the title of this post was penned a few weeks ago by my sweet friend heather johnson. since i work in retail, starting around thanksgiving weekend until yesterday, it seemed my life was consumed 95% w/ work & 5% fun. Christmas fun activities were a plenty on the calendar but due to my current job, i had to be selective in the ones i could attend which then meant seeing my friends outside of the one i live w/ truly were treasured moments.
plus, all of the craziness of the holiday season meant not only my human interactions were limited but my blog posting were severely limited as well. i promise i have done more than work since my last post & i will take the time in the next few days to share some of those joyful experiences.
until then, i hope everyone no matter how fast-paced, different, or the same your Christmas holiday celebration was that you enjoyed a glorious celebration of a birth and life meant to rescue and save us all from our death sentence.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
thankful
another thanksgiving has come and gone...as a fan of food, i definitely enjoy thanksgiving for all its yummy dishes. though i've come to the conclusion that i enjoy the day for a few other reasons. i had a conversation with a customer a few days after turkey day about why we both enjoy thanksgiving and wish it got a lot more love rather than how our society moves straight to Christmas after halloween (disclaimer: i'd say Christmas as our culture uses it for presents and spending and materialism rather than the focus on the Christ's birth).
the lady said it best when she said there's such a simplicity to thanksgiving and i absolutely agree. with thanksgiving, there's no pressure to have the right presents or spend the right amount or whatever crazy pressure americans place on themselves but instead we get to enjoy a day of family, friends, food, football(& even some basketball), and time to reflect and appreciate all we have been blessed with for which we should be eternally grateful. i'm such a fan of just hanging out and spending quality time with folks that turkey day just suits me.
and this year was no different. since i work in retail, it's hard for me to spend the day with my immediate family but i'm lucky enough to have friends who will invite me to join their family for the day. this year i spent the day with leslie & derek irons plus derek's family. it's always weird to spend a holiday without your own family but the irons' are so great at making me feel welcome and a part of the family that the Lord just told me to be grateful for the way He provided and loves me. just think some kids around the world, way younger than me, go everyday w/out their parents and are forced to be the parents. we spent the day eating, playing outside with luke, watching football, and of course good conversation w/ leslie.
as i drove home, all i could do was praise the Lord and thank Him because w/out His love and compassion and kindness nothing of the day would have been worth it.
the lady said it best when she said there's such a simplicity to thanksgiving and i absolutely agree. with thanksgiving, there's no pressure to have the right presents or spend the right amount or whatever crazy pressure americans place on themselves but instead we get to enjoy a day of family, friends, food, football(& even some basketball), and time to reflect and appreciate all we have been blessed with for which we should be eternally grateful. i'm such a fan of just hanging out and spending quality time with folks that turkey day just suits me.
and this year was no different. since i work in retail, it's hard for me to spend the day with my immediate family but i'm lucky enough to have friends who will invite me to join their family for the day. this year i spent the day with leslie & derek irons plus derek's family. it's always weird to spend a holiday without your own family but the irons' are so great at making me feel welcome and a part of the family that the Lord just told me to be grateful for the way He provided and loves me. just think some kids around the world, way younger than me, go everyday w/out their parents and are forced to be the parents. we spent the day eating, playing outside with luke, watching football, and of course good conversation w/ leslie.
as i drove home, all i could do was praise the Lord and thank Him because w/out His love and compassion and kindness nothing of the day would have been worth it.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
high quality h2o & high quality life
water is such an intricate part of my life...outside of coffee, it's the only thing i drink on a daily basis so i'm not sure what i'd do without quality, clean water. since visiting belize for a mission trip in '02, i'm reminded on numerous occasions how grateful i need to be to live in america...a country that allows us to consume one of the basics/essentials (water) needed to survive and even enjoy a quality life on this earth. if you aren't aware, access to clean water is so crucial to every human being no matter where you live because without everything done w/ water on a daily basis is done w/ contaminated water...contaminated water containing diseases, bacteria, and so on. it's blows my mind every time i think about how easy we have access to our clean water where so many across the globe barely have access to any water, clean or unclean.
2 of my dearest friends, leslie and derek irons, have decided to do something about this. they have decided to partner with an organization to raise the $$ needed to build a well for a village in sudan. not only will the well provided physical water but the organization will also share w/ the villagers how they can taste of the true Living Water. please check out their blog: http://givinglifeh2o.blogspot.com/ for more details and definitely consider partnering w/ them as the Lord desires.
2 of my dearest friends, leslie and derek irons, have decided to do something about this. they have decided to partner with an organization to raise the $$ needed to build a well for a village in sudan. not only will the well provided physical water but the organization will also share w/ the villagers how they can taste of the true Living Water. please check out their blog: http://givinglifeh2o.blogspot.com/ for more details and definitely consider partnering w/ them as the Lord desires.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Dine In and Give back
i've stumbled upon this really awesome non-profit "here's life in the inner city"...check them out here: hlic.org. well, so this thanksgiving they're giving us as believers the opportunity to dine in a few nights and give the $$ we'd spend eating out to them so they can in turn give the poor and needy across the country a thanksgiving meal.
i hope you consider giving up some meals out & providing others the chance to enjoy a yummy thanksgiving meal that we all delight in each year. for more information, check out their website: http://www.dineinusa.org/
i hope you consider giving up some meals out & providing others the chance to enjoy a yummy thanksgiving meal that we all delight in each year. for more information, check out their website: http://www.dineinusa.org/
Monday, November 8, 2010
Epic Church, the San Francisco Treat
this post is about 3 weeks late, please forgive me, better late than never right?!
well, the trip to san francisco was phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal! we arrived late wed night so our adventures didn't really kick off until thursday. here's a breakdown of our days in the city
thursday: the morning our group headed to the pilgreen's to staple 11,000 granola bars to their postcards. it was great to start the trip by getting some time w/ the pilgreen's and the other epic church staff. once we finished stapling, the entire group headed to lunch at this yummy place right across from at&t park, the home of the world series champion giants. after lunch we broke into groups and did some prayer walking around the neighborhood before we met back up to go pass out some granola bars at various train stops during evening rush hour. that night we had free for dinner and free time so some of us headed to at&t park for game 1 of the nlds, braves vs giants
friday: we met early to break into groups and pass out granola bars at various train stops during the morning rush hour. we then headed out to san francisco state university to engage with some college students through an organization that epic church has made a connection. that afternoon we headed back towards mission bay and did some more prayer walking on another side of at&t park. for dinner, the entire group as well as the pilgreen's, lees, milners and josh hamilton (all members of the launch team and staff & no, not that josh hamilton of the texas rangers) went to a yummy pizza place. game 2 of braves vs giants had just reached the 9th inning tied when dinner ended so a few of us knew exactly where we were headed...at&t park! we were able to get into the free bullpen area behind right field for the final innings of the game. as a braves fan, i was stoked to be in there for ankiel's home run & the braves' one and only victory!
saturday: the staff at epic church had organized for our group to volunteer on their behalf at fleet week which is a huge event on the bay. we all worked there for the majority of the day though a few of us endured the agony of the tide's first loss. we then headed back towards our area of the city which due to all the traffic from fleet week, we were forced to walk a pretty sizable distance rather than catch a bus or trolley. that morning on our way to the marina we did experience an old-fashioned trolley ride...so fun to partake in a true san francisco tourist attraction. that night a small group of us found a tasty chinese restaurant in chinatown which was some delicious food. (and that's coming from a person who likes chinese food but doesn't rank it at the top of her ethnic food list)
sunday: epic church's first preview service started at 11am so we had to meet all the staff & launch team at the w hotel at 5:45 am for set-up. since the church is renting space, every week they have a service all of their stuff must be brought into the hotel, set-up and then when the service is over break everything down & load it back in the trailer. the staff was incredibly prepared with how and where they wanted everything to go. the service was incredible...the worship room was packed full & i truly felt the presence of the Holy Spirit amongst our gathering. 132 san franciscans came to the service, at least 1 person wanted to accept Christ, and several more wanted to join the launch team. we finished breaking down & loading up the trailer around 2pm so our group headed across the street for lunch. after lunch, 6 of us headed out to explore parts of the city we had yet to see: painted ladies(aka full house houses) and golden gate bridge. such beautiful places especially since we made it to the bridge around sunset!
if you want to know more about epic church, check out their website here: http://www.epicsf.com/
i'm going to stop writing & post some pictures from the week now...
