A tree does not stop being a tree when it loses its leaves.
A girl does not stop being a girl when she takes her makeup off.
God does not cease being good when the circumstances in our life become dim.

Wisdom and blessing from Andy Merrick.

jsw

Jonathan and I met about 10 years ago. I was still in college, and he was coming home from an internship with Focus on the Family. I had known his name for years because my entire church has been praying for him. When Jon was in middle school, he was diagnosed with nephritis lupus- which is lupus that attacks your kidneys. He went through dialysis and eventually had a kidney transplant when he was 18.

In the past few years, he's still had some health issues, but for the most part, it's been an uneventful decade of kidney health.

Until this fall.

The lupus has flared back up. It's attacking the healthy kidney. He's currently in the process of getting 3 rounds of chemo to stop the lupus- and get his kidneys back to normal function.

A few weeks ago, his white blood cell count was dangerously low- too low to give him chemo- so he had to hang out in the hospital for about 10 days, so I went to visit him one day. We had a great time just being able to visit and catch up- he lives in Texas, so we don't see each other very often anyway.
While we were talking, the reoccurring theme was "God's glory: no matter what". And to hear Jonathan say this over and over made me think about my own life. I tend to base my desire for God's glory on my circumstances, but over and over in the last few weeks, I have prayed that God be glorified in every situation- no matter what. No matter how I feel about it. No matter if I like the outcome. No matter if Jonathan's body is healed. No matter what.

I'm still in the plac where it's not always true- sometimes it's just my prayer. But, that is my aim.
God, your glory. No matter what.

winner winner chicken dinner

Or, in my case, new towel wrap!

As per usual, I entered a blog contest a few weeks ago for a towel wrap from the Preppy Pink Crocodile. I've been a reader for a while, but I go through phases of being interactive. And I have NOT been interactive lately.

Anyway.

I WON!! I am so excited!Of course, I got my KCS monogram- and it's going to be some combo of pink and green (naturally).

I can't wait!! So excited!!

devotion

Went to my cousin's wedding this weekend. Wedding started at 430. Alabama game kicked off at 330. (he's from NorthCarolina- he doesn't get it) MAJOR problem.

I love my cousin.
But.
I love Alabama.
So, my family and I watched it on iPhones. CBSsports.com has a GREAT app that you can watch the live feed from your phone. We killed two batteries, and drained about half of the 3rd.


now, THAT is devotion.

baby Catherine

Katie and Donnie are friends of mine from highschool- and they ended up getting married after college. A few years ago they had a baby girl named Catherine.

While Katie was pregnant, Catherine was diagnosed with a severe defect called congenital diaphragmatic hernia. More or less, her diaphragm is formed incorrectly which pushed her organs too far up in her body. This caused major deformities in her organs- as shown below.

So, when Catherine was born, Katie and Donnie weren't sure about her life expectancy or survival. The first few months were incredibly precarious. When she was born, she went through multiple surgeries- and a lot of unknown.

During the course of her pregnancy, Katie started a blog: Letters to Catherine. It's amazing. It documents their fears and joys- Catherine's setbacks and victories.

Catherine is two.
She is a miracle.

You should go read Katie's blog. It'll bless you beyond words. I am grateful for my friendship with Katie and Donnie- but knowing the story of Catherine has changed my life. I met Catherine for the first time this summer at a mutual friend's wedding. She is just as precious in real life as she is in Katie's pictures and stories.

Go read Letters to Catherine. You will NOT be disappointed.

** I have more pics of Catherine (and Donnie and Katie) but blogger is being difficult...

such a baller

This made me laugh out loud- I've watched it about 45 times.

"I saw this idiot coming right at me. I figured he'd be better off getting tripped than tased" -Matt Diaz

memorial day 2010

My friends and I have been going to the beach over Memorial Day weekend since I was a freshman in college. It's not always been the same group of friends, but it's one of my favorite trips of the year.
This year was no exception.

In summary:

• Lots of sun. (Even though the rain was always threatening to salt out game.)
• Lots of seafood. (I feel sinful ordering landfood when close a beach.)
• Lots of books. (Vanishing Acts, The Last Song, The Trials of the Honorable F. Darcy)
• Free Dave Barnes. (At Seaside. Jealous.)
• Free laughter. ("My booty is delicious.")
  
• Lots of friends.

All in all, it was amazing.
I would go back right now if I could.

culty churches

I've never been a part of a "cult-y" church. I use the term "cult-y" because I don't know enough about that type of thing to feel comfortable labeling something a straight-up cult. And. When I think of cults, I think of David Koresh or Heaven's Gates- and things I know about "cult-y" churches doesn't sound like those extreme examples. I have some friends and family that have been a part of churches like these, and it always make me think critically of church. (When I say church here, I don't mean "the body of believers" as a whole, but rather individual institutions.)

My parents were members of a church when I was really little- like an infant, I don't remember it. And it was a little cult-y. The preacher was having an affair, and everyone knew, but no one was brave enough to challenge him and his authority. When my parents decided to leave, the church acted as if they were going to be sent to Hell if they didn't go to church there. VERY weird.

My friend Scott went to a church here in Metro Atlanta, and it was DEF a little cult-y. The church forced Scott to have an accountability partner with an assigned man from the church. I mean, I'm all for accountability partners, but if it's supposed to be meaningful and USEFUL, then it has to be someone that YOU choose to share your struggles and victories with. NOT someone your church ASSIGNS to you. Much like my parents, when he tried to leave, the church acted as if he was destined for Hell.

I read Elizabeth Esther's blog, and she recently did a series of posts about a "cult-y" church. It was more about what it's like to leave a recover from being a part of that type of church. I have learned from her that being a part of a church like that can have long-term effects on your thought processes and beliefs. Usually the effects aren't things you are even aware of until they're challenged by your life's experiences- or someone looking at you and saying, "WHAT?".

There are always some groups and churches that make me wary. I don't know they're doctrine or anything, but I am always anxious when someone tells me that something MUST be a certain way. Short of commands from scripture, I don't know about directives from people that they claim can make or break your relationship with God.

Have you ever been a part of a cult-y group or church? What made it so? How did you leave? Do you still notice the ramifications of that group?

The Outsiders

As I mentioned before, The Outsiders is one of my favorite books of all time. I read it with my students every year- and they always love it. Mainly because it's amazing. And party bc I'm an awesome teacher. :)

After we read the book, I always show them the movie.

And the kids always get a kick out of the fact that it includes Tom Cruise, Patrick Swayze, Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, and Ralph Machio-the-guy-from-Karate-Kid. The guy that played the main character Ponyboy, C. Thomas Howell, has gone on to do other things, but he is-by far- the least famous of the cast.



But, my favorite thing is that all of my girls fall in love with Rob Lowe. He plays the roll of Soda Pop Curtis, and he is precious. Since Rob Lowe is older than my students, most of them have never seen him in movies and stuff.
But, after watching this movie- especially the scene where he's looking for his clothes- my girls all love him.

They're welcome.

Favorite Books

Two weeks in a row of Show Us Your Life?? You've never been so lucky! But it's about favorite books! So you know that I'm ALL about it!


These aren't in any particular order, but these are my all time favorite books. I could read them over and over again. In fact, I HAVE read them over and over again.