K1 P1

I have tried 3 times to learn how to crochet.  I simply can't do it.  I can't keep a constant tension and find my projects getting smaller and smaller as my stitches get tighter and tighter.

Knitting, however, is another story.

Elizabeth Vahey showed me how to knit just once and it stuck.  Video tutorials for special stitches are the same; I view them once and know it.

Knitting just makes sense.

When I first started knitting, I hated it.  Projects take for-ev-er!  My first project was a leg warmer (yes a leg warmer.  I haven't made one to match it yet.)  It took me several days to complete and when I was done, I wasn't sure if I would knit anything again.  My other crafting endeavors are typically start-and-finish projects.  Would you like a custom fit hemp necklace?  Watch this movie and I'll be finished when it's over.  A fancy scrapbook page you can frame?  Give me 45 minutes.  A purse?  I'll have it to you tomorrow.  A knitted scarf?  Give me a few WEEKS.  I'll be halfway through a project and start thinking about 3 other projects I'd like to do, with no end in sight.  Frustrating.

*Disclaimer* I know someone who crochets and can make a hat in an hour.  It takes me MUCH longer.  I don't know why it takes me so much time, but the simple fact is it does.

But knitting has grown on me.  I can knit while watching movies I've never seen before, something I can't do with my other craft mediums.  I can take knitting with me in the car on long road trips.  It's easy to bust out my needles at a coffee shop.  It provides me with time to think about the person I'm knitting for; each stitch is a prayer just for them.  Knitting, for me anyway, really is a labor of love.

Inspiration Strikes!

I have a tendency to see a great idea and think, "I want to do something like that!"  Ideas that surprise people and provide them with a story particularly inspire me.  Like this one...

Here's a old city bus that someone transformed into a public library.  How clever!

Don't you want to visit this place?  I want to browse the "shelves" and find something unique.  I want to sip on my mocha as a I read from the bus seat and observe those who come and go, those who choose to take a peek inside this refurbished, re-purposed, rejuvenated nook and those who choose to pass on the experience.  I want to be apart of this small grand idea.

What ideas have inspired you lately?

(For another bus story, check this out.)

Be real. Be alive.

The Canfield Fair is a pretty big deal in my hometown and growing-up, it was a yearly tradition for our family.  Even though every year was pretty much the same, something different always happened.  One year I held the record for longest free hang at the Marine station.  Another year I remember attending the 4H dance.  One year my boyfriend sang karaoke.  When we were a little older, my brother and I walked the fair alone once and I remember some hick high school bullies throwing mulch at us.

My favorite memory of the Canfield Fair was one I shared with my dad and it's probably my favorite childhood memory of my dad.  

The Omni was in our family for longer than I can remember.  When we finally took it to the junkyard, miraculously still running without a problem, we made a scrapbook to commemorate it.  In it's last years, the Omni was dad's work vehicle.  Covered in construction dusk and full of tools, he and I were in the car alone.  It's one of the only times I can remember when it was just he and I.

Fair traffic was horrible and almost unavoidable.  Sitting in the bumper to bumper, stopped traffic, waiting to get into the fair, my dad and I began to play.  Dad found an orange construction vest and a hard hat for me and one for himself as well.  He joked about how everyone needed to get out of our way because we were in such a hurray to see the sights and eat the food; how we were in a state of fair emergency.  He put his orange rotating construction light on top of the car and starting "yelling at" the traffic director.  I giggled and giggled.  Of course we looked like fools in our little Omni, orange construction outfits, and flashing light.  And of course it didn't get us to our parking spot any faster.  But it was fun and silly.

My dad was alive that day.

This weekend I attended the National Youth Workers Convention and one of the speakers briefly touched on the importance of being real and alive.  Immediately that time with my dad came to my mind.

I want to be remembered for the times I laughed so hard I cried and I cried so hard I laughed.  I want these times to be rampent, part of my every day.  

I want to live life alive.

Halloween Stage

For our Halloween service, we went all out in Fusion (our student ministry at Southern Hills Christian Church).  A few spider webs here, a giant spider there, some hanging clothes, a BUNCH of pumpkins, eery lighting, and VOILA!

(As usual, the pictures don't do it justice, but you get the idea.)

The orange "string" is actually marking tape, available at Lowes or Home Depot.  This was part of the preexisting stage design, but added a lot to the Halloween decor.

Corey and I continue to enjoy the pumpkins as we take them home and roast the seeds.  Yum!

Tis the season...

I love Halloween.

I like getting candy.
I like giving candy.
I like the themed party foods.
I like the decorations.
I like the crazy games.
I like the music.
Fall weather seems to drain people's joy and Halloween provides a boost of excitement.
But mostly I love dressing up.

I start thinking about my costume the night of Halloween... the year before.

Last year, Corey and I teamed up with a group of our friends and patrolled the streets in Elizabeth City as Batman characters.  We were stopped several times by parents and asked to pose for a picture with their son who also donned a batman suit.

This year we've had lots of ideas, but none have come to fruition yet (partially because it's hard to top last year and partially because we have no plans or people to plan with).  So if you're looking for some fellow Halloweeners to share in the festivities with, let us know!

