Pink Marsh Mellows

Day Dreaming about Hot Chocolate topped with Whipped Cream, Chocolate Sprinkles and Pink Marsh Mellows :)

That's exactly what I want on a cold evening like tonight!

Could anyone help me out with that??

Fully Devoted

For the past three weeks, my Small Group has been going through the book 'Fully Devoted' and it's been amazing so far. It's been challenging and eye-opening in so many ways. I did this study about 4 years when I worked on summer staff at Fort Caswell as an intern. My friend Downey and I lead this study for the Key Leadership team and through it learned a lot about ourselves. What's so funny is, going through it this time is totally different. I'm learning completely different things and God is taking some of the things I missed 4 years ago and showing me how they relate to me now. AWESOME!

My favorite part of the studies are the weekly experiments. They make you think and they definitely will convict you, haha. I thought I'd share one of our experiments with you. I'd love for you to try it and let me know what God said to you through it.

Here is an experiment for putting Colossians 3:17 into practice.
This week: Memorize Paul’s words in Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Think about what it would mean for you to live the ordinary moments of your life as if Jesus were in your place. How would you do each of the following activities in Jesus’ name?

•Waking up
•Greeting those you see first in the morning
•Eating
•Driving
•Working outside the home or caring for children while at home
•Shopping
•Watching TV
•Doing household tasks
•Reading the paper
•Going to sleep

Try it out.Focus on Jesus’ presence with you as you go through the seemingly inconsequential moments of your day. Keep it simple; continually direct your thoughts back to him: ask for his help or his guidance, or simply share your heart with him. Keep track of how the experiment goes. (If you don’t already have a journal, we strongly recommend you start one so that you can keep a running list of observations throughout the duration of this study.) You will share your insights and experiences with the group when you meet.

Sunshine in the Storm

Each day I hear more and more about the effects of the Earthquakes in Haiti. I see Twitters from my friends who are over there helping, blogs about the destruction, ads to raise support and television specials to bring us stories of the people there and the devastation that has taken place.

It's heartbreaking!

The pictures jerk at your heart and cause tears to swell up in your eyes. It's unimaginable for us here in the US to truly understand what these people are going through.

This picture shows hundreds, living in the streets. Away from the walls. In fear that another tremor will take their lives as well. Can you imagine living on the street because you're afraid that your house will collapse on you? I can't!

Now, with so much devastation you would think these people would give up. But the sunshine in this dark storm is they're not!

They are rebuilding with some awesome help.

They are finding Hope in all that's around them.

They are spreading their arms open to what is to come.

And that is beautiful! Not devastating or heartbreaking :)

Singing with a legend

So apparently I really need to brush up on my Gospel Music knowledge!

About a week ago, I was asked to sing in our NAMB chapel with a few co-workers for a Hall of Faith service. It was some big recognition and little ole me had no idea what the fuss was all about.

The auditorium was full of all these older men who were known for their evangelist endeavors over the past 50 some years. My co-workers were rattling off the names of these men and their roles and I'm pretty sure I was giving them a blank stare as I nodded my head in hopes that they wouldn't figure out that I had no clue who any of those men were.

Anywho, I began the service singing background vocals for this man named Bob Smith, who uses his musical talents to evangelize all over the world...Not going to lie, that's pretty awesome. Bob lead us through the lyrics of Onward Christian Soldiers and How Great Is Our God which then lead into the chorus of How Great Thou Art... and this is where the 'moment' took place.

A man, seated to my left on the stage stood up during the words 'Then sings my soul, My savior God to thee. How Great Thou Art. How Great Thou Art.' He walked to the mic and began to lead us in the song. Everyone in the audience had this look of sheer joy when he did this. Some where even crying. They sang their hearts out as this man lead them in the final words of How Great Thou Art. He had spoken during the service and I remembered people talking about him days before this event, but of course, I was naive as to why everyone was so excited about this man standing up and singing. Honestly I thought it was just because he was in his late 80's and he was still singing but that wasn't why. They referred to him as Cliff Barrows...which meant nothing to me at the time but soon would.

