Life Without Pretending

Show Us Your Life

2011-01-20T16:18:00.008-06:00

Today I'm doing something I've never done before....I'm linking up with someone else's blog. You can tell I don't blog that often based on the frequency of my past posts. But, Kelly's blog is one I read religiously so I figured this would be a good one to link up with. Kelly over at Kelly's Korner is starting her "Show Us Your Life" series and this one is "Show Us Your Life...Singles".

I'd like to introduce you to my dear friend Samantha....

Samantha is one of the most loyal people I know. We met in college and we're both avid TCU fans! She's a fun young woman who currently lives in Fort Worth after a short stint in Iowa. She enjoys puppies, children of all ages, frozen yogurt, local news and being outside on a sunny day! She's a very determined woman with big dreams! She is a regular church-goer who would drop anything to help out a friend!

Samantha is in her mid-20s and the oldest of three. She has grown up in the great state of Texas! She's genuinely a sweet person who loves her salsa hot and her margaritas strong!

She'd be a great catch for anyone and she's ready to meet her special someone!

If you know someone who would be interested, leave a comment!

Thanks,

Julie

it's upon us

2010-11-16T19:05:00.003-06:00

The most wonderful time of year is upon us once again. Sure, it's only mid-November, but I heard Christmas carols on the radio today and I instantly felt happy, warm and all things nice. Tonight, some friends and I are gathering around the outdoor fireplace I have right outside my front door. It's in the mid-50s outside which is simply perfect for outdoor fireplaces, s'mores, Christmas carols, holiday decorations and gathering with friends and family.

It's funny that a simple little song can change your attitude. I admit, it changed mine today. I wasn't in a particularly sour mood but it did put a smile on my face. I can't wait for the weather to get even colder, to break out my fleece and wear flannel pants at night.

Friends, here's to wishing you the happiest and merriest of holidays this year. Remember not to forget the real reason for the season.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulder. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

-Isaiah 9:6

true friends

2010-10-12T20:54:00.002-05:00

Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.

-Woodrow Wilson

A few days ago, I was blessed to be a part of a dear friend's special day. I was able to stand with her at the church and witness the love she has for her true love. It was a wonderful day and weekend where we ate, drank and celebrated these two who had committed to each other forever.

In addition to witnessing the blessing of marriage, I got to spend the weekend with some "old" friends. When we were all a bit younger and a little less wise, we lived together in a quaint little house near TCU. We laughed together, cried together, celebrated together, learned together and loved together throughout that short year. Well, four of the five of us were reunited for this wedding and man, did we have fun! It was so wonderful to pick up where we had left off when we all went our separate ways just five years earlier.

True friendship is rare and hard to find these days. These women have taught me so much and I hope they can say the same about me someday. Thank you, ladies, for a fabulous weekend! Here's to a few more celebrations in the years to come!

life

2010-08-11T21:10:00.002-05:00

One of my greatest joys in life is people....being with people, loving people, serving people, listening to people, etc. If you know me, you know that I thoroughly enjoy watching people. Some people call this staring but I just call it "people watching". I can usually find someone to watch everywhere I go. I sit and wonder where they came from, why did they choose this place and not next door, what kind of car do they drive, etc. I am intrigued by people and the stories they have to tell. I think this is one explanation for why I follow so many blogs on a daily basis. Over half the blogs I read are written my complete strangers that I've come to call "friends".

Instead of watching people so often, I want to get the courage to go up and speak to them. I enjoy talking to people almost as much as I enjoy watching people. I am going to challenge myself to speak up instead of just watching because I would much rather know their story as opposed to just wondering about their story.

smile...

2010-04-30T14:08:00.003-05:00

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.

-Phyllis Diller

This morning I treated myself to a Pilates class at the gym. No, I've never done Pilates and no, I wasn't good. But hey, you can't be good at something if you don't try, right? The teacher, a thin, tattooed blonde mother of four, pushed me to try and stretch myself. And as I sit here and type, my abs, legs and arms ache...so it worked!

