Motivation, Inspiration and all things Fall...

Ok, so I've had a bit of an (apparently noticeable) absence from my blog lately, with the exception of one random post last week. Why, you ask? I'm not really sure. I think it's partially because I've been so busy that I've simply not taken the time to write anything down (something that is never healthy for me over an extended period of time), and partially because for some reason I've just felt like lately I haven't had anything really "profound" to share. I think I just got myself into this rut that if I didn't have some major epiphany, noone would want to read what I had to say. But according to multiple people who have scolded me for not blogging lately, and also according to my internal alarm which is telling me 'if you really want to meet your goal of finishing your first book by the time you're 30, you'd better quit slacking,' then in the mood or not, I am doing life every day and I need to be writing it down.

Do I expect every single entry to be a riveting page-turner? Of course not. Life has it's ups and downs as well as its exciting and mundane experiences, so I'm sure that some of these blogs may not be enthralling past the first sentence but its a good form of expression for me either way. (heck, you're probably bored with this entry already, but bear with me as I think out loud). Writing is how I process things...its how I express myself, its how I vent, it's how I use the creativity that is balling up inside me...and on the way home tonight, it exploded again. Ahh.

You know how it is when you experience or witness something you're passionate about, it gives you the fuel to want to go out and do that very thing? For example...when I hear an amazing new song, it makes me want to go home and write another one equally as awesome. Or when I experience an amazing moment with God, whether through worship, teaching or serving, it sets my heart ablaze with a renewed passion to want to carry out His will in all I do. Or maybe an example from a guy's perspective...every watched an exciting college football game and instantly wanted to run outside into the crisp fall air and toss the 'ole pigskin around that very minute? That's where I hit with writing tonight...

I started out just perusing a few friend's blogs to catch up on life, etc. and then I stumbled across a new co-worker's blog and was blown away. (thanks Carlos, you don't know it yet but your blog inspired me to fully dive back into writing consistently) Just reading blog after blog that were so well crafted, witty and insightful inspired me to want to go home that minute and start writing again. As I cruised home with the top down, looking at the most amazing autum full moon I've ever seen, I couldn't seem to get home fast enough...tons of ideas for new blogs and stories were popping into my head faster than I could remember them! Writer's block who?

So in the infamous words of my buddy Joel, "I say all that to say..." i'm back....like it or not, and i'm writing...good or not. It's life, live it up, and write it down...one day you might not remember it.

Thus goes the ramblings of my somewhat scattered-brain. :)
Peace out.

Take The Me Away

I love the fact that God allows us to worship and talk to Him so many different ways, because we're all so different. For me, the perfect combination is writing and music, both of which I am doing right now. If music is not your "worship strength," then you might not quite understand why I love to find a song that resonates with how my heart is feeling at the moment and then put it on repeat, listening to it over and over again singing the words in a personal prayer to God. It's times like that when I thank God for putting the pen in that person's hand to craft a song that perfectly aligns with my heart, and I thank Him for letting me find it. It's almost as if when I dont know the words, He already knows my heart well enough to just give them to me. What a cool thing.

This is a song that is resonating with my heart tonight. It's an amazing song with an amazing story behind it. If you've not gotten the "Journal Entry" CD from this year's Rick Pearson Memorial Concert, do yourself the favor of picking it up...its absolutely incredible, has an amazing story behind it, and it benefits a great cause. For the story, go to www.rickpearson.org or go to http://www.myspace.com/rickpearsonmemorial

Take The Me Away
Rick Pearson/Jonathan Shelton/Candi Pearson-Shelton

Oh God, God of my heart
how can I deny the ways you know me
God, God of my all
who am I to limit you by what I do with me
by holding on so carelessly
Lord, I release my hands
here I am

Lay me bare
strip my layers away
reveal the lifeless being I’ve become
Break my will
strip my layers away
until I am loose, free from myself
fill me with you
use what you can
Lord this is what I pray,
just take the me away

So now Great God it’s yours
ugly, abused and misused
refine me
restore me now
Great God, I’m yours

Lay me bare
strip my layers away
reveal the lifeless being I’ve become
and break my will,
strip my layers away
until I am loose, free from myself
fill me with you
use what you can
Lord this is what I pray,
just take the me away

Jamaica

I can't believe that I have to be up in exactly one hour to get ready to go to the airport, and here I sit typing away.

I can't believe I am about to embark on an incredible journey all for the glory of God!!

Please be praying for me and my team as we head down to Jamaica to help start up a high school ministry with Spalding Church. This is my first trip out of the US and my first mission trip, so needless to say I am anxious with excitement and nervous for the unknown.

More is certainly to come...stay tuned, mon.

