Pages

Friday, December 14, 2012

I want to be Reckless

Some things have been happening that make me so happy, excited, pumped up, joyous, terrified, nervous, anxious, impatient, and of  course thankful.  I am not going to say what these things are for it is too early, but I will say it needs prayer.

Reckless....what a strange word, what really does it mean? Reckless- "Without thinking or caring about the consequences of an action"...okay, we got it?

So what does reckless for Jesus sake mean? I really have no clue, but recently the phrase "I want to be reckless," (in a Jesus way) has got me thinking.  Do I want to be reckless or do I want to play it safe for the sake of my Savior?  So you may be wondering what the heck I'm even talking about...let me explain, well I'll let Jeremy Camp explain... 

So should I be playing it safe or should I be reckless? Reckless for Him, to drop everything and follow where he wants me to go.  Leave my home, my security, my life to follow Him and shout his name from rooftops.

Are you reckless in a Jesus sort of way?

Until next time....Matthew 16:24

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

We Were Made For You

I have been trying to write a lesson for youth group since Monday and nothing was coming to mind, I looked in several different places for inspiration, but I still was drawing a blank.  So then Tuesday came around and I had some ideas, but not real sure where to go with them.  Today was my last day to get it figured out because youth is tonight. So, I sat down and I thought about my all time favorite music video, "We Were Made For You" by Aaron Gillespie (I have posted the video on a blog before.)  So I did some searching and thinking and I got my lesson together.

My lesson is on our purpose in life, I often find myself asking this question, and the correct answer has never came to me until now.  So what is my purpose for living on earth? It is actually very simple, we were made for Him, easy right?  So what does that actually mean?  We were made in His image to serve, worship and glorify Him. Huh, wonder why I never thought about that before?

Here's why..."what about me?" "it is all about me" "I want this, I want to accomplish that" me...Me.....ME!!!! That is why, because as humans we only care about "me." We believe in our hearts that we can do anything and everything on our own, and we are WRONG!!! 

Without Him we would not be here, the world who not have been spoken into motion, He created us and now we must live our life to serve, worship, and glorify Him in all we do. Raise your hands, shout His name for all the world to hear! SCREAM it at the top of your lungs in front of your friends, enemies, strangers, at work, at home, at church, in line at WalMart, raise your hands and proclaim who you belong to and why! 

Why don't we do this more? It's simple really....we don't want people to think we are weird, Jesus freaks, Bible thumpers , or whatever they can say, we feel the need to "fit in" with this world.  If this world is normal, than I want to be weird!  This world is going down a dark hole fast, and I don't know about you, but I would like to be above the hole.  
So....

"Here I am, Send me," send me to do your will, send me to worship you with those who don't, send me to stand high and scream Your name, send to to catch the world as people start to fall into that dark hole. Here I am, Send me!

So many people. including me think of worship as "going to church"......WRONG! Although we are commanded to go and worship with fellow Christians that is NOT the definition of worship.  Worship is a feeling, feeling so much love and adoration that you bow down! We should worship everyday all day, not just Sunday morning between 9:00-12:00. Live a life of worship for our Creator!  Not just when we need/want something, not only when good things happen, but when bad things happen as well.  We have been saved, set free, redeemed by the love and grace of God, so why not worship Him? 

We were created to spread the good news that Jesus saves!
We were created to worship our Creator and Father.
We were created to shout his name from rooftops.
We were created to GO, not matter where he sends us.

We were created to catch the world before it falls completely into that dark hole. 
We were created to obey His word.
We were created to serve Him AND His children.
We were created to trust and lean on Him.

Are you fulfilling your purpose in life?

Until next time...Deuteronomy 32:4















































Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Joy to the World

Sunday was our Children's Christmas Program, to which I was in charge and stressed about! Although I was very stressed about the whole thing, of course it went great.

Throughout practices I kept finding myself thinking it has to be perfect, which in fact it did not!  I have been trained in acting and theatre for so long, it was hard for me to realize the most important thing about this is the children and more importantly the message. I have been studying performing arts since 8th grade and it is such a passion of mine, it was hard to just let the kids run with it.  I had the privilege to work with the best kids I could ever ask for.  

Everyday the Lord teaches me to just relax and chill out.  As I write this the verse "Be still and know that I am God," keeps popping in my head.  Why can't we just be still and let him take the lead? Because we have to be in control, that is why.  We think we can do everything on our own, and we are DEAD WRONG! 

