Chasing Daylight Chapter 1

Last night my small group started our study of Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus. We had amazing discussion about how to seize every moment of our lives to fully live for Christ! I will post our discussion outline each week (written by me so don't expect much) but we would love for you to study along with us! We are a 20s and 30s co-ed small group of 10 going on 30 (literally) so pray for us as we make this transition and find a space to fit us!

1. What fear, doubt, pain or disappointment is keeping you from a life FULLY lived? McManus says “to play it safe is to lose the game” (p5). Do you agree/disagree? What does he mean by this?

2. We sometimes put God in the backseat because we want to control the outcomes of our lives. What area(s) of your life do YOU control that you need to let go of?

3. Do you ever feel like your past is so ugly that God couldn’t possibly make anything of your life? Perhaps you are currently not making the best choices in the moments you are given. Even in our deepest, darkest place, God will PURSUE us and set out in search of our hearts. What HOPE we can find in that!

4. “A moment is small enough to ignore and big enough to change your life forever” (p17) WOW! Our journey is defined by the CHOICES we make in every moment from here on out. We can’t change past moments but even “at our worst, good is only one decision away” (p24). So what are we waiting for?

Challenge: Find something to be a reminder for you this week to live for the MOMENT! (I’m using a rubber band bracelet) Pray that God will create in you a clean heart to start over from this very moment to make the most of the short life we have on this earth!

Verses: Psalms 51:10, Phil 3:13-14

We can Make a Difference!

I know that everyone is saddened by the tragedy in Haiti. Thousands of lives are said to be lost, children have lost parents, injured can't get the medical help that they need, and food and water are in short supply. It seems that in times like these, our hearts break during the initial shock and then we move on with our lives because the tragedy seems so distant and it seems that there is nothing we can do from here to help someone so far away. PLEASE realize that if every single one of us committed to pray for those people daily or agreed to give a one time gift to a reputable organization like Samaritan's Purse who already have a team on the ground in Haiti providing food, water and medicine, we CAN make a difference! It is up to us to change the world! I urge you to pray for the millions affected by this earthquake and to pray about what YOU can do to make a difference in a life there!

College Nights and Lights Tours

This year I hosted a few College Nights/Lights Tours around the holidays. That just means you stay in with your girlfriends with dinner and wine like we used to do in college! We did cheer stunts in the living room and played tons of games!!! Except now that I live next to the most festive street in town, we get to add a lights tour in the mix no matter WHAT the holiday! First there was Halloween.......none of the lights were on but we still did the tour anyway! We saw a few ghosts and spider webs....and a baby swing! HA Then there was Christmas.....need I say more!!!! And no the lights weren't on the night we went by, but I went back later and snapped a photo of what it WOULD have looked like had the neighbors cooperated with my lil party schedule! HA

Christmas Highlights

This Christmas was definitely one to remember! I went to KY for 4 days (probably a record for me) and got to spend lots of time with family!! I spent the first night with dad and Beverly and made a lasagna for his birthday. Christmas Eve was spent with my mom's side of the family, eating too much and watching all the kids get so excited about their gifts! Then I got to exchange gifts with mom and Bob and celebrate their December engagement!! ON Christmas Day I played with my niece and nephew tons (pics below). Funny story here: I told Brady that I missed getting to see him open his gift in all the excitement and he said, "I didn't like it anyway. I don't like penguins (Party with the Penguins) or magaskar (Merry Madagascar). Can you go to the store right now and get me a Wall-e movie?" HA HA I was laughing so hard! He is five! HA After Christmas I spent a whole day with my paternal grandmother going through some family things/keepsakes and learning more about her life growing up. Then we went to a late lunch with my aunt and just had a great girls day out! I didn't get to see my brother much because he always has to work holidays so I'll have to make a special visit soon just to spend some time with him! Last but not least, I got back to Nashville and found a letter in my mailbox from Sergio, my Compassion sponsor child. He even drew me a picture!!! A gift from Honduras...that made my Christmas complete! I'm truly blessed!

Thanksgiving in Oahu

I am so thankful that I was able to spend my Thanksgiving in Hawaii with Ed and the Jehovah's Witness Convention of 30,000!! Although it was my first Thanksgiving away from my family....I'll see them at Christmas! ha Ed used to live there so I had local tour guides! His parents are also world travelers so we got free food/drinks at the hotel every day and got upgraded to first class on the way home! They really spoiled me! Because of the holiday, we missed out on the luau and snorkeling at Hanauma Bay......but we did plenty of other sightseeing! Some highlights: 30' waves at North Shore and lunch overlooking the ocean, Dole Pineapple Plantation, sunset dinner at Orchids, malasadas at Leonard's and banana daiquiris by the pool! We saw tons of rainbows on our morning walks and got lots of pool time! Here are a few of my favorite pics! There were so many beautiful flowers.....

and rainbows....

and beaches!!!!!

Live for Today

Lately, I've been thinking alot about living like today was my last day on earth. I know what you're thinking, how morbid! But really, it's the best way to live! We are only promised THIS MOMENT, so why not live life to the fullest? Here are some things I ask myself constantly (and struggle with daily):

In relationship with Christ - Have I confessed all my sins to God? Have I made that relationship my number one priority? Have I done everything in my power to further the kingdom? Have I put my trust in Him? Have I abandoned myself to His will?

