New Growth; Life after the fire...

... taken from our Christmas Advent Devotional.  I pulled from a blog I had written back in April and added a few tad-bits and this was how it came out. You can check it out in our official Grace Pres Advent Devotional - or you can just read below- however I would suggest picking it up if you can, because there are many great days of reading within! 

I have been thinking a lot about what it means for a farmer to set his field on fire. It humbles me to think about the courage that it must take to light that first match. Many times farmers will set their fields a blaze – not because they are ‘walking on the wild side’ but because it is what is necessary for new and abundant growth to take place the next season.

Can you imagine? You are standing on your lively-hood and all in about 5 minutes the whole place is rolling with flames. Most of the time we do everything we can to prevent such a thing from happening – but not these farmers. They have to do something so scary, so drastic, and so crazy, in order for new life to emerge.

There are so many things about this that make me think of my life this past year. I have gone through LOTS of change… at work, in friendships, and with myself. It is like I am dealing with my own personal fire. Like I am standing a midst the flames, often finding it hard breath, and most certainly finding it hard to see it’s initial advantage for my life.  Facing the fire is rough. When you look around and see what appears to be complete devastation – it is almost impossible to imagine the new life, the possibilities, and all the good that could come from such blaze.

As we enter this time of Advent, I am reminded of a certain, beautiful promise – Jesus.  This promise of a Savior to come was made to worn down, broken, mistake makin’, fire facing people.  This same promise is offered to you and me today. Jesus is our courage when we face the fire. Jesus is the match that helps light that fire. Jesus is the flame in our hearts to keep going in the midst of the smoke. Jesus is the new growth that comes up from the ashes. Jesus is the promise that we must cling to when the flames around us seem unbearable. 

It is crazy to think that something so seemingly devastating could be exactly what is needed for new growth to take place. It is even crazier to think that the things that we go through are completely necessary for us to thrive in the next season of our life.

Maybe your facing a fire now, maybe the last flame just went out, or maybe you are seeing the abundant growth around you – whatever it is, I encourage you to remember the promises of our Savior. He is with you now, was with you then, and will be with you always. 

Amen. 

Pharaoh, Pharaoh... OHHH BABY!

Have you ever read the book of Exodus? Well, I can now say that I have. Get. Excited. I mean I have really read through, studied, compared the meaning of the Hebrew words -- ahhh the text is SO RICH. 

Well I want to talk about our friend, good ol' Pharaoh. Ya know, "Pharaoh, Pharaoh, OHHH baby, let my people go. HUHHH, yah...yah... yah..." (had to drop that in here) Anyway, Pharaoh. That dude who was enslaving people making them build massive temples of adoration to none other than himself. The one and only who believed himself to be a god, a god who controlled the sun. That is our guy! Big round of applause people- this guy is a winner! 

Ok, so maybe he's not a winner, but I do think there is something we can take away from knowing Pharaoh - or at least that I can take away from all of this Exodus reading I have been doing. 

Many times throughout the struggle between Moses and Pharaoh we read of "God hardening Pharaoh's heart" and I think if I was just to plainly read it and move on it would not mean that much to me; maybe other than this being why it took so long to get the Israelites out of Dodge.  But the past few days it has just been on my mind constantly. What does it mean for God to harden Pharaoh's heart? 

I think after a few weeks of thought I have come to a simple conclusion - that is really kind of a 'duh' moment, but nevertheless... God hardens Pharaoh's heart for what I believe to be one really crazy beautiful reason - to show HIS glory.  If Mo had just walked up to Pharaoh, sang his ditty and P-dizzle was like "Yo- I WILL -let yo people go" then would the Israelites gotten to see very much of God's glory, nope. 

God is big and mighty, and does as He pleases, WHEN and HOW he pleases. But man did He get this right. By hardening Pharaoh's heart, it allowed for 10 times more of an impact that it would have, if he had the grace to just let the people go. My favorite part of Pharaoh's story is found at the edge of the Red Sea as he and all his men are swept away by the crashing waves. You see, Pharaoh did let the people go, but what led him to chase after them? Oh, that was God - hardening his heart. 

At the very end of Exodus (after this last attempt from Pharaoh) it says that after the Israelites had witnessed what God had done with the Egyptians that they finally BELIEVED GOD WAS WHO HE SAID HE WAS - no longer were they walking alone, God showed His rich glory and protection and now He would 'try' to lead them to the life He always longed for them to have.

AWE-SOME. But hey what does that have to do with you or me? Well let me tell you (as my long windedness has already runneth ova). 