After the service was over, my co-worker Matthew said 'How does it feel to be a part of that historical moment?' I was so confused. Then another co-worker asked me the same question. Then a third. Utterly confused by this point but thoroughly intrigued, I walked to my desk and Googled the name Cliff Barrows.

This is what I found thanks to Wikipedia...

Clifford Burton Barrows (born April 6, 1923 in Ceres, California is the longtime music and program director for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He has been a part of the Graham organization since 1949. Barrows is best known as the host of Graham's weekly "Hour of Decision" radio program, and the song leader and choir director for the crusade meetings.

In 1988, Barrows was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee by the Gospel Music Association. In 1996 he was also inducted into the Religious Broadcasting Hall of Fame by the National Religious Broadcasters.

That's pretty big deal!

So after I researched, I figured out that I got to sing background vocals with a man that has made history with his voice, his words and his love for Jesus along side people like Billy Graham. How awesome is that! I sang with a legend, WOW!

Here's my proof to show my kids one day, haha :)


"The Christian faith is a singing faith, and a good way to express it and share it with others is in community singing." ~ Cliff Barrows

Pre-thought reasons.

I have so much to write about yet I find myself sitting in front the computer with a blank stare. I have began to wonder where my love for writing went. You see, when I started this blog back in '06 the goal was to have a journal I could look back on in the years to come, to see just how far I've come and grown. I wanted it to be a book of my life written through my eyes and my experiences. A book of memories if you will. But lately, I have no desire to capture the moments. Pretty sad huh?

It is very sad. Most of the time when I write, I'm writing to myself...my future self. I'm kind of mapping out an instruction manual on what not to do in the years ahead but I am also writing a collection of thoughts inspired by what I've been through. And I write these, not only for my personal reflection, but also I write these hoping to help someone learn and not go though some of the hardships I've come across. Life's about learning and I feel that I can offer some advice to those still young and a little naive to this world.

This is where the conflict comes in... I want/need to write in order to produce content for myself and my readers but I don't feel like writing because it's another hour or so that I have to spend sitting in front of a computer screen. UGH!

I need the motivation...the determination...the quit time...the less consumed mind and a few less headaches.

With that said, I have decided to give myself pre-thought topics in order to get my writing back on track. A sequence of titles to help motivate me to write about the journey I'm currently on. Sure, it won't be spontaneous this week but the good news is, it will help get me back on track...back to the times where thoughts fill my mind and the desire to share consumes my finger tips :)

This is gonna be fun.

Here are this week's titles:
Tuesday: Singing with a Legend
Wednesday: Sunshine in the Storm
Thursday: Fully Devoted
Friday: Pink Marsh Mellows
Saturday: Transition Please
Sunday: Dreaming of Blue Microphones
Monday: Shannon/? ... Who would be my Julia

You'll have to stay tuned to see what these titles produce. A great blog is what I'm hoping for :)

Who doesn't love snowboarding?!

Every year, my family tries to go up to the mountains to enjoy some good 'ole ski slopes action. This year was successful! My whole family was able to go ... Daddy, Mama, Brock, Summer and a special addition, Kevin!

I was so excited because we were going to get to snowboard! YES... I mean who doesn't love snowboarding :) Summer was even excited about learning to board!

I had't been snowboarding since 2007 when Jen and I went up to Boone and basically came home with broken tail bones and bruise of all shapes and sizes. I remember thinking I would never master is sport and if I did, it would only be after I broke a few bones or my face. Well, I proved myself wrong.

Now, I'm not saying I'm all of sudden a pro but over the Christmas holiday I did pretty good. After my initial run down the mountain that took about 45 minutes, the rest were a breeze. I stayed up on my board the whole time...minus every time I fell getting off the ski lift. Mastering the lift is a whole new sport in itself.

