Go 'Noles!

So, what an awesome night for a FSU fan! The 'Noles won and Florida lost! Oh what a great night...followed by what is sure to be an amazing Sunday morning at C3! Now I just really need my Colt's to beat D-Lo's Broncos tomorrow. Well, we will see...Until then, I need to get to sleep.

Football Rocks!

Rainy Saturday

I love rainy days like today, they are so relaxing and peaceful. Being able to sit around and do nothing is priceless...that doesn't happen very often! I am thankful for the rest we get when we can, it helps me personally to get re energized.

Anyway...

I am looking forward to tomorrow. I know God is going to work in lives and speak though Pastor Byron. I am thankful we have a Pastor who communicates God's word in an easy to understand way, without 'watering down' scripture. It really is irritating to hear people say that our Pastor 'waters' things down. I remind myself, though, that it doesn't matter what others choose to say. We know that God is using our Pastor and church to make a difference based on life change. Anytime you are doing amazing things for Christ people will find something to say. Sometimes people just have a need to talk about others and tear down. Again, it doesn't matter what they say...one thing I have learned over the past year is that you can't control others but only yourself. So they can keep talking, blogging, and smirking...but God is moving and people are being changed. That is all that matters!

C3 Rocks!

Fun Friday!

Today has been a good day...much better than last night in which I was sick and nauseous. I think I got sick from my own cooking! Maybe I shouldn't cook anymore :) I went to lunch with my hubby :) We ran some errands and now we are getting ready to go out with our great friends to celebrate Barry Oser's birthday.

I am very thankful for the friends we have...God has really given us a great support system to go through life with! What a great gift...true and real friends are few and far between. Most people go through their lives without ever knowing who they can really trust, or wishing they had people they could truly count on. We are grateful to have even just a few of those people around us. Some of them we have known since high school and some just a year or so, but all are equally important to us! It is crazy how you can know someone for a short amount of time and just connect so well. Matt and I can see how God was working and how He intentionally placed people in our lives...we are so grateful for that. =)

All that to say we are so thankful for the great friends we have...and we wish you a very happy birthday, Barry!

Thursday's Fun!

So I was a little worried that The Office would disappoint me...It definitely did not! :) I am very excited that Jim and Pam are together. It was also as funny as ever...Michael's dumbness (is that a word?) never gets old!

The Office Rocks!

Finally!!!

Okay so tonight we all finally get to see what happens on The Office...I figured I would post this video...just because I am excited :) I just hope they don't disappoint me! Jim and Pam better get together! :)

Laugh Away!

Tuesday Night Thoughts!

It's late Tuesday night and I can't sleep! Today was a good day, long but good...Here are my random thoughts :)

* I am very excited about getting 2nd place at poker tonight! Go me :) I have never gotten that far!

* I love my Mac computer! It rocks...I just created my own web page of pictures that anyone can go to...I was amazed that it is actually a real web page! The address is: gallery.mac.com/monica_hunt

* Back to the poker...Neither Matt nor Barry have ever gotten 2nd place... :) Just thought I would share that.

* I am looking forward to what is in store for the future of C3. I love our church and love that it is a place that talks about real issues!

* I am very excited about Dirty Little Secret! The series sounds like it will be awesome and hit home for many.

* I am also excited about The Office this Thursday! Oh man...I can't wait!

* I love my husband! He rocks :)

* So does our puppy...now she might be crazy, but she definitely rocks :)

* I really hope FSU wins this Saturday...

* I need to go to bed, tomorrow is going to be an even longer day than today if I don't get some sleep!

Much Love!

Choices

There are some things and people I will never understand...

I'll never understand why people write certain things or comments in their blogs. It's amusing how immature people can be. Of course, I am reminded again and again when I let these things get to me, that I can only control myself. I have no control of others and their actions. I have no control of what people may or may not write in their blogs. I have no control....God does. I just have to make the choice of what to focus on. I can choose to focus on people that hurt me or people that love me, and I can choose to focus on and read blogs that are encouraging or blogs that just tear down others.

I choose to focus on encouraging people. I have always said I would not read discouraging blogs, but this weekend I came across one by chance. Of course, I read it. I shouldn't have. I knew I shouldn't when immediately afterwards I was angry. I did not come away from reading that blog feeling the way I do when I read blogs that are encouraging. I came away mad at this person and mad at myself. So today I will make the choice (again) to not read blogs that just tear people down and are extremely immature. I will also make the choice to do my best to only focus on the positive...Positive people and blogs!