Something just hit me as I have been writing this, I have been waiting on an email from someone and the waiting is about to kill me. But, why? I need to just "be still" and know that God has got this in the bag.  It will come when the time is right, which is NOT right now.

Just chill out!

Until next time...Jeremiah 29:11




 

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Forgive, Learn, Love, & Laugh

Something has happened very recently in my family that has made my think of these four things; Forgive...Learn...Love...Laugh.  

Forgive- In this life we all mess up, fail, make mistakes, say things we shouldn't, do things we know are wrong, but we are human and we all mess up.  Since we mess up doesn't that mean the people around us mess up as well? I am learning in my life that forgiving is something that needs to be done! As much as I would rather just keep on holding that grudge to that person, what good does that really do? Some of us have an easier time forgiving than others, and that is okay...but we need to work on forgiving.  To the dad who doesn't agree with their child's lifestyle...FORGIVE, to the girlfriend who has lost all hope of trust due to a boy...FORGIVE, to the children that have not had a present mother...FORGIVE!  Sometimes after forgiving it is best to keep the person that wronged you out of your life, forgiving does NOT mean letting that person have the ability to keep wronging you.  Forgive them...then set them free. Although sometimes it is best to send that person on their way, other times it is important to rebuild the relationship. Forgiving someone is not always an easy thing, it is something we must pray about, and learn to forgive.

Learn- Once again...we all make mistakes, but what we do with those mistakes is the important part. If we continue to make the mistakes, then we are not changing our lives, but if we learn from them we can better our lives and lives around us.  When we make a mistake the first thing we need to realize is that it in fact, WAS a mistake.  Once we do that we will be able to learn for it.  In life we learn things everyday, today I learned something about my job that I didn't know yesterday, if we keep learning we will continue to improve our lives.  

Love- The Lord tells us the greatest commandment is to love.  We are to love our enemies, our neighbors, our Lord, ourselves, and just love life. 

Laugh- My mom always told..."Laugh so you don't cry"....laughter is the best medicine you can take!

This life is a beautiful thing when you surround yourself with beautiful people, that bring beauty out in you, don't surround yourself with people who bring you down or crush your spirit!

Until next time...Romans 8:31

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Only 41 more days!

I leave for Haiti in 41 days!! It seems unreal to me. God has come through for me AGAIN and I have raised/been given more than enough money for my trip.  In fact I feel guilty for even having a teensy bit of doubt that it wouldn't happen, silly me! I have never been on an overseas mission trip, I have done missions here in the US, after Katrina hit we went to Mississippi and Alabama to help clean up, hand out food, etc. I know that I'm going to come home a different person, and I'm okay with that.  I can't wait to meet so many awesome missionaries who have given up most everything to move there and change lives, I also can't wait to meet the people who live there and are searching for something to live for.  I ask that you keep us in your prayers; for safe travels, a healthy stay, but most importantly that we can touch many lives of hurting people there.

Until next time...Isaiah 6:8

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Coming Unglued

As women we come unglued, lose it, freak out, completely fall apart...it happens, but does it have to? Just because we are women does it mean that we have to act ugly; do we have to have an ugly heart? No, we don't and God doesn't want us to.  Just because we can't control our emotions doesn't mean we have an excuse to tear down the people we love the most. So as women let's take a stand, and stop losing it! So, how do we go about completing this extremely hard task of keeping it under control?  

That was a question I kept asking myself after I totally freaked out about silly things like Matt leaving 3 Fruity Pebbles in the bowl and now they were STUCK.  So I just totally tore down my husband because of Fruity Pebbles.  Why do we feel the need to do this? Why can't we just say "hey can you please rinse your bowl just a little better, because those silly pebbles ALWAYS stick."  Why is it easier to have steam come out of our ears?

I couldn't figure out how to just chill out, to breath when I got mad, to just wait until I was over it before I brought it up. I'm still having this problem, but I'm learning quickly that when I have kids I don't want them to see me lose it over ANYTHING, but especially not silly things like the dishes. So I need to get a hold on this BEFORE we starting having kids.  

The first thing that I know I need to do to overcome this issue is to pray. I need to pray that I can hold me tongue when I just want to scream and yell. I need to pray to have control over myself. So when something happens that I just want to freak out about I just take a few deep breathes and talk about it calmly.