At the Circus

This past Sunday in our children's program we finished a circus series titled "Under the Big Top."  To create a tent look, we used plastic table cloth, tacking it into the wall and ceiling.  We feared the kids would demolish it, but as you can see it held up fairly well over the 8 weeks.  We gathered some props from around the church and from a few friends (yes, that is a unicycle that one of our volunteers can actually ride!).  We created a concession stand out of 2x4s and once used coroplast.  Coroplast doesn't hold paint well (you can scratch it off with your finger nail), but it was a resource we already had and could reuse.

The table cloths to the side of the stage proved difficult to hang and stay in place because we couldn't affix them to a cinderblock wall.  Eventually we gave up fixing them every week, but no one seemed to notice and they still looked ok.  We bought a few clown like hats at Target and used them to display the interactive elements, juggling scarves and balls.  We also had Buddy Walking boards and put those out for the kids to play with.

I always consider costumes as part of decorating the stage.  Dressing the part adds so much and completes the look.  Corey was the ring master.  Occasionally we had a clown, juggler, lion tamer, and once we had a guy on stilts.  It was a great series, but on to the next! 

Silly Husband

Lounging in the living room, Nicole lets out a sigh.  "I want to blog, but I don't know what to write about."
Without hesitation Corey responds, "Write about your husband."

Uhhh... ok...

My husband is a goof.
Most people don't see this side of him, but I do.
When we're alone, he dances.
He makes ridiculous faces.
He sings.
He gets loud.

He laughs.  A lot.


Corey and I made the 10 hour drive from Georgia to North Carolina on Tuesday.  When I wasn't sleeping, we were laughing, at ourselves and each other.  No matter what we're doing, when we're together we have fun.

I'm glad Corey can be totally himself with me.  I wouldn't have it any other way and I love him just the way he is.

Yum yum yum

I'm not big on cooking.
I can cook (sorta); I just don't like to.
First- It doesn't come naturally to me.  (A pinch?  A dash?  Those aren't measurements!)
Second- I don't find joy in it.   Cooking is more of a chore for me.

Lately I've been cooking more and more, learning how to experiment, and I'm slowly coming around, but I'm by no means a chef yet.

Baking on the other hand- I LOVE to bake.
Cooking is serious business; baking is a child's game.
I love the way it makes my house smell.
Even though it makes a mess, it's a fun mess.
And baked goods are easier to share.

But baking isn't healthy.  Take this snack mix I just made.

It's sooooo good and soooo bad for you!  A whole stick of butter, karo syrup, and a cup on brown sugar coating an already sugary cereal.  Toss in some M&Ms and it's a sugary rush on it's way to diabetes.  

Baking doesn't sustain life; it puts you in a coma.

Yet I made a special trip to Wal-Mart to get the ingredients and haven't given a thought to what's for dinner.

Music that bonds

I pumped up Matisyahu before the "One Day" video was even in production.

I was jamming to Mumford and Sons before they were editing "Lion Man" for the radio.

I had Adelle on my playlist way before she was featured at the VMAs.

People often brag about knowing bands before they become popular, but honestly I couldn't care less.

It's not that I seek out to find the "next big thing" before anyone else.
It's a proximity hazard.

My college roommate Sam is a music connoisseur and has this unnatural talent of finding obscure music that eventually sweeps the nation.

While rooming together, I loved how she would introduce me to new bands.  When we visit, one of the many things I look forward to is scrolling through her new music.

I miss dancing to Indi music together.
I miss the many ways she remixed "Survive."
I miss cruising with the windows down (not by choice; her AC was broken) and listening to her newest discovered jam as loud as her speakers would permit.

I miss my Mantha.

Robot Repair Shop

Our previous series in All Stars was titled "Dr. Tomorrow's Robot Repair Shop."  Here's what the stage looked like!

We took apart a computer monitor and a TV/VCR combo.  I filled this metal cart with the internal parts and put the empty screen shells next to the cart.  The flat screen monitors displayed videos of a dancing robot and the matrix (green falling numbers).  The styrofoam head can be purchased at hobby lobby.

I made the gears with leftover insulation foam board from the Heroes series.

I filled glass jars with odds and ends: colored blocks, batteries, wires, ping pong balls, markers, etc.  On the table we also had a magnifying glass, rubber chicken, work gloves, box of foil, cordless telephone, lamp, and duct tape.  The chalkboard was covered in random math equations and the dry erase board had the "plans" for the exo-suit we created for the skits.  On the wall I taped random robot blueprints Corey found online.  

It was a great series and the kids loved Dr. Tomorrow and his assistant Gasket!  Check out a video of highlights from the series on the Southern Hills Facebook page!

MDTA

-Missing Due To Action-

It's officially official- I'm staff at Southern Hills Christian Church!!!

My title is Youth Intern and I am working with the Fusion team ministering to middle and high school students.

For the past four weeks I've been insanely busy helping prepare for the kick-off of our Wednesday night programs and Life Groups.  This past Wednesday was our first FUSION service and it went great!  Our team put in a lot of planning and it went off without a hitch (well, with the exception that we went over 15 minutes, but so did the adults so we could get away with it).  The Youth Pastor said he believes it was the smoothest Fusion service we've ever had!

We have two more weeks before our Life Groups begin.  I know God is going to do BIG things through our volunteers and in the lives of our students.  I can't wait to see what He has in store!

