Tennesee Lady Vols vs. Texas A&M!!!!!

Tonight is the big night! For those of you who know me I graduated from the University of Tennessee and was a Track & Field Lady Vol (it's what they call their women athletes). For those of you who might not know, the Lady Vol Basketball team is, I think, the winningest NCAA women's basketball team in women's athletics today. They have had many Olympians and girls who went pro after college. Pat Head Summit (the coach) is the winningest coach in women's college basketball. They have never not been to the "Sweet 16" and have only missed the final 8 a couple of times (if that... I know of one). They have at least 3 national titles to their name and have played in the final game numerous times.... and they were National Champions this past year.

Now for those of you who know my marriage... my husband graduated from Texas A&M and is a die hard Texas A&M fan in any sport and is one of those annoying fans who is always looking to rib someone about their team. Our teams, whether it be football basketball or any other sport don't get to play very often, but so far when they have played, Tennessee has been the victor.

So tonight Texas A&M and Tennessee women match up to play for a Final Four spot. Texas A&M is definitely the underdog going into this game because this is the first year they have made it to the "Elite 8". Tennessee is the powerhouse of college women's basketball, so needless to say my husband is having a blast ribbing me about he game tonight. And all I have to say is yes, I have been giving him a hard time, and I just hope I don't have to eat my words. :-)

One Minute Each Night

I don't normally forward emails sent to me, but I felt like this email could really have an impact on our Nation and the world. I have always been passionate about prayer and have had the privilege to have joined or lead a number of prayer groups. So read and consider how you might join others in praying for our nation. Consider joining this movement for the upcoming elections and for a revival for our entire nation.

Subject: Much Needed Prayer

ONE MINUTE EACH NIGHT
>
> During WWII, there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of
> people who dropped what they were doing every night at a prescribed hour
> for one minute to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people and
> peace. This had an amazing effect as bombing stopped.
>
> There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America..
>
> If you would like to participate: each evening at 9:00 PM Eastern Time
> (8:00 PM Central, 7:00 PM Mountain, 6:00 PM Pacific), stop whatever you
> are doing and spend one minute praying for the up-coming election, and for
> the revival of Christianity in this great country.
>
> If you know anyone who would like to participate, please pass this along.
>
> Someone said if people really understood the full extent of the power we
> have available through prayer, we might be speechless. Our prayers are the
> most powerful asset we have.

> Thank You. Please pass this on to anyone who you think will want to join
> us.

God meets us where we are...

In light of Easter, and the story of a Savior that came to earth and met us where we are in our humanity and sin... I am going to share a story from one of my favorite bloggers, Heidi. This story reminds me of how many hurting people are out there, sometimes just right next door to us, or standing next to us in the grocery line, or maybe working in the next cubicle over. I want to be as faithful as Heidi in building those relationships where God can use me to change, if only, just one life.

Many years ago, I met a young woman in the Navy, her name was Christi. We became roommates and she was from Georgia , We used to laugh about how she talked so funny, but between her mom’s cookies that she sent and the laughter we shared we became close.

One thing that separated us was our different lifestyles. She loved to party and to drink. But I knew that Christi in her way was covering up a load of past that she had been carrying.

So because of our different lifestyles we grew apart and lost touch.

About a year ago, she found me. We kept very touch and go emails throughout the summer until she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in September. Than the emails came weekly. She would always ask me about my life which involves family, church, and my God. I told her all the details. But I never knew if she heard me, because our conversation always went back to her partying days and her somewhat horrific past.

Christi has never been a believer, eventhough her parents were deacons at their church and begged and begged for years!

Christi was defiant and angry.

A month ago, an email came and Christi wanted one thing, “ Simply stated, Family and friends, if I can see my daughter turn 1 than I might talk about your God” love Christi

That was the entire email.

This morning I recieved an email from her mom:

Her daughter Faith, turn one this week, she celebrated her first cake in her mom’s hospital room in Macon, Georgia. Although Christi had no energy to do anything else, she held her daughter, laughed and played Barbies on top of her bed.

She Had Kept Her Promise…..

Christi accepted Jesus into her heart that evening in the presence of the family pastor and her parents and family.

In the email it continues:

”Christi lost her battle with pancreatic cancer… that very next morning.

