Top Eight Posts of 2013

Thank you for journeying with us this past year.  We have had many highs and lows, and most of it I have been able to share here at the blog.  It does give me joy to be able to share about what God is doing in my life in our family, even when it is hard stuff, knowing that he is ultimately working it for good, and even using it to challenge and encourage the readers of this blog.

Here are the top eight posts from this blog from 2013. 

3 Myths About Introverts - I'm not sure how this post blew up, but it has gotten almost 1500 views this year (to give you an idea of how much this is, the next highest post from this year got less than 300 views).  Being introverted is close to my heart, and important to understand whether you are introverted or just interact with others who are.

Two Big Announcements (and the Story of our Time in California) - This post is also close to my heart.  Our 4.5 years in California were an arduous journey, not at all what we expected when we moved here.  But God used it for so much good.

Am I Able to Love Again? Our First Couple Hours with our New Little Man - Written the night after we unexpectedly got Baby Boy R.  Little did I know that night how hard the next month would be! 

Holistic Dentistry: My Experiences So Far - This post has gotten lots of views, but also lots of spam.  Not sure why.  I have deleted at least 5 spammy comments from it.

Should You Adopt or Have Biological Children First? - This is an important question for adoptive couples to consider.  We are no experts on the matter, and older, more experienced couples likely have more wisdom on this topic, but these are my thoughts at this time in life.

August in Our Home: An Addendum - Another big announcement from this year (in addition to the two from the aforementioned post).

Fret Not Yourself [Meditations on Psalm 37] - Some written thoughts on one of my favorite Psalms.

Three Reasons to Avoid the Pill - Too many Christians have not deeply thought through their decision to use the Pill for birth control.  This post sheds some light on the issues involved.


Did I miss any posts that stuck out to you this past year?

AIDS 5K

this saturday, i am running the AIDS 5K with friends from church.  this is my second year running it. looking back on last year's 5K i have 3 distinct memories to share:

not a great pic, but the only pic i have of the race last year!

1. i was 25 weeks pregnant when i ran last year.  i went to the bathroom right before we started, but inevitably i had to go to the bathroom 15 minutes into the race.  i really, really wanted to stop and go (it was all i could think about the last half of the race), there were even bathrooms along the side of the race course!  but i didn't stop, i just pushed forward to the end.  which is good, because...

2. i wasn't really keeping track of my time or placement, all i knew is that lots of people had passed me at the beginning of the race.  but when i could see the finish line, i noticed that there was a girl in reachable distance ahead of me.  so i did what tons of other people have done to me (which is where i learned this strategy!), i sprinted to pass her, just before the finish line.  and just as i was crossing, i heard "and here comes our first female finisher!", which was surprising because...

3. my time was something like 28 minutes.  by far the slowest 5K i have ever run.  my times usually are between 22-25 minutes, but i hadn't trained for the 5K (i gave up running in favor of resistance training about 2 years ago), AND i was 25 weeks pregnant.  to be fair, i must mention that it was a pretty small race.  but still surprising (and encouraging) that i did so well!



anyways, i am looking forward to the race this saturday if for nothing more than it being a challenge.  originally my goal was going to be to beat my time from last year, but i haven't been able to train because of some knee pain (God's way of humbling me because i was idolizing beating my time).  i'm sure i'll be able to finish, just probably not very fast.


last year, my goal was to raise $100, and i beat my goal by $20.  this year, my goal is to raise $500 to help end the spread of AIDS in long beach.  so far, i have raised $150, so i have $350 to go.  would you consider being a part of making that happen?  if you would like to sponsor me, go here.

two thought-provoking hunger games reviews

"why hunger games is flawed to its core" by ND Wilson:

"One final thought: never read or watch a story like a passive recipient, enjoying something in a visceral way and then retroactively trying to project deeper value or meaning onto the story you’ve already ingested. Such projections have been making authors and directors seem more intelligent than they are for decades. As you watch, as you read, shoulder your way into the creator’s chair. Don’t take the final product for granted, analyze the creator’s choices and cheerfully push them in new and different directions. As we do this, the clarity of our criticism will grow immensely. Which is to say, we’ll be suckered far less often than we currently are. Lastly, Suzanne Collins can really write. It’s just that we can’t really read."

i don't agree with everything wilson says, but i really like his assessment of peeta's character.  peeta really isn't all that i cracked him up to be in my post about the books.

