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Saturday, November 27, 2010

A Thanksgiving Tribute

So what am I thankful for these days? Well- anything and everything to be frank. I'm really happy in life and feel unbelievably blessed. Life's too short to not be appreciative or happy most of the time.

So what am I thankful for you ask? Well of course I'm thankful for the usual things: friends, family, a place to live, cold weather, food, television, etc. However, here are the other little known things that I'm also thankful for that might not make it on the "average" list:

  • My cat Bailey (even though she's 16 pounds and needs a diet plan, stat)
  • The fact that I FINALLY finished Pillars of the Earth- its practically an encyclopedia with the density of some philosophy books. No joke. 976 pages about the Church in England in the 1100s. Yikes- glad to be done. Now what will I complain about?
  • Wine. Never really liked it, but Thanksgiving gave me a whole new level of appreciation for it- and I am thankful for that. in a big way. But we might have a problem on our hands before long.
  • The game Apples to Apples in conjunction with said wine...
  • Costco Christmas cards- because they always find some way to give me a discount. 
  • Vests- I have a vest addiction. And just bought probably my 15th one on Black Friday. 
  • Cokes in the Christmas Santa cans - they just taste better
  • My new grey ankle boots
  • Starbucks
  • The tattoo I want Alex to get
  • Willow Smith, Brooke Fraser and Dave Matthews

And there you have it, some of my favorite things. And we're buying our Christmas tree today so that just really tops this list off. I love the fall and winter SO MUCH- I'm tempted to move to Forks, Washington where it can be cold and rainy all year round. And I can continually basque in the glow of all things Twilight. Might as well add Twilight to my "forever thankful" list. 

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Today- I didn't whip my hair.

I have nothing humorous or interesting to post today. So it's ok for you to skip this post.

I've had to deal with a couple of issues lately that have really tested my character, and although I feel like I made the right decisions, my relationships just aren't the same anymore. People have wanted me to air on the side of lesser integrity. Which I understand, because I know they weren't as affected by these problems the way that I was. But it is still hard because I want to honor all people involved, and I can't really tell everyone the whole story. So I have to trust that standing for this issue was the right thing to do, and that I did it the right way regardless of how everyone else feels about it. Hopefully by me standing up to it, no one else will have to deal with it later on. Sorry for the ambiguity, but it's probably better that the blog-world doesn't read about the details. :)

I'm ready for a change. I spend a lot of my time in a work environment that isn't necessarily the most empowering or edifying. There are pieces of the job that I still enjoy, and pieces that I'm ready to let go of. I want something fresh. Something that I'm passionate about that I can put my whole heart into. Right now I feel like I have so many skills that aren't being used, and I want to get to a place where my strengths are being used to make a difference and to make things better. I'm ready to work on a team. To do projects and build relationships. To have people around me that want the best for me. To have my own desk and work space. And to just live for something bigger. I don't know what that will even look like (although I have ideas), but I'm open to change and am anxiously anticipating the next step. (Save me a lecture on living for today because I'm tired of those, jk).

In other news, I'm debating getting bangs. I love not having them, but they're so in right now. And I want to be in. Duh, who doesn't? So we'll see where that goes.

Love you all. In the words of Alex, do good things today.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Rise Up

All that evil needs to prosper is for righteous men to do nothing! There are two kinds of people in the world those who do something and those who critique the people who do something. - Kris Vallotton 

Monday, November 8, 2010

The Candy Shop

Tonight at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta almost 5,000 people gathered to watch the premiere of the short film "The Candy Shop." It is a documentary on child trafficking, specifically in Atlanta. The film tells the story of a man that owns a candy shop. He takes little girls in, turns them into lollipops, and then sells them to paying customers. Turning the story of men buying sex into men buying "candy."

The lead actor is a twisted man, but just like any man in that industry, he probably didn't start off so gruesome and horrific. It takes steps to get down that road, and it's easy to do little by little. A lot of times we look at the "buyers" and make them out to be the most terrible people in the world. And I agree that they do evil and abuse innocence, but when you get down to it- they are men that are hurting. Men that were probably abused or never given healthy affection. Not told that they had value or that they could do more with their lives. Hurting people hurt people. And I think that's where we stand with the consumers of children in this city. Even they are hurting.

So how do we see the lives of these perpetrators transformed? What will make them start making different decisions and spending money on better things? To see the value in sweet children and adolescents?

We will see their lives transformed when we start bringing the Kingdom to the streets of Atlanta. By getting our hands dirty and bringing child trafficking and prostitution into the light. By going into dark places because we know that there can be no dark in the presence of light. By believing that what we carry is more powerful and more life-giving and life-restoring than anything this world can conjure up. We have to stand in the gap for those that can't speak for themselves. Even if only one of us stands, he can make a difference.


And to me there is a difference between "Christian" and Kingdom. So let's stand up oh Church. Arise and shine.


Wednesday, November 3, 2010

I've Been Tagged!

My friend Carly was tagged to do this quiz, so she tagged me. Hope you enjoy!

1) If you were a book character, who would you be and why? Inclue a picture! 
This might be lame, but I wish I was Bella Swan from Twilight. I realize we're nothing alike, but her life is pretty incredible. 



2) Where is the best place that you have travelled and why?
Spain or Japan- Spain because I had an incredible group that I went with, and a bunch of us are still close today. Japan- because it was the most unique place I've ever been (with the greatest food!)
3) What is your favorite blog to read... link it so I can check it out! 
Too many to name- Young House Love (for design ideas), Daniel's blog (because he is always engaging and thought-provoking, or Whittaker Woman (because I too want to adopt from Korea). 
4) If you could have your dream job, what would it be?
Planning mission trips, and then leading and taking teams on them. OR something with holding kittens and watching reality tv. 
5) What 3 things can you not live without on a daily basis?
Facebook (yep, i'm THAT girl), make-up, text messages - wow, i'm shallow. 
6) What is your favorite 90s song... only because I was almost too young for the 80s?
So many great choices- anything Ricky Martin, Backstreet Boys, Spice Girls or Nsync- are those even from the 90s? Ace of Base, Mariah Carey, Offspring, Pearl Jam- all classics. 
7) If you have $1000 dollars to spend in one day friviously, what would you buy/do? 
Part of me would want to bless my friends in lavish ways- Starbucks, nice restaurants, etc. Then I'd probably buy clothes or stuff from Pottery Barn to redecorate my whole house...because for some reason I can't make up my mind about anything in any room and am always changing things. So I could use some decor help.

Ok- Now I'm tagging a few friends to answer THESE questions!

Sam Headed the Right Way
Cam Lost in Transition
Grace Days of Grace
Crystal Soul Munchies
Jessica The Need for Umbrellas

Here are your questions:
1. What actor/actress would you want to play you in a movie?
2. Who is your favorite author and what is your favorite book by them?
3. Where would you go on a dream vacation?
4. What are you most afraid of?
5. If you could have all your friends on a deserted island, what are three things you would all do together?
6. What's something people don't know about you?
7. What is your guilty pleasure?


Monday, November 1, 2010

Music Monday

I'm not one for keeping up a theme for each day of the week, but I did want to leave you with my top 3 favorite songs of all time for "Music Monday" - and yes this is the only time I ever have and ever will do a "Music Monday." And song #3 changes fairly frequently- so it's open to interpretation. Enjoy the tunes!

#1 "One" by U2 featuring Mary J. Blige



#2 "Crush" by Dave Matthews



#3 "Like a Lion" by Daniel Bashta (this version is sung by David Crowder)