the wire...

I have found a new love...Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors.  Let me just share some lyrics with you:

The Wire

How you gonna know it if you never try?

You spend your life wondering if it passed you by.

Livin' like that will make you terrified.

How you gonna know it if you never try?

How you gonna feel it if you won't let go?

You're scared to death of being alone.

When you're scared like that you'll grow a heart of stone.

How you gonna feel it if you don't let go?

Ohhh, you got a dead desire.

Ohhh, thrown in the fire.

Ohhh, it's down to the wire.

How you gonna learn it if you close your mind?

You lie and say that everything's fine.

Livin' in denial, it'll leave you blind. 

How you gonna learn it if you close your mind?

How you gonna make it if you go alone?

When you think of all the chances you've blown.

It takes faith and a friend to carry you home.

How you gonna make it if you go alone?

Check them out on iTunes if you haven't been blessed by their voices! Such a treat!

how could you not...

....absolutely love this time of year?

There are some many things about this time of year that make my heart giddy!  Sure, there are plenty that do just the opposite...but right now, the positive far outweigh the negative.  The child-like spirit in many of us comes out when we begin to decorate our Christmas trees, hang stockings, shop for gifts for the special people in our lives, listen to carols, fix a nice, hot cup of cocoa and sit in front of a roaring fire.  

I find myself reflecting this Christmas season.  Not just the normal reflecting I often do....this is a much deeper reflection.  I reflect back on the past years experiences and how much I learned and grew from each of them.  I am so incredibly blessed and have so many things to be thankful for.  God has done mighty things in me this year.  Life is a tricky, tricky game we're all forced to play.  But I have people in my life to make those tricky things bearable.

Several years ago I sat up thinking about everything I wanted to pray for and I came up with an easy outline/reminder for praying a prayer of thanksgiving.  

Faith

Family

Friends

Fortune

Future

These five things are the five most important things in my life and I am in prayer daily for them.  They have made me who I am and continue to play this tricky game of life alongside me.  Just know that if you fall into one of the categories above, I am incredibly thankful for you and the influence you've had on my life.  Thank you for loving me in spite of my faults and giving me unending grace, especially when none is deserved. 

My hope for you is that you would take this time to be in prayer for the things and people in your life that you are truly thankful for. 

  

boots are made for walking

Tonight I had a "first"...you know, when you do something for the first time.  I stepped into a "boot shop"....

It's true. I'd never been in a store where they sells primarily cowboy boots.  This was like another world for me.  And to my surprise....I liked that world.  The smell of the store, all the fascinating colors you can get on your boots and the other accessories you can purchase to go along with your western ensemble.  The best part of the trip was the salesman who helped us. Marco was incredible.  Usually salespeople are pushy and 'over-the-top'.  Not Marco! This boy was a true Texan.  I asked him how many pairs of boots he owned.  He proudly answered "29".  

WOW!

I've only worn cowboy boots once in my life. I don't even own a pair. But after talking to Marco tonight---I want to own my first pair of boots and I want to buy them from him.  I also want to be his friend! You can tell he has a great story.  Sure, we probably don't have much in common but I'd love to hear where his "boots" have been. 

My friends and family back in Kansas City would laugh hysterically if I came home at Thanksgiving wearing cowboy boots.  But you know what....laugh it up!  I guess you'd say that's what I get for coming to Texas. And so far, I'm not turning back anytime soon. 

(my friends and family just don't know what they're missing)

Yee-haw!

live in the present...

As I was doing my daily reading of blogs today, I came across this 'morsel of goodness' from a dear friends blog.  It's so great that I wanted to share:

"If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And if you improve on the present-what comes later will also be better." 

-The Alchemist 

I believe this. So why can't the present be the best? Regardless of what kind of crap life is dealing us.  Because it's what we know. he future does not belong to us. We are not guaranteed it. The secrets of life are found in the present. We usually just ignore them cause we are always looking ahead for the next big thing, for the upcoming year to start, for something better to land in our lap.

So,  is your 'crap' worth feeling and acting in a way that it completely effects the rest of your life in the present?

A bright light and a salty life....

Today I've been reflecting on how little I do that really matters.  This morning at church I was convicted.  Most Sundays I'm convicted by the message but today was different.  I got a little teary-eyed and had a little conversation with myself on the way home. 

We are the hope of the world, as it states in Matthew 5.  We as Christians are called to be the salt AND light in this crazy sinful world. What does that really mean? Do we have a passion to share the gospel with lost brothers and sisters? That's our job.  

How salty is my life? How bright is my light?

We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.

-Colossians 1:28 

We must "believe by faith that we are the hope of the world--because we represent the true light of the world."

ten seconds...

I was reading a blog this afternoon (shocking! I know) and the writer posed an interesting question:

If you had ten seconds on live radio/television, what would you say to those listening/watching?

I have thought about this for a couple hours (since I read the original post) and can't seem to come up with anything very profound or meaningful.  So, this is the best I have:

"Live every single day like it's your very last.  Tell those you love what they mean to you. Don't take anything or anyone for granted."