"amusing ourselves at their deaths" by mark meynell:

What got me really fired up about the books was the surprise of how political they are. There are cultural and mythological references aplenty, and Suzanne Collins clearly draws on a wealth of dystopia writing. But it was thinking about that fact that reminded me of Neil Postman’s great opening discussion in his seminal book Amusing Ourselves To Death, weighing up the cultural merits of Aldous Huxley’s dystopian vision over against George Orwell’s. And then it struck me. Suzanne Collins’ books depict a grim future world where BOTH got it right. Fascinating.

meynell gets it right: both of these dystopian novels are true in this fictional futuristic world.  it is interesting to see how this plays out.


also, make sure to read the comments on each article (especially wilson's), there is some interesting discussion in there.

you can also read my thoughts (not so much of a review, just random thoughts)

new look and a facebook page

spring is in the air! and on the blog!

after 2 (3 maybe?) years of the same look, i decided it was time for an update.  i felt like dandelions were appropriate because of my eternal battles with our yard full of dandelions... its been a recent theme of my homekeeping.  a couple weeks ago, we started eating them, so they aren't all that bad.  i also read that you can make dandelion wine out of them, but that seems a bit beyond my skill level for the moment (although i dont know why i am intimidated, as i pretty regularly ferment other things, such as milk, flour, rice, fruits and vegetables.)

i am also working on the labels for all of my posts.  hopefully soon i will have all my posts organized under 5-10 broad themes, to make for easy topical searches of the site.

could you do me a favor, dear reader?  could you give me some feedback so that i can serve you best?  i would love to hear your answers to these...

what do you think about the new look?  [if you normally read this via an rss feed, please click through to see the new look and let me know what you think.]

what kind of content would you like to see here?  are there topics you would like me to expound on, or new ground to cover?

what is your favorite part about this blog and what would you change if you could?

you can respond in a comment, or on the new facebook page, or via email if you would prefer it to be private: sarah(dot)hope(dot)costa(at)gmail(dot)com.


what's this about a new facebook page, you ask? yes, my friend, theologista blog is the real deal... there is now a facebook fan page.  my hope is that it will be a community where we can discuss topics from the blog more in depth, and i can get to know all of you better.  you will also be able to ask others about the topics from the blog, so that you aren't always just hearing my point of view!  please check it out, i would love for you to be more involved here. :)

new blog feature!

for those of you who follow this blog regularly, you might benefit from the latest feature: email subscription!  with this, you will get an email with my latest posts whenever i post.  personally, i use google reader to follow all the blogs that i enjoy, but if you don't have a feed like this, email is the best way to go to make sure you don't miss out on anything!

to subscribe via email, you can sign up in column on the left at the top. 

also- someone mentioned trying to comment but the comments not showing up after writing them.  if you are having trouble with this as well, let me know (thru facebook or email: sarahdothopedotcosta (at) gmaildotcom).  thanks :)

for your christmas shopping (or otherwise) consideration... three etsy stores

i guess i just run in creative circles: i have three friends with etsy stores.

what is etsy?  etsy is a marketplace for handmade and vintage items on the internet.  thousands of sellers from literally everywhere... you can find tons of stuff on etsy from lamps to towels, artwork to clothes, purses to shoes.

why shop at etsy? and in a country with increasing anti-big-business sentiment, shopping at etsy is a perfect way to support small business owners.  furthermore, the items on etsy truly are unique.  they are often handmade and literally one of a kind (if not one of a kind, usually only a few others like it have been made).  many shop owners are willing to customize items to fit exactly what you are looking for (which they can do since they are making the product just for you!).

whether you are new to etsy or an experienced shopper, i give you three shops i'm sure you will love.

urban allure: soft, beautiful and comfortable

the urban allure shop will draw you in with its luscious scarves and attractive wallets.  the scarves are the kind that make you long for those crisp autumn days where you can wrap your neck in warm, stylish love.  with a variety of premium yarns and unique accents you are sure to find something feminine and functional... no chilly neck even on the harshest winter day!

the leather wallets with croqueted accents will make you want to hold on to your wallet all night long... just so you can show it off.  they are cute enough to even function as a clutch style purse.

for those of you who are bargain hunters... urban allure will be having some sales in the coming weeks... so visit the shop, find what you love and stay tuned!

pinklotus: sexy, silky, stylish

what i love about pinklotus' silky scarves is how versatile they are.  they can be worn as an accent to an outfit that needs some spicing up.  they can be worn in your hair   they can be tied around the neck for sexy way to warm a cool day.  they can be casual or dressy.

not only are these scarves made of real silk, but they are hand painted, creating a truly unique experience for each person.

full disclosure:  i was sent one of these scarves, but not so that i would review the shop.  so i can say (from personal experience) that i love this shop!

jennasaurus: silly, cute and cheery

this is truly a creative shop, carrying everything from croqueted beanies and headbands to upcycled christmas ornaments.

i'm pretty sure there is no way that you can have a bad day while wearing one of these items.  it will make you feel like a kid again... and definitely in a good way.

i am also intrigued by one of the shop's newest items: upcycled starbucks cap christmas ornaments.  this would be a great gift for the coffee lover in your life!

full disclosure: i haven't been given any of these items but i would love it if jenna gave me a croqueted coffee sleeve.  please and thank you.  if she does i promise to write another review. :D


i encourage you to check out each of these stores and make your christmas gifts truly unique this year!

a conundrum

if john the baptizer was filled with the holy spirit from the womb (luke 1:15), does that mean his physical birth was re-birth?

or does it mean he was reborn before he was born?