteed a spot.

I'm not gonna lie, I really wish I was in grad school at LSU for this. I'd be at every game just like 2007. But I guess we all gotta grow up at some point. This...is...gonna...be....awesome.

Plus, a National Championship in New Orleans for the third time in a row. We own that place. Lets make it happen.

Geaux Tigers.

Prayer

So I've realized I've become really complacent in my prayer life. This is something I've been struggling with for a while, and I've not been intentional in fixing it, which is really the problem itself, if that makes sense.

Allow me to explain.

I read a book a few years ago about praising God through the everyday blessings, and I got really good at it. So I do this, constantly, and it keeps me close to him.

I also have had LOTS of good thinking time since I got to Chicago, and so I've tried super hard to be so enamored by the Lord that my thoughts default to him in these times. But they don't. I want to be closer, I want to direct my mind to him, but I always get distracted. It's driving me nuts.

Also, I've realized that I don't come before the Lord in a way that allows me to truly be still in him. I always tell people I will pray for them, and then I pray for them once or twice, like, right on the spot, then I forget altogether about what I'm supposed to be praying for and I end up only praying for my own requests - most of the time at least.

I often pray for people/places/things (nouns) whenever I think of those specific people/places/things, but it's usually a quick prayer like "Oh yeah, God, take care of that." I don't truly take time to enter his presence, praise him, and present my requests.

I think I got so satisfied with simply praising him over the little things that I forgot to set aside special time for him. Both are necessary.

Human Example: Jess is my best friend. I text her little thoughts and jokes and stories throughout the day. Same with my parents, grandparents, and other friends, but mostly Jess. Does this constant form of communication mean I do not have to make time to actually call or spend time with these people? Absolutely not. I have one day off in Chicago and my first thought was "You better spend it with Jessica." We meet for lunch whenever we can, and when we are in different cities, we make time in our busy schedules to call each other. If suddenly Jess were to stop calling or stop trying to hang out with me, I'd be kidna paranoid, I'm not gonna lie.

So, why do I think I can still have a deep relationship with the Lord if I don't take time to truly sit and spend time with him. I mean, I read the word every day, and I have a little prayer time, but not like I crave, not like I should, and I want that to change. I want to be intentional in my prayers.

That is all.

Chicago So Far

Though I expected to be insanely busy while in Chicago, I'm actually facing the opposite dilemma.

I'm spending most of my time in deep thought, which is not always a good thing. We have INSANE amounts of time to chill, and though I have desperately needed that in my life, it's about to twist my head into all sorts of knots.

I'm overwhelming myself with thoughts of my next steps and how to make them happen, and it's scary. I'm daydreaming even more than usual, and that's dangerous.

My time here has taught me some valuable lessons, for which I am super thankful. Primarily, I've learned to relate to an ENTIRELY different demographic of kids, and I realized that a lot of the struggles of teenagers are universal, BUT there are unique circumstances faced by each demographic that fall into their own category. I'm also reassured that the group with which I primarily have experience is DEFINITELY the group I am called to be around. I feel a little lost in this mix, but I'm enjoying the experience nonetheless.

I'm also EXTREMELY blessed by my living circumstances. We have the most amazing location, and even though I'm a little tired of looking at the same restaurants and high-end stores over and over, I will probably never live in a neighborhood this classy again, so it's great to enjoy in the meantime. I'm two blocks from the famed Water Tower, and that means I'm steps from the Magnificent Mile (which is really only magnificent if you have a magnificent bank account). I am forever admiring the architecture in this city - and it's pretty famous for it.

Of all the coolness in my hood, there are two things that stand-out the most.

One, I can walk to the beach, which means I can run on the beach, and the fact that Chicago's beach is right in the city makes it my favorite beach of all beaches. There is not much more in the world that is more beautiful to me than a city skyline, but throw in some blue water and sand, and you've got quite the masterpiece.

Two, call it what you want, but one of the many nicknames of my neighborhood is the "Cathedral District." There are BEAUTIFUL churches all over, and when I'm on town duty, I like to plop myself down on their stairs and entranceways. The other day, I stumbled in to Fourth Presbyterian's afternoon jazz service, which sits in the courtyard between its French Gothic building and it's English Gothic building. There I was, worshipping, to jazz, on a BEAUTIFUL Sunday afternoon with the shadows of skyscrapers like the Hancock Tower keeping me cool.

I'll post some pictures of some of my adventures as soon as I get them uploaded to my computer.

In the meantime, I still want you to send me stuff (see address below).

If you wanna reach me...

I like old fashioned mail. stamps. letters. i think you've heard of it.

if you feel like sending any while I'm in Chitown, this is the place:

Danielle Jeffcoat

Discovery Internships

c/o Conference Services

Loyola University Chicago

26 East Pearson- Baumhart Hall

Chicago, IL 60611

I'm taking a facebook hiatus, so you gotta reach me via all those old fashioned things like, oh, I dunno, cell phones, email... but letters would be cool. or cookies. or New Orleans Blend coffee.

Just make sure it gets there before July 24th, otherwise, send it to brooklyn. i like getting mail there too :)

Friday

My last post was about a Saturday

But it's been a while, and I think Friday's are more fun, so here goes.

I decided yesterday, for a number of undisclosed reasons, that it'd be okay if I deliberately took the day off from life. So, I did.

I tried to take the day off from my computer but it didn't quite work out HOWEVER I did succeed to turn off my phone at 11 last night and not turn it on again until 11 tonight.

I slept in. I made pancakes. I took a nap at 11 am.

I should do stuff like this stuff more often.

I took the R train to Bay Ridge, cuz it's my favorite. Got a mani-pedi, cuz it's cheap. Shopped at Ny and Co, but didn't buy anything. oh, and my love of hats was confirmed at Century 21. Amazing. Hats make me smile.

Watched The Hangover. Didn't think it was as funny as everyone else did. Won my first ever eBay auction and landed myself a #46 Jacoby Ellsbury jersey (event though he's #2 now- it was cheap, and i miss his old number).

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I ate lunch with some of my Summit kids. The joy of living across the street from their McDonalds. They are adorable, and funny, and apparently the new social studies teacher bores them. Figures.

Then there was this whole pleasant interaction with a postal worker because I needed to buy a butterfly stamp (which is the 64 cent stamp), and I wanted to buy some flower stamps but all they had available were classic Hollywood.

So like, little things, right. And my roommate is out so I have the place to myself. Little things.

Blessed. Blessed. Blessed.