In relationship with Self - Have I reconciled any differences with others? Have I forgiven others who have wronged me? Have I given everything I possibly can to help and love others as Christ loves me? Have I gone after my dreams and my calling in life?

In relationship with Others - Have I told them everything I need to? Have I put as much effort into the relationship as I should? Do I need to apologize to them for anything? Is there anything I need to talk to them about? A relationship with Christ? A concern I have for them? Have I loved them unconditionally without judging them?

While I'm human and will fail along the way, my desire is to have no regrets in this life. We should always strive to live for today. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Let's cherish the relationships God has given us, love unconditionally, forgive often, laugh even more, and praise God for the blessings he has given us!

Do you all think about these things or am I just odd?

Eight is TOO MUCH!

This Halloween Ed and I decided to go as Jon and Kate Gosselin (pre-wrecked marriage of course). I had no idea that we could look so much like them but man, it was hysterical! My boss had an unbelievable party with a spread of food and decorations by the U-Haul (no seriously, they have so many, they bring them from a storage facility in a U-Haul and it took them a week to get the house ready. Many asked, "where are the kids?" but according to my wig, Eight is too much, so we had to leave the kids at home with Jon's girlfriend. :) It was a super fun weekend but I'm glad to be out of that itchy wig and Ed was glad to lose the muffin top! Tara and Ryan came as a witch and her "black cat". HA She wanted to be a witch but wanted them to be a matching set so when asked what they should do, I suggested he either be her black cat or her broom.....he chose the kitty. Meow! Hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween!!

Cast Iron Crisis

Tuesday after work I set out to be productive and ambitious and I was off to a great start: a successful completion of Billy Blank's Boot Camp and I didn't miss a beat.... now on to dinner. I was making Apple-and-Fennel Roasted Pork Tenderloin (which was QUITE delicious if you are looking for new recipes) and roasted sweet potatoes with cinnamon and honey. I sliced the apples, the onion, and the fennel and seasoned the meat. I was heating some oil in a cast iron skillet so I could sear the meat when I heard a huge POP!!! Um........yeah, the 50 lb cast iron skillet cracked and exploded oil and black stuff all over the stove. No worries right? Nothing soap and water won't fix. Then as I picked up the skillet to move it off the hot burner, a fire erupted from underneath and looked something like this......

I immediately began jumping up and down (for some reason, the stop, drop and roll thing just wouldn't come to me) and blowing like it was my 6th birthday and I was wishing for a brand new pink bike with pom poms on the handles or a little brother named Rameed. Apparently I have the lungs of a clown because I was able to blow that sucker right out. No problemo. Shew. Crisis averted.

Habitat for Humanity

Yesterday, I participated in Habitat for Humanity with a group of friends. I must say I had NO idea what I was getting into, but it was EXTREMELY rewarding. Here is a run down:

5 am Alarm..trying to think of an excuse not to go

6 am Meet Alli and head to Starbucks

6:30ish Pick up Courtney....wait in parking lot for Derrell.........

6:45 Wait for Derrell some more......

7:30 Arrive at lot 75 (coasting in on fumes) and exhausted from Derrell's endless car conversation (of which he claims was a gift from God that AM) to find that orientation/training has just ended.

8:00-8:30 Stand around, look clueless and wait for someone to tell me what to do.

8:30-lunch Pick up very large pcs of roof and hurl them up on top of the house all by myself (ok that last part was a stretch)

Lunch-4 - Paint the trim for the house....paint it again....haul 2x4 back and forth to the "horses"........watch it rain....then paint once more....

4 pm - Clean up!

Time to go and I have NO gas in my car. I was so afraid we would run out on the way home that I asked Ash to follow us to a gas station just in case we didn't make it. I was so ready to get there and not waste anymore gas that I actually drove off with Derrell's body in the car and feet still on the sidewalk. HA! That was too hysterical. Sorry Cookies!

We finally made it to a gas station and the cashier says, "Ma'am. We normally don't allow anyone in the store without shoes on, but since you are so beautiful, we're gonna let this slide" (in a Jamaican accent) HA I had thrown my shoes away bc they were covered in mud and bc of it I almost got thrown out of the gas station! :)

The car ride home was much quieter than the ride there bc we were just exhausted. Derrell still talked, but this time we were too tired to even respond. :)

Overall it was amazing to see how quickly a home can be built for someone in need when that many people give up just one day to help out. I pray that God will bless Timothy, his nephew, and their new home for many years to come!

Pray for Sergio

I am so excited about my new child sponsorship with Compassion International! His name is Sergio David Rodas Linares. He is from Honduras and is ten years old. He is such a cutie!!! I picked him because he looks like Alyssa's son Zakaria who is cute as a button!! Sorry about the pic but I took this from a laminated packet. I like to think of that bright shining spot as his lil angel! Sergio has six siblings and loves to play soccer, marbles and ride a bicycle. I am looking forward to pen palling with Sergio and praying for him. Through Compassion, he will participate in church activities and Bible classes and will opportunities to grow physically, mentally and spiritually. The sponsorship will go toward not only helping Sergio get food and education, but will also help his family and his village. Please say a prayer for Sergio and his family as they live in one of the poorest countries in Central America!