But …..

We as a family rejoice…

She Had Kept Her Promise…..”

Find Life... Find Jesus

For those of you who don't know Tricia, this is her holding her 8 week old daughter Gwyneth for the first time.... I can't imagine what she was feeling. She was willing to give her life for this little girl, and lived to be able to hold her. We are all praying she lives to see many birthdays to come.

But what is more amazing about this story is something I read on her father-in-law's blog. It's hard sometimes to imagine how much God loves us, but it's when we see things like this (the longing of a mother to hold her child, the sacrifice, the waiting, the tears of joy and sadness) that make it a little more tangible. He talked about how her waiting for the time to hold her daughter is a little how God waits for us who know him... as he stands at the gates for those who come home. We will not have to go look for Him. He will be waiting with open arms to greet us and hold us and say, "Welcome home my child."

In a Spiritual sense God is waiting to hold so many more of us who would come to Him right now on this earth... So many of us who know Him to lay our burdens at His feet; and so many more who don't know Him to find meaning to life, to heal their deep hurts, and to find rest from all the world has dumped on them. He is waiting with open arms. He wants to love on you and show off the greatest "you" that hides somewhere deep inside. Don't keep running away, or trying to do it yourself, or just sit there waiting for life to happen, find true love, find Life... find Jesus.

Can WeTrust God?

This is part of a post from "Find Me... Find Life... Real Life". I thought it was a good follow-up from my last post. Sometimes God doesn't answer our prayers the way we want. But I love the song and really believe in the words, "I thank God for unanswered prayer," because His ways are rarely our ways, but they are always better than the way we dream up for ourselves.

Can I trust God even if he never gives me what I most desire?

Can I not be angry? Will I stamp my feet and cry…and demand what I want. Will I hold onto the gravel of my own thoughts and dreams or give them to God for His purpose, His restoration, His Love.

Or will I take what he has promised me, like Abraham and Sarah with Hagar- and force what He has promised….which actually isn’t obedience to trust. Wow…that’s scary. I can force in my heart what I believe God has promised me and try to make things happen. …and dictate how and through whom it must happen. An Ishmael will come out of it…

Sometimes God wants us to wrestle with Him until we get an answer….and sometimes we have to wrestle with ourselves….maybe we think we have to wrestle with God and than we look and see it was ourselves that we wrestled with all along. I’m done wrestlin.

Learning To Yield

As a child I remember my father telling this story in church a number of times (He was a pastor). It is funny, yet very serious, and can let us see a part of ourselves we often like to ignore... pride.

I read a story about a radio exchange that took place some time ago between a U.S. Navy ship and Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland. The Canadians warned the Americans, "Please divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision."

The Americans responded, "Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the north to avoid a collision."

The Canadians said, "Negative. You will have to divert your course 15 degrees to the south to avoid a collision."

The Americans: "This is the captain of a U.S. Navy Ship. I say again, divert your course."

"No. I say again, you divert your course."

"This is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship in the United States Atlantic fleet. We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers, and numerous support vessels. I demand that you change your course 15 degrees north. I say again, that is 15 degrees north or countermeasures will be undertaken to assure the safety of our ship."

After brief moment of silence, the Canadians responded: "This is a lighthouse. It is your call."

Sometimes we don't like what God wants us to do, and we want Him to change course when, in reality, it is us who ought to change course.

We need to understand that God's plans are better than ours. Having said that, it does not mean that they are always the easiest or even the most appealing at the moment. There are times when we are going through life that we might not like the plan of God. But God's plans are always better for us in the long run.

Praise Him In The Storm...

If you have not gone to visit my new favorite blog, you have to go meet this person. It's the kind of writer that has a way of saying exactly what you wanted to say but a whole lot better. Her post yesterday talked about praising God in the storm and Ken and I are learning alot about this right now. I am posting the whole entry here b/c I know some people don't follow links, but you can go here to read it on her blog and see the pretty pictures.

It’s easy to worship God, when everything is going our way. It’s easy to praise God for new jobs, health, possessions, good friends and family. What about when things don’t go so well? There are those people that would say that it’s a faith issue. Job’s friends thought so. Job’s friends told Job to confess the sin he was hiding, so that God would bless him again.

What kind of faith does it require to praise God in just the good times?