I am doing a study with my friend on a book called Unglued, and we are reading it because we both know as women we need to learn healthy ways to resolve things that make us angry instead of turn into The Hulk.

I ask you as a woman to think about how you react in situations, do you keep it together or do you come completely unglued? If you are coming unglued I challenge you to change it, start praying for the Lord to guide in this journey of creating a new you.  

We all have emotions and we need to learn to live with them in a healthy way.

Until next time...Proverbs 21:23

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Trunk or Treat!

Happy Halloween!! Yesterday was trick or treat in the good ole' town of Salem, and our church had it's 14th year of Trunk or Treat. For those of you who may not be familiar with this, it's basically a semi-circle of cars and the kids start at one end of the circle getting one piece of candy from each car so by the end they have a nice handful of candy. Each car is decorated for Halloween, but with nothing scary. 3D Youth decorated my car, and we had a blast, even though it was FREEZING! We got to meet people in our community and have big smiles on for Jesus! 



 The Line was so long!!!


 Matt really wanted some candy!


 3D Youth Car!


Trying to stay warm in my trunk!!!
 

Friday, October 26, 2012

A Dagger Through the Heart

Now, when you read the title of this blog you may be thinking that it is going to be negative, but it's actually the complete opposite. "Dagger" in this case is actually a person not a weapon, not just any person...the best person!  Dagger is my best friend, future sister-in-law, AND the mother of my 2 nieces & 3 nephews...now you may think that is A LOT of children, but don't be fooled; 1 niece and 1 nephew are dogs, 1 niece and nephew are bunnies, and 1 nephew is a turtle. WEIRD I know, but this animals are her children and she loves them I think more than most people love their kids. Anywho, I wanted to take a whole day of writing and spend it on Dags, because she deserves it.

I will never forget when my brother moved to the big city of St. Louis to live with my cousin and met the neighbor, Garrett (brother) and I were talking one day not too long after he moved and told me about the neighbor, Dagger, whom Garrett was quite smitten with.  Garrett told me he was in love with her, but she was taken.  So he just dreamed and stared from afar.  Well as fate would have it her and her boyfriend would end up breaking up and Garrett slid right in.  That was over 5 years ago. Last year when I decided to go to St Louis Christian College her and Garrett let me move in. They cleaned out the basement and that become my room.  I didn't have to pay any rent or buy any groceries. I miss living there so much! We had so much fun and got even closer. 

Dagger is the oddest person I have EVER met, but odd is a good thing.  She will walk alone if it means walking right.  She does her own thing and couldn't care less what people think.  She is a 80 year old lady trapped in a 28 year old's body. She hates wearing jeans and I don't think I have EVER seen her in a pair of them before.  She always thinks of other first, and cried when Marshall and Lilly broke up (How I Met Your Mother.) She has terrible taste in TV shows, and made Garrett and I watch them all then time.  She makes the best food and is the HALLOWEEN queen.  She becomes best friends with people just by looking at them.  She loves shooting guns! Everything she wears is sparkly and wears more rings than ANYONE.  

She is the best and I can't imagine living without her.

I love you DAGS! 
                                   She caught my bouquet!


                                         My sister (Kandi), me and Dags

Thursday, October 25, 2012

I Am Second

I have really been getting into a ministry called I Am Second.  Matt has the book and has had it for quite some time but I just never read it, and well, I still have not read it; but that is about to change.  I have heard about the ministry but I never knew what it was actually about.  Yesterday just randomly something (well I should say SOMEONE) told me to check it out.  I went to www.iamsecond.com and found out it is people telling their story of how God got them through some type of battle or struggle. There are all kinds of people on there, Brian "Head" Welch (member of Korn who ended up finding Christ), Bethany Hamilton (the surfer who got her arm bitten off by a shark), and so many others.  It is an awesome website and I plan on starting to book tonight. Also, November 7th the youth group is going to start an I Am Second series.  If you have ever felt alone and like you are the only person who has had a certain struggle I suggest you check it out, it will change your life. 

