Trading My Ambitions for His

No one ever told me no....

2012-02-13T14:37:00.004-06:00

This weekend I built a chair. As in I bought the wood, came up with a design, got some fabric, and voila I have a chair.

I made it for my new office. I wanted something cute for that side of my desk but didn't want to spend the $150 price tag that is usually attached to it. Therefore I decided that I would build it myself for about $50.

Now I've never made a chair. The only furniture I've made has to do with cabinets, shelving, and tables. Nothing that really has to withstand weight or involve fabric and cushion. But as of this weekend, I have built a chair. (and it's so darn cute too!)

It's funny to see the reactions of those around me. Most are rather impressed or seem to be in awe that I made my own chair. Whereas I see that I would like it to be a bit wider and shorter. I think the space between the seat and the back is too much. I think I'd like a darker stain on the wood. I mean don't get me wrong it's great and I kind of impressed myself, but I also see how I could make it better. I'm not as impressive to myself as I am to others. And I don't mean that in a negative way.

See I think others are impressed because they've never tried to make a chair. They see something and don't know how to do it and therefore assume they can't. I on the other hand was raised never being told I couldn't do something. I was raised by parents whose only stipulation on what I do with my life was "do whatever you want to do, just be the best you can be at." They never told me no. They always told me I can!!

I built a chair this weekend because my parents always believed in me and instilled character in me that makes me believe I can do anything. They never said you don't know how to do that. They just taught me how to figure out the things I don't know. Too often people accept not knowing how to do something as lacking the ability to do it. There's a big difference. Just because you don't know how doesn't mean you can't. All it means is that it may take you longer than someone who does know because first you have to spend time figuring it out. I spent a day or two thinking about the chair process and form and looking up a few different ways. Then I took all those ideas and forms and made my own chair.

I'm grateful that my parents never told me no. Growing up I was involved in cheerleading, soccer, baseball, softball, swim team, basketball, karate, ballet, tap, jazz, crafts, and so much more. When I was in 2nd or 3rd grade my family spent a summer building and in-ground swimming pool. When I was in elementary school my mom went back to college and drove a school bus. When my first car (a convertible) needed a new top, I watched my dad and his friend install a new one. Growing up, for years, my parents successfully hosted a regional arts and craft festival because my grandfather loved that type of thing. I rarely heard no. I always heard yes, let's figure it out.

And so this weekend, I built a chair because no one ever told me no.

Until then......

Am I back in junior high??

2012-02-10T23:47:00.002-06:00

Nearly two years ago I made a post about needing friends and hoping to find them in a small group at church. The issue with that is that my life completely revolves around my work. For instance I am currently in the middle of a 41 day stretch without a day off. I finally broke down and scheduled a day off in the middle of next week. With my schedule so crazy and such, it's hard to find time to seek out friends.

Plus it's weird at almost 28 to be trying to make friends. I feel like I'm in junior high or something. Tonight I went to a single ladies small group at my church. It was the first meeting and was awesome. It was a group of ladies around my age and single and really looking for the same thing I am.... friends in the same phase of life.

As I was leaving tonight I gave my number to a few girls in the group. One of them texted me her number and we started chatting about becoming friends. As I mentioned that I was excited about becoming friends, I felt like such a junior high kid hoping to find someone to eat lunch with in the cafeteria.

It's funny how really all of life you never have to search too hard to find friends. I mean you always have to make an effort, but all through school and college and such you are surrounded by people your age and in the same phase of life. But graduate from college and move off somewhere to work and the finding friends game gets harder than you think.

As awkward and junior high as it may have felt, I am super excited about my new friends I made tonight. One of them I already have lunch plans with on my day off this week!! Yay!! Hopefully this is the beginning of a few beautiful friendships!!

Until then......

Moving on Up

2012-02-10T10:50:00.004-06:00

This has been quite a big week in the life of UL Chi Alpha. I think I've mentioned before that we are in the process of adding on a two story office block addition to our current Cafe/Office building. They've been working on the addition for about a year now. And this week, we moved on up! (or over and in to our new offices)

As soon as I was given the go ahead and immediately started moving stuff. Within just a bit I was settled in and fully functional in my new office. Up until this point we have all been sharing offices. The guys have been in an office and the girls have been in an office. Now we each have our own office!! Wahoo!!!!!!

Two of the students who live in the XA house with me threw me a christening party the evening that I moved in. It was a mess and things were all over the place, but they surprised me with sparkling grape juice and cup cakes. We took pictures and made a toast.

This really is an exciting time in the life of this ministry and I am privileged to be a part of it. It's so amazing to see God continuing to do things, provide, and move on campus. PTL.... PTL.... (Praise the Lord)

All settled in:

Until then......

Still Making Memories

2012-01-29T14:06:00.003-06:00

Last week or so I did a post titled "Remember that time". It was about how much I love and appreciate the friends that I have that I can sit around and reminisce about life with because our lives have so intrinsically been intertwined.

The other night I was out to dinner with a group of friends for another friends birthday. Now most of these friends are actually students of the ministry that I work with. And many of them are students/interns who live in the ministry house with me. Sometimes the lines get blurry (as they do in ministry) of where is the line between friend and person I'm ministering to.

As I was sitting at dinner we began to tell stories. And I realized that in the three years that I have been here, I've gained so many more people to sit and reminisce with. We laughed and laughed as we took turns telling stories that began with "remember that time..."

It was such a wonderful birthday dinner and such a wonderful celebration of friends and life together. I was reminded to not be sad because my old "remember that time" friends aren't around, but rather to embrace all the new ones that I have shared life with since moving to Lafayette.

Until then

I was created for this.....

2012-01-24T06:47:00.003-06:00

My job has a tendency to be stressful at times. This year in particular. It seems this year that every aspect of the ministry that I oversee are completely unrelated. This pulls me in many directions. Then on top of that each area has been rather high stress this year. I won't go in to details, but let's say it's been enough to make even the calmest person a little on edge at moments.

I realized after just two weeks back in school and being crazy stressed already that something had to change. Mainly my attitude or way of dealing with things. Then it hit me. I was made for this.

See I fully believe that I am right where God wants me at this point in my life. I believe that the gifts and talents that are inside of me were placed there by God to be used for His Kingdom and glory. I believe that He won't place more on me than I am capable of handling.

Psalm 139 says: "For you created my inmost being, you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place." It also says "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

As I look at those words and think about where I am right now, I realize, I was made for this. I was made in my mother's womb and equipped with the things that I would need to do the things that God has for me to do. Therefore if I am where God wants me to be, then I was created for this.

Bring on the stress. Bring on the emotionally hard days. Bring on the logistical and organizational nightmares. Bring it all on. Every last bit of it because I was created for this!!!

Until then......

Remember that time.....????

2012-01-19T10:34:00.002-06:00

When I went through college I had an amazing group of friends. They were people that I truly shared life with. We were inseparable!

The other day I was texting with one of those friends. I was telling her how I've had a headache since Sunday and have taken everything I can possibly take without overdosing. She responded "remember that time in Virginia when Angie wouldn't give you any more medicine for your headache?"

That was something that happened nine years ago and still Angela remembers. I then texted Angie and she remembers too. They are people that I did life with so much, that they remember most everything about my life from college. I mean they know a lot now, but not quite to the extent that they knew me then.

The other day I was at Sonic and texted Anglea, "remember that time that you dropped Rachel's debit card inside Missy's car door?" And then we bot laughed and I texted Missy and we laughed. We did so much life that it's easy to say, "remember that time...?"

Do you have people like that in your life? Can you call or text someone and say "remember that time?" and they respond with a laugh because obviously they do??

Until then......

"You Make Beautiful Things"

2012-01-09T13:34:00.004-06:00

After Christmas I ventured out to Dallas for our annual regional Chi Alpha conference known as Salt. This year we set yet another record for Salt attendance with the largest Salt in the history of Chi Alpha. There were 1,200 college students gathered to worship and draw closer to the Lord.

One night I was sitting with a group our students for the evening session. During worship the band played an old school song "I need you more" in which the chorus says "And Lord as time goes by, I'll be by Your side, Cause I never want to go back, To my old life." I happened to be behind one of our student leaders who got saved his freshman year here. You can tell his life has been radically changed as he has come to know the Lord and walk with Him. As this song was going, I watched as this young man thrust his arms in the air in declaration that he never wants to go back to his old life. It truly brought tears to my eyes.

Another song that they sand a lot that weekend was "Beautiful Things" bu Gungor. The bridge says "you make me new, you are making me new." As I stood and sand this song surrounded by so many young hearts on fire for God, it moved me to tears. God was reminding me that no matter who were are or what we come from, He is able to take us out of the mess and make something beautiful out of us. It was so incredible to spend a few days with students who were surrendering their lives to God to be made new by Him. I never cease to be amazed by the way the Lord works in us.
(check out the song)

Until then......

New Normal??

2012-01-09T09:30:00.003-06:00

It's funny how in life we expect that when we hit a certain point, that things will settle in to a groove and stay that way. When things change we say to ourselves, "this will be the new normal." The thing is that life is always changing. There's always a new normal to adjust to and become familiar with.

My parents have been divorced for nearly twenty years now. (nineteen to be exact) You would think that over the course of nearly two decades that we would have come across all the things that divorced families deal with. Not true. There will always be new waters to navigate.

Just last year we learned to navigate the seas of divorced family with sibling weddings. Not a hard navigation, but still new territory. This year we navigated Christmas with divorced parents and siblings who spent the holidays with their in-laws. For the last nineteen years I have had two Christmases. This year I had four.

Every time I think of things and look back and compare it reminds me of a Nooma video by Rob Bell. In his video "Today" he says: “But life isn’t static, is it? It ebbs and it flows and people grow up and move away and graduate and lose their jobs and people that you love die and some people get married and others don’t and some get divorced and some get cancer and things aren’t how they were.”

It's true. Things are constantly changing and I don't think we ever even hit a "new normal". I think all we can expect is life. Every day is a new day with new events and challenges and surprises. "Life isn't static, is it? It ebbs and flows."

Until then......

Can I make an actual appointment??

2011-11-22T07:26:00.003-06:00

Part of my job at Chi Alpha is to be the director of the Chi Alpha house. I reside in the house with seventeen other people. There are five interns and twelve students that live with me.

Part of my job as house director (or governor as I like to say) is to take care of all the maintenance and house issues. It seems like this semester has been plagued with issues in the house. Not issues with people, but with the physical house. I think something breaks at least once a week.

Over the course of this semester I've had to call exterminators and repair men. Now don't get me wrong, I am thankful for people who are professionals and will come to your home and take care of problems. However I would be more thankful if they would actually give me a time that they are going to show up, versus a two hour time slot that they will arrive during.

If you know me at all you know that I am a person who likes to sleep. Therefore when I am told that someone will show up between 7:00am & 9:00am, I don't jump for joy. The first time I was told this, they showed up at 6:15am. Talk about mad??? The next time they told me between 2:00pm & 4:00pm and showed up at 1:30pm. Another repair man told me between 7:00am & 9:00am and came at 8:00am (at least he was in the time frame, but still that's an hour that I still could have been asleep!). And now here I sit between 7:00am & 9:00am again this morning, just waiting. So far it's 7:30am and I haven't seen anyone. I really want to see my bed again, but I can't because they will be here between 7:00am & 9:00am!!! Can't we just schedule an actual time????? Seriously???

What if life revolved around two hour gaps. "The store will close between 8:00pm & 10:00pm." Or "the movie will start between 6:00pm & 8:00pm." Or sure you can make a doctors appointment, "we've got you scheduled between 10:00am & 12:00pm."

Do you see how ridiculous this is??? How can life really operate when people just schedule something between two hour blocks of time?? Can you also tell that I'm a little grouchy about being up this early and just sitting and waiting for someone that will show up "sometime" in the next hour and a half??

Until then......

Thankful

2011-11-14T12:06:00.001-06:00

Due to Pinterest/preaching last week/Thanksgiving time I have been chewing on this one saying for a while now:

"What if you woke up today with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?"

What would you wake up with? Would you wake up with anything? Only a few things? Its definitely something to think about.

Until then......

Frustrated

2011-10-31T13:37:00.002-05:00

I think the feeling of frustration is what can make me cry quicker than anything else. Especially being frustrated and unable to change the situation. Or today it was frustrated and overwhelmed. Ever have those moments?

I won't go in to details here, but lately I'm just feeling frustrated with things and can't seem to shake it. I don't know what the deal is, but I need to shake this feeling. Feeling like I'm functioning at only a fraction of me due to this haze of frustration in front of me.

Combine that with some overwhelmed feelings due to some circumstances beyond my control and you have tears before you even know it. Maybe it has to do with the control freak side of me that when I lack control it freaks me out. Maybe it has to do with being up before 6:00am and tackling problem after problem. Maybe it's a combination of it all.

All I know is I keep putting one foot in front of the other and breathing in and out. The haze and all has to clear at some point, right??

Until then......

I'm Afraid of Nyquil

2011-10-19T10:52:00.002-05:00

I don't know if I've ever posted about this, but Nyquil scares me. I took it once in high school and slept all that night and the entire next day. I had this groggy feeling in my head that I couldn't get rid of. I waited seven years before I tried it again. In a desperate attempt to sleep whole I had a cold, I took some Nyquil two years ago. The aftermath: I had crazy hallucinating dreams and woke up with both eyes completely blood shot that took three days to look normal again.

This week I have been battling a rather rough cold or sinus infection or something. It hasn't seemed or felt like the usual cold or sinus issues. But whatever it is, it's been rough. I've spent the last three days in bed and am just now back at work today. I understand that if I would just go to the doctor that it probably would go away much quicker and easier. However I am not the go to the doctor kind of girl. I like to let my immune system bulk up by fighting things. I'll take over the counter stuff, but that's it. Also antibiotics scare me more than Nyquil since the last one I took I had an allergic reaction to and I won't go in to details about that.

