What we have to look forward to

I spent this past week in Seattle, Washington with my good friend Dusty. We met at Campbell and became good friends. During a time in both of our lives when we just needed to "get away" we decided to take a trip. We narrowed it down to four places and then selected Seattle. What a great choice we made! Seattle proved to be wonderful. There were so many things to do, places to go, sites to see.
During our time away, it gave us a chance to catch up face to face. This is much needed with friends when you spend extended periods of time separated by long distances. Phone conversations, text messages, and emails are nice but spending time face to face is truly the best. Dusty and I both love to travel so during this trip, we discussed the next places we want to go and things we want to see. We shared stories and memories, laughed and cried, and prayed for each other, something that keeps our friendship strong.
During the midst of our time away, I was reminded of the reality back home. Many of my youth were being faced with hard situations. With the death of two grandparents as well as the death of a 15 year old friend, I knew that there was much I needed to be doing at home. I picked up the phone and made calls. I sent emails and text messages but most of all I prayed. While the final days of my trip were great, they were still overshadowed by the tremendous losses being faced at home.
We arrived to the airport on Monday morning and said "see you later" (as is custom: we don't say good bye). We checked into our airlines and made our way to separate gates. As I sat down at Gate A8 I looked up to see a woman coming towards me. She sat down near me and said hello. I responded. She then asked where I was going. I told her and followed with asking where she was going. She told me that she was on her way to Cancun to meet her college friends. This woman was in her 60's and going to meet her college friends. I thought to myself, there's hope! She told me that her best friends to this day were the friends she made in college. When I told her that I'd been in Seattle with my friend from college she quickly said, "Good for you! I hope it continues as long as it can. Go places, meet up, catch up, and have fun. That's what true friends are for." I thanked the woman and quickly texted Dusty to tell her about my encounter. This put a smile in my heart, knowing what I have to look forward to in the years to come meeting up with old friends in new places making wonderful memories.

A toast to the next place we visit, the next memories we make, this is what we have to look forward to.

(Enjoy a few Seattle pictures!)

Be reminded...

This past summer I went to Israel on a journey to see where the biblical events took place. For some in the group, they traveled there to have these great spiritual experiences. While I did have several experiences that I consider to be spiritual, I was truly there to see and take it all in.

Not many people get the opportunity to travel abroad. I have been blessed to travel abroad each summer since I turned 18. I had always wanted to go to Israel so when the opportunity arose I signed right up.

Being in Israel brought the Bible alive for me. I would stand in a place and realize that the biblical stories I had read so many times before had happened at or near where I was standing. That truly opened my eyes to the history of it all. I was excited to be sharing these experiences with good friends.

The picture above is taken from the place where Jesus stood and wept over Jerusalem. After sitting on this hill and having a short devotion and prayer, we walked a little further to see a tree. We were reminded of when Christ gave his life for us, taking on our sins and freeing us from all things. Take a look at the tree of thorns and remember: "And they clothed him in a purple cloak; and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they put it on him" Mark 15:17

In this Holy Land, I walked where Jesus walked. I wept where he wept. I was reminded of what Christ did for me. I went for the history of the land, I left with spiritual renewal.

It's time to write again

I haven't posted anything to this blog since January. There have been many reasons for this, but mostly I've just been extremely busy. For the past few weeks life has slowed down just a bit and I've started to think about what was missing. One of the first things that came to mind was writing. I used to write frequently. Whether or not anyone read it didn't matter much to me. What did matter was that writing is a sense of release for me. Writing gives me time to think about things, time to process things, and time to be creative. So for these reasons, I will begin to write again.

A brief update since January: (there's a lot)

Since January, I've traveled to Orlando 3 times (one week in Disney World, one week for a class, and Easter weekend with Dusty and her family.)

I completed my final semester of Divinity School and graduated in May with my Master of Divinity with concentration in Christian Education and Missions.

I began working as Minister of Youth Discipleship and Living Ministries (missions) at Good Shepherd UMC in Richmond, Virginia. This means: I packed up my Buies Creek apartment in May and moved back home.

I have taken the youth to camp at Lake Junaluska, NC and on a mission trip to Brooklyn, NY.

I went to Israel for 10 days in July. Future posts will feature pictures and stories and the things I learned.

In August, I went to Texas to visit Dusty for 5 days.

Currently, life is great in Virginia. I have so much to share and catch people up on, and that will happen in the near future.

Here's to writing! It's definitely time to start writing again.

God speaks...

Some people say that God doesn't speak. Some say they can't hear God. The question is, are we listening? I hear God often. I heard him today. He blessed us with over 6 inches of beautiful, white snow. The beauty today reminded me of the simple hymn, "For the Beauty of the Earth." The first verse is:

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies;
For the love which from our birth,
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

Out of grateful praise to God, for the beauty God blessed us with, I thought I'd share some pictures

Stories

When I was growing up, my parents used to tell me not to complain about my own life when I didn't know what other people were facing. There was the famous quote about "walking a mile in someone else's shoes." No matter where I turned there would be someone else facing a much worse battle than myself.