Until next time...Matthew 11:28

http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/bethany-hamilton/

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

It's not everyday you get a new husband

Matt has been growing his hair out for 5 years (the whole amount of time we have been together.) I have never seen him with "short" hair.  When we first started dating it was shortER than now but not short.  For a long time he has been saying he wants his hair cut, it's hot, gets in his face, hurts to brush it (at one point he was starting to get natural dreads because he hated washing and brushing it.)  He has beautiful hair and I LOVE guys with long hair so I really didn't want him to do it.  I have been fighting tooth and nail for him not to do it for at least a year.  But the past few months he has been talking about it even more and I knew he really wanted to do it (he has some commitment issues, which is why he didn't do it before.)  Since he has been talking about it more and more I thought, I need to support him and tell him to go for it.  The past few weeks everyday he has said "I'm getting my hair cut, will you call Tiffany (our hair lady)?"  Tiffany only works two days a week and she is AWESOME so she is always booked.  But last night she was open, so she whacked all his hair off.  I could tell Matt was really nervous about it, he was known for his hair, and it had been so long since he had shot hair we were afraid he wouldn't be able to pull it off.  So we put our faith in Tiffany, and once again she did not disappoint.  She did a great job and he looks so handsome I can't stop staring at him (cheesy, I know.)  Tell us what you think.



        





                                                      Look at his face!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

What can music do?

On Sunday Matt and I took two kids from our youth group to a concert.  It was Royal Tailor, Group 1 Crew, and Britt Nicole.  We were going to go either way because Group 1 Crew & Britt Nicole are some of my favorite artists.  While there I learned several things:

1. God has made us all in his image and no matter what someone has told us we really are worth His love & to live a life for Him.

2. Sometimes doing things that are uncomfortable are worth it, if you're doing it so someone else can enjoy something. Let me explain a little better...I don't know who was in charge of the show and setting the stage up, but I'm guessing they have never been in charge of a show before.  The way they had the speakers set up, if you were up front the bass was so loud you could feel it in your throat.  No this isn't me being an old lady who can't take the noise (remember my husband is in a metal band) it was painful to be up front.  So why didn't you move you may ask, the girl we brought with us is 14 and had never been to a show before and she REALLY wanted to be up front and I knew if I moved to the back she would follow, so I stayed! And her face when a lead singer gave her a high five, a member made a heart at her, or Britt Nicole pointed right at her it was 100% worth it.

3. Another thing I learned even made me cry with happiness....Matt and I have been to so many shows and met so many bands it as almost ruined my love for music.  How is that possible...well, if you've done something over 100 times it isn't as exciting as the very first time was.  I remember going to see bands I love and being so excited I couldn't hold it back, just going nuts when they came out.  But now it is not as exciting, don't get me wrong I still LOVE going to shows, but they have lost their EXCITEMENT!  So here is what happened....when the first band came out and everyone went nuts, and the lights came on, her eyes got so big! She was beaming, then he gave her a high five and she couldn't stop smiling, she was jumping, and screaming and she had never even heard the band.  And as each band got on, she did the same thing over and over again!  It made me remember why I fell in love with music in the first place.  It makes people feel things nothing else can.  

So things that you were once passionate about, but may not be anymore...do it with someone who has never done it before. It will change your mind....trust me!

Until next time....Psalm 33:2-3

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Changing Lives

I have some serious dreams and ambitions and I always feel terrible for not doing them but I just don't know how to get them started.  On a daily basis I think about all the things I feel I need to do. I know I can't do them all at the same time, but since I struggle with patience it's tough to wait.

1. Start a teen center for kids who the last place they want to go to at night is home. We would have acting classes, music lessons, concerts, homework groups, small groups, meals, and much more.

2. Travel the country to churches, schools, homeless shelters, music fests, etc and tell my story of how the Lord has changed me and my life, and how it doesn't matter what they have or haven't done, they can still pick up their cross and follow Christ.  

3. Sell everything I own, except my phone (to stay in contact with my family) and my car and drive all over the country helping the homeless and lost. 


These are just three things that I do believe I could do, with the Lord behind me. Just getting them started is the problem.  Where I am if great for now, I have a great job that I love, an amazing church family, and my youth that I care so much about.  But EVENTUALLY I really believe that I need to move onto something else.  I will just keep praying and waiting for the time God calls me to "follow him, so that he will make me a fisher of men" (Matthew 4:19.)