Yesterday I went to the store to pick up some more medicine. Instead of the usual Sudafed I decided to try the Alka-Seltzer plus. After it knocking me out (as in unable to even stand any longer) an making my eyes blood shot, I decided to compare it's active ingredients to Nyquil. Low and behold they are the exact same thing! No wonder I had issues after taking it, it was basically Nyquil! I don't know which ingredient it is that gives me such problems, but something in that hates me.

Until then......

Bring on the fire and hot chocolate

2011-10-11T10:33:00.003-05:00

I am such a cold weather lover. This time of year gets me antsy and just anticipating the arrival (and staying) of cooler and colder weather. I love the crispness in cool fall air. I love the nostalgic memories of being a kid playing outside in the cool air on Friday afternoons until it was time to go to a Friday night football game.

As I've gotten older, I've enjoyed sitting by a fire outside or inside with friends while the weather is chilly. I enjoy eating soup and grilled cheese sandwiches on the porch while bundled up in jogging pants and a hoodie. I love scarves and jackets and sweaters.

I also love the anticipation that Christmas is just around the corner. As the air gets cooler I can almost hear the Christmas music beginning to play. It also brings the idea of a little bit of slower paced life to mind. More time to stay in side and huddle under a blanket and relax. Drink some hot chocolate and relax with a good book or movie.

I'm ready for the cooler and colder weather!!!

Until then......

The grass is always greener

2011-10-09T02:02:00.002-05:00

I was just facebook surfing. You know, you look at other people's profiles which leads you to others' profiles which leads you to others', etc. And of course inevitably you wind up coming yourself and your life to those whose profile you have landed on.

And now I will confess that I sometimes will then go back to my own page and see how it looks. Ya know like "I wonder what my profile looks like and people think when they see it?" The thing is though that I can never see my life the way others see it.

See I look at other people's profiles and think "wow, their life looks so great or interesting or whatever." Then I come back to my own and it looks so normal. And as I flip through pictures of myself standing in front of Buckingham Palace and then a few pictures later I'm playing with lion cubs and petting cheetahs, and thinking "my life just seems so normal. Why doesn't my life seem more like these other people." Then I realize, only to me are those things normal.

If the tables were turned and those people were looking through their profiles vs mine, I'm sure they would think the same thing as I am but in reverse (as in their life is normal and they wish they were in London or in Africa with lions and cheetahs).

Oh how the grass always seems greener on the other side because we haven't actually been there. You can't really compare your grass and your neighbor's grass. You see your grass everyday and you rarely see your neighbor's, so of course their grass seems greener and more exciting. However after a few months of having to mow their grass instead of yours, their grass would seem just as boring and dull as you once thought yours was. Make sense??

Until then......

No more words

2011-09-29T09:38:00.003-05:00

I'm not going to lie, I hate reading blogs where they only post once a month or less and then always start their post with "I'm so bad at this blogging thing. I promise I'm going to do better." However I do feel a need to explain my lack of blogging.

The fall time in campus ministry is rough. It's long hours and extended weeks and just cray cray schedules. It also takes a ton of relationship building and spending time with new people. For this current fall season, I have often found myself completely out of words by the end of the day. By the time I get home at night, it's like I have nothing else to say or write even. And I almost feel the need to conserve my words so that I have enough to use for the next day and the rest of the week.

I was catching up with a friend from out of state on the phone the other day. By the end of a forty-five minute conversation, I think I had talked maybe ten minutes of it. Later I apologized for my lack of communicating. It was just that he had caught me on one of my craziest days and I just had nothing else, no more words.

I check my blog and the blog of others every day. And every day I pause and try to think of something to write, but it's like I've just run out of words. Hopefully soon my word quota will either increase or I won't have to use so many during the day.

Until then......

"I lift my eyes up to the hills"

2011-09-12T20:11:00.003-05:00

I'm tired today. Exhausted in fact. This actually feels like its the normal thing so far this semester. I feel that most days and especially by the end of the week, I'm totally worn out.

This year I am overseeing four different areas of ministry within our Chi Alpha. (SLCC, iTeams, XA House, database/follow-up) The XA House is the only new thing that I picked up this year. And along with overseeing these things, I also help out a little with the women's ministry. And some days I feel that there is more and more that just keeps piling on.

Today was a long and tiring day and a little rough as I had to tackle a few unnecessary problems. As I was thinking about all of this and how tired I was earlier, I began to throw myself a bit of a pity party. In my head I was wondering why I had so much to do and so many different areas to be pulled in and have to help with other stuff to. And then the thought loudly rang out in my head "where is my help?!?"

Immediately God answered with Psalm 121:1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD,the Maker of heaven and earth."

A few weeks ago I was having similar thoughts. And God convicted me then too. I have so many different areas because He has gifted me to handle them. He has given me the gift of administration to be able to organize and handle many different things. And then God placed the lines of a song on my heart and it says "To you I give the gifts
Your love has given me. How can I hoard the treasures that you've designed for free?"

2 Thessalonians also talks about never growing tired of doing what is right. It doesn't matter what anyone else is doing, all that matters is that I do what is right. It matters that I continue to do what the Lord has called me to do.

I use the gifts and talents that the Lord has given me because He gave them to me to be used by Him and others for His glory. When I need help, I am to look to the Lord because my help comes from Him. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us. I know these things. Why are they so darn hard to remember when I'm tired and worn down? But how amazing God is to gently remind me that He is there.

Until then......

Cray-Cray

2011-09-11T21:51:00.002-05:00

I had an absolutely phenomenal weekend! I kicked off Friday night with a little tv and then some household cleaning. Honestly I really do love to clean.

Then Saturday I slept in til I needed to get up and get ready because my sister-in-law from Shreveport was coming down for the rest of the weekend. I've never had a sister and neither has she, so we've really enjoyed the "sister" aspect that has come with her marrying my brother.

We started our sister weekend with lunch at a cute little place. We each ordered something different and split them both as we sat outside in the glorious weather. The manager even gave us a free cookie because Callie mentioned she was from out of town.

We then left there and headed to our pedicure appointments at the Aveda Institute (I LOVE this place!!!!). After some pampering we hit the stores for a little shopping. We needed to pick up my dad a b-day present and she had another gift to get. Shopping then led us to frozen yogurt and some more window shopping.

After a tour of my new office and such we headed to church, then dinner, and a movie. Dinner was great! Again we shared entrees and even dessert. Callie really is hilarious and so much fun to hang out with. She's so cray-cray (new slang abbreviated way to say crazy... it was definitely our word of the weekend!).

After dinner we went to see "The Help." We laughed and we cried. It was worth every penny and I highly recommend it. It was definitely one of the best movies I have seen in a while.

Today we kicked the day off with breakfast at a fabulous little breakfast place. Then we hit the river for some kayaking time. I keep talking about kayaking and Callie has never been, so we took the two person kayak and paddle down the river. The weather could not have been better.

After our river adventure, sadly Callie headed home. I thoroughly enjoyed my sister weekend. It was so relaxing and refreshing. And most of all I enjoyed having a "sister" to share it with. I love family and cherish the time I do get to just hang out and spend with them. I'm so glad to have a sister-in-law (and really two... the other just lives far away) to spend time with!

Until then......

Crafting the Stress Away

2011-09-01T10:09:00.010-05:00

Recently I have been doing lots of crafting type of projects. Some of it has purely been for stress relief, some for entertainment, and some just because I could. But they've all been sparked due to www.pinterest.com.

I am loving Pinterest!!! If you haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend it! I must warn you that it can be a black-hole-time-sucker, but is so awesome. Here are just a few of the things I've tried lately because I found it on Pinterest.

Melted Crayon art. Here's the before and after:

Framed Button Monograms:

Button Earings:

Dinosaur Jacket:

Ivory Soap Experiment (if you put a bar of Ivory soap in the microwave for 2 minutes, this is the result):

My housemates keep asking me why I tackling so many random projects. I blame Pinterest, but it's been so much fun!!! (sorry bout the low quality of all the pictures, they're all from my phone)

Until then......

Ready for Routine

2011-08-31T09:45:00.003-05:00

The glorious fall is amazing but hectic. Therefore I long for the week when normal and routine sets in. That is this week. Unfortunately it usually takes me a week or so to hit rhythm and routine. Thus yesterday I forgot about one meeting and was prepared for a different meeting two hours early. Crazy! But soon enough I'll know my schedule in my sleep.

This past Saturday was our first day off in about four weeks. I fled town, turned off my phone, and didn't tell anyone where I was going. It was amazing and just what I needed!!

We've had a wonderful fall start-up thus far. We've had great attendance at events and our lifegroups are kicking off fabulously. I honestly think we are poised and ready for an explosive year and I can't wait!

Thanks for your prayers for us during this time. It truly has helped with it all!!

Until then......

Glorious Fall

2011-08-15T14:24:00.002-05:00

I wish this post were in relation to Fall weather... because that is a type of glorious that I would near about do anything for right now. Instead I am talking about the glorious time of year where students swarm back to campus and life is breathed back in to our ministry and our lives.

The summer has it's own rhythm and routine. It's still solid and plenty to do, but not overwhelming and when you are used to 75% of your year being overwhelmingly busy, then a normal pace just seems boring.

During the summer people in the house leave a lot and they travel and go on missions trips and vacations and go home a lot. So the house is calm and quiet and not unusual to be alone in. It's this time of year where everyone moves out from the summer and in for the fall and interns arrive and all of a sudden my house is like a bee hive. Last year I asked one of the housemates why there were so many people in my kitchen and non of them were leaving. His response "they live here now." Right.... it takes a few days to readjust to that.

The office is very much the same. And even more extreme. We go from just service on Thursday nights and two lifegroups to an event nearly everyday for about 6 weeks straight and so much more. There's about 20 lifegroups each week along with sixteen iTeams, Thursday Night Live, Athletic Bible Study, Free Meal, SLCC, etc, etc. It is Glorious!

This weekend we hosted the entire UL football team twice. They came in Saturday night to have dinner and do karaoke. And Sunday they came in for Chapel service and lunch. Today we fed the housing staff and Hall directors from campus. We're also helping to move students in to their dorm rooms everyday this week. And I will be at SLCC from 7:00am until 5:00pm the rest of the week to help out with registration and financial aid. Busy? Nah..... just Glorious Fall time!!!

In all sincerity, pray for us during this time. Pray for student connections and Divine appointments. There are 17,000 students on campus. We want to know and reach every single one of them. Thus we stay busy. Pray that our busyness wouldn't just be busy but that it would be effective and fruitful!

Until then......

I'd Do Anything For Love

2011-08-07T20:44:00.009-05:00

I've realized lately that in order to fully love someone in your life, you have to love the things and people that mean the most to them. If I truly care about someone, then I will care about what they care about. And I don't mean silly stuff like if my friend likes Oprah then I have to watch Oprah too. I mean real things that their hearts yearn for, I should care.

I had lunch with this lady the other day:

(this is an extremely old picture of me and Missy)

Because I had lunch with her, I also had lunch with these guys:

(OMG!!! He is so adorable I can barely stand it!)

These are Missy's 16 month old twins. Not only did I have lunch with them (and their two other siblings) but I took their pictures (because they are ridiculously cute!!!!!) and showed them to everyone in my office and house. They're not my kids but I care a lot about them because I love Missy dearly and she loves them. I care and when I can I hang out and play with these kids. I don't do diapers, but I will haul them around and feed them, etc because their mom is my best friend. In order to really love her, I need to make an effort to love what she loves.

This lady is my other best friend Angela:

In this picture Angela is holding her very first niece. Last week I made sure I checked in to see how her sister and new niece were doing. I care about Angela and so I care about what she cares about.

And just a moment ago I texted my mom to say happy first day of school tomorrow and to hug this lady for me:

This is my mom's best friend "Aunt Bern." Aunt Bern has been on sabbatical for a while now as she has been fighting breast cancer. But tomorrow she will return to teaching! I make sure to ask about Aunt Bern and tell mom to hug her for me because I know how much this lady means to my mom.

Loving people is such a vast and hard thing to do. It causes us not to be selfish. It causes us to think of others and not just focus on ourselves. Yes there are times that I just want to sit at a table with just me and Missy, but instead it's like eating lunch in a hurricane with her and her four kids. (One time one of them actually threw up in my shoe while another one had a melt down of atomic proportions and another tried to climb the booth like it was Mt. Everest.. true story) But I love Missy and thus I brave the hurricane and learn to embrace it. Love requires much from us. But ya know what, it gives so much more back in return. I don't know what it was that Meatloaf wouldn't do for love, but it must have been huge. I'd do anything for love!

Until then......

The Calm Before the Storm

2011-08-04T17:09:00.002-05:00

This week has kind of been the calm before the storm for us. In my head summer officially ended this past Monday. Monday was the date I had set to hit the ground running. Then this coming Monday is when chaos (aka the storm, aka Fall Start-up) really kicks off. From this past Monday until about mid-September, we have some type of event every single day. Some of those days are office days, but it's working non the less.

I love Fall Start-up time. It's so busy and fun and such a crucial time for campus ministry. This week my desk has been a wreck as I've been preparing for things. And in the evenings I've been working around the house in preparation for the eighteen people who will be living there this fall. (As of Monday I officially took charge of the Chi Alpha house.. I'm the "governor")

This week has allowed me to be a little more laid back even though I've accomplished a lot. The pressure isn't quite on yet, but it will be Monday! Bring it Fall Start-up! I'm ready!!

(and I even have this awesome crab claw pen that one of my housemates brought me from Balitmore! I've been using it all day and it's fabulous!!!)

Until then......

Random Vent

2011-08-03T15:30:00.003-05:00

I hate having to buy a new planner every year. The reason I hate this: they always change things up each year. I've had a phenomenal planner for the last year and with the start of new year approaching, I needed a new one.

