Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Cranking them out for the craft fair...
I've literally been spending every waking free moment that I have to get more prepared for the Craft Fair at the end of October. Making jewelry for me is very much a stress reliever...I think I had forgotten how much so since it has been almost a year since I've really taken the time to enjoy this hobby. Here is what I have made the last couple of nights...
Monday, September 26, 2011
Time for another Craft Fair
I signed myself up for a Craft Fair towards the end of October! It's been almost a year since I've really spent much time making jewelry. I think I forgot how much I really enjoy it. With the Craft Fair coming up, I'm restocking my supply with some new creations. Here are the ones I've made so far:
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Seasons of Change
After 7 years of living in one place, I’m moving. In the process of sorting through and packing up my house, I’m finding all kinds of things - old trophies from when I used to play basketball (why in the world have I kept these for so long?), cassette tapes from middle school (Madonna, Alabama, Rob Base and D.J. E-Z Rock, Cake, 10,000 Maniacs – just to name a few), a cowboy hat I bought in Wyoming 8 years ago, my old landline phone and answering machine from college…the list goes on and on. It’s really been fun going down memory lane, while also reminding myself that I do not need or want most of this stuff – it all MUST go in the trash or yard sale pile!
Yesterday I came across a box buried in the top of my closet, labeled “2001-2002”. My first STINT year. I spent over an hour looking through all that was in this box – tons of pictures, letters, notes of encouragement, and small reminders of that year overseas. I also had junk in this box – can someone please tell me why I would keep samples of the wallpaper that my parent’s hung in their house while I was gone that year? Yes, in an effort to make me feel included in what was going on at home, my mother sent me samples of the wallpaper they were using as they remodeled our house that year, and for some reason I decided to not only keep that during my year in East Asia but also to pack it up and carry it across the ocean to then store in a box in my closet for the next 8 years. I digress…
Aside from viewing the wallpaper samples again, I read through every note and letter in the box – I had kept everything from long letters written from friends in America to short notes that my teammates had written and attached to flowers when I was sick – there were countless encouraging notes from my teammates from that year. Tears came as I was encouraged again, years after those notes had been written. What a sweet time to remember all that happened that year and how incredibly blessed I was to be working alongside of the amazing team God had provided for me.
My STINT team 2001-2002
Yesterday, I was reminded of God’s goodness and faithfulness to me that first year overseas. I was also reminded of the “seasons of friendships” in my life and how they are constantly changing. As I look back over my life, I am reminded of seasons of sweet, dear friends – from high school, from college, from my time living overseas, and a couple of different groups since I’ve been back in North Carolina.
As the seasons change, there is pain. Pain in the “good-byes”. Pain in the reality that things will change – they can’t stay the same. Yet, I am so grateful that God gives us these sweet friendships for seasons.
The seasons certainly change, but God has been the Constant running throughout. God is the friend that never moves, never leaves, never changes. I’m exceedingly grateful for the friendships with which I’ve been blessed over my years. However, I am far more grateful for the blessing and promise of His never-changing, constant presence in my life.
Yesterday I came across a box buried in the top of my closet, labeled “2001-2002”. My first STINT year. I spent over an hour looking through all that was in this box – tons of pictures, letters, notes of encouragement, and small reminders of that year overseas. I also had junk in this box – can someone please tell me why I would keep samples of the wallpaper that my parent’s hung in their house while I was gone that year? Yes, in an effort to make me feel included in what was going on at home, my mother sent me samples of the wallpaper they were using as they remodeled our house that year, and for some reason I decided to not only keep that during my year in East Asia but also to pack it up and carry it across the ocean to then store in a box in my closet for the next 8 years. I digress…
Aside from viewing the wallpaper samples again, I read through every note and letter in the box – I had kept everything from long letters written from friends in America to short notes that my teammates had written and attached to flowers when I was sick – there were countless encouraging notes from my teammates from that year. Tears came as I was encouraged again, years after those notes had been written. What a sweet time to remember all that happened that year and how incredibly blessed I was to be working alongside of the amazing team God had provided for me.
