New Year’s Resolutions…

Crazy what a new year makes people do and it’s always the talk of conversation around this time of year. I had a barista at Starbucks a few days ago ask me what my New Year’s resolution was and I drew a blank! (and I felt like a brat like I was perfect and didn’t need one lol) But she continued to talk about hers… and I began to think. Why do we always wait until the new year to change?! I sat down a few months ago and wrote out some goals for 2010 as far as work was concerned (merely because I’m that girl that needs to physically see them to strive toward and believe in) but I had not once thought about a New Year’s resolution(s)…

So I pondered… I don’t feel like I need to exercise more (if you’re not aware, I work at the gym) and I don’t need to ‘diet’ as every American does come January 1st. I save money (as best I can). I read my bible & have my quiet time. All these practical resolutions are active already in my life… And after days of thinking and praying, God put something a little different on my heart-

My resolution is for God to

CONSUME ME- INVADE ME- COMPLETE ME…

To love people with an OUTRAGEOUS love, an intangible love…

To live my life outside of the luke warm & grey areas…

To truly obey God’s commandments because I love Him THAT much… (John 14:15)

To be more than “just enough”…

To desire to do what is RIGHT over popularity…

To strive to make JESUS my LIFE, not just “part of my life”… not just a section/part of my day or some of my thoughts, but that HE consume me…

To love with all my heart, soul and mind. Not just with my heart…

To take many risks & sacrifice much for the sake of the cross…

& I desire for what’s on the inside of me to shine through. bright. pure. & righteous…

Lord that I give up everything to become your disciple.

What is your New Year’s resolution?

the BIG TEN new year’s party!

After some intense party planning, this is what turned out…

Most of our group on our RED CARPET entrance :)

(the gang that pulled this together)

Jay & Becky… our most fun couple we adore!!!

danced the night away…

      

     

 

C-YA 2009… and here’s to 2010… What I’m believing to be the best year of my life so far!!!

 

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Roxie

This dog is pretty much my most favorite. Ever.

 

MOST precious.  JUST sayin ;)

Christmas toys…

I love people.

I love children.

I love a smile.

I love to serve.

and I love the God that created them all.

As a little Christmas tradition, I joined Lewis Blanchard and others from Executive Marketing and we took hundreds of toys to children in the projects around town. To those less fortunate than us. So many kids with so little. Little clothing. Little food. Little opportunity. Little futures ahead of them. SAD. I merely find it sad that I can travel around the world and within few miles of my house, see similar poverty. There was one family in particular we served… a lonely mother and her two small boys, who look so satisfied with nothing but incredibly excited for a new toy. We gave the children something of their choice and kindly they said thank you and began to walk off. Their mother, just as humble as could be, said thank you. She stated that those kids never get any attention, not from anyone… and that we were a blessing and sent from God.

The rule was one toy per child until all the toys were given out. Well we had been to all the places we planned on going so as all the children were breaking open their toys and share what the received, we began to give out another toy to those who wanted another… Which of course way everyone! The mother held back her boys as the others ran up, so I grabbed all I could hold in my arms: trucks, puzzles, cars, crayons, whatever! and I walked over and told the boys to stand still because we had a lot of toys to carry and I had to place them just right in their arms… and as I did the mother began crying. She was so thankful and grateful that we provided something for her children for Christmas because she simply couldn’t afford it. We hugged and wished each a Merry Christmas… and as she walked away she said to her boys, “Now son, this is what love looks like.”

Love. So precious. Faithful. True. Kind. Selfless. Hopeful. Perseveres. Never Fails…

My Lord is gracious. He is rich in Love. He is good to ALL…

Step out of your comfort zone and serve someone you wouldn’t normally serve. Watch and feel what God does in your heart & soul. Its contagious.

Laminin

 

I love this…

Mercy...

Here I am a sinner

Broken and in need of You

Take my life and wash my fears away

For You are the Great I AM

Rest assured, I feel Your hand

Holding me until the darkness clears

A Father to the fatherless

Redeemer of my soul

My Life is Yours forever

I want the world to know

Your mercy saved me

Mercy made me whole

Your mercy found me

Called me as Your own

Here I stand a child of Yours

Broken and in need of You

Break these chains and wash my guilt away

Healer of my brokenness

My weary soul will find its rest

You are my strength, the lifter of my head

You're greater than my yesterdays

You hold me close today

You're the Lord of my tomorrows

My heart will always say

You're greater than my yesterdays

You hold me close today

You're the Lord of my tomorrows

My heart will always say

You called me as Your own

You called me as Your own

Thank You for Your mercy

Thank You for Your mercy

You called me as Your own

Your own

Thanksgiving...

Oh how I love the holidays, especially Thanksgiving. So many things to be thankful for! I love this season of life that I am in and what God is doing in my heart!

Thanksgiving morning it is tradition for us to go deliver meals to those who are less fortunate than us. With my mom being a home health nurse and the with the people she takes care of, you can bet that she will do her best to make sure people are not without. This is something we have done since we were kids, and every year I see something worse than the year before that makes me feel so helpless and selfish all at the same time. And every year I come away with a greater love for people and a deeper passion to see not only this city, but our world changed.

As the day went on we had dinner and did family things as well as finished decorating for Christmas. As mom and I were organizing the chaos it brought back so many memories... Of what once was our typical American family of 4 and us being kids.... my amazing grandmother being the creative decorator that she was.... but also making new memories :)

My grandma has been a florist her entire life. Decorates everything for every occasion. We have had many laughs about her around the dinner table and sat back and watched as she did her thing time and time again. The little things we take for granted. This is the first year my Mema hasn't had any part in our Christmas decorating and it made me stand still in my tracks when my Mom uttered, "I wish Mom was well enough just to sit and watch us do what she loves to do".... It happened to be one of those moments I wanted to curl my skin inside out because it made me that sad.

For some reason, my entire life I felt as if my grandma would live forever. That she would walk through my life with me as she has the past 25 years. She definitely has been through the good, bad and ugly and is a walking example of what God's grace looks like. She is a true, faithful, strong woman of God. She's lived with and she's lived without. Never given up, doubted and has always trusted God. She's never held a grudge, never been unforgiving or understanding. She's smart, beautiful and precious in so many ways.... and so close to going to be with Jesus. I have to smile and just imagine what that day will be like for her because there is so many she loves who will greet her.... but so overwhelmingly distraught of the thought of her not being here for me to run to on those days... I use to call her when I was soo young to come get me from day care, I ran to her house when I was mad at my parents when I was in grade school, I escaped to her when I was in high school and having every issue a girl my age had, and even in college when I was confused at life and had my heart broke in a million pieces. She always had a way of telling me everything I needed to hear and a prayer to encourage me to keep going.

Now she can barely move, feed herself or smile. I miss her and she's not even gone. I wish I had of taken more time with her to cook, to go to her land and go fishing, wish I would have planted more flowers in her garden and tomato plants with her, and stayed awake a minute longer when she scratched my back, or decorated a million more Christmas trees, and had just a few more talks on her swing on her back patio.......

My Mema is what I am most thankful for....