I have found that there really isn't much negativity in my life anymore. God really shows how much He loves us by taking people out of our lives. We may get upset at that moment and not understand why they left or hurt us, but we realize soon after that, that God had a purpose. He knew they would only bring us down and hold us back from being the person He wants us to be. He knew what they would do to us and because He only wants the best for us...He took them away.

I thank God for how much He has protected me!

I love C3!

The atmosphere at C3 this morning was unbelievable. It was so encouraging for me and reminded me why we do what we do. As I looked around while we were singing all I could see were people who love C3, people who are real, and people who just want real answers to their problems.

The message this morning was amazing and really convicted me of a few things. I was reminded how important it is to be intentional in the friendships that you make and that I need to be building relationships to help people come to know Christ and show them God's love. I need to do the same thing with my family. They don't know Christ and sometimes I think I give up hope. The few times I have tried to talk to them about Christ they are very against hearing anything. I just need to remember that God is in control, and I can always be showing them His love through my actions. I was reminded this morning not to give up on them...God is God and He can do anything! I am so thankful for that and I hope that they do see His love through me.

I know Crave tonight will be great, too. I love these students and appreciate their openness. They make new students feel so welcome. I always see regular Crave students talking with and being friendly to students visiting for the first time. They help to make Crave what it is. So many of them are constantly bringing friends and investing in people. They are so awesome! I can't wait to see how God is going to move tonight.

C3 Rocks!

Inspiring Lyrics

A thousand times I've failed
Still Your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
I'm caught in Your grace
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

Your will above all else
My purpose remains
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise
Everlasting
Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending
Your glory goes beyond all fame

In my heart and my soul
Lord I give You control
Consume me from the inside out
Lord let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out

I love this song, and these lyrics are inspiring to me. I hope they are to you as well...God is amazing and I am always in awe of how He works in our lives and loves us no matter what!

Have a happy Saturday! :)

Funny Friday!

So in light of my excitement that The Office will be starting again next week I figured it would only be appropriate that I post an Office video for today! :)

Laugh Away!

Thoughts from the Week

This week has been a crazy week! It's been a great one, though...no matter how exhausted I feel tonight! Here are my thoughts from the week:

* I need to start taking my iron pills. For those of you who know me well at all know I am anemic, which its just a fancy word for not having enough iron. I know I need to take them but they taste nasty! Matt tries to force me but I think he gave up! :)

* I love working at C3 and being able to be a part of what God is doing there! I have never worked in such an encouraging environment!

* I am learning more and more everyday to focus on the positive. People will always have negative things to say, no matter what!

*God has really been teaching me that I can only control myself and not others. And I control what I decide to focus on!

* Okay, I really need to go to the doctor. My back still hurts and I just keep avoiding going. Back pain just stinks...it's like no matter how you sit or lay, it still hurts.

* Matt and I have a Jack Russell Terrier- Princess- and she is one at that. People told us they are hyper but they calm down after a couple years...She's two and still acts the same...maybe she is just special. :) We love her no matter what, though.

* People never get to see the good side of Princess, she is hyper when people are around, but when they leave she sleeps for like 12 hours. She sleeps in until almost noon sometimes!

* I am overly excited that in one week The Office comes back on TV. Then we will finally get to see what happened with Jim and Pam! Okay, I need to get a life!

* I love having great conversations with encouraging people...people who just get it!

* I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow...I wish I could still sleep until noon! :)

* I am also looking forward to this Sunday and hearing part of The End series. I heard amazing things from this past Sunday and I am sure this one will be even better.

* I love the atmosphere at C3 when we worship! It is so awesome and very positive. I am so grateful for the people at C3 with amazing attitudes...it makes for such an encouraging and inspiring environment!

I hope everyone has a fabulous Friday, tomorrow!

Keep Running!

My heart is heavy today for my friends who are hurting. So many of them have lost someone close to them in their lives...Not necessarily by death...but no matter how you lose someone it always hurts. I am praying so much for them and hoping that they will remember how much God and their friends love them.

I have noticed in times of pain and hurt is when you see God work the most in your life. It seems impossible to see in the moment, but once you start to walk through and out of it you can see how God was with you the whole time. You can see how He protected you and made the hurt not as bad as it could have been. You begin to see His purpose for it all as you walk through it, also. Although it seems that sometimes it isn't until you have overcome the hurt that you see His purpose for your pain.

