the A* Team

Be Us Guest.

2012-01-26T13:13:00.000-08:00

Every morningbefore my husband Seth leaves for work, we have a short family prayer time.

Lest you think we are really spiritual around here, keep in mind that I oftenhold a Care Bear's paw during a quick and simple circle prayer that is seriallyinterrupted at best by shouts of "Mommy, she pinching me!" and "Inot want pray!"

Sometimes, you have to make the choice to keep doing spiritual disciplines withyour children even though it does not exactly produce a Norman Rockwell image. They may not remember the actual prayers, but they will hopefully get inthe habit of pausing to invite the Presence of the Divine into their day beforetheir day gets the best of them.

Honestly, it's just as much for me as it is for them. Speaking as anouveau domestic engineer (sounds FANCY, don't you think?), I cannot realisticallymake it through the day without giving God an invitation to abide in the placesI run short-like patience, for example. I've never had a lot to spare andas it turns out, two high-maintenance preschoolers and a daredevilish toddlertend to test the limits in all manner of ways.

Prayer at the start reminds me that it's good to have limits as a human, for itmakes us recline on the limitless nature of the Good Shepherd-who has never yetrun out of longsuffering for even the most wayward of sheep. Graspingtiny, sticky hands in the morning to ask the blessing of God on our day spentchasing and encouraging and feeding and time-outting and singing and dancingand refereeing and, if you must know, wiping, can mean all the differencebetween my children merely seeing my weakness when they look at me or seeingthe presence of Christ in my weakness.

This morning was no different. My need for Him is strong and my relianceon Him is of the utmost importance. I feel the heat of that crucibleagain and I know that He has entrusted me to raise these small people...
notbecause He knows I can do it - but because He knows I cannot.

"Who wants to pray this morning?" their daddy asks.
"I do!" says Heather excitedly. With that, she begins to talkto God with a simple beauty that makes my prayers sound proud and guarded.

"Dear Jesus..." she half-whispers, head bowed and eyes squeezed shut.

Photo Credit

She rattles off a mix of prayers she has heard before-prayers uttered byher parents, grandparents, preschool and Sunday school teachers, and friends. It's the sound of a faith community coming together to raise this littlegirl in the admonition of the Lord. One of those phrases she uses in her conversation with the Almighty is her own adaptation of onefamiliar from my childhood, and it catches me off-guard.

"...and be us Guest..."

I look up at her as she continues her prayers and ponder the Good Shepherdbeing a guest in this house full of 5 wayward sheep. I feel a mix ofhumility and empowerment as a lump forms in my throat. He is here anytimewe ask Him to dwell, no matter in what shape the invitation comes. He isalways here when we invite Him. The Good Shepherd doesn't run to thesheep who sit all well-behaved in the pen, but to those sheep that seem todaily need a rescue.

The Gentle Shepherd is the One who comes when we need Him to add grace tothe weakness of the worn-out mom, the struggling business owner, the pastoroverwhelmed by the needs, the one suffering with cancer of the body, or the onepained with the sin of the mind. The Gentle Shepherd is no respecter ofpersons and He comes to those who genuinely offer Him the place of honor in themiddle of their need.

We ask you humbly, sweet Shepherd, be “us”guest...in our weaknesses and at our messy table.

I will be sharing the story of our little family at the First Baptist Church inEdwardsport, Indiana this Sunday, January 29^th. The service starts at 6:30 PM. I would love to see you there!

A Bitter Taste

2012-01-22T14:31:00.000-08:00

Every one of us is,even from his mother's womb, a master craftsman of idols.

Calvin

Theinteractions between Moses and the Israelite people really captivated myattention this week in my Bible reading. In my study, there wasthis one verse I must have missed in the past and it fascinated me in allmanner of ways.

Ifyou are unfamiliar with Exodus 32, let me give you a synopsis of what hasconspired. In Exodus 24:12 Moses receiveda command from God…a most magnificent, terrifying, awe-inspiring order:

“Come up to me on the mountain andstay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and commandsI have written for their instruction.”

Mosesdid just that, and the decrees he received from the LORD filled the next sevenchapters. At the end of His holy instruction to Moses on all kinds oftopics, He took His very own finger and wrote the 10 Commandments on tablets ofstone.

Letyour mind wrap around that for a second.