What I Learned at Consumed

Southern Hills partners with several other churches in the area to plan a convention for our middle and high school students called Consumed.  The purpose is to connect students from different youth groups and to challenge students spiritually.  Here's a summary of what I learned while at White Water Express in Tennessee with 300 teenagers.

Drinking water is a must.  Showers are not.

Nothing refreshes like white water rafting.

It doesn't matter who is behind the weapon, a veteran paintball-er or a newbie, it's going to hurt when you get hit.

Accept the fact that you will get hit with a paintball and you will be much more beneficial to your team.

The key to victory is to get out of the bunker.  (I think there is a church/evangelism metaphor here...)

A rope between two trees will entertain a crowd for hours.  As will a ring attached to a string and a hook on the wall.

Mission trip or not, be flexible.

In Silent Football, the proper term is "thwack."

You may get one point for failing to thwack when thwacked upon, but disrespect the Game Master and your in for some serious trouble.

Ghosting works best when the person is actually moving.

Inescapable heat, body odor, stuffy disheveled cabins (Did a tornado come through our room?  No?  Then how did your bra get in my bag?), and overcrowded meeting rooms will not prevent God from showing up.

What I Learned at Camp

This past week I was at Woodland Christian Camp chaperoning the Drama and Music Camp for 4th through 6th graders.  It was an amazing week!  I was the cabin mom for six outstanding girls, had a great cast for my skit, and worked with a great team from Southern Hills.  Here are some things I learned (or re-learned):

Kids can act!  (Encouragement and praise beside direction helps.)

Expect a lot and you will get a lot.

Little things make a big difference- like glow sticks, hugs, watching a dive at the pool, sharing a kind word, sticking up for a friend when no one else will, being a shoulder to cry on, a cup of caffeinated soda, a nightlight.

Balloons and glitter make unplanned free time fun.

Bee-stings hurt!  For real!

The "George Washington Pool Hairdo" never goes out of style.

Hide and Seek in a camp cabin is possible and a blast!

With a group of girls there are three bed times: 1) lights out 2) everyone to their own bunks 3) no more giggling.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  A coconut is not a fruit of the Spirit.

Time Set

Our last series at church was titled "What a Difference a Day Makes."  For the graphics and stage set, our creative team focused in on the time aspect of the series.  We made abstract triangle columns that we saw on this site, added fancy lightening and VOILA! the stage was set.

Ok, making a 16 foot by 12 foot clock was not that easy.  But it was worth it!  I thought the abstract triangles and larger-than-life clock gave the stage an "Alice in Wonderland" feel.

We removed the center of the clock and placed it two feet in front of the rim to give more depth to the set.  This also allowed for band members to enter the stage from the back through the clock.  A lamp was placed behind the center to light the rim.  At times the rim was also lit with stage lights for more affect.

For the next series, we are simply removing the clock and adding another column of triangles in its place.

How we made the clock- The clock is made up of 3 layers of alternating insulation foam board.  (Remember to use foam board glue!  Other glues will eat through your project.)  Once the glue cured, we stood the giant sheet up and I finished the clock with it standing.  I projected the image onto the board, traced it, cut it out with a saws-all, used high-gloss paint, and filled in the seams with caulk.  The center is mounted to the floor with spare 2 x 4s and the rim is secured to a giant wall we have near the back of our stage.  When we removed the clock, it was cut into manageable pieces that will be recycled for future sets.

How we made the triangles- Melissa made the triangles out of coroplast, or sign board.  We planned to hang them from fishing line, but the triangles were too heavy.  So Kevin and Andrew fixed them to 2 x 4s that are secured to the ceiling.

Mistaken Identity

I'm browsing the shelves at a store when I a stranger approaches me.
"Can you tell me where I can find the ___?" they ask.
I turn my gaze away from the product I'm inspecting and give them a puzzled look.  "Excuse me?" I politely reply because I didn't catch their question the first time.
"O I'm sorry.  Do you work here?"
"No, I'm afraid I don't.  But what are you looking for?  I might be able to help."

Has this ever happened to you?

It happens to me.

All the time.

The most recent time was at Hobby Lobby.  A man approached me as I was kneeling in the clearance aisle sorting through a bin of beads.  This is understandable and a simple mistake, but I don't get it when this happens at Wal-Mart.  Am I holding a price scanner?  Do I have on a name tag?  Do you see me wearing khakis and a blue shirt?  No.

I don't understand why this happens to me so frequently, but I appreciate the opportunity to help and serve other people.

Welcoming Committee

While in Nicaragua, our landlord sprayed our house for bugs because we had been having a problem with ants.  Funny thing about these ants was they weren't in our sugar bowl or honey, but we kept finding them in our coffee maker reservoir.

Nicaragua is over-populated with over-sized bugs.  LeErin almost slept with a millipede, we heard about huge centipedes, made friends with a scorpion, went to church with a ginormous beetle, were entertained by jumping bugs, and shared dinner with countless flies.  Bugs were constantly around us.  Yet, I did not see them to be a problem.  The flies were certainly annoying, but the bugs were manageable.  The barking geckos ate a good portion and none bothered me in my sleep.  But I was excited to come home to a bug free house and generally less bug populated country.