Has God ever hardened your heart so that you might just have a clearer view of HIS GLORY? I am not saying that I am my own personal Pharaoh - I mean I actually do believe in and fear God. But seriously I think that there have been many days, or even periods in my life that God has hardened my heart.  Call me crazy but sometimes I am not compassionate. Sometimes I am mean. Sometimes pride empties my heart so much that I forget that the only vacancy I need to fill it with is Jesus. Sometimes I am judgmental, stubborn, greedy, angry, the works you name it. But what I love about God so much is that it is through those times that He knocks me out with His love. It is seeing His compassion, His Grace, His love, His Just-ness, His generosity, and hope that re-sets my wandering heart ablaze. 

Again, call me crazy, but I think God may have a purpose for my hard heart - and I think that just like our buddy the Pharaoh, it is to show us, to show the world HIS GLORY. And that my friends is beautiful because I am not any of those good things mentioned above, apart from my Savior. 

Amen.

Wedding Photography

I will sum it up in 8 Words.

Is
Hard
Beautiful
Time
Consuming
Totally
Worth
It.

His Princess - Letters From Your King; A Letter to Myself.

My all time favorite devotional is one called "His Princess, Letters from Your King". It is a book of letters written to someone, from the perspective of God to His Daughter, His Princess.  I have been having a hard time as of late, on ALL fronts, and for whatever reason - crazy as it might seem, I just decided to write myself a letter, and this is what came out. Sometimes, God shows up in crazy ways.  Hey (God), thanks for that.

...

Dear Sara,
You are having a hard time right now, I know. It's going to be ok. Remember what you wrote at the beginning of June, in that blog you write? No, well let me remind you:

"We are facing times that might not be easy, that might be hard for us to face, and that might at times seem unbearable. Through it all it might seem ugly and to some like complete devastation.  But what I try to remember every day is not the green fields or the summer sunsets of yesterday, but the new growth that will bust its way through the dirt completely unexpected, beautiful and completely nourished. Then, before you know it life and growth will be so abundant that people will not even remember the fire that almost consumed them. "

Do not let yourself be consumed by the fire - hang in there. In the thick of the dust, of the ash, of every moment that seems like weight of the world my crumble down upon you, hold on. Hold on to Me. I am fighting for you. I am here with you. Always.... Every. Single. Second. 

Take down your wall. I know it is hard to hurt, to be fragile. But I have made you complete and whole, lacking nothing. You might think you are broken, incapable, and alone - but you are not. I am with you, to the very end of the age.  Move forward, break your walls down, do what you find impossible- it's possible. You are strong, you are courageous, you are Mine.

There are going to be hard days head, there are going to be moments of celebration, of pain, of emmence joy - you can make it through. Sara, with Me - you can conquer this fire. You will break through the ash, and I know with full certainty that something magnificant will come of it. Just wait. Be still, and know that I am fighting for you, with you, right beside you.

Love,
Your Maker.

The Help, A Renewed Opportunity to Love Blindly.

It has been a long summer, but it sure flew by.

Well I have officially been out of touch for months, yes month(S). Sorry about that.  I forgot to have a blog, you actually have to take the time to jot things down - whoops. So on the time went, flying by ya know, without a single a, e, i, o or thumb click of the space bar.  So right now, 940PM on a Wednesday night, we meet again.  Hello :)

So, I just got home from seeing The Help, and boy let me tell you it was so incredibly amazing, it touched my heart in a way that no movie has since The Blind Side, or maybe Crash - or even August Rush. So, needless to say my heart is just overflowing with thoughts - a ton of which are on the marvelous and heart breaking adventure that I just took in the theater across the street.

The Help was undoubtedly one of the best movies I have ever seen and I would recommend that just as my lovely friend said only moments ago "that anyone with a pulse should see this movie".   I am filled to the brim with thoughts right now and I guess this is where I am going to sort them out- and I will try not to preface along the way.

Oh - and before I continue please read the storyline for the movie:
Set in Mississippi during the 1960s, Skeeter (Stone) is a southern society girl who returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends' lives -- and a Mississippi town -- upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families.

Here we go...

My first thought after the lights brightened up in the theater was a thought that pained my gut. I thought to myself, "Oh my goodness, there are members of own family, who still believe that all people are not equal." My next thought was even worse, "...and rarely do I have the courage to do anything about it." This is a problem.

You know, most of the time I would just sit back and say, "I am so glad we have moved past a time when the color of your skin determined your worth." Or even when I did get all fired up about something that someone close to me would remark over, having to do with someone of a different race, I would calm myself down or be be calmed down by saying or hearing "Well they are just from a different generation", "It was a different time back then Sara", "They are just too old to change their ways and thoughts", "It is just different in the South, people just view things different".

But now here I am tonight, and I just find myself with an achy heart.  Because while we no longer live in a society of announced segregation we still fall into the traps of silent separations.  People's worth is still being defined every day, and not usually by the heart they have or the soul within.

Everyone has an opinion.

People are judged everyday on who they 'are' ...

White. Gay. Straight. Married. Divorced. Black. Nerd. Athletic. Homeless. Hispanic. Rich. Asian. Fat. Short. Single. Woman.

