The Post About How Road Trips with Jesus Take Longer

God asked me a very specific question this week:
"Jamie Beth...are you willing to lay down your dream for the dream I have for you?"

I should have hung up as soon as He used my middle name.

I've been camped out in the book of Genesis recently in order to feel better about feeling a bit lost. There's no better group of people than this motley crew to reassure you that it could be worse.

Like put-on-goatskin-and pretend-to-be-your-brother-to-trick-your-blind-father-for-the-firstborn-inheritance type of worse.

But let's focus on Abram and Sarai who later were renamed the slightly sassier "Abraham" and "Sarah."

Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” But Abram replied, “O Sovereign Lord, what good are all your blessings when I don’t even have a son? Since you’ve given me no children, Eliezer of Damascus, a servant in my household, will inherit all my wealth. You have given me no descendants of my own, so one of my servants will be my heir.” Then the Lord said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own who will be your heir.” Then the Lord took Abram outside and said to him, “Look up into the sky and count the stars if you can. That’s how many descendants you will have!” Genesis 15:1-5

God made a promise. But since Abram's wife Sarai wasn't instantly pregnant with a constellation of babies, things went south.

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. Genesis 16:1-2

Rabbit Reader - no matter your faith or belief system, we can all agree there's a whole lot of train wreck in those 2 verses.

But the worst is this: "Perhaps I can have children through her."

God had dreamed a dream for this couple that didn't require their interference. Nonetheless, they took matters into their own hands. Big dummies.

Insert God calling me "Jamie Beth..."

Strangely enough, that sounds a lot like "big dummy."

I'm the worst at asking Jesus to take the wheel and then proceed directly to the driver's seat. I program the GPS. I pick the road trip snacks. I choose the playlists. And then I get grumpy because Jesus wants to pull off at all the rest stops.

JESUS - WE NEED TO BE MAKING BETTER TIME!

Recently, I've been demanding God be held accountable for dreams left unfulfilled. Where's my husband? Where's my expanded family? Where's my lift ticket to the best slopes in Europe?

And like only God can do...He answers my questions with a question:
"Jamie Beth...are you willing to lay down your dream for the dream I have for you?"

This is not one of those posts that resolve. I'm still in the middle of it.

And if you listen closely, you can hear me yelling at Jesus to get back in the car so we can go.

What about you? Has life ever turned out differently than you thought it would? Have you ever wrestled with doubt about the next steps? Did you get "mansion" in the game and find yourself living in a "shack?"

{image: Jamie}

The Post About Random Rabbits

Another post of the randomness deemed unworthy of a dedicated post. 

1. Chocolate Cupcakes with a Nutella filling and Nutella buttercream frosting.

This recipe is from Jamie at My Baking Addiction. You cannot go wrong with a gal named "Jamie" who has already admitted she has a problem. Right?

2. A Baptist in the Land of Lent Update: It's difficult. But good.

3. Lent Update #2: You know how I just told you it was hard? Well, it got easier on Day #1 of fasting social media when I bought this:

I may be as ridiculous as you think I am. I may also be doing Lent wrong.

But I do love this adorable iPad 2. "Love" as defined as someone who will take a gadget to her seamstress mother in order to get its measurements taken for a specially made jacket. Love.

4. Happy Birthday The Joseph Craven: I met my friend Amanda from Canada on the Internet. She met her friend Joseph from Mississippi on the Internet. Amanda and I are still friends. Amanda and Joseph may be more than friends. This is evidenced by the video she created for him to celebrate his birth (embedded below). I had the privilege of making a guest appearance. It's a snazzy idea if you'd like to love on someone far away for their own special occasion like a birthday, Easter or tax day.

5. Killer Giveaway Winners: I hosted a little giveaway last week for a ticket to the Killer Tribes Conference in Nashville as well as gift cards to iTunes and Amazon. The winners are:

• Killer Tribes Conference Pass: Erin Moon
• iTunes Gift Card ($15): April Yedinak
• Amazon Gift Card ($15): Adrian Waller

Congrats! Contact me at jamiesrabbits@gmail.com to collect your swag!

As for you - what's something you're looking forward to in the next week? I want to wish I was with you. 

{images: Jamie}

The Post About Mary Poppins Trumping Wikus van de Merwe

March Madness is my favorite. I've won my basketball bracket two years running based on the complex system of coolness of mascot and hotness of coach.

Fool-proof.

However, this year is extra special since I'm personally making an appearance in the 2nd Annual March Movie Madness hosted by Clay Morgan.

This bracket pits the best film protagonists against one another and I'm hoping for a Cinderella sweep!

In this performance, the role of Cinderella will be played by Mary Poppins.

Mary's first matchup is with Wikus van de Merwe. Umm...no.

Rabbit readers...help a nanny out by voting for her in Round 1 - Matchup 8.

If Ms. Poppins makes it to the Sweet Sixteen then I'll throw in an extra rabbit giveaway for March. Winning for all.