Looking back in my own life I can see why God took certain people out of my life and why He put me in certain situations. However He may have done it and however bad it may have hurt at the time, I see the purpose now. Of course, no one in that situation wants to hear that it will all be okay. At that time, in my opinion, it is so hard to see that it actually will be okay. It seems like all you can see is what you are facing at that specific time.

We do have such an amazing and faithful God though! He always brings us through these situations and always has a purpose for people He brings in and even people He takes out of our lives. We serve an awesome God who loves us unconditionally!!

I was encouraged a while ago when I read this post by Angie. It reminded me to keep my eyes focused on the prize and to keep on running no matter what!

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
Philippians 3:12-14 (msg)

Learning...

I'm learning:

* that Madea is a very smart woman. She quotes Maya Angelou when she says: when someone shows you who they are...believe them.

* that sometimes I don't want to see who people really are...I just want to believe they are the people I thought I knew...I wonder if that happens to anyone else?!

* that not everyone is going to care as much as you wish they would...and that you can't control others but only yourself.

* how much I learn at Crave! The students teach me so much and it is such a privilege to be able to hangout with them every Sunday. They are awesome!

* that some students are hurting more than we ever knew...but the way they handle themselves is amazing.

* how awesome our volunteers are! Of course, I already knew this, but I see it more and more every Sunday. They are doing so much to invest in kids lives.

* how God can use people in our lives to teach us so many things...He always has an amazing way of placing people in our lives at a specific time for us.

God is amazing and is always so faithful! I know this week will be another great one...I am looking forward to next Sunday and to hearing part of The End series.

I hope everyone has a Happy Monday tomorrow!

Funny Friday!

I thought I would share this with you all today!!

Laugh Away!

Gotta Love Change!

Why is change so feared? If we lived in a world where nothing changed what would that be like? Things must change, we must adapt...we cannot remain stagnant in life or the world will pass us by. In science they say that you must adapt to your surroundings to live and more than that, to thrive. Yes, I'm sure you could just 'make it by' without adapting but what kind of life would that be. Would you be living or would you just be alive? We don't live the same way they did 100 years ago...for example, we eat differently based on our knowledge of what is healthy. We communicate differently...we just plain live differently!

I believe the same thing applies to church. This is why I love being a part of a changing church. A church that is not afraid to adapt to the culture around it to reach people. How can you reach people using techniques used 100 years ago? Who is going to respond to that?

I can definitely relate to this...I did not grow up in church. I remember when C3 started to make all the changes...I asked Matt, Can they do that? Can church be like that?? But let me tell you I was asking out of amazement...not disappointment! I had no idea that church could be exciting...fun and I had no idea that kids could actually like church! Whoa...what a possibility!

Matt grew up in church...Him and his brother used to beg their parents to not make them go to church on Sunday mornings. Why should it be like that? It definitely doesn't have to be, and I think C3 shows that every Sunday! Part of the reason that C3 can grab kids attention is because they can adapt and change.

Of course this doesn't mean change what the Bible says. That is the one thing that never changes, and C3 stays true to that, also. They just communicate what the Bible says in a way that people, regular people, can relate to. You don't have to know every verse or have all kinds of knowledge that you can just have but not actually use! C3 shows us how to apply the things the Bible teaches. That is what people really need...Not just a bunch of facts, but how to actually live life!

All that to say, I love change...It rocks!

Feelin' the Love

I love...

date nights
my husband
hot chocolate from Starbucks
The Office
reality TV
C3
seeing the work that God is doing in my life and those around me
our puppy =)
spending time with great friends
girls' nights
our country and all the people who fight for it!
naps...
Christmastime
skiing...or dreaming about it!
spending time with family
vacations
meeting new people
having great conversation...what can I say I am a communication major!
watching football with my husband...mostly our Colt's and Nole's!
taking pictures and then scrapbooking them =)
blogging
laughing so hard my stomach hurts!
random notes from my husband that he leaves me around the house :)
the amazing people God has placed in my life!

So Small...

I heard this song today for the first time and I loved it...The lyrics were inspiring to me and I think helps to remind me how important love is...Not just the love I share between my husband but God's love for us and the love we share with those around us!