But overall I did well. Kevin did really well. I believe he's a natural, even if he won't admit it. He was doing all these shreds and turns and maneuvers and well whatever else you want to call them. Let's just say he was awesome!!

Look at us... little snow bunnies!

We had a great time and I'm hoping we hit the slopes again soon!

Impact the next generation

One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade. ~ Chinese Proverb

I read this proverb this morning and it really got stuck in my head. You see, I had this vision of the kids today coming up behind me and how our influence will help them in the future. I mean, I guess I already knew that but after reading this proverb it got me to thinking about the question, "Are we really teaching these kids and young adults properly?"

I look at these dying churches and these run down programs and it makes me wonder if we're doing enough. I get so angry sometimes when I hear people talk about how their youth are trying to change the church by bringing in drums sets and loud guitars. How they're so rebellious because they have earrings and get tattoos. How they're disrespectful because they basically fall asleep during service.

Here's a thought... Stop only catering to the 80 year-old community in church and start reaching to the generation that still has a lot of life to live ... a generation that needs us to teach them the truth ... a generation that will be teaching my kids and your kids in only a matter of a few years.

Earrings and Tattoos have no effect on the way a person learns and grows. Listening to Rock music will not prevent someone from believing in Jesus. And as for the church service, I can understand and relate to these kids ... sometimes the language used by pastors and ministers is over my head and makes me sleepy at the first words spoken. It's hard to learn when you don't fully grasp what someone's saying. You have to relate!

My point ... Stop complaining that the kids are changing the church and start embracing the fact that church isn't how it used to be 40 years ago. Time to open your eyes and learn how to influence the ones who will carry on this religion for years to come!

So, plant the tree and watch them grow. And rest knowing that if we influence the youth of today, they'll influence the youth of tomorrow!

Refusing

Conflict can only make us stronger right?!

I hope so ... but at this moment in time I feel like conflict is making me weaker and angrier. I'm tired of the constant uncomfortable feeling. I'm done with trying to walk on egg shells and making my time and relationships stressful. I'm upset that this is happening. I'm annoyed at the changes that must take place.

Ugh!

I refuse to let this situation disrupt my fun, my happiness and my hopes! I refuse!!

The Sweetest Reason

There are many reasons why I love my small group!

The Girls are awesome!
The Conversation is uplifting and honest.
The laughs make the week so much brighter.
And one of the sweetest reasons... the treats these ladies make :)


Homemade, Made from Scratch Apple Pie anyone?!




Linnea, you and your pie making skills are incredible!

Go!

Go Confidently in the direction of your Dreams. Live the life you've imagined.
~Henry David Thoreau

Are you sticking to your goals?

How are your New Year’s resolutions? Are you still going strong or are you flagging already? When we first make a resolution or set a goal, we are naturally motivated to make progress and so we can’t wait to get out there and make things happen. But, of course, resolutions often fall by the wayside –A recent statistic said that 95% of New Year’s resolutions are never followed through.

So is there any point in making them? Obviously, people do succeed in achieving their goals – 5% at least! There are, essentially, two rules for becoming successful. Set goals, and take consistent action towards them. Most people don’t even do the first part, and of the minority of people that do, most will not follow through. There are many reasons for our lack of resolution. Here are some common ones, and some suggestions for overcoming them.

We set the wrong goals

It is surprisingly common for people to set targets which are inappropriate for them or for their circumstances. Goals should be challenging, though not overwhelming. They should be quite specific and measurable, but you don’t need to obsess about detail. It’s OK to leave a bit latitude and to change the goal if necessary. I am not a big fan of ‘realistic’ goals – who is to say what is considered ‘realistic’? Many people have achieved what may have appeared to be totally ‘unrealistic’ goals through great determination and persistence.

We don’t see results

Things rarely happen overnight. Better health, a slim and toned body, wealth and success in any endeavor usually take time, and yet we are often impatient to see the fruits of our efforts.

