taste and see...

the last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of friends, family and goodness!  i am so thankful for this time of year when i have several great excuses to spend time with people that mean the most to me and spend a lot of time thinking about what God has done for me by sending his son to the earth as a tiny baby that first Christmas.  this Christmas season, i've had the opportunity to taste and see the goodness of the Lord in so many ways---in hanging out with my family during multiple Christmas events, in celebrating the coming of baby Jesus at CBC, in laughing with "old" friends.  i hope that you too have had the opportunity to taste and see the Lord's goodness this Christmas season.  as i look forward to the new year, i look forward to tasting and seeing more of the Lord's goodness...

"Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him."  Psalm 34:8

for the week...

hymn for the week...

Great is Thy Faithfulness

"Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

"Great is Thy faithfulness!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"
  Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
    "Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

 

praying that you will celebrate God's faithfulness during these last few days of 2010.

for the week...

song for the week...

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,

Of peace on earth, good will to men!

i've never really payed attention to the words of this song, but it was a part of the Christmas musical that has consumed my life for the last week and i really listened/read the words for the first time and loved them!

running the race of the holidays...

this afternoon i was standing in my little kitchen "making" Christmas sugar cookies (also known as rolling out the already prepared dough i bought from wal-mart this morning and using cookie cutters to cut various shapes) and listening to Christmas music and it hit me that i wish "this" was what i wish i could spent the majority of the Christmas season doing---enjoying the peace of my home and making things for other people to enjoy.  instead, i've spent the last 2 weeks running around (sometimes literally...i'll get to that later) trying to get everything done that "needs" to be done, spending hours at Christmas musical practice, and falling into bed exhausted every night (sometimes as early as 9:30!!)!  don't get me wrong, i love Christmas musicals and getting Christmas presents together for people, and making Christmas cards and everything else that goes along with this time of year, but don't i tell myself after every Christmas that i'm not going to run around like a crazy person the next year and that i'm actually going to enjoy this time of year?  when does "next year" become "this year"?  i encourage you to take a few minutes out of your running around to enjoy this time of year, even if it's only for a few moments like i had this afternoon. 

now for the real "running" that i've been doing...some of you know that my 2 best friends from college and i started training for the Ft. Worth Jingle Bell Run about 3 months ago.  we've made many attempts in the past to do something like this, but we have never actually accomplished something like this.  i am happy to report that WE DID IT!  we followed through with our commitment and last weekend, we ran the Jingle Bell Run together!  we really wanted to be able to run the entire 3.1 miles without stopping or walking any, and WE DID IT in about 42 minutes!  here are some pictures from the adventure...

Before the race...

they are ROCKSTARS!

WE DID IT!!!  :)

now that i've done 1 5K, i've been inspired to get better/faster and keep doing things like this...it was really fun!  :)  perhaps someday i'll have the skills to do a half marathon or even a whole marathon, who knows!

for the week...

sorry for the delay in posting (and just general lack of posting!)...it's been a busy couple of weeks!  i promise to do better!

song for the week...

O Come All Ye Faithful

O Come All Ye Faithful

Joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem.

Come and behold Him,

Born the King of Angels;

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

O Sing, choirs of angels,

Sing in exultation,

Sing all that hear in heaven God's holy word.

Give to our Father glory in the Highest;

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

All Hail! Lord, we greet Thee,

Born this happy morning,

O Jesus! for evermore be Thy name adored.

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing;

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him,

Christ the Lord.

this is one of my favorite Christmas songs, hands down.  i'm not exactly sure why, but i love the call that it places on the "faithful" to praise and adore the King of Kings during this wonderful time of year!  :)

quote for the week...