Until next time...Matthew 4:18-22

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Being Childlike

I stayed home from work today, to try and kick this whole dizziness thing.  For the most part I'm feeling much better, but I comes and goes, so tomorrow may be a different story.  While I was home I watched Harriet the Spy (on of my favorite childhood movies), Clifford (with Martin Short, not the big red dog), The Lorax, The Voice, and my Face Off (the TV show about movie makeup, not the Nicholas Cage movie.)  While watching Harriet the Spy it really made me think of how much I miss being a kid.  While watching The Lorax it reminded my why I love Dr. Seuss so much! Dr. Seuss was a HUGE part of my childhood.  Books were the main thing around our house and RL Stine and Dr Seuss were the favorites.  My grandma had almost every Dr. Seuss book published, AND in 6th grade and my Sophomore year of college I wrote reports on Dr. Seuss.  His use of words and his imagination just suck me right in.  My favorite book is "There's a Wocket in My Pocket",  I just love the words he made up to rhyme with things around a house.  Dr. Seuss was such a genius and his books will forever be loved by people of all ages.  So I was already thinking about Dr. Seuss and the challenge on Face Off today, is a DR. SEUSS CHALLENGE!  What are the chances of that?!!  So today I have just really been thinking about what makes being a child so wonderful.  As a child you can pretend to be ANYONE or ANYTHING, you never care what everyone else thinks, and innocence is your best friend.  I wish today's young people would stop trying to grow up so fast and just enjoy being a child.  It really is the best thing in the world.  When I start having kids my goal is to encourage them to stay childlike! 

Until next time...Psalm 127:3 


Dr Seuss:
*“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

*"You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because 

         reality is finally better than your dreams."

*“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a 

        necessary ingredient in living.”

*"A person's a person, no matter how small.”

*“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot,


        Nothing is going to get better. It's not.” 

*“Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it's a way of 

looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope.”

*“From there to here, from here to there, funny things are 

      everywhere!”

*"If things start happening, don't worry, don't stew, just go 

       right along and you'll start happening too.”

*“You're off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your 

       mountain is waiting, So... get on your way!"

*“Be awesome! Be a book nut!” 

*“So the writer who breeds more words than he needs, is 

         making a chore for the reader who reads.”

*“You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut."

*“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

Monday, October 8, 2012

Ehhh

A few months ago I woke up one day feeling so dizzy I could barely stand up without falling over.  This went on for two days before Matt told me I pretty much HAD to go to the doctor.  I had temporary vertigo, like Lucille 2 (Arrested Development anyone?)  This morning I woke up and almost fell over when I got out of the bed, I thought it was just cause I was really tired and didn't have my contacts in.  When I got to work and was still dizzy I realized it was back again.  I have NEVER had this happen before so I have no clue why it keeps happening for how to make it stop.  I am asking for some prayers, because it is really miserable being like this.  I can't move my head too fast, or bend over, or stand up too fast.  I came home from work early today and as of how I'm feeling now, I can't see work in my future for tomorrow.  

Until next time...Matthew 4:23 

Friday, October 5, 2012

And it was Greeen!

We are giving our youth space a facelift.  We changed the name, from DRIVEN youth to 3D Youth (deeply devoted disciples.) We changed the wall color in our biggest room, and we are planning on turning one room into a movie/cafe area.  We are having our name graffiti-ed on one wall, and we are moving some things around.  I know that church is not about the building, but we want to give our students and future students a room to take pride in and feel comfortable in.  The color we painted it is very loud and bright, just how we like it, some people may not like it, but it is the students' space and they picked the color.  We have been painting for two days and we HAVE to have it done, and the room put back together by tonight, because Saturday and Sunday we are having a big celebration at the church. We are celebrating 175 years!!  We cannot wait to get the area completely done and to really get our ministry going.  I ask that you keep our group & students in your prayers as we try and build the group up, and reach more students in our community. 

 
 















Kayla & Joel working on the first wall
 

                                                                                                   Even Matt is helping!
















Our group!













    Wall two...LET'S GO!































                                                                                                                My Game face

Thursday, October 4, 2012

God's Timing

Far too often I feel like I need to be doing more with my life.  My dreams have always been too big for my small town.  There are so many things that I feel I need to be doing, but don't how to do them.  I would love to sell everything I own and go on the road and just tell lost people about Jesus.  I want to be in a different city each week telling my story to teens who believe they don't deserve Jesus.  I want to be somewhere other than where I am! I love my job and I love my youth group, so I always feel guilty feeling like this.  This feeling is a weekly thing for me, I just can't get it our of my system.  I just believe the Lord has given me so many gifts and talents and I don't want them to lie dormant in my body.  I don't know what to do with myself, other than pray of course.  I do believe God as put me where I am for a reason, but I also believe that the feelings I keep having for for a reason too.  

