Insta-Weekend

This weekend was like most weekends--huge.  Here's a glimpse of what went down in my world.

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It's ok to take the long road

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It's ok to take the long road.
     to ride the bike
     to take the long walk

In a world that always pushing us to do things fast--to get the job done--it's ok to take the long road.
     to slow down and inhale the beauty
     to rest from the caos
     to relax in the awkward moments
     to breathe in life

To really live life & absorb it all.
     to take it all in

To just...
                  be.


Life is not a destination.  Life is a journey.  Long.  Hard.  Painful.  Fun.  But all worth it.  In encourage you, slow down and love life.  All of it.

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Think about it, Do it

I'm sharing this commercial because I avidly believe in it's message.  I hope it leads you to think about life and your family and driving safety.

Some driving safety suggestions:
1.  Slow down in construction zones.  There are workers on the road and their life is precious.
2.  Discourage passengers to help. Encourage passengers to have fun but be safe.  I drive with teenagers in my car quite often.  They love to open the door while the vehicle is moving.  Be honest with them and explain why this is dangerous.  Recently, I told one of them why this made me so agitated and they stopped acting a mess.
3.  Buckle up.Yes, it's the law, but it also saves lives.  I know quite a few people who disagree with me, but I've seen the statistics and I've experienced the loss.  It does save lives.
4. Move over for emergency vehicles.  They are either going to a medical emergency or leaving one and if you or your family member was in that vehicle you'd want everyone to move.  Seconds matter.
5.  Pay attention.Do not text and drive.  If you're tired pull over.  The great thing about technology is we all have apps that can take care of texting.  I know that my commute to work takes at least 30 minutes.  I can get a lot of work done in 30 minutes especially correspondance but resist the urge to text and drive.  I just downloaded a new app.  It's called Voice and I can text, email, update Facebook, and tweet all with my voice.
I know that these are all tips that you've read or heard but it only takes one mistake to end a life.  I do pray that God protect your steps and your ways.  Thank you for taking the time to read this post!

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Women's Retreat Recap

Wow.  So it's been over a week since I've been back from Branson, Missouri, where we had the Cathedral of Praise Grace Women's Retreat.  (Read more about our discussion here.)  We really had so much fun...maybe even too much fun.  There is one thing that is undoubtedly true.  God changed lives during that retreat.  I know that He opened my eyes to several things about my personality that I've got to deal with if I'm going to be all God has destined me to be.

God's like that, you know.  He reveals areas, weaknesses, ideals in our lives that are unlike His character or that don't line up with His Word, but rather than just changing us (which would be so much easier) He leaves the us with the responsibility to fix those issues.  Oh, the power of the Holy Spirit is there to lead and guide us through the changes...but ultimately the choice to change is ours to make and the steps we take are ours to walk.

So here's some changes that I'm going to be working on...
1.  Be quiet more and listen.  Don't be pushy even though you believe to the very core of your existence that you're correct.  People don't respond well to that attitude.  And, yes, you are passionate about everything, but not everyone has to be passionate about everything too.
2.  Don't be so hard on yourself and on other people.  We are all sinners saved by grace.  You sin and mess up.  They sin and mess up.  Pray for God's grace to love with His compassion.  (I've been working on this one for a while, but I still have some more work to do.)
3.  STOP PROCRASTINATING.  You don't have to be afraid.  Just do what you know to do and continue to walk in God's Word.  The steps of righteous people are ordered of God.

Below are some pics of the trip.  If you ever go to Branson, please promise you will go to the College of the Ozarks and watch them milk the cows.  It was so cool...for real. :)

Don't forget to enter the 50 Follower Celebration giveaway for a $25 Target gift card.  It ends tonight!

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Christ's Character

Last week was such an interesting week.  I saw God answer prayers that I had quit praying about, but I also had some major set backs in some relationships that I value greatly.  But through these circumstances God brought me to a place of realization and learning.  NO ONE IS PERFECT.

Reality is, I've sinned and messed up royally.  Other people sin and mess up royally too.  But despite their mess ups I have to respond with grace and mercy.  Maybe it's because of my pride, maybe it's because I have too high standards, but that is a hard task for me to live by even if it's in God's Word.

Proverbs 17.9 says, "Overlook an offense and bond a friendship; fasten on to a slight and good-bye friend" (Message).

An acquaintance of mine, Joshua Watts, tweeted last week, "One of the greatest marks of bearing Christ's character is our response to someone else's sin."

Is it possible that one of the reasons I'm so mad is because my friend's failure reminds me of my own downfalls?  Could it be that their failure to "live by the rules" makes me struggle with my own desire to live completely, 100%, sold-out?  Do I "hate" them because "they" made me question my faith?  No, I don't hate them...but I'm scared.  I'm scared that if they can mess up then I might too.

Truth is even when I mess up, because I will, God's grace and mercy is a covering over my life.

My prayer:  Lord, help me to respond with grace, mercy, and understanding.  We are fallen creatures who live in a fallen world.  You are love and your love helps me to cast out all fear.  Help me to live completely dependent on your love alone and help me to bear your character when my friends fall.  Because more than I want anything I want to point others to You and Your love.

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My Springfield

I've heard a rumor that some people hate Springfield, Missouri, but I love that town.  I love the history.  I love the culture.  I love that it's a modern day Mecca to a couple of fellowships.  I just love Springfield.  Maybe it's the memories or maybe it's the atmosphere, but whatever it is, it's got it for me, well, with the exception of the drivers.

