Joy Moments

While I was revamping my page today, the title of my blog jumped out at me and screamed for attention. "Finding Joy in Each Day". I originally titled it that because I was going to write blogs about the moments that brought me joy to encourage myself and others that it IS out there everyday...joy. Some days it's hard to believe it because of our circumstances, but that's the thing about joy; it's not dependant on circumstance, it's dependant on your relationship with God.

So I'm starting off my "joy moments" blogs with a newly realized moment of joy that happened this morning.

May 30th Joy Moment: My husband loves to hold me when he sleeps. When we are turning out the lights he says, "roll over so I can hold you" and then he falls asleep very fast. Now, this has not always been a joy moment. In fact, it's been a source of contention with us because I get hot easily at night. But this morning I was driving to work thinking about it and I began to find joy in this simple act. He finds comfort and peace in my presence and it is calming enough to him that it actually helps him sleep better. And I fell in love with this. How wonderful is it that I have a husband who loves to hold me? Some wives beg for this! But I don't have to beg or even ask...he just does it and it makes me feel needed and important.

I encourage you today to find joy in something that your husband does that you normally dismiss.

Stuck

You may have noticed that it's been quite a while since I have mentioned any weight loss. Well, that's because there hasn't been much more. Before I went to Savannah I had lost a total of 29 pounds. When I returned from Savannah, I had gained 7 pounds of tasty low country cooking. I could hardly believe it. We walked about 5-7 miles a day, and while we were eating not perfect, we weren't being ridiculous either. Since that moment on the scale, I have been beyond struggling to get back on track. I have somehow managed to lose 3 of those pounds, but I'm not sure how because I have been eating like pig. I would say that getting back on track is actually harder than starting the program. I'm trying to remember all of the things that had me motivated back in January, and they are good things, but for some reason they are just not enough to make me put down the ice cream and walk away from the vending machine.

I know that some of you out there reading this are thinking, "Come on. Just show some discipline." If only it were that easy! It's a hideous addiction. Hideous.

So, I am writing to plead for your prayers and encouragement. Maybe I just got to prideful that I could do it on my own and forgot that it was completely God that is giving me the strength.

10 years ago

I meant to write this on my birthday but I never got around to it. Reaching 28 for some reason felt like a milestone, even though it's not a typical one. But on that day, i sat back and thought about where i was 10 years ago so that i could see how far i have come and what God has brought me through. So here it is, my "where i was 10 years ago" list

In 1998...

* I was helping lead a bible study group at our highschool and prayer group
* I did my first speaking engagement for a private Christian school where I spoke on "True Love Waits"
* I graduated from Gallatin High School
* I cut all of my hair off for the first time
* I was heavily involved with CYM (Cornerstone Youth Ministries)
* I went to Ft. Apache, AZ to work and minister on an Indian Reservation
* I left to move to Waxahachie, TX where I attended Southwestern Assembly of God University where I was majoring in Cross Cultural Missions (? seriously? I thought I had to have a degree for that?)
* I interned under Scott Wilson, Oakcliff Assembly of God's famous Youth Pastor
* I did street ministry in Dallas, TX
* I lived with a roomate who would eat Taco Bell at 12:00am and smack loudly so I became adjusted to sleeping with my CD player on.
* I was skipping chapel services 3 out of 5 times a week (imagine really, really old AG pastors telling of when they were in college...snore)
* I was constantly hanging out with Master Commission members, therefore I was also praying for 2 hours a day and reading scripture like a maniac.
* My favorite restaurant was "Gloria's"...an El Salvadorian restaurant in a shady part of town that was incredible
* I was threatening to start giving plasma so my parents would take pity on me and send money
* I was living off of the Chicken/Mushroom Ramen Noodles

Looking back through this list I can see where life is incredibly different now. I almost forgot how I was so involved in ministry and thought it would be my full time job (as in paying job) one day. I guess never say never...but probably never. I should probably get back to the kind of reading and praying I was once doing. I remember being so close to God and CRAVING Him. The more I learned about Him the more I wanted to learn about Him. So, all in all, this has been a good and helpful trip down memory lane.