If there ever were a test of our faith…If there ever were a test of our motives of worship—it is when a storm rolls into our life. Sometimes God calms the storms, but sometimes He chooses to ride along with us.

What does it mean to praise God in THIS storm? This storm suggests that we are going through it right now. It’s easy to say that I will praise God in THE storm, because we are going through the storm, but the word THIS says, at least to me, that we are going through the storm at the current time and that I can praise God during the storm.

One of my favorite verses from years ago in youth group, comes from Romans 8:28. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

To be real honest, it sure doesn’t seem that way when you are in the middle of a storm. It’s difficult at best to get your bearings in the middle of a storm.

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever, you face trials of many kinds…”

Whoa…We should consider trials a joy? Why ?

“Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything…”

Trials and testing and the storms of life are not evidence of our lack of faith, but evidence that our faith is there and needs refining.

Perseverance through the storm increases our faith. And strengthens it. I like the words James uses here. James in effect is saying that without trials we can never become mature believers. We can never become complete in our faith. Without the storms our faith, we will be short of strength and faith.

“I lift up my eyes to the hills where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep. The Lord watches over you—the Lord is the shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

We must remember God is God !

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh France in the Spring

This blog from "This French Life" is killing me. As many of you know I ran my first half-marathon this past November and loved it, and I am looking into running a few this spring...but there was a half-marathon in Paris THIS WEEKEND, and I am in pretty good shape right now. Oh well, hopefully I will be in better shape next year. Of course there are a number of other exciting things happening this Spring in France. Here is a quick selection of events coming up in the next few weeks:

Banlieues Bleues, Saint-Denis (Ile-de-France), March 14 to April 18
The Banlieues Bleues, one of the biggest jazz festivals in the Paris area, is an eclectic, lively festival, featuring all kinds of jazz, from traditional to contemporary, European to American blues and soul.

Amiens Jazz Festival, Picardie, March 2 to 23
The Amiens Jazz Festival has been running for more than 25 years and highlights contemporary jazz featuring both established and rising musicians. The festival website provides a wealth of information on the artists performing as well as venue and ticket details.

Paris half marathon, March 2
Set to start from the l'Esplanade du Château de Vincennes, the marathon will take in many of the popular sites and famous buildings of the capital. It will feature elite athletes from around the world, as well as amateur runners keen to face the challenge.

The Vikings in Normandy, Rouen maritime museum, until April 15
A look at the attack by the Vikings in 820 on the bay of the Seine, which includes many artefacts and tells the story of the influence the Norse man had on the area. This exhibition opened late last year but ends in the middle of April.

Les Vinées tonnerroises, Tonnerre, Burgundy, March 22 and 23
At Easter the Vinées Tonnerroises celebrates wine and winegrowers, mainly from Burgundy, who will be exhibiting a range of regional specialities.

Tasting takes place in the Hôtel Dieu in Tonnerre were inductions of new members from the Confrérie des Foudres Tonnerrois will be carried out. Visitors can enjoy various entertainments in town including rides in horse-drawn carriages.

Foire de Lyon, Eurexpo, March 21 to 31
The popular consumer trade show in Lyon opens its doors to visitors offering up more than 1,200 exhibitors displaying a vast array of items for the home, with many special deals on offer. There is an entrance fee of €10 per person, with under 11s enjoying free entrance, while a family tickets costs €25.

Spring poetry festival, Paris and across France, March 3 to 16
Although based out of Paris this celebration of poetry takes place across France, and even further a field. The official website features details of more than 5,000 events including readings, debates and workshops.

To Follow or Not To Folow

I love the excerpts Vince Antonucci has been sharing from his new book "I Became a Christian and all I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt". I can hardly wait to get the book and read the whole thing. In the mean time here is an excerpt from his book I love:

I don’t think people who lived in the Bible times had it easy, but at least when Jesus said, “Follow me” they could see the guy. You knew whether you were following him or not because … “Whoa, there goes Jesus!” He’d be off somewhere and you’d still be eating your cheese fries (because chili cheese fries hadn’t been invented yet – man, they had it rough) and you’d realize, “Whoops, I guess I didn’t follow.”