well, the trip to san francisco was phenomenal, absolutely phenomenal! we arrived late wed night so our adventures didn't really kick off until thursday. here's a breakdown of our days in the city
thursday: the morning our group headed to the pilgreen's to staple 11,000 granola bars to their postcards. it was great to start the trip by getting some time w/ the pilgreen's and the other epic church staff. once we finished stapling, the entire group headed to lunch at this yummy place right across from at&t park, the home of the world series champion giants. after lunch we broke into groups and did some prayer walking around the neighborhood before we met back up to go pass out some granola bars at various train stops during evening rush hour. that night we had free for dinner and free time so some of us headed to at&t park for game 1 of the nlds, braves vs giants
friday: we met early to break into groups and pass out granola bars at various train stops during the morning rush hour. we then headed out to san francisco state university to engage with some college students through an organization that epic church has made a connection. that afternoon we headed back towards mission bay and did some more prayer walking on another side of at&t park. for dinner, the entire group as well as the pilgreen's, lees, milners and josh hamilton (all members of the launch team and staff & no, not that josh hamilton of the texas rangers) went to a yummy pizza place. game 2 of braves vs giants had just reached the 9th inning tied when dinner ended so a few of us knew exactly where we were headed...at&t park! we were able to get into the free bullpen area behind right field for the final innings of the game. as a braves fan, i was stoked to be in there for ankiel's home run & the braves' one and only victory!
saturday: the staff at epic church had organized for our group to volunteer on their behalf at fleet week which is a huge event on the bay. we all worked there for the majority of the day though a few of us endured the agony of the tide's first loss. we then headed back towards our area of the city which due to all the traffic from fleet week, we were forced to walk a pretty sizable distance rather than catch a bus or trolley. that morning on our way to the marina we did experience an old-fashioned trolley ride...so fun to partake in a true san francisco tourist attraction. that night a small group of us found a tasty chinese restaurant in chinatown which was some delicious food. (and that's coming from a person who likes chinese food but doesn't rank it at the top of her ethnic food list)
sunday: epic church's first preview service started at 11am so we had to meet all the staff & launch team at the w hotel at 5:45 am for set-up. since the church is renting space, every week they have a service all of their stuff must be brought into the hotel, set-up and then when the service is over break everything down & load it back in the trailer. the staff was incredibly prepared with how and where they wanted everything to go. the service was incredible...the worship room was packed full & i truly felt the presence of the Holy Spirit amongst our gathering. 132 san franciscans came to the service, at least 1 person wanted to accept Christ, and several more wanted to join the launch team. we finished breaking down & loading up the trailer around 2pm so our group headed across the street for lunch. after lunch, 6 of us headed out to explore parts of the city we had yet to see: painted ladies(aka full house houses) and golden gate bridge. such beautiful places especially since we made it to the bridge around sunset!
if you want to know more about epic church, check out their website here: http://www.epicsf.com/
i'm going to stop writing & post some pictures from the week now...
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
one thing leads to another
this post is hopefully going to be short...i have 15mins left in my lunch break so it has to be whether i like it or not.
i've been challenged to really consider what i'm doing to actively live out my faith, the desires the Lord's given me, and the opportunities He's laid in front of me to be a part of His will in conjunction with these desires. at the start of 2010, the Lord challenged me to stop trying to plan the next step & to focus on where He has me & to just be content in Him. my guess is i needed to learn that lesson before He could challenge me w/ these new thoughts. in pretty much everything i've been reading, studying, & listening to over the past 6 months, all the words & ideas seem to point to the challenge of what am i doing w/ the talents, desires and passions the Lord's given me. i think about as i read "the hole in our gospel" and the various moments of agreeing w/ rich stearns and his call for the church to get active and then as i read the last part of the book when he challenges you as the reader to figure out your role & response. the majority of my thoughts then turned to "if these are my same passions & desires, then what am i doing to engage them w/in the Lord's will? what organizations and opportunities has He placed in my path that He potentially wants me to join/be a part of?"
i'm not sure how long these thoughts have been running through my brain...maybe a month?! but no matter how long ago they started, they just don't seem to want to leave...which is a clear sign that the Holy Spirit is trying to get my attention! what the next step is, well, there's some ideas i'm mulling over/highly praying about so i'll keep you posted.
i've been challenged to really consider what i'm doing to actively live out my faith, the desires the Lord's given me, and the opportunities He's laid in front of me to be a part of His will in conjunction with these desires. at the start of 2010, the Lord challenged me to stop trying to plan the next step & to focus on where He has me & to just be content in Him. my guess is i needed to learn that lesson before He could challenge me w/ these new thoughts. in pretty much everything i've been reading, studying, & listening to over the past 6 months, all the words & ideas seem to point to the challenge of what am i doing w/ the talents, desires and passions the Lord's given me. i think about as i read "the hole in our gospel" and the various moments of agreeing w/ rich stearns and his call for the church to get active and then as i read the last part of the book when he challenges you as the reader to figure out your role & response. the majority of my thoughts then turned to "if these are my same passions & desires, then what am i doing to engage them w/in the Lord's will? what organizations and opportunities has He placed in my path that He potentially wants me to join/be a part of?"
i'm not sure how long these thoughts have been running through my brain...maybe a month?! but no matter how long ago they started, they just don't seem to want to leave...which is a clear sign that the Holy Spirit is trying to get my attention! what the next step is, well, there's some ideas i'm mulling over/highly praying about so i'll keep you posted.
Monday, October 4, 2010
why hello october! so lovely to see you
fall and spring are my favorites so this time of year just puts a smile on my fave. i usually don't anticipate one particular month in Fall b/c there's just so much goodness contained in the season but this year, i couldn't wait to see the calendar turn to october.
since around mid-august, i've had several exciting events booked for october:
1)wednesday i leave for a mission trip to san francisco to be a part of the launch of epic church. this trip is w/ my sunday school class & i couldn't be more stoked about getting some days to put work aside and just serve in an unfamiliar city on a mission trip of this type w/ some sweet friends. we'll be returning to alabama on monday after helping w/ the first service sunday. please be praying for our trip and the epic church staff. check out their website here: www.epicsf.com
2) the weekend right after i return, the entire mabry family will be journeying to tuscaloosa for the alabama/ole miss football game. i'm excited to have some time w/ my family & w/ the crimson tide
3) the next weekend, i'll start out spending some quality time w/ my core group...7 eighth grade girls whom i get to discuss Christ and the Word w/ each sunday...we're going to hang friday night & then participate in a service project saturday morning. THEN alana & i will head to memphis saturday afternoon since we're going to see wicked sunday w/ the parents. alana's never seen memphis or wicked so they'll be lots to sightsee in a short amt of time
4) halloween/dressing up/pumpkin carving w/ the girls
what makes all of this so much better is the fact that it truly feels like fall should outside...i hope it stays this way b/c i love it!
can't wait to share about all of these especially the ways the Lord works through san francisco and core weekend!
since around mid-august, i've had several exciting events booked for october:
1)wednesday i leave for a mission trip to san francisco to be a part of the launch of epic church. this trip is w/ my sunday school class & i couldn't be more stoked about getting some days to put work aside and just serve in an unfamiliar city on a mission trip of this type w/ some sweet friends. we'll be returning to alabama on monday after helping w/ the first service sunday. please be praying for our trip and the epic church staff. check out their website here: www.epicsf.com
2) the weekend right after i return, the entire mabry family will be journeying to tuscaloosa for the alabama/ole miss football game. i'm excited to have some time w/ my family & w/ the crimson tide
3) the next weekend, i'll start out spending some quality time w/ my core group...7 eighth grade girls whom i get to discuss Christ and the Word w/ each sunday...we're going to hang friday night & then participate in a service project saturday morning. THEN alana & i will head to memphis saturday afternoon since we're going to see wicked sunday w/ the parents. alana's never seen memphis or wicked so they'll be lots to sightsee in a short amt of time
4) halloween/dressing up/pumpkin carving w/ the girls
what makes all of this so much better is the fact that it truly feels like fall should outside...i hope it stays this way b/c i love it!
can't wait to share about all of these especially the ways the Lord works through san francisco and core weekend!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Getting to Know You, Getting to Know all about You
the title of this blog post comes from a song from one of my favorite old school musicals: the king and i which could also have been the title of this post as well.
the pastor at my church here in birmingham began a new sermon series on sunday entitled The Attributes of God. this week he began the series by posing the thought/question "God wants to Know You but do you want to Know God"? this question hit me real hard for several reasons but mainly because He's really been forcing me to dwell on my answer to this. yes, in the grand scheme of things i can truly say in my heart and mind that i do want to know God but on an everyday scale do i really live out that belief. while i see and feel how much He longs and wants to know me, can i truly confess that i'm reciprocating those same actions back to Him? would my friends, co-workers, family members, etc say on my behalf that i demonstrate actions, words, faith, and life choices that reflect someone who really does want to know the God Almighty, a person who desires to learn all she can about the King of Kings?