What about you? 10 years ago you were...

A really great weekend

This past weekend was fabulously crazy! Although, I'm beginning to worry that I don't know how to function without having something to do. We had some one on one time and great fellowship with many friends. Friday night we did a double date with our friends Brooke and Jeremy. We chowed on some steak, drank some caffine. There were a lot of laughs. Saturday, we had a girls shopping trip with the youth. We headed to Cool Springs Mall to enjoy what turned out to be a really terrific trip and time with the ladies. I think everyone got a couple of new things that they all adorned themselves with on sunday and looked amazing! Saturday night, two of the youth girls, tiffany and kimmi, came over. Oh, and of course Tiffany's new beau Matt! We grilled out, played in the back yard, climbed trees, watched a movie. Sunday after church we had a fantastic El Ray lunch with our friends Chad and Kristin. More laughing and eating. Sunday afternoon, youth kickball game (i did pretty well!), then off to David and Margie's for even more eating and laughing and bull frog and salamander hunting. Monday...yes, you guess it...more eating and laughing with the Barnett family as they had a group of us over for an amazing meal! (Shout out to Kimmi's creative napkins!). Then it was off to Aaron and Beth's for a lot of laughing and good conversation. No eating...but only because we were full :) And here I am back at work today...exhausted but feeling full of joy because of the many friends we were able to spend great time with. We are really blessed to have so many close and amazing people in our lives.

Thank you friends for loving us!

Target Zombies

A new Species has been discovered:

The other day when I was walking around Target for the millionth time on my lunch, someone I knew approached me and apparently said my name twice before I ever heard them. She started laughing and told me that I was just staring off into space. I laughed back (secretly thinking that I do this really often) we talked with the "haven't seen you in forever" pleasantries for a moment and then she was off...leaving me to finish my shopping. As I walked around I began to notice that many women were doing as I was doing; Walking up and down aisles slowly glancing from left to right, up and down. They seriously looked like zombies. When they walked in they probably knew exactley what they were coming for but immediately turned to Zombies because of the bright lights, "SALE" and "New Summer Arrivals" signs. Some even had their mouths hanging open. Which leads me to believe that Target is just so fabulous and overwhelming that it's like walking into New York City. It's massive and astounding, there is tons to see and you just can't possibly leave without spending gobs of money.

So there it is. I am a self proclaimed Target Zombie.

Let it all out

Last night I had a moment of complete frustration with church people. I’m not talking about the people that are at church because they are focused on serving and getting involved with what God’s doing; I’m talking about the people that go to church, get somewhat involved and then start to nitpick at everything they see that THEY thought could be different. Things that THEY don’t agree with and that THEY think THEY could do better. Well you know what? THEY weren’t appointed by God to lead that church and make those decisions. THEY aren’t the ones slaving in prayer, trying to be a spouse and a parent while shepherding a church, handling the drama that goes on every day from church members, handling the problems that marriages and families need counseling for…THEY aren’t the ones responsible for a entire church congregations spiritual growth. THEY are self absorbed negativity spreaders who apparently have way too much time on their hands to sit on their bottoms and talk about how much better THEY would be at running a church, or if THEY were the pastor or pastor’s wife THEY would do it different. THEY need to have a come to Jesus meeting and realize that THEY have a specific calling on their life that THEY are obviously not doing because THEY are spending their time talking about how someone else is doing their calling.

And when did people decide that a church is all about meeting their needs? Who said this was the way it was suppose to be? The only one thing that can meet all a persons needs is God. No church will be perfect. No church will be everything you hoped it would be. I should know…I have moved around a lot and tried out no less than 20 churches in my life and not one of them is perfect. The one I attend now is not completely perfect…but it is the place I call my church home. And because I felt that is where God called me, I have plugged in and served and respected my pastors no matter if I agreed with everything they said or not. Church is honestly what you make it. In fact, I’m going to throw this thought out there; Most of the time when people are complaining about church not being what they want it to be and not meeting their needs, it’s probably because they don’t have a close relationship with God. Think about it; the closer you are to God, the more you reflect His character. Are these people reflecting God’s character by gossiping, spreading negativity and hardening their heart? We come to church to fellowship, to plug in and serve the Lord, to worship, to be fed. . If one of those isn’t meeting your needs at the church, go to God in prayer and seek Him on it. Don’t start bad mouthing and spreading disease among the fellow church goers. A wise woman I know once said, “Do you want to be responsible for a downfall in the church? I don’t.”