Could I find the exact same one this year? Of course not. Well actually I found it but for some reason they no longer have lines for each day and I can't handle that. I really do hate getting settled in to the groove of a planner and having to change it up each year. It's like having to move or start a new job each year. Who would want to do that? No one. And no one wants a totally different planner each year either. Seriously!

(I'm a little gold and OCD if you haven't noticed by now... hence the fact that I just dedicated a entire post to having to buy a new planner)

Until then......

Faith vs Fear

2011-08-02T14:16:00.002-05:00

God and I had a conversation the other day in which I was asking Him where is the line between faith and fear. I think I've posted before about the line between faith and apathy (believing that God is doing something for us vs being lazy and not doing our part). Faith vs fear is a very similar line.

I have faith. I have faith in God. I have faith that Jesus died on a cross that I may have eternity with Him. I have faith that God is directing my steps and guiding me. I have faith that He speaks.

What I don't want is to think I have faith for something and attribute it to God and years down the road realize that it was not God at all. I don't want to attribute something to God because I was afraid to step out and do something.

It's kinda like the old story of the man who was on his roof during a flood. Over a period of time a boat, helicopter, and something else came by and offered to save the man. The man kindly kept declining the offers because He was waiting on God. He had faith. Later after he died in the flood and found him self face to face with the Lord he asked God why he didn't save Him. God responded that He had sent him a boat and a helicopter, etc and the man declined. I think the man was so afraid of missing God that he wouldn't even step out.

There's a fine line between not moving because you have faith and know that God is doing something and not moving because you are afraid of messing things up. I never want to not do something and attribute it to God when really I'm just being afraid and sticking to my little box.

Sometimes the lines between things are so fine that it's hard to tell the difference.

Until then......

Craftsmanship

2011-08-01T16:40:00.003-05:00

One of the spiritual gifts listed in the Bible is the gift of craftsmanship. Every time I've taken one of the spiritual gifts test to help you discover your spiritual gifts, I have wound up with craftsmanship. Now granted I am the daughter of Bobby Taylor and thus I am a pretty crafty lady, however I never would have seen this as a "spiritual gift."

There have been many occasion where I have used my craftiness and handiness for the ministry. But again it has yet to surface to me as a "spiritual gift." And then this past Friday happened.

In the courtyard behind the Chi Alpha house we have a ton of banana trees surrounding the courtyard. There is one area of trees though that we have recently decided to get rid of and extend our deck in to that corner. The idea was that if we got rid of those trees and extended the deck to the corner, we could move the bike rack there.

So Friday myself and three other staff members set out to uproot these trees. If you have ever tried to up root banana trees or dealt with them in general, then you know they are vicious suckers. After a good three hours, the four of us looked like we had rolled in the mud but we finally had victory over about then banana trees. After we finished digging, my co-workers moved on to their next projects and I sat down to figure out how to finish the deck.

Of course my first move was to call dad. After a few minutes on the phone I had somewhat of a grasp of what to do. I then sat starring at this hole thinking I was in over my head. And then all of a sudden it's like something clicked and I began to sketch out my plan. I then proceeded to Home Depot to buy 130 feet of wood and a dozen cinder blocks and screws. I placed all the supplies in my little Toyota Corolla (I got a good laugh out of that) and headed home to build.

On my way to Home Depot I prayed that God would stop the rain because I couldn't use power tools in the rain and I also asked for the wisdom to complete the deck. By the time I returned home the rain had stopped and I somehow knew how to level dirt and build a deck. I fully believe that God stopped the rain and imparted wisdom to me of how to build.

At one point in my building venture I sat and had no idea how to figure out the correct angle to cut wood to fit the existing deck. And again all of a sudden I figured it out and everything fit. It was one of the easiest projects I've ever done. It may have been easier than my project last week to extend my two laundry room shelves. I had no problems, no hiccups, and everything was perfect. In a matter of four hours I had designed, shopped, and finished my deck. In those four hours I began to understand the spiritual gift of craftsmanship. In all honesty I believe that God gave me the wisdom, ability, and strength to finish off the deck on Friday. He provided everything I needed including daylight and no rain and the knowledge of how to do it. I gave Him my hands and talents and He provided me with the rest. It is a spiritual gift indeed!

I wish I had a before picture of the corner of the courtyard, but alas I don't. Here is the finished product though:

(the new looking wood is what I did on Friday along with installing the "rest of the fence" aka an old table that I screwed to the house)

It's amazing the gifts and talents that God gives us and the way that He will use them if we allow. So amazing!! I love getting to work with God! One of my co-workers on Friday told me that I wouldn't be able to finish the deck in the same day. When I sent him a picture of the finished product that night I told him to never underestimate a woman and Jesus!

Until then......

The Great Physician

2011-07-24T02:20:00.002-05:00

I spent the better part of today doing some handy-work and painting around my house. One of my student leaders had come over to help me paint. We had been working for about three hours when we took a break to grab a coke and let part of the room dry before we went further.

We left the house and went to the Circle K to get a "thirst buster." As I was fixing my drink, I noticed that part of my vision was starting to get fuzzy. It was kind of like I starred at a bright light and then had "blind spot" from the light.

As I checked out and drove home, I kept blinking thinking that it would go away; however it just kept getting worse. The only other times this has happened was right before the onset of a migraine. When we got home a took some pain medicine and waited for it to kick in. Instead of getting better, it kept getting worse.

As I was about to start trying to paint again, I paused and prayed. I asked God to touch my body and heal me. Migraine or not God is bigger and can do anything. Since the issue was not getting better but a little worse in fact it had me worried. I simply prayed and asked God to take care of it. I said Amen, took a deep breath, opened my eyes, and it was better. In just a few seconds my vision was completely back to normal. I believe God healed me. I believe that just as His Word says, He indeed heals.

It made me think of a song that we sing in worship from time to time. It's called "Healer." In fact we sang it this past Thursday night at Chi Alpha. The chorus says: "I believe that You're my Healer. I believe You are all I need. I believe You're my Portion. I believe that You're more than enough for me. Jesus, You're all I need." Here is the whole song:

I for one believe that God does heal. I believe that He is big enough and more than enough. I believe He is all that I need.

Until then......

Excellence

2011-07-20T15:22:00.002-05:00

Back in March we hosted a statewide Chi Alpha leadership conference. It's a two day event where we have a main speaker and than various breakout sessions during the two days. I had the privilege to teach one of those sessions this year. My class was entitled "Surpassing Ordinary Standards: Incorporating Excellence Into Your Life."

I thoroughly enjoyed challenging students to incorporate excellence into their lives. My mother always told me to be whatever I wanted to be, just be the best at it. I've always taken that motto to heart. Do whatever you want, but do it with excellence. It was great to share with students that excellence doesn't mean perfection, it simply means putting 110% into all that you do.

I feel that in my work, I work with excellence. I do my job and I don't slack on things (this doesn't mean I don't slack in the office some days, it means that I accomplish my tasks with excellence and if there is room to goof-off, I do that excellently as well!). However I was taken aback the other day when talk with one of our students. She was telling me about having lunch with a new students and she mentioned that this new girl truly lives a life of excellence. She went on to say that in the way she dresses, the way she eats, the way she takes care of herself, in her time with God, all of it she does with excellence. I began to think about my life in those ways and wonder am I truly living a life of excellence. Unfortunately my response is no.

I feel there are definitely areas that I am qualified to talk about excellence. However this week as I examine my life, there are definitely areas where I need to incorporate some excellence into my life. That's the thing about life, there is always room for reflection and improvement.

Until then......

"How you doin"

2011-07-18T23:31:00.002-05:00

My friend and I went to Chili's tonight to grab dessert after dinner. (Chili's is one of my absolute favorite places to eat) Recently she and I have discovered some of the perks of sitting in the bar/lounge area to eat. For instance if you're there during happy hour, their appetizers are half off. Neither one of us drink alcohol, but I'm totally willing to sit there for half-price appetizers. And in general the service is a bit quicker.

Tonight we had the same waiter that we had last week when we went in for lunch. He's a young guy (around college age, maybe just out of college) and pretty cute. I noticed last time that the guy has a ring on his ring finger. Wedding band? Maybe. "Purity" ring? Perhaps. Random ring he bought somewhere and totally clueless that it makes him look married? Totally possible.

As we left tonight we were talking about how to hit on guys. We weren't really trying to hit on our waiter, but we had both made comments about how he's cute and nice. As we were discussing how to hit on guys (which we are both utterly clueless about) I made the joke that it's a good thing I'm a Christian. My friend's response was "Christian or not, I still wouldn't know what to do." My answer, "me too." It's just not our personalities or in our nature. My next response, "this probably means I'll be single forever cause I have no idea how to flirt or hit on a guy."

I was watching "PS I Love You" the other night and this one character would walk up to a guy in a bar and ask: Are you Single? Do you have a job? And then she would kiss them. Seriously!!!! How in the world do you even do something like that?? What in the world???

The are definitely days that I realize I have no idea when it comes to guys. I think because I've always had guy friends that I permanently put out the "I wanna be your BFF and talk about sports" vibe. But then there are other days that I realize that the things you see on tv and in the movies are just that. I'm sure there are some folks out there that hit on people like they do on tv and in the movies. However I have a hard time believing that the rest of the world is really like that. Call it my little bubble or personality or something, but I think the rest of the world is more like me than my tv likes to think.

My hair dresser and I were having this conversation the other day about how tv makes it seem like everyone past the age of fourteen is having sex and on their seventh relationship. Now I'm not naive and I know the percentage of people waiting for marriage to have sex is ridiculously low, but still the real world is not what the shows are portraying or the movies are depicting. And poor kids out there are watching these things and thinking they need to be doing this stuff to be normal. That makes me so sad and angry. Even "reality tv" is not true reality. It's the extremes. That's why people enjoy watching it. It just makes me sad for kids because they are not getting a true depiction of the world and they are caving to pressures to fit in that don't truly even exist.

I'm not trying to cave to the pressures of tv. I know who I am and what I believe and I'll stand on that forever. But honestly, how do you hit on someone?? I'm baffled.

Until then......

Indugling Weekend

2011-07-18T10:57:00.003-05:00

I started out my Saturday morning with an indulging trip to the Aveda Institute in Lafayette. I had an appointment for a 60-minute pedicure in the morning, got my eyebrows waxed after that, and then got my highlights touched up in the afternoon. I was at Aveda for a total of five hours and it was fabulous! I indulged myself in some pampering and it was great!!!

As soon as I left Aveda I headed home to get ready and then rushed to Baton Rouge to indulge in an evening with old friends. There were eight of us who were involved in Chi Alpha at Louisiana Tech (plus one brought his fiance) all got together for dinner. It was soooooo great to see everyone! I don't know why we haven't done this yet or why we don't do this. Sad that it took a friend from out of state coming in to get us all together. We must try to do this more!

We had dinner at the California Pizza Kitchen. I highly recommend it!!! We ate and caught up on lives. After dinner we found a Starbucks and all sat around the table and told old stories. We laughed, we reminisced, we made fun of each other, it was fabulous!!

I miss these dear friends. They hold so many memories and so much of my past. Some have known me since my freshman year of Chi Alpha. Some went to Africa with me for the first time. Some were in my lifegroup. Some I was in lifegroup with. Some were part of the "Party Crew" with me. Some I did three years of student leadership along side of. Some are now a part of my monthly financial support team as I reach students. And they all hold special places in my heart and my memory!

Here is our only picture from the other night (sorry for the bad quality, but a bad picture is better than no picture):

This weekend has me even more ready for the Tech Chi Alpha reunion in September. This group of Chi Alpha people played such an intricate and influential role in my life. I am who I am today because of the love of God they showed me and the way they pushed me to know God better and fully follow Him.

Until then......

Refrigerator Rights

2011-07-09T18:47:00.002-05:00

I once read a book about leadership and team dynamics. It was saying that the best teams are those that are close and have relationship beyond the work. True teams have "refrigerator rights" in one anothers homes. "Refrigerator rights" means that someone can be at your house and rummage through your fridge without even asking. There is that amount of relationship there that you don't even ask, you just rummage.

For the last nine days I was in Ruston with my mom. She had rotator cuff surgery last week and I went to be home in case she needed anything. She's a tough lady so there wasn't much she really needed me for. Therefore I got to indulge in copious amounts of time with dear friends.

There are a few friends in Ruston whom I most definitely have "refrigerator rights" with. Three sets of friends in fact. Sadly two sets of those friends are moving within the next month. One of the couples is moving to South Louisiana en route to South Africa within the next year. The other set of friends are friends from college who were living in an apartment together. One of the girls is moving to Zambia, Africa and the other is moving to Virginia. That leaves only one refrigerator that I can rummage through in Ruston (other than my moms).

I can't help but feel the sadder part of it all though is that after two years in Lafayette, the only refrigerator rights I have are in my own fridge. I miss that. I miss people whom I have deep relationships with. I miss going over to friends houses and apartments to visit and hang out and goof off til all hours of the night.

I couldn't help but feel a little sad today as I made my drive back to Lafayette. It's sad that when I return to Ruston, so many of my friends will no longer be there. And it's sad to leave behind my refrigerator rights and go back "home" to where I have yet to find such rights somewhere.

Until then......

Freezing!!!!!

2011-07-01T09:28:00.004-05:00

I'm currently sitting at the hospital waiting on my mom to come out of shoulder surgery. How my 55 year old mother who teaches elementary school tore her rotator cuff is beyond me. But that's not even my question right now. My real question is: why is it sooooo coooold in this hospital????????

I am completely freezing and considering running laps around the second floor just to warm up. I feel like other people here wouldn't even think I was weird. They'd probably just think "poor thing, she's cold."

Last Friday I was on the beach. I guess this Friday is more like Alaska!

Until then......

Out of Pocket

2011-06-30T19:22:00.001-05:00

Tonight after work I'm headed to the land of no wireless internet.... in other words, I'll be at my mother's house for the next week. She's having shoulder surgery in the morning so I am going to hang out with her and Psycho dog (aka Nyles). So if you don't hear much out of me, I'll be up North (in Ruston).