When we walked in our front door we were greeted by 1 partially dead and 3 totally dead cockroaches.  I was glad Kevin sprayed and happy to see the evidence of such, but was freaked to know that these guys had been hiding out somewhere in my home.  But the following morning, the ants were still marching across our counter and now into our sugar.  Last night I felt something crawling in my hair.  I flung it on the ground and turned the light on to see a cockroach scurrying across the floor.  Didn't get much sleep after that (despite my husband getting out of bed to kill it for me).

How is it that I stayed for 7 days surrounded by bugs with no real problems and now in my own home bugs are cuddling up with me at night?  YUCK!  I'll put up with the ants if I can get rid of the roaches.  Apparently though roaches are a common problem in Georgia.  Lovely.

Today I'll be purchasing roach and ant bate stations, seven dust, and whatever other cockroach killing products the store may offer.  Maybe I'll even get a barking gecko.  They seem to do the trick in Nicaragua.

Nicaragua or Bust

On Saturday June 4th, Corey and I will be loading a plane headed towards Nicaragua for a short term missions trip.  Our church has partnered with Mustard Seed Missions in Managua and during our trip we will be participating in on-going construction projects in the Aduano Dos community as we continue to build relationships with the people who live here.  We will also be hosting a VBS for the children who come daily to a central feeding program at the church.  Along with VBS supplies, we are bringing 1,000 pairs of prescription eye-glasses to give to those in the community.

Over the past two months, our team has been meeting and praying about our trip.
I can't believe it's already here!

I'm very excited to hear stories of victory from the missionaries Michael and Lisa Perkins.
I'm can't wait to see how God is working in Nicaragua.
I'm looking forward to serving and working with our team (especially my husband).
I know that God is going to teach me through this experience; I pray I am open to His lessons.

The end of the world?

The world was supposed to end this past Saturday.  I'm sure you heard as it was plastered all over Facebook.  I hesitate to write about it because it seems to be all I've heard about on social networks, but I've had three thoughts I can't shake and would like to share.

The first- I had no doubt that God was not coming back.  But what if He had?  And not because of some mathematical equation a man forced on Him, but because those who believed it acted in such a manner to bring back Christ.  What if those who thought the end of days was near did everything in their power to spread the message of salvation to those who did not know Christ and in doing so created the conditions necessary for Christ's return?  Saturday has come and gone.  I guess their efforts weren't enough.   

The second- In college I created a list of "Things to do before I die."  The list includes things like

      Build and camp-out in a tree house.

      Leave someone a $100 tip.

      Ride a camel.

      Learn to change the oil of my car.

      Crash a wedding.

Since moving to Georgia, I have accomplished (unknowingly) two of the things on my list.  Oddly enough both were in the same week!

      Learn to knit.

      Bake an apple pie from scratch.
I had forgotten about this list until all the hub-bub about the end of days.  Many I will not accomplish unless I purposely set out to do so.  Guess I better start cracking on my list and live intentionally!

The third- How awesome would it be to be in the baptistery at Christ's return?!?

As so many on Facebook have pointed out, the end is indeed near and we should be acting as such all the time. 

Lessons at the Rodeo

Over the weekend Corey and I attended a local rodeo with the Lambs- Shawn, Sheri, and their two children.  While Sheri and I were sitting in the stands watching cowgirls attempt to rope calves, there was a sudden clash of noise behind us.  The bleachers were your run of the mill sporting event stands, cold aluminum with large openings where you can see from the seat to the ground.  So when we turned toward the source of the noise we saw an over turned baby car seat with infant strewn across the lower planks, suspended by forehead and armpit.

Everyone around us gasped as I am sure you are and jumped to their feet as if they could catch the child.  Her mother scrambled to save her, utterly embarrassed.

Sheri and I just rolled our eyes.

Earlier we had noticed something no one else saw.  The "mother" was actually a teenage girl in the midst of a school project- she was to care for a high-tech, life-like baby doll.  Sitting with her friends at the top of the bleachers, the girl sat the car seat carelessly next to her without strapping the doll in.  As the evening went on, she gave it less and less attention and BUMP it fell.

After informing everyone that it wasn't real and rocking the fake child till it stopped crying, the teen returned the baby to the seat and again sat it next to her on the bench.

I get that it is just a doll, but did she not learn the first time?  This is why teens should not have children.

Why Georgia, why?

Why didn't someone warn me about Georgia?

Before we moved from North Carolina to Georgia, the only thing I was cautioned about was the summer heat. Heat I can stand so I wasn't concerned. But since moving here I've come to know other things about Georgia that I wish someone would have told me about!

Tornadoes- Is it common knowledge that tornadoes rip through Georgia? I'm geographically impaired; someone should have told me. I didn't know moving to Georgia would also be committing to hiding out in the bathroom in the event a mile and a half wide tornado would tear off the roof of my house. I didn't know I would have to adjust the volume of my movie to hear it over the 3 tornado sirens I can hear from my house. I didn't know my plans to go to DQ would be cancelled on account of intense winds.

Spiders- All the spiders I've seen thus far seem to be fairly average and the only excessively large arachnid was at the local pet store. But the ability of Georgia spiders to make their way into my home is uncanny. Even worse, we've spotted several inside our car!

Pollen- The first few weeks here I was miserable because of the pollen. Everything is dusted with yellow as plants begin to bloom. This isn't the first time I've experienced something like this, but the pollen period does seem to be longer than I am used to. And they say it only gets worse. Lovely.

