4 Words that Changed...Part 2

Fact: I never seized to be amazed
who God uses to change the world.

Mary’s life was changed by four words and if you think that she was an unlikely character to speak such powerful words then the next group was WAY unlikely.  Many people thought that the Savior of the world would come by way of a great king who would be worshiped by the highest of highs.  Ha!  We all know that is not what happened!  Instead the King of Kings came in the form of a little baby and was worshiped by some very unlikely characters…. One group being Shepherds.

Luke 2 tells us that after Jesus was born to Mary and Joseph that there were some shepherds that lived in a field nearby and they were keeping watch over their flocks by night.  Now, let’s think about the job of a shepherd for a moment.  This job was low on the totem poll, if you will.  You did not want to be a shepherd… I mean, who really wants to smell like sheep and have to use them as a pillow to sleep at night?!?  Anyway, shepherds were not the high-class society. Hmmm… The Savior of the world came as a humble baby born in stable (not high-class society) and was born of a young humble run-of-the-mill girl (not high-class society) and the angels chose to announce His arrival to shepherds (not high-class society).  Hmmm… Think it was a coincidence?  Yeah, I don’t think so either. 

OK, that was a nice rabbit trail, but let’s get back to the shepherds.  They were hanging out in the fields watching their sheep.  I would like to think that they were looking into the sky, checking out the stars and making small talk with each other.  They lie back on one of the sheep take a deep breath in followed by a long sigh and then in the words of Gladys Herdman “SHAZAM” the angel of the Lord appeared to them in the same night sky they were looking at.  I could only imagine that the shepherds jumped up straight to their feet out of fear.  I would have!  The angel told them to fear not just as it was spoken to Mary and then went on to tell them about the birth of Jesus.  The angel tells them that they could find Him in Bethlehem, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  Then a multitude of angels gathered and began singing praises to God and I am sure it was nothing short of AMAZING.  The angels were inviting the shepherds to join all of creation in worshiping the Savior of the world.   Talk about an invitation! When they departed and everything settled down, the shepherds had two choices. #1 they could totally ignore what they had heard or #2 they could seek out Jesus.  Let’s look at Luke 2: 15 to see what they did.

“And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.”

Four words that changed their lives forever… Let us now go.  The shepherds got up and went and found Jesus.  Now, I wonder if they took their flocks with them.  It’s quite the entertainment in my brain to imagine the shepherds and all their sheep weaving their way through Bethlehem to get to the manger where He lay.  Ha…I’m sure it was amusing!  Anyway, the shepherds left, found Jesus, worshiped Him in their own way and then told the world what they had seen and they and many others were changed forever.  Why?  Simply because they said “let us now go.”

Each of us is called.  Now granted, it might be way of an angel appearing to you, but we’re all called.  We have two choices when we are called: ignore it or respond.  God is calling each one of us to meet Him somewhere and do what He has for us and what He has is life changing.  The shepherds responded with four words that we can learn a whole lot from, let us now go.  They heard their call and they accepted it.  They did not say that they needed to wait around and find something to do with their sheep or make sure all their affairs were in order. No.  They said let us go NOW.  The moment they heard their call they responded and they were never the same.  The awesome part about the whole thing is that after they saw Jesus they told everyone they could and their lives were changed too.  This all happened all because they were willing to say, let us now go.

What is God calling you to do?  Are you willing to say that?  Are you willing to say to God “Let us (me) now go” whenever He calls you?  He might not be calling you to go somewhere, but He could be calling you to do something, share with someone or many other things. The shepherds chose to say the four words let us now go and their lives were never the same.  My challenge to you is to simply take on the mindset of the shepherds.  I challenge you to go before God and speak the same four words, let us (me) now go.  Surrender your will, your wants and your way and tell God you are ready to go and do whatever it is that He is calling you to.  Let us now go.  It will change your life, I promise.

4 Words that Changed...

Fact: Christmas time is one of my 

favorite times of the year. 

          I love the atmosphere of joy and celebrating it brings about.  I love the smells of Christmas goodies coming from the kitchen.  I love the cheesy movies where everything always works out in the end.  I love Christmas music (After Thanksgiving and up to New Years!).  I love the time I get to spend my family and friends.  I love Christmas trees…REAL ones NOT artificial.  Anyway, I just love Christmas! 

         The thing I love the most about Christmas?  I love the Christmas story in the book of Luke.  I love hearing it read aloud (I have heard it read aloud in English, Spanish and Swahili.  Next year I’m thinking about doing a rendition in Pig Latin!) , I love reading it myself, I love seeing it portrayed through Christmas plays and movies and I love hearing carols reflecting the story.  I would dare to say that in my 25 years of life I have heard the Christmas story in some form or another over 150 times.  Honestly. However, two weekends when I saw it portrayed at FBC Milan’s Christmas program I saw something different.  Something new and exciting to me.  I saw four words that changed me.  As I went back and read the passage myself I saw three different “characters”, if you will, in the Christmas story say four words that changed lives.  Over the next few days leading to Christmas I would like to look at these three characters and the four words that they spoke.