She encouraged us with her little words of wisdom throughout the class. She said, "you can choose how you want to live your life.....you have a choice every single day.....do you choose illness or wellness?" Sure, they're simple, but they really hit me hard this morning. We do have a choice everyday to be happy or sad, be joyful or depressed, eat an apple or a candy bar, etc. The joy that we exhibit to others will not only change our life, but it will also change someone else's life. She reminded us that a smile on our face will effect how someone responds.

So, I came home and did some research on the effects of smiling. Here's what I found:

1. Smiling makes us attractive: we are drawn to people who smile. There is an attraction fact. We want to know a smiling person and figure out what is so good. Frowns, scowls and grimaces push people away.

2. Smiling changes our mood: next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There's a good chance your mood will change for the better.

3. Smiling is contagious: when someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others and make things happier.

4. Smiling relieves stress: stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down and overwhelmed.

5. Smiling boosts your immune system: smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed.

6. Smiling lowers your blood pressure: when you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure.

7. Smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers and serotonin: together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug.

8. Smiling lifts the face and makes you look younger: the muscle we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don't go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day.

9. Smiling makes you seem successful: smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached.

10. Smiling helps you stay positive: when we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that "Life is Good!" Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.

(About.com: Longevity)

Proverbs 15:13 says "A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit."

You can tell the condition of a person's heart by looking at their facial expression. When people are happy, you can tell by the sparkle in their eyes, their smile and their cheerful attitude. You can also read on a person's face when they have sorrow in their heart, especially when you know a person. Scripture tells us that if we allow this sorrow of heart to continue, it can break our spirits. Jesus died on the cross, not only to give us eternal life, but He also died to take our grief and sorrows. Since He took them, we do not have to take these things, but rather receive our salvation, healing, deliverance and peace by faith.

So, today....are you smiling because "Life is good"? .....or are you frowning?

Nothing to Cry About

2010-02-10T16:22:00.003-06:00

I know it's been a loooooong time since my last post and for that I apologize. But, for now, I hope this will do.

I regularly listen to Pandora or Last.fm at work. I have recently heard a particular song over and over again. I love the song and have since researched it's lyrics. I fell in love with this artist and her words. I just love the rawness of the lyrics and how true the words are about being in the angels keep and trusting that someone has ahold on us at all times. The song lyrics are below. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

I can't tell if Alli is writing to her boyfriend, husband or child. Either way, I'm a fan of her poetic writing and the music that's put with the words.

Check her out here. I can't find a video of her singing this song on Youtube but you can listen to it here on Last.fm. (Click on the play button in the top right corner of the webpage)

and PS: I think I'll add this to my list of "possibilities" for my first dance with my future husband!

Nothing to Cry About

by Alli Rogers

There's nothing to cry about tonight

All your thoughts are brave

But they make you tired

It's only us and the world is small and new

Like I don't know anything

But how I'm in love with you

I'll hold you when the nights get long

And hold you when the times get tough

I'll love you when you've had too much

And love you when you can't get enough

Baby close your eyes

Cause we are in the angels keep

Push your worries all aside

And let me rock you back to sleep

There's nothing to cry about tonight

It's not your job to know if everyone's alright

Let me tell you how perfect you are to me

And we're all that matters now as far as I can see

I'll hold you when the nights get long

And hold you when the times get tough

I'll love you when you've had too much

And love you when you can't get enough

Baby close your eyes

Cause we are in the angels keep

Push your worries all aside

And let me rock you back to sleep

no complaints here

2009-06-04T16:51:00.002-05:00

Too often we have more faith in the way things are done than in the One who does them.

How much more perfect can you say this idea? I could apply this to so many things in my life right now. The One has taken me to the mountain tops as well as the valleys. A wise friend reminds me often that we need to be faithful to the process....and this is just another way to say that very thing.

I am so excited about where my life is right now. I'm happy, healthy, surrounded by incredible friends and family, dutifully employed (if that makes sense) and in love with life. Over the next few months, some things in my life will be changing and that gets me even more excited.....a good friend's wedding, a big move, new opportunities on the horizon, living debt free....to name a few!