Kevin Jarrett- Deanna tried to warn me on this one, but I just wouldn't listen. Obviously I'm joking. Even though there are some things about Georgia that are seriously scary, freaky, and annoying there are lots of really great things. The square, Carrollton dining, tank tops, skirts, and dresses, Six Flags, the Atlanta attractions, hovering bees, mulberries, our life group and stories of bushes, the friendliness of Georgians, Southern Hills community, and yes, the Jarretts.

On the Trail

Last week we started a new series in All stars, the children's program at Southern Hills Christian Church.  We are using the Elevate curriculum made by Fellowship Church which can be purchased at www.creativepastors.com.  Each series lasts for 8 weeks and we are currently "On the Trail" with Cookie and Tex, learning about how Moses was obedient to God.

Here are some pictures of the stage set.

This back drop, cacti, and burlap sack were the only props I made for this series.  The backdrop is acrylic paint on canvas.  I free handed it based on a picture included with the curriculum.  The cacti are made with insulation foam board and the stands with scrap 2 by 4 pieces.  The rest of the props were gathered from around the church and from church members.

I also consider ourselves props as we dress the part.  This encourages the sponsors and kids to as well.  With all the cowboy get-up and the stage, it really does feel like you just stepped into the wild west!

Lost and Found

Have you ever lost something?

There are items of necessity that when we lose it's annoying.  We search for these everyday items, the remote control, the car keys, left socks (where do they go?!?), in all the normal places and typically find them just slightly out of place.

There are possessions when we notice their disappearance we panic.  When we misplace a debit card, we search the house, the car, the house again, the car again, and call all the stores we had visited that day.  We cancel the card just to be safe and for months we check bank statements for charges we did not make.

Then there are items that we treasure and when we lose these items we act as if nothing else matters, like the world is coming to an end. The dog runs away and you spend hours driving up and down streets, knocking on doors, posting signs, calling animal pounds.  I have a ring that Corey gave me when we first started dating; it is among my most prized possessions.

Once in college, I noticed that is was missing from my left pinkie finger.  I tore apart my dorm room, scoured the sidewalks and grass, I was completely distracted in class.  Finding my ring was the only thing that I cared about.  Today was the first time in five years I didn't know of its location and in the moments it was missing, I was a wreck.

Why is it lost things put us into such a tizzy?  Is it possible that we are made to care for what is lost?  When Jesus shared three stories about lost items he didn't call it materialism and scorn those who searched.  He used these stories to demonstrate God's heart for those who have not accepted Him as Lord.  He uses all the resources at His disposal in His search for those who are lost and celebrates when one is found.

Do we share God's heart for His lost items?  Are we annoyed with the number of those who are lost?  Are we in a frenzied panic searching out for those who don't know Christ?  Because soon this world will come to an end and nothing else matters but finding those who are lost.

What Matters

When I come to the end of my life I will not regret the times the dishes remained dirty in the sink.
The load of laundry sitting at the bottom of my closet won't mean a thing.
The mess in my car won't matter.
The piles that form in my kitchen won't overwhelm me.

I will not worry if the house was clean enough when visitors came over.

I won't be concerned with the length of my grass.
I won't wish I spent more time on the computer, watching TV, or playing video games.

If it won't matter then, how much should it really matter now?

Dedicated to Baby Amelia

Laura and Matt Dawson were here visiting with their 6 month old baby, Amelia.

It was great to have them and I enjoyed the few days we got to spend together.  During their visit, I was insipred and together we created the following list:


Good reasons to get a dog / Bad reasons to have a baby:

You could use a little more companionship.

When company visits, you'll have something to talk about.

The walks will help you get in shape.

Your friends and family say you need to learn to be responsible.

You need an excuse to fence in your backyard.

Strangers will have a reason to talk to you and you like meeting new people.

You love to play fetch.

You don't want to sweep up the crumbs on the floor.

Feeding time is a better excuse than "I can't. I have to wash my hair tonight."

It takes more than a buzzing alarm clock to get you out of bed.

The cat's not cutting it.

Jonathan's Heart

The current series at Southern Hills is titled "Heros: Champions of the Faith."  (Check out the stage design at my post More Foam Board).  A few weeks ago Mike preached about Jonathan going into battle with his armor bearer and followed it the next week with a sermon on David's heart.  In All Stars (the children's program), Corey focused on Jonathan's friendship with David.

Sitting in these three different services, I heard nothing new, but my brain made a connection with the facts that it had not before.
    -Mike briefly mentioned that Jonathan was the son of Saul the King and thus entitled to the throne.
    -God chose David to succeed Saul.
    -Jonathan was a great friend to David.  He stood-up for David to his father and risked his own life to save David's.

Really?!? Jonathan was best friends with the guy who was going to prevent him from being the next king, a privilege he was guaranteed at birth?!?

Did Jonathan not want to be the next king and thus not mind?  Sure, maybe.  But based on Jonathan's character demonstrated in the rest of scripture, I doubt that was the case.  I think it is more likely that Jonathan recognized the will of God and submitted to it.  As David's close friend he saw David's heart for God and was able to offer him support and encouragement as he prepared for leadership.  Jonathan didn't allow their friendship to be riddled with envy or competition, but he humbled himself and recognized his own role to play.

