A day or two before my birthday I was scrolling through my news feed on Facebook when I came across a post my birthday twin Ondra had posted about working on a 30 before 30 bucket list. Since I was also turning 29 on our birthday I thought it was neat and decided to create one for myself. That following Sunday I sat by myself near our Next Steps table during the 1st service at church and created my list. I started to run out of ideas by the time I got to 20, but I finally finished it. I've already realized some of it might have to be moved onto a 35 before 35 list but that's ok. I'm hoping I can get my husband and friends to help me accomplish some of the goals (actually my husband is the only one who can help me with one of them lol). I'm pretty excited about having new goals for the next year, and trying to finish as many of them as possible.
My 30 before 30 list:
1.FOG and FROG!!- this is the most important goal for me. FOG stands for Focus on God and FROG stands for Fully Rely on God. As a Christian its easy to sometimes lose focus or forget that we're never alone in our struggles. I've gotten alot better then where I was a few years ago, but I want my focus to always be on God 1st, my husband and family 2nd, friends 3rd, etc.
2. Figure out what I want to do in life and pursue it wholeheartedly.- One thing I know for sure is I'm tired of working job to job and not being happy. I'm also tired of working jobs that come and go too quickly like my last job. Its not a crime to want happiness AND security in a career, and right now I don't have either. The only problem I have now (besides no longer having a job) is I'm way too passionate about too many things and it makes it really hard to stick to one career path and follow it. I love the idea of wedding and event planning, I also love baking and serving people, but I really want a job where I make a difference. Shouldn't we know what we want to be and either be doing it or working towards it before 30?
3. Start a family (or at least start trying!)- Any and everyone who knows me knows I'm ready for kids, and I always thought I'd have at least one before 30. Jamie and I have talked about it quite a bit and even though I'm not as concerned about it as he is we've both agreed we need to make sure we're financially secure and both working before we start trying.
4.Swim with dolphins- sadly this one might have to move to the 35 before 35 list. We were hoping to try to go to Discovery Cove for our anniversary but after looking into it I realized we couldn't afford it at the moment. Maybe if our finances are looking a little better by my birthday next year we can go and swim with Rascal and the other dolphins to celebrate the big 30!
5. Get a passport- I really want to be able to one day travel outside of the US so I definitely need to have a passport handy.
6. Grow a backbone and stand up for myself and my beliefs.- One thing I will openly admit about myself is I hate conflict and confrontations. I will do whatever I can to avoid an argument or judgement at all cost, and sometimes in the past that has meant not standing up for myself or some of my beliefs. This year I want to finally stop caving in and stop being afraid of conflict resolution, but I also want to make sure when I do stand up for myself I always do it in a respectable manner.
7. Let go of the past fully. - Sometimes its hard to forgive and forget things and just move on, and this year I want to focus on letting go of the past completely. I've been through alot in my 29 years of life (including things I probably don't even remember), and somethings I've never been able to fully forget and move forward from.
8. Forgive, forget, and move forward.- This one goes hand-in-hand with number 7. There are somethings and some people in my past (and a few in the present) who have hurt me deeply, and its been really hard to fully let go. Everytime the memories of these certain things come into mind all the hurt, pain, and anger come rushing back. I don't want to be a person who harbors anger over things I can't change, or towards people I can't change either.
9.Reach out to someone I don't like.- I actually got the chance to do this the other day but didn't really fall through and I feel really guilty about it. It takes a strong and in my opinion a good Christian person to be able to want to help someone who has wronged them.
10. Take Jamie to the beach- my hubby and I are the same age and he has NEVER been to a beach. He needs to go to a beach!!
11. Step out of my comfort zone and try new things.- I've always wanted to try parasailing but I've been too scared because of my fear of heights. I'd really like to try it or do something else I've said I'd never do in the past.
12. Cook more- Both Jamie and I love to cook, but recently I've only been cooking one or 2 meals a week. I ultimately want to cook at least one meal a day no matter how busy we are.
13.Show honor and respect to Jamie daily- Sometimes its hard being a wife. Especially on days when you're tired, sick, or our monthly friend is visiting. You end up saying or doing things without thinking, and before you know it you end up hurting your husband's feelings (and more importantly his pride).
14. Take a family trip to Disney.- this is another one that might have to transfer to the 35 before 35 list. My nephews are getting older and I'd really like to be part of their 1st Disney experience. But one thing I can tell you from my past trips to Disney....no matter how you do it, a trip to Disney is expensive. Every single adult in our family will need to be working and chip in to pay for the trip. I'm really hoping we'll be able to stay at a resort and do the dining plan (the dining plan definitely helps you save money), and they can get the ultimate Disney experience.
15. Move into a new home- This one is almost complete! We have a home purchased (thank you dad!!! <3) now we just have to clear off our property, move our old place, and put it in. :)
16. Go on a girls only trip with some of my close girl friends.- This one will be hard to accomplish due to the fact that my closest girl friends all have kids which makes it hard for them to be able to pack up and go on a trip whenever they want.
17. Learn something new.- You're never too old to learn something new.
18. Invite the family over for dinner.- Once we get settled in I'd like to invite our families over for dinner. (It'll probably have to be at seperate times though because of space)
19. Take Jamie horseback riding- This is something else he's never done.
20. Go on a cruise.- This is something else probably moving to the 35 list. But neither one of us have been on a cruise before and I think it'd be something fun to experience as a married couple.
21. Teach Jamie to swim.- Its kind of important for him to know how to swim before we swim with dolphins, go to the beach, and go on a cruise.
22. Lead a connect group- With the launch of our new connect groups this has been something that has been on my mind quite a bit. I love our connect groups, and I would love to come out of my shell and lead one next year.
23. Do an outreach project with my family.- Last year my mom and I did Project Prom Night together, an event that was all her idea. It didn't turn out quite as we thought it would, but it was a great experience anyway. I'd love to get other members of my family involved in something similar. Sam has decided he wants to be part of Friends for Change through Disney so I might try to help him create his own outreach project.
24. Do the decorations for our home myself or with Jamie- I love DIY projects, and even though they don't always come out the way I hope I'd love for most of our decor to be things we've done ourselves.
25. Audition for a play- I miss acting!! And since I have the support of my hubby and a new theater company is coming to Davie County next year so its the perfect time to get reinvolved.
26. Lose weight- I've gained too much the past 2 years.
27. Go to NYC- another one to move to the 35 list. But its a goal to go and see at least one show on Broadway.
28. Teach my nephews something useful- I love my nephews and want to invest in their futures, enough said.
29. Send a friend a letter instead of an email- I miss the days when being penpals was considered cool. Now you're a loser if you don't send emails and tweets.
30.Start a youth group- I miss DCYC and want to recreate something similar for Davie's youth of today.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Happy birthday!!
I love September! I'd have to say out of all the months its definitely in my top 2 and here's some of the reasons why....its the official start of fall, leaves start to change, cooler nights, the return of pumpkin spice and pumpkin muffins, shopping for cute scarves and boots, and birthdays!!
Both my oldest nephew Christian and I celebrate our birthdays in September. I also have several close friends who celebrate their birthdays this month, including my friend Ondra who happens to be my birthday twin! Anyway, this year we had alot of fun celebrating my and Christian's big days.
First I'll start with Christian. His birthday is the 1st, and we had his birthday party at my dad's house. I don't know exactly when or why, but Christian has become fascinated with sharks. In fact fascinated probably isn't the word to use... obsessed is more like it! So my mom and Sarah went all out on a shark themed party for him. Below are a few of the pics just so you get the idea.