I haven't blogged in a long time but I think of things to write on my blog almost every single day. Thinking and putting those thoughts into words are two very different things. For me, thinking is far more easy.

Come along for an exciting ride!

what is your legacy?

2009-04-06T22:31:00.003-05:00

A recent reading of a blog inspired this post. Sometimes I am so drawn in to a blog that I want to scream it's message from the rooftop and make everyone read it for themselves. But since that is impossible, I figured I would just blog about it myself.

This topic has come up in conversation between friends and I, at my office, in several Sunday sermons and many other places. Perhaps this is God's way of telling me it's something worth pondering.

What is your legacy? What does that even mean? Webster defines "legacy" as: anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor. But does that definition really encompass the true depth of the question? Who will be your legacy? What will be your legacy? What will people say about you when you're gone from this world? Who has made you who you are? Who do you give credit to for the things/experiences in your life? What moment in your life do you remember as the most dramatic, life-changing event? What made it this way?

I have to agree with the author from the blog below. It's the people and relationships in my life that have made me the proudest. And it's these people who I want to gather and speak of the good things when they celebrate my life during my passing. Throw a huge party, invite everyone I've ever known and have a good time. Don't mourn my passing but celebrate my life, because after all, life really is a gift.

Please take a minute and read the post below. I've linked the original post below this text in case you wish to follow it on your own. I hope you benefit from his writing as much as I have.

Enjoy!

Someday I'm gonna die. I'm gonna leave this earth for good and head off to somewhere better and sweeter. This may sound a little strange, but sometimes I think a little bit about death. I guess stranger though, is that I think about my funeral. I'm not much of a funeral-type. I suppose no one really is, but if hospitals are difficult for me, imagine funerals. I can't even fathom working at a funeral home. I've heard people talk about being there for people when they need it most. I can get behind that, just don't expect me to sign-up for it anytime soon. Then again, I am working toward pastor hood someday, so I may as well get used to it. I digress...

There was this scene in Tom Sawyer or Huck Finn or maybe Disney's "Tom & Huck" where one of the boys fakes their death and then sits in a perch up above the ceiling and witnesses their funeral through a crack in the wall. They're eating up all the sweet things people are saying about them. That scene always stuck with me. I don't daydream about my funeral for the same reason that those riffraffs did though. I just picture myself in the same situation. I'm in some spot up above (heaven?) and I can look down and see everything. More importantly though, I can see everyone. And that's why I enjoy this daydream. You see, I see something in this room that makes me happier than just about anything. Maybe not happy...but a deep, deep contentment. I see everyone who's ever played a role in my life, all in one room together.

I see my family circled around, laughing at that time I missed the bus and sat at the bus stop for 3 hours thinking it was just running a little late that day. I see my best friends since childhood. Andy and Brett, exchanging southern accents with my best friends from Eastern Kentucky, Michael and Josh. I see my freshman year roommate, Matt, free-styling for my junior-year boys, Adam, Daniel and Zach. I see all my high school boys dishing out our old crazy encounters with the current group of crazy high school boys I minister to. I see my current mentor and wise counsel, Taido, lost in deep theological conversation with my previous mentors, Stephen and PJ. Actually, they're all probably laughing about some SNL skit involving a few dudes on a boat, but don't tell anyone that. I see my wife with all of her best girl friends, together at last, planning a Sex and the City night at her place. In the middle of all of this, I see my legacy. These people. These friends.

If there's on thing I'm "proud" about, it's these people and the relationships we share. More than anything else in this world, I value relationships. My relationship with my Maker. My relationship with my love. My relationship with my family. My relationship with my friends. These are the people that make me me.