           

            The first person I would like to look at is Mary.  Mary, the virgin, gave birth to the Son of God, Jesus.  Everybody knows Mary!  Some religions idolize Mary, but some people just put her aside and forget about her.  To me, Mary is a fascinating person that we, women AND men, should try to model our lives after.  Luke 1 gives a little blurb about Mary, but that little blurb says a whole lot.  Mary is described as being highly favored by God.  There was something about Mary that captured the heart of God.  Whether it was her demeanor or her gentleness or her pure heart, no one knows.  What we do know is that God saw something special in her.  God looked at Mary and saw her to be righteous and worthy of mothering His son.  Wow…what an incredible honor and privilege bestowed upon her.  Mary simply lived her life as an offering to God and she was blessed beyond comprehension for it.

            When the angel, Gabriel, came to Mary to tell her the news that she would bare the Son of God, Mary was startled.  I mean, who wouldn’t be?!?  Anyway, an angel came to her and told her that she, a virgin, was not only going to have a baby, but that the baby was going to reign forever and that His kingdom would never end.  If I was Mary I think I would of done one of two things.  I would have either #1 laughed at the angel or #2 I would have flipped out and said I did not want that responsibility at all.  What did Mary do?  Let’s look at Luke 1:38, “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.  And the angel departed from her.”  Be it unto me.

            Be it unto me.  Four words that changed Mary’s life forever.  Mary did not argue with the angel, Mary did not try to get out of it or even question God.  Mary just said be it unto me.  In the world of Meredith that translates to, “Bring it on God.”  Mary was saying to God that whatever He planned, whatever He purposed, whatever mountain or valley He had for her, bring it.  She was telling God whatever it is, let it happen to me.  Good, bad or ugly, she would do whatever God had in store because she was God’s servant.

            After those four words Mary’s life changed drastically.  She had the task of carrying, birthing and raising the Savior of the world.  Not only that, but I am sure that she caught a lot of flack for being pregnant before she was married and for just being the mother of Jesus.  Then she had to watch her son die a cruel and painful death on the cross because He did nothing wrong.  Mary was never the same after those four words.  Be it unto me.

            My challenge to you is to simply take on the mindset of Mary.  I challenge you to go before God and speak the same four words, be it unto me.  Surrender your will, your wants and your way and tell God to bring on whatever He has for you.  Be it unto me.  It will change your life, I promise.

I Think David Crowder is on to Something...

Fact: I am a passionate person.

Whenever I come across something that catches my attention or I learn about something that interests me or I get involved in something that I think is important I become passionate about it. I tend to become unstoppable when the passion for whatever it is comes over me. It tends to consume me, but in a good way, for the most part anyway. For example, when I write, whether it be camp curriculum, a blog, an article/book chapter for work or even a rehearsal dinner speech, I become passionate about it. I research, I make notes and outlines and I will write, read and rewrite whatever it is until I am satisfied with it. It could be a few hours or it could be a few months, but it becomes a passion. When I plan a trip, the same thing happens. I spend hours passionately researching and planning. I love it! My newest passion...being crafty. Now, for those who know me well, you're probably laughing because you know I am not crafty at all. (Disclaimer: I do realize I am crafty in the cunning, devious, manipulative sense, but not the artsy-fartsy sense!) I don't know, it must be something about living in Nashville! However, there is a purpose behind my craftiness that I'll get to in a moment.... Also, on a bit more of an unhealthy passion, is UT Lady Vols basketball. From November to March I passionately follow the games, statistics and articles written about them. Yes, I am a nerd. BUT I'm OK with it! :) Anyway, whatever the time or the task, it becomes my passion.

As most of you know, in December of 2009 my best friend, Liv, and I embarked on a trip to Africa that changed the both of us...forever. Liv had a passion for Africa and the people of Africa before we boarded the plane, however, upon exiting the plan when we returned home her passion was greater and mine was just beginning. Liv told me something on that plane ride home that did not surprise me, but yet I really did not believe at the time. She told me her new passion was to build a home or something for the street boys of Mwanza. My thought..."That's awesome, I'll believe when I see it." Just being honest! Anyway, days, weeks and eventually months went by and the next thing I knew Anza Imani Rescue Foundation was formed (check out the AWESOME things they are doing here!!!) and the 501(c)(3) paperwork was in the works. Open mouth, insert foot...