I too feel it. 

Obviously some of the items from the list above have weighed more heavily than others, both in past and present culture, but nevertheless at the core the narrow-mindedness lives on. 

We might have come along way - I too celebrated the day Obama became the President, what a day in History, what a day for those wonderful women who used to be the help, what a day for us all - or at least it should have been.

You know, it might not any longer be about the allowance of shared water fountains, but it is still there, and in more ways than just 'Black and White'.  We can look at the past and say "Oh look at how far we have come" but we are just moving the focus, and like I said everyone has an opinion.

So I sit here tonight in my blue chair feeling weary, because I cannot write an end to this story. I cannot find resolution for the judgements that happen everyday, to you, to me, and so many others. It stinks really. Will there every be a time where someones worth will not be determined by the color of their skin, the mate they choose, how handsome a face they have, or the size of their waistline? As the years go on will our focus continue to shift, at the time better for one, but ultimately not better for all?

I just don't know.

But I do know one thing, Jesus was blind. Not in the sense that His contacts were old, but on how He loved. Not to say that Jesus did not see, be that He did.  Jesus chose to see with His heart and not His eyes; He chose to love unconditionally. Jesus was blind to color, blind to race, blind to gender, blind to preference, blind to looks - and through that blindness He loved; He saw the heart and souls of people - and to Him that is what mattered.

You might not be religious, or even a Christian, but confident I say this, and as boldly to myself:

Learn to love blindly.

Learn to love with your heart and not your eyes, learn to love others as you love yourself, and learn be courageous to change if you are not these things already.

Only then will we see a difference.

I love movies like The Help. Its movies like this that stir things wildly in our hearts, serving as a reminder to the mistakes of our past, opening our eyes the the present, and giving us a renewed opportunity to shape the future.  

KCI & JO JO? Yep! Memories From My 7th Grade Year

Wait? What is that I hear?

Honey...I'll Be Missing You... Mo Money Mo Problems... MmmBop...Quit Playing Games With My Heart... 

No wait, it's:

"I will never find another lover more precious than you, more precious than you... Girl you are close to me you're like my brother, close to me, you're like my sister... You are the only one my everything and for you this song I sing... ALL MY LIFE I've prayed for someone like you..."

Top 40 from my 7th grade year? Umm, yes please. In fact right this very moment I have a strange urge to make a new play-list entitled "Wide Legs and Roller Rinks"... then I will jam out to it as loud as possible while hosting a dance party in my living room.

Get. Excited!

This past week I chaperoned a dance and boy did it send me back about 14 years. 

... I wore the widest leg pants you could imagine.  I would spend Wednesday, Friday, & Saturday evenings at the skating rink, eating cheese sticks, drinking cokes with slush-puppy ice, playing shoot the duck, and hoping that Bobby Luna would pick me for a dance around the circle during snowball. 

We would walk the mall every Saturday; ten bucks in hand ready and excited to buy the latest accessories from Claire's and hoping that we would see this week's crush at the Tilt (our malls arcade). 

Oh and let me not forget the moment that changed my life. It was dark, the smell of popcorn was in the air, and in the warmth of a packed theater I sat there staring at the dreamiest guy I had ever seen. It was then that my heart stopped and a single tear graced my cheek.  He was looking with great desperation into the eyes of a soaking wet red-head saying, "I'll never let go Rose, I'll never let go".

I would have sleepovers, makeovers, school dances, and tears about boys to boot. I walked to school, passed notes, stood in the lunch-line, and made friendships I never thought would end.  I also laughed so hard I thought my stomach would fall out, I liked a boy so much it hurt, and had the best friend a girl could ask for.

I had my first ever 1 inch wide highlights, I had braces on my teeth, and I wore shoes with 4inch soles. Going to the movie cost $7 and that would cover my movie, drink, popcorn AND Junior Mints. I would bring 25 cents with me to use the payphone at the mall to call my mom to pick me up. 

These were the days. 

Perhaps though the memory that outshines any other is from a single moment in my 7th grade math class. On this particular day I had brought a sticker booklet to school, filled with shapes, hearts, smiley faces, and pretty silver stars. It was the week before school got out. I sat in the front row, the desk closet to the door.  Behind me sat the boy I had liked every day of that year. Somewhere in the midst of me pulling off one of those yellow smiley face stickers the boy behind me asked to see my booklet. I am sure that my cheeks reddened as I passed it backwards. He spent a few moments looking through it's pages and then asked me to close my eyes, turn around and give him my hand. I could have died happy at that second but I was spared, for what came next was one of the sweetest and simplest moments of my life to date.  

My eyes were closed, his one hand holding mine and his other placing a sticker right in the middle of the top of my hand. He said, "Ok open your eyes", but I wanted to savor the moment even if but a second longer. So with my eyes closed I rotated back forward facing the door. I took a breath, opened my eyes, and looked down at my hand. There it was ... not a smiley face or one of the silvery sparkle stars, it was much better. The boy I had liked for 9 months had just given me the only pink heart sticker that the book had. 