As you can see everything from the food, to the decor, games, and even presents were shark themed. Christian LOVED it!! The shark frisbee and shark-piggybank were from me (thank you Old Navy!) :)
Next was my big day! My mom had to work on my birthday (the 6th), so she, and my grandma took me with them to Greensboro the day before. After running some errands we ended up at the Christmas Store, a store that has everything you can think of. My grandma ended up buying some cute and supper soft bath mats for our new house as part of my birthday present. When we got back my mom took me out to lunch at Montey De Ray one of our favorite Mexican resturants, then we went to Adventure Landing for a "round" of putt-putt, and finished the day with a trip to Sweet Frog! It was my 1st time to Sweet Frog, and I loved it so much I've been back 2 more times in the past week!
On Thursday (my birthday) I was treated to an amazing breakfast by my hubby Jamie. Let me tell you he went all out...he fixed sausage gravy and yeast rolls, bacon, and juice. We ended up going a little overboard on our bread intake though, we ended up making sandwiches with the bacon. It was sooo good!! Later that evening I had training at Kersey Valley for Spookywoods. At first I wasn't thrilled with the idea of working on my birthday, but it actually ended up being alot of fun, and I made a new group of friends! Sadly they made me miss my Scarowinds buddies though. :(
Friday my grandma, Sarah, and her husband Dj took me out for a belated lunch at Zekos. I got chicken alfredo pizza (its amazing!!) and the owner surprised us by sending a slice of cheesecake AND tuxedo cake over to our table. Everything was delicious, and I was so full I didn't eat dinner that night! Saturday we launched our Saturday night worship experience at Journey and my birthday friend Ondra came out to worship with me. Afterwards we had dinner at La Caretta (another awesome Mexican place) and finished the evening with you guessed it....Sweet Frog! It was a great end to an amazing birthday weekend.
This picture of me is awful lol, but its better then the one she took of me trying to climb on the turtle's back!!
Yay for Sweet frog!!
Both my oldest nephew Christian and I celebrate our birthdays in September. I also have several close friends who celebrate their birthdays this month, including my friend Ondra who happens to be my birthday twin! Anyway, this year we had alot of fun celebrating my and Christian's big days.
First I'll start with Christian. His birthday is the 1st, and we had his birthday party at my dad's house. I don't know exactly when or why, but Christian has become fascinated with sharks. In fact fascinated probably isn't the word to use... obsessed is more like it! So my mom and Sarah went all out on a shark themed party for him. Below are a few of the pics just so you get the idea.
Next was my big day! My mom had to work on my birthday (the 6th), so she, and my grandma took me with them to Greensboro the day before. After running some errands we ended up at the Christmas Store, a store that has everything you can think of. My grandma ended up buying some cute and supper soft bath mats for our new house as part of my birthday present. When we got back my mom took me out to lunch at Montey De Ray one of our favorite Mexican resturants, then we went to Adventure Landing for a "round" of putt-putt, and finished the day with a trip to Sweet Frog! It was my 1st time to Sweet Frog, and I loved it so much I've been back 2 more times in the past week!
On Thursday (my birthday) I was treated to an amazing breakfast by my hubby Jamie. Let me tell you he went all out...he fixed sausage gravy and yeast rolls, bacon, and juice. We ended up going a little overboard on our bread intake though, we ended up making sandwiches with the bacon. It was sooo good!! Later that evening I had training at Kersey Valley for Spookywoods. At first I wasn't thrilled with the idea of working on my birthday, but it actually ended up being alot of fun, and I made a new group of friends! Sadly they made me miss my Scarowinds buddies though. :(
Friday my grandma, Sarah, and her husband Dj took me out for a belated lunch at Zekos. I got chicken alfredo pizza (its amazing!!) and the owner surprised us by sending a slice of cheesecake AND tuxedo cake over to our table. Everything was delicious, and I was so full I didn't eat dinner that night! Saturday we launched our Saturday night worship experience at Journey and my birthday friend Ondra came out to worship with me. Afterwards we had dinner at La Caretta (another awesome Mexican place) and finished the evening with you guessed it....Sweet Frog! It was a great end to an amazing birthday weekend.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Meet Nymeria
After Precious died I had told myself I wouldn't rush into getting a new dog, but after seeing a posting about this sweet girl on Facebook I could not resist getting her. Luckily Jamie had said that he wouldn't mind having a husky in the future, so when I told him what kind of breed she was he agreed she would be a good fit for us. I contacted the guy who was rehoming her right away and 2 days later I was heading with my dad to pick her up! :)
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Changes pt.2
So alot of changes have been going on in my life recently. I've meant to blog about them as they happen so I can keep my friends updated, but lately I've only had time to keep up with the blogs I follow. I'll try to fit as much as I can into one blog, but it might be a little scatterbrained.
1st Jamie and I got a new pup! After Precious was killed I had decided I would wait a long time before getting a new animal, but when I saw a pic of the baby girl that is now ours I just couldn't resist making sure she became mine! Her name is Nymeria and she is a wolf hybrid. She's 80% wolf and 20% malmute (although after thinking about it I'm not quite sure how those percentages work). I'll post a seperate blog with pics about her soon. :)
We still haven't decided where we will be going, but it is now 100% definite that Jamie and I will be going on an official honeymoon for our 2 year anniversary in Feburary! Honestly at this point I don't care where we go as long as we're together and completely ALONE for a week!
I've been working on some life-changing decisions recently, and while some of them have been hard, I really think they need to be made. The 1st one might be the hardest. I've decided to push back the wedding and event planning dream for now and focus on fixing the inconsistancies in my life so I can become a new and improved me. I'm really hoping to pursue this through the Life business Katy and I are in. If any business (and business partners) can help me acheive the goals and dreams I have set for myself its this one. And I already feel alot more confident just by attending our meetings and opening my mind up to learning how to fix the things I struggle with in my life. I'm not going to jinx myself by saying too much about Life until I'm in a good spot to share more about the business (but I can tell you its definitely something that can change your life, and most people don't think of jobs in that fashion...they look at them as something that drains you of life! lol) I've also decided to take a leap of faith and apply for a job that I don't know if I'm cut out for, but that I feel like its been laid on my heart to pursue. I don't want to say anything else about this job either because I REALLY don't want to jinx my chance at it! I will however say that if I get it I will be working for a place that I love, and I would be given a chance to make a difference in the lives of others as well as my community. Those are two things that are extremely important to me. Plus I would be able to keep my job as a KJ which is something I have a blast doing, and I could still setup my Ray of Sonshine table at different crafting events.
I've also decided I'd really love to start up a youth group like the one I took part in for 3 years after high school. DCYC was life-changing for alot of Davie county's youth, and I will never forget the bonds made and the changes it made in my life. Sadly I don't think there's anything like that in Davie for our youth anymore, and that really saddens me because they need something to keep them out of trouble AND to teach them about Jesus in a way that makes them actually want to care and form a relationship with Christ. I know this goal will be the biggest struggle, because even if I can get some people on board who have the time and the passion to create something like DCYC it will take alot of work actually creating, getting the word out, and money to start up the group. DCYC was a group made up of teens from about 12 different churches in Davie and had about 5-6 different chaperones including the 3 main leaders who organized our events and travels, casted the plays we did, and taught us the music and cherography. Even as a teen who just loved getting to travel and do shows with friends; I knew there had to be alot of work done to make DCYC what it was. Right now I'm just a girl with a dream who has all the time and passion, but NO resources or funds to turn this into a reality.
So if all things stay in motion 2013 looks to be a promising and busy year! I'm also hoping we'll have a baby next year, but that one is still up for negotiation with Jamie. ;p
1st Jamie and I got a new pup! After Precious was killed I had decided I would wait a long time before getting a new animal, but when I saw a pic of the baby girl that is now ours I just couldn't resist making sure she became mine! Her name is Nymeria and she is a wolf hybrid. She's 80% wolf and 20% malmute (although after thinking about it I'm not quite sure how those percentages work). I'll post a seperate blog with pics about her soon. :)
We still haven't decided where we will be going, but it is now 100% definite that Jamie and I will be going on an official honeymoon for our 2 year anniversary in Feburary! Honestly at this point I don't care where we go as long as we're together and completely ALONE for a week!
