Inspired

Today, I'm thankful for words that inspire.  What an odd thankful post, huh?!  Well, it's true!  Aside from a music junkie, I'm also a quote junkie.  Yes, of course I love God's Word, and look to it daily for words of wisdom, insight, and encouragement.  But, this past week these are the quotes that have pierced me to the core, and caused me think on a deeper level of who I am:

"Comparison is the thief of all joy"

and

"Be intentional with your time - only commit to the things that you are the ONLY ONE that can do them"


Both of these speak to the season of life I'm in right now.  The comparison quote has rocked my world...many, many (did I say many) people that I know/am FB friends with/follow their blogs, etc. are pregnant or have just had babies.  This quote has reminded me over and over that comparing my situation to theirs is only robbing myself of joy - and, why should I allow that??

Being intentional with my time is a MAJOR step.on.my.toes. kinda quote.  I feel such responsibility and guilt to do things that other people could take care of if they would just step up, but I do them out of obligation rather than joy.  That is not God's best for me.  God's best for me is to commit only to what only I can do - I'm the only one who can be Brad's wife and helper in ministry.  I'm the only one that can take care of my health.  I'm the only one who can be Valerie's sister.  I'm the only one who can be an aunt to our 4 Favorites.  I'm the only one that can keep up my friendships.  Those things that I'm the ONLY ONE that can do it are the things that need me.  All the other  "things" that fill up my time may be GOOD things, but are not always God's BEST things.  Lots of pondering to do on this subject...

So, what inspires you?

Tunes

Today, I'm thankful for my music that I love so very much!!   I have not been able to listen to the radio in my car the past few days because I had to have a new battery, and as a theft protection measure, my car "reset" and locked my radio until I put in the code to unlock (and, apparently, said code is supposed to be in the manual for my car...but, it's not...so, having to take a little longer path to get my tunes up and going!) Anyway, the past few days have been sooooo l-o-n-g driving to work and back with no music!!  I had the idea to turn on my iTunes from my cell phone today, and AH!  Finally, some music!!  Music is such an outlet for me - when I'm stressed, upset, happy - it just speaks to my heart.  It's like an old friend that knows me all too well!  It makes me SO HAPPY to just rock out and sing at the top of my lungs!

Christmas 2009

Besides, music is just in my blood I guess.  I don't remember a single Christmas (or most any family get-togethers for that matter) that there were not instruments playing or someone singing somewhere around...

Cole and Nichole at BBB

The world would no doubt be a very quiet, sad place without music!

Are you a music lover?

Shoeboxes

Today, I'm thankful for a wonderful ministry that I'm proud my church is a part of.  Operation Christmas Child shares the love of Jesus with children around the world by providing them with shoebox gifts.  The shoeboxes are filled with little trinkets, small toys, paper and crayons, and basically anything else that a child would like that can fit in a shoebox!

I'm also sooo very thankful for one of our teen girls that put this year's Shoebox Ministry together for our church!  She did a wonderful job, and I'm inspired by her passion to "do more"...God has great plans for her, no doubt!  So proud and thankful for you, Meg!!

What a humbling experience it is to buy gifts for a child, knowing that the only present they will receive is what you put in their little box...but, knowing how excited they will be to open their shoebox and find their treasures and also get to hear about Jesus is such a blessing to me!! 

Are you planning to be a part of some type of ministry this holiday season? I can promise you it will be better than any present you receive!

I Told Y'all!

See, I'm already a day behind, y'all!!  I can't get my act together these days, and I'm really starting to get on my own nerves...that's really bad!!

So, yesterday I was thankful for one of my MOST FAVORITE past times...what Brad and I like to call "Sunday driving".  I don't know if anyone else in the world outside of the South (or outside of my family for that matter) calls driving around looking at houses, land, the fall leaves, etc. "Sunday driving", but that's what we've always called it - and, I LOVE to do it.  I'm such an old lady! HA!!  Yesterday was the most BEAUTIFUL weather, and my sweet Ellie and I went "Sunday driving" with the windows down and had a wonderful laid back afternoon.

Today, I'm thankful I get to enjoy being at home and watching some SEC football!  I say that very lighthearted because after watching the Auburn/Alabama special on ESPN this past week, I realize how we put WAAAAAAYYYYYYY too much emphasis on such a crazy little sport and rivalry.  I do enjoy it, and have lots of fun with family and friends while watching it, but I KNOW (and, I sure hope we all do) in the grand scheme of things that it's not REALLY the MOST important thing in life...

Hope everyone is having a super weekend!!!

Thankful Catch Up!

