i can't believe today is tuesday! i loved having monday off but it has certainly thrown a kink in my week. lots of things going on...vbs training is tomorrow night and i'm feeling the pressure. although, i am certain that you never feel completely ready for an event like vbs, nor do you ever feel completely ready for vbs training. it's one of those things where i've learned to be okay if everything isn't absolutely perfect...the world will not stop spinning if i leave a craft stick or a roll of masking tape out of someone's supplies (or if my lockers made from insulation board aren't perfect...but that's a whole other subject;).

anyway, saw this video on travis cottrell's blog and thought i'd add it to mine. it's kind of a "recap" video of living proof live in boone, from this past weekend. beth moore taught on biblical happiness and the blessing of asher (deuteronomy 33); you should seriously check it out and start praying it for yourself and your loved ones. God will rock your world. He's amazing like that :).



alright, back to the vbs madness...with a happy heart...because He HAS made me glad.

overwhelmed

all i can think is, "wow." God is amazing and He is so personal...it amazes me that with 8,000 girls at this conference, i felt as though the message was specifically designed for me.

too much is floating around in my heart and my mind to expound on any details but i will say it again, "wow." He is good, He is so very good.

i am unworthy and overwhelmed. praise Him. it's ALL about Him...everything.

retail therapy

this girl loves her some retail therapy. if you know me, this isn't a secret to you. so, this post is just a shout out for retail therapy. sorry--not serious or spiritual or anything. i am a girl who enjoys shopping and has fun doing it.



so, today i bought a new purse and am hoping that this purse will not be defiled by a bug. (pictured)



my sis and i are headed out to boone, nc, to spend the weekend with beth moore and a few thousand (guessing, here) sistas.



i'm out. :)

i hate bugs

i'm a girl (i'm good at stating the obvious) but not only am i just a girl...i am a girly girl. i am a girly girl who is NOT a fan of bugs. i try to avoid making strong statements about hating things but i really do hate bugs. bugs of any kind, size, color...ewwww. i just don't like them. they give me the heebie jeebies. i don't usually scream, though. i am one of those people who GASP loudly and then freeze (which does not usually work out very well for me because i am frozen but the bug is usually moving---in my direction!).

yesterday was staff picture day at work. (trust me...the bug hating thing will connect in a moment) they wanted to take "professional" shots of us...in both a casual outfit and a formal/business outfit. for the guys, this is no problem...they just go back to their office and switch their shirts but for girls, this requires planning, lots of different accessories, make up, hair products, and some stress. i will admit that by the time i made it to my office with my outfits, accessories, hair products, etc. in tow...i was a bit on the frustrated side. :) i sat down at my desk to "begin the preparations" for the pictures; i started taking things out of my purse/tote (pictured) when all of a sudden, i saw something black run past my hand. i knew exactly what it was...there was an intruder in my bag...in MY purse. i gasped and lisa, my assistant, came running (she knows me well enough to know when i gasp like that, there's a problem). neither one of us were willing to go after the bug ourselves so my solution was to quickly remove the important items from my bag (wallet, cell phone, iPod, camera, make up bag) and then dump the rest of the contents (bug included) in my trash can. i made a decision that i was willing to part with whatever was left in my purse if it meant i didn't have to touch a bug. so, i dumped everything left into the trash can...and i watched the bug fall out with everything else. ewww. it still gives me the creeps. i sat staring at the trash can waiting, just waiting for the stupid bug to figure out a way to crawl out and possibly even find it's way over to me.........i was not in such a fabulous frame of mind. i'll skip the details but suffice it to say, God provided someone who is far braver than me (or Lisa :) who came in and dug through the trash to retrieve some important documents and loose change that were about to become trash (from my purse) and then she (yes, that's right---SHE---a woman who is not afraid of bugs) killed the ugly little varmint. now, i will tell you that the bug looked HUGE to me but she assured me that it was not a big bug and not a scary bug, either. crisis averted. i still, however, hate bugs. yuck.

on a side note, i had my pictures taken and i was pleased with the little glimpse i got to see from the photographer's camera. yay for that! :)

magnificent obsession

while i was working out this morning, listening to my iPod...i had a moment of clarity. as i was on the treadmill, that old steven curtis chapman song started playing, "magnificent obsession" (it's one of my favorites). in that moment God spoke to me...(hence, the moment of clarity) there's so much stuff in my life that is fighting for my attention and i think that it all comes down to the fact that i need to make intentional choices. does that make sense? i have a sweet, dear sister-friend who all the time reminds me that it's about being intentional in my walk with Jesus. it's a daily choice---an intentional, daily choice to walk in the Spirit and give Him complete control. my heart's desire is that above everything else in my life that Jesus would be my magnificent obsession. daily. intentionally, daily making that choice.

i realize that this lesson is as old as the hills...it's not new to me and i'm sure it's not new to you but it's truth and i think we all struggle with it at some point, to some degree. i want to feast on the manna that God has for me...today...thinking back of past lessons learned and past provisions isn't good enough. gazing over my shoulder, remembering the things of the past God has done and the ways He has worked aren't enough for today's nourishment. i won't feast on maggoty manna (you know, the manna spoiled after the day God provided it) and why would we want to feast on something that has spoiled when God is willing and wanting to provide manna for TODAY!