I've been working on some life-changing decisions recently, and while some of them have been hard, I really think they need to be made. The 1st one might be the hardest. I've decided to push back the wedding and event planning dream for now and focus on fixing the inconsistancies in my life so I can become a new and improved me. I'm really hoping to pursue this through the Life business Katy and I are in. If any business (and business partners) can help me acheive the goals and dreams I have set for myself its this one. And I already feel alot more confident just by attending our meetings and opening my mind up to learning how to fix the things I struggle with in my life. I'm not going to jinx myself by saying too much about Life until I'm in a good spot to share more about the business (but I can tell you its definitely something that can change your life, and most people don't think of jobs in that fashion...they look at them as something that drains you of life! lol) I've also decided to take a leap of faith and apply for a job that I don't know if I'm cut out for, but that I feel like its been laid on my heart to pursue. I don't want to say anything else about this job either because I REALLY don't want to jinx my chance at it! I will however say that if I get it I will be working for a place that I love, and I would be given a chance to make a difference in the lives of others as well as my community. Those are two things that are extremely important to me. Plus I would be able to keep my job as a KJ which is something I have a blast doing, and I could still setup my Ray of Sonshine table at different crafting events.
I've also decided I'd really love to start up a youth group like the one I took part in for 3 years after high school. DCYC was life-changing for alot of Davie county's youth, and I will never forget the bonds made and the changes it made in my life. Sadly I don't think there's anything like that in Davie for our youth anymore, and that really saddens me because they need something to keep them out of trouble AND to teach them about Jesus in a way that makes them actually want to care and form a relationship with Christ. I know this goal will be the biggest struggle, because even if I can get some people on board who have the time and the passion to create something like DCYC it will take alot of work actually creating, getting the word out, and money to start up the group. DCYC was a group made up of teens from about 12 different churches in Davie and had about 5-6 different chaperones including the 3 main leaders who organized our events and travels, casted the plays we did, and taught us the music and cherography. Even as a teen who just loved getting to travel and do shows with friends; I knew there had to be alot of work done to make DCYC what it was. Right now I'm just a girl with a dream who has all the time and passion, but NO resources or funds to turn this into a reality.
So if all things stay in motion 2013 looks to be a promising and busy year! I'm also hoping we'll have a baby next year, but that one is still up for negotiation with Jamie. ;p
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Secret songs for God
I happened to come across an article today that not only interested me, but made me stop and think. In the past its been a fun hobby of mine to take songs I listen to and change them up to become worship songs. The article (posted below) is of 10 regular songs that might have double meanings (Godly and worldly). Do you agree with the writer that these songs could actually be about God (or what God wants us to hear)? Can you think of any other songs that might be about Our Heavenly father?
The "This Is Too Easy Because I Already Imagine God Singing Them To Me" Division
10. OneDirection -- "What Makes You Beautiful"
Best Line: "You don't know you're beautiful. If only you saw what I can see..."
I really don't like OneDirection, and this song seems both too sappy and manufactured for pre-teen girls. That said, I can't fight a good message, and this is one we simply cannot hear enough. We are loved into being by God, and yet we can hate ourselves for our flaws. If only we could see what God can see, we'd know that we actually are beautiful. *When you look at the song in this context it gives it a deeper meaning and it doesn't seem so sappy.
9. Drake ft. Rihanna -- "Take Care"
Best Line: "I know you've been hurt by someone else. If you let me, here's what I'll do: I'll take care of you. When you're ready, just say you're ready."
Understatement of the year alert: not all of Rihanna's songs are easy to pray with. But I have to admit that a few of her songs lend themselves to ruminating on messages I have to think God wants us to internalize. Because we have been hurt. We have built walls to protect ourselves. Without coercing us God simply whispers, "You are precious; you are mine. Just say you're ready and let yourself be loved by me." *It's hard for me to look at this song in a Christian aspect simply because of the line "It's my birthday I'll get high if I want to, can't deny that I want you but I'll lie if I have to." Don't you agree?
The "Did They Steal That Line From Scripture? No, Really, Did They?" Division
8.vTaylor Swift -- "Eyes Open"
Best Line: "The night goes dark. Keep your eyes open. Everybody's waiting for you to break down. Everybody's watching to see the fallout. Even when you're sleeping, keep your eyes open."
Was Taylor meditating on the Gospel of Matthew while singing this song for the "Hunger Games" soundtrack? Because she sounds an awful lot like Matthew 25:13, "stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
Taylor also might be discovering Ignatian spirituality, because there are some odd parallels between her admonitions about what to do when "the night goes dark" and Ignatius' instructions for what to do when we're in desolation and feel far from God. Whenever we're immersed in desolation and tempted to give up on God, that is exactly the time to "keep [our] eyes open" and to fight such a temptation. *I'm pretty sure this song was written specifically for the Hunger Games soundtrack and meant to go along with the theme of the books, but I like looking at it from the Gospel of Matthew perspective.
7. Fun. -- "We Are Young"
Best Line: "Tonight we are young, so let's set the world on fire. We can burn brighter than the sun."
I sure as heck hope there is some sort of Gospel message in this song considering that I (and the rest of the country) have spend the last few months having these words tattooed onto our ear drums. Fortunately, I think there is. Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount, "You are the light of the world ... Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father" (Matthew 5:14-16). Ignatius thought this was so important that, legend has it, they were the last words he ever spoke to his close friend (and fellow saint) Francis Xavier as Xavier was leaving for the Indies. "Ite inflammate omnia," Ignatius is to have said, or, "Go, and set the world on fire."
Let's have some Fun. setting the world on fire. *This is another one that's kind of hard for me to think of as being a "Gospel centered song", but who knows?
6. Katy Perry -- "Firework"
Best Line: "'Cause baby you're a firework. Come on, show 'em what you're worth. Make 'em go oh oh oh as you shoot across the sky. ...You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine. Just own the night like the 4th of July."
While Katy has strayed far from her Christian music beginnings, she nails this Gospel message even better than Fun. If Jesus were around today, he likely would not talk about covering one's light under a bushelbasket but instead "own[ing] the night like the 4th of July" for your heavenly Father. *Seeing how the Jkidz performed this song with Pastors Austin and Matt during the Jkidz takeover I REALLY love the idea of it being a song about shining our lights for God!
The "Unintentional Catechesis" Division
5. Rebecca Black -- "Friday"
Best Line: "It's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday. Partyin', partyin' (yeah!), partyin', partyin', (yeah!), fun, fun, fun, fun, lookin' forward to the weekend. We, we, we, we so excited. We so excited. We gonna have a ball today."
OK, OK, I know saying that "Friday," arguably one of the most hated songs ever created, helps explain part of the faith is a bit of a stretch, but hear me out. And, no, I'm not going to say that listening to this song makes me miserable thereby putting me in a space to pray with Good Friday. That would just be cruel.
Nope, this was yet another of the songs that got lodged in my mind during that recent retreat. While I was initially agitated that a song with lyrics as profound as "we, we, we so excited" was distracting me from trying to pray with the Resurrection, I baptized it, turning Rebecca Black into an aid to prayer. "It's Easter, Easter, gotta get down on Easter" I found myself singing (hopefully, for the sake of my fellow retreatants, not too audibly).
But wait, the possibilities for Rebecca-angelism don't end here! If we change it to Sunday, can you think of another pop song that better illustrates the importance of the sabbath? Thanks to Rebecca, now "I, I, I, I so excited" for the Lord's Day. *Umm.....
4. Hanson -- "MMMBop"
Best Line: "MMMBop... It's a secret no one knows. Can you tell me? Oh no you can't 'cause you don't know. Oh yeah you say you can but you don't know."