Happy November friends!  I had planned (in my head) to do a Month of Thanks posts like I did last year...but, it's November 10th and no posts have been done.  So, I'll tell you 10 things I'm thankful for today, and maybe - but don't count on it - I'll post the rest of the month:

1. Friends - what a sweet blessing they are in my life!!  I have some ladies in my life that I have the privilege to call "friends" and they are gifts to me...especially in the past month when I've needed encouragement, long chats, lots of laughs, and prayers.  Love y'all!!
2. Facetime - Brad has been out of town for several weeks, and days that I really just need to see him more than hear him, I can because of Facetime.  Thank you, Lord for technology! :)
3. Brad - and speaking of the man in my life, I sure am thankful to call him mine!  He works so hard for our little family, and I appreciate him so very much!  
4. My mama - Lord, have mercy I could write a 1000 posts about my mama, and still not tell you how much she does for me...especially now that she's retired and has more time!  I feel so undeserving of all she does for us!  I love you, Mama!
5. Miss Ellie Jane - what a wonderful gift the Lord gave us when our little Ellie Jane came in to our lives!  She has been the BEST company, entertainment, and companion anyone could ever ask for!
6. My home - my refuge.  I LOVE home!
7. My "school kids" - if you don't know - I love to laugh, and some of my favorite laughable moments are with my kids at school!  They say some of the FUNNIEST things ever, and do some of the funniest things...I live for comic relief on stressful days!  
8. My "church girls" - oh, what a sweet, sweet blessing I have in working with my high school girls at church!!  They hold a special place in my heart and mean the world to me!  I pray that the Lord would allow me to be the example I need to be for them, and I would teach them about what it means to be a lady seeking God's own heart.    
9. Lazy Days - these come very few and far  between (especially these days!), but I savor every moment when they do!!  So thankful tomorrow is one of those days!!!!!
10. Veterans - I only get a lazy day because of Veteran's Day, and how incredibly in awe I am of all those that have served our country for each one of us!!!  I'm so proud to be in a America, the land that I love...and, to all those that serve us well each and every day - THANK YOU!

Sooooo, have you been thinking about what you're thankful for this month?  I would love to hear from you! :)

Happy Fall Y'all!

The past week has been full of fall fun!!  We have been busy with our church's annual Fall Fest, my school's Harvest Festival, and then my family spent the weekend at the lake enjoying lots of Halloween festivities!  Brad has been out of town, so it was nice to enjoy some time away from home.  

Miss Ellie Jane sporting her pumpkin costume... 

The kids picked out pumpkins, then we carved them, and entered them in to the community carving contest...they were so proud of their pumpkins (which, by the way, they had no part in the carving! HA!)

This was someone else's pumpkin, but I just had to share it - War Eagle!!

And, of course Halloween is all about dressing up...and, getting CANDY!! :)  We had a super handsome  police man...

A beautiful Rapunzel and 2 cute cats...

And, the most adorable pink poodle ever!

We had such a fabulous time!!!

Our Fall Fest at church was a HUGE success...we decided to have it a week before Halloween to hopefully not conflict with so many other fall festivities, and we had a great turnout!  

I'm so thankful for so many volunteers to help make this event so great!!  Miss Abby is our official tattoo artist ;)

We had lots of carnival games, inflatables, crafts, AND the BEST weather we could have possibly asked for!!!

The kids LOVED these sand art necklaces! 

After all the fun and games, we had a show by the famous Chin Ladies all the way from Chinville, Alabama!!!!  These were some of my teenage girls that I teach on Wednesday nights...they were PHENOMENAL!!  The kids (and adults) absolutely loved them! 

After the show and a super yummy chili supper, we had hayrides and roasted marshmallows - a perfect ending to a GREAT night!!!

It has been lots of fun celebrating the season!!  I can't believe tomorrow is November 1st!!!!!!  WOW, time is flying!  

Happy Halloween!

Blessings

I hope everyone is having a great week - mine has been...interesting.  I've decided this is the new normal for me!  As I mentioned last week, there's a lot of changes in my life right now - some wanted, and some not.  This song, Blessings, has been on my mind so much lately.  We are so quick to pray, and then sit back and wonder why God isn't working in our lives - when all the while He's heard each prayer and is answering them...it may just be that the trials we are going through are His mercies in disguise.

I'm still reminding myself along this crooked path in my journey - God is good!  

Please take a minute to listen to this song, and be BLESSED!

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

A Time For Change...

Blog friends, it has been quite a month!  Since I have turned 30 (which has only been 5 weeks) the following has happened in my life...

*  I have fallen 3 TIMES (does turning 30 change your equilibrium??!!)  No major injuries besides scrapes, bruises, and a little embarrassment

*  I had a slight mishap with a razor while shaving and - sorry to those with a weak stomach, but this one requires a visual aid to grasp the damage (does turning 30 affect your motor skills??!!)  

*  I have planned, decorated, and hosted a retirement reception for my mama (Pictures coming!!)

*  I have planned, decorated, and attended a Pajama Party for one of my friend's daughter's 5th birthday (Pictures coming!!)

*  I have met with 2 bride's about 2012 Spring weddings

*  I have planned and helped Brad with not 1, but 2 Children and Youth Ministry outings

*  I have transferred to a different teaching position...yes, an even newer one than the one I mentioned less than 2 months ago...change is always stressful (particularly in the middle of the year), but the good news is it is at a school with no more travel time than the 1st and I have friends there that I get to work with everyday :)  

*  I changed my Master's program...