The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet. - Frederick Buechner

this is one of my all time favorite quotes and has been so many different things to me over the last several years as i've struggled to figure out what my calling was and what exactly that looked like in the world.  this quote is from a devotional or a chapter about vocation that Buechner wrote.  i'm so grateful for the opportunity to continue to explore that call and enjoy the "deep gladness" of being in this place right now.  i hope that this week you'll have an opportunity to reflect on the Buechner's words.

it's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS!

in case you've been living in a cave and you haven't heard, Christmas is less than a month away!  in celebration of my favorite holiday, my house has become a Christmas-wonderland!  :)  here are a few pictures...

welcome to my Christmas-wonderland!  (thanks to emily for my awesome wreath!)

my awesome Christmas tree...:)  it needs some presents!

the red and white tree in my bedroom

yes, even the TV gets decorated...

back door wreath (thank you mom!)

the skinny tree...

my dining room table w/ the country tree in the middle... 

coffee table (yes, i know i need to get some candles and candy...)

this was my Black Friday craft project...a Christmas apron!  isn't it awesome???

my office has also been "Christmas-fied" but i forgot to take a picture before i left this afternoon...:(

anyway, hope that your Christmas season is off to a wonderful start blog friends...may you have many opportunities to reflect on the GOODNESS of God this season...

for the week...

verses for the week...

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Romans 8:28

"I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips...I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears...Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him"

Psalm 34:1,4,8

i am thankful..., part 2

today, i'm thankful for...

*my parents

they. are. awesome!  they love and support me no matter what and i will forever be thankful for that.  they celebrate with me and they cry with me.  they listen when they have thousands of better things to do.  i thank the Lord for them every day!

*laughter

sometimes laughter truly is the best medicine and i am so thankful to have people in my life that make me laugh, can laugh with me, and can laugh at me when i do stupid things (which happens a lot!)!  i am especially thankful to work with people @ northside that enjoy laughter as well.  it makes "work" so much more fun.

*musical abilities

i'm not sure why, but most of the time i tend not to be thankful for my "musical" side but today i'm choosing to be thankful for the ability to play the piano, organ, and clarinet and the ability to "carry a tune."  these abilities give me more ways to connect with people and with God and i'm so thankful for that today.

*home

i am thankful for 2 homes---one in the Can and one here in L-town.  it's taken me a while for the Can to be "home", but it is becoming more and more like home everyday and i love it!  i'm also thankful to be able to come "home" to L-town and spend some time with my family this week...:)

blog reader, what are you thankful for today?

i am thankful...

in the spirit of Thanksgiving, i decided i would have a week long series about things i am thankful for...some will be serious, some will be funny...all of them things that i am very thankful for...:)

i am thankful for...

*technology (i.e. cell phones, facebook, e-mail, etc)

i'm not sure how people survived before the golden age of technology, but i'm thankful i don't have to.  while at times i have bordered on being "addicted" to technology, it really does make my life so much easier and helps me stay in contact with so many people!

*a job

in a time when so many people do not have a job, i am so thankful to have an awesome job that keeps getting better and better!  i am blessed for sure!

*my nephews

i am so excited about getting to see these rascals later this week!  they light up my life!

*ability to exercise

exercising is a great stress reliever for me and i'm so thankful that i have the physical ability to partake in the goodness of exercise!  while i have a long way to go before i am "in shape" (whatever that means!), it is exciting to see how far i have come!

*good food

i love to eat (which is probably why the whole being "in shape" thing hasn't happened) and i am thankful for good food!  i'm looking forward to getting to eat some awesome food later this week when i get home!

for the week...

verse for the week...

"You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever."

Psalm 30:11-12

music for the week...

i just downloaded this CD on itunes and i already love it!  "I Lift My Hands" is my favorite right now.

hope you have a wonderful week of Thanksgiving!

Things I'm Loving Thursday...

my CC volunteers...

my volunteers are absolutely amazing and really come through for me when i need them!  today they were lifesavers!!!  i'm so thankful that i get to work for them!  LOVE them!!!