Upon my second trip to Africa the little passion I had come home with grew into a much larger passion. Each time I think about they people of Africa or my trip or Anza Imani and the impact it is going to have, that larger passion grows. It grows to a huge passion. A passion that I pray will never leave me. An undying passion. A passion to do whatever it takes to make sure those boys have a place to lay their heads every night and a passion that they might come to know God on a personal level. A passion to come up with all the money I can to make this happen. Geezzz... As I type this I become so frustrated because it is so hard to make any headway with this passion. I share my passion by writing grants and nominating Anza Imani for awards, but yet a lot of places will not even consider the organization because they want to not only take care of the boys physically, but also spiritually. I share my passion with people, but yet they just don't have the money to spare right now or they have something else they are saving it for... IT IS FRUSTRATING. That's where David Crowder comes in...

This morning as I was in the shower I was thinking through my day and the things that were on my to-do list. I had a couple of things for Anza Imani's video I needed to do. When I thought about that I thought about how frustrating it can be to raise money for such a good cause. I mean, it's a REALLY good cause. Everyone wants to help, but they just don't have the "urge" right now. Then, for some odd (very odd) reason, one of David Crowder's songs popped into my head. It's a simple song. The whole song is composed of 11 words. "Everyone wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die." The first time I ever heard the song I laughed. It was funny to me because it's true. I would bet that if you asked 100 people if they want to go to Heaven when they die all of them would say yes. However, if you were to ask them do you want to die, most would say no. It's like a catch 22 or something. You want something, but yet you're not willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

THAT'S IT. Everyone wants to see the boys get off the streets, but yet they are not willing to do what it takes. People do not want their family members to go to hell, but yet they are not willing to do what it takes. People want to loose weight, but they are not willing to do what it takes. People want to grow closer in their relationship with God, but they are not willing to do what it takes. We want the benefits of life, but we are not willing to do the work. Wow...

You never know the true cost of something until you do the work. You never know the value of your work until you reap the rewards. You never know the sweetness of the reward until you see the lives changed because of it. So...what's it worth? Whatever it is that you want, but you don't want to do the work for... It's worth it. I promise.

Know that I am preaching to the choir. I am just as guilty of not putting the work in as anyone, but from this moment on, it's different. I am ready to work cause it's worth it. I am ready to spend my spare time being crafty and making things to sell to raise money for Anza Imani. Every little bit counts. It's worth it. I am ready to become uncomfortable and share my faith with others because it's worth it. I am ready. It is worth it. Not the reward I will gain, but the sweetness of a life changed.

It's worth it.

Worth it All...

Hi. My name is Meredith. I am an over analyzer, over thinker, slow decision maker, planner who likes order. My close friends would tell you that I like to plan things out in advance and it drives me crazy when they don't work out. They would also tell you that I don't make decisions quickly and I tend to over analyze and think so much that I think myself into circles. I like surprises, but not when they deal with my future. I just like order and I like things to make sense. Wow...I sound like a real uptight and boring person. No comments please.

Anyway, all I have ever wanted in life is to make a difference. I've never wanted to have a great name or do anything big and noticeable, I simply want to make a difference in this world. This desire became real in my life at the age of 15 when I fully surrendered my life, job and time to God and His work. Even though I committed to do whatever God had for me, I had a plan. A plan to finish high school, go to college, then land a job in a church and continue doing that until my life was over. HA! What was I thinking?

I followed that plan and finished high school and had finished 3 of my 4 years of college. Now, things had not gone exactly like I had planned, but I stayed as close to the "plan" as I could until God and I had a moment. I was preparing to start my fourth and final year of college and became somewhat overwhelmed with whole idea of the "real world" after college. I knew what I had planned and what I wanted to do, but it wasn't happening like I planned it. What was I going to do?!?!?! I was laying in my bed one night thinking through life because I couldn't sleep. Frustrated and scared about my future I had nothing else to do, but cry out to God. I literally slid off my bed and into the floor on my face before God. After a few minutes I left my "plans" on the floor of my room and got up simply wanting to make a difference in the world. God opened my eyes to two different passages of scripture that night. The first one was what I have coined, if you will, as my life verse.

Philippians 3:13-14, "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

The second passage was Psalm 37... I love the whole chapter, but especially verses 7 and 11. "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.... 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity."

It was at that moment in my life that I forgot my plans of the past, pressed on towards Christ and what He has called me to do and waited patiently before Him for the incredible things that He had for me. I knew God had called me to do certain things, but for that moment all I was called to do was to wait. In the process of waiting I was simply called to make a difference wherever I was. So for the last four years that is what I longed to do. I did not necessarily enjoy where I was at or what I was doing over those years and yes, at times I was miserable, but I remembered that moment, pressed on and waited patiently before God. Over the four years I have not lacked anything I needed and God had always showed Himself faithful, but the past few weeks it just wasn't enough for me. I was miserable. I had an incredible (and busy!) summer and was ready to keep going and find a job. I sent out several resumes and I even drove 275 miles (one way) to interview for a job and kept striking out. I was done. I was so frustrated that I just didn't care anymore. I was at the end of my rope. But God knew exactly what He was doing. I think the Crabb Family's song "Through the Fire" sums up my experience over the past week or so.