I just got back a few days ago from a Colorado ski trip in the Rockies with our high school ministry. Somehow I convinced my dear friend Zach to come down from Chicago to join me on the trip. (He's actually unemployed...so it really wasn't that hard!) Zach jumped in immediately and began forming friendships one-by-one with these students. By the end of the week, they were asking for him to move to Arkansas. We had our first meeting with the students since the trip last night and I cannot express to you the joy these students had in seeing Zach one more time. Zach was actually supposed to leave town last night. But with the students begging for him to stay a few more days (and me doing a little pleading myself!!), Zach decided to stay a little while longer. Sure he'll get something great out a little more time in the Natural State. But the real winner is me and those that get to experience a little more of him. That's just it. That's everything.

Here's the thing: Zach and the rest of the people that God has put around me are my legacy. They're all I got. Even more, they're all I could want. I get no more joy than watching my friends enjoy each other. Nothing satisfies me more than watching my family happy together, you know...really happy. I love that God made me that way. I love that God has blessed me with such good people. I can only pray that you have half of what I've had. It'll be more than enough. It'll be everything.

read for yourself

life....twists and turns

2009-03-18T14:27:00.006-05:00

It's been a while since I last posted. The weather has officially turned from "cold" to SPRING and for some reason, I got inspired to post today.

One of my best friends in the entire world, found out Monday that she's without a job. For the last 17 months she's been out on her own, with no family or friends near (geographically). This has completely turned her world, as she knew it, upside down. She doesn't know where to go, what to do or what is next for her life. As we talked Monday, I was reminded of this great "proverb" and thought I'd share. With an unstable economy and jobs running scarce, the only thing we have is the hope offered in Christ. When everything else is gone or fails us, He will be the only thing that remains.

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.'

"The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you."

What are you grasping onto? What has taken hold of your life? If everything important was taken, where would you go and who would you turn to?

2009-02-23T21:51:00.004-06:00

I just came across this incredible article on Relevant Magazine's Web site. It struck a cord with me and perhaps it will do the same for you. Webster defines "love" as: a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

The author (Jim Palmer) paints such a clear picture of what we were truly made for. Love is an act and not a thing. Enjoy!

Define love. What exactly is it? Is love a thing? Can you hold it in your hands? Is it an emotion that comes and goes?

Is love that dreamy romantic state that intoxicates you? Is love something you fall into, and out of?

We know for sure that love is the greatest single need and desire of humankind. Everyone wants and seeks love. Love is considered the highest expression of humanity, religion and spirituality. Love has the power to heal, set people free, make whole and put one at deep peace and joy. There is only one force proven to be more powerful than hate--love. Love has inspired the greatest works for art and motivated the greatest movements of compassion and justice. Pierre Teilhard Chardin said, "Someday, after we have mastered the wind, the waves, the tides and gravity, we shall harness the energies of love. And then, for the second time in the history of the human race, we will have discovered fire."

And yet you can't define love. Try as you may, but then at the end of your definition you must footnote an acknowledgement that love is deeper and wider than whatever you came up with. You're getting closer if you say love is like God. Love is the Ultimate Reality. You can't define God or love, but if you could, you would be bumping into the same thing. In fact, the Bible says, "God is love," which is why I capitalize the word (Love) when referring to it in this sense. Those three words radically changed my understanding of God.

To read the rest of the article, go here.

who were you meant to be?

2009-02-13T18:59:00.002-06:00

God doesn't give you the people you want,

He gives you the people you need....

to help you, to hurt you, to leave you, to love you

and to make you into the person you were meant to be.

This could not be more true. Sometimes I have to read this several times before it actually sets in. The people in our lives make us who we are today and who we're meant to be. Thank you Jesus for giving us family, friends and everyone in-between.

Obsessed with today....

2009-02-01T23:01:00.004-06:00

Today was a glorious day.

Those five words do not give today a very accurate description but it's all I could come up with. Waking up for church, hearing an incredible sermon, enjoying a relaxing morning, spending 45 quality minutes walking on the Trinity Trail alone (with the exception of my iPod), sharing a glass of ice tea at Starbucks followed by a football game.