I have never been one with a lot of patience, so I know I need to just be patient and it'll all work out in God's time.  I have to keep having faith that God's timing is ALWAYS right.  I  know that I just need to chill and let what is going to happen happen, but it's so hard for me. I am just such an extreme person that it is hard for me to live a "normal" life.  I always tell the kids in my youth group to "be wild and crazy for Jesus," and I'm not as wild and crazy as I wish I was.  

I know that I just need to pray and be patient and let God be in control!  

Until next time...Psalm 103:2

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Welcome Weasley


Today I finally talked Matt into letting me get a pet.  Since we live in an apartment we couldn't get the pet we wanted (a dog) so I got the next best thing, a HAMSTER! Matt was really nervous at first because he has never had a rodent before, I on the other hand have had a ton of them.  So I talked him into it and we went to Petco and picked her out.  She is a long haired hamster but her hair is much shorter than most long haired hamsters. Her name is Weasley and she is so cute! She loves running on her wheel and giving herself a bath.  Matt is really warming up to her but won't touch her just yet, but I know he will sooner than later.  Pets make life just a little bit brighter! 

Until next time...Genesis 1:28







Friday, September 28, 2012

FIVE Years and Counting

Five years ago today Matt and I started dating.  It was my first year at college and his second. I was on a theatre scholarship and he was on a speech scholarship.  At our school the theatre director was the assistant coach of speech so Matt knew him very well, and Matt auditioned for the play that year (his very first play.)  When I first saw Matt I thought to myself, "ohh he is cute, I could see myself becoming "friends" with him."  I soon found out that he was dating someone, so I gave up on that.  A few weeks later we got our parts and found out that in the play I was cheating on my husband with Matt's character!  So throughout the whole month of August we were on stage together, back stage together, & running lines in the hall.  We had so many lines and scenes together we had to practice, just the two of us.  We became very good friends but he still had a girlfriend so we were ONLY friends.  In the middle of September it was club day, and Quinn (our director) asked Matt and I if we would sit at the theatre table because we were the only two who could get out of class at that time.  We talked about music, and found out we both had a very simular taste in music.  We also talked about being Christians!  After finding these two things out about him I was really starting to form a "crush" on him.  Toward the end of our time at the table Quinn came over and asked Matt where his girlfriend was, and Matt said, "we broke up last night."  BINGO!!!!  After finding that out, it was Game On!  Two days later we were talking on Myspace (yeah Myspace), we were just having casual conversations about the play.  I really needed to head to work so I told him I had to go but he could text me, and gave him my number, and he asked me out on a date that day.  For a week straight we would text everyday all day, and stayed on the phone until 3 AM, then would go to school the next day and spend even more time together.  Exactly a week later it was time for our first date! He picked me up, opened the door, and brought me flowers.  He was the most caring guy I had ever dated.  For the next week the same thing happened, texting, staying up all night on the phone, and being together all day at school.  One week after our first date we went on our second date and he asked me to be his girlfriend.  

The past 5 years have been like a fairy tale! He is such a fun person to be around.  I know that God has made him for me and me for him! We are such an amazing team! That is what marriage is about, being the best team possible.


Until next time...Mark 10:6-9  

                                                                          2007



                                Honeymoon 2012 (sorry we are so sweaty)

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Stop & Smell the Roses

I stole this from my best friend who stole it from someone else.  This is something that I am going to try to do in 31 days, and I encourage you to try and do the same! Good Luck!!