My sister Dalayna (she blogs over at Pointing Up if you care to meander over there) and I went on a short day trip to Springfield on Friday.  I did almost all the things I love to do and discovered some new treasures troves including some vintage shops.  (Those I know you will love.)

So...in order sequential order...I give you my Springfield.

An original play written and directed by Michaela Harris from Central Bible College. (Website)

Followed by a trip to a great store for all things vintage: Funtiques Market. (Facebook) I found a beautiful vintage hat to wear to Cathedral's ladies tea this weekend.  So beautiful.

If you're going to Springfield and you're going to be downtown then you have to stop in at The Cup and get a cupcake!  Yum.

Have you read A Beautiful Mess?  While if you haven't then you need to and you also have got to visit their vintage store Red Velvet.  Best. Store. Ever...probably.

Toes done.  Coffee drank.  Friend date.  Happiness.  Yes, all those things.

Almost done.  Promise.  So after all of that we came home to find that our little cousin had been in an accident.  I won't go into all those details just because it's quite gruesome, but our family has found time and time again that God heals.  My little cousin is now safe at home in Roland, Oklahoma, and recovering after only spending a short time in the hospital. 

Wonderful weekend with miracles and friendship and family and joy.  True contentment, I do believe.

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Life Begins, Life Ends

Life is such an interesting adventure...a journey to find God in life and live completely abandoned to His divine will.  You can live life to the absolute fullest and still find, at the end, that you have only begun to touch the edges of the vastness of God's glory and plan.  For me, this past week has been filled with glimpses of milestones in this journey...

a baby shower

a friend in the hospital due to a stroke

another friend being lead away from life to heaven

engagement of friends

reconnecting with a friend from college just to discuss our adventures

...not all joyous, but all adventures in life...all milestones of the journey to become like Christ and to bring Him glory.

All these things so remind me of Soloman's writings in Ecclesiastes.  Of course, we have all heard tell of the famous passage at the beginning of chapter 3, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven," but ultimately this book really says so much more to the meaning of life.

In our search for significance we must realize that the whole of our adventure--our life--is to bring glory to God.  And in bring glory to God...restoring His dominion on the earth...being carriers of His presence and justice and mercy and grace...we actually bring Him the ultimate supreme worship that no other creature can bring Him.

Today I would like to leave you with these words from Soloman.  His advice to the young (and I'm holding on to that word while I can) is this, Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl in broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well.  Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."  In other words, before you die, and your adventure is over, remember who the your creator is and glorify Him.

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Searching for Home

Floodgate East Coast Team
Circa 2006

The summer after my senior year of college I spent the summer traveling to different youth camps across the United States.  I loved the experience and wouldn't trade one moment of the trip (well, except when one of my dearest and closest friends and I got in a huge argument...that wasn't fun...it was totally my fault...I earned it...I did knock out the back window of our 15 passenger van).  But all that aside, I remember that summer as one of the best experiences in my life.

Despite the wonderfulness of the trip, I'm sure you can imagine that I might have become homesick at some points in our journey.  During the fourth of July weekend we went to a small cabin of one of the team members family's.  We explored desserted roads, shoot guns, conquered forests.  But one night, I stepped away from the group for a few minutes just to be by myself.  I found myself standing in front of a lake looking at my reflection singing softly Michael Bublè's "Home."

At that moment I didn't really want to go home to be with my family.  (Even though, with the exception of Jesus, they are the greatest gift I've ever received.)  It's almost as if as I was standing at that lake looking down into the waves I wanted to make a new home.  Start something new.  Live a different life than anyone had ever lived.  Conquer the world.  Be the best.  Change people's life.  It's almost as if that place of destiny was home and I wanted to live there...be there.  But I was so far from that place.

Honestly, I still so very far from this divine destiny that I called home that day.  But there are a few things that I'm learning in the journey.

1.  Don't give up.
      Never, ever give up.  It's not worth it.  You know the saying, "It's better to have loved and lost than to never loved at all"?  Well, it's better to dream and to work and to live and never see the end of the dream.

2.  Invest in other people dreams while your waiting for yours.
      No man is a mountain and we can't stand on our own.  You're going to need help to see your destiny fulfilled in your life.  So, even though there is no Biblical precedent to this...at least not one that I can think of, pay it forward.

3.  Pray...pray hard...and don't stop.
     Explanation needed?  I think not.

4.  Stay positive.
      Honestly, I don't like this principle.  Actually, I would much rather be negative and funny, but that's not encouraging to yourself or anybody else.

Well, let me leave you with some pictures of our trip that summer.  I borrowed them (but he's not getting them back) from my friend Allan Howard who happened to be on that journey with me.   Just remember this.  As in the words of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home."  It's true.  Stepping into your divine destiny is a journey, sometimes even long and hard, but in the end is a place of rest, security, love, and affection.  In the end is home.

The duck taping job performed by Candice after my mishap of running into the side of a building...I hit a roof, ok?
I was trying to save some kids lives or something.

Mandy and me after the belly flop contest.
She was proud.

Potomac District Camp, maybe?

Colorado Springs, Co at the Garden of the gods

This is literally right after a belly flop contest.  I got a black eye, but I won.
Bring it!

Allan and me.
Notice that I was duck facing it before that was a popular picture pose. I'm just saying...

Candice doing something crazy.

Shekianah, our pet turtle for about two hours.

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