What a friend.  What a man of God.  What an example.

I pray my heart becomes more like Jonathan's.

Crew Commune

I want to live in a commune with "the crew," my tight knit group of friends from MACU.

I've desired this for some time.  During the recent visit of three of the crew members, Rob, Matt, and Kaylin, I had a commune moment.  I was doing the dishes and Rob was leisurely strumming his guitar while everyone else chilled and chatted in the living room.  I got lost in the moment and imagined us making meals together, caring for our homes, sitting on the front porch sipping coffee, doing life together as we grew old.

Of course this would never work.

There is graduation and internships.
There is Papua New Guinea and Mexico and Iraq.
There are churches who need these men to preach and lead.
There are communities who need these women to teach and influence.
There are families to start.

Maybe in Heaven their mansions will be next to my shack and we'll live together forever, worshipping the God we all love.  And I'll have the greatest joy as I look out from my porch swing at the streets lined with those they reached during our time apart.

Spring Cleaning

Spring is here and it's time for spring cleaning!

During Elizabeth's visit, we cleaned out the closet in the All Stars (Children's Church) building.  What a disaster!  We threw out a ton of junk, created a free pile for the volunteers to rummage through, and reorganized the shelves.  In the cleaning process we made a HUGE mess before we made it better.  It was a long, tiresome, two-day process but the closet is now organized, junk free, and you can see the floor!

And it got me thinking...

Spring is here and it's time for spring cleaning!

It's time to
     dust off the disciplines I've neglected.
     throwout negative attitudes I've been holding on to.
     sweep out the cobwebs of sloth.
     reorganize my priorities.
     give away love I've been hoarding.

I make a huge mess before it gets better, but the end result will be worth the effort.

Spring is here and it's time for spring cleaning!

Overheard Words

Early this past week, Corey, Elizabeth, and I went to Shane's for lunch.  Sitting in a nearby booth was a very boistorous, chatty college girl talking at a male friend.  It was nearly impossible not to eavesdrop, but when she started to talk about an assignement in her English class I listened in more closely.

Her English professor instructed the class to write a poem including a random statement that they overheard.  I find this scene of me evesdropping into a conversation about evedropping rather ironic.  And without the assignment, this student wouldn't have given the overheard statement a second thought nor mentioned it over lunch while I was sitting within ear shot so that I could then share it here.  Intriguing.

The student went on to explain that her poem was terrible, but written around a golden overheard statement at Wal-mart (of all places).

"She is like Beethoven and I am like Houdini."

The statement stricks me.  How poetic.  And I wonder- What did the originator of the statement mean?  What context did the student give the statement in her poem?  What would I pen with this line?

Maybe the assignment and statement struck your creative nerve as well.  Feeling up to the professor's task?  Start listening to those around you and see what overheard words inspire you.

Creative Juices

I follow the Church on the Move blog titled "Seeds."  If you are a worship leader, I highly recommend you check it out.  They often proved tips and insights into leading worship as well as logistics into their services (there was a series about soundboards and mixing that was WAY over my head, but probably really good stuff for those involved with that kind of thing).  I'll save you a step; Here's the link- http://seeds.churchonthemove.com/blog

They also frequently blog about using creative elements in worship services and if you know me, you know this captures my attention. There have been a few recent posts on the creating process and I would like to share a few things that particularly struck me.

Practice creative osmosis. The Bible is clear that when we hang out with fools, we become like them. However, when we spend time with the wise we become wise. It’s a bit like osmosis – a gradual transference of substance from one place to another. The question is: Who is transferring wisdom, creativity, excellence, ideas, etc. into your life? As worship/creative leaders we must continue to surround ourselves with people who challenge our ideas, sharpen our instincts and dare us to move into new and different arenas.

Build a diverse team- Allow them to challenge you (respectfully, of course). Welcome their input and allow their ideas to trump yours at times.  They specifically recommend team members be diverse in age.

Creativity Is A Group Effort. There are no creative geniuses. There’s not one guy coming up with all the ideas. There’s not one person who can take credit for every great idea. It’s a team effort.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make in creative planning is assuming your first good idea, is good enough. Think about it. Every bad church video you’ve ever seen started as a good idea to someone. I learned over the years to let even my best ideas sit for a while, because often when I allow myself time to review my ideas over and over again, I find glaring problems with my initial concept that must be adjusted to avoid a mediocre result.

We have a motto here in our creative department: “It’s not about getting it done, it’s about getting it right.” We must remember why we do what we do. Every time we open the doors of our church the seats are filled with hurting, stressed, and rejected people, men and women who desperately need to experience something real and positive.

It’s All In The Details... I’m constantly amazed at how the smallest detail can greatly make or break a worship set... The amount of time you spend on the details will have a great impact on the success or failure of your project.

A Moment

Corey and I frequent coffee shops in our town and I always bring an arsenal of books and projects. Today was no exception. But as I put one book aside and went to retrieve another from my bag, I found myself...

bored.

Not bored with the material I brought, but bored with doing. I had been non-stop for two weeks (maybe longer) and instinctively I knew I needed a break.

So I just sat. In the stillness I was content. In the not-doing I was satisfied. My mind wandered, observed, and digested thoughts I had been too busy to notice were there. I daydreamed. I gave my heart room and time to feel.