Thesame finger that could spin the whole earth better than the likes of any HarlemGlobetrotter carved these laws into a stone with just His mere touch….just forall of His children to get a smidge of an idea regarding how powerful He reallyis.

Whatan incredible thing for Moses, former palace darling, murderer, andsheep-herder turned reluctant emancipator, to witness. The eyes that hadgazed upon the plagues, the miracles, and the provision of a Holy God nowviewed another display of His power and experienced another level of closenesswith the Almighty Himself.

Asalways, the plot tends to thicken when we read about the Israelites. Justwhen you think that they have to have LEARNED THEIR LESSON OR SOMETHING, youare reminded that they haven’t.

Remindsme of someone else I know.

WhileMoses was up there having a Holy Tent Revival with Yahweh, down below thepeople were waiting for over a month to see their fearless leader. Frankly,we all know just how awesome the Israelites were at waiting. J

Timeticked by and their frustration was palpable. Aaron felt that frustrationas they cornered him. They were sick.to.death of waiting.

So,the Hebrew people turned to Aaron and recruited him to help them build anothergod. Probably because they thought that the One they already had was notenough for them. He was also too blessed slow, and so was his main manMoses.

SoAaron took all the gold in the camp and melted it down into a golden calf forGod’s people to worship. Talk about fools’ gold, huh?

Photo Source

Ihope I have set the context for the verse I really want towrite about.

WhenMoses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burnedand he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the footof the mountain. And he took the calf they had made and burned it inthe fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made theIsraelites drink it.

Hemade them drink the gold-water. He went to a lot of trouble to do it,too. He threw the idol into the fire, then he had to grind it up. Finally, he had to spread it all over their water source.

Whymake them drink it?

Wouldn’tit have been enough to just trash the idol and melt it in the heat? Hecould have smashed it like Tina Fey on Letterman, but he made them drink itinstead.

NowI have not been known to drink water with gold flecks (I live in Bicknell soyou can find a few flecks alright, but they are never golden). But if Ihad to guess what it tasted like, I bet I could.

Ibelieve that water tasted bitter.

Moseswanted them to drink of the cup of bitterness, because he knew that idolatryfor the Hebrew people was only going to produce unpleasant results. Idolatryalways leaves a bad taste – in the mouth of God and of the idolater.

Buildinganother god to worship always leads to confusion, frustration anddisappointment. Maybe not right away…but it always does. TheIsraelites tried to construct a god they could control – a god they couldalways see – a god who had no mystery. Those qualities make for a prettypoor god, don’t you think? If I could understand everything my God does,why would I follow Him? I am looking for someone smarter than me!

Theykept at it though; the Hebrews kept bringing their riches and their treasures,hoping it would make something suitable to worship. It reminds me of somesong lyrics. “Many men will pour their gold and serve a thing thatshines.” Created ones worshiped created things which were formed by theCreator. Something is very, very wrong with this picture.

Thetruth about idols is that they were not just used several thousand yearsago. They exist today. Maybe you don’t have a golden calfcollecting dust in your laundry room, but there are things or people or bothcompeting for first place in your life. When you give first place tosomething other than Yahweh, that person or thing will eventually let you downand it won’t be long before you taste the bitterness of thatdisappointment. Trust me, I know.

Godknows He is God, and He desires for us to put Him in His rightful place. However, when He reveals to us the other gods sitting upon the thrones of ourhearts, He does that for us.

Heis trying to make us holy, but He is also trying to help us avoid descent intothe pit called bitterness where dashed expectations and broken hearts litterthe ground. We build idols to serve and quickly they become ourobsession. Kelly Minter wrote, “Any idol in our lives becomes ourmaster.” He knows that any other master is not worthy of our attentionsand affections and He also knows that they cannot fulfill us like He can andwants to. He knows that at least, those other gods will leave us batteredand bruised spiritually and much worse off than before we built them. Ourpast reminds us of the times we looked to another to quench our thirst for Godand tasted of a bitter gold-water instead.

Butthere is One who also tasted bitterness.

Hedrank it for all the times we have sought to make our own gods and bowed downin worship to them.

Hedrank it for all the times we looked for love and acceptance from someone orsomething that could never give it.

Itwas here that we were freed from the bitter taste of idolatry once and for all,no longer to live under the slavery of a different master.