Since the age of 12 the question has haunted me: What on earth is an mmmbop?! Finally, after yet another "Well, the Trinity is a mystery" homily on Trinity Sunday, I thought, "That's it! What if they were singing about an Mmmystery!" We can write books -- or songs -- about the Trinity. And yet on some level, Hansen will always be right, we just don't know.
As if tackling the mystery of the Trinity wasn't enough, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac seem steeped in Scripture and full of wisdom for those in ministry. They sing:
Hansen, like Paul and Apollos before them, know that no matter how hard we work ultimately God causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). I certainly am never sure whether my efforts will produce anything good, all I can do is keep planting and trust that I'll eventually discover what has grown. *I REALLY hope this is the meaning behind the song!
3. Rihanna -- "We Found Love"
Best Line: "We found love in a hopeless place. We found love in a hopeless place."
Christians do the impossible: see a dead man hanging on a wooden beam and call it love. We find the depth of God's love for us in one of the cruelest ways humanity has figured out how to kill each other. We have found love in a hopeless place, indeed. *Even if this isn't the meaning behind this song it is a great way to look at it whenever you hear it on the radio.
The "This One's Got It All" Division
2. Adele -- "Make You Feel My Love"
Best Line: "I can offer you a warm embrace / To make you feel my love. When there is no one there to dry your tears / I could hold you for a million years / To make you feel my love. / I know you haven't made your mind up yet / but I would never do you wrong. / Go to the end of the earth for you / To make you feel my love."
I know this is a Bob Dylan original, and I'm admittedly tired of the overwhelming amount of Adele on the air, but there's no denying that this is a wonderful song to pray with. Seriously, pull it up on your browser and imagine God is singing to you for four minutes and seven glorious seconds.
Almost every retreat director I've ever had has started off the retreat by inviting me to pray with Psalm 139, but maybe they should have just asked me to listen to Adele. "Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there... Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me" (Psalm 139 7-10). God will go even to the end of the earth to offer us the kind of warm embrace that can make us feel God's love. *<3!!!
1. Whitney Houston (R.I.P.) -- "I Will Always Love You"
Best Line: "If I should stay, I would only be in your way. I hope you have all you've dreamed of. And I wish to you joy and happiness. But above all this, I wish you love."
Just like No. 2, Whitney's "I Will Always Love You" is actually a cover (this one's actually a Dolly Parton original). But honestly, can anyone top Whitney? That note in "I Will Always Love You" -- you know, that note, the epitome of a money note -- is perhaps one of the closest experiences to the beatific vision we have in this earthly life. Whitney is one of those performers whose life didn't always match the transcendence of her talent, and after she died, there was much discussion. But that note always sounds to me like it came right out of the brokenness of her life.
More than just an experience of beauty, notes like that describe God and God's love, they describe the Jesus who wishes for his joy to "be in you that your joy may be complete" (John 15:11). God offers us unconditional love while giving us the freedom to respond to this offer of love however we will.
And with YouTube at our fingertips we've got even more freedom to experience The Note -- or any of your other favorite songs that might (secretly) be about God. *No arguments here! R.I.P Whitney
So what do you think? Are these songs really songs about God and the Gospel? What do you think about the author's points?
The "This Is Too Easy Because I Already Imagine God Singing Them To Me" Division
10. OneDirection -- "What Makes You Beautiful"
Best Line: "You don't know you're beautiful. If only you saw what I can see..."
I really don't like OneDirection, and this song seems both too sappy and manufactured for pre-teen girls. That said, I can't fight a good message, and this is one we simply cannot hear enough. We are loved into being by God, and yet we can hate ourselves for our flaws. If only we could see what God can see, we'd know that we actually are beautiful. *When you look at the song in this context it gives it a deeper meaning and it doesn't seem so sappy.
9. Drake ft. Rihanna -- "Take Care"
Best Line: "I know you've been hurt by someone else. If you let me, here's what I'll do: I'll take care of you. When you're ready, just say you're ready."
Understatement of the year alert: not all of Rihanna's songs are easy to pray with. But I have to admit that a few of her songs lend themselves to ruminating on messages I have to think God wants us to internalize. Because we have been hurt. We have built walls to protect ourselves. Without coercing us God simply whispers, "You are precious; you are mine. Just say you're ready and let yourself be loved by me." *It's hard for me to look at this song in a Christian aspect simply because of the line "It's my birthday I'll get high if I want to, can't deny that I want you but I'll lie if I have to." Don't you agree?
The "Did They Steal That Line From Scripture? No, Really, Did They?" Division
8.vTaylor Swift -- "Eyes Open"
Best Line: "The night goes dark. Keep your eyes open. Everybody's waiting for you to break down. Everybody's watching to see the fallout. Even when you're sleeping, keep your eyes open."
Was Taylor meditating on the Gospel of Matthew while singing this song for the "Hunger Games" soundtrack? Because she sounds an awful lot like Matthew 25:13, "stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
Taylor also might be discovering Ignatian spirituality, because there are some odd parallels between her admonitions about what to do when "the night goes dark" and Ignatius' instructions for what to do when we're in desolation and feel far from God. Whenever we're immersed in desolation and tempted to give up on God, that is exactly the time to "keep [our] eyes open" and to fight such a temptation. *I'm pretty sure this song was written specifically for the Hunger Games soundtrack and meant to go along with the theme of the books, but I like looking at it from the Gospel of Matthew perspective.
7. Fun. -- "We Are Young"
Best Line: "Tonight we are young, so let's set the world on fire. We can burn brighter than the sun."
I sure as heck hope there is some sort of Gospel message in this song considering that I (and the rest of the country) have spend the last few months having these words tattooed onto our ear drums. Fortunately, I think there is. Jesus tells us in the Sermon on the Mount, "You are the light of the world ... Your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father" (Matthew 5:14-16). Ignatius thought this was so important that, legend has it, they were the last words he ever spoke to his close friend (and fellow saint) Francis Xavier as Xavier was leaving for the Indies. "Ite inflammate omnia," Ignatius is to have said, or, "Go, and set the world on fire."
Let's have some Fun. setting the world on fire. *This is another one that's kind of hard for me to think of as being a "Gospel centered song", but who knows?
6. Katy Perry -- "Firework"
Best Line: "'Cause baby you're a firework. Come on, show 'em what you're worth. Make 'em go oh oh oh as you shoot across the sky. ...You just gotta ignite the light and let it shine. Just own the night like the 4th of July."
While Katy has strayed far from her Christian music beginnings, she nails this Gospel message even better than Fun. If Jesus were around today, he likely would not talk about covering one's light under a bushelbasket but instead "own[ing] the night like the 4th of July" for your heavenly Father. *Seeing how the Jkidz performed this song with Pastors Austin and Matt during the Jkidz takeover I REALLY love the idea of it being a song about shining our lights for God!
The "Unintentional Catechesis" Division
5. Rebecca Black -- "Friday"
Best Line: "It's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday. Partyin', partyin' (yeah!), partyin', partyin', (yeah!), fun, fun, fun, fun, lookin' forward to the weekend. We, we, we, we so excited. We so excited. We gonna have a ball today."
OK, OK, I know saying that "Friday," arguably one of the most hated songs ever created, helps explain part of the faith is a bit of a stretch, but hear me out. And, no, I'm not going to say that listening to this song makes me miserable thereby putting me in a space to pray with Good Friday. That would just be cruel.
Nope, this was yet another of the songs that got lodged in my mind during that recent retreat. While I was initially agitated that a song with lyrics as profound as "we, we, we so excited" was distracting me from trying to pray with the Resurrection, I baptized it, turning Rebecca Black into an aid to prayer. "It's Easter, Easter, gotta get down on Easter" I found myself singing (hopefully, for the sake of my fellow retreatants, not too audibly).