I think in many ways those of us who live today have it easier, but following an invisible guy can be tricky. When I wanted to start doing it, I realized I didn’t even know what it meant.

My first image of “following Jesus” was of him steadily walking a straight, narrow path with a Christian dutifully trailing behind, trying to never get distracted and led off course. Most of the people I talked to seemed to hold this view.

But after awhile I realized that with this way of thinking, Jesus is almost completely irrelevant in following Jesus. This concerned me. If all a Christian has to do is stay on the straight and narrow path of obedience by doing right and not doing wrong, does it really matter if Jesus is out in front or not?

In fact, Jesus could faint; I could walk right past him, and still feel assured that I’m “following Jesus” because I’ve stayed on that same straight moral path. Jesus could then wake up and start walking the same course again, only now he’d be following me! There had to be something wrong with my understanding of following Jesus if it didn’t really matter who was following who.

This view of following Jesus is captured in an old saying (and someone wrote a book with this title) about how the Christian life is “a long obedience in the same direction.” Now don’t get me wrong, I know there is truth in that. Being a Christian does involve obeying God over the long haul. And part of following Jesus is doing right and not doing wrong. But there’s got to be more to it.

I decided to look at the original followers of Jesus in the bible. I was still a little annoyed with them, because they had the advantage of getting the non-invisible Jesus, but I hoped maybe I could learn something. What did it look like for them to follow Jesus?

[want to read more? buy the book!]

- featured on newchurches.com

Intimacy With God Trains Us For Intimacy With Men

I have found a new blogging friend, and if you want to be inspired go to her blog. My heart felt dry and parched tonight, trials can do that to you sometime... and this post poured water on my soul.

Intimacy with God trains us for intimacy with men.

He will teach us how to love, how to forgive, how to trust, how to have faith, how to submit, how to be patient, how to make decisions, how to hear the voice of God….Intimacy with God is never disappointing. Faith is vital in pursuing intimacy with God. It marks Jesus as our first love and our devotion. It stamps our lifestyle. It is our daily goal.

“He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity & honour” (Proverbs 21 v 21

Tennessee Volunteers #1!!!!!!!!!!!

Can I just say GO VOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLS!!!!!!

For those of you who do not know what a Vol is, it is a Volunteer from the state of Tennessee. More importantly the mascot of the University of Tennessee.... and I am not only a Vol, but I am a LADY VOL! Which means I was a female athlete at the University of Tennessee.

Okay enough of the explanation. The reason for this post is to shout from the rooftops that a football school who normally does not even acknowledge the basketball season because well we're just not normally very good, has been recently ranked #2 in the country and just beat the former #1 team in the country, Memphis. I know myself and every other Volunteer is throwing a party right now!!!!

The women's team who is known for winning many National Championships, and who won the NCAA Tournament last year, is also ranked #1!!!

Wow, how often does that happen? Well, I'm a happy camper tonight and just hope we can get cable before March Madness arrives. Ken & I actually took part in March Madness last year for the first time, because both of our "football" schools were in the NCAA Tournament and actually were competitive, and we had a blast. Unfortunately I don't think my sweetheart will be able to enjoy this season with me as much as last year (shhhhhhhhhh ... his team is Texas A & M)

How Big Is Your Faith?

Why do we in America pray such small prayers? Why can't we believe God in the small things?

This is a testimony of a sister involved in the 40 days of prayer for France. I praise God that it reminds me of the power I and all believers have inside of us that we need to tap into.

The town of Saint Quentin in Yvelines organized a Carnival of Darkness which was to take place in a 3 year cycle, the first year being a parody of the Father, the second a parody of the the Son, and the third of the Holy Spirit. A group of Christian women led a prayer battle. In the course of their weekly meetings, they took hold of the armor of the Holy Spirit by faith to bind this action of Satan. The Lord answered: a torrential rain created havoc during the very first event; there were considerable material damages. The organizers wanted to try again the two following years. The same prayer group repeated their battle of faith, and all that was planned for the carnival failed. The last year, lightning struck the piano and the electrical wires. These disasters caused a legal quarrel between the organizers, in particular about the ownership of the name Darkness Carnival.

Would You Rather...

The MMI weblog is doing a hysterical survey of what people would rather do.

Would you rather have a root canal, or confront your chief church opponent?