After that we then held hands, spent together many dances (leaving room for Jesus of course), and savored the sweetness that was Junior High as boyfriend and girlfriend - we would be together forever... well maybe only for two weeks, but as a 13 year old, those two weeks felt like a thousand years.

It might seem silly but in 7th grade it meant the world to me, and last Friday night as I heard the music playing and watched the students sway back and forth I was reminded of what it felt like to be in that place many years ago. What sweet memories. 

Ah, 7th grade. I guess the only thing I have left to say is that "my heart did go on"... even through all the tears, the laughter, best friends, skating rinks, wide leg jeans, and that unforgettable, cute boy in my math class.

 

Studio Movie Grill - 2 Down... 4 To Go.

Studio Movie Grill = Winner!

I love this place and for the record in the last year I have only paid full price for a move there ONE, I repeat ONE time.

I have probably seen 10 FREE movies
10 $6 or less movies, bundled with a free soda

Get excited for SMG. I know I sure am. Here is the link!

Saw XMen First Class tonight - yes, $6 - and boy was it great! I give it a 10! (minus Kevin Bacon. What a strange guy, no?)

Here are some SMG tips:

• Groupon - sign up for daily deals, that is where most of my 5-6$$ tickets have come from
• Facebook - every month they give away free tickets - if you get one it admits two - Whitney and I always share so we then see AT LEAST 2 free movies a month - and then Whitney's fabulous mom gives us hers too! Yay Aunt Cynthia. 
• Facebook AGAIN - if you are a 'fan' of SMG you have access to their weekly specials - aka 6.25 for a movie and a drink - and most of the time the moves are a week old new release. 
• As soon as you sit down push your button - be ready to order your food and drink!
• Tell them if you want any sort of extra sauce right at the beginning, or else you will not get it. 
• Order your drink and a water - that way you are never without - because they are slow on keepin up with the drinks... 3/4 the way through your drink of choice press your button for a re-fill.
• Buffalo Chicken tenders = delish, that is all I ever get. Extra ranch. 
• If you are going to see a movie, esp. a MUST SEE, on an opening weekend, go EARLY. If you do not have a groupon, facebook, or other coupon and you plan on pay full price, there is also reserved seating if you buy your tickets online. 
• Sit at the counter seating, not the table, it just is awkward with them big office chairs. Yes, office chairs, that is what you sit in... it rocks. (quite literally) 
• Just park on the roof, it is easier that way. 

It's awesome. Go check it out. As a part B to this post, I am going to sooner or later post my summer movie choices.

For now? Well watch tomorrow, well tonight's (it's 12:17AM) MTV Movie Awards they are showing a clip from Breaking Dawn, Pt. 1 - Hooray!


Much love to you all my movie fans!

• 
  

One Down...6 To Go.

Man, who is a serious slacker? Yep that would be me. Life has been crazy. In the words of my favorite blogger, PW, "blog often, or you will never blog". This is so true. There is a list of things I have been wanting to write about:

7th Grade
Studio Movie Grill
The Cooking Project
Crappy Online Dating
Orange
New Working Sitty
Friendship


...but sitting down to write about any of them, well there just has not been time.

Maybe I will write 7 posts right now. I have energy. I had a Dr. Pepper, and well a re-fill - 90 days of awesome will power, gone.  It's ok, I still feel like I have broken my 'drink anything but water' habits. Ok moving on.

This post will be about... Crappy Online Dating. (Chosen as I closed my eyes and moved my finger up and down, up and down, up and down, stopped and landed there) ...very scientific.

---

Who can even remember when the sails caught the wind on my online dating adventure, but let me tell you the engine is fading. It is a LOT of work; sorting through matches, reading profiles, answering questions, and sending responses/receiving little to no responses. I mean I truly would love to meet someone online - but it is really hard. I know I can be real with you, I mean why not, right?

Rejection. Yep. That is the sitty I am facing. At least when I was not dating, or meeting any single men, I was not facing rejection. It is kind of a blow to a girls ego.  There was one guy, and he was a winner - I mean the guy I have probably liked the most since starting this saga - well let me tell you, things were going great, emails had been sent, whit and banter, flirting and fun were being passed over the tips of our fingers - and then one day... nothing. No email back, no match closed, just stinkin' nothing. Suckfest. And I am not going to turn in to some neurotic stalker and send email after email saying "Winner? What happened? Do you not want to marry me!?" Ha. No, it is what it is and I am smart enough to recognize "he is just not that..." you know the drill. But here I am, over a month later, still wondering.

Crap.

Then, ok so I go on a date this past week. Great guy, seriously. Funny, established, sweet.....
Romantic chemistry.?

None. Nada. Zipola.