But wait, the possibilities for Rebecca-angelism don't end here! If we change it to Sunday, can you think of another pop song that better illustrates the importance of the sabbath? Thanks to Rebecca, now "I, I, I, I so excited" for the Lord's Day. *Umm.....
4. Hanson -- "MMMBop"
Best Line: "MMMBop... It's a secret no one knows. Can you tell me? Oh no you can't 'cause you don't know. Oh yeah you say you can but you don't know."
Since the age of 12 the question has haunted me: What on earth is an mmmbop?! Finally, after yet another "Well, the Trinity is a mystery" homily on Trinity Sunday, I thought, "That's it! What if they were singing about an Mmmystery!" We can write books -- or songs -- about the Trinity. And yet on some level, Hansen will always be right, we just don't know.
As if tackling the mystery of the Trinity wasn't enough, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac seem steeped in Scripture and full of wisdom for those in ministry. They sing:
Plant a seed, plant a flower, plant a rose
you can plant any one of those.
Can you tell me oh which flower's going to grow?
No you can't 'cause you don't know.
Keep planting to find out which one grows.
Hansen, like Paul and Apollos before them, know that no matter how hard we work ultimately God causes the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6-7). I certainly am never sure whether my efforts will produce anything good, all I can do is keep planting and trust that I'll eventually discover what has grown. *I REALLY hope this is the meaning behind the song!
3. Rihanna -- "We Found Love"
Best Line: "We found love in a hopeless place. We found love in a hopeless place."
Christians do the impossible: see a dead man hanging on a wooden beam and call it love. We find the depth of God's love for us in one of the cruelest ways humanity has figured out how to kill each other. We have found love in a hopeless place, indeed. *Even if this isn't the meaning behind this song it is a great way to look at it whenever you hear it on the radio.
The "This One's Got It All" Division
2. Adele -- "Make You Feel My Love"
Best Line: "I can offer you a warm embrace / To make you feel my love. When there is no one there to dry your tears / I could hold you for a million years / To make you feel my love. / I know you haven't made your mind up yet / but I would never do you wrong. / Go to the end of the earth for you / To make you feel my love."
I know this is a Bob Dylan original, and I'm admittedly tired of the overwhelming amount of Adele on the air, but there's no denying that this is a wonderful song to pray with. Seriously, pull it up on your browser and imagine God is singing to you for four minutes and seven glorious seconds.
Almost every retreat director I've ever had has started off the retreat by inviting me to pray with Psalm 139, but maybe they should have just asked me to listen to Adele. "Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee? If I ascend to the heavens, you are there... Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me" (Psalm 139 7-10). God will go even to the end of the earth to offer us the kind of warm embrace that can make us feel God's love. *<3!!!
1. Whitney Houston (R.I.P.) -- "I Will Always Love You"
Best Line: "If I should stay, I would only be in your way. I hope you have all you've dreamed of. And I wish to you joy and happiness. But above all this, I wish you love."
Just like No. 2, Whitney's "I Will Always Love You" is actually a cover (this one's actually a Dolly Parton original). But honestly, can anyone top Whitney? That note in "I Will Always Love You" -- you know, that note, the epitome of a money note -- is perhaps one of the closest experiences to the beatific vision we have in this earthly life. Whitney is one of those performers whose life didn't always match the transcendence of her talent, and after she died, there was much discussion. But that note always sounds to me like it came right out of the brokenness of her life.
More than just an experience of beauty, notes like that describe God and God's love, they describe the Jesus who wishes for his joy to "be in you that your joy may be complete" (John 15:11). God offers us unconditional love while giving us the freedom to respond to this offer of love however we will.
And with YouTube at our fingertips we've got even more freedom to experience The Note -- or any of your other favorite songs that might (secretly) be about God. *No arguments here! R.I.P Whitney
So what do you think? Are these songs really songs about God and the Gospel? What do you think about the author's points?
Sunday, July 8, 2012
R.I.P Precious
My sweet pomeranian joined the rest of our former pets in "animal heaven" today. Needless to say its been a pretty tough day for me. I was lucky enough to not get the news until after church this morning....I was dropping my nephew Christian back off to my sister and she came out and told me she had something to tell me. At first things didn't sink in when she said, "Precious is dead" because her tone didn't match the news she was springing on me. Then she went on to tell me that when Dj (her husband) went to check on her and feed her this morning he found her dead in her kennel. He also found a baby copperhead (also dead) in her kennel, so one can only assume she got bitten by the snake and in return killed it. All I can say right now is I hope that rotten snake's death was slower and more painful then her's. It still took several minutes for what she was saying before it all sunk in and that's when the tears came pouring like the floodgates had just been opened. This sucks for various reasons...1. I was on the way to lunch with my friend Meridith whom I hadn't seen since her wedding in April. 2. Obviously I was driving when the tears really started flowing which is dangerous for EVERYONE on the road. 3. When I left a voicemail for my husband Jamie I was so hysterical that he couldn't understand me, so he called back freaking out thinking I had wrecked or that something happened to Christian after church. (The only words in my message he heard clearly were Christian and dead....not a good combo!!)
Overall I was able to stay sane today. I didn't cancel out on lunch with Meridith and I'm so glad because she is a total sweetheart and made me feel better. She also helped me clear my mind for awhile while we caught up on all the positives of my life and ate an amazing lunch at Newk's (although I ended up bringing the majority of my lunch home and finishing it here because I was talking too much to actually eat). Then I came back to my dad's and had an interesting time while laughing at his expense (lol he told me he'd kill me if I post what was making me laugh so I can't post it). So as you can see...life goes on. But if you're an animal lover like me you can definitely understand the ups and downs I'm feeling today while trying to get a grasp on what happened to my dear sweet baby.
R.I.P sweet Precious
Anyone who has ever had an animal that has become part of their family can understand what I'm going through...it really feels like you're losing a child or other beloved family member. :(
Precious was hands down the most hyper out of any of the dogs I've had in the past, and that is saying something!! I would often joke that she must think that she is descended from kangaroos because she loved to jump....and boy could she jump HIGH!!! I kid you not when I say that she almost jumped up to my shoulder once...and that was when I was standing!! I got her from a woman who had rescued her from an abusive home. The guy who had owned her kept her tied up in his backyard and would go out every morning and kick and hit her. Don't even get me started on how I feel about this guy!! Because of this abuse she was very scared and skiddish of any guy she didn't know. The night I brought her home she HATED my dad and brother, and when I introduced her to Jamie she didn't like him either. Lol I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual at 1st...he couldn't stand her and all her yapping! By the end of the first night he had her bribed into loving him though (he gave her half of his BK burger lol). She was always full of life...hyper, LOUD, friendly, and very loving.
Now I have to admit the one thing that will haunt me for quite sometime about her passing. I feel awful as her "mommy" because I didn't spend nearly enough time with her. Because of the living conditions at our house (its very small and cramped with all of our things and some of my dad's and brother's things that haven't been moved out yet), and the fact we don't have much of a backyard at the moment (tornado damage from 4 yrs ago) she was being kept down at my grandmother's in the garage. Because of the fact that she was being kept there Dj was normally the one feeding her (they have 3 dogs of their own so they all get fed at once). The last time I actually spent some real one on one mommy-to-puppy time with her was back in late spring when I took her to the park and walked her and let her play. Besides that our time together was me walking to the garage and saying hi to her and petting her, or taking her out at my grandma's and letting her run in the backyard. I'm sure she didn't feel neglected because there was a house full of people there feeding her and taking care of her, but I definitely feel like I was neglecting my time as her owner. :(
Once I had a "friendly arguement" with two of my friends over if animals have souls (my defense...."Animals have feelings too!!"....meaning how could they not have souls since they show different emotions just like humans?). If I'm right and animals DO have souls I can only hope that Precious is amoung those waiting for me in Heaven and when I go home to be with her she will have all my love and attention. Until then maybe she can play fetch with Jesus! (Don't hate on me for having that 5yr old mindset on this subject...you know you want your pets to play ball with the J man too!!)