My STINT team 2001-2002Yesterday, I was reminded of God’s goodness and faithfulness to me that first year overseas. I was also reminded of the “seasons of friendships” in my life and how they are constantly changing. As I look back over my life, I am reminded of seasons of sweet, dear friends – from high school, from college, from my time living overseas, and a couple of different groups since I’ve been back in North Carolina.
As the seasons change, there is pain. Pain in the “good-byes”. Pain in the reality that things will change – they can’t stay the same. Yet, I am so grateful that God gives us these sweet friendships for seasons.
The seasons certainly change, but God has been the Constant running throughout. God is the friend that never moves, never leaves, never changes. I’m exceedingly grateful for the friendships with which I’ve been blessed over my years. However, I am far more grateful for the blessing and promise of His never-changing, constant presence in my life.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Why do I think everything is about me?
I recently had a good friend make a comment to me in regards to the NCAA tournament. He said, “Hey UNC fans, let’s stop thinking everything is about you”. Though I know this comment was made in jest and was just your typical March Madness trash talk, because it was directed towards me, I took it personally and begin to ask myself the question, “Do I really think everything is about me?”
Within seconds, my pondering this question turned from thoughts about basketball and loyalty to a particular team to thoughts about my own life – my job, my friends, the things that I talk about, the things that I think about, the disappointments in life, the stresses of life, etc. Why do I think everything is about me?
In his book, “Whiter than Snow”, Paul David Tripp writes, “There are times when you let yourself be ruled by your self-focused desires rather than by God’s clear commands. There are times when you love something in the creation more than you love the Creator. There are times when you willingly step over God’s boundaries in pursuit of what you want. There are times when your little kingdom of one means more to you than his transcendent kingdom of glory.” And I don’t know about you, but for me these “times” aren’t isolated times now and then, but rather they happen more often than not. Why do I think everything is about me?
When my friend says, “Hey UNC fans, let’s stop thinking everything is about you”, I resonate with that, because UNC fan or not, we all spend much of our life thinking everything is about us. We were born that way – “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” ~Psalm 51:5. We were raised that way. Our society conditions us to think that way. We are told to “look out for number one”. We are told to do what it takes to climb the ladder of success, regardless of who we hurt along the way. We are told by our world and by the Enemy himself from an early age that “everything is all about me”.
Yet God’s Kingdom is counter-cultural to anything we’ve found in the world. God’s Kingdom is like no other. And choosing His Kingdom over my own is SO WORTH IT! Time and time again I fall back into the self-feeding lie that everything is about me. I believe the lie that my life should revolve around my comfort, my dreams, my desires – me, me, me! What a lie! The truth is I will only be truly satisfied when I live for Something – rather Someone - other than myself. Any time spent thinking it is all about me is merely wasted time.
Though I know that my friend’s comment about UNC fans was intended to get under my skin and make me mad, what it really did was point me to Christ, and for that, I am thankful.
Within seconds, my pondering this question turned from thoughts about basketball and loyalty to a particular team to thoughts about my own life – my job, my friends, the things that I talk about, the things that I think about, the disappointments in life, the stresses of life, etc. Why do I think everything is about me?
In his book, “Whiter than Snow”, Paul David Tripp writes, “There are times when you let yourself be ruled by your self-focused desires rather than by God’s clear commands. There are times when you love something in the creation more than you love the Creator. There are times when you willingly step over God’s boundaries in pursuit of what you want. There are times when your little kingdom of one means more to you than his transcendent kingdom of glory.” And I don’t know about you, but for me these “times” aren’t isolated times now and then, but rather they happen more often than not. Why do I think everything is about me?
When my friend says, “Hey UNC fans, let’s stop thinking everything is about you”, I resonate with that, because UNC fan or not, we all spend much of our life thinking everything is about us. We were born that way – “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” ~Psalm 51:5. We were raised that way. Our society conditions us to think that way. We are told to “look out for number one”. We are told to do what it takes to climb the ladder of success, regardless of who we hurt along the way. We are told by our world and by the Enemy himself from an early age that “everything is all about me”.
