The Land Between

This past Sunday our sermon was given by Geoff Surratt. He is moving on to Saddleback to work with Rick Warren. We are sad for his move but excited what God has in store for his family! He and his brother did this 3 week sermon called The Land Between. It is about when we feel lost and feel like God is hidden. Sometimes we are in the land in between and we have to just be in a holding pattern that may not be the most comfortable for us. We have to then hunker down and pray, be faithful and don't give up. Bo and I have experienced this in the past little bit. I am sure that God is showing us progress because we have been faithful to Him. Would love for you to watch our sermon if at all possible.

Here are a few things to do when you are in the Land Between:
1. Stay Faithful: Genesis 15:1-6
2. Stay Focused: 1 Samuel 26:8-9
3. Stay Alert
4. Stay Positive: Phillipians 4:4-7

Within the Land Between Please Know these things:
1. God knows your name
2. You matter to God
3. God has a purpose for your life

Ephesians 2:10

The message is called Hidden God. Go to http://www.seacoast.org/greenville and click on the Hidden God link.

This is taken verbatim from a tweet I saw today. No way to change it, just needed to be reposted! Enjoy! We probably all need a broken ornament on our tree this year!

Taken from Carol from 106.9 The Light; her blog is http://cantcookalick.blogspot.com



A broken ornament

I decorate with the end in mind. Not the "Oh my, how beautiful your house looks," end. I decorate with the "how long is it going to take me to put all this stuff away?" end. To say I am a minimalist decorater, would be accurate. Just enough to know it's Christmas, but not too much to worry with after the holiday is gone.

That is...until this year. Seems that the Christmas spirit has descended upon my precious 3 year old and she thinks, if it is sitting still, it should have a bow or some tinsel draped around it. :) It's so much fun to watch her little eyes dance at the sight of twinkling lights. I even let her put up a purple Christmas tree in her bathroom. Don't ask.

So, when it came to decorate the 'big' Christmas tree, of course she jumped right in. All of the ornaments are at 3ft. or below. And during the night, the ornaments seem to move into convenient little groups. It makes me smile. We have lost a few glass balls in the process. But, a small price to pay considering the joy that decorating has brought my little one.

I took the broken ornaments and placed them back into the plastic container, thinking I would get rid of them at a later time. After my little elf was in the bed I sat sipping on some hot tea, remembering the fun we had shared when I noticed the broken ornaments.
But, I couldn't throw them away.

There, in the glow of the lights, I opened my Bible and listened as God taught me a thing or two about broken ornaments.


or·na·ment noun \ˈȯr-nə-mənt\
Definition of ORNAMENT
1archaic : a useful accessory
2a : something that lends grace or beauty b : a manner or quality that adorns

Seems a fitting definition. But, I still didn't understand what God had in mind.
I am an ornament? Hang with me. I am a broken ornament. You ever feel that way??

Becasue of my brokenness, celebrating has been tough for me the last couple of years. God knew that. And so, no accident that I was staring at the broken ornaments and hearing from God. Here is what he said:

1 - You were created to be broken. Since the beginning of time, we were created to be broken. God knew that we could never make it without Jesus. Our brokenness is the avenue that we come to know him.

2 - Displayed not discarded. In the world's economy, if it's broken, you throw it away. Not so in God's book. Brokenness is the very place where God shows off. Sarah Young in Jesus Calling, puts it this way: Jesus says: "Do not fear your weakness. It is the stage where My Power and Glory perform most brilliantly."

3 - I need a Savior. News flash! :) My brokenness reveals my deep need for a Savior. It's no mistake that His name will be called, "Wonderful Counselor"...cause I have days that are not wonderful. More days that I just need someone to talk to. There's a reason that His name is "Mighty God"...for those days when I don't know if I can put one foot in front of the other. "The Everlasting Father" when I need to know I am not alone. "Prince of Peace" in the midst of my choas. (see Is. 9:6)

So, this year, I will hang a broken ornament on my tree as a reminder to me that the brokenness I have experienced is just an ornament of His grace and glory. How about you?

Day 25...

Yeah I know.. I haven't really done a very good job of keeping up like I should have but here goes... I sit in my home tonight with the first Thanksgiving as a wife is complete. We survived and everyone seemed to have a good time eating together! So in honor of my sweet friend Amanda I will do a top 10 of Thanksgiving!

