Friday Faves: Happy Birthday BFF Sarah Edition

This weekend I’m going to celebrate a very important event—BFF Sarah’s birthday!!!  While some people are content to blow out a few candles and scarf down cake, I like to make a big deal out of birthdays.  Now BFF Sarah is an introvert, and prefers to allow others to soak up the spotlight.  However, today’s “Friday Faves” is dedicated to Sarah because she is my closest and dearest friend.  She is the sister I always wanted and the best friend I prayed for.  The gift of her friendship is one I thank God for every day.  So to celebrate Sarah and her life, I’m going to share 32 wonderful things about Sarah.  OK, maybe just five because 32 is an awful lot (not that finding 32 things would be hard…).

1.  Sarah is superhero.  No, she doesn’t wear a cape, have a secret lair, or super powers (at least none that I know of), but Sarah saves lives in her job as a social worker.  Relentlessly working to find homes for sometimes difficult kids, Sarah’s job as an adoption and permanency professional isn’t easy.  However, whenever she puts on her “going to court” shirt to attend an adoption, I smile a little when I see her head out the door.  It’s another happy ending in the life of a superhero social work.

2. Sarah’s favorite color is orange, but she likes purple a lot, too.  Not a lot to elaborate on here, is there?  Except purple and orange together have a Willy Wonka sort of effect, ya know?

3.  Sarah is a great baker and cook.  Her love of orange and cooking is paying off this birthday thanks to Rachael Ray close-out sales.  Hmm, perhaps I’ve said too much…  But, wow, you should taste her chocolate cake with peanut butter icing.  It. Is. So. Good.

4. Sarah loves music, and even plays the trombone.  It’s hard to pin down her favorite artist, but she enjoys Casting Crowns, Bebo Norman (good choice!), Josh Wilson, Jars of Clay, and Caedmon’s Call.   We have similar tastes in music, which I would argue, is exceptional taste.

5. Sarah’s favorite movie character is Sam from Lord of the Rings.  Maybe it’s because he’s the chief cook on his little camping trip with Frodo or because he’s an unlikely hero, but Sarah just loves Sam.  And it makes sense, doesn’t it?  She’s the Sam to my Frodo (I do tend to wander about foolishly clutching my “ring.”)  Together we fight my “Gollum” and carry “the ring.” Plus, Sarah seems to really have taken to gardening this year.  Coincidence, I think not!  (Thankfully, she doesn’t have hairy hobbit feet.) P.S. I love the random Chinese captions in the video, don’t you?

Now onto some delightful faves, which may or may not be Sarah-inspired…

*Sarah loves a good book deal as much as the next person.  In fact, when our own Border’s closed in April, she had a jolly good time at the closing sale.  Normally, Sarah doesn’t let loose like that.  However, both Sarah and I are closely monitoring the Border’s bankruptcy sale discounts at Borders.com because when the majority of books start to slide into 70-80% off brackets, we’re going to plan a little road trip.  It’s sad that Border’s is closing, but we might as well make the most of it with the best deals. As of today, the Border’s merch is now 40-60%.  But is saving 50% off a regularly priced book *that* great a deal? Maybe, but a lot of the prices are the same or better on Amazon.com. I mean, right now Saving CeeCee Hunnycutt by Beth Hoffman is 60% off at Amazon, making it a mere $6.

*Since Sarah and I are both single ladies, I found this Christianity Today article, “John Stott on Singleness” particularly interesting.  Stott argues that Scripture calls both singleness and marriage “good,” and therefore, one should not be elevated above the other.  As single gals, Sarah and I both find it difficult to mesh with the church culture, which seems focused on marriage and motherhood.  I appreciate Stott’s article because it reminds me that I’m truly not a second-class citizen in the church.

*On our plane ride to Florida, Sarah, my mom, I saw the movie, Up and even got to meet the cast at Disney Hollywood Studios.  Who can forget the classic moment when my mom took the paws of the costumed dog character and said, “Oh, I loved your movie!  You were so good in it!”  Yeah, Mom, the costumed dog was the actual actor in the animated film. You gotta love my mom.  Well, now, we can go visit the real, life Up House in Utah on our next vacation adventure.  No word on whether this house will take flight if millions of balloons are attached to it.  Grumpy old man is optional. The house will sell for just under $400,00.  Anyone have $400,000  I can borrow?

*Jonalyn Fincher is never one to shy away from tough, even heart-wrenching topics.  This week, Jonalyn reviewed a book called When the Man You Love Was Abused (read review.)  Written by Cecil Murphey, the book helps women understand the men who live with the demons of sexual abuse and molestation, and always offers insight on how to help her loved one.  It sounds like this book would also offer insight to counselors and others who work with abused men.  Jonalyn’s treatment of the topic is thorough and delicate.

*Jen Rose and I just love Jason Gray’s latest album, A Way to See In the Dark, which releases Sept.13 from Centricity.  This week the video for the album’s first single, “Remind Me Who I Am” was just released this week.  This song is an amazing reminder to me about who I am in God, not the world, not my friends, not the scoffers, but to God.  My identity in God because of Christ is what truly matters and I’m thankful that Jason Gray “reminds” me about this in his new song.  Take a listen and let me know what you think in the comments section.  Honestly, this whole album is exceptional. (By the way, Jason is also featured in the latest Centricity U. video.  Check it out here!)

Don’t forget to do something special in honor of Sarah’s birthday, like bake a cake, buy something orange, adopt a kid, etc.  And, do be a favor, wish my very best friend a happy birthday in the comments section!

Did you wish BFF Sarah a happy birthday?  Do you want to live in the Up House?  What do you think of Jason Gray’s “Remind Me Who I Am” video?  What are some great qualities in your best friend?  Are you single?  Do you know a Jesus-living 30-something guy that could help me become unsingle?  Did you wish Sarah a happy birthday yet?