Oh What a Day

There is something in the simplicity and the complexity of this weekend that has me thoroughly content and satisfied. The slower pace of the day has been completely refreshing. Spending the entire day with my husband cooking, cleaning, and shopping together has been so uplifting.

I am learning that I must set boundaries for myself. I miss having lazy weekends and getting things done. I'm pretty sure it's been since college that I wasn't staying put during weekends. I feel like I'm constantly on the road or out with people all weekend. It's taking its toll. There is a great need I have for balance, and luckily I'm learning that! I'm looking forward to seeing how the coming months pan out. I'm hoping to slip more and more into a steady rhythm that keeps our home clean, content and in order.

In regards to the Valentine's day weekend so far, it's been wonderful. :) My husband has been giving me little gifts along the way. A dozen red roses greeted me on Friday afternoon with a wonderful card. Then a movie this morning with yet another note. A bottle of wine this evening with yet another touching card... And a gift or two left yet!

Looking forward to tomorrow. :) I wish I had relaxing weekends like this more often!

Dear Nicholasville Road Rush-Hour Drivers,

First off, I want to thank you for keeping me company most days. Sometimes I desert you and take another route... But the days I decide to join you, you welcome me right back. Thanks for making me feel at home.

I have a few beefs to pick with you though...

• If you must turn left across the 4 lanes of moving traffic, please do so at a light if possible. If not... alter your route so it's a right turn. This will help everyone.
• If the weather is worse than normal (ie. not sunny and warm), this is not an invitation to get CLOSER to my car when following me. It means back off.
• If you need to change lanes, please plan accordingly. This means, use your turn signal. It also means waiting until there is enough room for your car in the other lane. This FURTHER means, please don't wait until you are about to turn left onto New Circle to suddenly realize you want to go straight..... This is ridiculous. You know the lane ends ahead. Plan ahead. It will make traffic move faster and everyone happier with each other.
• Please understand that I can't go any faster than the car in front of me. He can't go faster than the car in front of him. We're trapped in an endless cycle of slow driving. Deal with it.
• If you're waiting at a left turn light to turn OFF of Nicholasville Road, please make it swift and painless. These lights are a hidden gem and take forever to come back. The people behind you appreciate your swift response to the light turning green.

If we can work on these issues, I think we will have a much happier state of existance and I would join you more frequently. Until then... I may just take another route...

Sincerely,

the red kia

I just want something beautiful

God has serious ways of taking what we thought to be true, changing it, molding it all to the glory of Him. I am so excited about the things to come. The possibilities are truly endless if we are trusting in HIM.

I don't always know where I'm going, but I know that it will all work out if I'm following and listening.

In your ocean I'm ankle deep,
I feel the waves crashing on my feet;
It's like I know where I need to be
But I can't figure out,
I can't figure out
Just how much air I will need to breathe
When your wave washes over me,
There's only one way to figure out
Will you let me drown?
Will you let me drown?

Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire
'Cause I just want
Something beautiful to touch me
I know that I'm in reach
'Cause I am down on my knees
And waiting for
Something beautiful.
Oh-oh... something beautiful

Christ, Be the Center...

After working in the church for a while you learn lots of things. You learn good things. You learn bad things. You learn weird things. You learn a lot.

Lately I've been delving into the world of church membership. We've been looking at who is a member, who joined in the last year, and who left in the last year. This has been quite the learning process for me. While church membership was something you did growing up, it was never quite the defining force that I've found it to be where I'm at currently.

It has brought to mind lots of questions that don't really have answers yet for me. It seems to me that church membership can be a great thing and it can be a truly terrible thing. It can be good in ways of committing to one another and bearing with one another. Being prepared to serve one another and to truly work together for the greater good.

On the other hand though, I feel it can be a dangerous weapon. It allows exclusivity to arise. It perpetuates the MINE mentality. This is MY church, this is MY pew, this is MY parking spot. This entitlement mentality truly drives me insane. Often I wish we could get along without church membership. I feel it would leave the church much more open to new people and to those on the outside looking in.

When will we realize that any one of God's children are welcome and have a part to play? When will we realize that there is so much more to faith and Christianity than this? When will we stop bickering amongst ourselves and remember that Christ truly is the center of it all?

My heart cries to find the balance. To ensure that Christ truly is glorified in it all. May we never forget that HE is the center, not a congregation or a building or a sanctuary.

You’re the center of the universe
Everything was made in You Jesus
Breath of every living thing
Everyone was made for You

You hold everything together
You hold everything together

Christ be the center of our lives
Be the place we fix our eyes
Be the center of our lives

We lift our eyes to heaven
We wrap our lives around your life
We lift our eyes to heaven, to You

Some beginning's end...

New Years day is probably one of my favorite days of the year. It's one of the few days that I never have plans on going anywhere or any plans. It's what I feel like every Sabbath should be... Relaxing, at my own pace, and free of obligations. Ah....

I love this day also for the opportunity to get re-centered and to look backward and forward all at the same time. To take a moment to stand in awe of how time flies... To be amazed at how you have changed or grown... To evaluate your mistakes and downfalls and to learn from them and to make a plan on how you won't stumble in those things again. I enjoy looking forward and making plans and hopes. I don't usually make a list of resolutions, but I think I may make a few goals for myself this year.

I am excited about what lies ahead this year. It's amazing what happened this past year. There's so much that can be achieved and that can transpire. Here's to a new beginning and some beginnings's end.