Crap.

6 new matches today, 12 yesterday, 3 the day before... same story over and over. Out of those there are probably 6-8 that I would like to get to know more... so I "send a smile" or a short little email, and what happens. Nothing. No response.

Crap (yep. bitter party of, well... me)

I am also realizing how much 'looks' play into first impressions. I am not as shallow as some and I have definitely been guilty of this once or twice, but truly I would never just pass someone by completely determined on how they look. As my profile reads 'full figured' I get 'archived' almost immediately. I hate to even type this, but it is the reality of what I am facing. Am I going to have to become someone else to find 'the one'? Maybe. Is this also a blow to myself, my ego, my heart, my pride - yes. I could cry, and that is ok, but I won't sit here an pretend that being overweight has not aided in my lack of dates, and even though I could change this about myself, does it make it any less unfair? No.

Crap. (Crash diet?) No, but it has crossed my mind. ha.

I know, I just complained maybe more than I should have- but this is where I vent my feelings - and I hope that is ok.

Any who, I am not throwing in the towel just yet, I just wanted to give you my current status for this interesting adventure.

.... well, one down six to go.

Oh and BT-dubbs please follow this link and vote for Miss NM. Thanks.
http://www.missuniverse.com/missusa/members/profile/585169/year:2011/

Kenneth - The eHarmony 'Flex Match'

I would like to call this post, "Kenneth, the 'Flex Match'.

What is a Flex Match you might ask? Well, please let me give you the complete, official eHarmony explanation:

You see, Kenneth is somewhere there on the left, the green man if you will, but if you ask me he is somewhere else completely. Oh eHarm, what on earth were you thinking?

I would be doing you a complete disservice if I did not include my favorite portions from his profile. Oh my, here we go.

Kenneth, at age 34 is an artist and a writer, stands a short 5'3 and is a non-smoker. Doing good so far Kenny. The most influential person in his life is "God, Jesus, and my friends. why? because they all give me a more meaningful life." I can buy that, ok go on. 

The thing Kenneth is most passionate about: (quoting so that I leave nothing out)
"hello I am passionate about art, reading, writing, helping others, activism, volunteering, religion, sex, walking, swimming, live action role-playing, movies, tv, dining out, cuddling, and massaging"

Ohhhhhhhhhhh Kenny you had me at hello? 

Wrong.

Going on. Kenneth would like us to know some additional information about himself, he describes this in MANY words below:

"I like to meet like-minded open-minded ladies with similiar interests that I have. I like to have fun. For example, I like to dine out, watch movies, romantic strolls on the beach, bowling, sensual massages, cuddling, hugging, kissing, and getting to know other people better. My favorite color is red and my favorite foods are chinese and japanese. I am as open-minded as a human being can get. I'm so open-minded, that I do not mind if my dates are straight or bisexual, monagamous or polygamous. I believe honesty, good communication and loyalty are very important for a good relationship. I'm looking for a long-term commited relationship."

I don't think a polygamous and committed are synonymous when it comes to a relationship Kenny. But I mean let's not get hung up there... Red is one of my favorite colors too!

And the last part from this riveting tale from "People of eHarm"...

The last book that Kenneth enjoyed reading was, "Star Trek role-playing material :) I'll try to get a full membership on may 1st so i can communicate with you. please be patient. xoxoxoxo"

Well, there is not enough patience in the world Kenny.


XOXOXO
-S

For those of you who need a visual, my bffl drew a MS Paint Kenneth for you.

The Fire

Please read past the intro - and if you must, skip the intro and go to the second part. You will be glad you did. 

Happy Monday, or Tuesday, depending on when you are reading this. First, you should know that I have a stomachache. Why? I don’t know, you just should.  Second, I am going to apologize for my lack of writing. Things have been CRAZY as of late and I just have not had as much time as I would have liked to peruse this writing adventure, BUT alas here we are and we are back in business.

1.     I failed at April’s cooking challenge – I made exactly NO bread. None. Maybe this month? Who knows… I did make 90 Tres Leche cupcakes though – and boy were they yummy!

2.     Orange was amazing – a post THIS week to follow.

3.     Change - it's happening. POST BELOW.

Beautiful melody? Can you hear it right now? It is the music that is being played as I transition into my actual blog posting for today… La da deeeee la la la deee daa de la de daaa…

 ---

Change. We all go through it but sometimes it is hard to see the end when the present is so vividly staring right at you.  The past few months have been wrapped with change and transition for Grace.  Grace is my church, my faith community, where I worship. It’s my friends, my family, my work… it is a HUGE part of my life – the biggest in fact.

To put it most simply Grace is going through a shift, changes are happing and transitions are taking place. It is not an easy time. Now, does this mean it is not a good time, no, it just means it is not always simple.  The bar has been raised, the match has been struck, and we are on the ‘move’.