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that theScripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegarwas there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of thehyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received thedrink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”

Holding Hands.

2012-01-19T19:06:00.000-08:00

For I am the LORD, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.

Isaiah 41:13

Whenever mylittle girls are going anywhere with us, we have a rule: they must hold ahand.

Sometimes theyhave to hold a "pocket" because mama's hands are full!

We do this for a couple of different reasons: safety and comfort.
We make them hold our hands so that they don't run off and get hurt by a car orgo to an area where they don't belong.

We hold theirhands so a stranger doesn't grab them and zoom off.

Seth and I alsohold their hands because when we go to new places or are around new people, itprovides to them a level of security because it reminds them that we are withthem and there is no reason to fear.

God is the same way. He is a wonderful Father who knows we need safetyand comfort in this world full of hurt and fear.

I once heardBeth Moore speak about a health scare she had. Her daughter Melissa toldher that "God knows it's scary to be us." He who did not evenspare His own Son for us is aware of how scary it is tobe in it, but not of it.

He grasps ourshaky fingers and presses our sweaty palms to the same hand that formed theuniverse. What a humbling thought - the God of all creation reaches outHis arm and takes the hand of those who are willing to grasp it and receive thehelp of the LORD!

I want to tell you that there are times when my little girls don't want to holdour hands. Sometimes they outright disobey this rule, which once led toour oldest daughter scaring the daylights out of me when she ran across a busygas station parking lot.

She thought thatthe freedom to do what she wanted was better than the comfort and safety shefound in us. God’s little ones can oftenbe found doing the same thing – believing the lie that the freedom we have todo exactly what we want is a better alternative than His well-crafted very bestfor our lives.

Nothinginherently bad happened to our little girl, except for maybe some threats for time-out for therest.of.her.life! That happened several months ago when they came to livewith us.

I have noticed something since then: thelonger she is with us, the more she likes holding our hands. Perhaps it’sbecause the longer she knows us, and the more we keep our word to her, the moreshe trusts us.

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In my own relationship with God, I have found the same to be true. Thelonger and more I know Him, the more I love Him and trust Him. Then Ifind I am more willing to walk with His hand in mine and let Him lead me toplaces that don't look near as scary when I am placing my life in His grasp.

May we find great assurance and delight aswe cling more tightly to His hand of grace.

(This is an edited version of a devotion I wrote in 2011.)

A Letter To My Daughter.

2012-01-16T22:05:00.000-08:00

Tabbitha, our oldest daughter,attends a wonderful preschool where her dedicated teachers work with thestudents on a wide variety of things. When I picked her up on Friday,Tabbi wore a sparkly, 500- watt smile and had a charming little prance in herstep. I quickly learned that the preschoolers had begun a new projectthat promotes Godly confidence, and encourages each child to realize that he orshe is special and valuable to God and to loved ones. It's called Star ofthe Week.

Might not sound like a big dealto you, but to our four-year-old wonder it was akin to hitting the big jackpot.

It didn't hurt that her teacherlet her take home the Star of the Week information in a reusable zebra-printbag. She loves zebra print. As Tabbi and Heather say frequently,"I get it from my mama!" Good taste is contagious andapparently genetic as well.

We use that word loosely aroundthese parts (wink).

Upon our arrival home andcelebratory hugs from her siblings regarding her preschool coronation, welooked through the information packet to see what needed to be done forTabbitha's big week. We were responsible for an "All About Me"poster that went into detail about our family, her favorite foods and sports,and wishes that she has, such as going to Disney World and receiving a NintendoDS (more on that later). She also had the Great Nursery School Honor ofbringing not one, not two, but THREE of her favorite toys to show her class,sort of like Show and Tell on anabolic steroids. Seth assisted her incollecting those toys and placing them in the bag for her big debut. Theschool asked that she bring her very favorite book in as well to be read to theclass sometime this week.

I have to tell you though, itwas the last part of the assignment that produced a large lump in mythroat. The teacher encouraged the family of said Star of the Week towrite a letter to her to be read before the whole class. The sheer ideaof writing down all Tabbitha means to our family caused a large tear to pool ineach of my eyes. It was moving, exciting, daunting, to even considerfinding vocabulary to express the way my heart almost bursts with love for herand her brother and her sister.