My walk on the Trinity Trail this afternoon was INCREDIBLE! I spent 45 minutes outside in the 70 degree weather on the first day of February with no interruptions. I cranked the volume on my iPod (Mamma Mia filled my ears) and since the walkers were few and far between today, I sang along while walking. 'Dancing Queen' really moved me today! There wasn't a cloud in the sky and I had nowhere I had to be at that moment. The whole way home, I was smiling ear to ear.

Thank you Lord for giving us warm sunshine, relaxing weekends and healthy bodies to be outside and enjoy days like today. Amen!

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

-John Piper

I have...

2009-01-26T22:01:00.006-06:00

I found this on another blog and thought it was interesting enough to post on my blog. The object is to bold all of the things I have done. It's interesting to see what I've done compared to those things I haven't done.

Started your own blog

Slept under the stars

Played in a band

Visited Hawaii

Watched a meteor shower

Given more than you can afford to charity

Been to Disneyland/world

Climbed a mountain

Held a praying mantis

Sang a solo

Bungee jumped

Visited Paris

Watched a lightning storm at sea

Taught yourself an art from scratch

Adopted a child

Had food poisoning

Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

Seen the Mona Lisa in France

Slept on an overnight train

Had a pillow fight

Hitchhiked

Taken a sick day when you're not ill

Built a snow fort

Held a lamb

Gone skinny dipping

Been to a Broadway show in NY

Ran a marathon

Been in three states at once

Ridden in a gondola in Venice

Seen a total eclipse

Watched a sunrise or sunset

Hit a home run

Been on a cruise

Seen Niagra Falls in person

Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

Seen an Amish community

Taught yourself a new language

Had enough money to be truly satisfied

Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

Gone rock climbing

Seen Michaelangelo's David

Sung karaoke

Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

Visited Africa

Walked on a beach by moonlight

Been transported in an ambulance

Had your portrait painted

Gone deep sea fishing

Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

Kissed in the rain

Played in the mud

Been to Grace Kelley's grave in Monaco

Gone to a drive-in theater

Been in a movie

Visited the Great Wall of China

Started a business

Taken a martial arts class

Swam in the Mediterranean Sea

Visited Russia

Served at a soup kitchen

Sold Girl Scout cookies

Gone whale watching

Gotten flowers for no reason

Donated blood, platelets or plasma

Gone sky diving

Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

Bounced a check

Saved a favorite childhood toy

Visited the Lincoln Memorial

Eaten Caviar

Pieced a quilt

Stood in Times Squares

Toured the Everglades

Been fired from a job

Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

Broken a bone

Been on a speeding motorcycle

Seen the Grand Canyon in person

Published a book

Visited the Vatican

Bought a brand new car

Walked in Jerusalem

Had your picture in the newspaper

Read the entire Bible

Visited the White House

Killed and prepared my own meat

Had chickenpox

Saved someone's life

Sat on a jury

Met someone famous

Joined a book club

Lost a loved one

Had a baby

Seen the Alamo in person

Swam in the Great Salt Lake

Been involved in a law suit

Owned a cell phone

Been stung by a bee

Not sure I would go as far as to say that I wish I had done more of these things. Some are not favorable and some aren't really a big deal. But, I do believe experiences like those listed above make us the unique humans we are. I feel I could bold a fair amount of experiences considering I've only had 25 years. Here's to much more "bolding"...

the wire...

2008-12-20T09:21:00.002-06:00

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...

2008-12-10T22:27:00.002-06:00

....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

2008-10-30T23:11:00.004-05:00

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...

2008-10-28T22:12:00.006-05:00

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....

2008-09-14T21:20:00.003-05:00

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...

2008-08-12T18:32:00.002-05:00

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

2008-07-27T19:57:00.003-05:00

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

2008-07-15T20:53:00.003-05:00

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

2008-07-08T22:00:00.003-05:00

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

2008-07-02T13:12:00.003-05:00

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...

2008-06-20T23:48:00.000-05:00

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"

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

2008-06-11T21:09:00.000-05:00

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"

2008-06-08T12:56:00.000-05:00

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.