Looking into the future, our dreams can seem so distant, and yet when we look back, time appears to have flown by. To paraphrase Charlie Brown, ‘nothing much seems to happen from one day to the next, but pretty soon everything has changed.’ This perspective on time may help to keep you fixed on your goals. Try to see yourself in the future, having achieved your goal and looking back at yourself as you are now. It wasn’t so long ago, was it?

We get bored

We tend to like novelty, which is one reason we set goals and make resolutions in the first place, of course. But as time goes by, our old targets get a bit ‘old hat’ and we become tired with the routine we need to follow in achieving them. So it’s a good idea to keep an eye on why you started in the first place. If you really still want to achieve that goal, then recommit to it. Think about how to make things more interesting; think outside the box. You’re bored with the gym? So go running or take up kickboxing or swimming or speed walking. What you do isn’t so important as persistently doing something in the direction of the goal.

It’s too much effort

If the effort required to achieve a goal really is too much, then it may be that you are approaching the goal in the wrong way. A sailor will use the sails of a boat in such a way that the wind assists the boat to move in the right direction; and in a similar way, you shouldn’t be pushing against anything or struggling uphill to achieve your goals. You should certainly be putting in some work, but if you’re going about things the right way, the work will be efficient, effective and will produce results. If you’re struggling and getting nowhere, it’s time to take stock and think about how you’re going about things.

The goals we set become less relevant

Things change. Our circumstances and our needs change. And so do we. Sometimes, this means the goals we originally set are no longer as useful or relevant as they once were. In this case, change them to fit in with the new situation.

But a word of caution – don’t change your goals just because you get bored or you think achieving them is too difficult. Often, it will be more a case of adjusting your goals in a quantitative way rather than a qualitative one. For example, perhaps in a fit of enthusiasm, you set a goal to go to the gym five times a week but, after a couple of weeks, you’re exhausted and stressed out by all the effort. Instead of ‘throwing out the baby with the bathwater,’ adjust the goal to something more realistic – maybe three times per week, or shorter visits to the gym.

We go through a bad patch

Maybe for a while, things are going well and you feel like you’re making progress – but then something happens and things grind to a halt. Maybe you go on holiday and your healthy eating plan goes haywire, or maybe you injure yourself so you can’t exercise properly for a while; perhaps you experience some unusual stress and smoke a cigarette or two. After experiences like this, there is often a temptation to simply give up and go back to the old way of doing things.

Even in extremely busy or stressful periods, it’s a good plan to keep on going, if only to a much lesser degree. This will see you through and you won’t feel as if you have to start from scratch (and therefore risk not re-starting at all) in the future.

We are afraid of change

People make resolutions all the time which they really don’t intend to keep. Of course, they think they intend to keep them, but in reality they never will because achieving a goal usually requires some degree of effort and usually some discomfort. We can get stuck in our comfort zone. If you find yourself making excuses...putting action off for whatever reason... then you may be experiencing this problem. Ask yourself... are you really ready to move outside your comfort zone and accept the discomfort that comes with growth?

These kinds of experiences are very common. When we set goals or make resolutions, we should be aware that many pitfalls await us. As with success in any endeavor, it’s vital to have the right attitude. First, expect these things to happen, and second, have a strategy in mind for dealing with them.

Achieving your goals is never going to happen in a straight line – there will be ups and downs. But little blip – or even a big one – isn’t going to ruin things. You need to view achieving your goals as a marathon, not a sprint. So when the diet falls apart or you have that smoke, don’t worry – just get back on track and keep going. The worst thing you could do is quit. As an old teacher of mine used to tell us endlessly at school: ‘A winner never quits; a quitter never wins.’

Should I stay or should I go?

So I haven't been very motivated to write in the past two months. I seem to force it more than really enjoy writing. My blog has been on-going for a little over 3 years and as I look back through all the good times, bad moments and all the life advances I am thankful that I kept an electronic diary, per say.

My dilemma now is do I keep my blog going or do I retire it?