Would you rather clean the church bathroom after the annual youth taco dinner, or switch your service to an "all organ all the time" for a month?

Here are their results so far:

We've learned that 47% of readers would rather have a root canal than confront their chief church opponent (53% said they'd rather confront their angatonist). Last week, we learned that 56% of MMI readers would rather clean the church bathroom after the annual youth taco dinner than switch their services to "all organ all the time" for a month (31% said they'd take the organ). Nice. Now it's time for this week's question. Would you rather, break your leg in a tragic church softball collision (a multiple compound fracture with at least a little bone showing) OR would you rather fire a close friend on your church staff who just isn't pulling his/her weight?

I laughed out loud reading these, because some of them I'm not really sure which I would pick.

the Destination is a Mirage

I love this quote by Steven Furtick which he spoke at the Evolve Conference in one of the breakout sessions:

"Get used to enjoying the journey because the destination is a mirage."

...and if you follow the link you gotta like his new look. I almost didn't recognize him.

16 questions to ask yourself

I love these questions by Vince Antonucci. I think we all should ask ourselves these every day.

• If I feel most alive when I’m watching a movie or playing a video game or reading a book or watching sports, if those are consistently the best parts of my day, what does that say about my life? Shouldn’t it be more exciting to live my life than to watch someone else live theirs?


• In the Bible Jesus led his followers into dangerous places. Do I often find myself in dangerous places? And if not, what does that mean?


• Despite being completely righteous, Jesus attracted the worst of sinners. Are sinful people drawn to me, or are they put off by my so-called righteousness?


• When Jesus came into contact with people, their lives were radically transformed. Are people’s lives changed by knowing me?


• Do I have sinful habits I can’t seem to shake? Why?


• What do I dream about? What does my mind automatically turn to? What should it?


• Would the people who know me best say my life is characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control?


• Do I read the Bible and pray because I can’t wait to spend time with God, or because it’s what I’m supposed to do as a Christian?
  
• And why do I skip my Bible and prayer time on weekends or when I’m out-of-town? Is that time really just a habit, a part of my routine, or is it the sacred conversation it’s supposed to be?


• Am I living in a safe Christian bubble? If so, why does the world scare me?


• What do I use to escape from my problems? Why do I need to escape from my problems at all? Shouldn’t Jesus help me handle them?


• Do I serve because I get to, or because I have to?


• Do I get upset about things in a way that is disproportionate to their importance?


• What are the top items on my current wish list?


• The word Christian literally means “little Christ” – so am I a Christian or do I just call myself one?


• Why isn’t Jesus enough for me?
  

[want to read more? sure you do, so buy the book!]
- featured on newchurches.com

Love is a Verb not a Noun

I read this story on a blog I follow, and have read this story before, and as crazy as it sounds, I know by experience that this works... so I thought I would share it with you for anyone out there that my need some encouragement to go on. I think this could also apply to any other relationship... in fact I may need to try it in some. :-) Wow, I never thought about that.

Newspaper columnist and minister George Crane tells of a wife who came into his office full of hatred toward her husband. "I do not only want to get rid of him, I want to get even. Before I divorce him, I want to hurt him as much as he has me."

Dr. Crane suggested an ingenious plan "Go home and act as if you really love your husband. Tell him how much he means to you. Praise him for every decent trait. Go out of your way to be as kind, considerate, and generous as possible. Spare no efforts to please him, to enjoy him. Make him believe you love him. After you've convinced him of your undying love and that you cannot live without him, then drop the bomb. Tell him that your're getting a divorce. That will really hurt him."

With revenge in her eyes, she smiled and exclaimed, "Beautiful, beautiful. Will he ever be surprised!" And she did it with enthusiasm. Acting "as if." For two months she showed love, kindness, listening, giving, reinforcing, sharing.

When she didn't return, Crane called. "Are you ready now to go through with the divorce?"

"Divorce?" she exclaimed. "Never! I discovered I really do love him."

Her actions had changed her feelings. Action resulted in emotion. Love is not established by fervent words, but by often repeated deeds.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a ESV)

From Prostitute to Bride

Day 11 Prayer for France

A French Christian said, "France has a reputation for being the land of libertines and of lust, the land of "Pigalle", of the "French Cancan", and the "French Kiss". Our reputation is fiendish, but God loves our country and wants to purify and sanctify it.