The Can

i'm really loving the opportunity to live and serve in the can this week...read this article...GREAT things are happening here!

my neighbors

in the last couple of months i have gotten to know my neighbor a lot better...she's hilarious and i love hearing funny stories from her!  she's constantly bringing me delicious food to eat and making sure i'm okay.  LOVE her!

from the weekend...

i had the awesome opportunity to attend the NACSW Convention in north carolina this past weekend.  what an experience!  to be surrounded by people whose passions are very similar to yours is so refreshing!  to be able to talk "social work" and "ministry" with people who "get it" was so wonderful!!!  here are some pictures from the weekend...fall was out in full force in durham and i was just overwhelmed with the beauty of it all!  the pictures do not do it justice for sure!

at the convention hotel...

 sitting at a red light in raleigh...

 on duke's campus...

home of the blue devils....taken just for the little brother...

 duke chapel...

 sarah duke gardens on duke's campus...

a view from my bench where i enjoyed some quiet moments with God...

 at the duke gardens...

 isn't it beautiful???

i wish i was a "real" photographer so that these were better...but oh well!  i spent sunday morning reflecting on all that i had been challenged with over the weekend while enjoying the beauty of God's creation at the sarah duke gardens...LOVED it!

for the week...

better late than never, right?

verse for the week...

"Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you."

Psalm 9:10

i read this last week and it reminded me that the Lord is faithful to those who seek Him...a promise i need to hear often these days...

song for the week...

Faithful

Steven Curtis Chapman

I am broken

I am bleeding

I am scared and I’m confused

But You are faithful

Yes you are faithful

I am weary

Unbelieving

God please help my unbelief

Cuz You are faithful

Yes you are faithful

I will proclaim it to the world

I will declare it to my heart

Sing it when the sun is shining

I will scream it in the dark

You are faithful

You are faithful

When You give and when You take away

Even then still your name remains

Faithful

You are faithful

And with everything inside of me

I am choosing to believe

You are faithful

I am waiting for the rescue

That I know is sure to come

Cuz You are faithful

Yes You are faithful

I’ve dropped anchor in Your promises

And I am holding on

Cuz You are faithful

God, You are faithful

I will proclaim it to the world

I will declare it to my heart

Sing it when the sun is shining

I will scream it in the dark

You are faithful

You are faithful

When You give and when You take away

Even then still your name remains

Faithful

You are faithful

And with everything inside of me

I am choosing to believe

You’re faithful

So faithful

When I cannot have the answers

And I’m wanting to demand

I’ll remember you are God

And everything is in Your hands

With Your hands you put the sun and moon

And stars up in the sky

For the sake of love

You hung your own Son on the cross to die

You are faithful

Yes, You are faithful

When You give; when You take away

Even then great is your faithfulness

Great is your faithfulness

And with everything inside of me

I am choosing to believe

You are faithful

When You give and when You take away

Even then still your name is

Faithful

You are faithful

And with everything inside of me

I am choosing to believe

You are faithful

this song is off of Steven Curtis Chapman's CD Beauty Will Rise.  it played on my ipod last week while i was running and the lyrics struck me once again so i wanted to share...

random tidbits about me...

1) i watch gilmore girls every night as i fall asleep...i started at the beginning when i moved to corsicana and i'm currently on round 2 in the 7th season...:)

2) i follow the same routine every morning for the most part when i have to go to work.  it takes me approximately 2 hours to complete my routine and i don't like to be rushed or interrupted.  this does NOT mean it takes me 2 hours to get ready...just 2 hours to accomplish all of the things i like to accomplish during the morning hours (email, facebook, quiet time, b-fast, etc).

3) i like to sing at the top of my lungs to musical soundtracks in my car on long road trips when i get tired/sleepy.

4) i would wear gym shorts and a t-shirt or windpants and a t-shirt all the time for every occasion if the decision was left up to me.

5) i believe that christmas music is appropriate during all times of the year.

what about you blog reader?  what are some random tidbits about you?

weekend highlights

i got to go home this weekend to spend some time with my parents (well, mostly my mom) and it was fabulous!  i drove home thursday night after work and enjoyed spending the evening with mom and dad watching big bang theory...i love that my parents enjoy this show as much as i do (although they probably watch it more regularly than i do!).  friday morning, mom and i got up early and went to the International Quilt Festival in Houston.  we spent 6 hours shopping, looking at quilts, and enjoying the "scenery" (aka old ladies wearing fanny pouches, ladies of all ages wearing their "quilts" as shirts, jackets, etc).  it was overwhelming to say the least, but we got some really good ideas and some cute patterns and a little bit of material.  it was like Christmastime for the creative side of my brain!  i don't know that we'll go again, but it was fun and exhausting this year!  we got to eat at Chuy's on the way home.  i'm not really sure what we used to do for Mexican food before Chuy's, but my word! it's AWESOME!  :)  mom and i had a LONG day of shopping, but it was fun to spend time with her and let our creative juices flow freely.  we spent saturday running errands, dreaming up big projects, and visiting a couple of friends and my grandma.  i ended up leaving way later than i was planning on saturday, but it was so worth it!  i can't wait for more crafty awesomeness at thanksgiving time!!  :)

for the week...