Until then......

Beach!!!!!!

2011-06-24T19:49:00.001-05:00

In honor of being at the beach......

(although I'm not wishing at this point.... I'm here!)

Until then......

Control Freak ..... errr..... Detail-Oriented

2011-06-23T12:45:00.002-05:00

I think detail-oriented is just a nice way of calling someone a control freak. But either way you put it, I'm that person.

I think about details. It's part of who I am. And this is a good thing... for the most part. But then there are the times where I no longer trust other people to think of the details and then I start to micro-manage or just take on too much. There are definitely times that I have to tell myself that it's not my area. Or that other people are capable too. I'm not superwoman or the only person who thinks of things.

But then at the same time, I'm scared of what happens if I don't double check on the details and the other people happen to forget...... control freak... err.... detail-oriented.

Until then.....

From the Rooftops

2011-06-21T12:30:00.002-05:00

Today as I'm working in the office, I have a certain worship song on repeat and have been texting a dear friend of mine about it.

The chorus says:
So I shout out Your name, from the rooftops I proclaim
That I am Yours, I am Yours
All that I am, I place into Your loving hands
And I am Yours, I am Yours

As I listened to this song more and more, I began to be convicted. Obviously my job proclaims the Lord's Name. All I have to do is tell people what I am and it proclaims God. It's the nature of what I do.

What convicted me though is, am "I" shouting from the rooftops? Me in my personal life, how much is shouting and proclaiming from "rooftops"?

Check out the video (this song is phenomenal):

Until then......

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T17:34:00.002-05:00

Just a shout out to my awesome Daddyo on Father's Day!!!!

My church did a hilarious Father's Day video (I promise it's worth the watch... the guy wrapping is our pastor):

Until then......

Shrank

2011-06-14T13:10:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I decided to wash my curtains in my room and also my shower curtain. Now I do know that some things will shrink when you wash and dry them. It never occurred to me that these things would shrink when I wash and dry them.

Low and behold though, I hung my shower curtain up yesterday and it was about two inches shorter than before!! Luckily I could just lower my curtain rod and then had to trim the liner inside so that it didn't drag in the tub.

When I began hanging the curtain in my room, I couldn't tell if they had shrank too. They are long curtains that hang down past the window frames. Except I have one curtain that has been hemmed to hang right at the top of the window unit. Now you can see for a couple of inches about the window unit. Really?!?!?! You would think that curtains would come pre-shrunk. Oh well.... you live and learn!

Until then......

Promises

2011-06-12T21:13:00.003-05:00

I love how the Bible is full of the Promises of God. And not just the promise of eternal life and salvation. And not just the promise of all the wonderful things in Proverbs and such. But I love how the Bible is full of specific promises that God gives His people and then later fulfills.

The Old Testament is full of God telling His people to do something and then they will see a promise fulfilled. God told Hagar to return to Sarai and He would make her son Ishmael a great nation. The Lord wrestled with Jacob(Israel) and promised he too would father a nation. During many wars in Old Testament, God tells His people to attack and promises that if they follow His decrees that they will win. I want the promises of God fulfilled in my life. Not just health, wealth, and prosperity... those I don't even care about. But I want the relationship with God to where He speaks on a daily basis and promises to show up and do things. It's the promise of really seeing the Hand of God move on a regular basis.

Joshua 3:5 says "Joshua told the people, 'Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you."

Why have we lost that expectation? Why aren't we communing with God to find out the promises that He has for us tomorrow or this week or this year? I want the promises of God to be evident in my life.

Until then......

That ole Love/Hate...

2011-06-09T13:06:00.002-05:00

A few posts ago, I mentioned my love/hate relationship with the rain.

Currently I am loving being in a cute quiet little coffee shop and watching it pour outside! For some reason it's comforting and relaxing. Sometimes I feel like the rain is God saying "Just slow down. Stop. Be still. Relax. I'm here." I love when I can revel in the beauty of a storm or hard rain.

On the hate side, I'm still sitting in the coffee shop working because: 1. I'm not done with my sermon. 2. It's pouring and I don't want to go out in the rain. From the above paragraph this does not seem to be a problem at all. From the hunger rising in my stomach there is a problem though.

Oh rain..... how I love/hate you all at the same time!!

Until then......

(ps.... I really wanted to take a picture, but my phone is being dumb and I thought turning my computer around to take a picture would alarm the guys in front of me.... don't want to seem all stalkerish and stuff!)

I'm a pastor....... "Don't Stop Believing......."

2011-06-09T10:28:00.003-05:00

I'm currently sitting in my favorite coffee shop in Lafayette working on a sermon for tonight. (For some reason I am having sermon-putting-together-block in my office) As I sat down at my table and began to pull out all the big huge study books for my sermon, it dawned on me.... I'm a pastor. If someone in here happens to ask me what I'm doing, my response would be "I'm a pastor and I'm preaching tonight." Sometimes I forget that. Especially when I'm in basketball shorts, a t-shirt, no make-up, glasses, and a hat. I look like a college girl. Haha... fooled you, I'm a pastor.

Our series for this summer is "Journey." We're talking about different people in the Bible and the journeys that they were on, our own journeys, and how they all tie together. When I think of journey, two things come to mind: road trips and "Don't Stop Believing." I so badly want to work "Don't Stop Believing" (a popular song by the band Journey) in to my message tonight. I think it would be too fun and I don't know that I can resist the urge. One of our students is preaching next week and he told me that if I didn't use it, he would. I don't know if I can pass up the opportunity though!!

Until then......

Love/Hate Relationship

2011-06-07T16:10:00.000-05:00

It seems that nearly every afternoon in the summer around 4:00 or 4:30 it rains in southern Louisiana. I have a love/hate relationship with this rain.

On the one hand I love a good storm. I love that I am sitting in my living room right now listening to the sound of the rain and feeling all safe and dry inside while being comforted by the sound of the rain outside. I also love that the grass and plants are getting a good watering everyday. The rain makes things more lush and pretty. It also brigs the heat down a bit. I love it!

On the other hand, I hate the rain. If I don't time it right, I have to run home in the rain. This afternoon I was still sitting at my desk when I heard the first drops fall. I packed up stuff quickly and sprinted across the parking lot to my house. I'm sure I look funny running in my flip flops with my backpack and screaming about dying as the lightning show picks up. This also means that water aerobics will be canceled this afternoon. And of course the humidity will pick up this evening.

Such a love/hate relationship!

Until then......

Expanding Horizons

2011-06-07T00:06:00.000-05:00

I love how blog hopping can expand your horizons and introduce you to new things. I often like to sit and read the blogs that belong to people who know people I know. In other words, I love to read the blogs of folks I don't know.

I posted a little while back about how I often wind up teary-eyed when blog hopping. I inevitably wind up on someone's blog who I don't know and who has a sad story. But I also love when I find a fun or quirky blog that introduces me to new things.

I enjoy the way that blog hopping can introduce me to so much and expand my horizons!

Until then......

Do It Yourself

2011-06-04T16:38:00.000-05:00

You may remember from last summer, that I did a complete overhaul on my bathroom. One of the biggest projects I took on in the bathroom was the cabinet. This is what I found when I moved in:

After the renovations this is what I have reveled in for the last year:

I have thoroughly enjoyed my "new" bathroom. But for the last year I have thought that the top of my cabinet needed "something else." I had been leaning towards tile, but never sure what I really wanted. This week I finally figured it out. After four trips to Hobby Lobby and learning quite a lot, this is what I have now:

I am extremely pleased with how it came out. I showed a friend of mine the picture during lunch today and his response was "I'm surprised. It looks professional." My thought was that this person must not know me very well! I love a good DIY project. So much fun to me!! Next up, a quilt!!

Until then......

A little different

2011-05-31T12:05:00.000-05:00

I currently work on a staff with seven other people. I love the people I work with! They truly are people of integrity and just mesh well. There is never a dull moment when it comes to our staff.

For the most past, our pastoral staff members are all similar personality types... except me. If you know the true colors personality test (blue=emotional/relational, orange=competitive/outgoing, green=thinking/analyzing, gold=organized), it would be easy to say I am the gold in a staff full of orange. This gives me a different perspective a lot of the time.

There have been quite a few times when we will be discussing things and I am the only one with a different opinion. I must admit that some days it throws me a little off. "Why am I the only one who sees it this way?"

Most days though I embrace the fact that I bring something a little different to the table. I think it's a good thing. I may not be the perspective or idea we go with very often since I am often out numbered, but I still embrace the fact that I can throw a different thought in to the mix. I've learned to be ok with the one who sees things different, and be ok when others don't.

I am grateful for the people I work with. They make me job so much better and enjoyable! I mean who wouldn't want to work with these folks:

Until then......

Aside from the Gospel....

2011-05-26T15:11:00.000-05:00

Other than the fact that students are getting to share their faith in another country, one of my favorite things about students going on international missions trips is how it broadens their perspectives.

Last night I went to the airport to welcome home our last group of missions trips folks from UL. The Greece team arrived at 10:30 last night. Jet lagged, sleepy, and full of stories of the last two weeks, they made it home.

One of the guys came by my office and chatted for a bit this morning. He showed me his list of things that he did for the first time on this trip. He talked about the Greek students he got to share his faith with. He talked about traveling the world. He shared about getting to lead a Bible study on foreign ground.

I love getting to see students broaden the way they see the world, life, and God. It's awesome to see people understand that God is indeed God all over the world. No matter the country, the language, or anything else, we still serve the same God. He's that big.

And all of a sudden people's worlds aren't contained to Louisiana. But they now have food and snacks on other continents that they love and crave. They have friends from other cultures and know phrases in other languages. It's so amazing to see their worlds and their God get bigger as they venture around the globe. I absolutely love it!!!!

Until then......

Cheering on the workers

2011-05-23T10:38:00.000-05:00

This morning I stood and cheered for a group of men pouring concrete. No this is not my new hobby (although it was fun), I cheered as they poured the foundation to the new addition to our building.

The new addition will be a two-story section added on to our existing building. It will give us new offices, a new bathroom, a prayer room, and allow us to turn our old offices in to classroom space. It's amazing!!!!!!!!

We're so excited! I'm thinking of making signs and heading back outside to cheer as they work!!!!

Until then......

Peace & Quiet

2011-05-20T23:46:00.001-05:00

Although I can be the life of the party and loud at times, I am actually a quiet person. I like to respect others and the fact that I am sharing a space with them. I feel that I am generally respectful of other people.

One of my biggest pet peeves is people who are not respectful of people around them. In coffee shops, it irks me when people sit and talk loud... especially on the phone or skype or something. I get irritated when people blare their music (especially in the drive-thru of Taco Bell at 2:00am.... I live next door to Taco Bell).

It also irks me when someone in a room full of people feel the need to just start playing music. I can see if people were hanging out and someone suggested music. I can see if it is a common decision. But it irks me so bad when someone comes in to a room and decides to just start playing music. Maybe we don't want music. Maybe we like the calm quiet. Maybe we don't like the music you have taken upon yourself to select.

Most people may not ever experience this type of thing, but I live in a house with 17 other people. This happens often. And it irks me.

Until then......

Overhaul

2011-05-18T15:44:00.000-05:00

This week one of my co-workers and I have been working on overhauling our entire promotional side of Chi Alpha. We're looking at changing our entire look and catch phrase, etc. We're changing shirts, posters, fliers, banners, everything.

We spent a few days last week and then some of yesterday and some of today talking through ideas and such. Today was the fun part where we got to be creative and get things ready to pitch to our director when he gets back. We made mock displays and fliers. We drew out t-shirt designs and printed ideas we had. My white board looks like a legit advertising campaign start point. I've enjoyed the creative process. It's been fun!

I think today we hit the point where we're ready to pitch. Things have come together really well. It looks good and I think it will be a great campaign. I'm excited!!

Until then......

Maiden Voyage

2011-05-17T10:38:00.000-05:00

(at some point I promise to stop posting about my kayak.... but for now.....)

Yesterday as soon as I finished work, I ran across the parking lot to my house, changed, loaded my kayak, and headed to the river for my maiden voyage. The loading and off loading is so much easier with my new one person versus the two person that Chi Alpha has. Mine is so light and easy to pick up.

I got to the river, headed down to the dock, and dropped it in the water. Then came the challenge of how to actually get in the boat. As I attempted this, two guys in a boat slowly drove by and laughed and watched. With a bit of challenge I (and some water) got in. I then sat in said water the rest of the trip, making for very wet shorts. Oh well, I'll get better with practice.

I must say it was vastly different being my my little light one person and being in the big two person. This one handles so easily and is also very easily swayed by the current and wind. It took some massive getting used to. But it was a beautiful day!!! Nice breeze, high of 80 degrees, and bright sunny skies. Beautiful!! It was a little windy and the river was rougher than normal. (It makes me think of some novel beginning.... "The sea was angry that day...")

Getting out of the kayak in the end was also a challenge. This time I decided to paddle up the boat launch and try to get out there. Again my shorts got even wetter, but it was a bit easier. I will conquer and figure this out soon without soaking my shorts and myself.

Overall it was a fantastic maiden voyage and I'm super excited about the new relationship I have with my kayak. We shall be the best of friends!!!!

Until then......

Words cannot describe

2011-05-16T19:59:00.000-05:00

I currently work for Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Chi Alpha is a missions organization on college campuses around the world. I first got involved with Chi Alpha as a freshman at Louisiana Tech University.

Missionaries working with Chi Alpha are called "campus pastors." They are pastors with the Assemblies of God and are commissioned as missionaries to secular college campuses. While I was at LA Tech my campus pastors were Greg and Angie Pampell. Words cannot even begin to describe the impact that these two have had on my life.

Last Thursday night I was able to go to Ruston and be at the very last LA Tech service with Greg and Angie as the campus pastors. After over a decade at LA Tech they have resigned and are moving to South Africa to pioneer Chi Alpha there. This makes me happy because I will be moving to South Africa to work with them shortly after they move.