as a believer, this life really is all about the King and I, how we long to know each other and the ways that He and I relish all of these moments together. Anna didn't always get along with the King during this movie or approve of His choices but over time their disagreements led to them gaining a greater respect for one another and a deeper relationship...i may not always get why the Lord does the things He does or doesn't but all of His decisions and plans provide me with one more way that i can get to know Him for who He truly is!
the pastor at my church here in birmingham began a new sermon series on sunday entitled The Attributes of God. this week he began the series by posing the thought/question "God wants to Know You but do you want to Know God"? this question hit me real hard for several reasons but mainly because He's really been forcing me to dwell on my answer to this. yes, in the grand scheme of things i can truly say in my heart and mind that i do want to know God but on an everyday scale do i really live out that belief. while i see and feel how much He longs and wants to know me, can i truly confess that i'm reciprocating those same actions back to Him? would my friends, co-workers, family members, etc say on my behalf that i demonstrate actions, words, faith, and life choices that reflect someone who really does want to know the God Almighty, a person who desires to learn all she can about the King of Kings?
as a believer, this life really is all about the King and I, how we long to know each other and the ways that He and I relish all of these moments together. Anna didn't always get along with the King during this movie or approve of His choices but over time their disagreements led to them gaining a greater respect for one another and a deeper relationship...i may not always get why the Lord does the things He does or doesn't but all of His decisions and plans provide me with one more way that i can get to know Him for who He truly is!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
IT'S BBBBAAAACCCCKKKK!!!!
college football kicked off tonight & i'm so excited! i'm guaranteed at least one game so far in bryant denny & i highly anticipate several more. college football makes me want to bust out my fall clothes, the cords in particular, & get all my delicious pumpkin recipes out & ready.
welcome back college football...let's go tide & keep this winning streak intact!
roll tide roll my friends
welcome back college football...let's go tide & keep this winning streak intact!
roll tide roll my friends
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
exciting news
well, i've got some exciting news to announce: i've been promoted into somewhat of a manager position at banana! praise the Lord! it took almost 2 months for the official move/offer to happen but it really wasn't anything i was expecting or looking into. and to put a cherry on top is that the new position does come w/ a significant pay raise...which definitely makes me feel a lot more content as my grad school loans come out of deferment in a few months. plus, i have 2 consistent days in my work week...i can tell you that in 2 weeks what i'll be working on that week's monday and thursday.
how great the Lord is in the ways He continually provides and surprises me with several of His provisions/timing.
how great the Lord is in the ways He continually provides and surprises me with several of His provisions/timing.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
expect the unexpected
my small group currently is working through a john macarthur 1 samuel study and to start one of the more recent chapters, macarthur poses the question: what changes in your life would you never have predicted? let's just say i did struggle with any sort of answer to that question but instead couldn't stop thinking of the numerous changes that have occurred in my life even over the past 5 yrs. here are a few of mine: living in birmingham, having a masters in social work, working for banana republic, living in texas, not wanting to be a professional/have a career as our world defines it, and so on
really, i owe all of these changes to the Lord b/c what i've realized is that as i continue to walk w/ Him and be transformed by the Spirit that all that i expected and even planned before are futile in comparison to being w/ Him and living out what He has planned and waiting to see what He has in store for the remainder of my time here on earth.
let's face it: having learned the lesson several times that my expectations hold no weight and no matter how much i place them on the Lord He will always break them down, i found this question as a tool for reflecting on the goodness, deliverance, and perfect promises He has/had for me.
here's your turn to answer: what changes in your life would you never have predicted?
really, i owe all of these changes to the Lord b/c what i've realized is that as i continue to walk w/ Him and be transformed by the Spirit that all that i expected and even planned before are futile in comparison to being w/ Him and living out what He has planned and waiting to see what He has in store for the remainder of my time here on earth.
let's face it: having learned the lesson several times that my expectations hold no weight and no matter how much i place them on the Lord He will always break them down, i found this question as a tool for reflecting on the goodness, deliverance, and perfect promises He has/had for me.
here's your turn to answer: what changes in your life would you never have predicted?
Monday, August 2, 2010
365 days in the magic city
well, it's been a year (and an extra few days) since the parents and i moved all of my stuff across 4 states in 3 days from austin to birmingham. and in this past year i've definitely learned and experienced some things...i'm not going to share/reflect on them all but i've been reflecting on a few of them the past few weeks and thought i'd take some time to share.
*seeing the national champion tide's 1st and last football games in person...while one of those i didn't have to pay for the ticket, the $$ spent in pasadena to not only experience college football at the rose bowl but to witness #13 was absolutely priceless
*knowing that i'm only a car ride away from my family/friends in memphis & the friends whom i consider family in alabama makes tough days a whole lot easier...2 of my dearest friends have had babies in the past yr and i'm not sure how i would've handled being many more hrs away from them (though i guess i could just ask heather lacroix who was in nigeria for both of those)
*making new friends: around september, i told alana that i didn't want to have to start new friendships but in all honesty that comment came out of frustration rather than trust. every place i've moved, the Lord has graciously provided me w/ friends whom i can live life w/ and find encouragement and so on so why would He fail me now. while yes, it can be difficult to start over in the friend department, it has been comforting to see my Father provide sweet ladies who love the Lord show interest in my life and that they want to be my friend. plus, i've had the added bonus of living w/ one of my best friends from college which definitely made the transition to birmingham a whole lot easier...what a treat it was to struggle and live through some newness of the past year w/ a friend whom i already knew and felt comfortable sharing my junk with! i love alana!!
*learning to stick to a budget financially based on a salary i've never been used to or in all honesty didn't count on making with a masters degree. but the Lord is faithful and is my provider in all things even with some extra funds when i needed them and the conviction that He calls for us as believers to be financially responsible and to live with His Kingdom in mind. it's been a tough year having to realize and work through wanting to buy some clothes or go see a movie or go to panera on my lunch break and so on but i'm thankful for the lessons i've learned and what the Lord has taught me and how He's challenged me to truly take on the responsibilities He expects from me.
*working at banana republic which is probably where i've learned the most and what God's used to break me of a lot of pride and selfish issues along with showing me that a job is a job and at one point in the past few years i shared with Him that my main desire is to invest in others and have the opportunities to work in an environment where i can build relationships and invest in my co-workers which let's be honest is what He's so graciously provided me at banana. and who cares how many degrees i have, i needed to get those 2 degrees to learn a lot so they just fit in the process of it all. i do have social justice, ministry, inner-city work desires that i do believe that the Lord will provide me opportunities to live out but it all just comes with the process.
so, i've learned and experienced a lot in the past year to which i'm forever grateful. eagerly anticipating all that the next 365 days will provide!
Friday, July 30, 2010
i wanna soak up the sun
when i think vacation, i'm talking over the top, relaxing vacation, my mind automatically goes to the beach. you would not be a product of my parents if you did not love the beach as 99% of our family vacations each summer were to the beautiful gulf coast.
well, my sweet friend heather came to visit for a month (she's serving in nigeria, check out her blog) and she wanted to take a girls vacation to the beach. so we got 6other friends on board and began searching for a place. unless you've been living under a rock you're aware of the little thing called the BP oil spill which almost kept us from soaking up the sun & the goodness of girl time. the only change we made to our trip was the location: we had a place booked in orange beach but due to greater amount of oil sightings, we switched to destin.
this trip was absolutely, mind-blowing, refreshing! 4 days w/ 7 incredible women & 1 adorable baby couldn't have been any better. not only were the beaches and water still the same gorgeous gulf coast as we've all fallen in love with but lots of time and genuine conversation w/ my dear friend leslie & her handsome luke (they previously made a blog appearance here), joyful, deep, & even funny, superficial conversations with all the girls, and just doing all that we wanted on our own schedule made for one excellent getaway.
here are a few pics from the trip:
me and jesse (i got her hooked on kashi toasted berry crumble & we're pseudo-texans...jesse and her husband michael lived in the dallas area for several yrs so i saw them lots during my 2yrs in austin)
me, leslie, and sweet luke, my roomies for the week...eternally grateful for our conversations and friendship. (let's just say we had some good talks while falling asleep each night)
heather and i (i'm super excited about her 2nd yr in nigeria)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
don't worry, it's coming...
at least one new blog post will be ready for your reading pleasure in the next 24-36hrs. we now have internet/cable & my work schedule is starting to get into more of a rhythm so all the blog thoughts i've got working in my brain will be on the worldwideweb asap!