Yet God’s Kingdom is counter-cultural to anything we’ve found in the world. God’s Kingdom is like no other. And choosing His Kingdom over my own is SO WORTH IT! Time and time again I fall back into the self-feeding lie that everything is about me. I believe the lie that my life should revolve around my comfort, my dreams, my desires – me, me, me! What a lie! The truth is I will only be truly satisfied when I live for Something – rather Someone - other than myself. Any time spent thinking it is all about me is merely wasted time.
Though I know that my friend’s comment about UNC fans was intended to get under my skin and make me mad, what it really did was point me to Christ, and for that, I am thankful.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Dearly Loved
I feel compelled today to write the obligatory blog on love for Valentine's Day, so here goes...
If you know anything about me, you know that I love music. I am moved by it, passionate about it, captivated by the way that lyrics, rhythms and chords can change a person’s mood, bring tears to a person’s eyes, and so accurately capture a thought or picture or experience from one’s mind.
One of my favorite songs is Jimmy Needham's song "Dearly Loved". If you have never heard this song, I highly encourage you to stop reading this blog post right now and go download the song. It's good stuff.
Several phrases in this song captivate me and remind me that love – TRUE LOVE – is so misunderstood in our world today. It's interesting to me all of the different ways that our world might define love. I was in the Harris Teeter early this morning and found a sea of red and pink - flowers, balloons, chocolate and candles - flowing all throughout the store. And yet standing in line to check out, I read magazine cover after magazine cover recapping the sad details of America's latest breakup or listing out the top 10 ways to make sure your man knows that you love him. Seriously? Our world's view of love is so very skewed and distorted.
“Dearly Loved” tells of a different kind of love - a love that is WORTH it - a love that never fails, never breaks up, and never needs a top 10 list of ways to know that it is really love.
The song begins…
Please lay down your arrows
‘Cause they're sure to pierce the skin
And water from a broken well
Will make you thirst again
When all things you've acquired
Are tested by the flames
And you can see them melting
Then will you call his name
Often we drink water from broken wells that only lead us to thirst again. Jeremiah 2:13 speaks of this as well, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cistern that cannot hold water.” Why do we do this? Time after time, we run to things that were never intended to satisfy us. We run to relationships, possessions, accomplishments, and pleasures of this world – but in the end, the satisfaction is achingly temporary and we are left wanting, even needing more. Our hearts were shaped with a need for satisfaction – a hole that longs and desires to be filled – but we continually run to the wrong things to fill that hole. When we finally see all the things we’ve acquired for what they are – just things – then will we call His name? When will we finally get it?
The song continues…
To the slaughter you are being led
Being told that it's a party
That this God is in your head
And every single lie
Sounds just like the greatest truth
But the one truth you're not hearing
Is that he died for you
Again so true…this world lies to us! There are so many people out there who believe the lie that everything other than God can satisfy you. Some days (more than I am probably willing to admit), I too fall prey to believing that lie. It’s so believable! But oh the truth is that we are not hearing the truth - the truth that Christ died for us so that we wouldn’t have to live a life eternally separated from Him – the truth that Christ died for us so that we would have access to the throne of grace – the truth that Christ died for us so that HE (and HE alone) could be the One to satisfy our deepest longings for intimacy and love and acceptance!
The chorus ends with…
It's worth it, brothers
It's worth it, friends
To know your Maker
To lose your sin
Did you know that you are dearly loved?
It’s worth it!! In a world where rarely things are worth what we pay for them and rarely things turn out the way we thought they might, what GREAT NEWS that there is something that is truly WORTH IT!! Costly, but WORTH IT! Our response to this True Love should be to leave our sin and our desire to rule our own worlds (that’s the costly part), and experience fully how dearly loved we truly are by the One who is worth it!
For those who know Christ, He loves us enough that while we were still His enemies, He died for us (Rom 5:8). He loves us enough to call us His children (1John 3:1). He loves us enough to make us His heirs (Rom 8:17). He loves us enough to promise never to leave us and never to allow us to be separated from that love (Rom 8:37-39). I could go on and on. If you know Him, relish in His love today! If you don’t know Him, what better day to start that personal relationship with the One who is worth it!