one: Hand write a letter and mail it via snail mail.
two:  Buy a stranger a cup of coffee without them knowing it was you.
three: Call someone that you don't see very often and catch up.
four: Write a list of 5 things that you love about yourself
five: Leave an encouraging note somewhere for a stranger to find.
six: Make a play list of your 5 favorite songs. Listen to it while you watch the sunrise or the sunset.
seven: Try something new.
eight: Think about a goal you've been wanting to meet. Take a step toward conquering that goal.
nine: Thank 3 people that consistently impact your life in a positive way.
ten: Try a new recipe.
eleven: Do something that is unique to where you live.
twelve:  Write down 3 inspirational quotes. Post them in place where you'll see them throughout the week.
thirteen: Clean out your closet and donate what you don't use anymore.
fourteen: Surprise someone just because.
fifteen: Meet a need.
sixteen: Make a mix CD for someone.
seventeen: Do something that is out of your comfort zone.
eighteen: Redecorate something in your home. 
nineteen: Write a letter to your younger self.
twenty: Make a bucket list
twenty-one: Show appreciation for your job.
twenty-two: Treat yourself.
twenty-three: Think about what blogging has done for you.
twenty-four: Do something that gets your creative juices flowing.
twenty-five: Take someone to dinner that you need to catch up with
twenty-six: Watch your favorite movie of all time.
twenty-seven: Visit a place that you've never been before .
twenty-eight: Collect all of your loose change and either donate it or use it to do something fun.
twenty-nine: Make a list of at least 10 things that you are grateful for.
thirty: Write a letter for yourself to read in 5 years.
thirty-one: Create a collage of things that represent you

Until next time...I Timothy 4:12

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

It's Raining Cats & Dogs

It has been storming for the last two days, I don't mean like on and off light showers, I'm talking like tornadoes forming, hail, the whole shabang! For two days I have sat in bed WIDE awake listening to the booming thunder as Matt sleeps perfectly next to me. That man could sleep through ANYTHING!! 

 I am a huge fan of storms, especially at night, but the past two nights it as been so loud it is far from soothing!  After a WHOLE summer of a drought the rain is definitely refreshing, I love sitting at my desk at work just watching it through the window.  What a great thing the Lord provides for us, rain.  Just think about all the things that depend on rain to live. 


Not only do I love storms for the rain, but for the lightning.  Lighting is one of my all time favorite things, it is so interesting to me! Last night Matt and I drove in the storm and I have NEVER seen lighting like that.  It looked like someone was shooting off 400 silent fireworks ALL night long, the lighting was insane!  It was EVERYWHERE! There was less than one second between each bolt! It was so cool. God's creations never cease to amaze me! Isn't it an awesome thing that we can serve such an amazing, forgiving, loving, all knowing Father!!


Until next time...Psalm 46:10

Monday, September 24, 2012

IT"S HERE!!!

I just got my passport in the mail today and I'm as excited as a kid on Christmas!  I am the last one of our group that is going to Haiti to get theirs (I'm always last).  Of course my picture looks horrendous! I leave for Haiti on January 7, 2013 and I'll be back the 17th.  We will be staying in Cap Haitian, and helping missionaries who live there. (you can check out their blogs on my blog list <---)  I have been on several short term mission trips and I have been out of the country several time, but never both of them together!  I really wish Matt was going with me, but he is not.  He is not much of a traveler, but that is not the actual reason he is not going.  He is wanting to go to seminary, and we are trying to save money for me to go to Haiti and him to go to seminary, and saving for both of us to go and seminary just is not in the cards for us!
Growing up, out of the country missions wasn't something that my home church focused on, yes he helped  build a church in Belize, but just our preacher went.  Now that I am older and have gone to Bible college my heart for missions has really grown!  I have three friends who lived in Mexico for awhile and pretty much speak fluent Spanish, and one of those friends just got back from a three week trip to Sierra Leone, Africa. Just being around them, and the friends from school who want to be full time missionaries has really changed my life.
I cannot wait to go, and just experience the greatness that God is doing there through the missionaries. I know that when I get home my life will never be the same and I am 100% okay with that!!

Until next time...Matthew 28:19-20

This is a video of my favorite artist, that he filmed while he and his wife were in Haiti!
 
If you would like to donate to my trip or want more information feel free to comment!

Saturday, September 22, 2012

You Are Good Enough for God!

Today was a fall festival at the campground Matt works at. There were several bands that played and some speakers. Beholder played in front of several people who have probably never heard that type of music before! It was really cool just to see the expressions on the old people's faces. The band sounded great as usual! And one of my very best friends, AJ played acoustic and sang (she has one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.) All of our friends were there plus some new people we got to meet! So overall it was a great day.