*  and, a whole HOST of other events that I won't bore you with

Yes, people - 5 weeks of injuries, planning, hosting, stressing, and at-the-point-of-a-nervous-breakdown-moments.  I have dreaded 30, but never did I imagine what the beginning of a new decade would have in store for me!!  

Yet, this too shall pass...might as well start out rock solid CRAZY, so hopefully it will end with a FABULOUS finish! :) 

I decided I might as well embrace this new level of craziness in my life and take charge of CHANGE - I have ventured from my always a French pedicure to my mama's signature OPI "Cajun Shrimp"...this is the first time in YEARS to have anything but a Frenchy on my piggies :)  

Life altering, no...but, it's something I can control and right now I need something I feel I chose :)  It's the small things, people!!

And, I keep reminding myself...

God is good.
God is good!
God is GOOD!!

Thank you, Jesus for something that NEVER changes and I can ALWAYS count on!

Surprise!!

Well, y'all...I turned 30 last Monday.  It was super rainy and dreary all day, thanks to hurricane Irene - what appropriate weather for a day I have not exactly looked forward to!!  In reality, I know it's just a number, and there are soooo many wonderful things going on in my life right now, but it's gonna take me a while to "embrace" being a 30-something *sigh*...

Thankfully, I have A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. friends and family that love me and thought my 30th birthday was worth celebrating in a BIG way...so, they threw a spectacular SURPRISE party for me a few days before the BIG day!!!  

Our 4 Favorites were beyond excited to meet me at the car to bring me in to the party :)

 I was COMPLETELY overwhelmed at the room FULL of people there to celebrate with me!!  It's always good to be reminded of all the wonderful people in your life that love you!

You know the saying "always the bridesmaid, never the bride"?  Well, I'm always the host, never the guest of honor when it comes to parties!  It was fun to switch roles for the night! ;) 

 My mom did all the food, of course, and had some of my very favorites...and, my sweet friends Kim and Gina did all the flowers :)

 And, Bradley...well, his job was to get me to the party - which was not a very easy task...

 Love these gals!!

 And, these sweet girls too!!  The read a sweet poem they had written for me :)

I was accused of knowing about the party, because my clothes matched the color scheme, right down to the invitations!!  HA!

 It was a wonderful night, and we all had a great time!  Thank you so much to everyone that played a part in helping to celebrate!!!!  I will definitely not forget this birthday!

The Last Day...

...of being in my twenties.  


I have struggled with turning 30 since the day I turned 29.  When you're 30, you're REALLY an adult - and, I don't know that I'm all that ready to be a REAL adult.  I've kind of enjoyed being in my twenties, and trying to figure out who and what I want to be when I grow up.

As you know, I have a 30 by 30 list that I started almost a year and a half ago, and well, it's ummmm, not complete...and, that drives me crazy.  I am a goal driven, checking things off the list kind-a girl and when there's things left un-checked on the list, I don't get the satisfying feeling of accomplishment.  *Sigh*

And, to be just really honest, I don't like the idea of growing old.  There I said it.  I don't want wrinkles, and gray hair (which I have ALOT of already that's hidden thanks to my wonderful "hair-apist"!), and to be looked at as being "old".  I've always been the youngest - I was the youngest child in my family, the youngest in my class at school, the youngest at every place I've ever worked, etc.  BOO to getting older!!

BUT, as my daddy has reminded me - getting older is better than the alternative!...

So, I've tried to enjoy my last day as a twenty-something, although I've said "this will be my last time to do ____________ in my twenties!"  Today has been a good day, doing things that I love:

1.  Spending the morning worshipping Jesus with my church family!
2.  Having lunch with some of my all-time favorite people in the world - my former youth pastor and his wife.  Although we stay in touch through phone calls and Facebook, we only get to see each other once every couple of years, and I savor every moment.  They played a TREMENDOUS role in my life as a high school and college student, and they are treasures to me.  What a sweet blessing to spend time with them my last day in my twenties!!!
3.  Having this sweet girl to love on me - no matter how old I am!! ;)

4.  Spending the afternoon with Brad and my parents laughing and talking and eating yummy food!!
5.  Being at my all time favorite place in all the world - the lake!!!
6.  These shoes - I mean really, who can be unhappy when wearing these cute little zebra print numbers??!!

Twenties, you have been some more of a roller-coaster decade for me!  In the past 10 years, I have gotten engaged, married, graduated from college, became an aunt (4 times over!), started my Master's, started my career, changed jobs (5 times...), struggled with the pain of lost pregnancies and infertility, learned a lot about who I am and who God is, learned to love Brad more every day, blessed with friendships and dear sisters in Christ, got our first "baby" - Miss Ellie Jane!, and so much more.  

I'm closing the door of 10 years that have molded me and shaped me into who I am today...

30, here I come - you better watch out!!!!