The 16th century Italy laid the foundation for a new lifestyle, by re-reading the Greek philosopher Epicurus. But it was France that spread this influence, developing different forms of Libertinism, directly opposed to Christian values. This licentiousness, in all its aspects, has become a kind of French institution, as well known as its wines and cheeses.

As in Hosea 2, France similarly gives the picture of a prostitute in a literal sense as well as a figurative one. She has given herself to false gods... but through His church, God is reaching out to her to purify and restore her, to bring her out of her shame and guilt and to give her back her dignity.

May she at last be free to be passionate in worshiping the One who is worthy of it. Oh Church of France, who still has the heart of a Fiancee, be faithful and reveal to the world the hidden source of endless love.

Ask God to be faithful to be slow to anger abounding in love, faithful to his covenant and mindful of the cry of His Church in France.

Humble ourselves and intercede for the media and for all those who communicate values.

Proclaim with faith... May France rise up as a bride!

Happy Valentines Day!

Love is patient,
love is kind
It does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth,

It always protects,
always trusts,
always hopes,
always perseveres.

Love never fails.


Thank you Jesus for loving me this much. Please help me to love those who pass through my life like this... whether I know them or not. Whether I like them or not. Whether I feel like it or not. I want them to feel as if they have met you if they ever meet me.

I Became A Christian And All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

Here is an excerpt from a book called, "I Became A Christian And All I Got Was This Lousy T-shirt". It is written by Vince Antonucci, a pastor my husband greatly admires and who truly understands reaching the unchurched.

Walking through the front door of that church building was like passing through a portal to a different world. So much was unfamiliar. For the first time I heard about “propitiation,” “puppet ministry,” and “pot luck suppers.” I stood for “fellowship,” knelt for prayer, and sat on a hard wooden bench (which they called a “pew.”) I saw more polyester in one morning than I had my entire life. I experienced church snack time, which consisted of little pieces of cracker and small plastic shot glasses of grape juice. A man explained that we would be singing hymns 11, 52, 17, and 63. I almost yelled out, “Bingo!”

So much was foreign to me that first Sunday. But now with seventeen years of going to church, I can tell you that there is something very familiar about most of the Christians I’ve met. Unfortunately, it’s not that they remind me of the people who populate the pages of Scripture. Instead, they remind me of a little girl named Emily.

Little Emily looks cute in her souvenir shirt that proclaims, “My parents went to Florida and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.” But there’s something sad about it too. She missed the journey. She didn’t get to take part in the adventure. While others broke out of their dull routine, Emily missed the excitement of doing something different. She didn’t get to play in the waves or hug Mickey. She didn’t get to experience the joy. Even the horrifying incident when the tire blew out and Stan, the self-proclaimed “Good Samaritan Redneck,” rescued the family in his Sanford & Son pickup truck has quickly become a fond memory for everybody. Everyone except Emily. She missed the journey.

As I’ve gone to church and met Christians and lived as one myself I’ve realized something. We are Emily.

When I read about the lives of the first Christians in the pages of the New Testament I see people who actually went to Florida, who truly experienced the vacation. But when I look around at Christians today, I see people who just wear a t-shirt for an adventure they’ve missed out on. We’re missing the journey. We’re stuck in the same dull routine. We’re missing out on the joy and fear and laughter and doubt and mystery and confusion of following Jesus, of taking great risks for God, of praying dangerous prayers, even of being spiritually attacked.

We wander around with lifeless shark eyes.

[want to read more - get the book!]

National Pancake Day

For all of you who are interested, today is National Pancake Day... [only in America would you find a National Pancake Day] ...and IHOP (International House of Pancakes) is giving away free pancakes all day... so if you don't have sick kids like me, and your day is not already gone, stop by and enjoy one of America's favorite holidays and eat a stack of pancakes.

I was going to make pancakes, but after thinking about it, I think I am going to make crepes for dinner tonight. These are similar to pancakes yet very very thin, made out of mostly milk, eggs, and some flour, and then are rolled up and filled with things such as cheese or some type of sweet filling. This is France's version of pancakes. I just got the recipe out of my Betty Crocker cookbook.

Bon Appetite!