What you got if you aint got love?
The kind that you just wanna give away
It's okay to open up
Go ahead and let the light shine through
I know it's hard on a rainy day
You wanna shut the world out
And just be left alone
Don't run out on your faith

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
What you've been out there searching for forever,
Is in your hands
When you figure out love is all that matters, after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small

It's so easy to get lost inside
A problem that seems so big, at the time
It's like a river that's so wide
It swallows you whole
While you're sittin round thinking about what you can't change
And worryin' about all the wrong things
Time's flying by, moving so fast
You better make it count, cause you can't get it back.

Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing Is just a grain of sand
What you've been out there searchin for forever Is in your hands
Oh, When you figure out love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small

Love always wins and always overcomes!

Scatterbrained Sunday!

All I have is a bunch of random thoughts from today. I guess lately I have posted a lot of 'random thoughts' posts, but I seem to be having trouble getting my mind all together. There is so much going on in all aspects of our lives lately that I always have lots of thoughts running through my mind!

This Sunday morning was great! Pastor Barry's message hit home for me in the aspect of reaching people around me. I know I am not doing all that I can do to try to reach people and fulfill what God has called us all here to do. Then Crave tonight was great! We discussed dating and even played a little bit of the dating game. I think Travis did a great job of communicating to the students about it...it was something that definitely needed to be talked about because it is a big part of these student's lives every day. We had a bunch of new girls in our small group so that was also exciting...well, they weren't new but just moved into 9th grade. I believe this is going to be a great year with the students! The high school girls are really starting to open up and feel more comfortable...I thank God for that so much! I hope they continue to feel safe and free to be who they are in that time.

I am thankful that we finally got our new car and got that whole situation over with. The stress of not knowing if our old car would start when we needed to go somewhere was not cool! I was waiting to get a call from Matt saying he was at school and the car wouldn't start...I never did and now we don't have that car anymore so praise God!

I cannot stand this cough that I have had for like three weeks. Okay...I may be exaggerating a little, but I have had it for a while. I think people are going to think I smoke if it doesn't go away soon! ;)

Right now I am feeling this, how am I gonna make it through the week, feeling. I don't have it bad at all...so I really shouldn't be saying this but I guess I just feel tired. I'm feeling like I just want to sleep for hours and then when I wake up just lay around and watch The Office. Again, I am fine...I have no room to complain! God has blessed us in so many ways. Everyone just has those weeks when you just feel tired and worn out. I think I'm just having one of those. I know, as always, God will give me the energy to do all stuff we have to do this week. I also have an amazing and encouraging husband who always knows how to put a smile on my face!

Matt and I are praying for our friends who are hurting now. We love them and are thankful that they are in our lives. We are always going to be there for them and are so grateful to know they will be there for us, too. It is such a wonderful thing to have people in your life like that. They will never know how much they mean to Matt and me!

I am pretty happy that my Colt's won (they dominated...but I won't brag) on Thursday...and Florida State won yesterday! That's good for our house! :) I have to admit, I am glad that football season is back.

I think I should try to get some sleep...and if I can't sleep I can just turn on some Office and that will solve my problem! :)

I hope everyone has a Happy Monday!

My Can't Sleep Thoughts...

I am in a weird mood...I had a fun night but for some reason I don't feel quite all with it, and I feel tired- but can't sleep!

I think I have to admit that lately God has really been trying to teach me some things I don't want to learn. I know it sounds weird...I guess it's just stuff I know I need to learn and accept, but it's not always easy to learn and can be hurtful. I know in the long run it will help me. I know God would never teach me something that would hurt me...I guess I am just not fully trusting Him at the moment. I need to just wake up and accept it!

We did have a fun night though! It was a football filled one. We went with Kayleigh and Barry to the Master's game for a bit and then headed to the Colonial game to watch Bryant Vail play. Now tomorrow we have to head off to Jacksonville again...early in the morning. It doesn't suit well for me that I am still awake! Hopefully we will come back with a new car! Actually, I should say...Hopefully our Sentra starts in the morning so we can get to Jacksonville, to get the new car!

The main reason we are going to Jacksonville is to celebrate our niece's first birthday! =) Happy Birthday, Ayla! She's a cute little girl and is starting to learn how to walk! We are glad to be able to see the family for a little bit tomorrow. I only wish we didn't have to drive there and back. That is the exhausting part! Well, tomorrow is going to be a long day! I better make myself go to sleep.

I am excited for C3 on Sunday, too! We will be in the service this week and we are looking forward to it! I love being in the service...I get this overwhelming feeling when I look around and know how much God has done at C3, and how much is in store for the future! It is amazing!