i had an AWESOME weekend...i'll write more about that tomorrow...but for now...

a song for the week...

Beautiful

MercyMe

Days will come when you don't have the strength

And all you hear is you're not worth anything

Wondering if you ever could be loved

And if they truly saw your heart

They'd see too much

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His

You're beautiful

Praying that you have the heart to fight

Cuz you are more than what is hurting you tonight

For all the lies you've held inside so long

But they are nothing in the shadow of the cross\

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His

You're beautiful

Before you ever took a breath

Long before the world began

Of all the wonders He possessed

There was one more precious

Of all the earth and skies above

You're the one He madly loves

Enough to die!

You're beautiful, You're beautiful

In His eyes

You're beautiful!

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful!

You are treasured, you are sacred, you are His

You're beautiful!

You are made for so much more than all of this

You're beautiful!

You are treasured

You are sacred

You are His

i decided to take a detour from the Matt Maher songs this week...i heard this on the radio last night as i was driving back home and thought it would be a perfect song for this week...it's an awesome reminder that we ARE beautiful, regardless of what the world tells us, that we are treasured, sacred, and HIS!  LOVE it!

verses for the week...

And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Romans 5:2b-5

i read this last week sometime and loved the reminder that in our times of suffering and pain, the God is at work to produce perseverance, character, and hope in us.  and hope will not "put us to shame" or as it says in some translations "disappoint" us.  beautiful reminder for us this week that God is always at work to make us more like himself, we just need to be on the lookout for it!

Things I'm Loving Thursday...

Today I'm loving...

the north texas food bank

for those of you who know my best, know that i have a love/hate relationship with the north texas food bank.  today, it's a love relationship.  i got to be a part of an exciting "food bank of the future" meeting this morning as part of the strategic planning process that ntfb is engaged in right now and i got awesome news this afternoon about some new possibilities of partnering with them and wal-mart in corsicana.  it doesn't take much to please the nerd inside of me.  :)

home

i'm spending a couple of days in l-town with the parents this weekend...so thankful for time away after a hectic couple of weeks at work.  very excited about the houston quilt show tomorrow with mom and some shopping!!

chick-fil-a

one of the perks of my food bank meeting this morning was getting to eat here for lunch!  a.w.e.s.o.m.e.  why can't we have one of these in the Corsicana?!?!

That Good 'Ole Baylor Line...

last weekend i had the awesome opportunity to go back to my alma mater and celebrate homecoming!  thought i would share some pictures...

 @ dinner @ chili's pre-bonfire...chili's was "our place" to go throughout college and grad school...we had many a "deep" conversation over chips and salsa...

@ the bonfire...

the bonfire was a little crazy this year...massive amounts of gasoline + high winds = dangerous flames

i can't believe i only got one picture with diane!!  she's the greatest BIG ever!!!

@ the parade...lauren and i tried several times to take a "good" picture together...she finally got bored...

SIC 'EM!!!

@ the parade!  we will always be best friends...she knows WAY too much about me...:)

@ the game...GO BEARS!

the score when we left the game because we were tired of getting rained on...:)

what a FABULOUS weekend!  SO good to see my best friends and to run into people that i haven't seen in a long time!  there's nothing like reliving memories (good and bad) and making new ones at one of my your favorite places on earth!  can't wait 'til next year!

for the week...

verses for this week...

I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you— the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121

this psalm is a powerful reminder that God will "watch over [my] life...both now and forevermore."  Every day I realize more and more that my help truly does come from the LORD.  He doesn't sleep, He doesn't forget to watch---He is ALWAYS there!



a song for this week...