Now before you all freak out, hear what I have to say....

I don't have time to write and honestly I don't really feel lead to write most of the time. I sometimes post quotes just to fill in days and on the days I actually do write, the majority of the post is pictures. That's not interesting is it? I just feel that I'm letting each of you down that click my site and receive no new post or a quick blurb with no meaning behind it.

So we'll take a vote...

Should I keep my blog or do away with it?

Empire State of Mind

Now you're in New York!!! These streets will make you feel brand new, the lights will inspire you, Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York

I have to paint a picture for you because it's the only way I can fully describe my amazing New Year's! OK here we go...

I'm standing in the middle of New York City. I'm surrounded by hundreds maybe thousands of people all with their shopping bags full of new clothes, shoes and gadgets. When I looked up all I could see were buildings that seem to disappear into the dark night because they were so tall. The air was very crisp and so chilly that my nose was numb. Layers of clothes were needed and even a plastic bag to cover my little toes so the moisture from the snow didn't seep into my shoes. Everything was beautiful ... the buildings, the churches, the shops, the decorations, the people and especially the tree at Rockefeller! It's one of the most amazing places I've ever visited.

But you know what made it perfect?!

Take a guess...

Yep! Kevin. My little NYC tour guide!

He is the reason my New Year's was the best I've ever experienced! We went ice skating, looked at the city from the top of Rockefeller, drank hot chocolate while walking through Times Square. We played in Toys 'R Us, bought two pounds (yes 2 POUNDS) of candy from F.A.O Schwarz ... and ate it all ... we went to Ground Zero, Central Park, Saks, Radio City, Saint Patrick's Cathedral, etc. We walked up and down 5th Avenue and shopped in all the fancy stores. We ate dinner in a little NYC restaurant. I had this Chicken dish that was to die for with these really long string beans, haha. Kevin had meatloaf and the really long string beans that he twirled with a fork to eat, ha. So entertaining!! Felt like I was in a episode of Sex and the City...without the girls of course :) We spent NYE at a party in the Hotel Carlton off Madison Ave. I got to wear a fancy dress and a feather in my hair, Kevin got to wear a jacket and let me tell you, we looked sharp!

I could go on and on but for the sake of blog space and because I want to show you a few things, we'll move on to pictures!


Rockefeller and that gorgeous tree!

Titles Remembering 9/11

NYE at the Hotel Carlton...All dolled up

Saint Patrick's Cathedral

Candy Candy Candy

Ice Skating in Central Park

It snowed while we were there! SOOOO Pretty!

The rest of the pictures are on Facebook. Go look.

I want to go back! NOW... but only if my cute little tour guide comes with me :)

What an Amazing New Year's! The best one yet

I'm Happy

Sometimes I write because I have a whole head full of things to say. Sometimes I write to vent and honestly it's my way of yelling without directing words towards a particular person. Sometimes I write because I'm bored and I have these ridiculous thoughts that won't stop swirling in my head so I jot them down in order to motivate myself. Sometimes I write just because...

Tonight though, I'm writing because, well ... because I'm happy!

That sounds cheesy but it's so true. The past 2 weeks have shown me and reminded me that I'm one lucky girl. It wasn't one particular action or one particular person that made me feel this way...it's the whole package.

I'm happy because I'm surrounded by people who care. I'm happy because my puppy is now back in Georgia with me. I'm happy because my parents love me no matter what. I'm happy because I got to eat a hot dog on the streets of New York. I'm happy because Kevin is amazing. I'm happy because I didn't break anything snowboarding. I'm happy that Summer gets so excited to see me. I'm happy that Michelle sent me an "I Miss You' text. I'm happy that Twisted Taco makes Vege tacos so well. I'm happy to see my roomie. I'm happy that my desk at NAMB hasn't changed. I'm haPPy, hAppy Happy! I could write hundreds of reasons why, but it all boils down to one fact...

Tonight I write because I'm happy :)