Grrrr….

growing

ah. so finally i feel like i am ready to write about life, vacation and where life has me at this moment. i promise to be as brief as possible. sunny warm days make me feel alive. so imagine me writing this with a peaceful smile on my face and real joy in my heart.

first, savannah was beautiful. but more than the city being beautiful, my time with my husband...alone...truly made the vacation. in the busy touristy moments and in the quiet walking through squares, being beside him with no distractions was lovely. and because we have been so busy since we even became engaged, we had almost forgot the beauty of just spending time alone. the beauty of being with your best friend...your true best friend that knows what all your facial expressions mean and senses your mood and lets you be you and loves you anyway. how can i not want to spend more time alone with this kind of person? of course, i love my time with my friends and ministry time, but there is something rejuvinating about being with someone who doesn't expect anything from you but deserves so much. not that we had fallen out of love by any means...i love him more each day...but i fell into a different kind of love. which is what i think the years of marriage are like. you fall in love with each other in different ways because of the different things you learn about each other. or that's what they should be like, at least. as far as the city...GO. if you like history, architecture, beauty, food, antiques...then GO. it's a city that must be experience on foot or you will miss many of the most beautiful details. like in most cities, it's not the big tourist traps that are the highlights, it's the small quiet and lovely finds that make your trip. there is nothing like walking along those old brick sidewalks hand in hand with your best friend. this is by far the most romantic city i have been to in america.

and life. life is good and starting to get great. after vacation i am learning to say no and remember that i need those times to myself to learn what the Lord has for me and what He wants to show me in the quiet moments. He's good like that. find a quiet moment...he's there waiting to speak to you. i'm learning that each day there is something God has for me to do. it's not a moment i'm building up to, but a bunch of little moments and people that he wants me to enjoy and put my heart into. i've started taking more advantage of work being my current mission field. just telling people that i have prayed for them or that i will. listening to their stories and truly caring about them. everyone has a story to tell and needs someone to appreciate it. and i do appreciate people's stories. they are facinating. i love to see how God has made them fall in love with Him. on a lighter note, my house is starting to come together. my kitchen has a sitting bench and a cool lantern, my living room has more pictures and my front porch has flowers and rocking chairs. you should come over and sit and tell me some of your story.

Savannah

Because of the limited time that I currently have to tell you about my trip to Savannah, I thought I would go ahead and leave you with a slide show of Jeremy and I's trip until I have time to write a blog describing the amazing time we had. I am sure from the pictures, you will be able to tell that we had the most incredible and romantic time. Enjoy!

"Amen"

The other day I was flipping through the channels and I landed on TBN. No, this is not a common occurance but every once in awhile I like to hear what new penacostal ritual or movement i'm missing out on. So while I am listening to some guy preach/yell that I have never seen before, I hear him say, "And all the kids are in the streets drinking and having sex and having abortions...." and while he is saying this there are tons of people in the audience yelling, "AMEN!" Now, if a lot of you have been a part of many penacostal services like me, this is not unusual...UNTIL you start thinking about what the word "Amen" is suppose to mean. The most common translation of it is, "So be it". It is most often used at the conclusion of prayers and hymns. It seems to stand as a sign of support and agreement. So why would some one say, "So be it!" to kids out in the street having sex and abortions? To me this is just one of the many signs of how a lot of once reverant rituals are being turned into something that has lost it's true meaning. You know, I could understand if they were yelling the also common, "Preach it!" and "Come on!" but "Amen"? So be it?

Anyway, this is just one of the many weird thoughts running through my head today. If you can prove me wrong, please do. I welcome any insight to this subject.