Lately, I've taken the time just to listen to other people's stories. Take for instance the manager at the local Mexican restaurant. Since I am eating there about once a week, he has learned my name and often will sit at the table and talk for a few minutes. He was in college in Mexico studying graphic design when his mom went in the hospital and he used all of his money to pay her medical bills. When he ran out of money, he moved to the states to try and make money to help support his mom and to hopefully raise enough so that he could finish his degree. He works about 82 hours a week in order to make enough money to help his family.

Just tonight, I was at Waffle House with a friend. Our waitress was talking about how she had overdrawn her bank account by $13. When the cook asked her why, she began to explain. When she graduated from school she was given $450 as gifts. Instead of being able to save it she gave it directly to her mom so she could pay the bills. When she finally got a job at Waffle House she was able to have some money of her own. She had to loan her mom money just last week and that's when her account was overdrawn.

We never know what other people are facing. As I seek to be more positive this year, I am seeking to help others. Several weeks back I cleaned out my closet and I have multiple bags of clothes to donate to those that need them. I have realized just how blessed I am, and I am seeking to follow Christ's example. I'm listening to stories and I want to help others.

New Attitude

We rang in 2009 just 13 days ago. I've heard it so many times...a new year, a new way of thinking. It's a fresh start. A blank slate. New ideas, new dreams, new goals. When a new year comes people often make new years resolutions that they keep for several days, or weeks but after several months they have forgotten what they even vowed to do. Some vow to lose weight. Some want to eat healthier or exercise. Some want to better themselves. Some may want to go back to school, or to graduate, or to get better grades. There are a wide range of resolutions that can be made, and yet forgotten. In the past, I have been in the group of people who have made resolutions and kept them up for a short period of time and then not kept up.

This year I'm committed to being different. I have one commitment and it is to have a new attitude. I mentioned this in the office one day and I was reminded of the Patti LaBelle song "New Attitude." It has become somewhat of an office joke and I was even entered to sing it at karaoke tonight. I sang (but without the microphone). There are even a few dance moves that go along with the song. Each day I wake up, I sing the song, think of the words, and remember, I've got a new attitude.

All joking aside in regards to the song, I am committed to this new attitude. In order to do this I have committed to three things. First, I am committed to my relationship with God. God will give me the ability to have this new attitude. Second, I will keep a negativity journal. In this journal I write all of my negative thoughts and feelings. I write things that anger me. After each day, I'm not allowed to look back. I can only look forward. This idea was shared with me by Dr. Brock. As we talked about this journal, he shared about how writing things gives us a sense of release. For the days I've kept this journal so far, it has helped. Third, I am committed to just being more positive. There is nothing worse than a negative Nancy. I don't want to be known as that. So I will wake up on the right side of the bed. I will smile. I will encourage others. I will seek what God has in store for me each day.

With this new attitude, it doesn't mean that each day is going to be easy for me. I know that a lot of things are going to come up that will upset me or make me mad. However, with this new attitude I am committed to truly becoming a happier person. I am blessed and I need to live a life that truly shows that.

When thinking about this new way of living, several scriptures came to mind:

"with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:22-24


"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus"Philippians 2:5

We are called to have an attitude like Christ. I am determined to figure out what that looks like, feels like, and is lived live. I'm pretty sure it doesn't look like the old me. This small commitment of a new attitude will be the biggest, most positive change I can make for my life. As we journey together, hold me accountable, I'll need it.


I'll leave you with the words of Patti LaBelle:

Running hot,
Running cold,
I was running into overload,
That was extreme.

I took it so high, so low, so long,
There was no where to go like a bad dream.

Somehow that wires uncrossed,
The table were turned,
Never knew I had such a lesson to learn.

I'm feeling good from my hat to my shoe,
know where I am going and I know what to do,
I've tidied up my point of view,
I've got a new attitude.

They say it's my birthday

December 10, 1982 at 6:22a.m. I was born in St. Mary's Hospital, Richmond Virginia. I was born several weeks early so I was whisked away for a check over. When the doctors had cleared me I still wasn't allowed to meet my mother. She had pneumonia. For two weeks we stayed in the hospital while she recovered. My dad came to the hospital everyday to take care of me and feed me. After two weeks, Mom and I got to go home on Christmas Eve.


Today I turned 26 years old. I don't feel any different. I was surrounded by loving co-workers all day. I got to take an afternoon nap. I received my letter from the Associate Dean for Academics congratulating me for registering for my last semester of classes (what a present!). This evening I had a home cooked meal with two good friends. It was followed by several hours of good conversation.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow at work. It's tacky sweater day in honor of my birthday. I hope to post a few pictures later.

I am thankful for yet another year of life. I have one semester left of graduate school and from there who knows. All I do know is that God continues to bless my life with love, friends, family, and memories that I will never forget.