By no means is that new to anyone but it's all I could come up with.  

I don't know the woman who writes this blog but I enjoy reading it.  She has many thought-provoking things to say and always has good advice.  Check out my blog friend! 

Here was her answer:

"Make today a good day. Love deeply and passionately.  Give someone a hug. And remember what Christ did for us, remember that you are loved."

What would you answer if you were posed the same question?  

what a life

Rarely has someone I've never met or seen moved me to the point of intense self-reflection. Friday morning as I was getting ready for work I heard Diane Sawyer interrupt regular-scheduled programming to report that beloved Carnegie Mellon professor Randy Pausch had gone home.  The 47-year old man lost his battle with terminal pancreatic cancer.  

Pausch has become well-known through one of his last moments with the staff and students at Carnegie Mellon.  He spoke to a 400+ crowd last September at the university and that lecture immediately hit YouTube.  The talk was modeled after an ongoing series of lectures where top academics are asked to think deeply about what matters to them, and then give a hypothetical "final talk".  With more than 10 million YouTube hits since then and numerous speaking engagements and appearances, Pausch was honored in May by Time as one of the World's Top-100 Most Influential People.

Pausch was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August 2006 and after pursuing aggressive surgery and experimental chemotherapy, doctors told him he had 3 to 6 months of good health left back in August 2007.

I took some time this weekend and watched "The Last Lecture" on YouTube.  It was good to finally see for myself what all the talk was about.  He spoke about his "fight" and how he wants to be remembered by his family and friends. I took away several 'nuggets of greatness' from his lecture.

"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." 

How true is that? For some reason this sentence spoke volumes to me this weekend.  The Lord gives us what we can handle and there's a reason we experience valleys and mountains.  It's about how we tackle those valleys and what it takes to climb those mountains.

"Brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls aren't there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to show us how badly we want things."

Pausch said he wasn't ever afraid of death.  He had a lot he wanted to accomplish before he said "goodbye" and according to everything I've read about his man, he did much more than any of us will ever do when we're given infinite years to live.

So, if you have the time or interest, I encourage you to check out this phenomenal speech on YouTube....and, remember:

"We have a finite amount of time. Whether short or long, it doesn't matter. Life is to be lived."

-Randy Pausch

Live the life you want to live and be thankful for what you've already experienced.  

Be blessed...

a season of change

There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

-Anais Nin

Some people are scared of the word "change".  Others relish in the fact that their lives are "ever-changing".  I can't say I'd classify myself as either one.  But right now I know I'm about to embark on an incredible journey full of change.

I am a detailed, organized person who usually follows a schedule and when something changes that schedule, it throws me off....but that's what makes life exciting.  We live without concrete answers, but society still tells us we need to make 9-to-5 decisions.  Living with concrete answers might diminish a passion within us that is so desperately trying to leap out. We yearn for control and stability, which is essentially the opposite of change.  So, is it possible to have change with control and stability?

Do I know where I'm going? Do I know what I'm doing?  Do I know what I want to be when I grow up? Do I really need answers to these questions?  

My life is about to take a complete change and I'm excited about what lies ahead.  There's a plan and some may say it's unfortunate we don't know that plan.  Sure, I don't know my plan but I am confident in the One who does know the plan and the One who holds the future.  He's got it all figured out!  Whether it's what career I'm in, where I live, what I drive or even what my next meal will consist of....all of this is temporary because I am seeking treasures in heaven and not on Earth.  

I want to love what I do and enjoy making a difference, breathe in every breath and love every minute of it.  

I just need to sit back and enjoy the ride!

encouragement

For the past several days, this word keeps coming into my head.  It presented itself twice this past weekend....I can't seem to escape it. So I figured maybe I should write about it.  

ENCOURAGEMENT

I had a great, relaxing weekend with a friend who refuels my soul every time we're together.  We have been friends for almost six years and I've learned so much from her since that great day in Colby Hall at TCU.  She's such an incredible encouragement to me and our conversations are always so enlightening.  She's a burst of sunshine on a rainy day and a good, hearty laugh when you need a smile.  Something about her makes me want to live life with a smile on my face at all times.  She's fervently seeking the Lord every single day and she knows how to encourage others to do the same. While she was still a student at TCU, we looked for a verse that we could call our own.  This was the result:  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.  -Romans 12:12  This verse speaks volumes about our friendship.  I am in thanksgiving after a restful weekend for her presence in my life.

And what do you know....Sundays sermon was about encouragement.  The greek word is parakaleo which means: exhorting, comforting and encouraging; to admonish, teach or instruct; to come alongside someone, put your arm around them.  God calls us to encourage those who need encouragement in 1 Thessalonians:

We're to encourage each other to:

• live in peace with one another
• gently reprove the undisciplined
• comfort the discouraged
• care for the weak
• patiently put up with the offenses of others
• discourage payback for a wrong done
• rejoice in spite of the circumstances.

Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 

1 Thessalonians 5:11

I think it's important to ask God for a spirit of humility because without putting your pride aside, encouragement could have the opposite effect and be destructive to both you and those you are attempting to encourage.  

Be blessed... (and encouraged)....

Family

I believe Desmond Tutu said it best:

"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you as you are to them."

I just got back from a 55-hour whirlwind of a weekend with my family in Kansas City. I had been looking forward to this weekend long before I booked my plane ticket back in March. My precious grandma celebrated her 90th birthday with her family and closest friends and I was able to be there. For the first time ever, every single member of my extended family (41 people from 5 different states) was present for this momentous occasion. We laughed, cried, told stories, shared our corny jokes, etc. all weekend. I was reminded how precious the gift of family truly is. Whether it's mom, dad, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents or even friends--they always have a way of telling us how it is and loving us no matter what.

I think we often take our family for granted. I know I do! But being able to spend time with them gives me a taste of reality and reminds me that they're pretty cool people and I'm privleged enough to call them my family. No, my family isn't perfect...but who's is these days?

I know that my family will always be there and for that, I am truly thankful. Thank you Lord for the gift of family and everything that goes with it!

To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. ~Barbara Bush

living, really living...

I just spent a lovely evening with great friends enjoying incredible music in the midst of God's creation.  What a way to spend the first day of SUMMER!  Yes, it was a mere 100 degrees but it was completely worth it!

During this time, a friend and I had a very insightful conversation about how the different the world would be if every single person at this concert picked up one piece of trash on their way out of the park.  This lead to many more hypothetical situations such as:

what if every person in this park....

• donated blood tonight
  
• wore their seatbelt every time they got in a car
  
• became an educated voter and exercised their right and privilege to vote
  
• carpooled to work on Monday
  
• turned off the water while brushing their teeth
  
• called a long-lost friend this weekend
• stood up for their beliefs

Perhaps as adults, we can justify sitting around on a Friday evening talking about how we'd like to change the world.  I suppose there's no need to justify this type of conversation but it got me thinking, and that's normally a good thing.

I have a friend who has a list of "10 Thoughts on Whole Living" on her wall at home and I think it applies to my conversation tonight. Perhaps you'll enjoy it and hopefully be able to check some things off your list.

"10 Thoughts on Whole Living"

1. Inspiration can't be rushed.  Learn to linger.
2. Love for the earth begins with a sense of wild.
3. The spiritual and the physical cannot be separated; you need one to experience the other.
4. Never underestimate the power of pen and paper.
5. Alignment comes naturally. Balance cannot be achieved by force.
6. Yoga is more than a series of poses; it's an approach to life and to the world around you.
7. Let your breath bring you back down to earth.
8. Fun is not an occasion - it's a way to live your life.
9. True relaxation is productive; it helps keep you whole.
10. Admit to yourself what you don't know, and you begin to evolve.

I think my favorite is number 8...

Live a FUN life....and do your part! 

living with intention

I recently came across a blog from Steven Curtis Chapman who just lost his youngest daughter Maria, in a terrible automobile accident.  Since the accident, his song 'Cinderella' has been in the Top 10 on iTunes.  Chapman reflected upon this and wrote about how he realized how the significance of the song and it's message have become more profound. 

He wrote on his blog...."Before last Thursday the song encouraged us to be better, to be intentional and not miss moments. What's a stronger word for encourage? It urges us, it jumps and yells for our attention, it boldly pushes us against the wall like a good friend and says..."don't miss these moments"....I want to be different. It's not that I was a bad Dad or husband last week. It's just I want the new normal to mean more than we lost Maria. I want the new normal to also mean my legacy will be different and stronger and bolder and better. How about you?"

I hope this gives you as much encouragement as it gives me.  What a powerful statement: DON'T MISS THESE MOMENTS.  These moments make and shape us every single day.  

Cinderella (chorus) 

by Steven Curtis Chapman

So I will dance with Cinderella

While she is here in my arms

'Cause I know something the prince never knew

Oh I will dance with Cinderella

I don't wanna miss even one song,

'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight

And she'll be gone.....

Be blessed and be well....

"goodbye"

Well, here goes....my first attempt at blogging! I find myself spending hours and hours online reading blogs (some written by friends but most written by complete strangers) so I figured I'd begin my own blog in hopes of helping someone (like me) gain insight just like I've gained.

So I begin with a "goodbye".... As a journalism major, I've come to realize how much is really in a word.  Webster defines the word as a farewell; an acknowledgement of a parting or leave-taking. A little over a week ago I said "goodbye" and for the first time I really felt like it was an "acknowledgement of a parting" until the two parties (one being me) meet again.  Over this past week I've reflected on that moment and how life takes us through ups and downs....forcing us to say "goodbye" and sometimes a "see you later".  Life is all about transitions and growing into the life God has planned for us.  We move from one stage into another and sometimes saying 'goodbye' or 'see you later' is the best option.  

So with that I say...."here goes".  Join me in this ride as I take off into the world of blogging. Occasionally it's good to take a look around and really 'stop pretending' and start enjoying what's real....a life without pretending.