As It Is In Heaven

Matt Maher

Our Father, who art in Heaven

Hallowed be thy name

Come and let Your glory,

Come and let Your glory fall.

Our Father, who art in Heaven

The rocks cry out Your fame

Come and let Your glory,

Come and let Your glory fall.

I will sing, sing a new song

I will sing, sing a new song

I will sing, sing a new song to the Lord

Let your kingdom come

Let your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven

Every eye proclaim

The mercy of Your name

On earth as it is in heaven.

God give us new every morning

Mercy his daily bread

In the name of Jesus

In the name of Jesus we pray

And lead us, not to temptation

But deliver us with Your hand

In the name of Jesus

In the name of Jesus we pray

Father we pray

I will sing, sing a new song

I will sing, sing a new song

I will sing, sing a new song to the Lord

Let your kingdom come

Let your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven

Every eye proclaim

The mercy of Your name

On earth as it is in heaven.

For the kingdom is yours

And the power is yours

And the glory forever Amen

Let your kingdom come

Let your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven

Every eye proclaim

The mercy of Your name

On earth as it is in heaven

I know that you've probably had your fill of Matt Maher stuff over the last two weeks, but I just love this song!  It's an excellent song to run to!  :)  hope that you have a wonderful week!  

Things I'm Loving Thursday...

 this thursday, i'm loving...

thumbtacks

yes, i know.  it's a simple thumbtack, but today it has been SO helpful as i've been hanging things up on my walls after living here for 5 months.  it's so much easier to use thumbtacks to temporarily hang things instead of driving 4200 nails into the wall while you figure out where you want everything.  now my living room actually has stuff on the walls...

this cd...



last week, i began listening to this CD because i liked matt maher's song "hold us together" so much...i LOVE this CD!  i would recommend it if you're looking for new music!

my dinner

yes, this was my dinner (it's all gone now!).  it was so delicious!  grilled chicken and squash grilled on my handy dandy George Foreman grill and a baked sweet potato.  yes, i actually ate on my placemat and used my real napkin.  if i waited for a "special" occasion or someone to come over to use my nice dishes, awesome placemats, and real napkins i would be waiting FOREVER.

so, there you have it...the things i'm loving today!  hope you're having a great thursday!

what i'm reading...

i recently started reading/rereading "Gifted to Lead: The Art of Leading as a Woman in the Church" by Nancy Beach.  i received this book last year from dave and kimberly, my awesome summer missionary supervisor and his wife from when i was in california in 2007.  before i get too far into what i am learning from reading this book, let me say that as a women in the ministry, i believe that God does call women to the be in the ministry, in all types of ministry.  while i'm still not 100% sure about how i feel about women being lead pastors, i do believe that God calls women to lead in the church and not just in positions that are traditionally seen as a "women's place in the church", i.e. children's ministry.  with that being said, know that i am not some crazy feminist who thinks i deserve special treatment as a woman in the ministry.  i am simply a woman who has been called to work in the church and i'm trying to figure out what that looks like and how that works with the way God has created me...

i am not very far into the book (chapter 3 to be exact), but here are some of the things i'm learning...

-God didn't make a mistake when He gave me leadership gifts and when He called me to work in the church.  while it's not always going to be easy to carve out a place for myself in a mostly male-dominated arena of work, it wasn't a mistake that i was called to do this work.

-humility and self-confidence go hand in hand in leadership.  humility is not letting people walk all over us, rather it is having the proper view of one's self in relationship to the sovereignty of God.  God expects us to lead with diligence and boldness and He wants us to be confident in who He created us to be.  nancy writes "Even if we find ourselves in settings in which people are unaccustomed to women displaying confidence, we must not hold back our efforts to manage the tensions between boldness and grace, assertiveness and collaboration, strength and vulnerability."  so very true!

as a women in the ministry, i want to represent my gender well, to inform the world that women are as capable of working in the ministry men but i know that i must be careful not to appear too "over the top" because i don't want to drive people away.  we all dislike being around those kind of people.  it's a difficult balance to strike, but i know that it will come.  my hope is that God will use this book to continue to teach me how to do this.

