Just for fun. Thanks Carly :)

Just for fun. My friend Carly answered these questions and tagged us to answer them to.. I haven't done one of these in a while. Remember when you would get email forwards like this?? :)

1) If you were a book character, who would you be and why? Inclue a picture! Hermione Grainger from Harry Potter. I am slightly obsessed since I am just getting around to reading the final book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" Only took me 5 years :)

2) Where is the best place that you have traveled and why? Vancouver, British Columbia. I volunteered on summer staff there for Young Life. The camp is called Malibu Club and it is breathtakingly beautiful!! It was one of the first times that I really felt God's closeness. I long to visit there again. The mountains literally rise out of the ocean. Here are some pictures of what I got to look at for three weeks.

3) What is your favorite blog to read... link it so I can check it out! I really enjoy reading Donald Miller's blog. He is one of my favorite writers. http://donmilleris.com/

4) If you could have your dream job, what would it be? A job where I could be around my best friends on a daily basis. I believe that will be what heaven is like. A place where you are around all the people that you love. I don't really have a dream job in mind. One day I just want to be a stay home mom, lots of moms would probably argue that I am crazy. I don't really like thinking that my kids will probably have to be in child care the first few years of there life.

5) What 3 things can you not live without on a daily basis? My computer (for work and for fun), my phone (slight obsession with my Blackberry), and music.

6) What is your favorite 90s song... only because I was almost too young for the 80s? Wow...there are so many. I am going to go with the first song that comes to mind........ "She Talks to Angels" -Black Crowes...seriously the first thing that came to mind. Also anything Dave Matthews or Counting Crows. That is all I listened to in high school.

7) If you have $1000 dollars to spend in one day friviously, what would you buy/do? Go to the mall :)

Oh how I love the summer time.

So it has literally been months since I posted anything and so much has happened in my life. This summer literally flew by, but it was great. I definitely was not bored. To sit here and try to blog about it all would be...well ridiculous. Instead of writing a novel, I will just post some pictures.

My baby brother Michael got married. Lindsey is like the sister I never had and I wish they didn't live so far away. There wedding took place in Asheville, NC in a valley surrounded by mountains.



Me and Mike. Love him :)

Lindsey's beautiful dress!

Leslie got married this summer as well! We have all been friends since middle school. Melissa just got engaged this past weekend, so I will in another wedding soon :)

Melissa, Leslie, and I



Fourth of July and Whittier Mill

Peachtree Road Race! It was my first race ever!

Action Shot :)

Malloree's 22nd Birthday at Tin Lizzys

I can't believe that summer is already over and work has begun. I am feeling very confident about this next school year and am really enjoying being back at work so far. This is my first year working inside an Autism class and I'm a little nervous/excited all wrapped into one. I feel that I am going to learn so much though these amazing little souls and they will probably teach me more than I will teach them.

Love Jen :)

Ohh......Insecurity

So this past weekend I attended the Beth Moore conference with my amazing girls and it was on all women's number one nemesis.....being insecure. Every female in this world is insecure in some way shape or form. I could be here all day listing my insecurities, but I won't do that. I simply want to share with you some amazing truths. God revealed so much to me on Saturday and my brain is still breaking it all down. All I have to say is that when He speaks to you He speaks to you. He continued to break my heart all weekend, even after hearing Sunday's message, but I can't go there right now. This weekend I learned that I have got to "try" and learn to stay in the new me. It is so easy for me to slip into the old me and I will literally do it in an instant.

Isaiah 43:18 Remember not the former things nor consider the things of old.

I think that we all daily slip into our old selves. It seems almost impossible to not to. The enemy is constantly waiting to get his hands on us. Beth said that Jesus is our security and we have to be intentional. If we think that things are going to just fall into place and go our way without including Him we have another thing coming. Insecurity lies within our minds and our minds are a scary place. I am DAILY guilty of taking a thought and then this tiny thought becomes this horrific nightmare. We have got to learn to control our minds and keep them from controlling us. I truly believe that worrying only makes us sick. There is absolutely nothing that comes out of our of worrying except that it makes us scared, vulnerable, and physically ill at times. I feel like this blog needs to be a be continued.

Below are a few of the things that I took away:

• You have nothing to gain from insecurity!!! It will not improve anything!
• Insecurity is not a weakness it is unbelief.
• The more we live withdrawn the darker our thinking gets and our hearts get harder and harder. This leads to addiction, whether it be food, alcohol, shopping, or drugs. An addiction is anything that draws us away from God and keeps us from him.
• Perfectionism is insecurity in an art form.
• How much does our continuous unforgiveness have to do with our insecurity?
• How much do we take God up on his grace?
• We need to forgive like women who have been graced. We can give grace away and also keep it. It is our right and freedom to forgive.
  