I arrived at LA Tech as a freshman who had grown up in church and had a solid relationship with God. I was looking for an even deeper relationship with God and got involved with Chi Alpha. Over the last nine years Greg and Angie have taken the spot of having the greatest influence in my life out of anyone else I know outside my family. They challenged me, taught me, helped me grow, poured into me, lead me, and erased all boundaries I ever had for myself and God. They taught me to devote my entire life to God and not hold anything back. They taught me to give to others everything that God has given me. They showed me that anything is possible with God. They proved that life with God is exciting and worth every single hard moment that it brings and that ultimately God is in control and does know best. They introduced me to the country that I want to spend the rest of my life in. They gave me ownership in a ministry that God has called me to give my life to.

The Pampells have been my pastors, my mentors, and ultimately my friends. Words cannot describe everything they have done for me and the influence they have had in my life. I am grateful for campus pastors who cared and for friends still walking this journey of life with me. They truly are some of the most amazing people I know and I am dearly grateful to have them in my life!

(You would think that loving folks that much would mean I would have a picture of the three of us, but I don't. So here's individual pics of me and the Pampells)

Until then......

Bundle of Joy

2011-05-16T10:58:00.000-05:00

I went home this weekend to play in a golf tournament with my dad and brother and to be at Louisiana Tech for the last service that my Chi Alpha campus pastors will be at (I'll blog about that later). When I returned home late on Sunday night, this is the bundle of joy that was waiting for me:

I finally broke down and bought myself a one person kayak!!!! Our Chi Alpha has a two person one, but that requires me to be able to find someone else every time I want to go. So I bought one so that I can go any time I want to. It's part of my stress relief and sanity program. I can't wait to head to the river this afternoon and put it in the water for the first time!!!!!!

Until then......

Progressively getting lighter.....

2011-05-12T12:28:00.000-05:00

When I was a small child, my hair was very light. Pretty much it was blonde and then has progressed over the years in to a medium to dark brown. This is pretty much how my dad's entire family is. And to this day I still have a blonde streak or two in my hair.

Actually right now there is way more than a streak or two, it's pretty much solid blonde. Since high school, every few years or so, I get the urge to highlight and go blonde for the most part. This week saw the lightest my hair has ever been.

About a month a go I got it highlighted and cut. It had a lot of blonde, but was still dark around my face and I wanted it a bit lighter. So this week I made an appointment to add some more highlights. I'm still getting used to it and think I will like it. It's just very drastic compared to my natural color and is a bit more than what I originally wanted. Oh well.... guess we'll call it my summer hair style!

Here's the progression:

This was me a week or two before my first cut and highlight. I'm the one in the middle:

This is after the first round of highlights and cut. It's hard to get a good idea of the highlights because it's curly in this picture, but it's the only ones I have from then:

And this is today:

Until then......

Seen

2011-05-09T15:03:00.000-05:00

I noticed that my roommate last year always misused the word 'seen.' For instance she would say "I seen that movie the other day." I always just assumed this was a northern thing or something.

But lately I have realized that it is not a northern thing, but rather most people misuse this word. I've heard it misused so much lately that I have almost begun to question myself. I am not the biggest grammarian, but I do know proper English.

I wonder why so many people misuse this word. It seems that they have confused 'seen' and 'saw' and 'have seen.' If my grammar is still in tact, then the proper wording would be: I saw that movie the other day. or I have seen that movie. But the sentence "I see that movie the other day" is incorrect.

If I am indeed not up to par on my grammar, please let me know. Maybe if I am the wrong one, then it will stop irking me so bad when people keep using 'seen' in that capacity.

Until then......

Longest House Meeting Ever!!!!

2011-05-05T09:58:00.000-05:00

I think I've mentioned before that I live in a house with seventeen other people (yes... 18 people altogether). I live in the house owned by the ministry that I work for. I moved in when I interned here and have chosen to stay ever since. I've had the opportunity twice now to move to a smaller (in size and number of people) house on our property, and still have chosen to take the "more traveled" road.

Last night we had our last "house meeting" of the year. Generally our house meetings are no longer than an hour and the one for the end of the year may go an hour and a half, two hours max. Last night however we had one for the history books. When all was said and done, we had a four hour house meeting!! Longest house meeting ever!!!!!

For the last meeting of the year we always take the time to affirm those who are moving out. We will start with a person and every other person in the house gets to say what they want about/to the person moving out (only good affirmations) and then the person moving out gets to say whatever they would like to the housemates. Last night we affirmed nine people who are moving out. That's half of our house!

I was honored to sit in a room for four hours because people had so many amazing things to say about their fellow housemates. I sat in a room where the tears of admiration of others, reflection of the time in the house, sadness to see a housemate go, and tears produced from laughter flowed. There was such love and vulnerability in that room. There was such community and a sense of family that words do not even begin to do it justice.

To the seventeen other residents of the Chi Alpha house, it is a privilege and honor to not just share a house but a home and life with you. I'm a better person for living with everyone of you. I am seriously sad to see the nine of you leave and at the same time incredibly excited to welcome the next generation into the community that we have so invaluably cherished and love.

Until then......

Legacy

2011-04-30T17:30:00.000-05:00

I am not the kind of person who often gets sad about things in the past. Granted while living on another continent I often had my sad days where I missed people at home. But I am not the type of person to be sad or mourn years later for those who have passed away. I realize that death is a part of life. It's inevitable and I find comfort in knowing that the Lord has a plan and purpose for each of our lives, and that includes a time to live and a time to die.

Today however I missed my grandfather for just a moment, something I have not done in years. My mom's dad passed away nearly twelve years ago. Often times I will miss some of his specialty cooking that passed away with him, but for the most part I'm ok with death.

Earlier I was watching the "ACM's Girls Night Out" where they were honoring some of the most accomplished women in current country. Vince Gill honored Carrie Underwood by singing "Jesus Take the Wheel." Then Carrie took the stage with Vince and together they sang "How Great Thou Art." I know this video has gone viral, especially with it being around Easter. She did a phenomenal job of belting it out.

As I watched the two sing it made me miss my grandfather for a moment. He was one of the strongest Christians I knew. He was also a great musician. He loved to play and sing and even loved to sing Vince Gill songs. I think the combination of all of that is what made me miss him.

I would love for him to know and see the legacy that he left. I didn't inherit the musical genes, but as a pastor, minister, preacher, follower of Christ, I feel it would put a smile on my grandfather's face. And moments like today make me wish I could go to his house and discuss the Bible, Jesus, theology, and everything else. While he was still alive I was a bit too young for those great conversations with Pa-Paw. He went a bit over my head. But oh how great it would be now to eat his cooking, listen to him slide his fingers over the steel guitar, and discuss Jesus with him. He left a legacy by giving Jesus to his children who then passed it on to their children.

Until then......

Teary-eyed at 2:30

2011-04-30T14:50:00.000-05:00

I tried to post this last night, but my internet was being dumb.

Why is it that if I blog hop late at night, I always end up on someone's blog, reading a sad story, and crying? It doesn't happen all the time, but there are definitely nights that the blog world gets me and I wind up in tears.

Last night this happened again. I stayed up late catching up on Grey's Anatomy and then began blog hoping. An hour and a half later it's after 2:00am and I am teary eyed and reading the story of a lady who's second daughter was born with down syndrome and they had no previous indication. It was powerful story.

I don't blog as much at times. Lately has been one of those times where I haven't blogged as much. But I still enjoy being in the blogging community and reading what is happening in the lives of others. Even if it does land me teary eyed at 2:30am.

Until then......

Titles

2011-04-21T01:21:00.000-05:00

Recently I interacted with someone who likes to use their "titles." I've never been a fan of titles. Some of the most amazing people I have ever met hold many titles, yet almost get offended when you try to call them by it. I think because of those people in my life I am reluctant to like it when others automatically put their titles out there.

I actually hold the title of Reverend. My credentials hang in my hall and I have a card in my wallet. I am proud of the fact that I am a legit minister, and I don't mind letting people know that. But still I don't feel the need to use my Reverend title. Especially not in everyday terms.

Recently I've been a few trips with this one student who likes to jokingly call me "mom." I don't know why but it irks me that he wants to call me mom. I tell him that he can call me reverend or pastor but definitely not mom. But in all honesty I just want to be called Miranda. I may hold credentials and a degree and have graduated from high school with honors and was an all-state and all star mascot for multiple years but above all of that I'm just me. I don't want to be known for my title, I want to be known for who I am.

Until then......

First Shower in 3 days!

2011-04-18T18:01:00.001-05:00

Here at UL Chi Alpha, one of my biggest responsibilities is overseeing the iTeams. They are 15 different groups this year ranging from cleaning to fitness to book club. So are necessary for the functioning of Chi Alpha (i.e. audio visual, cleaning, tech, hospitality) and others are just more ways for students to connect and get plugged in based on their interest.

I usually try not to go to any of our iTeam events. I never want my leaders to feel like I don't trust them or are checking in on them. This weekend however, I joined the adventure iTeam for a trek through the deserts and mountains of west Texas.

Altogether it was myself plus 16 students who left on Friday afternoon and arrived back home today. We camped in the Enchanted Rock Park near Fredricksburg, TX. When we arrived in the park on Friday night around midnight, we gathered our stuff and made the two mile hike to our campsite. We pitched our tents and the weekend began!

For the three days we had no showers, no running water, and had to have taken all of our food with us for the time. It was great! We hiked, hung out, sat by the lake, climbed Enchanted Rock, went caving, and so much more. It was legit! And this morning may have been the best shower I've ever had. My tent buddy and I got up at 6:15 packed up our tent and hiked the two miles to the showers by 7:30. Knowing that a shower was at the end of the two miles made it seem so worth it so early.

Here's a picture of me and my pack from the trip. I borrowed this beast of a bag from one of my housemates and it was awesome! This is the end of the trip so it's much lighter after I ate most of my food, drank my two gallons of water, and took the chair off. So legit!!

Until then......

Ready in and out of season

2011-04-07T00:35:00.000-05:00

Every Wednesday we host a Bible study for Athletes at UL. It's called Athletic Bible Study, but really it's a full out service with around 60 athletes.

Each week there are some baseball players who lead worship and then Eric speaks. Unless you are an athlete or one of the people working, it's not an event that everyone goes to. This is not one of my areas, so I don't usually go.

Tonight I was going because Eric and our student staff guy who helps run it (Lance) were not going to be there. Well Eric was not to be there at all and Lance would be running late from work. So I was there just in case the rest of the usual crew needed anything. Around 8:45 (worship starts at 9:00) I get a text from Lance saying that he won't be there until the end and so one of the other student leaders should be prepared to speak. However when she got there she said Lance had not gotten back to her and so she wasn't prepared but could pull something together. In a quick and necessary moment, I volunteered and began to scramble for a message.

By 9:20 I had a power point, notes, and was in the chapel ready to speak. I did use the bulk of a sermon I preached in Africa a few years ago, but still felt like I was going from scratch. My only option for this was to pull it together and humbly pray before taking stage. So I submitted my words and time to the Holy Spirit and went for it.

I easily could have let the other girl scramble to pull something together. The thing is, I know the gift that God has placed inside of me. I mean this in all humility and nothing resembling pride, honestly. But God has given me the gift of public speaking and preaching. And He has chosen to use me in that way. I know that. I'm grateful for that. Therefore I knew I should take the opportunity, prepared or not.

I love this life and journey with God. I love being a tool in His hands. I love surrendering things to the Holy Spirit and seeing Him use them. This is such an incredible journey with God. So amazing. The Creator of the universe lives inside me and chooses to use me. Wow!! So humbling.

I still remember the feeling I had after I preached my very first real sermon in South Africa in 2007. I went to the bathroom at the church and jumped up and down and spun around in awe of what God had just done. And I remember talking to my dad after that sermon and telling him "dad I can talk, but I can't convict people and move their hearts like that. God did that through me." I still feel that every time I preach. I may be well spoken, but still I can't change lives and make a person whole. Only the Hand of God and the life of Jesus can transform someone. But oh how grateful I am and humbled by the fact that God lets me be a part of that process. Wow!!!

Until then......

A Grateful Song I Sing

2011-03-25T10:34:00.000-05:00

I am highly looking forward to this weekend, for the simple fact that I am off! Yes, yes, yes indeed! I have an entire weekend off and even took off this coming Monday. That means from 4pm today until about 4pm on Monday, I am off!!!

I kept telling one of our iterns at the beginning of this semester to not underestimate the Spring. We always talk about how busy the fall is, but I think the spring semester just might be worse. As of right now our staff has only had one day off in the last six weeks. One day! Now you see why I am ridiculously excited about this weekend!!

Even in the insanity and craziness of it all, I wouldn't trade this job and life for anything else!!!!!!

For instance last weekend we hosted a statewide leadership conference on Saturday and Sunday. This too is one of my favorite events of the year. It's a short conference, but jam packed full of information and so much potential! So Saturday was my birthday and what better way to spend it then getting to do what I love with so many amazing people.

Our guest speaker for the weekend kept making comments to me about having to be there on my birthday and way to serve and such. But really it was a fabulous birthday. I love getting to do what I do and it really was a fabulous day!

I am grateful for the 27 years that God has blessed me with thus far. It is with a truly grateful heart that I thank God for an abundant life and look forward to so much more with Him! Even in worship on Saturday night I was overwhelmed with gratefulness and couldn't hold back the tears as I reflected on the life that God has given me. It's been a phenomenal 27 years, I am indeed grateful!!

"I will not forget You are my God, my King
And with a thankful heart I bring my offering
And my sacrifice is not what You can give
But what I alone can give to You

A grateful heart I give, A thankful prayer I pray,
A wild dance I dance before You
A loud song I sing, A huge bell I ring,
A life of praise I live before You"

Until then......

Mardi Gras!!!!!!!