Funny Friday!

Madea tries to help this child with her homework =) ...I hope this helps everyone have a good laugh today!

Laugh Away!

Reflections From Today

I am glad it's Thursday...that means I get to sleep in tomorrow! I have had a busy week and I have so many thoughts running through my head...

* Car shopping is a pain! More than car shopping, trying to negotiate a deal on a car is an even bigger pain!

* NFL football starts tonight...with none other than my Colts playing! I really hope they win...at least they won the superbowl last year!

* I don't know what happened on Monday night...FSU...well, I won't talk about it.

* I still love the Noles though!

* We have to go out of town again this weekend...Just one day...but it is still tiring.

* I have been watching my Office season three! It is even better than I remembered it! =)

* Now I am even more anxiously waiting for the season premiere.

* I love my husband! He is the greatest husband...I thank God for him more than anyone could ever know!

* I love having a puppy! She may be crazy at times but I wouldn't trade it for anything! She rocks!

* I also love having awesome friends who are always real and honest! That is such a blessing that many never get to experience!

* I have so much laundry to do...how do I have this much when there is only two of us in the house! I wonder how bad it will be after we have kids!

* I love the weekends...spending time with my husband and our great friends, relaxing, being at C3 on Sunday...It doesn't get much better than that!

Well I need to go figure out what we're going to eat for dinner!

GO COLTS!

Reach Out!

I have been thinking a lot lately about the community around me, and about reaching them. I am so proud to be part of C3 where our Pastor and staff have a desire to reach the community around us. I am looking forward to the amazing things C3 will do to reach the community, but at the same time I am reminded of what I need to be doing to reach the community. I have neighbors that I don't know and I am around thousands of people at school that I don't know...I am reminded that I should try to get to know them!

I know C3 is going to do a great job of reaching the community but lately God has been teaching me that we can do so much to help them! People are much more willing to go to a church when they know someone there...not that many people like the feeling of walking into a big church when they don't know a single person (I remember that...it wasn't fun!). Although, I think the theater will help with that...it's a familiar atmosphere...but it always makes it more comfortable if there is a familiar face. Sometimes, even with a familiar face, people don't like the idea of walking into any kind of church...I can understand that, too...who knows what kind of experience they have previously had in various churches!

This is why I am so thankful for our Home Team ministry. What an awesome way to connect with the community around you! I am excited to be able to invite the people around me to our young married home team. That just makes for such an easy invitation...to invite them to your house or to come with you to someone else's house close by. To me, it isn't as intimidating to someone to invite them into that setting versus a church setting. I love that C3 gives us this opportunity and tool to reach people!

I am so excited for the future at C3...I love that this is a place willing to do what it takes to reach the community and connect them with Christ!

Here we go!

It was great to have a long weekend! I really needed the rest, but it's back to busyness tomorrow. It starts with class at 7:30am, and I have to go tomorrow. I usually have this routine of trying to talk myself out of going in the morning...I try to rationalize it, but not tomorrow! Then, I am off to work and then back to school in the evening! Phew...I'm tired already just thinking about it. =)

Of course tomorrow, The Office season three comes out! I have been waiting for it so this is very exciting for me...I get excited about the little things in life!

...But tonight at 8pm starts FSU's season! There won't be any going to bed early at our house! I love football season =)

Go Noles!

Powerhouse Sunday

This was another great Sunday at C3! I have been talking about how this Sunday would be my first in Powerhouse, and it was awesome! God is doing such amazing things through all of our volunteers! It was so encouraging to watch all the kids focus on the actors, dance and sing, and just be so engaged!

God is so good! We never seem to be sure if we will have enough staff, but week after week He provides! I really do hope that all the volunteers know how important they are...all of them, even the people who are unseen. They all do so much and work so hard to make Powerhouse what it is! We couldn't do it without all of you! =) God is using these volunteers in amazing ways. They connect so well with the kids and their families.

I love being able to stand back and watch it all happen. I watched as the parents came in to pick up their kids and you can see the look on their faces...a look of excitement for their children. A look of joy in knowing their kids are being loved and being taught the love of Jesus. Then of course you see the kids faces. They are priceless! They have that look of...do we have to leave now?! And...When can we come back?! That is what it's all about! I am so thankful for all of our volunteers. They are amazing. I am also so thankful for our God who helps us communicate His love to these kids.

Powerhouse Rocks!