:)

Fear Factor...Work Edition

Waaay back in the day God gave us the Ten Commandments:

1. Thou shalt have no other Gods but me.
2. Thou shalt not make thyself any idol, nor bow down to it or worship it.
3. Thou shalt not misuse the name of the Lord thy God.
4. Thou shalt remember and keep the Sabbath day holy.
5. Thou shalt respect thy father and mother.
6. Thou shalt not kill.
7. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
8. Thou shalt not steal.
9. Thou shalt not envy thy neighbor.

Notice it does not say anything in there along the lines of "Thou shalt encounter rodents in the workplace"

.....its a good thing I love my job. :)

Today at 3PM I did the same thing that I do every Tuesday at 3PM...I headed down to the church to get set up for the evening. I put my stuff down, and went straight to the 7|22 storage closet to pull out everything we need for the night. What I didn't know was that an unwelcomed visitor would grace me with his presence and send me screaming into the East Auditorium moments later. Ugh.

Let me back up a little bit...

About a month ago, as I was pulling out the snack baskets for our volunteers I noticed that someone had helped themselves to quite a few pieces of chocolate. But this was not your usual hungry employee wandering aimlessly into our chocolate stash...oh no. This time the culprit left his mark...teeth marks, to be exact...straight through the wrapper, leaving half eaten (but still wrapped) Hershey's Kisses all over the place. Yup, you guessed it - apparently a mouse had helped himself to our goody stash.

At first I found this humorous, affectionately referring to the little fella as "Herman" to make him seem more friendly (even though im not a fan of rodents of any kind). Then I got a little freaked out when he ran across my (bare) toe today and scared the heck out of me. Now that I see even after I hid all the chocolate in solid plastic containers, that he has helped himself to our potato chips, its just plain war.

Nowhere in my job description did it say that I would have to fight off four legged vermin, but unless Herman decides he's going to become a 7|22 volunteer he's not getting anymore of our goods!

It's you and me Herman. Or, uh...its you and the exterminator (i'll be hiding behind him hoping that he catches you). I will NOT fear the mouse in the closet! :)

Ahhhhh.....

Oh my precious blog, how I have missed you so!

I think it has been eeons since I have contributed to you, and I promise not to let that happen again! Call it "writer's block", call it "ive been so incredibly busy that I haven't taken the time to stop and write out my thoughts" or call it "information overload"...but whatever the reason, I am through with my writing hiatius. I miss writing, and my brain is about to explode with all the thoughts that have been building up for the past 4 months.

Bear with me while I sort out my brain, and stay tuned - there is certainly more to come.... ;)

Fair WEATHER Fan

Ok, so i'm not actually a fairweathered Braves fan, i've rooted for the home team as long as I've lived in the ATL (which would be my entire life)...but today this title seems apropriate.

Apparently I have been hexed with the "Free Ticket Curse." Every time that I have been given free tickets to a Braves game from work, out of nowhere a mighty monsoon decides to grace Atlanta with its presence. Two months ago I received some tickets the afternoon of the game, and about 10 minutes before we got out of the car a torrential downpour covered the stadium (and us..who had no umbrellas, by the way). We waited out part of the storm like drowned rats with about 60 other fellow soggy fans in the neighboring KFC, only to dash over to the stadium in a lighter downpour and find out an hour later that the game was called. Bummer.

Today was no exception.

I enjoyed a beautiful ride with the top down to a relaxing outdoor lunch with some friends at around noon. At 3pm I was offered 4 fantastic seats to tonight's game, along with a convenient parking pass.

And right on schedule, at 3:30pm the rains, they came a pourin'.

Oh well, maybe they will hold out this time - or maybe i'll just get another shower... :)

Daylight Savings?.....Nah!

It's mornings like today that I wish I hadn't gone back to being a brunette, then I could just choc my stupidity up to having a 'blonde moment' and get on with my day...

I go through the exact same routine every morning...set my alarms (all 3 of them) - hit snooze about 10 times each, wake up late and scramble to get out the door by 8:15 to make it to work by 8:30 (I am so not a morning person). Now considering I went to bed extremely late last night, I might have been a little out of sorts when I woke up this morning. Maybe that's why I did what I did. I glanced at the clock....quarter till....shoot! I only have 30 minutes to get ready and out the door. I rush around getting ready, trying to find the clothes on the hangar that needed the least amount of ironing (and think to myself, 'I have got to start ironing clothes when I hang them up') and im out the door.

As I pulled out of the neighborhood and turned on my headlights, I thought to myself that we must be getting closer to the fall time change, because I never have to turn my headlights on. Either that, or its just super cloudy...and I kept driving on in sleepy oblivion.

It wasn't until I pulled into the parking deck at work that I think I actually woke up. I pulled up the ramp to the 2nd floor, and was surprised that there were available parking spaces...I always have to park on the 4th or 5th floor by the time I get there.

And that's when it hit me....it was 25 after SEVEN, not EIGHT!!!