2011-03-16T09:56:00.000-05:00

Because Louisiana universities give students time off for Mardi Gras, UL Chi Alpha sends teams of students to universities in Texas during Mardi Gras break to do outreach on campuses there. Last year was my first time on MGO (Mardi Gras Outreach) and I loved it! I loved it so much that I requested to lead a team again this year.

Last week I took my MGO team to Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX. Stephenville is known as the cowboy capital of the world! And we had a blast!

I took nine students with me and we worked with a Chi Alpha that has only really been on campus this year. The drive was long, but it was well worth it. We did manual labor around the Chi Alpha house, went to church, helped with a missions banquet, taught their leadership class, did contact table and 2x2 evangelism on campus all day for two days, hosted capture the flag and game nights in the rec center, did three dorm dinners, and lead their Tuesday Night Chi Alpha service. We got the chance to meet so many new students and reach out to a lot.

During the day on Monday and Tuesday we had a table in the student center to talk to people and give out info about Chi Alpha. During those times most of our students were out on campus just talking to students and praying for them. It was awesome to hear of the conversations that students got to have.

Truly we had a phenomenal team and adventure this year. Our group was a riot and had so much fun being together. I think MGO may be one of my favorite parts of each year here at UL. I love getting to take students out of their comfort zone and challenge and pour in to them for a week.

Here are just a few pics from our week in the cowboy capital:

Until then......

Smiting

2011-02-28T14:20:00.001-06:00

I was thinking that there were a few places in the Psalms that it talked about God smiting His children's enemies. I looked for it today and couldn't find it. However I did find one that talks about God slaying the wicked.

For the last year and a half (more than that really) we have been trying to start Chi Alpha at the local community college. Today I had a meeting with the student organizations committee to discuss our constitution and the hold up with it. Before this meeting we had already revised our constitution three times. Each time hoping this would be the key. But still, failure.

Today the entire committee was fine with where we were, but the person who has to take our constitution to the next level still had problems with it. I must say there was a moment or two in the meeting that I just got angry. I kept a calm and cool front, but inside I was wishing that God would smite my enemies.

I later came back to my office (after stopping for Orange Push Pops and Dr. Pepper) to fix our constitution in hopes of final approval next Monday. I told my office mate that I may have to write some Psalms later about how I want God to smite my enemies.

I'm trying to push forward, but still I feel that I am beating my head against a wall. I guess if I'm stubborn enough to keep beating, eventually the wall will fall. Forward I go!!!!

Until then......

Big feet need pretty shoes too!!

2011-02-18T14:12:00.000-06:00

For most of my life I have had large feet. I don't know at what point my feet surpassed the average foot size, but they definitely have. I generally wear an 11. Sometimes I can fit a 10 and every now and then I have to go up to a 12.

This week I decided to splurge for my birthday (it's coming up in a few weeks and mom already gave me b-day money) and buy new running shoes. I've been considering the Nike Free Runs. They are by far more than I have paid for a pair of tennis shoes since I was in elementary school and wanted name-brand shoes. But I decided it's my birthday and an investment. So I spent the $100 (with tax and shipping) and ordered the Free Runs.

I say I ordered them because after going to every athletic shoe store in the mall, I realized that I would have to order the shoes because I needed a 12 and most shoe stores stop stocking cute athletic shoes around size 10. Boo!! Big feet need pretty athletic shoes too!!!

The picture makes them seem a little reddish/orange, but they are actually hot pink and gray. And I am super impressed by the speed of nike.com. I ordered the shoes late on Tuesday night and they are on my feet now! Yay!!!! Now I'm gonna need to go run this afternoon!!

Until then......

From the Men's

2011-02-15T11:30:00.000-06:00

I've mentioned before about how I live in the Chi Alpha house with 18 people total. Chi Alpha is the student ministry that I work for and thus the Chi Alpha house has a couple of staff members and 13 students living there.

The house isn't just a house, it's a house and an attached dorm like building. We consider it one big house though because we all share a kitchen, dining room, living room, and laundry area. And we operate like one big house.

The fun thing about the dorm style building is that it allows us to have guys and girls living in the house. This year we have 14 girls and 4 guys in the house. It's a little out of balance on the male to female ratio, but still it's a fabulous place to live (most of the time).

For Valentine's Day yesterday this is what I came home to on the kitchen table:

And the poem with it:

There may only be four of them, but I do live with four fabulous guys!! Thanks Men's (it was a typo by the florist).

Until then......

I'm a girl, that doesn't make me stupid

2011-02-06T23:01:00.000-06:00

There are few things in life that really aggravate me. Uncleanliness is one of them. People who are inconsiderate of those around them is another. People who think they know so much or feel they are superior than others, also aggravates me.

What is aggravating me at the moment is guys who think that girls are incapable of doing things on their own. As I was sitting in my kitchen tonight, watching a friend and a few housemates try to change a bicycle tire, two different guys attempted to come to the rescue. The first was easily deterred when the girls said, "no thanks we've got it."

The other however stood and looked over the girls shoulders and made comments the rest of the time. Of course because he is of the male species he knows more than the girls. And of course they can't finish the project on their own and need him to stand and offer his opinion and condescending remarks.... and of course I am being sarcastic!

This reminds me of one of my favorite Sara Bareilles songs, "King of Anything".
It says:
"Keep drinking coffee, stare me down across the table
While I look outside
So many things I’d say if only I were able
But I just keep quiet and count the cars that pass by

You’ve got opinions, man
We’re all entitled to ‘em, but I never asked
So let me thank you for your time, and try not to waste anymore of mine
And get out of here fast

I hate to break it to you babe, but I’m not drowning
There’s no one here to save"

Until then......

Crucial 30 mins

2011-01-29T15:08:00.001-06:00

I've realized in life that the first 30 mins I am asleep is the most crucial to me falling asleep. After the first 30 minutes or so I am a rock solid sleeper and am not super easily woken up. However I've realized that during the first 30 minutes of me being asleep I am super easily woken up and then take forever to get back to sleep. This used to not be the case and once I was asleep I was out like a light. This also meant I could nap for hours. However now, if I don't make it past the first 30 minutes without waking up, I have no hope.

Just thought I'd share. Until then......

To "Done" List

2011-01-21T12:16:00.000-06:00

This week has been anything but slow. I always seem to forget how busy the beginning of a new semester is. Even the Spring semester. Towards the end of last semester I kept trying to warn one of our interns to not underestimate the spring semester. Last year I found that the spring may have actually been busier than the fall and this spring is proving that point once again.

I've been trying my best to not be overwhelmed and stressed and frustrated this week. At moments I succeeded. At other times I failed and found myself completely overwhelmed by all that needed to be done. But here I am at the end of the week and I have survived. And I can definitely say I was productive!!!!!!! Especially since really all of this took place in four days because Monday was consumed by an all day student leadership event. Stressful week: YES!!! Productive and overall good: YES!!! Taking large steps in growing the two areas of ministry I oversee: YES!!!

Until then......

Goal

2011-01-16T16:23:00.000-06:00

For 2010 I had a blogging goal to beat 2009 and have at least 100 posts. I met that goal and even exceeded by 1!!!

My goal for 2011: 125 blog posts

I can do this! Hopefully you will want to read an extra 24 post by me this year!!

Until then......

Unplugged

2011-01-16T14:40:00.000-06:00

Friday night I did something that I have not done in a long long time...... I turned my phone off before I climbed in to bed. That's right. Off!!

I am one of those communication junkies that never turns my phone off, check email a dozen times a day, will respond to a text immediately if at all possible, and gets frustrated when others don't do the same. All of this "connectivity" however can hinder relationships. I read an article the other day about how to tell if too much time with your phone is hurting your relationships. Now I don't think I'm too that point, but I am a junkie and some times just need to detox.

Working with college students I understand the importance of keeping up with the times and communicating on their level..... via text, facebook, etc. And I love all of it. However I hate how more gets said via technology than it does face to face. Someone made the comment the other day that this current generation loves coffee shops because you can share a table with someone, but yet read or be on your computer and not have to talk. That's just sad to me. I love coffee shops so I can sit across the table from someone and have deep and meaningful conversation. I never want my technology to mean that I no longer do or even can communicate face to face.

My turning my phone off Friday night doesn't seem like a big thing, but it's a step for me. Just a reminder that I don't have to be "on call" 24/7. Even after I turned my phone on Saturday morning, I left it in my phone while I watched movies with housemates all day. (seriously... we watched 7 movies this weekend!) It's nice to shuck the technology and spend time with people!! We should do that more often.

Until then......

Who We Are

2011-01-08T17:32:00.000-06:00

My last post mentioned that I was reading the book "Confessions of a Non-Barbie". When I sat down in Chili's the read the other night, my waited glanced at my book and remarked that it was an interesting title.

I am not a woman who really struggles with self-image or insecurities. Don't get me wrong, I have my own battles I face, but it's not the usual self-esteem and image problems. So when it comes to that topic I'm usually doing pretty good. I'm ok with eating alone in a restaurant and I don't hold back on things in life because I'm single. I go see movies I want to see whether or not someone goes with me. I've driven cross country a few times a lone. And one of my favorite vacations ever was when I spent a few days at a bed and breakfast in South Africa by myself. Can I just say that candle lit dinners in a restaurant with C.S. Lewis in hand is pretty darn fabulous!!

All that to say I get a little stirred up sometimes about helping other women and girls find the type of confidence that I have. Not that I know it all or anything, but I have a confidence that really comes from knowing Who made me and the purposes that He has for me. I have confidence in my Creator which gives me confidence in life. I know who God has made me to be and the way He knit me together in my mother's womb and all the quirks and flaws that come with that. And still I'm ok because I know Who made me. I long for other women to find that too. To know that who they are is beautiful because that's how God made them.

"Confessions of a Non-Barbie" is the type of book I'd write if I were to write one. It wasn't earth shattering for me but it was raw and relates well to people. And I loved her analogies! I highly recommend the book for any woman, even if this isn't your area of struggle because it can help you relate to and help other women.

Another thing on this topic that I've really enjoyed is Jessica Simpson's show "The Price of Beauty." I know it's Jessica Simpson, but honestly I've always liked her. I like her music and I used to love to watch the show "Newlyweds."

This show takes her and two friends around the world to different countries to see what beauty is in their culture. It's so good. Some cultures view dark skin as beauty while others view lighter skin as prettier. Some think heavy women are more beautiful while others are dying to look as thin as possible. It's such a good depiction of how true beauty comes from within. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone is beautiful in their way. That's not some lie to make some women feel better about themselves, that's the truth.

I think the show only had one season and it was a short season ending with a "debriefing" of what they learned and a fashion show in L.A. You can find the season on hulu.com and I highly recommend it as well. And the theme song is pretty good too. Jessica sings it and the chorus says:
"We're beautiful
Our flaws and all
They're beautiful to me
It's who we are, it's who we are
It's who we're meant to be
Now never change a thing"

Check it out.
Until then......

Table for One

2011-01-06T19:43:00.000-06:00

This afternoon I wanted to sit somewhere and read and eat a snack. The most common response to that would be a coffee shop; however coffee shop snacks are normally sweet and I was really in the mood for chips and salsa. Where can you get chips and salsa and a diet coke?? Chili's!!!!

So this afternoon I took my book and walked in to Chili's and asked for a table for one. I then sat and read my book and ate chips and salsa with avocado ranch and drank Diet Coke for an hour and a half. It was great! The host when I asked for a table of one gave me a bit of a strange look, but it was nice to sit and read and snack.

Why is it that it is normal for people to sit alone in a coffee shop and read, but to sit in a restaurant alone seems weird? I think if I wrote a book about this I would title it: Table for One: Single People Need To Eat Too!

I enjoyed my time alone in Chili's today. Even though I normally like to go out to eat with people for social purposes, I think I may venture further in to this table for one thing. It's kind of empowering and relaxing. I already enjoy movies by myself.... maybe I'll do dinner and a movie by myself one night!

For now... the book I finished reading tonight was really good. I do recommend it for all women. Even if you're not one who struggles with being single or dating or break-ups, it's still a good read and full of great info for those you know who do. I enjoyed all of it!!

Until then......

The Taylor 5

2010-12-28T21:12:00.001-06:00

My brothers and sisters-in-law and I are starting a doo-whop group called 'The Taylor Five'..... here are our band photos:
(or we had family pics taken for our parents for Christmas.... you decide the truth)

Until then......

Excellent: You Did It!!

2010-12-28T20:07:00.000-06:00

My brothers and sisters-in-law and I played lots of Wii last week. One game when you did well would say: "Excellent, You did it!! Awesome, You did it!!" And it was in quite a funny voice. The phrase stuck with us the rest of our week together and there were very few moments when someone would not be saying it.

Now to the real post....
I set a bogging goal for myself this year to post more than last year. Last year I had 95 posts, so this year I wanted to have at least 100 post. Well ladies and gentlemen.... this is my 100th post for 2010!! "Excellent: I did it!!!"

Tomorrow I'm heading to Dallas for a Chi Alpha regional student conference. I'm having lunch in the morning with a friend from college, then coffee with a friend I've known since elementary school, and then the conference starts in the evening. It's promising to be a great rest of the week and then I'll head home to Laffy on Sunday.

Until then......

Over Fifteen Years

2010-12-23T11:46:00.000-06:00

Last night I had dinner with my dad and step-mom at a restaurant we have been eating at for over fifteen years. It's a local Mexican restaurant that has a few different locations in our area. We used to drive over an hour to eat at the original location, but then a few years later they built one right up the road from my dad's house. I think there are two or three locations now.

I love that I can say that I've been eating at this place for over fifteen years. It seems like such a family thing. A bit of a tradition. I even remember the time we took our new puppy in and left him in his shoe box under the table while we ate. This was the first day that Champ learned to get out of his shoe box. Of course he did this during lunch and made a made dash across the restaurant. Priceless!!

Oh Pepe's, you have served us well!

Until then......