He never promised that the cross would not get heavy

And the hill would not be hard to climb

He never offered our victories without fighting

But He said help would always come in time...

Help would always come in time...He did. Just as I was done with everything, He showed up and blew my mind. To make a really long story short, I'll give it in a nutshell of how God worked through not so good circumstances to prove Himself faithful.

Almost two weeks ago I received a phone call from my mom telling me that a friend from church that I had known for a long time had been killed in a tragic accident at work. While my brother was a whole lot closer to him than I was, it still rocked my world and my heart hurt for his family.

As I got up the following Saturday morning to get ready for the visitation and funeral I checked my Facebook to see what was happening in the world. I scrolled down my homepage to see that my good friend from high school was going to be in town for the funeral.

I had not really seen her in a long time besides her mom's funeral this past spring so I was excited about the possibility of catching up with her. I talked with my brother on the way to the church and he told me that she was there and so I drove a little bit faster just to make sure I didn't miss her. When I got to the church the line for visitation was out of the sanctuary and down the foyer. I happened to look up and see my friend and her family standing in line so I went over to say hello. I ended up standing with them in line and catching up as we waited. (Here's a pic of us in high school...don't hold it against us!)

The sum of the conversation equals me saying that I needed a job and her saying she had one for me. I walked away from the conversation never imaging that it would happen, but God had another plan. To make a long story short, by Monday night we had made plans for me to go to Franklin, TN to check out the office and consider a job offer. By Thursday night (less than 5 days since it all started!) I was employed. There was no over thinking, over analyzing or second guessing. I just knew it was the job for me. Not only am I employed, but it's pretty much an incredible job that is Meredith through and through. Working with an incredible group of people, in different aspects of ministry, changing the world one step at a time and using my stored up creativity through it all!

I'm super excited about making this move and the job. I'm ready to make a difference in Franklin, TN and in the world through the things I get to do at this job. While it is a little bit of a bummer that I am moving away from family and friends, I can see God's hands all over it. As I was talking to a friend on my drive home from Franklin she started laughing. She then began to point out how perfect God's timing is. It is absolutely amazing how things come together and things have happened to bring me to such a time as this. As much as I wanted this step in my life years ago, the timing wasn't right and now I see that crystal clear.

Was being miserable for a while worth it? Was forgetting my plans and pressing on worth it? Was sitting back and waiting patiently worth it? Is moving to Franklin, TN away from family and friends worth it? As hard as it has been and will continue to be...YES... it was and it will continue to be worth it all...

Reason, Season, Lifetime...

There is a well known poem called "Reason, Season, Lifetime" that is about friendship. The gist of the poem is to state that there are three types of friends. A friend that is in your life for a reason, a friend that is there for a season and a friend that is there for a lifetime. While I can pinpoint different friends in my life who fit in each of these categories, I also believe that there are hidden gems out there that defy these three categories and gain the title "best friend". Why do I believe this? Because after 21 years of just having reason, season and lifetime friends I found one of those hidden gems. Now I have many incredible friends that I love with all my heart and whose friendships I would not trade for anything, but in my world, there can only be 1 "best".

This is my really crazy, fun loving, big dreaming, incredibly talented, God loving, beautiful inside and out best friend, Liv. Yeah, she's pretty awesome! Liv and I have only known each other four years but yet I think we both feel like we have been friends forever.

As friends we have done a whole lot of things together. We have this “talent” of finding fun (aka trouble) wherever we go or creating it…which is usually at someone else’s expense! It is said that well behaved women never make history, therefore we have done everything we can to “make history”! :) Over our friendship there is no telling how many cups of Splenda sweet tea we have drank, gallons of ice cream we have eaten, hours of movies we have watched, miles we have run, texts we have sent while sitting right next to each other in a room full of people, how many golf balls we have lost while attempting to "play", skymiles we have racked up while traveling around the world, blank stares we've received from total strangers due to the random crazy things we do, or how many dressing room "mishaps" we’ve had while shopping together!

We have a crazy friendship that all started when we were thrown in a hotel room together as chaperons on a youth ski trip. I knew we could get along and be good friends the first night there when she walked out of the bathroom, shut the door, adjusted her pants and said "I think I’d let that one air out for a while!” We walked away casual friends who hung out every now and then and talked occasionally. After graduating from college in May I moved to Milan, TN to work and start seminary. The day I moved she gave me a card and called me her "best friend". This was odd to me. We really didn't know each other, but yet as I read her letter I realized she saw things in me that I never knew existed...

I started this blog so I could share the "ordinary moments, people, things and thoughts God uses to teach me EXTRAordinary lessons." Now there is nothing ordinary about Liv or our friendship, but He has definitely used her to teach me extraordinary lessons. I could tell many stories of how God has used Liv to teach me extraordinary lessons about life and Himself, but I think I'll just share one.

