Friday Night Thoughts...

Matt and I came to Jacksonville today for my 11 year old sister's birthday party! We had a blast, but I am tired and it's late so here are my random thoughts from today:

* Kids are so awesome and being around them reminds me that I should have more of a child-like faith.

* My back is still hurting...I have no clue what I did to it, but back pain really stinks!

* Matt is doing such a great job taking care of me...since my back disables me!

* Honesty is very important to me...I can't stand lies, they only hurt people!

* God has really been teaching me who I can trust...

* Having people in your life that you can really and truly trust is priceless.

* Princess had a blast tonight with all the girls! She will sleep good tonight!

* I am such a home person, I am already missing my bed! (and my TiVo!)

* We finally took our car to the shop today....of course they aren't sure what's wrong with it!

* I am so excited for the future of C3...The theaters are going to rock!

* I have really been encouraged by others' blogs lately...Blogging is such a great tool to teach and encourage those around you!!

* This Sunday will be my first as the director in Powerhouse...I am so excited!

Okay- I need to go...Matt and I are going to watch a Madea movie!! She always makes me laugh...Here's why!

Laugh Away!

Funny Friday!

The Office - "Andy Annoyance"
Okay I know I have posted two other Office videos and I was going to look for something else this time, but this was too funny to pass up! Oh my...I love this show! =) I think I am officially an Office addict! =)

Laugh Away!

Who's Up for a Challenge?

I have been challenged in many areas of my life lately, and I have started to realize that I enjoy being challenged. No matter what area of life it is...it seems to be something that has grown on me. Whether it is at work, in my family life, or in my faith.

I have definitely have been challenged at work. I have been trying to figure out a computer program (and I am by no means a computer wiz!)...the ins and outs of it and how to use it for various ministries. I found myself starting to get frustrated, thinking this must be impossible! When I did eventually figure it out...it was extremely rewarding! To be honest, I think I secretly like having to work to figure things out...No clue why, I just do! =) I am also moving to Power House this Sunday, instead of being in First Look. I am excited about the move. Although, I will miss my First Look teachers and kids, I am looking forward to getting to know more teachers and more kids! It will be a challenge, but again, one that I know will be very rewarding.

I also am challenged in my faith. I am challenged by those around me who encourage me to be the person God wants me to be. I am challenged when I find myself worrying about things that, I need to remember, God has control of. I am challenged by my husband who is always encouraging me and reminding me of the best way to handle situations, and I am challenged by myself at times...I know I should not have the fears I have, and I know that I should not let the insecurities I have get the best of me.

The great thing about knowing what fears and insecurities I have is that I have a God who is always there for me and I can give all my worries and fears to Him! I also have a husband who will encourage me and remind me that I am not perfect...and that's okay!

Thanks to all who have challenged and encouraged me lately!

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Unconditional!

It has been a crazy day and I can't yet go to sleep...So I figured I would blog. It's really late so it won't be long.

I just want to say that I am so thankful for a God who loves us through anything! I think it is amazing that no matter what we do He will never let go of us!



I have to say that I am also thankful for the way God provides...He is so faithful if we just are patient and have faith in Him. It is hard for me to be patient at times! I have a tendency to try and take control of problems myself and think I can solve everything. I have recently learned that I can not do all things by myself, but only in Christ is that possible. It is something that God has been teaching me for a while and I am so thankful for that. I am thankful to be able to learn lessons from our God who loves us unconditionally. That word is so amazing and to think that our God can love us in that way, in spite of the mistakes we make, is awesome!

God blesses is so many ways and I am so thankful for His love for us! I am also thankful for my wonderful husband! He is the best and helps me so much and in so many ways. He is always so patient with me and also unconditionally loving! God has blessed me so much through him...I love him!

I am just so grateful for unconditional love. What an amazing thing!

Monday Madness!

Today was a 'Monday'...Here are my random thoughts from today:

* I wanted to sleep all day today...I am not feeling well! I think there is something going around.

* Not feeling well makes Monday's even more...'Monday!'

* I am trying to keep myself from getting sick so Matt keeps making me drink Airborne...That stuff tastes nasty!