So until we meet again...R.I.P sweet Precious! <3
~Shay~
Overall I was able to stay sane today. I didn't cancel out on lunch with Meridith and I'm so glad because she is a total sweetheart and made me feel better. She also helped me clear my mind for awhile while we caught up on all the positives of my life and ate an amazing lunch at Newk's (although I ended up bringing the majority of my lunch home and finishing it here because I was talking too much to actually eat). Then I came back to my dad's and had an interesting time while laughing at his expense (lol he told me he'd kill me if I post what was making me laugh so I can't post it). So as you can see...life goes on. But if you're an animal lover like me you can definitely understand the ups and downs I'm feeling today while trying to get a grasp on what happened to my dear sweet baby.
R.I.P sweet Precious
Precious was hands down the most hyper out of any of the dogs I've had in the past, and that is saying something!! I would often joke that she must think that she is descended from kangaroos because she loved to jump....and boy could she jump HIGH!!! I kid you not when I say that she almost jumped up to my shoulder once...and that was when I was standing!! I got her from a woman who had rescued her from an abusive home. The guy who had owned her kept her tied up in his backyard and would go out every morning and kick and hit her. Don't even get me started on how I feel about this guy!! Because of this abuse she was very scared and skiddish of any guy she didn't know. The night I brought her home she HATED my dad and brother, and when I introduced her to Jamie she didn't like him either. Lol I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual at 1st...he couldn't stand her and all her yapping! By the end of the first night he had her bribed into loving him though (he gave her half of his BK burger lol). She was always full of life...hyper, LOUD, friendly, and very loving.
Now I have to admit the one thing that will haunt me for quite sometime about her passing. I feel awful as her "mommy" because I didn't spend nearly enough time with her. Because of the living conditions at our house (its very small and cramped with all of our things and some of my dad's and brother's things that haven't been moved out yet), and the fact we don't have much of a backyard at the moment (tornado damage from 4 yrs ago) she was being kept down at my grandmother's in the garage. Because of the fact that she was being kept there Dj was normally the one feeding her (they have 3 dogs of their own so they all get fed at once). The last time I actually spent some real one on one mommy-to-puppy time with her was back in late spring when I took her to the park and walked her and let her play. Besides that our time together was me walking to the garage and saying hi to her and petting her, or taking her out at my grandma's and letting her run in the backyard. I'm sure she didn't feel neglected because there was a house full of people there feeding her and taking care of her, but I definitely feel like I was neglecting my time as her owner. :(
Once I had a "friendly arguement" with two of my friends over if animals have souls (my defense...."Animals have feelings too!!"....meaning how could they not have souls since they show different emotions just like humans?). If I'm right and animals DO have souls I can only hope that Precious is amoung those waiting for me in Heaven and when I go home to be with her she will have all my love and attention. Until then maybe she can play fetch with Jesus! (Don't hate on me for having that 5yr old mindset on this subject...you know you want your pets to play ball with the J man too!!)
So until we meet again...R.I.P sweet Precious! <3
~Shay~
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Jkidz takeover
This post is a bit overdue...last Sunday at Journey we kicked off our Summer series with another Jkidz takeover. I'll never forget my 1st summer/Jkid takeover at Journey....the kids and Jkid staff/volunteers amazed me with their songs and skits! I was honored and thrilled that my oldest nephew Christian got to be part of the video they showed the morning of the takeover (and a few days beforehand on facebook and twitter) and he also got to be on stage performing with our Pastors, the band, and some other awesome Jkidz. Here are some of the pics from this year's takeover, and if I can ever get the video I took on my phone to upload I'll post it as well!
Pasor Austin, our band, and Pastor Matt performing Firework (yep by Katy Perry!) with some of the older Jkidz.
Pastor Matt rocking it!
There's my little Jkid nephew! I'm so proud of him and how much he's grown this year!
I've had this song stuck in my head since the takeover....LOVE IT!!
My best friend Katy's son Drew was mimicking all of Pator Austin's moves, it was the cutest thing ever!
Pasor Austin, our band, and Pastor Matt performing Firework (yep by Katy Perry!) with some of the older Jkidz.
Making sure the Jkidz remember their movements...
Since I don't have a Vimeo I can't get it to let me post the video shown Sunday morning, but if you go to Vimeo and search for Jkidz takeover you can see it or search for it on my fb page. It's really cute and my car even makes a small cameo.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Vacation Bucket list
Since my wonderful husband never went on a real vacation before we started dating, I thought it might be fun to create a vacation bucket list of places we'd like to go. Being someone who LOVES to travel I know I'll be the main one to make our list, but the important part will be that we go to these places together. I haven't fully ran this idea by him yet, but since I found out that he was planning on trying to surprise me with a vacation sometime in the near future, I'm pretty sure he'll like the idea. I don't have alot of places for our list yet, but I'm going to share them with you anyway. If you have any places you think we should add to the list please feel free to share. :)
1. Disneyworld- ok we can already mark this one off! Jamie and I already went there the 1st year we dated. In fact, we were there for my birthday AND we got engaged there!! But Disney is amazing, and its a place I know we both can't get enough of. Hopefully its a place we'll travel to once or twice with our kiddies (once we start a family that is!)
2. Discovery Cove
As long as our finances allow it...we will be going here for our 2 year anniversary next year!! I happened to come across Discovery Cove on Facebook through my newsfeed, and I automatically knew it was a place I HAD to go to. They have all kinds of sea and wildlife, you can chill in your own personal cabana while being served breakfast, lunch, and all the snacks you can eat, you also get to take a tour through the private aviary and feed the birds, go snorkeling, get a lesson with the trainers, a private photo shoot with two of the dolphins, AND....
swim with the dolphins!! This is something I have wanted to do for years!! The only slight downside...Jamie doesn't know how to swim. But we're staying positive that he can either learn before the trip, or that he can wear a lifevest and at least participate in the training and swimming with dolphins part of the day along with all the inland activities of course! I'll be excited if we can mark this off the list in Feburary next year!! :-)
3. New York City
Ok, anyone who knows me should know why I want to visit NYC...one word...Broadway!! As a singer/actress how could I not want to go to NYC and see at least one show on Broadway?! This trip might take a little convincing on Jamie though...he hates cities...and crowds!! But now that I've turned him into a Gleek maybe I can convince him we need to go and see the places they filmed during season 2 (and the last episode of 3).
4. Costa Rica
I have to be honest about something....I probably wouldn't have developed an interest in Costa Rica if it wasn't for the 1st season of Love In The Wild. But after getting to see different parts of Costa Rica, who wouldn't want to visit at least once? Jamie is all for this vacation...we both just have to get over our fear of flying!! This trip might also become a reality sometime this year or next if I get into the Life business and commit my time to it. (They send people on vacations once every 6 months for your 1st year and a half!)
5. Universal Studios
This has to be the next on our list as far as amusment parks! We are both amusement park nuts, and I couldn't think of a better place to go then Universal!! I've seen the rides...they look amazing! And now that they've added the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, how can we not make a trip?!
6. Australia
I've never been, but I have a feeling I'd LOVE the down under!! This is another trip Jamie and I would have to get over the fear of flying though. But I'd love to visit Sydney Harbor, and see kangaroos and koalas up close and personal.
7. Six Flags
This is another on the "must go's" for amusement parks. The closest one to us is Atlanta, making it a definite for us. :-)
8.Paris
Yet another place we'd have to fly but seeing the Eiffel tower in person would make it worth the journey!!
9. Hawaii- ok with this one we'd have two options as far as getting there. One we could fly (yawn) OR we could take a road trip through the US and end up in Cali then take a boat to the islands. So far I LOVE the sound of option 2!!