I came home a few months after I moved for a week long fall break and we spent most of that time together. We jokingly say that our best friend-ness was established that week when I helped her cater a wedding and make the cake. Although it was quite the entertainment, I don't think that was our "best friend" moment. It was a few days after Christmas and we were hanging out with our group of friends one night and she and I did not see eye to eye on something and as a result we both lied about things. Well this did not make either one of us happy so later that night we found ourselves sitting in her car (which by the way has housed 100's of conversations solving all of lives issues!) talking through things. It was at that moment that the deal was made. Not a deal to be best friends, but a deal that if we were going to be best friends that 2 things would always be true. #1 We would always be 100% honest with each other no matter the situation, the hurt or the difficulty. Always. #2 We would keep each other accountable for our actions in and life and that we will always have each others back no matter what was going on......We've held true to those two things and I think we can both say that we are better people because of it.

Needless to say that over our friendship we've shared a whole lot of things… we’ve shared laughs and tears. We've shared our dreams and our fears. We've even shared toothbrushes and tootsie pops! There are two things that we share that I will treasure forever. The first thing I will always treasure are the hours upon hours of conversations we have had together about every topic under the sun. Many of those I can’t share or else she would straight up kill me!

The second thing that I will always treasure is a rope. Not a physical rope, but a rope that exceeds all distances and a rope that never frays, breaks, or slips from our hands. A rope of accountability and support. A rope that I will always hold tight and a rope that I know is being held tight.

There are many mountains that we climb and many valleys that we dredge through in life and some days I might think there's no way I can do this. However, I know that I have someone there holding the rope, lifting me up in prayer and constantly reminding me that God is in control. Liv has taught me about "reason, season or lifetime", but not in the friend relem. If anything, she has taught me to be a lifetime follower of Christ. Not just to follow Him for a reason if I need something or for a season where things are going my way, but for a lifetime. Always serving God no matter what.

Last October Liv began dating the man of her dreams and just a few short days after dating him she told that she would marry him. If anyone else in my life would have told me that I would have laughed at them, but I knew she was right.

This last weekend I had the incredible privilege of standing beside my best friend as she married her prince charming. I am not an "emotional person", but as soon as she began walking down the aisle my emotions got the best of me. Not bad emotions that my best friend was getting married, but an indescribable joy to see my best friend so incredibly happy. Words cannot describe the joy that overwhelmed me and the happiness that I have for her and Brian! I cannot wait to see how God uses them to do BIG things here and in Africa!

While it's weird that she's married, we're still best friends. Most people told us our friendship would never be the same, but the week before her wedding she and I decided we were going to defy those odds and we will always be holding the rope for each other.

As we both begin new adventures in our lives it's good to know that God is control and that there is someone there praying us through. No matter who we add into our lives, how many miles separate us or what mountains and valleys we climb we can rest on 2 things. #1 God is in control and #2 we're always holding the rope and we have each others back. It's good to know that I have someone willing and ready to kick my butt if I do something that I'm not supposed to do! It's good to know that there's always someone there pushing me to be more like God and to seek His face with everything in me...

To my best friend, congrats! AND thanks...There are not enough words or blog posts to thank you for allowing God to use you as an tool for His glory.

To the rest of you... are you reason, season or lifetime? Now I'm not talking about what kind of friend you are, but what kind of follower are you? Are you just following God for a certain reason or just for a season while things are going good or are you willing to follow Him for a lifetime...No matter the mountains or the valleys...

How Refreshing to Know...How Amazing to Find...

Wow! It's been six weeks since I blogged last and it's simply because I have been running around like a chicken with it's head cut off! (And yes after killing the chicken to the right in Africa I know that phrase all to well!)Lots went on over the past six weeks. Everything from big events to little tasks and crazy things like everything just not wanting to work when trying to get ready for kamp to breaking down on the side of the interstate at 11pm with a van full of middle schoolers on the way back from Atlanta! Needless to say it's been an interesting six weeks.
Kidz Kamp with the 4th-6th graders came and went and like always, it was AWESOME!

I love spending time with the kids and I love when my world from Pelham and my world from Milan come together and enjoy a week together! I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of kamp from teaching the kids and watching them ride the zip-line and climb the wall to spending time with some of my favorite people in the world!

After kamp (and my 25th birthday...ugh!) I turned right around and went on the church wide mission trip to Moulton, AL and had a long, but rewarding week working there.