Friday, July 2, 2010
transition...
i apologize for what has been & more than likely will be limited posts in the next few weeks...i'm in a sort of transition in life right now: alana & i finally got all moved in to our new place wednesday so we have no internet. i'd say we're in the process of getting it reconnected/set-up but i just don't have time to deal w/ it for another week...see, come wednesday, i'm heading to the beach w/ 7 of my sweet friends for a little girls vacation.
don't worry, i'll be sure to plan several various posts to discuss our move, heather lacroix's month long visit, & our trip to the beach.
Friday, June 25, 2010
and i'm proud to be an American...
i'll admit that sporting events are about the only time in my life that i'm truly patriotic...yes, i'm proud to be an american and all but for me to truly embrace my country it takes the olympics & world cup to really get me going.
well, if you didn't pay attention to the crazyness that was the USA's last soccer match of pool play wednesday morning then you missed out...you just need to look up the end of the match & watch landon donavon's goal. i unfortunately had to be at work for the 2nd half so i had to keep my emotions in check until i got home from work. i had to watch it a few times to really soak in how incredible not only the goal was but also the victory for the team.
even if you aren't paying attention to the world cup but are an american, this video of various reactions to donovan's game winning goal on wednesday. trust me you'll get major chills!
Thursday, June 24, 2010
praise Him for the small things
last wednesday the air in my car stopped working...let me clarify, not just the air conditioner but all forms of air including hot air that blows if the a/c is off. well, i must admit it really wasn't as bad of a week in my car as i thought. the only times it felt hot were when i first got in or while sitting at red lights...thank goodness for working windows or this hot natured girl would've been very sweaty heading in to work.
well, since i've put a lot of miles on my car it's no longer covered under warranty so my dad just told me to go get it checked & see what the estimated cost would be. my new friend lesley's brother is a mechanic so i took it to him this am & left with a fixed air system that to my surprise costed a whole lot less than i thought. PRAISE THE LORD!!
even more, my dad said they'll still help me out with some or all of the payment so not only do i have a newly air conditioned car to cruise around bham in but i can expect a happy check in the mail w/in the week. man, the Lord is good!
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
man, i love this girl
this past saturday i got to spend some quality time w/ my dear friend, kate cooper whom i hadn't seen in 3 yrs...in person that is since we have skyped since then. kate and i met freshman year of college & over the course of the next 4 yrs she became one of my dearest, bestest friends. we lived together soph and jr year and i'm ever so glad that she was one of my roommates during that time of my life. what's so great about our friendship is that from the get-go i felt an instant connection w/ her which at that point in my life was somewhat rare & even now it is just natural for me to be real & authentic with her. and while i'd love to have more opportunities to have in person hang outs w/ kate, i'm out of control grateful that the Lord has allowed our relationship to maintain its depth, trust, and awesomeness. kate has been in japan for the past 2 yrs which makes skyping difficult so i'm glad she's moving to england where the time difference isn't as difficult!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
mini-goals
in a way these are goals but i'm not too fond of naming them goals because of the added pressure that completing them brings but i've got a few that i've been mulling in my head so i thought i'd share...
(1) grow my hair out so i can donate it again...which is going to be hard since it's summer & well, i've got a lot of hair
(2) work on limiting the amount of times i use "like" & "love" in my everyday conversations..."love" especially when i'm not referring to the Lord, my family or friends
(3) finish reading "freedom of simplicity"...i borrowed it from natalie & chris, um, pretty sure back in the winter & it's now summer
(4) have co-workers over for dinner/hangout...this will have to be in the middle of july when, hopefully, we're unpacked & settled in the new place
(5) start getting up a bit earlier to go running outside...since clearly it's not happening when i get off due to the lovely summer temps
(6) to actually call my friends who do not live here and whom i've been procrastinating calling because i think i don't have enough time
(7) take more pictures...i used to be good at this but i've fallen off the wagon & absolutely stink at taking pics
ok, well, i'll keep you posted on the progress and if i decide to add anymore
(1) grow my hair out so i can donate it again...which is going to be hard since it's summer & well, i've got a lot of hair
(2) work on limiting the amount of times i use "like" & "love" in my everyday conversations..."love" especially when i'm not referring to the Lord, my family or friends
(3) finish reading "freedom of simplicity"...i borrowed it from natalie & chris, um, pretty sure back in the winter & it's now summer
(4) have co-workers over for dinner/hangout...this will have to be in the middle of july when, hopefully, we're unpacked & settled in the new place
(5) start getting up a bit earlier to go running outside...since clearly it's not happening when i get off due to the lovely summer temps
(6) to actually call my friends who do not live here and whom i've been procrastinating calling because i think i don't have enough time
(7) take more pictures...i used to be good at this but i've fallen off the wagon & absolutely stink at taking pics
ok, well, i'll keep you posted on the progress and if i decide to add anymore
Friday, June 18, 2010
here's a first...
the other day i realized that this is the first year, not summer, but year(i guess this can change) in 5 years that i am not in at least one wedding. while yes i have some to attend or have already attended 2 so far this summer but it just seems a bit odd to not have bridesmaids activities in my 2010 calendar.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
WORLD CUP 2010
i realized this morning that i forgot in my "it's june" post to discuss the world cup...how could i forget about one of the more exciting sporting events in the world?!!
well, it's here and the americans have one of their best opportunities to advance to the round of 16 than they ever have. we just drew a tie with england whom some have as one of the top contenders to win it all. while the american goal wasn't the prettiest or the fact that at times our defense looked shaky, i'm pleased and excited with our potential over the next few weeks.
playing soccer was an intricate part of my childhood & high school years so unlike the majority of americans i know most of the what seem confusing rules/events within a match and get really energized every 4 years when the world cup enters our lives. attending a world cup is definitely on my bucket list especially after bonding with my friend alicia over u.s. soccer 8 yrs ago while we were on a mission trip in belize...let's just say the 2 of us teenage girls became early risers to take in the american games.
enjoy the next few weeks of world cup action & let's go america!!
well, it's here and the americans have one of their best opportunities to advance to the round of 16 than they ever have. we just drew a tie with england whom some have as one of the top contenders to win it all. while the american goal wasn't the prettiest or the fact that at times our defense looked shaky, i'm pleased and excited with our potential over the next few weeks.
playing soccer was an intricate part of my childhood & high school years so unlike the majority of americans i know most of the what seem confusing rules/events within a match and get really energized every 4 years when the world cup enters our lives. attending a world cup is definitely on my bucket list especially after bonding with my friend alicia over u.s. soccer 8 yrs ago while we were on a mission trip in belize...let's just say the 2 of us teenage girls became early risers to take in the american games.
enjoy the next few weeks of world cup action & let's go america!!
exciting new find!!
yesterday, alana & i ran some errands(well, really i tagged along on her errands so we could actually hang out since that hasn't happened much this week)...we got to the summit & she needed a snack so we stopped in joe muggs. well, what did i find but project 7 mints & gum!!! i've been unsure where to look here in bham for some of their products & if you can remember i posted about the awesome non-profit so you can only imagine how excited i became when i found their products...i will be making a gum purchase soon so joe muggs better be ready.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
because of God's say-so
most mornings i start my day w/ the breakfast of choice(usually kashi go-lean crunch), a cup(really more like a mug) of coffee, & that day's devo from oswald chambers' "my utmost for his highest". (which you can access via the web: www.myutmost.org) i enjoy each of these because some mornings i don't give myself a lot of time so they give me a verse or two & some thoughts/ideas to really press into throughout the day.
well, saturdays when i don't have to work until later in the day, i like to make homemade whole wheat pancakes(recipe posted at the bottom) & usually i'll scramble an egg but this morning i cooked some sausage my parents gave me. to me, there's just something about a saturday morning when i'm either off or have to close: i don't have to set an alarm, i can actually cook breakfast, and i can take as much time as i want to enjoy my food, coffee & Lord (and even do somethings a mon-fri worker gets to do).