10. Last but not least, how could mention California without adding:
Disneyland!! They have different rides and attractions from Disneyworld, so it would definitely be worth the trip for us. And while in Cali, we could visit LA, see the Hollywood sign, travel down Santa Monica blvd, and visit San Francisco.
Any suggestions of more places for us to add?
1.
3. New York City
4. Costa Rica
5. Universal Studios
6. Australia
7. Six Flags
8.Paris
9. Hawaii- ok with this one we'd have two options as far as getting there. One we could fly (yawn) OR we could take a road trip through the US and end up in Cali then take a boat to the islands. So far I LOVE the sound of option 2!!
Any suggestions of more places for us to add?
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Sexperiment
A few weeks ago my Pastor introduced a series to our church called Sexperiment. I know what most of you are thinking...What kind of church are you going to?? What in the world is "Sexperiment"?? Well let me tell you something... this series has changed my opinion of sex FOREVER!! During the series we even had the honor to hear Lauren, our Pastor's wife preach a few times. She was magnificant, I'm pretty sure the advice she and Matt had for the married couples of our church will change us all for the better. As someone who's marriage is FAR from perfect I'd like to say that learning about sex in church of all places has lead to several discussions that will undoubtedly change us for the better over time, and I'd like to take the time to share why...
First off let me explain a little about what the Sexperiment series was, and about the 7-day challenge that was issued starting this past Sunday. The series was a 4 week series all about sex...how society has changed sex for the worse, and how important sex is for married couples. During week one of the series Pastor Matt told us that on average most married couples only have sex 3-4 times a month. That's only once per week!! And if I can get completely candid for a moment I'll admit that my husband and I currently fall into that group of couples, and its something I'm not happy with. Did you know that sex is not only one of the greatest gifts from God, but when done with your husband/wife it and in the right context it can be one of the most natural and beautiful ways to worship our Heavenly Father? I'm not going to lie, until this series God would be the last thing on my mind during sex, and if He did come across my mind I would feel odd and honestly somewhat sinful. Matt and Lauren also gave us "homework" to do during each week, along with a bunch of tips on what the wives should do for their husbands and vice versa, along with what our roles in marriage are (Ephesians 5). Now on to the challenge...all of the married couples at Journey were challenged to have sex for 7 days straight! Once again you're probably wondering, "What kind of church do you go to?!" My answer: Only the Godliest, weirdest, most AWESOME church in history! Below is a link to one of the sermons during the series, if you're married you should take time to listen and learn why its ok to get "rowdy" in the bedroom, and if you're single you should take a listen and learn why its well worth the wait! I highly encourage you to go to www.thejourney.info and listen to the rest of the series as well!
http://thejourney.info/FAITHNETWORK_USERFILESTORE/audiolibraries/ministries/f1e45b8e-3515-4139-8cb3-568b3af0a395/mp3/06.10.12Sexperiment915.mp3
I'd like to close out the blog with some scriptures about sex and marriage. I know this is probably the...umm...weirdest blog I've ever written, but I hope it inspires other married couples to grow even closer with eachother and God in the same way it has encouraged me to want to be closer to my husband.
(Proverbs 5:15-19) Drink water from your own well—share your love only with your wife. Why spill the water of your springs in public, having sex with just anyone? You should reserve it for yourselves. Don't share it with strangers. Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is a loving doe, a graceful deer. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.
(1 Corinthians 7:2-5) But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
~Shay~
First off let me explain a little about what the Sexperiment series was, and about the 7-day challenge that was issued starting this past Sunday. The series was a 4 week series all about sex...how society has changed sex for the worse, and how important sex is for married couples. During week one of the series Pastor Matt told us that on average most married couples only have sex 3-4 times a month. That's only once per week!! And if I can get completely candid for a moment I'll admit that my husband and I currently fall into that group of couples, and its something I'm not happy with. Did you know that sex is not only one of the greatest gifts from God, but when done with your husband/wife it and in the right context it can be one of the most natural and beautiful ways to worship our Heavenly Father? I'm not going to lie, until this series God would be the last thing on my mind during sex, and if He did come across my mind I would feel odd and honestly somewhat sinful. Matt and Lauren also gave us "homework" to do during each week, along with a bunch of tips on what the wives should do for their husbands and vice versa, along with what our roles in marriage are (Ephesians 5). Now on to the challenge...all of the married couples at Journey were challenged to have sex for 7 days straight! Once again you're probably wondering, "What kind of church do you go to?!" My answer: Only the Godliest, weirdest, most AWESOME church in history! Below is a link to one of the sermons during the series, if you're married you should take time to listen and learn why its ok to get "rowdy" in the bedroom, and if you're single you should take a listen and learn why its well worth the wait! I highly encourage you to go to www.thejourney.info and listen to the rest of the series as well!
http://thejourney.info/FAITHNETWORK_USERFILESTORE/audiolibraries/ministries/f1e45b8e-3515-4139-8cb3-568b3af0a395/mp3/06.10.12Sexperiment915.mp3
I'd like to close out the blog with some scriptures about sex and marriage. I know this is probably the...umm...weirdest blog I've ever written, but I hope it inspires other married couples to grow even closer with eachother and God in the same way it has encouraged me to want to be closer to my husband.
(Proverbs 5:15-19) Drink water from your own well—share your love only with your wife. Why spill the water of your springs in public, having sex with just anyone? You should reserve it for yourselves. Don't share it with strangers. Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. She is a loving doe, a graceful deer. Let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love.
(1 Corinthians 7:2-5) But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
~Shay~
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Growing up
Last Thursday my younger brother Sam graduated from Pinebrook Elementary. I can't believe he's growing up so fast! Not only did he graduate....but he did it in style by earning SIX awards during the graduation/awards ceremony! In his honor I decided to dedicate a posting full of pictures from his big day and decked out in Pinebrook colors, green and orange. :-) So enjoy Sam...this blog's for you!!
This is a collage of Sam's baby pics they showed during the ceremony. The lighting in the gym is horrible for someone like me with an older camera, but I promise you his baby pics are adorable!
Some of the 4th graders accepting their awards.
Sam is in the front row wearing a blue and black striped shirt...I'm still SOOOO proud of him!
Accepting more awards...
This is a collage of Sam's baby pics they showed during the ceremony. The lighting in the gym is horrible for someone like me with an older camera, but I promise you his baby pics are adorable!
I wanted to post my pictures of his awards, but my batteries died as I was uploading all the pics to the computer. He got awards for Leadership, Hall helpers, Best classroom helper, Presidential Fitness, and we can't remember the others. Either way I'm one proud sister! Way too go Sam...now go enjoy your summer! :-)
The new and improved Shay
Hello readers!!
It has been quite sometime since I've posted a decent post, so I've decided its WAY beyond time to update my blog. I've started reading several new blogs (some by friends and others by people I've never met before), and the one thing they all had in common was...they all inspire me!! I've learned so much by following these blogs, and inspiration is something I look for constantly. These blogs challenge me to think outside the box, and to go above and beyond to better myself. I hope that one day my blog can do the same for someone, so I've decided to make some changes.
First off, from now on I'm going to stop writing about random things that hold no true meaning...I'm going to stick to stuff I know and love. Whether it's my Ray of Sonshine home business (more to come on that in a new post later!), the Life business I'm involved in (this will also get its own posting because its so awesome it deserves its own post!), horses and Journey's End, my walk in faith and Journey church, music, theater, food/cooking, family and friends....etc!