Corey noticed my lack of activity and asked if I was ready to go.

"No," I said, "just sitting."

And I sat. And then I purchased some Reese's Pieces and sat some more. Taking note of each initial crunch as I munched, I thought about the weeks gone past and the weeks to come. I reflected on how God worked and continues to move. I watched the cat (yes, this coffee shop has a cat). I contemplated. I zoned. I sighed.

The rest of the day the world seemed a little more at ease with itself and I didn't feel like it needed my attention to revolve.

3:30am

In the townhouse at MACU, I could just make-out a light pitter-patter when it rained.  The night storm over Carrollton fills my small home.  The lightening breaks through the edges of my eclipse curtains.  The thunder is boisterous and not concerned with my 7am alarm.  The rain wavers; it soothes as it trickles slowly down the windows and then pounds with fury against the roof.  According to the clock I have only been in bed for three hours and asleep for fewer.  With the storm in my ears, I flow between consciousness and the subconscious state just before sleep.

Reflecting on friendships, new and old

Praying prayers of thanksgiving, worry, and deliverance

Dreaming of a better me

Creating check-lists for tomorrow

Listening intently 

Being distracted

    at times accidentally

    at times intentionally

The storm moves on, rumbling in the distance, and eventually sleep creeps in.  Will tomorrow morning bring a more motivated, determined, organized, grace-filled me?  Or just sleep deprivation? 

Blessed to Bless Others

While I was mourning my kite shirt, I reflected on those in Japan who have lost everything.  Corey and I have been watching videos of the destruction and it is heartbreaking.  I can't imagine watching my possessions, home, town, and entire way of life being washed away.  To be surrounded by such magnitudes of destruction and devastation as waves of helplessness and hopelessness drowned me.

And here I am bawling over one shirt.

Then I began to think about all the people in the world who don't own a single shirt let alone a favorite one, families that have no home to lose.  There is need around me all the time.

And I have a home full of favorite things.

I am blessed. God has given me much.  Do I appreciate His gifts?  What am I doing with what He has given me?  How can I help those in need in Japan? In Nicaragua? In Georgia?

More Foam Board

Here are some other projects I worked on for Southern Hills.

On Wednesday nights we are doing a series called "B."  Jon Day, the Executive Pastor, asked me to make a gigantic letter B for a prop.  He bought 5 pieces of insulation foam board each 1 inch thick.  I drew the original B, cut it out, and then traced it on the remaining sheets.  After cutting out those, I glued them all together with insulation foam board glue and voila- an 8 foot tall, 5 inch thick, self-standing B.  Jon paints it a different color each week.  Again, you can't see the depth of the B in the picture, but you get the idea.  It looks awesome on stage!

For the Sunday morning Heroes series, we transformed the entire stage.  I created the word heroes, making 4ft high letters out of 5 pieces of 1/2 inch thick insulation foam board glued together.  I painted them with a high gloss white and added some grays for a grunge effect.  Here's some pictures without any lighting effects.  (For those who would like to know- the hanging windows are 2x2 boards nailed to create a frame with thin fabric stretched over it and stapled.  A frame with a t in the middle was made and then laid on top of the fabric frames and sprayed with black spray paint to create a window pane look.)

Add some LEDs and projection and here's the result.  Very cool!

Fail

Yesterday was a total fail for me in terms of t-shirt making and feeling confident in my crafting abilities.

I've been working on re-creating my first original shirt for my online shop.  This design involves bleaching in three different stages.  I began working on this shirt a few days ago and it didn't go well.  Yesterday morning was terrible.  I won't get into all the boring details, but to get right to the point this shirt will not be for sale.

It was very discouraging.  And it gets worse.

While re-thinking this project, I created a small addition that was not on the original.  Frustrated with everything going wrong, I desperately wanted something to go right.  So I dug the original out of the hamper and set out to add this adorable addition.  I could tell almost immediately that it wasn't going as planned.  Luckily I was able to stop the bleaching process with minimal damage.  Later in the evening, I decided to give it another go.  I had worked with this shirt before; I knew how it would react to the bleach.  I was extra cautious when laying out my stencil and I bleached wisely.  Everything seemed to be going great... until I removed the stencil and it revealed a large, unwanted, bleached spot.

My first original t-shirt ruined.

I did everything right!  Why did this happen?!?

I cried.
A lot.

Not just because one of my favorite shirts was now my favorite dish rag, but mostly because of how discouraged I felt.  I wanted to forget the whole online shop idea.  But by the end of the night I was thinking rationally about the pains of the creating process (and the money I already invested) and was ready to try again.

So what did I learn?

1- Bleach is not easy to work with and will not be my medium of choice in the future.

2- I like to see results; sometimes I need to wait for them.  Allow the bleach to react, let the paint dry, wait a moment while he digests the idea, sleep on it, give it time.  The results will be much more satisfactory.

3- Somethings are good just the way they are and should be left alone.

4- When everything is falling apart and frustrating the mess out of you, set it all aside and come back to it later.  Working on something you love is NOT the answer.  Curling up on the couch with your man is.

My Online Shop

Friends have often recommended that I take my crafting hobby to the next level and sell my creations online.  I appreciated the compliments, but never moved forward in creating pieces I could sell.  My insecurities got the best of me and I didn't think what I made was good enough for retail.  My lack of time gave me a viable excuse for not starting an online shop.  When discussing this with one of my friends, he said that in this instance, my opinion was the only opinion that didn't matter.  He has a point.