today's verse & read is one of those that i needed to read/forced to really think about. hebrews 13:5-6 are the verses he uses which state that because He said "this" i can boldly say "this". mr. chambers boldly states that "my say-so is to be built on God's say so"...i can't make claims for certain situations that aren't based on what God has said to me via His word but if i read His word, take hold of His promises & embrace who He is then i can boldly say and face any situation. which all of this brought a connection to some verses i've been really dwelling on lately...psalm 18:30-36. because of the truth about the Lord in these verses i can truthfully state when life feels shaky that He is my Rock and when i get caught up in wanting to be great via the world's standards i can remind myself that His gentleness makes me great and when i begin to fear failure of the world's expectations i can boldly claim that His ways are blameless, He makes my ways blameless and He enlarges my steps! Hallelujah, How Great Thou Art!
so the next time(s) i get caught in apprehension or fear i can wholeheartedly take comfort in God's say-so and who He is!
whole-wheat pancakes:
1 egg
1 c milk
1 c flour
1T veg. oil
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
i like to add some vanilla & cinnamon. this recipe is actually half of what the recipe i found said so this one makes close to 10 all depending on the size.
well, saturdays when i don't have to work until later in the day, i like to make homemade whole wheat pancakes(recipe posted at the bottom) & usually i'll scramble an egg but this morning i cooked some sausage my parents gave me. to me, there's just something about a saturday morning when i'm either off or have to close: i don't have to set an alarm, i can actually cook breakfast, and i can take as much time as i want to enjoy my food, coffee & Lord (and even do somethings a mon-fri worker gets to do).
today's verse & read is one of those that i needed to read/forced to really think about. hebrews 13:5-6 are the verses he uses which state that because He said "this" i can boldly say "this". mr. chambers boldly states that "my say-so is to be built on God's say so"...i can't make claims for certain situations that aren't based on what God has said to me via His word but if i read His word, take hold of His promises & embrace who He is then i can boldly say and face any situation. which all of this brought a connection to some verses i've been really dwelling on lately...psalm 18:30-36. because of the truth about the Lord in these verses i can truthfully state when life feels shaky that He is my Rock and when i get caught up in wanting to be great via the world's standards i can remind myself that His gentleness makes me great and when i begin to fear failure of the world's expectations i can boldly claim that His ways are blameless, He makes my ways blameless and He enlarges my steps! Hallelujah, How Great Thou Art!
so the next time(s) i get caught in apprehension or fear i can wholeheartedly take comfort in God's say-so and who He is!
whole-wheat pancakes:
1 egg
1 c milk
1 c flour
1T veg. oil
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
i like to add some vanilla & cinnamon. this recipe is actually half of what the recipe i found said so this one makes close to 10 all depending on the size.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
IT'S JUNE!!
ok, i'm really excited that it's june...so much is going on in the next 30 days that i've been anticipating for weeks/months & finally the month has arrived! i know you're on the edge of your seat wondering what june has going for it besides flag day & the first day of summer so let me just share:
*several days of separate weekends spent with lauren walker...she lives in fort worth w/ the husband right now so time with her is rare
*KATE COOPER! will be passing through bham the 3rd weekend...one of my all-time best friends from college whom i haven't seen since maybe 2007. she's been in hawaii/japan for the past several years & is starting grad school in england soon so i'll be soaking up as much kate time as i can get. we used to skype when she was in hawaii but the japan-cst time difference made skype dates nearly impossible.
*HEATHER LACROIX! will be returning from nigeria the same weekend as kate to spend the next 4 weeks in the states before she returns for another year in nigeria. heather moved to nigeria from bham about the same time i moved to bham last year so skype can only do so much good before you're just ready to see someone's face!
*vbs with the middle schoolers at church...some of my fondest moments of life come from middle school and just the unique stage of life these youth are in makes me excited about getting a week to engage/get to know them. plus, i've been itching for some service time with the youth group and 2 days during the week we're going to serve alongside a church on a "different side" of town which of course is right up my alley :)
*moving...we're moving to a condo that's basically right up the street. but the positive is that it's not much different location wise or price.
*lake day! with my sunday school class the last saturday of the month in the midst of packing/moving to the condo so i'm sure it's going to be rather refreshing.
i'm sure some other fun activities will be added to the list but until then i'm ready to tackle this incredible list. bring it on june! i can't wait
*several days of separate weekends spent with lauren walker...she lives in fort worth w/ the husband right now so time with her is rare
*KATE COOPER! will be passing through bham the 3rd weekend...one of my all-time best friends from college whom i haven't seen since maybe 2007. she's been in hawaii/japan for the past several years & is starting grad school in england soon so i'll be soaking up as much kate time as i can get. we used to skype when she was in hawaii but the japan-cst time difference made skype dates nearly impossible.
*HEATHER LACROIX! will be returning from nigeria the same weekend as kate to spend the next 4 weeks in the states before she returns for another year in nigeria. heather moved to nigeria from bham about the same time i moved to bham last year so skype can only do so much good before you're just ready to see someone's face!
*vbs with the middle schoolers at church...some of my fondest moments of life come from middle school and just the unique stage of life these youth are in makes me excited about getting a week to engage/get to know them. plus, i've been itching for some service time with the youth group and 2 days during the week we're going to serve alongside a church on a "different side" of town which of course is right up my alley :)
*moving...we're moving to a condo that's basically right up the street. but the positive is that it's not much different location wise or price.
*lake day! with my sunday school class the last saturday of the month in the midst of packing/moving to the condo so i'm sure it's going to be rather refreshing.
i'm sure some other fun activities will be added to the list but until then i'm ready to tackle this incredible list. bring it on june! i can't wait
Monday, May 24, 2010
sorry, i've neglected you
well it's been 2 weeks since i last wrote a post & for that i apologize...not that any of you have missed my posts but i know myself & how i worried about long periods between posts when i started this thing...so here's an update on my past 2 weeks:
*went to a bama/florida baseball game with alana & 3 sweet new friends we've met at shades...which was a friendship breakthrough for my new friend kristen & i, see she's a diehard florida fan(who also likes/knows some about sports) & well, i kinda have a thing for the crimson tide & sports in general. back during basketball season she wanted to invite me to the florida/bama game in ttown but wasn't sure if our friendship was ready for that...after the baseball game, it became official that we can take our friendship to the next level in terms of bama/fl football & basketball games.
here's a pic of me & kristen at the game
*i missed a monday night of sleep due to working 1am-10am tuesday may 11. yes, you read that right. see, if you haven't been to your local banana republic in the past 2 weeks then you've missed out on some new summer merchandise that at my store we needed to have out of the box, placed, and perfect by 10am(or at least that was the goal) & we sure busted our butts/lost many a hours of sleep. it definitely took me until about friday before i felt 100% energized...you moms out there have a whole lot more respect from this girl, the amount of sleep yall lose is applauded.
*i went to memphis for 2 days last week to visit the fam & be of whatever help w/ nana i could. we went shoe shopping, salvaged some old love letters & pics that the flood tried to destroy, & i helped dad take down her living room curtains. it provided me the chance to see her home w/out any furniture, doors, floor, parts of the wall, etc & lots of emotions/thoughts went through my head the whole time we were out there.(one day this week i might type them up for another post)
*this is the best one from the past 2 weeks: I'M OFFICIALLY FULL-TIME! after several months of waiting for the final approval/status change in the system, i can officially say i'm a full-time employee. while, yes, it's at banana republic which is not a social work job i cannot be more grateful that the Lord has provided me with a job where i can earn pto & start getting benefits. let me just say that to fully express all i've learned during the past year since i graduated i'll need lots more time & another post but what i will tell you is that i've never been reminded more that the Lord IS Sovereign, does not withhold any good thing from those who fear Him, & He longs for me to be content with where He has me. so if He's providing me a job at BR and nothing else then who am i to question! so PRAISE THE LORD for guaranteed hours, PTO and getting health insurance!
a lovely thunderstorm has brought some rain to help me fall asleep since i do have to work tomorrow & off days don't last forever.
*went to a bama/florida baseball game with alana & 3 sweet new friends we've met at shades...which was a friendship breakthrough for my new friend kristen & i, see she's a diehard florida fan(who also likes/knows some about sports) & well, i kinda have a thing for the crimson tide & sports in general. back during basketball season she wanted to invite me to the florida/bama game in ttown but wasn't sure if our friendship was ready for that...after the baseball game, it became official that we can take our friendship to the next level in terms of bama/fl football & basketball games.
here's a pic of me & kristen at the game
*i missed a monday night of sleep due to working 1am-10am tuesday may 11. yes, you read that right. see, if you haven't been to your local banana republic in the past 2 weeks then you've missed out on some new summer merchandise that at my store we needed to have out of the box, placed, and perfect by 10am(or at least that was the goal) & we sure busted our butts/lost many a hours of sleep. it definitely took me until about friday before i felt 100% energized...you moms out there have a whole lot more respect from this girl, the amount of sleep yall lose is applauded.