* I am a baby when it comes to medicine! =)

* Working at C3 actually makes Monday's not so bad! It is encouraging to see the lives that were changed on Sunday and that makes Monday's great!

* I am grateful for my husband who has taken care of me since I started to feel sick...He says I need to rest. =)

* I am also thankful for our wonderful friends! It is great to have people you can always count on!

* I am so excited...Next Tuesday The Office season 3 comes out on DVD! I am going to have to re-watch it before the season premier!

* Our puppy is crazy and she thinks it is her job to protect us...She only weighs 17 pounds! She's a little ball of energy though!

* I am remembering that I need to go to bed early...I have class at 7:30am tomorrow! Oh man...is it December yet?!

* I am getting more and more excited about C3's move to the theater!

Okay, I think that was as random as you get! =) I am going to go rest up some more!

Hope your Monday was great!

What a Day!

Today was an absolutely amazing Sunday! The service was almost a reflection of a year ago, when C3 launched as a new church. The Pastors all answered the questions: Would you take it back? And What are you most excited about? They got me even more excited about the future of C3 than I already was! They all have so much passion for the vision of C3. I am grateful and proud to be able to say I am a member of a church where our Pastors have so much integrity and drive for the vision God has placed for us!

As I look back on the past year I know I have grown and learned so much about church and the way it should be done. I have so much of a deep appreciation for all the staff does to reach the lost, and for all of the people who invest in C3 and make it the welcoming, free to be yourself, place that it is!

We also had our Crave back to school kick-off tonight! It was awesome. I am excited about the fall with Crave and how God is going to use the new series Travis is starting in a couple weeks. Being a part of student ministry is such a privilege for me! I never had people to invest in me the way our leaders do in these students, and it is so great to see the them grow and become excited about church!

Today was just an awesome day! All I can say is...I love C3!

I love my husband, my friends, and...Fridays!

Fridays are great days! I get to sleep in, spend most of the day with Matt, and hangout with great friends in the evening! =) What could be better?!

Tonight got me thinking how grateful I am for the people God has placed in my life! From my husband, to our friends, I am so blessed! It is amazing how relationships can be formed, and how you can see God's hand in it. I think about how I met Matt...and how there were so many people working at that Target, but somehow we met each other. God's hand in our meeting was so evident! (Yes, Matt and I met by working at Target! =) ) I am so thankful for Matt...He is an amazing husband and has loved me and will love me no matter what!

This is also so evident in my friendships! I would not have met some of my best friends if it wasn't for meeting others first. God has shown how He has such a purpose for bringing certain people into your life, even if some of them are only in it for a short amount of time. You may, out of those short friendships, meet friends that you will have forever...your "roots."

For those of you who haven't seen Madea Goes to Jail, she makes an analogy about friends and compares them to trees. I wrote a blog about this on facebook a while back...Here it is.

Madea talked about friendships and the people that will come in and out of our lives, she used the analogy of a tree...Some she referred to as leaves: They will go back and forth and you never know when you can rely on them and when you cannot...they eventually will fall off after a season and no longer be by your side. Then you have branches: They (in my own opinion) use you for support, but don't hold their own weight. They take and take but rarely do they give, and they fall and break easily.
Then you have the Roots: You only need two or three or maybe even four, but they won't go anywhere. Branches may break, leaves will fall and you have many of each, but the roots are needed for the tree to have life. The roots are still there, even when you cut the tree down...The roots are your lifetime friends.

I have a couple friends that are my "roots" and I don't know where I would be without them. They have helped Matt and me through times when I feel like (if I was tree) someone was literally cutting me down. My "lifetime" friends who will still be there when the seasons change...when the going gets tough...and when it isn't so easy to be a friend. As Madea would say...if you can find two or even three of these count yourself blessed. Matt and I thank God for these people in our lives because even though they help us through the tough times they also are the people we have fun with, LAUGH with, and just share life with. I wish that everyone could have as great of friends that we have...those of you who do, know it...and those of you who don't...are looking for it...All I can think to do is thank God and thank them for their lifetime frienship...and of course...be their "roots."

So I thank God for who He brings in and out of our lives because you never know His purpose! I am just so grateful for the people I have in my life, they are amazing!

I love you guys!