Halted productivity

2010-12-19T20:01:00.000-06:00

I had plans today to really be productive and do loads of laundry and clean he house.... however I have now been side-tracked by two Christmas movies. I just finished watching "The Santa Clause 2" and "3" just started. I don't think I've seen this one, so I feel the need to watch it. Oh well.... I guess cleaning and laundry can happen during the commercials!!!

Until then......

Week in a Postcard

2010-12-18T15:41:00.000-06:00

Honestly I didn't take too many pics once I was in Virginia. We took a few on the drive up and then I went in to vacation and relaxation mode and stopped taking pictures. It was a wonderful week indeed. Here are a few pics, but they do not do justice to the enchantment that I got to experience this week.

Warning these pictures are not in order:

My BFF Hali, myself, and Isaac sledding in their front yard:

Ron (a fellow Chi Alphan.. it's his family I went up to visit) and I:

Pal the Penguin:

Icicles off the rood of the district AG office in West Virginia:

The coldest temp we documented:

The five of us that journeyed together as they dropped me off for the week:

What I did a lot this week... coffee, a fire, a book, and the comfy green couch:

The front yard at the Barnard's house:

Us driving up in the snow..... visibility got a little sketchy before we stopped for the night:

The Barnards live on a Christmas Tree farm.... legit!!!

Until then......

Home.....

2010-12-18T13:12:00.001-06:00

Impressive = 5 girls on a 15.5 hour drive and only stopping twice!! You can be impressed now!

Sadly I am home and miss my Virginia people already. I really really really love my peoples in Virginia!! And yes I did fight some tears as I said bye and drove away!

Next time!!

Until then......

Amazing......

2010-12-16T11:00:00.001-06:00

This is what I woke up to this morning:

Can I stay here please??

Until then......

Winter Wonderland

2010-12-14T11:34:00.000-06:00

Good morning (well afternoon here) from a chilly 12 degree Virginia!!!! Sunday morning around 3:30am, four friends and I loaded into the car and headed north. Our destination: Newport, VA. Our plan was to spend the night with my friends in Newport and then the four girls I was traveling with would leave Monday morning heading to D.C. and I would stay in Newport for the week.

Everything was on target and going well until northern Tennessee when we started hitting heavy snow. We pushed on for another couple of hours until the car voted we get a hotel room for the night. We were about 85 miles from Newport but the snow was coming down and visibility was getting less and less. And don't forget we are all native to Louisiana and thus took us a few moments to figure out what white stuff was falling from the sky when we first saw it.

When we went to get in our car on Monday morning and head further north, the temperature gauge in the car read 14 degrees. We're pretty sure that may be the coldest temp any of us had ever seen! The roads were pretty clear for the rest of our drive and I was safely to my destination by 10:00am. The girls dropped me off and headed to D.C. When I talked to them last night they were loving their destination and headed to see the White House!

After arrival I hoped in the truck with one of my friends I came to see and we ventured to the district AG office in West Virginia. When I stepped out of the truck I found myself in 6 inches of snow and face to face with three foot long icicles hanging off the building! That's legit!!!!

For the remainder of the week you will find me drinking coffee and reading on the big green comfy couch in front of the fire in my friends' house on the Christmas tree farm that is currently covered in snow. Yes, I am living in a postcard this week and loving it!!! "Oh the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful!!!"

Until then......

.... and pictures will come soon!!!

Demolition Day

2010-12-09T13:33:00.000-06:00

Today feels like demolition day around the cafe. This morning we ripped the carpet out of our sanctuary area because we are getting new carpet next Tuesday. Now we are about to go box up the library at the Chi Alpha house so that we can rip out one of the walls of shelving and the ceiling. The ceiling is in desperate need of being redone and the books are all moving to the cafe where a new library will be built in the spring.

It makes me sad to see the library go because it's a nice place of quiet and solitude at times. Generally if you're in the library (it's just a small room in the house with tons and tons of books) then no one will bother you. It's nice when you live with 16 other people..... soon to be 18.

Life in Chi Alpha. It's definitely has it's interesting moments (i.e. ripping out carpets and ceilings and living with 18 people). But it sure is a great ride!!!!

Until then......

Dance Party

2010-12-08T10:14:00.000-06:00

Last night was our annual Chi Alpha Christmas Soiree. We had right at 100 people in attendance and had a fabulous time. There was a gourmet meal, interntainment (a skip performed by the interns), games, graduation speeches, the reading of the story of the birth of Christ, and a massive white elephant gift exchange. Everyone looked classy in their soiree finest and I laughed sooo much! It was a great night!

As the after party, our cleaning iTeam and video announcement iTeam wanted to have a dance party for their teams. So we came back to the cafe, turned up the music, lowered the lights, and they partied. They are such fun and entertaining groups! They complete the evening with glow sticks of course. And then decided to spell out iTeams with their glow sticks. I love this picture (and all of our iTeams):

Also as part of the interntainment, Deanna reenacted one of my favorite sketches from Saturday Night Live. I wish someone had recorded her, but here is the clip from SNL. I still laugh every time I watch this video and nearly fell out of my chair laughing as Deanna sang last night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImCWjbAOXKo&feature=related

Until then......

Legit Runner

2010-12-04T16:58:00.000-06:00

I think the main reason I like to still run during the winter is that I feel more legit. This week it has been around 40 degrees outside when I head out for my run. Now if you're in the north and reading this, that's not that bad. However when the only places you have lived are Louisiana and South Africa, 40 degrees is pretty darn cool. Therefore I layer up and look like a legit runner, complete with tights, shorts, long sleeve, vest, beanie, and gloves. It may be a bit much, but it makes it more fun. And at least I look like I'm training for a marathon or something. Sometimes you gotta look the part in order to play the part!!

Until then......

Final countdown

2010-12-03T11:58:00.000-06:00

Today is the last day of classes for the Fall Semester here at the University of Louisiana. I know we always say that time has flown by, but seriously!! This semester has disappeared and I have no idea how it went so quickly.

This week has been a whirlwind of various events and tying up of loose ends. I feel like I have accomplished so much and nothing this week all at the same time.

Next week is finals week. This means that Monday we host the "Almost Midnight Pancake Breakfast" at 11:59pm on Monday. We cook pancakes and host karaoke as long as students show up. Then Tuesday is our fancy Christmas Soiree. (I bought a cute new dress a few weeks ago and am super excited about it!) On Friday our staff will head to Baton Rouge for two days of statewide Chi Alpha planning meetings. We'll get back to Lafayette sometime Saturday.

Then early Sunday morning I will get in the car with four of my friends and we are journeying to Virginia!!!!! I have some fabulous friends living in southern Virginia and so I will be dropped off there. My friends will continue north to just outside of Washington D.C. for the week. They will be doing the D.C., New York, and Snowboarding thing for the week. I however will stay in southern Virginia with my friends. Have I mentioned these friends live on a Christmas Tree Farm???? Yes. That's right, I will be spending my week vacation living in a postcard in Virginia! "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas tree farm!!!!" My friends have this amazingly comfy green couch, where I shall sit for the week in front of the fire place with coffee or hot chocolate in hand and engage myself in deep conversations. Every now and then I plan on leaving the couch to go outside and "frolic and play the Eskimo way.. walking in a winter wonderland." I'm just a little excited!!!!!!

Until then......

Choosing Love

2010-11-24T09:58:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned a few posts back, God and I have been talking a lot about loving people. We've been talking about random people, relationships, and just the way I have loved people in the past. This week has been harder than the last few.

For the last few weeks we've been discussing loving random people. As in taking the time to get past differences and reaching out to and extending the love of God to those who are different than me. I've been making progress in this area. Each week our lifegroup at the Community College puts the challenge out to love someone that we find it hard to love and then we report back in the next week. So far I have accomplished my challenge each week.

As God and I have been talking about love we've also been tackling a relationship in my life that has been difficult for a while. Unknowingly this particular person really hurt me. Instead of going to this person I chose to just put up walls and shut them out. My battle with this has been where's the line of loving like God and guarding our hearts. Of living with a guarded heart but yet not living with unnecessary walls. For the past month I've wrestled with this and how to handle this relationship and if I wanted to fix it or needed to fix it or whatever.

Finally this week God began to show me patterns in past relationships of how I do this. He also began to pinpoint some of the reasons as to why I do this. I then felt Him telling me that I need to recognize these patterns and move forward to correct them and not live like that. But to live as a person who chooses love. So last night I chose love and talked to this person who had hurt me. They had noticed that something was wrong in our relationship but couldn't figure it out. So I spilled everything and explained. I walked away last night with walls almost destroyed (I'm still working on it a little) and a friend in it's place. Such a feeling of peace and joy. I feel that I grew as a person. I feel like I grew in love. It was great.

I realized once again last night that love is a choice. We get hurt and we have to choose to move past the hurt and pain, not put up walls, but choose to love. In relationships we have the choice to run or to love. With random people we have the choice to choose differences and selfishness or to choose love. It takes action, forgiveness, selflessness, and the Holy Spirit. I'm really trying hard to live a life rooted in choosing love! I have a sneaking suspicion that that's the way that God wants it! (Colossians 3:12-14)

Until then......

Peace & Calm at 2:30am

2010-11-16T10:11:00.000-06:00

Usually if I find myself unable to sleep in the middle of the night, I get a little angry. A while back I posted about this and I think it was even called: "Angry at 3am."

Last night I went to bed and tossed and turned for an hour and still found myself awake. Finally at 1:40 I was awake and my stomach was growling so I gave in and got up. I went to the kitchen, fixed myself some toast and tea, grabbed my Bible and some worship music, and settled in on the couch. I spent the next 45 minutes in the peace and calm of my living room with God.

It was such a sweet time. I read, I prayed, I worshiped, I prayed for random people that came to mind, and really just focused on God. It was so nice to be up and in a quiet peaceful setting with God. After I finished my tea I made an attempt to go back to sleep around 2:45. As I was trying to fall back asleep I realized that if God wanted to wake me up for this every night, I'm game. It was good to spend time with my Savior in the middle of the night in the peace and calm.

Until then......

Slower Pace

2010-11-15T18:31:00.000-06:00

Last week was my first week back running after a four week hiatus due to illness. Because I missed both of my projected 5ks due to being sick, I am now shooting for a 5k in February. I don't have a specific one yet, but will be on the lookout.

When I stopped running I was around 2 miles per night. For now I have decided to drop back and stick to one mile in order to hammer out some kinks in my basic form.... mainly my breathing.... ok only my breathing. I've always known that I don't breathe correctly when I'm running. I don't breathe deep enough or exhale long enough. I pretty much just run around gasping for air. No wonder I'm not increasing my distance, my lungs can't sustain me.

So for now I'm sticking with just a mile a night and focusing on my breathing. It's reminding me that in life if you don't have the basics down, then you can't build anything else on top of it. And also that sometimes the answer is as simple as "breathing in and breathing out." I love learning life application while running! It's like therapy!!!

Until then......

Made for this...

2010-11-04T11:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I had the privilege to preach at our weekly Free Meal With A Message. Every Wednesday we feed about 130 college students and someone preaches while they eat. They're in and out in 45 minutes. It really is a unique and phenomenal event.

As for preaching we rotate through our staff and sometimes local pastors as well. This week was my second Free Meal preaching for the semester. Have I ever mentioned how much I love to preach? I really do! It still makes me nervous knowing the weight of what I'm standing to do, but I love the privilege of sharing the Word of God and being used by Him.

Yesterday was one of those preaching times that just couldn't have gotten any better. Last Wednesday night during worship at church God gave me the basis for my sermon. So I thought on it a little until I finally sat to prepare on Tuesday. I hid in the library until I got it all ready. I started around 10:30 and by 3:30 I had my sermon done and my powerpoint to go with it. (It doesn't usually come this quick... such a God time!) That evening I went through it fully twice and was ready to rock and roll.

Wednesday morning I looked over my notes (which was just my Scriptures printed out) and then took the stage. Honestly I think this is the most ready I've ever felt. It flowed, I didn't feel rushed, timing went well, the crowd seemed to be tracking with me the whole time. It was a total God moment. But not in the sense of 'oh no help God!' But in the sense of 'God gave me this message. He gave me His Holy Spirit. He gave me this time.' All I had to do was stand and let God be God through me. It was amazing!!

It all went really well and people responded. I think the response is usually what gets me most. I mean I can deliver a message, but only God can move on hearts like that. So cool to get to be a part of it. So cool to be used by God and have Him working in and through me. I was made for this...

Until then......

What's Love Got To Do Wih It?

2010-11-01T22:55:00.000-05:00

God and I have been talking about loving people this week. This is one area where I falter greatly. I'm good at loving those that I want to love and fail horribly at loving those that I don't feel like loving. However as a child of God, a follower of Him, I am to be a representation of His love to all, not just to those I feel like loving. So we've been talking about this.

Tonight I was reading in 1 Corinthians 13, the chapter on love. As I read I was journaling all the things that it says about love. As I compiled my list it seems that all the characteristics of love are also characteristic of God. As I continued to read and think about this, it seems that you could interchange love and God in this chapter. Which then makes me wonder: are God and love not the same? Is it not that we are only able to love like this when we have the Holy Spirit inside of us, actually loving through us. It's only the Holy Spirit being the Holy Spirit in us that we ever actually see love like 1 Corinthians 13 is talking about. We only see that love when we see God. God is love. Love is God. I can only love like that if I have God. If I love in my own strength and will, then my love will be envious and jealous and self-seeking and boastful. However if I let the Holy Spirit love people through me, then I can love with a 1 Corinthians 13 kind of love because I don't have love, I have God.

Until then......

Carrot Cake & Sunset

2010-11-01T17:03:00.001-05:00

It really is the little things in life that I enjoy the most. Yesterday I was craving some carrot cake and happen to know that my local Albertson's sells carrot cake by the slice in the bakery. So I decided it was time for carrot cake and the sunset.