How in the world I managed to get up and get to work an hour early, and not realize it until I got there is beyond me...either I was really, really tired or maybe, just maybe that blonde is seeping back through....haha. ;)

Happy Weekend!

I Wish For You

I Wish For You
By: Jessica Andrews

Time goes by so fast, and days they seem to dance
Into the distance till they're gone
If I had a map, to lead you down life's path
I'd give it to you, But I don't
So go on

Cry hard, laugh loud
Be humble, stand proud
And don't be afraid of your fears
Let love break your heart
Just be who you are
All of this
All that there is
I wish for you

You can never know which way your world will turn
How the stars are gonna fall
Salty tears they burn
There are lessons you will learn
But you'll be stronger for it all
Oh, yes you will

Cry hard, laugh loud
Be humble, stand proud
Hold onto your faith with all your heart
Be careful, Be brave
Be still, but don't stay
In any one place for too long
Remember God's grace
Give more than you take
All of this
All that there is
I wish for you

Weekend Seclusion

Friday night I ventured to Vevay, Indiana again...where everyone knows everyone, and where I have no cell phone reception (nice). :)

It was kind of nice to just get away, hang with one of my best buds (Casie), and not worry about what parties or social functions I was missing back home. We made our own schedule, and had some good old fashioned small-town fun. We went to Vevay's Annual Swiss Wine Festival, and it was exactly what you envision a small-town festival to be. It was funnel cakes and face painting, country music and corn on the cobb; crafts and carnival rides, and fireworks over the river. We watched a parade down main street, and I even got to judge the cheerleading competition! What fun!

Today, back to reality...but only for 3 days. Thursday it's off to Destin, and I can't wait! If anyone needs me, i'll be somewhere asleep in the sand...

There's God

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding..."
Proverbs 3:5

Sometimes in life we have what my pastor, Andy Stanley, likes to call "Where's God" moments. Moments when you look at a situation, and wonder how in the world God could let something like that happen. I'm sure many of my friends, as well as tons of people in the Atlanta area have felt caught in the midst of a "Where's God" moment this past week, as we watched a tragedy unfold right before our eyes. I was shocked when I got a text early Wednesday morning that a friend's mom, Jenny Ewing was missing. I immediately began to pray that she would be found, but as the hours wore on, I feared the worst.

When I heard word that her body had been found, I was horrified...and my mind instantly flashed back to a similar scene, when I mourned the death of two coworkers and friends, Lori Brown and Cindy Williams, who were brutally murdered in a random act of violence just three years ago. It's so easy to look at both of these situations and think..."God, where were you when this was happening? Where were you when these families' foundations were rocked to the core?"

As I sat in Jenny's memorial service on Monday, I was surrounded by "There's God" moments. I sat among hundreds and hundreds of people who were impacted by the life of this woman, and the events that led up to her glorious journey home...there's God.

I watched as one by one, her children, family and friends painted the picture of a woman who was a light to all who crossed her path. An incredible wife, mother, friend and servant of the Lord who left a legacy that many can only hope to acheive in a lifetime...there's God.

Jimmy said his mother always told him that the enemy attacks those who are a threat. This is so true. But over the past week, we have watched this family stand firm - firm in their committment to each other, and firm in their refusal to let the enemy get a stronghold on them...there's God.

It was just two weeks ago that Voddie Baucham spoke of his own family. With tears in his eyes, he said that every couple should live their lives and raise their children up so that when they are gone, their children are the missles that they fire out into the world to continue the fight against Satan, and to spread God's word far and wide. It is evident in the lives and actions of her children that Jenny exemplified this principle.

Also at the memorial, their family pastor read from Proverbs 31, of what a Godly woman should look like. Instead of being sad, I walked away from the service moved and humbled to hear the story of a woman who's life embodied this very description...

"An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain....Strenght and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue...Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her saying: many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all."

I am inspired and ever so humbled...There's God.


Bigger Than Me
By: Amanda Bailey

I'll admit I like to win
and hear a 'that a girl' every now and then
a pat on the back, a compliment, feels ok

I'd like to see my name in lights
and I'd like to sail my ship into paradise
I want things that sparkle and shine
but glitter fades

And at the end of the day
I want to hear them say
she gives more than she takes

Cause there is something bigger than me
How will they remember me?
Did I laugh enough?
Did I give, did I love?
Did I make an offering...to something that is bigger than me

I could quickly make a list
of this or that I need to bring me happiness
I'd like to be the best of the best at anything

But is it wisdom or age
experience or grace
that helps me find my way

To something that is bigger than me
and what I want the world to see
is it beauty from within
that only comes when I give unselfishly
to something that is bigger than me

Let the sun shine down on me
Let the wind blow soft upon my skin
Let the rain wash my fears away
Let me live if only just to live for something that is bigger than me

A love, a light, a legacy
I look in my daughter's eyes, I know I leave behind
A reason to believe
in something that is bigger than me