• To be secure, we have to know that somebody unfailingly loves us. You can't out sin his forgiveness.

So as I was writing this entry, Alli Rogers came on and I absolutely adore her voice and heart. This is my favorite song and it totally spoke to me today. Here are the lyrics. Find it and listen to it :)

I guess I need to choose
But today I am confused and losing ground
Is this part of some plan?
The rise and fall of man?
I can’t be sure

When I’m away from my source of peace
Something fills that space in me
And it feels like I don’t need you

It’s easy to get by
When I don’t even try to find the truth
Today I learned that faith
Is not to be obtained like a place I can go

It’s more of a choice than a feeling
More of a wound than healing
The act of believing in you

And I guess I need to choose
But today I am confused
And losing ground

But maybe this is where I grow
When I admit that I don’t know
When belief becomes the only way to you

I apologize for being all over the place on this one:)

My Hero

My Hero!

So today on my way to work I got my first ever flat tire. This has always been one of my biggest fears... mainly because I don't know how to change a flat. Now my dad would beg to differ since he has shown me on numerous occasions how to do so. I have watched it be done several times, but have never physically changed one all by myself. I should probably try to do that one day so when I am ever in this situation again I don't go into freak out mode. Getting a flat tire is quite scary. Luckily, I was getting off of my exit when I heard the awful thumping noise. I thought "My tire can't be flat!" "I just got them in November!" So, I did what any girl would do and called my sweet sweet husband. He was the closest male to the situation. Luckily he works at the airport which is right by the school where I work. Oh...and did I mention that these tires were only 6 months old. I thought to myself well at least we have a warranty on these things and won't have to pay for a new one. I thought wrong. My sweet hero of the day failed to get a warranty and we had to buy a new tire. Now I said what any wife would have said in this situation. "Chris, why didn't you get a warranty on these tires?" Big mistake:) Not something you want to say, especially when you know he is already ticked at himself for not having done. So I let it go. I have to say that there was something extremely cute about watching him change the tire.

All in all, I just want to say that I have the best husband in the world. He left work, changed my tire, bought me breakfast at McDonalds (which I shouldn't have eaten seeing as I am trying to train for the Peachtree Race), sat with me at Tires Plus for an hour to make sure everything was taken care, and then went back to work. He was my hero of the day (insert cheesy Enrique Iglesias song here :)

PS: We have a warranty on our tires now :)

When we are weak.....

I was reading the daily blog from Proverbs 31 Ministries and today's message dealt with overcoming trials or "potholes" in our life. These potholes pop up all the time, some worse than others. To those dealing with "potholes" here is some encouraging scripture. I read one verse, which lead me to another verse, and so on and so forth. God is cool like that:) If you want to read the blog here is today's message link (Potholes Required).

http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/


But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 1 Corinthians 12:9-10

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:1-4

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward [man] is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding [and] eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen [are] temporary, but the things which are not seen [are] eternal.2 Corinthians 4:16-18

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Isaiah 40:29

Happy Easter

So today was pretty much perfect. We started the morning off breaking fast eating an amazing breakfast with our small group. I have to say that we have some pretty amazing cooks. The food was awesome! The menu consisted of creme brulee french toast, a grits bar with with cheese, shrimp, bacon, sausage and egg casserole, bacon with brown sugar glaze, homemade cinnamon buns, coffee cakes, fruit, and Krispy Kreams :) Needless to say we were all pretty stuffed. Chris and I are so unbelievably blessed to be in community with these people. They are truly family. When we moved to Atlanta we wondered how we were going to make friends in such a big place. God sure did answer our prayers. After our breakfast we of course attended church and witnessed some beautiful baptisms for both the young and the old. I decided to be baptized last Easter and couldn't help but reflect my experience. Baptism was something I took very personally and I always knew that God would reveal when he wanted me to take the step. The cool thing about being baptized at Trinity is the catechisim class that you go through 6 weeks prior. During this time you learn about the foundations of your faith, study scripture, and share you story with others who are right where you are. It was hard to believe that an entire year had passed since I was baptized. I couldn't help but reflect on my journey since being baptized and all the things that has revealed to me this year. I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter Sunday and were able to enjoy family, friends, and the amazing weather.

Me, Christina, Carly, Megan, Tonya, and Ashley

Enjoying breakfast outside on this beautiful morning.

The amazing feast! Yum :)

The Gordons

Carly and Megan setting up.