I recently read a novel about a woman who falls in love with her perfect cowboy (ha, now do I wish this was me, maybe) back on topic – In this novel the cowboy works a ranch…cows, horses, the works. Well part of being a rancher is keeping up the land and with this comes great responsibility. In order to keep the land fertile for new growth and substance for the animals, great, sometimes seemingly crazy things have to happen. One of those things goes something like this: light a fire, burn everything back down to dirt, re-soil, re-till, re-plant, re-do.  It seems to me that for the most part we try to avoid burning things down- we go out of our way to prevent wild fires, house fires, land fires, but in this instance the fire is the very thing that is required for maximum potential of the land.

The match is flung into the fields and the fire begins to burn. Before you know it you are feeling heat like you never have before, so hot that it seems unbearable to face. It burns and maybe even for a moment you fear that it might lose control.  Then, after the flames have gone down and the smoke has billowed through the air you begin to start breathing again, but only then to notice what looks like complete devastation.  Ash and dirt blow through the air, and smells of scorched earth fill your nostrils.  Its ugly, its messy to the touch.  This period of in between wraps your heart with sorrow because what is now black used to be filled with green fields and summer sunsets.  This is the real test, can you see beyond the black, the ugly, the burn and remember that it is what lies beneath it all that matters? That after the rain and thunderstorms have passed, washed and nourished the land that something magnificent will happen. Just like that, one day as the wind blows, the smallest trace of life will break through the dirt and before you know it fields of green will be all that you see…

This is what I believe is happening right now as change and transition become a big part of our daily lives, at least speaking for myself.  We are facing times that might not be easy, that might be hard for us to face, and that might at times seem unbearable. Through it all it might seem ugly and to some like complete devastation.  But what I try to remember every day is not the green fields or the summer sunsets of yesterday, but the new growth that will bust its way through the dirt completely unexpected, beautiful and completely nourished. Then, before you know it life and growth will be so abundant that people will not even remember the fire that almost consumed them. 

The match has been struck, we are facing the fire, and I am nothing but ready to see how God uses this time to prepare us for something bigger and greater than we could have imagined otherwise. 

Much love my friends and to anyone who is facing the fire, 

Sara

...Ohhhhh SAMA: Some Interesting Thoughts From My News Feed.

I thought I should highlight what people were saying in light of recent events. Read on my friends. The LAST TWO are my faves. You can leave status updates in the comment box of Facebook or right here on the blog. Much love to you my dear friends. Goodnight. 

1. I like how my entire feed is posts on OBL demise
2. OBL has been killed
3. Well let's hope the last thing to go through OBL's mind was a US Bullet
4. Tonight confirms to me that Jesus Message is so counter-cultural. What if He really meant what he said?
5. Yay?
6. _________...is hiding from my news feed. Anyone who posts a status saying that this victory is the result of anything George W. Bush did, seriously?
7. President Obama called President Bush earlier this evening to notify him that Bin Laden had been killed. That must have been an awesome conversation. God Bless both Presidents our Troops and intelligence agents, especially those that are still in harms way.
8. Jehovah-Jireh
9. Osama is dead, don't make it about GWB vs. Obama
10. God Bless America! Thanks to those serving our country.
11. You're not American if you don't care about the achievement of the US Military killing Bin Laden! Go USA!
12. President Bush is the Bomb
13. Just heard Chuck Norris killed Osama. I'm not surprised.
14. So a guy leads the largest terrorism organization in decades...could he repent and be saved moments before his death?
15. Does this mean we aren't going to hear any more about THE WEDDING?
16. Justice
17. I heard Charlie Sheens face was on the bomb. WINNER
18.  This just in... Donald Trump is calling for the release of Bin Laden's Death Certificate. 

19. Why can't people just let this be a victorious moment for our country and our military? Why does it have to turn into divisive political remarks ab Obama, elections, etc?

20. Hey friends, let's not forget that osama bin laden was a human loved & valued by God & no matter how many wrongs he committed our hope should be that he called on Jesus' name before he died...may our patriotism never override our desire to be Christlike

     

His Last Name is What?

Did you know that Prince William does not use a last name? Seriously. I was like, "Whitney, what is Prince Williams last name?" We both looked at each other, thought about it for a moment and then concluded we had no clue. Thank goodness for GOOGLE. 

Did you know that for all intensive purposes that PW is just PW... no last name. Crazy. But what is even MORE crazy and totally hilarious is when he does choose to use a 'last name' any of these will do:

Prince William "DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE"

Prince William Arthur Phillip Louis...Duke of Cambridge

Prince William Arthur Philip Louis Mountbatten-Windsor <---- My personal favorite. 

So as we were laughing about all of his names yesterday I then proceeded to ask Whitney, "Well so what is his new bride to be named?".... 

And this is where it gets good...

Are you ready? I repeat, are you ready?