*i went to memphis for 2 days last week to visit the fam & be of whatever help w/ nana i could. we went shoe shopping, salvaged some old love letters & pics that the flood tried to destroy, & i helped dad take down her living room curtains. it provided me the chance to see her home w/out any furniture, doors, floor, parts of the wall, etc & lots of emotions/thoughts went through my head the whole time we were out there.(one day this week i might type them up for another post)
*this is the best one from the past 2 weeks: I'M OFFICIALLY FULL-TIME! after several months of waiting for the final approval/status change in the system, i can officially say i'm a full-time employee. while, yes, it's at banana republic which is not a social work job i cannot be more grateful that the Lord has provided me with a job where i can earn pto & start getting benefits. let me just say that to fully express all i've learned during the past year since i graduated i'll need lots more time & another post but what i will tell you is that i've never been reminded more that the Lord IS Sovereign, does not withhold any good thing from those who fear Him, & He longs for me to be content with where He has me. so if He's providing me a job at BR and nothing else then who am i to question! so PRAISE THE LORD for guaranteed hours, PTO and getting health insurance!
a lovely thunderstorm has brought some rain to help me fall asleep since i do have to work tomorrow & off days don't last forever.
Monday, May 10, 2010
your number's being called, are you ready to play?
at church, the pastor has begun a new series entitled "put me in coach, i'm ready to play" where each week he's discussing a person from the Old Testament who displays characteristics of a Christ follower impacting the world for God's Kingdom. in the midst of this, i'm reading the hole in our Gospel by rich stearnes, the ceo of world vision. in the book, rich discusses his own path to taking the job at world vision & how he continually reverts back to the question of doing God's will, whatever that may be. he also discusses our call as Christ followers to redeem the world now & that the Lord uses us to redeem the world and its people into His Kingdom now...the Kingdom of God isn't something we wait on to enjoy in heavan but something His Spirit empowers His children to engage in NOW!
as i think of these two topics the Holy Spirit continues to bring this particular truth into my mind and heart...that since i'm God's daughter, He expects me to impact His Kingdom now through where He has me in this world & that if i'm truly His & delighting daily in our relationship & His love that i won't hesitate to do His will no matter what He asks...because redeeming His world for His Kingdom will be the cry of my heart...being an impact player for His Kingdom will be my lifestyle that i'll always be ready to play no matter what position or play He's calling me to take part in.
if my prayer is psalm 143:10 "teach me to do Your will for You are my God" then i am to faithfully be ready & consistently in the game allowing the Spirit to empower, strengthen and guide me. i admit i'm not always ready or even consistent in knowing whose Kingdom i'm fighting for but i find comfort in Him, His love and forgiveness for they set me free to impact this world for Him.
as i think of these two topics the Holy Spirit continues to bring this particular truth into my mind and heart...that since i'm God's daughter, He expects me to impact His Kingdom now through where He has me in this world & that if i'm truly His & delighting daily in our relationship & His love that i won't hesitate to do His will no matter what He asks...because redeeming His world for His Kingdom will be the cry of my heart...being an impact player for His Kingdom will be my lifestyle that i'll always be ready to play no matter what position or play He's calling me to take part in.
if my prayer is psalm 143:10 "teach me to do Your will for You are my God" then i am to faithfully be ready & consistently in the game allowing the Spirit to empower, strengthen and guide me. i admit i'm not always ready or even consistent in knowing whose Kingdom i'm fighting for but i find comfort in Him, His love and forgiveness for they set me free to impact this world for Him.
my nana, the famous flood survivor
may 1 & 2 were some crazy days weather wise in memphis...when they say it rained they aren't kidding. that saturday morning it took my parents 25 mins to get out of their neighbor when on a normal day it should take no more than 3 mins. and one of my grandmothers, my sweet nana, became trapped in her home by the rising flood waters. the small suburb she lives in built levees many years ago (i think after the last time her house flooded) around a creek that feeds into the wolf river (which then feeds into the mighty mississippi). well, unfortunately the levees broke & the floods came. thankfully several of nana's friends were able to rescue her from her house since all the major roads leading to millington prevented my dad from getting to her.
well nana is a fighter, survivor & incredible woman who despite witnessing her entire home fill with water as well as losing her car remains strong through it all. i knew all of this without a tragedy such as this but what a reminder of the amazing woman she is & may i one day maintain her sweet spirit.
check her out on the memphis news:
well nana is a fighter, survivor & incredible woman who despite witnessing her entire home fill with water as well as losing her car remains strong through it all. i knew all of this without a tragedy such as this but what a reminder of the amazing woman she is & may i one day maintain her sweet spirit.
check her out on the memphis news:
http://www.myeyewitnessnews.com/news/local/story/Millington-Residents-Helping-Flooded-Out-Neighbors/QbHdzs1gx0OotZh-hg3DBw.cspx
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
so long cable, it's been fun
i convinced myself, followed by alana, that we should cancel our cable...
for me, i've been considering this decision for the past few weeks for several reasons:
1) i've been spending way too much time at the apartment in front of the tv when i could be spending my time more effectively by reading, meditating, spending time in prayer, running, etc.
2) i financially can use the $50 a month a lot more efficiently in savings for a mission trip, beach trip, bills, food, etc
3) sorry cable companies, most of the channels you make me pay for i don't ever watch or have any interest in watching & the shows i do have an interest in can be seen via the internet.
when we first moved in last july we waited until september before we had our cable set-up so we've done it before so we hopefully can make it through the summer & into the fall until the need for cable potentially comes again. but until then alana & i will enjoy all 10 seasons of friends, some dawson's creek & what other tv show dvds we rent/borrow.
stay tuned for future updates on our life w/ no cable
for me, i've been considering this decision for the past few weeks for several reasons:
1) i've been spending way too much time at the apartment in front of the tv when i could be spending my time more effectively by reading, meditating, spending time in prayer, running, etc.
2) i financially can use the $50 a month a lot more efficiently in savings for a mission trip, beach trip, bills, food, etc
3) sorry cable companies, most of the channels you make me pay for i don't ever watch or have any interest in watching & the shows i do have an interest in can be seen via the internet.
when we first moved in last july we waited until september before we had our cable set-up so we've done it before so we hopefully can make it through the summer & into the fall until the need for cable potentially comes again. but until then alana & i will enjoy all 10 seasons of friends, some dawson's creek & what other tv show dvds we rent/borrow.
stay tuned for future updates on our life w/ no cable
Monday, April 26, 2010
NEEDTOBREATHE
one of my favorite bands is NEEDTOBREATHE and i got to see them last night!! i thank my dear friend jennifer holloway for getting me hooked on them in college when they weren't as well known & would come play a small venue/coffee shop in tuscaloosa...it's always amazing to me to see them play in as large of a venue as they did last night w/ at least 300 fans. last year i got to see them play for free at the univ. of texas & i've been itching to see them again so i was stoked that they came to bham.
seriously if you have never seen them live or you have not heard of them, please do yourself a favor and check them out. one of the things i enjoy most about them is when they're on-stage you can tell that they'd be content w/ just playing & jamming & not feeling the pressure to "entertain". plus, most shows they play one song acoustically & last night they did & did not disappoint. usually when they play acoustic, they move to a certain spot in the venue and last night that spot was right by us, literally, right above our standing location! don't believe, then check out these pics(that unfortunately are from my cell phone since i frequently forget my real camera)
seriously if you have never seen them live or you have not heard of them, please do yourself a favor and check them out. one of the things i enjoy most about them is when they're on-stage you can tell that they'd be content w/ just playing & jamming & not feeling the pressure to "entertain". plus, most shows they play one song acoustically & last night they did & did not disappoint. usually when they play acoustic, they move to a certain spot in the venue and last night that spot was right by us, literally, right above our standing location! don't believe, then check out these pics(that unfortunately are from my cell phone since i frequently forget my real camera)
Saturday, April 17, 2010
food for thought/soul/meditation
here's a nice, thought-provoking, tough to live out 24/7 read i've been trying to meditate on since i saw it via twitter...it's a blog by tim keller a pastor in manhattan.
Contentment
09 Apr 2010, by Tim Keller
It's remarkable to read David, the Warrior-King of Israel, writing these words from Psalm 131.
My heart is not proud, O LORD, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.