Random Thoughts on Tuesday...

some random thoughts for today...

-running is my new drug of choice.  forget chocolate or caffeine, well maybe not caffeine, just let me run.  so maybe i'm not THAT obsessed, but i am starting to enjoy it a little more.  while i am sore and tired afterwards, it makes me feel SO good.

-hold us together (i posted the lyrics last week) by matt maher is my absolute new favorite song...i'm thinking that it may serve as a theme for some kind of missions adventure in the future...

-i love having coworkers that enjoy having a good time at work...sometimes it takes laughing a little bit (or a lot) at one's circumstances in order to get through the day...:)

-i'm more than ready for it to be consistently cool, enough of this "cool" weather for 2 oe 3 days then back up to the 80's...it's almost november for crying out loud!!!  i'm ready to eat soup and drink hot chocolate...

-i think we adults should get "early release" like the CISD kids this week...i'll even endure a parent/employer conference if i have to...

i think that's enough randomness for tonight...back to watching The Biggest Loser...

for the week...

as i get ready for the beginning of another week, i've decided that i'm going to start a new series on my blog on sunday nights called "for the week" and post a song or a verse or a quote or a thought for us to think about "for the week"...

a verse for this week...

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."  Psalm 27:13-14

this verse has meant a lot to me over this last week and one that i continue to cling tightly to.  i hope that it will encourage you this week.

Things I'm Loving Thursday...

These are the things I'm loving today...

my alma mater

i'm loving the idea that i get to spend 2 days at this wonderful place this weekend with my awesome friends and thousands of other baylor-ites.  LOVE it!

just like Jesus

we have been reading this book over the last several months on Wednesday nights at church for prayer meeting/Bible study.  it's been challenging and encouraging.  max has such a great way with words that encourages you and cuts to the core all at the same time.  any suggestions on other max books to read?

Northside

i. love. my. job.  the freedom, the opportunities, the people, the volunteers, the community...it's awesome.  don't get me wrong, it has its moments of not-so-awesomeness, but on the whole, it's great.  i am so thankful that God has placed me here for this time.

song for the week...

Rick was jamming out to this song earlier this week and I thought it was really catchy so I looked it up...it's one of my new favorites...

Hold Us Together

Matt Maher

It don't have a job

Don't pay your bills

Won't buy you a home

In Beverly Hills

Won't fix your life

In five easy steps

Ain't the law of the land

Or the government

But it's all you need.

Love, will, hold us together

Make us a shelter

to weather the storm

And I'll, be, my brothers keeper

So the whole world will know

That we're not alone

It's waiting for you

Knockin' at your door!

Every moment of truth

When your heart hits the floor

When you're on your knees then...

Love, will, hold us together

Make us a shelter

to weather the storm

And I'll, be, my brothers keeper

So the whole world will know

That we're not alone

This is the first, day of the rest of your life

This is the first, day of the rest of your life

'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light
It's gonna be alright, s'gonna be alright

This is the first, day of the rest of your life
This is the first, day of the rest of your life

'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light

It's gonna be alright, s'gonna be alright

Love, will, hold us together

Make us a shelter

to weather the storm

And I'll, be, my brothers keeper

So the whole world will know

That we're not alone

Matt Maher does an excellent job of talking about the story behind the song here.

the countdown for the weekend...

i know that it's only Monday, but the countdown for the weekend has officially begun because this weekend is BAYLOR HOMECOMING!! yipeee!!!! in honor of the awesomeness that will happen this weekend, a few of my favorite things about Homecoming...

1. Homecoming Parade

it's the biggest and best collegiate homecoming parade in the nation. enough said.

2. Pigskin Revue


the best acts of All-University Sing perform and we all know how much i LOVE Sing!

3. Football Game


where else can you act like a crazy person cheering on the school you love?

4. Memories


several walks down Memory Lane will happen for sure.

5. Besties


i can't wait to spend the weekend with the besties! they were such a huge part of my baylor experience so Homecoming is the perfect opportunity to get together!