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.