The metaphor for spiritual maturity here is a "weaned child." On the one hand, we are a child at the mother's breast, an image of complete helplessness. We are completely dependent on God. Without him we can do nothing. On the other hand, we are a weaned child, an image of contentment. Unweaned children cry in mother's arms until they get something from mother -- her milk. Only then are they quiet. But a weaned child is satisfied just with mother herself, with her very presence.
Here we see depicted, vividly and compactly, what Job was taught through all his trials. We must love God for himself alone, not just for what he gives us. This is the essence of what, for Jonathan Edwards, distinguished "true grace" from "the experience of devils," who hold sound doctrine and tremble before God (James 2:19.) Real grace on the heart leads us to see the "beauty and comeliness of divine things, as they are in themselves" (from the sermon by the same name in volume 25 of the Yale edition of Edwards' works). We become satisfied with God himself. Even his transcendent holiness is enjoyed as a beautiful and magnificent thing, which fills the heart to contemplate, though we certainly get nothing out of it!
If grace has really changed our hearts, we don't ultimately care if life goes the way we want it, as long as we have him. The joys of acclaim, wealth, and power are nothing compared to the eternal acclaim, wealth, and power we have in him. A "weaned child" is not just someone who knows this in principle, but who has worked gospel truths into his or her soul as spiritually sensed realities. Internally, this quiets the soul into profound contentment and poise. Externally, it means humility, a willingness to learn from others and also to trust God. The believer realizes that the reason God's actions are often opaque is not because we are wise and he is foolish, but because he is too "great" and "wonderful" for us.
A Christian should never have the attitude toward God, "what have you done for me lately?" Spurgeon said about Psalm 131 that it was "one of the shortest psalms to read, but one of the longest to learn."
Friday, April 9, 2010
every mary-kate deserves an ashley...
ashley is one of the absolute greatest friends i could have asked for especially at that time in my life...without her genuine spirit, kindness & love i'm not sure i really would've understood how much i needed a relationship with the Lord but He graciously saw a ripe harvest & kept working on me. despite me moving away for college & then even farther for grad school, we've been able to maintain our friendship & take advantage of opportunities to hang out whenever i'm in memphis. in a way, she's a part of my family & i'm a part of hers and i'm not sure much is going to change or get in the way of that.
ashley married mr. patrick addison may 2006
ashley teaches kindergarten & has one of the cutest classrooms in shelby county. the addison's have a dog dora though there was a time in her life when ashley wasn't the biggest fan of dogs, (or was that just zoe?) she has avoided joining the technology craze of our society as she's not on facebook & finally decided to upgrade her cell phone over Christmas...she even has decided to start texting. monday when we talked she did share w/ me how her & patrick have been intrigued by glozell on youtube...seriously if you haven't watched her yet, please do, it'll bring a laugh to your day.
but despite her willingness to avoid as much social media as she can, ashley does enjoy reading blogs including this one...so ashley, i promised you a shout-out so here it is :) love you & thanks for being such a fantastic friend!!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
madness ends until 2011
the madness ended last night w/ one absolutely fantastic game! if you like defense, then you should have enjoyed that game to the fullest because that's what college basketball needs a bit more of, hard-nosed defense. plus, that game was so close that anyone watching didn't want to turn it off or could admit that it was over until the horn sounded.
personally, i wanted duke to win since i like duke basketball, have for many years of my life & have witnessed a game in the infamous cameron indoor. though let's be real, butler winning would have been just as exciting...who doesn't like the mid-major underdog?!
i will say this, i anxiously anticipate the day when coach anthony grant has the tide playing in one of those games because that will absolutely make the madness ever so sweeter!
Monday, April 5, 2010
death & resurrection
since the church service i attended thursday night, i've been reflecting & meditating on the utter significance of Easter weekend...His death on the cross followed by the empty tomb & His resurrection 3 days later.
for much of my time as a Christ follower, i've dwelled on the importance of the cross, that w/out His eternal sacrifice of taking my sins/iniquities upon His shoulders, my life would have no meaning because there'd be nothing to live for eternally & i'd be unable to live intimately in relationship with God. that His death on the cross paid my ransom & i'm now debt free eternally. But this weekend, the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me about the utter importance of His resurrection, that the tomb was & remains empty. as i sat in church on sunday, i kept thinking about the Scripture that claims the prophecy, truth & need of His resurrection but i couldn't really think of any except the Gospel accounts that the tomb was empty. and that's just what the Lord wanted because the sermon spoke on the need & benefits of an empty tomb. that Him rising from the dead gives me life now, provides me the power of the Holy Spirit, God's strength because of Christ's sacrifice & dominance over satan/death & the hope laid up for me in eternal life & eternal peace through the reconciled relationship w/ the Lord.
i've been reading & thinking on Peter's sermon in Acts 2 & Paul's words in Eph 1:18-20
Happy Easter season my friends!
Monday, March 29, 2010
beautiful spring day w/ a beautiful friend
when i decided to move to birmingham, i knew i'd have a lot more opportunities to hang out w/ some of my dearest friends, including the incredible mrs. leslie irons who lives with her husband, derek & 5mo. old son, luke about 2 & a half hrs from bham in troy.
montgomery is about half way between troy & bham so some times on my off days, leslie & i try to meet for lunch & hang out for an hour or so. well, let's just say that our few hours of hang out today turned into the entire afternoon/early evening. we met for lunch at 12:30 & the next thing we knew it was 6:30. it was absolute splendid for several reasons but mainly because leslie has been a constant rock & friend & sister in Christ ever since we became friends back during my freshman year of college and i just absolutely love her & being around her & sharing life w/ her. plus, in so many ways leslie & i are the same and it's just so refreshing to share and work through the transformation process w/ her because well she gets me a lot. and now i just love seeing her as the fantastic mother she was created to be & loving on lukeman :)
check her out @ her blog here
today was one of those opportunities i anticipated to enjoy time w/ a dear friend & the Lord just happened to bless us w/ an absolutely beautiful spring day! what a great way to start Passion week since Christ's death & reconciliation allows us to live authentically in relationships with God, the Father as well as with our friends & family.
"I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith" 2 Timothy 1:3-5
montgomery is about half way between troy & bham so some times on my off days, leslie & i try to meet for lunch & hang out for an hour or so. well, let's just say that our few hours of hang out today turned into the entire afternoon/early evening. we met for lunch at 12:30 & the next thing we knew it was 6:30. it was absolute splendid for several reasons but mainly because leslie has been a constant rock & friend & sister in Christ ever since we became friends back during my freshman year of college and i just absolutely love her & being around her & sharing life w/ her. plus, in so many ways leslie & i are the same and it's just so refreshing to share and work through the transformation process w/ her because well she gets me a lot. and now i just love seeing her as the fantastic mother she was created to be & loving on lukeman :)
check her out @ her blog here
today was one of those opportunities i anticipated to enjoy time w/ a dear friend & the Lord just happened to bless us w/ an absolutely beautiful spring day! what a great way to start Passion week since Christ's death & reconciliation allows us to live authentically in relationships with God, the Father as well as with our friends & family.
"I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith" 2 Timothy 1:3-5
Saturday, March 27, 2010
so long caltucky
while yes, i bleed crimson, the memphis tigers are the first university i knew to root for especially tiger basketball. both of my parents went there, my dad traveled to one of the final fours, one of my grandparents had season tickets back when the tigers played at the coliseum(which is where they should still play if you ask me), & as a little girl, i had/wore a memphis state cheerleading uniform.
so if you have followed college basketball in the past year, you know that in the midst of ncaa violations about to being released the coach left for his "dream job" which it might truly be & leaving the team w/ no recruiting class & the town feeling jaded. don't get me wrong, calipari didn't make memphis basketball...it thrived and ruled long before he came along & you can count on the tigers being nationally relevant long after him but there was something sweet about west virginia beating the wildcats today. i even told my brother that i'm not sure i've ever wanted a team to lose more than today (i know, i know that's not very nice at all but forgive me, please) and you have to admit that is a big thing for a girl who has grown up unable to stand the vols a whole lot more than kentucky.
so here's to a final four minus caltucky...and even hopefully the vols ;)
so if you have followed college basketball in the past year, you know that in the midst of ncaa violations about to being released the coach left for his "dream job" which it might truly be & leaving the team w/ no recruiting class & the town feeling jaded. don't get me wrong, calipari didn't make memphis basketball...it thrived and ruled long before he came along & you can count on the tigers being nationally relevant long after him but there was something sweet about west virginia beating the wildcats today. i even told my brother that i'm not sure i've ever wanted a team to lose more than today (i know, i know that's not very nice at all but forgive me, please) and you have to admit that is a big thing for a girl who has grown up unable to stand the vols a whole lot more than kentucky.
