Everything

Recently I wrote a LONG ode to Harry Connick Jr. Truth is, I have a new favorite. Well, not really new - just more pronounced. Michael Buble! I don't find famous men attractive and I don't swoon. However, when Buble sings, he is the exception. His new cd comes out tomorrow and I cannot wait! Here is the video from my latest favorite that he does called Everything. His personality shines through in it. Enjoy!

I Go To The Rock

Friday night, a few of us went camping at Enchanted Rock. It was a really good time. To say that we roughed it would be a joke. Tent, inflated air mattresses, two ice chests and a tub filled with food, and bathrooms (with showers) less that two minutes down the path. The girls had a tent spot reserved right by the rock. A couple of us went up and sat on it at various points. Good food, good friends, good times. The next day, we met up with the church and went hiking. Dad and I took the Loop Trail around the park and had some good father/daughter time before meeting up with everyone else.

While camping and walking, I realized a couple of things:

• When we least expect it, we can see what we have learned from our parents. Dad and I were going along and we came to a decline. Without even thinking about it, we were taking smaller, in step strides moving heel-toe all the way down. In that moment, I had a flash back to being about eight and Dad stopping Erin and I from running down the hill at full speed. He slowed us down and taught us how to take our time and go carefully to avoid getting hurt. As I remembered that moment, I had to laugh to myself. Funny how a simple moment can teach such a big lesson. At 27 years old and faced with obstacles of all kinds, I slow down and take one careful step at a time. No full force, trip yourself over your feet running. Just heel-toe all the way down to safety. Just like Dad.
• I find myself in peace with God's creation. After we made it up the steepest incline, Dad and I stopped to catch our breath. As I turned around, I saw a sea of green before me. Countless shades faded in and out of each other as tree branches tangled and interwove. We saw countless different wildflowers, lizards, birds, and different plants. We found a spot where the water was running out of the rock and between smaller rocks. The night before, I caught myself staring at the trees around our spot. They were beautiful. The strong granite around us was quite a majestic sight. I think it was the most still I have been in weeks. Seeing the brilliance of the world around me made me feel connected to creation and the one who set it into place. Everything was untouched and just as God intended it to be. As much as I love the things of the city, I want that all of the time. Some land to live on with a comfortable house, a nice back porch to sit on, and a sunset to take my breath away.

Confessions

I haven't blogged in a while so I thought I would steal this idea from someone else. Here are some little things about me.

1. I can't snap with my right hand. Snapping in one of only two things I do left handed. The other is shoot a gun.
2. When I am in the shower and the phone rings, I think it is the fire alarm every time. One day I will learn.
3. Some days I have a hard time getting out of bed. I call these my "Clean, Dry, Dressed" days. I only have time to shower, dry off, and get dressed. I'm not too proud of that.
4. Each day that I become more confident in my abilities as a teacher, I am humbled by how much more I have to learn. There are some amazing, naturally talented professional men and women out there!
5. My apartment is very messy right now (specifically the extra room). Not dirty and gross - just messy. It's hard to get motivated to straighten up when no one ever comes over. Really... The last person to see the apartment besides me was Erin. That was right after Mom's surgery two and a half months ago! She can tell you that even then, it didn't look the best.
6. I don't have any clue where I will be after this school year. I've been praying about it and I am more confused today than the day I decided to move. Six applications are out and now I pray. I don't like this gray area.
7. Lately all of my dreams have faucets that are running on high and I can't turn them off. The knobs don't work! This is frustrating me!
8. I have a hard time with jealousy at times. The green eyed monster really likes me on some days!
9. I haven't used a personal day from work in two years. I can count on one hand the number of days I have missed. They were funerals or doctor visits.
10. Donuts make my tummy hurt.

*Sigh*

Last night, I was sitting in my chair, writing motivational notes for students while watching Christy. Something caught my eye and I looked out the window. Through the beautiful sunshine, a light rain was falling. Now, I know that this annoys some people. Some think that when it rains, it should be dark and gray. I am not one of those people...One of my favorite things on earth is to watch the rain fall on a bright, spring day and look to the sky, hopeful for a rainbow. The air cools a bit and a light breeze blows in. The green in the plants seem to intensify as they are washed.

I stood on my balcony for a while looking at the bushes and grass below. Maintenance cut the grass the day before so the sweet smell of rain mixed with the fresh cut grass. The light breeze softly danced across my face and through my hair in tiny wisps. I imagine that is what sweet kisses from heaven must feel like. It was a near perfect moment.

Powerful Prayer

During the study on Daniel, we were able to watch sessions that Beth taught concerned the topics we were discussing. So many were informative and new but others were simply amazing. Below is a piece from Lesson 8. It begins as a quote and then switches into a prayer that closed the session. It is possibly the most humbling, encouraging, empowering thing I have ever heard. I hope it blesses you as it has me.

Whether or not we can comprehend this, we are living in the days of light. We are the light of the world, and this is our era. This is our time on the history line of God.

We keep looking for somebody better to come along. Somebody more fit to take this place in history. We're it! We're it! What will we do? You've got one turn here. I've got one turn here. It's the age of the church - and we're it!

Lord,

As readers of the signs of the times, we ask "What shall we do with this? What will we do with our place, our dot on the line of history?" We gotta make it count. We gotta make it count.

I pray you help us to cease looking at someone else to do it. We are the church. We're the ones. WE'RE ON.

Fill us. Show us. Direct Us. Bring us to our feet and cause us to LIVE ON PURPOSE.

God, help me live on purpose so when you look over that kingdom calendar, when all is said and done and the new heaven and earth have come, that you'd be able to glance over at our generation and say, "They were really something, weren't they? Satan wanted them real bad but he could not wear them down!"

Let it be said. In Jesus' name, Amen

Oh My Goodness!

It seems like there has been a dry spell in terms of concerts that I would like to see lately....until now. Check out who is coming to the Majestic:

• Harry Connick Jr.
• Norah Jones
• Tony Bennett

Seriously! I can't afford all of this but I am so wanting to. Dave is either going to be very proud or hang his head.

Blessed

After some very intense weeks and amazing spiritual growth, I just finished my last homework assignment on Daniel. Thursday night we will have our last session but as of now, the homework is finished. Even though I will miss it immensly, my heart and lips sing tonight. I pray blessings on you all.

Oh Lord,
You have been good
You have been faithful
Through all generations!

And A Cherry On Top...

Today was actually a pretty good day. I didn't get rattled or stressed out at work! Woo Hoo! After work, I went shopping and found some cute things (all on amazing sales which intensifies the cuteness). However, as great as all of that is, something else made my day.

As I was sitting at a light, I noticed a blue and white truck behind me. As I looked closer, I noticed that it was one of my students. He is a very bright boy and tends to get bored in class. He was buckled in the passangers seat next to his dad. As I watched, the dad spent the time at the red light tickling and picking at his son. My student lit up like I have never seen before and I felt like I could hear him laughing through both cars. I couldn't help but stare through my read view mirror. What a great moment. Father and son laughing through a red light. It made my heart smile.