Lord, You know how much I want to know so much in the way of answers and explanations.
I have cried and prayed and still I seem to stay in the middle of life’s complications.
All this pursuing leaves me feeling like I’m chasing down the wind but now it’s brought me back to You and I can see again...
This is everything I want, this is everything I need, I want this to be my one consuming passion; everything my heart desires Lord, I want it all to be for You, Jesus, be my magnificent obsession.

So capture my heart again; take me to depths I’ve never been into the riches of Your grace and Your mercy.
Return me to the cross and let me be completely lost in the wonder of the love that You’ve shown me.
Cut through these chains that tie me down to so many lesser things, let all my dreams fall to the ground until this one remains...

You are everything I want, and You are everything I need, Lord, You are all my heart desires You are everything to me.
You are everything I want, You are everything I need, I want You to be my one consuming passion.
Everything my heart desires Lord, I want it all to be for You...I want it all to be for You. ~steven curtis chapman

some sad news...

in order to explain my sad news, i have to give you a little background for the story and also post a disclaimer. i hate infomercials, i really do; they seriously annoy me to no end and i really wish that networks would think of better ways to pay for their stuff than 30 minute long commercials. now, with that said, there is one infomercial that i have watched and actually, anytime it is on, for some unknown reason, i watch it. yes, that's right...it mesmerizes me. i don't understand it. it never changes---it's always the exact same infomercial but if i see it on tv on saturday morning, i sit and watch.

well, last saturday morning i was getting ready for the mother's day picnic extravaganza and i stumbled across the infomercial while doing my make up. i sat and watched it as i have so many other times but this time, something took hold of me and i decided to order it. now, seriously, i am NOT the girl who shops on home shopping channels OR from infomercials (remember, i can't stand them) and i have no idea what possessed me, but that morning i called the number and placed my order for the GTXpress 101 (http://www.xpress101meal.com) they promised that if i ordered within the next 12 minutes i would receive not one but TWO for no additional charge (yeah, right). so, i ordered the GTXpress 101 and i have to tell you that my family has gotten a great laugh from this experience...they all think i'm crazy.

now, for the sad news...i have thought about it all week and realized i didn't even know what my grand total for the order was going to be (they have you order by phone using a computerized ordering thing...craziness). so, i called the customer service number on the website and............cancelled my order. yes, that's right, i am no longer the proud owner of a GTXpress 101. and to think of all the wonderful meals that would have been created ;). no worries, though, i'll just get my weekly fix by watching the infomercial but i think i'll have better self-control this time. :)

what a weirdo!

in keeping with my previous blog of lists, i thought i'd throw this one in there. it makes me laugh...and laughing at myself is something i do regularly and quite enjoy. i do realize that making these things public about myself is only going to open the forum for teasing and laughing. it's okay...go ahead, i can take it :)

9 weird things about me

1) i can't write with a pen that has no cap. i don't know why but if i have a pen that loses it's cap, i just throw it away. absurd, i know.

2) if i'm taking notes or writing on a piece of paper and i make a mistake, i have to start over---no scribble marks for me.

3) i don't like sleeping in a house or an apartment without family or a roommate. i lay awake and plan "escape" strategies just in case someone would break in.

4) i coordinate the color of my pen with the note card or stationary i am writing on.

5) i color coordinate my gifts...that's right down to the card and the gift bag. and what can i say? it happens naturally now, i don't even have to try. (as in--all the gifts plus the wrapping paper/gift bag and card match.)

6) i like for my sharpies to be in rainbow color order (you know, ROY G. BIV). this is hard to accomplish in a large, round pen cup. but i tried (i failed but i tried).

7) i will eat pizza and lasagna but will not eat spaghetti. spaghetti sauce makes my stomach hurt (and the weird thing about that is that it's the same sauce in lasagna and similar to pizza sauce. go figure.)

8) my big toe on my right foot is twice as big as the other big toe. no worries, it hasn't been that way from birth, just an injury. it's still weird, none the less.

9) i fall up stairs. most people tumble down the stairs but this girl is so gifted that i defy gravity and fall up. :) just ask my big toe.

so, i think it's weird that the list only asked for 9 things...i don't want to reveal any more of my "weirdo-ness" but i could have probably thought of more things to share.

okay, so, i know all of you---the few people who have actually stopped by my blog and for most of you, i could list weird things about you on my own but i think it would be more fun coming from you. so, follow my lead and on your blog or in an email to a random group of friends, start spreading the weirdness ;).