Blessed Be Your Name

Don't take what I am about to say as a complaint; but more as a realization of the surprising blessing life often brings. I am blessed to have such a variety of different people in my life. From my dear friends from PC--who are all over now--to my best friend in Texas, to my good friends here in NC, and now the blessing of my life my job at CCC. Through the past 6 months God has given me an office full of different personalities, some who would qualify as my peers (David, middle school youth pastor is 23, Lee, the worship pastor is 26.) then a few who I work with I wouldn't dare guess their age--but 3 of which have grandkids. What a blessing to be around so many wonderful spiritual adults, in which I have the opportunity to be showed in the wisdom they have been granted through life experiences. I am "building relationships that last"! I am already learning so much from each and everyone of the staff members, even the ones which I'm not really close with.
When I moved here 2 years ago I never in my wildest dreams would have imagined already fullfilling my dream of working in a church. Everyday I am given the opportunity to bless someone's life, and show God's love. On Tuesday, we as a staff go into the Worship Center, have a devotional together, and then pray over the prayer request of our church body. How awesome is that?
So many time I take for granted all the beautiful things God has so graciously given me. From my family, friends, church, co-workers, job and material items as well. My life is so rich not because of the money I spend on my car, shoes, or clothes but because of the things in my life that cannot be bought with money. As the song says so elliquently:

Blessed be Your name

When the sun's shining down on me

When the world's 'all as it should be'

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name

On the road marked with suffering

Though there's pain in the offering

Blessed be Your name

You give and take away

You give and take away

My heart will choose to say

Lord blessed be Your name

Growing Up or Just Getting Older?

Me (age 6) & my brother, Ryan (age 4)!

Today is my little brother's 18th birthday. 18! And though I am only 20, I say that as if it isn't old though just a few years ago 20 seemed like a life time away. I fell old today. I remember all the times when my brother and I use to play make-believe and when life was care-free. My brother and I have always been really close but tonight when I was at his surprise birthday party I realized how we both have 2 separate and different lives. Not as though we haven't always but its more apparent now. I think that line was drawn when I choose to stay in Panama City to finish out my Senior Year of high school at Bay when my family moved here to North Carolina, they began their new lives in North Carolina while I was continuing/finishing my life down in Panama City. Up until that monumental point, Ryan (my brother) and I went to the same church, pretty much had the same friends (all of my friends adored him--sometimes liked him more than me!), lived under the same roof, and though we had our moments were ALWAYS there for eachother. And we still are today but when he moved up to North Carolina before I did, that is when he (and my parents) found themselves a new church, made new friends, moved into a new house and though we were still there for each other I wasn't just across the hall. Even now that I am living in North Carolina (which I love), and am currently living at home I do not attend church at Parkwood with my family, I have made Christ Community my home. And because I was no longer in high school when I moved up here and don't attend the same church we indefinitely have different friends. I love my brother more than anything, and it is going to be so hard for me this next fall when he leaves and goes off to college. Well before I continue to get sappy and start shedding tears, I'm going to end this. I love you Ryan and I know that you and I will always be great friends!

Sunshine!

I know recently I haven't been myself, but for everyone out there: I AM BACK! "The sun is shining and this road keeps winding....my troubles behind me....I'm alive and I'm free who wouldn't want to be me!" -Keith Urban (don't want to get charged with plagerism. ha! CCC joke!)

I have realized how lucky I am to have such wonderful people around me (you know who you are!) I love you all so much and am so thankful to have those people around when I truly needed them! Rain falls. But sometimes you need the storm in your life to wipe out the things that are unneeded in life. For example...Waves, when the tide comes up it washes away all the broken shells upon the shore and when the tide goes down it leaves a brand new bunch of whole shells to be collected, and unfortunitly some that will end up broken. But without the tide and the waves all that would be washed up on the shore is broken shells and who wants to collect just broken shells? Don't get me wrong, broken is beautiful, but God makes us whole.

Two weeks ago while doing the bulletin for church and answering the phones I wrote down my random thoughts on friendship. Like I said these are random thoughts nothing structured just what came to mind, then I just transferred the scrap pieces of paper into my book (my journal). I would like to share with you what I came up with. Its nothing poetic just words.

September 9th, 2004

It is not an obligation

but it is a commitment

It is compromise

but it is also knowing when to stand your ground

Loving inspite of our differences

and because of our differences

It is finding understanding

even within the midst of disagreements

It is not a contract

but it can be broken

It is a respect of space

but knowing when to be there

It is about trust

but growing in failure

It is about going the extra mile

but realizing its the little things that matter most

It is about sharing wisdom

and know when silence is golden

It is not about how long you've known each other

but how much you've been through together

It is knowing when to help out

but also knowing when the battle is for one

It is comfort

It is not a lack of compassion

It is guidance with grace

but knowing when to use tough love

The Death of the Mini Head

I've decided to start posting to keep everyone in my life briefly updated on things that are going on. With how busy I as well as everyone else has become, its hard to stay in touch--even with people I live in the same area with. Go figure. You may have noticed that my "blog" title is a bit off the wall but do you expect anything less from me? Yea...That's what I thought.
In the past 2 years and 4 months (as of tomorrow) I have created some awesome friendships, but as time goes on new relationships are created. Don't misunderstand me by thinking that I have lost friends...no no no, I have just shifted from one group to another, no longer hanging out with some on a regular basis. In which the title of this blog "The Death of the Mini Head" was inspired. You see the Mini Head, one of my favorite inside jokes, well is not longer funny, because everyone (with the exception of Marie) that I hang out with on a regular basis now was there for the birth, growth, and life of the Mini Head. Thus they either think I'm crazy or stupid when I have the rare itch to bring "it" up. (There is no gender to the mini-head). And with that, the Mini Head no longer has reason to live except in the heart of all those who one knew "it".