So, today on Valentine’s Day, I am reminded that the God of the Universe loves me more deeply than I can even fathom or imagine. He created the very definition of love – selfless, unconditional, gracious, merciful, and patient love. His love for me and for you led Him to a cross. What will my love for Him or your love for Him lead us to do?
If you know anything about me, you know that I love music. I am moved by it, passionate about it, captivated by the way that lyrics, rhythms and chords can change a person’s mood, bring tears to a person’s eyes, and so accurately capture a thought or picture or experience from one’s mind.
One of my favorite songs is Jimmy Needham's song "Dearly Loved". If you have never heard this song, I highly encourage you to stop reading this blog post right now and go download the song. It's good stuff.
Several phrases in this song captivate me and remind me that love – TRUE LOVE – is so misunderstood in our world today. It's interesting to me all of the different ways that our world might define love. I was in the Harris Teeter early this morning and found a sea of red and pink - flowers, balloons, chocolate and candles - flowing all throughout the store. And yet standing in line to check out, I read magazine cover after magazine cover recapping the sad details of America's latest breakup or listing out the top 10 ways to make sure your man knows that you love him. Seriously? Our world's view of love is so very skewed and distorted.
“Dearly Loved” tells of a different kind of love - a love that is WORTH it - a love that never fails, never breaks up, and never needs a top 10 list of ways to know that it is really love.
The song begins…
Please lay down your arrows
‘Cause they're sure to pierce the skin
And water from a broken well
Will make you thirst again
When all things you've acquired
Are tested by the flames
And you can see them melting
Then will you call his name
Often we drink water from broken wells that only lead us to thirst again. Jeremiah 2:13 speaks of this as well, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cistern that cannot hold water.” Why do we do this? Time after time, we run to things that were never intended to satisfy us. We run to relationships, possessions, accomplishments, and pleasures of this world – but in the end, the satisfaction is achingly temporary and we are left wanting, even needing more. Our hearts were shaped with a need for satisfaction – a hole that longs and desires to be filled – but we continually run to the wrong things to fill that hole. When we finally see all the things we’ve acquired for what they are – just things – then will we call His name? When will we finally get it?
The song continues…
To the slaughter you are being led
Being told that it's a party
That this God is in your head
And every single lie
Sounds just like the greatest truth
But the one truth you're not hearing
Is that he died for you
Again so true…this world lies to us! There are so many people out there who believe the lie that everything other than God can satisfy you. Some days (more than I am probably willing to admit), I too fall prey to believing that lie. It’s so believable! But oh the truth is that we are not hearing the truth - the truth that Christ died for us so that we wouldn’t have to live a life eternally separated from Him – the truth that Christ died for us so that we would have access to the throne of grace – the truth that Christ died for us so that HE (and HE alone) could be the One to satisfy our deepest longings for intimacy and love and acceptance!
The chorus ends with…
It's worth it, brothers
It's worth it, friends
To know your Maker
To lose your sin
Did you know that you are dearly loved?
It’s worth it!! In a world where rarely things are worth what we pay for them and rarely things turn out the way we thought they might, what GREAT NEWS that there is something that is truly WORTH IT!! Costly, but WORTH IT! Our response to this True Love should be to leave our sin and our desire to rule our own worlds (that’s the costly part), and experience fully how dearly loved we truly are by the One who is worth it!
For those who know Christ, He loves us enough that while we were still His enemies, He died for us (Rom 5:8). He loves us enough to call us His children (1John 3:1). He loves us enough to make us His heirs (Rom 8:17). He loves us enough to promise never to leave us and never to allow us to be separated from that love (Rom 8:37-39). I could go on and on. If you know Him, relish in His love today! If you don’t know Him, what better day to start that personal relationship with the One who is worth it!
So, today on Valentine’s Day, I am reminded that the God of the Universe loves me more deeply than I can even fathom or imagine. He created the very definition of love – selfless, unconditional, gracious, merciful, and patient love. His love for me and for you led Him to a cross. What will my love for Him or your love for Him lead us to do?
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