Royal Highness PRINCESS WILLIAM, of Wales or the longer version:

Her Royal Highness Princess William Arthur Philip Louis, Duchess of Cambridge, Countess of Strathearn, Baroness Carrickfergus. 

So, in conclusion I am changing my name. I am changing my name to:

Her Royal Youth Director, Princess Sara Marie Only-Child Kinsey, Duchess of Photography, Countess of KitchenAid, Baroness Studio Movie Grill

Queen of Awesome.

A Vent - And Not The One That Blows Cold Air...

Impatience is NOT a virtue. Kind of like how 3 cloves of garlic in my pesto.... is NOT good for yo breath!

Hello World!

Yes I wish I felt as enthusiastic as my greeting but alas I. DO. NOT. You can hang up now if you don't want to listen to my in a funk of a mood self, don't worry I won't be offended, or wait... maybe I will. 

I woke up Sunday morning, and my first thought was not, "Oh glorious morn, I am so glad to greet thee!!!!!!!!" it went much more like, "Crrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap. Reaaaaaaaalllllly??? Ok, Sara, if you can make it through _____ and _____ and ______ you will be okay and then off to ORANGE." And did I mention that all I was dreaming of was just ONE, ONE cup of Whitney's Amaretto coffee she purchased from Central Market the day before. Gah. I gave up everything but WATER. Water for breakfast, water for lunch, and water for dinner, water for snacks, no coffee, no tea, no DR PEPPER, nada. 

5 Hour energy anyone? That hardly constitutes as water, but does it really constitute as anything else other than a heart racing, middle school student candy high promise of a great 5 hours???? 

Wow. This is not good. It's tearful Tuesday, I have cried only 15 or so times today, I am just a ball of emotions; crying over songs, circumstances, and my club sandwich. 

On the flip-side I am planting a garden for the MS Students in Chapel tomorrow- you can pray that I don't get a whippin from Tami for spilling my potting soil all over the Chapels stop sign red carpet :) Not that I have yet, but hey, giving a talk and planting a garden at ONE time - we all know my multitasking skills are that of a 2 month old baby... so what can I say - we might have spillage! 

Well folks, it's been real, real ridiculous. Don't fire me from your reading lists, I will write something of value again soon. Oh and about the impatience - flame of fire from Match and I have not spoken - although he did call me after I sent him a text explaining the courtesy of a phone call... I didn't answer, I missed the call. He tried again yesterday - I did try and return the call, but still no word. As for the eHarm, nothing on the radar yet.

"Yooowhooo Mr. Right"--- Awesome...party of great hair one, is right here waiting to dance yo boots off - so c'mon! 

Yeehaw Peeps!

Sara

Geico, Nationwide, State Farm... Nope Just eHarm!

Number 1: It is 11:56 PM and I am still awake, who the heck knows why? Certainly not me.

Number 2: 20 Days until ORANGE. WOO HOO. Do you need a brief status update? Ok then. Well I have made approx (and and when I say 'I have made' I mean myself and my beautiful helper Amy) 155 pans of cinnamon rolls. Crazy town. I have booked my airline tickets, the rental car, and the Holiday Inn... GET. EXCITED! Did I mention it was only 20 days until departure time... AND not only am I going to the Orange Conference but so are my sweet friends Angela, Jenna, and Whitney. I am sure the blog will be later filled with countless stories from: "Holiday Inn.. The Tale of Four Silly Ladies and Only One Bathroom" - but for now I am just filled with excessive gratitude, excitement, and dreams of flour (flour in my hair, in my bed, filling my shoes, closets, in my books, books about flour, and oh so much more flour... I have only used 75 plus pounds... bhahhahah).  ORANGE. Nuff said!


Number 3: Well people I have made the switch. Not on car insurance, or to Pepsi (like that would happen anyway. I am only drinking water for three months) but to eHarm. Already, and by already I clearly mean the 5 minutes I just spent looking over my 'new matches', I am seeing a difference. They have actually matched me with 3 guys, out of 7, that love Jesus, and talk about it on their profile. Hallelujah. This is really awesome considering that over the past 2 plus months of Match I would say total of 3 guys seemed to 'actually' love J-Dog. I mean serious business now when it comes to my matches, and let me tell you aparently so does eHarm. One would discover this by the hour of questions that he or she must undergo - whoa I worked up a sweat I'll tell you. On the flip side I may have to start taking "Help Sara to Find Her Man" donations... the eHarm is way more expensive than Matchy Poo. I have Pay Pall, please inquire! :) ... I kid, well sort of.


