A Slap In the Face

It was already a rough day. I was coughing up a good chunk of money for some repairs on my car that I could not put off any longer. I set out to take care of three errands and they were all futile for various reasons and I just had a lot on my mind already about my dad and other things pressing on me right now in my life. I was driving down Waco Drive and a small 3 by 4 ft. billboard caught my eye. It was simple. It had a bright yellow backdrop with just three lines in bold black writting. The bottom line was the phone number you could call to learn more about the advertisment's offer. The top line read "DIVORCE." The middle line offered the top line for the mere price of only $79.50.

DIVORCE
$79.50
(254) 555-1234
.
OUCH. I can here the comercial advertisement now: "Have it all!! A broken family, emotional pain and emotional damage for life, and eternal consequences all for the small price of just $79.50. Have all of the happiness that you think you want but will never get by our method all for the cheap price of $79.50."

I lost it. Have you ever just screamed at the top of your lungs to get out the pain and frustration of life. Too much wailing and screaming, too often can be more damaging than good, but at times it can be thereaputic. It was that for me yesterday. It wasn't a time of questioning God and His ways, as it sometimes is. It was just me before God. "Here is your child. I hurt sometimes. A fallen world and my own sinfulness is the reason. May your grace and mercy rain down on me. Thank you for being a God of second chances."

Four Things

My sister just sent this to me and since I just came out of a Theology Midterm I'm in need of a just some light brain work.

Side note on that...I've learned that working your brain out intensely should be treated just like working your body out intensely. It is a bad idea to after a strong workout of cardio and weights to just stop and sit down. As we all have been taught, your body needs to slowly work its way back down. It's needs to cool off slowly. If you stop a workout abruptly, then your body will cool down too quickly and your muscles will tighten up. I think the same is true for the brain. After intense studying and then releasing that information I've learned that it is harder for my mind to relax if I abruptly stop concentrating and do something completely mind-numbing afterwards, like watch TV. I can relax easier if I turn to something like reading for pleasure or filling out a survey. With that said...

Just answer each question with the appropriate 4 answers and then forward to your friends!! See what answers they return to you!!

A. Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Pier 1 Imports, Waco, TX & San Antonio, TX
2. Community Leader and Intern for Campus Living & Learning @ Baylor, Waco, TX
3. Thomas Kinkaid Art Gallery, San Antonio, TX (Yeah, yeah, yeah...I'll admit that...)
4. Carlton Cards, San Antonio, TX

B. Four movies you could watch over and over again
1. A Beautiful Mind
2. The Emporer's Club
3. The Princess Bride
4. LotR Trilogy (ok...that makes six movies total...so I cheated.)

C. Name four places you have lived:
1. Poteet, TX
2. San Antonio, TX
3. Waco, TX
4. Boston, MA (Yeah...wishfull thinkg....maybe one of these days...)

D. Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Oh dear,...do I really have to admit this? Ok...Dawson's Creek. And yes, I own all of the season's that are out. (That's 5 out of 6)
2. Gilmore Girls...It's a very clever and witty show. Greg even watches it with me.
3. Seinfeld...(Greg has me hooked)
4. Simpson's

E. Four places you have been on vacation
1. Numerous ski resorts in CO and NM
2. Roadtrip up from NC to NYC: Stopped at Duke, DC, Getty'sburg, Allentown, Polono Mountains and MANY other places.
3. BOSTON
4. Bahamas & FL

F. Four websites you visit daily: (I'm not much of a surfer...)
1. mail.baylor.edu
2. mail.yahoo.com
3. weather.com
4. howstuffworks.com (to satisfy all of the crazy little questions that pop into my mind nearly hourly.

G. Four of your favorite foods:
1. Greg's Mediterranean Pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts.
2. Cereal
3. Hamburger Helper Beef Stroganoff....I'm serious
4. Taco Caserole that my mom makes.

H. Four places you'd rather be right now:
1. Hiking in Cameron Park right now with Greg
2. Laying on a beach in Florida
3. Visiting my sister (Mysister put this here and I'm leaving it.)
4. and...do you I even need to write it?...you know....BOSTON!!

I. Four of your favorite things to do
1. Reading
2. Most things outdoors
3. Traveling
4. Spending time with friends

J. Four of your favorite drinks
1. Coca-cola
2. Mamosa (SP?)
3. Coffeeeee.... (The way Greg makes it)
4. Bluetini from Cheddars

A New Journey

Today I began yet another journey with my family, and community. Two years ago, right around this time of year, God blessed my life with a second family, my church at Calvary. In this family, I have experienced community and the love of God like never before. I have been challenged and guided in gentle, yet firm ways. My gifts have been called out and I have been invited to use them. I have been allowed to make mistakes and to flourish and grow from my mistakes. I have been allowed to shed masks so that my imperfection is no longer concealed. With the revealing of the imperfection there is also a revealing of the redeeming work that God continues to do in my life.

Today, we began the journey of the Season of Lent together. This is the first church I have ever been apart of that celebrated the Christian year and it has become deeply rooted in my soul. This morning in our Ash Wednesday service we, as a community, invited God to come into our lives and cleanse us, and that He will do. I want to encourage you also to intently focus this Lenten Season toward God and find your dependency on Him.