After mission trip I had a few short days to chill and then pretty much jumped into getting ready for Jr Kidz Kamp. While getting ready for Jr Kamp I had the pleasure of helping my best friend prepare for her wedding and the joy of standing beside her on her big day! You can read more about that experience in my next blog! :)

This past week was spent at Jr Kidz Kamp with crazy 1st-3rd graders in the big city of Tishomingo, MS at the state park. While the conditions are not very desirable, a great time was had by all! I LOVE this kamp. I love

that after the shaving cream fight when we go down to the creek to wash off that a few of us take our razors and make good use of all that shaving cream! I love that I get to be a big kid and throw my body down the 100ft slip-n-slide! (Even though as I type this my back hurts every time I take a deep breath!) I love that I get to flip kids out of their inner-tube at the creek when they splash me! I love teaching them about God's Word and watching their light bulbs come on when they get it! I just love spending time with some of my favorite people! Now I love both kamps, but this one just makes me smile! :) Why? Because of the looks on the kids faces while they are there. While at kamp they get to ride down a 100ft slip-n-slide as many times as their little bodies can take it, ride a rather large zip-line, do crafts, play super soaker summer softball (try saying that 4 times fast!), swim, have a shaving cream fight, inner-tube down a creek and a few other things. Most of the kids who come have never done any of these things. It's an awesome thing to watch when they do one of the things for the first time. Their faces simply light up and it's like they're doing the best thing in the world. They can't believe that they can slip-n-slide as much as they want to or that it's OK to throw rocks into the creek or that they can take shaving cream and squirt it all over everyone. It's simply amazing to them! It absolutely blows their minds that they get to do some of the things they get to do. Almost every year a kid stands in awe at canteen simply because they can buy any kind of candy and drink they want to and no one is going to stop them. It's great! They simply are thrilled that we let them do those things! LOVE IT!

Just like the kids stood in awe at the things they got to do, I too stood in awe at both Shocco and Tishomingo. Both moments came at the same time of kamp and both times I walked away scratching my head...10 years ago I went to these kamps as a counselor and fell in love with them. Three years later Niki asked me to work for her and help her do the kamps and honestly, I still don't understand why she chose to take a chance on me, but I am forever grateful! The next year we stepped out and decided to not only do everything for kamp, but write the curriculum for it also. Since that year we continue to do so and wow...I stand amazed.

Each night at kamp we have a campfire and the last night we use that time as our commitment/decision time. It is a time where the kids can approach a counselor and talk with them if they feel like God is speaking to them. I usually step away from the group, pray for the kids and counselors and watch as God moves. This year I stood in awe. As kids began to get out of their seats my heart began to stir. At both kamps children prayed and received Christ! Pure awesomeness! As I stood and watched tears began to fill my eyes and my heart began to ask why. Why God? Why have you blessed me beyond what I could ever imagine? Why do you choose to use me? Why am I a part of the chosen vessel in which you deliver your message to the kids? Why do you speak to my heart and give me the talent and words to write? Why? I am so incredibly not worthy. I am nothing, but a dirty, filthy, rotten sinner who is worthy of nothing, but your wrath. God, you don't need me, but yet you want me. You choose to use me. I stand in awe. I felt like a kid standing in front of the slip-n-slide or on top of the zip-line or at canteen who simply could not believe that they were allowed to do these awesome things.

I definitely do not understand why, but I will always thank Him and praise Him for it. We are not worthy, but yet He makes us worthy. May I never be able to get over the fact that the God of the universe allows me to be a part of the incredible things He is doing. I think Casting Crowns hit the nail on it's head when they wrote "In Me"...

'Cause when I'm weak, You make me strong

When I'm blind you shine Your light on me

'Cause I'll never get by living on my own ability

How refreshing to know You don't need me

How amazing to find that You want me

So I'll stand on Your Truth,

and I'll fight with Your Strength

Until You bring the victory,

by the power of Christ in me

To reach out with Your hands

To learn through Your eyes

To love with the love of a savior

To feel with Your heart and

to think with Your mind

I'd give my last breath for Your glory...

Word on the Street

Can I just start out by saying that WOW, I'm tired. It definitely has been a long second week of summer, but it has been a really good one! It feels like I have been going none stop since last Sunday morning. Oh, wait...I feel like that because it's true! We definitely stayed busy this week! It consisted of Vacation Bible School (IE sitting behind a computer for many hours, counting and recounting people, "sorting" trash, sitting behind a computer for a few more hours, being dunked 101 times in a dunking booth, cleaning and organizing the supply closet, answering a lot of dumb questions...I could go on, but I'll spare you!) My week also consisted of getting ready for kidz kamp next week, making fun of and messing with Shelton, watching small child play softball, eating in almost every restaurant in Milan, taking almost 8 hours to get home because my car was overheating, learning some new things, laughing a whole lot, enjoying the time I had with people who mean a whole lot to me and the best of all...Dying my hair pink and turquoise! Yes, I have very colorful hair for a few weeks! :) The week was capped off by throwing a lingerie shower for the best friend and simply having fun with the girls...I wasn't lying about it being a long week!

Over the past week there has been many GREAT moments and many random, but funny memories made! Even though it was a crazy busy and long week, it was really good and I walked away with a little different thinking... If I were to be honest I would say that VBS week is usually one of my least favorite weeks of the summer. It is not because of the 1,001 kids running around or the crazy teachers getting on my last nerve, but it's usually because of the curriculum. You see, while Bible college was great, it also brought out a few tendencies in me that get in the way from time to time. Bible college pretty much taught me to pick everything apart. While this is a good thing, I tend to take it to the extreme. I tend to critic each piece of curriculum I come in contact with and find it hard to like something unless I or someone I work with has written it. Over the years I have found that VBS curriculum stinks. I pretty much thought it was all stupid and very shallow. I have this thinking that the only reason Southern Baptists do VBS is for the numbers and not for the evangelism/discipleship, but that's a totally different story...