One of the speakers just happened I be yours truly! My whole life I've loved public speaking, I loved speech class, acting classes, and pretty much anything else that involved speaking! It is really the main talent the Lord blessed me with! I also have a testimony to share, as all people do. So after I got my associates degree I had no clue what I wanted to do so I took a year off. After the year I really felt the Lord telling me to go to Bible college and be a speaker. Anywho, I was asked to give my testimony today and I was so excited! Although I love speaking, when I get my testimony I get really nervous! Matt said a quick prayer with me and it was my turn.

I got on the stage and my nerves were calmed, I told my story (the short version) and got all the to the end before I teared up! I hate crying in front of people it is the most annoying thing! So after I was done I was really mad for crying but Matt told me my tears probably affected someone more than it would have if I hadn't cried!

God knows your heart, and everyone else's hearts so my tears were not a bad thing! It was in my heart to cry and the Lord knew that! So let them fall and don't be ashamed!

The reason I titled this "You Are Good Enough for God", is because that what I focused on in my story! I never felt that I was worth His love, why would He need to love me, a messed up teen with a crazy life when He could love the "normal" kids? The truth is, no matter what you've done or haven't done, or what some did to you or what someone didn't do to you, you are still worth it! And He loves you for every that you are!

Until next time...John 3:16

Friday, September 21, 2012

Beholder in my Kitchen

So last night, after I cooked a big meal for my dad's birthday, Matt was having his band over for a Bible study.  Being the AWESOME wife I am, I made snacks for them.  Well the guys could not make it over until after ten, because of work, so I made the snacks, set everything out for them, and went to bed at about 10:10 (I like my sleep.)  While laying in bed I was SURE I was going to wake up to a sink full of dirty dishes and the kitchen destroyed!  About 1:30 I woke up to the sound of dishes being moved around, I got up to tell them to be quiet (which I did,) but in a much nicer way than I had planned.  When I walked in the kitchen I saw Matt doing the dishes, Josh (guitarist) drying the dishes, and Kevin (drummer) putting the dishes away!! This moring when I woke up I saw they hadn't just done the dishes but cleaned the kitchen! It really just made my whole day or night! I am so thankful to have such amazing people in my life!

Until next time.....Galations 6:10

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Call of Duty, Hunger Games, Josh Scogin, & Ron Weasley

I have only been a wife for a little over 6 months so I'm still learning the ropes, but I feel I'm doing a good job.  Matt and I have been dating since 2007 so we have been together what seems like forever, so being married is pretty much the same as dating only now we live together, and as my best friend Arica says "being married is like having a sleepover with your best friend every night." And that is exactly what it is like.  Matt and I have so much fun together it seems unreal.  I think all too often people think to have fun you have to DO something, but I disagree. 

Matt is a HUGE gamer and I am a HUGE reader, and many nights I sit in the man cave with him while he plays his games and I read, if something exciting happens in my book that I want to share, he pauses the game and I tell him what just happened.  He most likley couldn't care less, but remember we are actors so he makes it seem like he does. And visa versa, when he screams "WOAH!!!!" I act like I'm really concerned with what just happen and I stop reading and listen.  Even if it is something we don't care too much for if our spouse does, we listen.  When I was sooooo nervous about to tears because I knew if Peeta AND Katniss didn't win the Hunger Games my life would end, Matt acted just as concerned and he didn't even know what the book was about.  

Matt's biggest hero is a guy named Josh Scogin, he is the lead "singer" of Matt's favorite band, The Chariot.  One day while we were driving to Matt's parents house (about 20-25 minutes away) I got a  lesson on why Josh Scogin was the greatest person to ever walk this earth (other than Jesus of course.)  I really am not a huge fan of the Chariot, but I sure pretended like I cared, because he cared, my soul mate, the only man I have ever loved more than my dad or brother cared, so I cared.  And Matt "cares" and Ron Weasley, because I care, the woman he vowed to love FOREVER.    

We all want to share our lives with the people we love and too many people are too selfish to shut up and listen, so I challenge you to shut up and listen, put on a smile, and ask questions!

Until next time...Ephesians 5:22-23

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

New to Blogging

Wow, this is a new thing! I have never even thought about blogging before. I recently starting reading three blogs from families that are missionaries in Haiti, because in January I will be meeting them! That's right I am going to Haiti in January for a week, and I'm super excited, but more on that later! So after reading their blogs I thought about starting one myself and here I am! Well, until next time...Psalm 107:8.