#10... Thankful for a warm house, warm bed, and warm food in my belly.
#9... Thankful for a family of two. Being married has been a journey to say the least. I have learned and still am learning to be the best that I can be. I hope that each day I will be what I can be for Bo and that we can continue to mold our lives into one!
#8... Thankful for my Papa. He is 93 years old and his health hasn't been the best lately. He hasn't been doing very well and he is spending his Thanksgiving in the hospital. I went to visit today and he wasn't very sure who I was and didn't know that it was Thanksgiving even though we watched the Thanksgiving Day Parade. I am just thankful for every day that God gives him to me. I have been with him and spent a good amount a time with him. Listening to stories of the past century and could have listened for hours more! I pray and am thankful for each day that God continues to give him to us.
#7... Thankful for friends... I am so blessed to have friends who have invested so much of their time into my life, my marriage and my well being... Thank you guys for loving me, when I am sometimes not so lovable.
#6... Thankful today for Julie, Jason, Ian, and Ivy Thomas.. They have a brand new baby girl who is the most precious thing in the world. I have seen through them that we have so much to be thankful for! Thank you Thomas family.. We LURV you!
#5... Thankful for my job. I am thankful each day for my job as a teacher. I am blessed to be able to share 7 hours of my day with my precious 23 second graders. Each day they teach me way more than I can teach them.
#4... Thank you God for my family. They have loved me when I haven't been so lovable. We are blessed to have Bo's parents here from NY. We love it when they come to visit and they truly treat us like gold when they are here. We are blessed to have both of our families who have invested so much in our lives!
#3... Thankful for Bo. He has blessed my life in more ways than I can describe. I love the times we have laughed, cried, played, chased each other around the house, and just sat and existed! Thank you for being my husband!
#2... Thankful to have a God who is AMAZING! I love serving a God who knows me inside and out and knows my cares, my fears, my tears, my laughter, my worries,and my sorrows. All before I even know them. Thank you Lord for being my ABBA.
#1... Thankful to have so much to be thankful for!

Thankful for Radio...

As strange as it sounds in my 30 minute commute each morning I am very thankful for radio. I listen to Bo as he amazingly completes his radio morning show: The Bo and Lauren Show. I am able to listen and laugh and leave cares and worries back at home, but this particular morning I am so thankful for 106.9 The Light. The Light is a Christian radio station that I many times listen to in the afternoon on the way home as a decompressor of the day. I was listening though in the morning and with all the stress of life God knew what I needed to hear this song today. Every verse touched my heart. I sang (scary I know), I cried, I even raised my hands in worship as I drove... God is so good and knows every worry and stress we carry and sent this song to me. The video has some neat clips from the movie Fireproof also.. Just love the song. Good Movie also!



Three in the morning,
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

Last time we spoke,
You said you were hurting,
And I felt your pain in my heart,
I want to tell you,
That I keep on praying,
Love will find you where you are,
I know cause I've already been there,
So please hear these simple truths,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the Father,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got His hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say

Day #2 Thanks for Giving

Thanks for giving: Your Life... Today is a day of thankfulness. I am thankful for those who have given their lives in order for me to have the freedoms that I do. I look at my day and think of all the things that I am able to do all just because of the freedom that someone else has given me. Just the fact that I am a woman and I am able to do things that not all women across the world can do. Just take a moment to think of all the freedoms you have just because someone today, yesterday, or years ago gave their life for you and your family.

Thanks For Giving

Art work from a second grader

I have been away for a while, but with it being the month of November I wanted to share my Thanks for Giving. I will try to write a post each day that is with Giving Thanks! So many days I have to just leave stress at home and retreat to school to where my babies need me. I have to just dig into them and be their comfort and their peace of mind. As hard as it is to do when many of them come from so many unfornuate situations, but I have to be the safe place. So here is what we are thankful for in our class. Enjoy what my second grade babies have to say.
We are thankful for:
Mrs. McDonald: I am thankful to be their teacher!
Karishma: my family
Collin: for the food God gave us
Lille: for my family
Omar: for my friends
Nasir: all of the things that God gave me
Adam: for the food God gave us
Imari: my teacher
Torriona: my family
Charlie: my family and playing with cousins and my brother
Drasha: family and friends
Nathan: my dog
Doniyah: for what I have
Chris: the things that God gave us
Madison: my parents
Nilay: my family and family members
Reece: thank God for my food
Arturo: my food
Amari: for everything I have and got
Miguel: my sister
Kathryn: for the turkey
Helena: my teacher

Euphoria!

This weekend was a great one! Living in Greenville there are so many opportunities for fun. Every weekend there is something to do from food, drink, Peace Center, or just a nice evening out. This weekend though was a neat experience. It was Euphoria. A time of Food, Wine, and Music. So this was a recap of the weekend:


Friday: Taste of the South
We went over to the Ampitheatre on the Reedy River. It was a smorsgabord of food wine and music. We were able to visit tons of restaurants from downtown and those that are a part of the Table 301 venues. We went around and tasted so many different kinds of yummy food that I was full from all the tastings. We then sat on the ampitheatre seats and listened to music from Shawn Colvin and Edwin McCain. With being the morning show on 98.9 Bo gets to do lots of different events and meet lots of new people. I know that Edwin McCain is from Greenville, but just getting to hang out with him and Shawn Colvin seems so neat to me. I am learning that being the wife of the "Morning Show Guy" that I am placed in some really cool experiences.



Saturday: Saturday was Great! Bo stayed in greenville and did the wine thing where there were wines paired with chocolates and wines from at least 20 different wineries. I on the other hand had the chance to go to Spartanburg and spend some fun times with my friends Amanda and Julie! We went and had some great food at ICCB and then time for a pedicure! I miss them so much and love when we can spend time together. It's just not often enough!!


Sunday: Jazz Brunch
This was amazing! Again there was food from differnt Table 301 restaurants in a Brunch style. They had an omlette station, carving station, desserts galore, and even a cook off with local chefs. The music was great and I wish that I had taken more pictures but I will post a few from the weekend!

So a whirlwind of a weekend and heading into the week! Next week brings some Tiger Football so fun to look forward to!