I've done this once before and I'm becoming a huge fan. I got my carrot cake and some stuff I've been reading and headed to the boat launch on the river and enjoyed the sunset. It's so nice and quiet and peaceful. I ate, read, and watched the sun disappear over the tress. And the boat launch in only 5 minutes from my house. Such a great way to end an evening!

I also picked back up running last night after a 4 week illness break. It felt so good to be back out at it again! I fear today may be a slacking day. The weather is miserable and I am fighting the urge to do absolutely nothing right now. I should be writing a sermon and prepping for leadership class I have to teach this week. Instead I'm sitting in the library, listening to the rain, drinking tea, and blog hopping. I desire to do nothing more! Until then......

New Appreciation For Parents

2010-10-25T20:26:00.000-05:00

Today the Turners, Chi Alpha campus pastors from McNeese University, stopped by our office at UL. This summer Sullivan Turner, a campus pastor from LSU, and I took the team to South Africa. I absolutely love the Turners and their adorable two sons. Since our trip to South Africa, I actually carry a picture of their boys in my wallet.

Malakai is the 3yr old son of the Turners. While in the building today we decided to play a friendly game of fooseball. When I accidentally scored, Kai accused me of cheating and left. One of our friends told him to come back and talk to me because he hurt my feelings when he accused me of cheating. He then marched up to me and said "but you hurt my feelings when you didn't let me hit the ball first." This is where I gained the new appreciation for parents. I know I should have held my composure and talked to him, but instead I just laughed. He's just too cute and I couldn't help it.

Later we were eating lunch and I asked if he was still mad at me. He pointed to his eyes and said "yes... can't you see I'm rolling my eyes!" Again I just laughed. He then looked at me and said "why are you laughing??? I'm not funny!"

Major props to parents who have to deal with these types of things all the time and are able to hold their composure and have conversations with their kids. I have a whole new appreciation for your immunity to big brown eyes, adorable cheeks, and hilarious remarks!

I mean, look at all that cuteness!!!!!!

Until then......

Musical Taste

2010-10-20T19:22:00.000-05:00

Last weekend I was blessed to get to go to a dinner with Max Lucado and then attend the "Making a Difference" tour concert afterward (all free!). It was a phenomenal evening and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The concert included: Jason Gray, Toby Mac, Third Day, and Michael W. Smith.

I've realized that my musical taste is very mellow and laid back. This is why I really enjoy country music. It's much more of an acoustic style than loud and high energy. Toby Mac for instance is not my style. Don't get me wrong, he puts on a phenomenal show! If you like him I highly recommend seeing him live, he's great! But definitely my favorite for the night was Third Day. I guess you could say they sound the most country of the three acts, but again it's the simple more streamline sound that I love!

A few years ago I was listening to Casting Crowns while working on a project at the Tech Chi Alpha house. A friend came and was was asking who was listening to country. I was amazed at how he thought it was country when clearly it was Casting Crowns. But really I could see where things could seem similar. No wonder I like Casting Crowns, it's up the alley of my musical taste.

Tonight I'm enjoying an evening at home blog hoping and listening to a local worship band from college. They are known as The Commonground Band. They did a worship service at Tech every week for years. I love their music! It's lead by a guy playing an acoustic guitar and fits right in with my musical taste. I love it!!!

Until then......

118 Bottles of Glue

2010-10-15T13:13:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I was thinking about all the random things that I've purchased for our ministry this week (as in I went with a Chi Alpha check to purchase it). It started on Tuesday when I went to Office Depot and purchased 98 bottle of glue, 5 packs of glue sticks, and 4 packs of binder divider tabs. One of my colleagues went to Office Depot before me and bought 20 bottles of glue. So now sitting beside my desk are two bags with 118 bottles of glue. All of this was purchased for about $15.00. Yep! $15.00.

See Homecoming is coming up next week and we compete in the parade float competition. In order to make the float beautiful we use lots of glitter. And in order to get glitter on a float, you use lots of glue. And since Office Depot had this phenomenal sale of bottle of glue for on $0.10 we bought them out!! We may not use all the glue this year, but we'll be prepared for next year too then.

I also went to Sam's yesterday and bought 18 binders and 12 cases of water. The randomocity of purchases for a student ministry always makes me laugh. We use all of these things in various ways, but still when you look at it in a week, it just makes you laugh! I also bought a ton of paint and metallic paints, etc. Fun times!!

In other thoughts, I'm heading up to the 318 area tonight. One of my friends wants to see a West Monroe football game, so we're heading up for that tonight and then spending the weekend with my family. North Louisiana... oh how I've missed thee!!!

Until then......

Old Friends

2010-10-11T17:39:00.000-05:00

This Thursday my dear friend Missy is coming through town by herself and I am giddy about it! Missy is my BFF that has four kids. Whenever I go to Ruston we usually get to hang out and her wonderful hubby usually watches the kids while Missy and I have a Chili's date.

This Thursday she is passing through on the way to her parents for the weekend..... kid free at that! This means a Chili's date night for us!!! Missy is one of those rare friends that just gets me. It doesn't matter what comes out of my mouth, she understands and loves me unconditionally. And vice versa. She simply is amazing and I love having her in my life. I am truly blessed by our friendship. I am so excited and just wishing Thursday night would hurry up!

It's a week full of fabulous people for me! Yesterday my brother and his wife came through town and took me to lunch. Then Friday afternoon two of my friends from Lafayette are venturing north with me. We're going to a West Monroe High School football game on Friday night, then hanging out with my mom Saturday morning, Tech tailgating with old friends Saturday afternoon, stopping by dad's after tailgating, going to see my brother and his wife and dog Saturday evening, then dinner at the Boardwalk in Bossier with dad and brother and his wife and my friends, and Sunday will conclude with church and one of my old friends cooking lunch for us. It's an exciting week full of people I love dearly!!!! Yay!!!

Until then......

Lonely Running Clothes

2010-10-10T16:24:00.000-05:00

It feels like months since I have run. Really it has been 9 days. (is it bad that I know right off the top of my head how many days since I have run?) My lat run was a week ago Friday. It was my last for that week. The following Sunday I would have picked back up, but that's when I got sick. And thus I did not run at all last week.

I'm giving myself one more day before I hit the pavement again. I must say I really am missing it. I was putting away laundry this afternoon and saw my running clothes still in the drawer all clean and waiting to be put on. They've been there for a week now. Poor lonely running clothes.... hopefully tomorrow we shall be reunited and they will no longer be lonely.

In other randomness, this is what my iPhone charger now looks like:

Can you see the inside wires all protruding all over the place? Apparently our new vacuum is really great and will even suck up phone chargers. Guess who is now doing some amazon shopping for a new phone charger? Maybe I'll start a bit of Christmas shopping while I'm online too.

Until then......

Sometimes 'someday" does come

2010-10-05T16:16:00.001-05:00

We kept saying that some day we would get to submit all of the paperwork to file to be an organization at SLCC. In the famous words of CCR, usually people say "someday never comes."

However for SLCC Chi Alpha, someday came today. I met our faculty advisor this afternoon and submitted all of our paperwork. The Dean of students said it should just take a few weeks. I'm trying to not get my hopes up and am praying we're approved by the end of the semester.

Now if only I weren't sick and scared my head would explode if I celebrated too much. Until then......

Cheese & Whine

2010-10-04T17:57:00.000-05:00

Whine is exactly what I did when I got home yesterday from our state fall Chi Alpha retreat. I finally gave in to the fact that I was sick. I then laid in my bed and cried as I whined about not feeling good. I wasn't whining to anyone, just myself.

I realized in college that any time I finally admit I'm sick, I get all emotional and cry. I think it's because I'm never sick, at least not enough to really not feel well, and so when I finally hit that point I feel all frustrated and out of control.

Throughout high school and college I was on my dad's medical insurance and would always call him to make me a doctor's appointment on the like three occasions it needed to happen. Each time I would wind up on the phone in tears whining "I don't feel good." Reverting to my childhood I guess.

Boo for being sick! I have too much to do this week. I did go ahead and pick up a few over the counter things last night and went to be before 9pm. And today I went to work to take care of the things that had to be done, then I laid in bed the rest of the day. I'm realizing more and more that it's ok to take time to take care of myself. Otherwise I wind up having to take way more time in the end cause I let things get too far.

Until then......

Fogged glass windows...

2010-09-29T14:31:00.000-05:00

My office door is a door of windows. This usually is a really fun thing. However there are definitely times that I wish those windows were the high-tech kind that you push the button and they become fogged windows you can't see through. This morning as I did my happy dance and cried, I wished I had fogged glass windows. (this was just the fun introduction to my real post)

The reason for my happy dance and tears of joy this morning is that I found an academic advisor for Chi Alpha at SLCC. SLCC (South Louisiana Community College) is a community college here in Lafayette where I am starting a Chi Alpha this year. So far we have not been able to do much because we are not an on-campus organization. And they won't let me be an on-campus organization until I can find a faculty member to be our advisor. This has been frustrating and limiting what we can do.

However, do your happy dance with me, because this morning we found our academic advisor!! We had a new girl come to Bible study this week and we were talking about the need for an advisor. She said she knew some faculty and would talk to them. This morning I got a text saying she had talked to one and they agreed to be our advisor. I followed up with a phone call and great discussion with our new advisor!!! Tuesday I will go and submit all of our paperwork and hopefully we'll be on campus by the end of the semester!!!! Let the happy dance and tears of joy commence!!!!

until then......

Boys of Fall

2010-09-24T14:17:00.000-05:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I love football?? Tonight I'm going to a local high school football game with some friends. I have no connection to this local high school and know nothing about it. I do however know that's it high school football and thus I'm excited!

It reminds me of a time in my life when things revolved around high school football. All through junior high and high school I was either the mascot or on the pep squad. Every week was about who we were going to play, the pep rally, making signs, and of course.. Friday Night!! My senior year I was voted "Most School Spirited."

I'm ready for a weekend of football. I don't get to indulge in football as much as I use to. It's actually not that often anymore that I get to watch a game. This weekend however there's high school football tonight and then UL has a home game tomorrow that I'll be at.

I love the new Kenny Chesney song called " The Boys of Fall." You can check the video out here on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlXDo5WhQXI&ob=av3e It's a little longer than the song, but it has clips of high school, college, and some pro football scenes. It's phenomenal!! Makes me miss the old days!

Until then......

You don't know me.....

2010-09-21T23:29:00.000-05:00

Since college I've realized one of my biggest pet peeves. That is that I hate when someone thinks they have me all figured out. Now don't get me wrong, I love when people know me. I love that one of my friends spent enough time with me this summer that they know that the tone and pitch of my voice changes when I ask someone for help in a store. This person knows me and knows that I always lead with "hey I have a question" when I need something. And that's not the only things they know about me, but that's just an example. And I love that we've spent enough time together and are close enough to really know things about me,

What is my pet peeve is when people assume they know things. In college I had a friend who assumed that I hated to play cards because I usually didn't play when someone asked me. Eventually it got to where when someone would ask me to play cards, my friend would respond "no, she doesn't play cards." This would aggravate me to the point of I started playing cards whenever she was around just to prove her wrong. It's not that I don't play or don't like cards, it's that I really value conversation and people and would rather be free to move about the Chi Alpha house and talk to people rather than be stuck in a card game for hours.

Lately there is this one person who assumes they know everything about me and honestly it is grating on my last nerve. I've heard this person tell others before that I hate kids. This is horribly untrue. Confession here: I'm not a huge kid person. I don't really babysit and I don't think I ever want to have children of my own. This however does not translate in to I hate kids. The truth is that I love my friends kids. (remember the I want a hug story that melted my heart) I can't wait for my brothers to have kids. I just don't particularly want kids. So it drives me insane when people take a statement by me or an observation of me and then attribute that to me as a character trait that is not there.

And this isn't the only thing that this person has done this with lately. Tonight for instance this person needed help with something that only I or a few others around could help with. Instead of asking me for the small favor, they told someone else that I wouldn't want to help and then waited around and sulked until someone else came who could help. If they had of asked, I had no problem at all helping. But since there is this assumption and passive aggressive not asking me, I ignored the whole situation and then refused to even act like I heard. I know I'm most likely wrong in my response in these ways, but it just drives me insane. It really does. I guess pet peeves are those things that just set you off without any real rhyme or reason. This sets me off without rhyme or reason. I just want to bust out in the middle of the conversation and start yelling about how this person doesn't know me!! Oh pet peeves!

Until then......

Angry at 3am

2010-09-17T14:43:00.000-05:00

So 6 weeks ago I posted about picking up the discipline of running in order to reach a 5k in October. I am happy to announce that last night I completed the 6th week of running. There was one week that I did have to skip running due to a few things, but otherwise I have stuck with it.

Last night however I was pretty much angry by the time that I made it home from my run. I seem to have hit a wall in increasing my distance and can't get past 1.6 miles. If I walk some then I can keep going, but I don't want to walk. I want to run, and I want to run 3.1 miles now!!! So it was just a really really frustrating run last night as I tried to increase my distance and couldn't.

Finally last night I laid down to go to sleep around midnight, but still found myself awake past 1:00am. Eventually I got up and fixed myself a snack and then tried going back to bed around 1:45. I finally fell asleep somewhere between 2:30 and 3:00 and was highly aggravated and angry. Racking up frustrations is not a way to get rest or start off a morning.

This morning I got up a little late and was 30 mins late to work (on top of the bad run and lack of sleep). Welcome bad mood for the day. (honestly I think it's all just hormones, there is no real reason for my extreme frustration and bad mood) I am now in my office with headphones in and somewhat avoiding people. It's pretty much been my method all day. It's hard when you work in ministry, but sometimes life (meaning hormones) just won't let you be in a good mood, and my way of fighting it is to just hide it. Otherwise I'm snappy and mean to folks. Trust me, one student found out the hard way this morning. Sorry!

Ohh frustrations. I'm thinking a nap, sushi, and a coffee date with God tonight is what I really need! Until then....