I'll also start trying to update more frequently because I've become a HUGE slacker when it comes to my blog. I make time to read all these other blogs, but have neglected this blog completely. As someone who LOVES to write, and also someone who loves to inspire and hopes to change the world one day for the better (maybe blog writing isn't the way to accomplish this, but hey...its a start!!) you would think I would actually find time to type up at least one blog a week. I hate to admit I've caved into society and spend most of my free time on Facebook playing games, on my phone playing Angry Birds (in my defense who doesn't like Angry Birds), or sitting on the couch watching tv and consuming unneeded calories. The amount of free time I've had recently is CRAZY, and instead of sitting around doing the "same ol' same" I'm going to dedicate that time to my readers. I hope you guys will enjoy the slight changes and I look forward to your feedback! :-)
It has been quite sometime since I've posted a decent post, so I've decided its WAY beyond time to update my blog. I've started reading several new blogs (some by friends and others by people I've never met before), and the one thing they all had in common was...they all inspire me!! I've learned so much by following these blogs, and inspiration is something I look for constantly. These blogs challenge me to think outside the box, and to go above and beyond to better myself. I hope that one day my blog can do the same for someone, so I've decided to make some changes.
First off, from now on I'm going to stop writing about random things that hold no true meaning...I'm going to stick to stuff I know and love. Whether it's my Ray of Sonshine home business (more to come on that in a new post later!), the Life business I'm involved in (this will also get its own posting because its so awesome it deserves its own post!), horses and Journey's End, my walk in faith and Journey church, music, theater, food/cooking, family and friends....etc!
I'll also start trying to update more frequently because I've become a HUGE slacker when it comes to my blog. I make time to read all these other blogs, but have neglected this blog completely. As someone who LOVES to write, and also someone who loves to inspire and hopes to change the world one day for the better (maybe blog writing isn't the way to accomplish this, but hey...its a start!!) you would think I would actually find time to type up at least one blog a week. I hate to admit I've caved into society and spend most of my free time on Facebook playing games, on my phone playing Angry Birds (in my defense who doesn't like Angry Birds), or sitting on the couch watching tv and consuming unneeded calories. The amount of free time I've had recently is CRAZY, and instead of sitting around doing the "same ol' same" I'm going to dedicate that time to my readers. I hope you guys will enjoy the slight changes and I look forward to your feedback! :-)
Friday, March 30, 2012
If I had a million dollars.
In honor of the mega millions being at an all time high I thought I'd take the time to hop back into the blogosphere and share what I would do with a million dollars (or in this case 500+ million!) Jamie and I did play tonight and I've been sharing various lotto pics from different radio stations in hopes of winning, so if by some very small chance one of us wins (it all or even a cut of it), here's a list of all the amazing stuff we'd do....
1. I'd donate all the money Journey needs for our Jkidz campus to launch in August!! The Jkidz are the future and I hope to have one or two Jkidz of our own running around someday, so why wouldn't I want what's best for our kids and help them learn about Jesus in the most amazing Jkidz area ever?!
2.I'd tithe not only to Journey but all the other churches I've attended in my life and other local churches in Davie and surrounding counties.
3. We'd pick 10-15 charities and organizations we're passionate about and donate 10k to each of them.
4. We'd finally clear off our land and get rid of all the trees and debris from the tornado and build a new house we can feel safe in and plant new trees to replace the ones that used to surround our house.
5. We'd have a house built for Sarah, Dj, and the boys and make sure the boys have a HUGE playroom in it!
6. We'd payback any family or friends who have let us borrow money in the past and treat them to something special in return.
7. I'd get rid of the Buick and get a hybrid and get Jamie whatever car he wants (as long as its 'family friendly", and hope he'd do the same for me if he has the winning ticket!)
8. WE'D FINALLY GO ON A REAL HONEYMOON!!!!! <3
9. I'd take all my girlfriends on a trip to Disney or a cruise.
10. We'd take our families on a Disney trip (can you tell we adore Disney?!)
11. I'd finally treat my gals to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory since I've taken everyone else in my life at least once.
12. We'd help our families get out of debt and set all the kids up with college funds.
And this is just the start...who knows what else we would do with 600 million dollars!! What would you do?
~Shay~
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Hello 2012
I'm 15 days late in writting this, but I wanted to take some time out to say goodbye to 2011 and hello 2012!! 2011 brought alot of changes for me, some good, some amazing, and some I wish would have never happened, so all and all I'm excited for a new year and fresh start. I thought I'd write a blog about my hopes and goals for 2012. I'm not big on resolutions, but I decided I'd make a few this year. I'd love for you to share your resolutions with me if you have any. And I apologize in advance if my grammar, spelling, or anything else with this blog is off...I'm running on next to no sleep. maybe one of my resolutions should be to get more sleep nightly. ;-)
1. Pray and read the Bible more- As a Christian I feel like this is super important. You can never spend too much time in worship, and you can never read the Word enough.
2. Eat better- last year Jamie and I really let ourselves go and gained quite a bit of weight. This year I want to cut back and excerise more.
3.Excercise more- I got a gym membership towards the end of last year and have only used it twice so far. It's time to step up my game and get back in shape!!
4. Be a submitful wife- Jamie and I have been through hell on Earth and back in our 1st year of marriage. This year I want to focus on keeping God in our marriage and shining Christ no matter what we're going through.
5.Travel more- Jamie hasn't been on many vacations (our Disney trip was his 1st real vacation), so this year I'm determined to get him out into the world.
And as far as goals we have several for 2012. Our 1st and biggest goal is to get a new home this spring. I've already gone "house shopping" with my grandma and sister and found several houses I would love to move on our property. The biggest problems with being able to do this is clearing off the land where the tornado damaged the backyard, and coming up with the money to get a place.
I've also decided to open an etsy shop while trying to get Simply Shay wedding and events off the ground. I'm thinking about making inspirational knick-knacks like magnets and things like that, but I have no idea how to get started. I've been brainstorming ideas for months, now I need to get things off the ground. I don't know the 1st thing about creating an etsy shop, so this will be interesting.
Also as mentioned above, Simply Shay is a HUGE goal for me in 2012. I've had so many people tell me I'm choosing a tough career path, the stakes are against me, I'll never be able to make anything of myself being a wedding planner in a small town.....blah, blah, BLAH!! I want to be able to prove these people wrong and also prove to myself that with hard work and being able to think outside of the box anyone can accomplish their dreams.
Does anyone else have some big goals and resolutions to accomplish this year?
~Shay~
~Shay~
1. Pray and read the Bible more- As a Christian I feel like this is super important. You can never spend too much time in worship, and you can never read the Word enough.
2. Eat better- last year Jamie and I really let ourselves go and gained quite a bit of weight. This year I want to cut back and excerise more.
3.Excercise more- I got a gym membership towards the end of last year and have only used it twice so far. It's time to step up my game and get back in shape!!
4. Be a submitful wife- Jamie and I have been through hell on Earth and back in our 1st year of marriage. This year I want to focus on keeping God in our marriage and shining Christ no matter what we're going through.
5.Travel more- Jamie hasn't been on many vacations (our Disney trip was his 1st real vacation), so this year I'm determined to get him out into the world.
And as far as goals we have several for 2012. Our 1st and biggest goal is to get a new home this spring. I've already gone "house shopping" with my grandma and sister and found several houses I would love to move on our property. The biggest problems with being able to do this is clearing off the land where the tornado damaged the backyard, and coming up with the money to get a place.
I've also decided to open an etsy shop while trying to get Simply Shay wedding and events off the ground. I'm thinking about making inspirational knick-knacks like magnets and things like that, but I have no idea how to get started. I've been brainstorming ideas for months, now I need to get things off the ground. I don't know the 1st thing about creating an etsy shop, so this will be interesting.
Also as mentioned above, Simply Shay is a HUGE goal for me in 2012. I've had so many people tell me I'm choosing a tough career path, the stakes are against me, I'll never be able to make anything of myself being a wedding planner in a small town.....blah, blah, BLAH!! I want to be able to prove these people wrong and also prove to myself that with hard work and being able to think outside of the box anyone can accomplish their dreams.
Does anyone else have some big goals and resolutions to accomplish this year?
~Shay~
~Shay~
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