Number 4: Don't you just love grandparents? Man, I sure do. Mine are precious. I just spent about 36 awesome hours with them and boy do I think the world of them. My Grander and Mimi are some of the best people that I know. They love others with all that they are and have. They love God and share His news. And they sure have loved me through everything that life has thrown my way. They mean the world to me, to so many. Anyway, while there we played Phase10, one of our favorite card games. I lost. BAD. If you know about Phase10, you will understand that when I say that I was stuck on phase 4 for at least 5 maybe 6 rounds, you will know how much I was in a bad way. But it was a fun time, filled with Grander giving shuffling instructions, Mimi getting fussy over her cards, Whitney and I telling inside jokes, and my sweet Auntie plotting her win by trying to fake us out.

Well, those are just the things I had on my mind at 11... well now 12:19AM. Much love to you all.

Mimi Knitting a Blanket

"Jane, only shuffle half at a time, then do the drop thing, then shuffle in the other half..." -Grander

Phase 10 baby!

My sweet Grander

I would like to name this "Afflicted"

Mimi is gettin all 'fussy' at Grander and her cards.

Aunt Cynthia... plot plot plotting.

Please count the 7 number 4's. That is the round I was on for SEVEN times. I ended the game with like 700 points. HAHHA.

People will no longer wonder why it is that I do not gamble, 
Sara

Match.com(s) Made in Heaven!

Well folks, here we are, Thursday afternoon and the sun is shining. So I have to know, where the heck did March go? Can you believe that tomorrow is April 1st? No! Me either. However, even though it feels like I slept one night and then woke up to a new month, I am super excited about April's cooking challenge! Bread! BREAD. B+R+E+A+D = BIG TIME YUM (in my tum) mmmm.... My roommates hate it when I rhyme - cause I do it all the time. 


Enough. 


Well I made it through March cooking NONE, repeat NONE of the things on my cooking challenge, but the good news is that I did try new sweet dessert recipes, see below:


Cream Puffs
Key Lime Pie
Coconut Cream Pie
14 layer cake <-- But I did it in 5 mini sized versions. 
Caramel Banana Cream Pie <---BUT SOMEONE STOLE IT!!!! Out of one of the fridges at my office. Lame.

The Cream Puffs were awesome and probably the crowd fave...as were they mine. However, the little mini-many layer cakes were so cute, especially when  you cut into them!

**These photos are crap. I need to start using my Nikon for food photos. Gross! Just plain stinkin' gross.**

OK - on to the Month O' Bread! Here are the recipes I want to try:

1. Challah 
2. Pastor Ryan's Dutch Oven Bread
3. Homemade Pastry - like croissants or scones.
4. THE BIG CHALLENGE - Sourdough Bread/Bagels 
• Note that I also have to make a starter 
• There will be a post devoted to this, I can feel it. And I already have a photo.

In other news this month I celebrated Christmas! Want to see what I got?

That is correct! A 9.5 Quart Le Creuset Dutch Oven. My life is complete. Goodbye. 

No. But seriously, GET EXCITED. I was, I almost peed my pants. Thank you Auntie Becca. She loves me. She spoils me. I love her. I love Dutchie (who by the way has taking a liking to Kitchy there...they're a match made in heaven). 

Speaking of MATCH.com(s) made in heaven - My date. He was definitely nice and a gentlemen. We spent 3 hours at Lupe Tortilla before I even glanced at the time. That has got to say something, right? When it was all said and done he said, "Well I will call you so we can plan part two of our date!"  It is Thursday. No word. No vote. I guess he is off the island. Seriously - not even a courtesy call? My ego is slightly bruised, but I guess I really have not been just sitting by the phone, with butterflies in my tummy, waiting for his call either. And, well what I can I say? He didn't even like two-stepin'. 

Well from the wise words of my bestie, "Make it a Theological Thursday!" 

Bahha. 

-S

A Moment of Encouragement

Nahum 1:7
        The Lord is good; a stronghold in the day of trouble,
         And He knows those who take refuge in Him.

Until today I had never even read a word out of the book of Nahum, in fact if you were to ask me right now how to even pronounce Nahum – yeah well don’t. Sometimes doesn’t life feel like you are walking down a path that is leading you to something unknown? That the end is not clear? I think this is something that most people struggle with, especially when faced with times of trouble or uncertainty. I think we all want to know where the end is, that if we have done all this walking that it won’t have been for nothing. No matter where you are, who you are,  or what road you are walking down, God knows your struggle. But doesn’t that even seem a bit cliché for the moment? But take a second to think about knowing God. An awesome, amazing, big, and HOLY God, who could not forget you, who knows your heart, your desires, AND your struggles. Learn to lean on Him, but not because he knows of your struggles, but because by taking refuge in Him means he KNOWS YOU. He holds you. When you think you can’t – He can. He will. He is. When your feet are hitting the sand and gravel and stirring up the dust – even with no certainty, no end, no means in sight, take refuge in your maker and let Him be your stronghold – your guide. He is standing there at the end. He is standing behind you in case you were to stumble, and He is right there to grab your hand as you travel down whatever path you might be on. The Lord is mighty; a stronghold in the day of trouble. HE KNOWS YOU. Take refuge in Him.