so here's to a final four minus caltucky...and even hopefully the vols ;)
Thursday, March 25, 2010
the Gospel, health care, & my responsibility
i've been debating posting my thoughts about this whole health care issue mainly because my ideas/thoughts on the issue don't personally fit neatly on the republican or democratic side so i think i should just keep all that i've been wrestling with to myself or to a select few...but why would i let myself be silenced? well, that's called letting a little thing called the fear of man & rejection have some reign over the Fear and acceptance of God. plus, a lot of what i'm going to type out here are not new thoughts but thoughts i've been working through for the past year & a half.
well, i learned a LOT(not exaggerating here) in grad school about myself, passions, vision from the Lord, etc and one of the main truths the Lord taught me was that He longs for His church to be His hands and feet wherever He has sent us, that He wants us, His Church, to be the ones in the trenches serving the poor, needy, orphans & widows because these actions are a response to our faith & salvation through Jesus and the direct, true response to God's love dwelling within us & guiding our sanctification. and as believers we are the ministers of reconciliation, the only ones able to share the eternal Good News of who can heal their souls. James 1:27 tells us this "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."and reading Jesus' parable in Matthew 25: 31-46 I discern his words to serve all of His creation & children, to love them as He loves us & if they were Jesus himself.
these truths really hit me as at the time i thought the only way for me to be an effective social worker based on my talents, interests, big-picture thinking was going down the social policy road...i find social policy & its history in our country very interesting & still do to this day but God had a completely different idea...He repeatedly has shown me how it is vital for the Church & message of the Gospel to be the ones providing many of the services and programs that i had grown to expect the American government to provide which brings us back to the health care issue. yes, something needs to be done in terms of reform in this country but when i face the Lord i don't want to tell Him that i let the government do what He wanted me to do leaving those the government helped physically lacking spiritually what eternally matters.
here's a quote from rich stearns, the ceo of world vision: "let me take some liberties and paraphrase these verses[matt 25:31-46] for today's reader: 'For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved.'"
and if the Church is the body responsible for providing for the poor, needy, orphans, widows, etc which yes, does include health care, then i have no place to judge or decide if it is a right or privilege or something the person deserves...no human deserves or does anything to earn salvation through Christ but He came, lived, died & rose despite all of that because He loves us unconditionally & selflessly took on our condemnation so i can experience the riches of a relationship with God, our Father.
well, i learned a LOT(not exaggerating here) in grad school about myself, passions, vision from the Lord, etc and one of the main truths the Lord taught me was that He longs for His church to be His hands and feet wherever He has sent us, that He wants us, His Church, to be the ones in the trenches serving the poor, needy, orphans & widows because these actions are a response to our faith & salvation through Jesus and the direct, true response to God's love dwelling within us & guiding our sanctification. and as believers we are the ministers of reconciliation, the only ones able to share the eternal Good News of who can heal their souls. James 1:27 tells us this "Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world."and reading Jesus' parable in Matthew 25: 31-46 I discern his words to serve all of His creation & children, to love them as He loves us & if they were Jesus himself.
these truths really hit me as at the time i thought the only way for me to be an effective social worker based on my talents, interests, big-picture thinking was going down the social policy road...i find social policy & its history in our country very interesting & still do to this day but God had a completely different idea...He repeatedly has shown me how it is vital for the Church & message of the Gospel to be the ones providing many of the services and programs that i had grown to expect the American government to provide which brings us back to the health care issue. yes, something needs to be done in terms of reform in this country but when i face the Lord i don't want to tell Him that i let the government do what He wanted me to do leaving those the government helped physically lacking spiritually what eternally matters.
here's a quote from rich stearns, the ceo of world vision: "let me take some liberties and paraphrase these verses[matt 25:31-46] for today's reader: 'For I was hungry, while you had all you needed. I was thirsty, but you drank bottled water. I was a stranger, and you wanted me deported. I needed clothes, but you needed more clothes. I was sick, and you pointed out the behaviors that led to my sickness. I was in prison, and you said I was getting what I deserved.'"
and if the Church is the body responsible for providing for the poor, needy, orphans, widows, etc which yes, does include health care, then i have no place to judge or decide if it is a right or privilege or something the person deserves...no human deserves or does anything to earn salvation through Christ but He came, lived, died & rose despite all of that because He loves us unconditionally & selflessly took on our condemnation so i can experience the riches of a relationship with God, our Father.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
haiti
it's been 2 and a half months since the earthquake hit haiti but i forget that some days since our main news sources have moved on to discussing/covering other news stories that are just as important to our nation.
but i do have days where haiti & the haitians come to my mind, causing me to pray for the people of haiti who still remain homeless, the haitian government, & those organizations who've been in the trenches before & after the january earthquake.
someone shared this website with me & i wanted to pass it along so that if you're continuing to think of the haitians, curious of a way to invest in their restoration, you have one.
ahomeinhaiti.org
plus, worldvision.org provides you a place to donate $$ to the organization's decades long work in the country
but i do have days where haiti & the haitians come to my mind, causing me to pray for the people of haiti who still remain homeless, the haitian government, & those organizations who've been in the trenches before & after the january earthquake.
someone shared this website with me & i wanted to pass it along so that if you're continuing to think of the haitians, curious of a way to invest in their restoration, you have one.
ahomeinhaiti.org
plus, worldvision.org provides you a place to donate $$ to the organization's decades long work in the country
Thursday, March 18, 2010
march madness
filling out my bracket this year was a bit different because neither the tigers nor the tide made the field of 65. it actually was kinda fun to fill out a bracket as just a college basketball fan without the added pressure to follow my heart & pick the tigers or tide even if the objective pick is for the opposing team. with that being said, the south region might be the easiest path for duke in the eyes of the experts was not the easiest of the 4 regions for me to pick a final four representative...i wanted to pick duke but they haven't had the best of luck in the late 2000s, baylor seemed too much like a trendy pick, & i just don't think i can trust nova outside of their guards. but you have to choose someone because it's a final 4, not a final 3 & to submit your bracket. and i just don't see anyone but kansas winning, which of course irks me since their last win broke my heart.
so, here are my picks:
Kansas vs Syracuse
West Virginia vs Duke
champ. game, kansas vs duke with the jayhawks cutting down the nets
i'm very excited though about the potential for a bunch of upsets this year especially since the bubble was so soft & the jayhawks have been the only consistent team.
enjoy the next 3 weeks as the madness fills our lives, tvs, & convos
so, here are my picks:
Kansas vs Syracuse
West Virginia vs Duke
champ. game, kansas vs duke with the jayhawks cutting down the nets
i'm very excited though about the potential for a bunch of upsets this year especially since the bubble was so soft & the jayhawks have been the only consistent team.
enjoy the next 3 weeks as the madness fills our lives, tvs, & convos
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Project 7
please check out www.project7.com
i've recently stumbled upon this organization & instantly became a fan. seeing their mission & objective makes me want to figure out a project for bham asap!
this is their tweet from today: Eye-opening films on U.S. #humantrafficking: "Playground" http://bit.ly/7O4NS4 & "Very Young Girls" http://bit.ly/duS8nM
the movie trailers make me eagerly anticipate seeing these films.
i've recently stumbled upon this organization & instantly became a fan. seeing their mission & objective makes me want to figure out a project for bham asap!
this is their tweet from today: Eye-opening films on U.S. #humantrafficking: "Playground" http://bit.ly/7O4NS4 & "Very Young Girls" http://bit.ly/duS8nM
the movie trailers make me eagerly anticipate seeing these films.
here we go
after several months of toying w/ the idea of actually using my blogger dashboard to house my own blog & not just those that i follow, i've elected to give this a shot.
the posts may be deep thoughts about life, Christ, sports, weather, current events, etc so prepare yourself for anything & everything.
if you're a friend whom i sadly don't get to see on a regular basis, i hope this provides you a glimpse into my so-called life & current birmingham adventures because let's face it technology gives us that outlet we need to remain in touch w/ those friends we have scattered across the great USofA & globe...and i of course, miss you!
roll tide and enjoy!
the posts may be deep thoughts about life, Christ, sports, weather, current events, etc so prepare yourself for anything & everything.
if you're a friend whom i sadly don't get to see on a regular basis, i hope this provides you a glimpse into my so-called life & current birmingham adventures because let's face it technology gives us that outlet we need to remain in touch w/ those friends we have scattered across the great USofA & globe...and i of course, miss you!
roll tide and enjoy!
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