Anyway, I walked into this VBS with the same attitude towards the curriculum, but WOW, I was wrong! The VBS that we used was called

"Inside Out and Upside Down on Main Street Where Jesus Makes a Difference Everyday."

Each day there was a skit that involved three different actors, Hedi Claire- Super Slueth Extrodinar who came to main street to investigate because she heard people were being turned inside out and upside down. Then there was Justin Time the streets bus driver and Chef Pierre the owner of the Brown Bag Bistro. These two characters helped point Hedi towards Jesus and showed Hedi that they were different and people were changed because of Jesus. In the midst of her investigations she learned a certain lesson each day which was reinforced with a parable during the Bible teaching time. Hedi (and the kids) learned about a certain topic each day. The topic or word was known as "the word on the street."

The word's on the street were gratitude, compassion, forgiveness, grace and faithfulness. While I knew all of these words and how they applied to my life, it did not stop God from teaching me a new lesson. It was kind of funny how with each day the word would come up over and over again. IE on Monday the word on the street was gratitude. Around 6:40am while getting ready to head to the church my hair was halfway straightened and the power went out. Yeah, at that moment it was a little difficult to show gratitude and be thankful! While the words were made known each and everyday, they were not fully made known to me until I began my trek back home on Friday.

It had been a long week, I was tired and I had 101 things to do when I got home. I left Milan around 3:30 pretty excited that I would make it home before 8. Ha! The drive was going great. It was so good to be in the peace and quiet and just think that I never even turned my radio on! I was about 72 miles from and I noticed that a light on my dashboard came on. I checked out all my gauges and discovered that my car was overheating. I pulled over at the next gas station I found and slightly began to panic. I was in the middle of nowhere 72 miles from home at this sketchy gas station with no lights that was closing and it was getting dark outside! Yeah, it was a load of fun! As I sat in my car watching the smoke bellow out from under my hood I was furious wondering why in the world this was happening to me because I was exhausted and I just wanted to get home. While having a not so nice convo with God one word came to mind...Gratitude. This was just a minor bump in the road because I had so much more to be grateful for. I soon turned from frustrated to panic as the smoke kept on pouring out so I did what most girls would do in a moment of panic, I called my dad. I fully expected him to be loving and tell me that everything was OK...Wrong! (Sorry dad!) He pretty much told me that he would get there when he got there and my only option was to sit and twiddle my thumbs...NOT what I wanted to hear. The word compassion came into play here...I'm pretty sure at some point I sent Niki a text that went something like "I think my dad is the one who needs to hear the compassion lesson from Tuesday!" Just keepin' it real. So after I was not so nice to him I had to apologize for my reaction and ask forgiveness for what I had done. He graciously forgave me and showed me grace by coming and saving the day. At the end of the day he was faithful to his "daddy duties"... :)

Each word on the street was clearly portrayed to me in the 3-4 hour debacle that I found myself in. Coincidence? I think not! At the end of the day when I finally made it home and in my own bed :) God opened my eyes to something. Many times in life I encounter a situation or a person or even VBS curriculum and think "This (or they) have nothing for me..." I think God just laughs at that. So many times we put God in a box and tell Him how and with what He can speak to us with and through. I never thought that a simple word for each day would effect my week so much in so many ways. I guess that's just God using ordinary things to teach extrodinary lessons... A heart to heart by way of long johns...

I don't know about you, but I sure am glad that I serve a God who is bigger than any box I can put Him in. I think it's time to put our boxes away and simply let God be God. Who's with me?

Summer Time Check...

I would say that it has been an uneventful first week of summer, but well, that would be a lie! It's been a busy week of sorting, finding, shopping, constructing, painting, organizing, planning and just doing stuff to make Vacation Bible School happen this week. It's been a week of doing a whole lot of things that I haven't done in a few years and a week of doing things that I said I would never do again! (IE crawling under pews and sitting in the floor painting!) Yeah, God has a sense of humor! Anyway, it's also been a week of firsts such as taking 60ish kids to the movies (which is nothing new) and not actually watching the movie myself. Yep, we took the kids to the movies on Wednesday night for KAOSS and Niki and I sat in the foyer with my laptop and her notebook working on VBS....Only in Milan! :)

Over the past week we have had several moments each day where "I feel the need to twitter/facebook that" or "wow, maybe I should blog about that!" has come out of someone's mouth! Yeah, there has been that many entertaining moments...If you only knew! I could go on for days about "adventures" with good ole Shelton such as crawling under pews (Then crawling under them again because he do the wire right!) or getting locked IN the church then

getting lock out of the church or cruising in the mini-van and stealing park benches.... Or I could talk about buying 1,600 CapriSuns (Pic to the right!) at Sam's or being attacked by bugs after 8:3o pm multiple nights at the Allen's kitchen table :) or about how I've been to Wal-Mart more in the past week then I have been in the past 2 months or about the weird, crazy or down right stupid stuff that some people say and do or about the many moments where we've just laughed cause that's just the best option! I could go on, but there is one moment that I'm pretty sure most of you know about now...