Moving to Georgia, I have found a lot more time for crafting and, with the encouragement of my husband, I am beginning to take the next steps towards posting my creations online for purchase.  Every week I try to create a few new pieces for my online shop and am brainstorming how to market my "brand."  I'm excited and enjoying the creating process, but I am also very nervous.

I fear rejection.  What if no one buys my products?

I fear not being good enough.  What if someone buys something and then sends it back?

I fear failing.  What if I spend more money on this than I make?

And if no one likes my stuff, is that some sort of reflection on myself?

You know those singers on American Idol that are terrible and delusional?  Most are auditioning because someone told them they could sing and they bought into the lie.  Am I doing the same thing?

Despite the quiet lingering fears, I am moving forward once more.  I have several pieces of jewelry ready, a purse done and another almost complete, and several shirts at varying stages of the creating process.  I have found a model for my jewelry and will start taking photos this week.  Now I need a name...

So if you have any ideas for my brand name, please share!

Or if you have a computer you are willing to part with (or sell for dirt cheap), I could also use that.  Seems to be an essential component for an online business...

Check back in for more updates on my online shop (along with contests and discount codes!).

If I hear that pig one more time...

Ever since I was little, I have considered myself something of a commercial critic.  I would commentate with my dad about the quality of the commercial and if the marketers were accomplishing what they had intended.  At a young age, mostly we were discussing the level of annoyance.  Now that I am older, have some knowledge about "branding," and am married to a man with a marketing mind, my commercial critiquing has reached a whole new level.

Chic-fil-A are marketing geniuses.  The slogan and the mischievous cows are clever, but the manner in which the company uses them is utter brilliance.  I cannot recall a single advertisement for Chic-fil-A that does not incorporate the cows.  They have cow plush, cow calendars, cow table decorations and cow ads throughout the restaurant.  When Chic-fil-A introduced the new spicy breakfast sandwich, they didn't draw up a whole new marketing plan; they gave the cow a coat.    They have truly branded themselves and their marketing techniques.

Geico on the other hand... how many mascots and marketing schemes can they create?!?  First it was the gecko- a good idea I thought.  Then they introduce the caveman with new slogan.  I was not a fan particularly because they already had a marketing plan, but I also found these commercials annoying.  I gave them the benefit of the doubt, thinking maybe they were introducing a new advertising strategy and phasing out the gecko.  Nope.  Next thing I know, they release another commercial series with the man in a suit and cut-aways.  Seriously?  To give Geico credit, the Abe Lincoln ad was entertaining and the piggy going wee wee wee all the way home was funny.  But it diverted from their original branding strategy.  Now I find that all the gecko commercials with the ignorant old man indicate the company's own ignorance, I rarely see a caveman commercial, and if I hear that pig one more time I'm going to choke somebody.

Has my dining at Chic-fil-A increased because of their marketing?  Probably not, but it does cause me to give their billboards a second look.  Will I ever switch to Geico?  Not on your life.

Heroes: Stage Design

This past Sunday was the first of a 9 week, church wide series at Southern Hills called "Heros."  Each week we are looking at a hero from the Old Testament leading up to Jesus on Easter Sunday.  Several weeks ago I began building the stage set for the All Stars, our children's ministry.  After the volunteer's banquet on Saturday night, I began setting it up.  With a few hitches, help from Corey, and some much appreciated insight from Kevin Jarrett, it all came together.  Here's a few pictures to give you an idea, but the depth of the set is lost.  To get the full effect, you'll have to come check it out personally!

For those who might find it helpful, here are the logistics of the set- The Pow, Bam, Boom, and Batman logo are made of insulation foam board.  I used foam board because it is light, easy to work with, and adds a dimension to the piece.  You can purchase this at Lowes or Home Depot.  It comes in varying thickness.  Your project (and budget) will determine what thickness will be best.  For these pieces I used 3/4 inch foam board.  I projected the images onto the board, traced it, cut it out using a hot knife and jig saw, and finally painted it with your basic acrylic paints.  (Most insulation foam board has a plastic sheet on it that needs to be peeled off prior to painting.)  Pow, Bam, and Batman are hung with fishing line from the frame of the ceiling.  For the Batman logo, I simply used duck-tape to attach the fishing line to the back of the foam board.  The Boom is actually 3D itself, with the "Boom" and yellow explosion each being two pieces thick and the black background is one (which I should have also made two thick so that it would be more stable, but hindsight is 20/20).  Foam board glue must be used with insulation foam board; other adhesives will eat through the styrofoam.

The city silhouette is cut out of thin plywood.  (I believe it's called polywood, but that might not be right.  It's whatever the cheapest 4x8 sheet of wood is at Lowes).  It is 10 inches away from the wall, screwed into a 2x4 that we nailed onto the floor.  It stands on its own fairly well, but to add stability we added a 10 inch piece of 2x4 towards the top and middle.  The lit windows of the city are mailing labels that we printed all yellow and cut into squares.  The starburst behind the city is the back of a canvas we used for a previous series.  It is hung from its grommets with picture hooks.  Behind the city is a rope light that adds another dimension to the set and makes the city "glow."