PLUS, you can complete your own bracket to win your own snazzy Hello Somebody watch. And the pride of knowing its official - you're awesome at sports.

Might I also suggest a vote for Harry Potter and Lando Calrissian in Round 1 as well? Both good folks.

Who would you want representing you as the best movie hero?

{image: Jamie}

The Post About The Rabbit Recommends v.109

Each week or so I post a readable or watchable and/or a listenable of which I'm fond. You can choose what happens after my recommendation. Ignore, embrace, debate. Earlier volumes of The Rabbit Recommends can be found here.

Read

My family is always kind enough to indulge my mediocre habits by eating cake pops, modeling for photo shoots and reading this blog. One way they doted on me at Christmas was gifting me with a subscription to Popular Photography magazine. After 3 meager issues, my judgment call is...swoon. Whether you are a less-than-amateur like yours truly or a pro, it's a handy resource. It's been a perfect guide to equipment, software, how-to, and inspiration. It's also pushing me to bring my Instagram photos of Cheez-its to the next level of artistry.

Watch

I know I might be beating a dead horse by asking you to watch Invisible Children's video/movie about Joseph Kony especially since it's been the chatter of The Internets all week. But I'm asking you to watch for a reason chased by a disclaimer. I attended a conference this week where the editor of The Chronicle on Philanthropy shared research that Generation Y/Millenials are the most generous generation both in volunteer time and dollars based on their current meager earnings (Mark Zuckerberg is a delightful outlier.) This video simply serve as more evidence of that truth. Now for the disclaimer: I am a big fan of Invisible Children but I AM disappointed by the percentage of dollars that goes to work on the ground in Africa (less than 33%). Support IC in word and deed and then consider giving your actual cash to organizations such as Samaritan's Purse, Charity Water, or Mocha Club who have a impressive reputation of putting almost every dollar into direct service. Learn more about any nonprofit's "financial credibility" by visiting Charity Navigator.

Listen
This week I have all kinds of musak on repeat in Spotify. Have I mentioned I don't buy music at all anymore because of that delightful little service? Love.

Where We Meet by Tyrone Wells. I discovered Tyrone when he popped up on my Dave Barnes Pandora radio station. Pandora thought I might like him. I did. I do. His newest album does not disappoint. This is one of my favorite tracks: I Can't Save You Now.


If you're reading this on Sunday, don't forget to enter my latest giveaway. Ends tonight!

The {Guest} Post About How Not To Study

Today's guest rabbit chaser is Renée Jacobson from Lessons from Teachers & Twits. I discovered Renée's blog after she posted her version of the "accent post" which proved she's a Southern belle trapped in a Northern gal's larynx. Renée's day job is English teacher, but she's the type a future Literature Nobel Prize winner would reference in a thank you speech. In a good way.

My son was studying for an upcoming Social Studies test about the American Revolution.

He was fast reaching super-saturated.

In an effort to get him to squeeze out a little more study time, I told him to quiz me.

You know because I am a pro at Social Studies.

*cough cough*

TS: Who were the Daughters of Liberty?

Me: They were like the Sons of Liberty. Except they had vaginas.

TS: Mom! That is gross.

Me: Maybe, but I’m pretty sure I’m right.

TS: Tell me about the Minutemen.

Me: They did everything really fast.

TS: What were the Intolerable Acts?

Me: Doing dishes and laundry; going to the grocery store; and wiping butts.

TS: Mom!

Me: Oooh! You’re right. I forgot cleaning up barf.

TS: Why did the fighting start at Lexington?

Me: Because people were really mad.


TS: Who was Thomas Paine?

Me: A guy who isn’t important because he lived a long time ago and now he is dead.

TS: He wrote Common Sense!

Me: Alas, if only sense was really that common.

TS: What led to the Battle of Bunker Hill?

Me: Boredom. Some guys were all: “I’m bored. Let’s go pick a fight over there with those guys.” You know, some guys are like that.

Tech Support laughed, “Do you want me to fail?”

“No,” I said. “I just want you to study independently.”

Tech Support grinned and closed his book.

“But just so we are clear,” I added as he stuck his folder in his backpack. “I did know all those answers. I know all about American History: the Declaration of Independence, the Tea Party, Paul Revere… I was just messing with you.”

My son laughed at me. “Yeah, right.”

I was affronted.

“Fine, ask me anything.”

TS: Who was Ethan Allen?

Me: A dude who made really expensive furniture.

My son ignored me and walked upstairs to brush his teeth.

Some day when he is looking to buy a hutch for his kitchen, he’ll realize his mother wasn’t totally bonkers.

Only partially.

How’s your John Hancock? What completely innocent things from history can you make sound completely naughty? How do you help your kids study for exams?

Renée Schuls-Jacobson, a teacher for 20 years, loves being in the classroom, finds her students endlessly fascinating, and believes the most important thing we can do is teach folks to read critically and write masterfully. Her family and her students keep her humble and serve to remind her that, even on a good day, she's still a total twit.

Read her Blog. Follow her on Twitter. Like her on Facebook.