I have been coming to Milan for seven-ish years now and I'm pretty sure every time I have come to town I have stayed with Niki and her family. I'm also pretty sure that I have slept in almost every room of the house...Even the play room! While which bed I sleep in changes, one thing never does. The bed battle. One of my first summers in Milan my brother and a friend came to visit me and stayed at Niki's house while they were here. One night the kids decided to take some fake bugs and hide them in their bed. Well, this simple act became something not so simple anymore! The boys retaliated with the bugs and some how I was thrown into the mix. On multiple occasions I have gone to crawl in the bed and have found many different things in it. Most of the time it is frogs because I am well...terrified of them! True story. Anyway, they have gone as far as drawing a frog and putting it in my bed because they could not find one of their plastic ones! Over the years I have retaliated a little, but nothing to write home about. Well, that's all about to change!

You see, most of the "attacks" happen the first night I am here because they have had time to go into the room and plant something before I get here. So, Monday night when I got here I checked my bed out before getting into it and all was clear. The next day I got up and worked pretty much all day on VBS and then went to small child's softball game followed by dinner then a quick trip to Wal-Mart with Niki for some more VBS stuff. It was late when I finally headed towards the bed and I was straight up exhausted. I got ready for bed, set my laptop on the end of the bed and opened it up so I could have a little bit of light when I turned the big light off. After turning the light off I walked over to the bed pulled the sheet back just a little bit, shut my computer and climbed in the bed. Mere seconds after putting my legs under the cover I felt something. I then felt a whole bunch of somethings and immediately threw the covers back. I jumped and caused some of the "objects" move. I felt like I was being attacked by a million bugs! I quickly jumped straight out of the bed to turn the light on. When I returned to the bed this is what I saw.

There were 4 frogs 4 lizards, 4 spiders, 1 millipede, 1 scorpion, 1 bat and a roach in my bed. I'm pretty sure I hard a heart attack. There are not enough words to describe what when through my mind when I felt the creatures in my bed! Yes, it straight up scared me! I fully understand that they are just plastic creatures, but when it's late and dark in the room and you're tired, they can give you a nice fright.

After my heart stopped beating out of my chest I took a picture, posted it on Facebook and laid in the bed until I could fall asleep. The next morning I opted not to say anything because I didn't want the kids to know that it scared me. The first thing out of Niki's mouth when I saw her was "I promise I had no idea!" I laughed it off and finished getting ready. Niki proceeded to hold an interrogation and discovered that it wasn't the kids who did it...It was just one of them, small child. My sweet little favorite 8 year old had gotten me and gotten me good. Apparently she had been collecting the critters and no one knew about them. While we were at Wal-Mart she snuck into my room, pulled back the covers, planted the critters and then made the bed back up all by herself without anyone ever knowing. Sneaky.

I never had the chance to talk to her that morning, but I officially declared war! Later that evening I went to pick her, her brother and their two friends up for church. When she climbed in the car I told her we needed to have a little conversation. On the way to the church she told me how she did it and my only response was "This means war." The funny thing is that I learned later that night that she had asked Niki a week or so before how wars began. Niki told her a few ways war began and that was the end of the conversation. Niki asked her later if she remembered that conversation and small child replied with something like "Yes, I think I know how they are started now!" I retaliated a few nights later with a rubber snake in her bed, but it did not phase her at all. As a matter of fact it ended back up in my bed later that night.... It's time to step up my game. War. It's on.

So what did the first week of summer teach me? Never to trust an 8 year old! Ha! I have learned many things, but one thing sticks out with this whole critters in the bed thing... It scared me so bad that my heart was beating 90 to nothing. Seriously. A lot of times when people get scared like that they make a statement like "At least I know my heart works!" Well, my heart works...But does it really work? They say that being scared "checks" your heart to make sure it's working right. A physical heart check if you will. What if we were to have a spiritual heart check...How would your heart check out? Is it good? Is it in the right place? Is it filled with things that please God? Is it spiritually healthy? Wow... That kind of hurts me.

Psalm 139:23-24 says "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way."

Heart check. Are the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart pleasing to Him? Would my heart and the things of it check out "good" with Him? The first week of summer I had my physical heart checked. I think I'll spend the second week of summer checking out my spiritual heart... Join me?

PS...if you have any good ideas on how to get an 8 year old back without scarring her for life let me know! :)