The Fearons

The Skowronskis

The McClendons

The McCullers

Good Friday

Tonight at the Good Friday service, I walked away with a sense of mourning and sadness. Like I lost a friend. The mental images of Jesus' death are so vivid on my mind right now. I have heard this story numerous times but this is the first time I have truly had a personal connection. I am sad.

I keep picturing Jesus' mother Mary.

She raised him, she witnessed his first steps, she took care of his cuts and bruises, she watched him grow from a boy to a man. I am not a mother yet, but I can only imagine how helpless she felt watching her son suffer in pain and agony...... all for us. What was going through her mind? Did she want to run and save him? Did she want to dissapear and just weap? Was she angry with God? Did she feel cheated by God for taking her son away so soon?

Here is her child dying for the entire world and sacrificing HIS body to save us from the pit. She could not take care of these cuts and bruises.

What do you think Mary prayed to God for during her mourning?

I think she prayed for God to help her understand all of this and why he choose her. Why did she have to endure this pain of watching her son's death unravel before her eyes? I think she prayed for strength because she probably had none left. The light of her world was gone. I think she prayed for peace within her soul because she felt as if her soul had been ripped out. I think she asked God to be with those who grew to love and know him so well? They lost there beloved and dear friend.

One day, maybe I will get to meet Mary and ask her all these questions.

Below is a link to a Patty Griffin's song titled "Mary". I love this song and thought about it as I was writing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOxpvKuEruk

For the Glory of it all is He came here. For the rescue of it all that we may live.

Spiritual Disciplines

This week has been absolutely beautiful. I have so enjoyed sitting with the windows open and listening to the wind chimes. Not sure if its the best thing for my allergies but oh well :) Lately I've been really trying to stop and just enjoy God's beauty. We are so busy sometimes and forget to just stop and take in the surroundings. Over the past few weeks I have been learning about the spiritual disciplines through a class at Trinity. We are using a book called the "Spiritual Disciplines Handbook" by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun. There are so many disciplines that quite frankly it's overwhelming. A few in particular have struck a cord with me. It has been an amazing journey so far and am sad that it is winding down in a few weeks. However I am excited to start our girls group with Carly, Megan, Christina, and Malloree this summer. Before this class, I had heard of the different disciplines at church but was struggling to know where to begin.

Out of all of them, I find myself drawn to creating silence, contemplation, and simplicity in my daily life. All of these things are such a challenge because I don't know when to slow down sometimes. Since I have put these into practice I find myself slowing down more and taking notice of the simple things that God has placed before me. One of the things I have been doing lately is turning the TV off. I am really bad about being in the house and keeping it on just to fill the silence. We hear noise all day long and to face silence can be rather unnerving. I am finding that I like the silence and I can hear my own thoughts better when I'm not distracted by senseless noise.

Simplicity ...what is that? To try and simplify my life feels like a lost cause sometimes. One way to simplify is to stop saying yes all of the time. I have said yes a lot over the past few months and now my schedule is a little packed. I love everything I'm committed to, but I've realized that I can't give my entire self to each of these things like I should. I am a quote/verse person and one of the quotes I read said "If you want to be spiritually healthy, you must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from you life"-Dr. Siang Tan. So true!

Here are some other ways to simplify. These are from a list we received and is a good place to start! Some of my favorites.

1.)Buy things for there usefulness and not for there status.
2.)Reject anything that is producing an addiction in you.
3.)Give things away!! Make it a habit :)
4.)Enjoy things without owning them. Go to the library and check out a book instead of purchasing one. Spend the day at a local park
5.)Let your yes be yes and your no be no!! Don't use words to impress. Be honest and straight forward with your speech.
6.)Shun anything that keeps you from seeking first the Kingdom of God

This weekend has been a weekend where I have not been on anyone's schedule but my own. Surprisingly I accomplished a lot on my to do list. I cleaned the house, went for walk with Bella, made a yummy lunch on Saturday, and started reading Redeeming Love for the second time. Such a great book! I have a life time to learn these disciplines but I am in no hurry and God has all the time in the world. That is so refreshing.


Bella watching the squirrels.

Date Night

Chris and I went on a date night to see the Thrashers on Tuesday. Gotta love free tickets and good seats. To bad they lost 0-5 :( This past week was a long week at work so it was nice to do something fun.

Fight!
Pre-game warm up
We love our Thrashers win or lose

So I finally have jumped on the band wagon....

Yeah I have a blog! Now I don't feel so out of the loop. I have seriously been wanting to start a blog for two years now and have had a blank blog for about that long. Today I got a wild hair and decided I would finally finish it. This year is a year of trying to finish things and now I can check this one off my list. I wanted to start this blog as a way of sharing our lives with you. I can't say how often I will post, but I will try and make weekly. -Jen