Growth

While on vacation with the Jarrett's several months ago, Kevin made a grocery run and came back with a flower kit for me.

Corey and I aren't plant people.  My grandma gave me a tree as a wedding gift.  It was supposed to be easy maintenance- plant it in the ground and let nature do it's thing.

We killed it.

We planted new grass in the front yard of our house in North Carolina.

I drowned it.

And Kevin comes bounding back to the condo with bulb, soil, and pot in hand.  "What am I going to do with this?" was my first (and really only) reaction.  The flower kit sat around our apartment for months.  During the move to our new home, it was thrown in a box.  After all the unpacking, Corey opened the kit.  The bulb had already started to grow and the growth was completely white.  We feared the flower was dead before we even started.

But as the weeks went by, healthy growth slowly began.  The stem turned green and began to stretch out of the onion looking bulb.  Each morning I noticed the plant getting a little larger.

Then it grew like crazy!  Every day it seemed to grow several inches.  The last few days, green became red and the flowers finally bloomed.

I've found great joy in watching this plant go from a hard ball of earth to a radiant flower.  The growth I witnessed made me want to water it more, to make it grow bigger and faster.  I resisted because the kit gave specific watering instructions.  I knew it needed enough water to grow, but too much water would be counterproductive.

What a beautiful picture of ministry!

1 Corinthians 3:5-7  After all, who is Apollos?  Who is Paul?  We are only God's servants through whom you believer the Good News.  Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.  I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.  It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering.  What's important is that God makes the seed grow.

We can plant the seed and give it what it needs to grow, but only God can cause the growth.  We can't control how fast or how much it grows, but that isn't of our concern anyway.  We are simply to create an environment of growth and get out of the way so God can do His thing.

God, help me to be a better gardener.

Life Awards

I have decided that two Life Awards should be awarded to:

1- Those who regularly have to wake-up before sunrise.  On Sunday mornings when my alarm sounds, I can hear the mid-night critters as they continue with their moon songs.  The darkness envelops me and draws me back into dreamland.  I practically have to use a crowbar to get my body out of bed.  The bathroom light is painful and a shock to my system.  Sunday mornings come too early. 

To those who get up every day before dawn, I raise my glass.  I don't know how you do it.

2 - Those who have ever made deviled eggs.  We are hosting a neighborhood get together and I thought deviled eggs would be a nice, easy addition.  After attempting to peel off a few shells, I about gave up.  What a pain!  The end product is certainly yummy, but I'm not certain if my work is worth the pay off.

To those who make deviled eggs for yearly parties, I salute you.  Never again will I carelessly pop a deviled egg into my mouth; I will savor every taste knowing the effort you put into it.

I was wrong.

Alright, I give.

For years now I have used two words that people have frequently brought to my attention as inappropriate.  At different times these two words used to be a staple of my vocabulary.  I use them both infrequently now, but they still make an appearance from my mouth from time to time.  And if I were honest, I almost always get a look or concerned comment.

To reveal my excuses for what they are- The word I use more frequently is "retarded."  I use this word as a means to express my dislike of something.  I thought I could use this word because I had a down-syndrome relative.  I figured I was among those who had every reason to be offended by the misuse of this word, yet I wasn't.  So I used it freely.

This morning I was convicted.  As I ate my cereal and caught up on blogs, I read this article.  I don't know why this confrontation was different from the rest (especially considering that it was totally impersonal and not even directed at me), but I have a guess.

I just started meeting with a close friend to intentionally discuss our lives, pray for each other, and hold each other accountable.  Before our first meeting she suggested setting goals for ourselves that we can help each other with.  I was wrestling with what goals to set, because I wanted them to be real and realistic.  I decided I would create a list of 10 attainable goals, but I only had a rough idea for a few.  So I began to pray and ask God to reveal to me areas where I need to improve or be more intentional.


So I'm reading this blog and slowly my actions come to light when BAM!  "And it will also cost you the friendships of those who struggle with being gay.  Like me."


I wish I would have seen the folly of my thinking years ago.  Just because I may not be offended doesn't mean it's not offensive (DUH Nicole!  That's what you've been telling students about cursing...).  It's time to clean up my mouth.

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.)

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!

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.

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.

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?

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?

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.