Seth and I tried our very bestto design a composition that was preschool-friendly but also extremelymeaningful. It made me want to do another letter - one Icould show to her later in her life to help her understand what she is worth toChrist and to us. I thought I would share, in hopes that you may alsorealize that the things I say to my daughter, God whispers to you tonight too.

Dear Tabbitha,

The first time I laid eyes onyou, my heart was stolen - for always, for good. It was not a traditionalway for a mother and child to meet - after all, most mommies don't see theirbabies for the first time the way I met you, but it didn't stop me from lookinginto your sweet eyes and falling in love, never to fall out. Maybe it washow you carried yourself and independently hopped from the carseat and out ofthe caseworker's little car, or the gentle way you kept an eye on your siblingsto make sure that they were never more than an arm's length away. Youwalked into our home as though it was just another foster home, and the warylook on your face that told us you weren't expecting much from us.

Who could blame you after whatyou had seen and the weight of the world you carried around on your tinyshoulders? This world will let us down, beginning the moment we draw ourfirst breath. The people God created are flawed inside and we needHim. If we don't know that we need Him or attempt to do it without Him,we fail. The thing about that failure is it never just affects the one who fails. Life is not fair, princess. But I take joy in telling you that there isOne who has never failed you. He never will.

He is the One who introducedus. He is the One who KNEW I would be so much less without you. Heis the One who decided you would be our little girl when you were being knittogether inside the belly of another who loved you very much - so much she gaveyou life even though it meant great sacrifice on her own part.

People didn't think we wouldmake it, you and me. I didn't even think we would make it, especially atnighttime, when your daddy and I found ourselves in the silence, in the stillplace where inadequacies scream and Satan speaks his native language,whispering lie after lie after lie -- most of those deceitful whispers swirledaround my lack...

You'll never be a good mom.
She will never trust you.
God is disappointed in yourinability to show patience to these little ones.

The lies were loud - but I amthankful for all of the precious people of God who shouted the Truth so muchlouder and the God who empowered us to keep going even when everything in youand everything in me wondered what God was doing with the five of us.

I know I made a lot ofmistakes...I pray almost as much as I breathe that I am far more aware of eachone than you will ever be. I pray you remember that you are loved in thishome. As you sleep in the next room, I utter that cry from the depths ofmy soul for what seems like the millionth time --- that you will know and relyon the love God has for you. We will letyou down, but He won’t.

You are sleeping in the nextroom, curled up with your Build-a-Bear. I remember the day we got that bear for you about a year ago. You chose for that bear to laugh every timeyou squeezed its paw, and right then I dared to ask God if the next season ofyour life could be one filled with laughter.

We have seen laughter and tearsand the heights and the depths since then, haven’t we? We have been refined in this crucible calledfoster care, and He has given us great joy in the midst of the great work He isdoing. I can think of nothing that fillsmy heart more than when you wink back at me using both eyes, or when Heathergives me a smooch because “You need some Lick Gloss, mommy!” or when Ty givesme hugs and snugs—all simple evidences of God’s best. That’s why it can cause pain when people don’tfully comprehend how much I love you. Some people ask me when I am going to have “real” kids and your daddylaughs when I say that if those people were to pinch you, they would indeedlearn incredibly quickly that you are, in fact, very real. God has called us to help people understandthat foster care and adoption was not a “back up plan” for our family, butrather His highest good and first choice for us and it just might be the sameway for some of them.

Tabbitha, do you know that you challengeme to greater holiness, even at four? Yourpresence has revealed my greatest selfishness and has brought me to the throneof grace more in the last 15 months than in all my years combined. You have my deep, deep gratitude for thatgreat gift. You make me more like Jesus,and that is the highest compliment I can give another human being. You make me better. You make me more like the person God createdme to be. I am less without you.

I love you so fiercely. The thought of some grown ups in black robeswho have never met you and me but will make decisions about our future togethercan cause my fear to overwhelm my faith at times. I want to believe, but I am sometimes stillafraid. Mercifully, I am often remindedthat it’s not faith that casts out fear, but pure, true love from God and forneighbor. It’s love, received from Himand shared with each other, that makes the scaredy cat scamper right out of us. Love has made us brave, hasn’t it?

His love has shown me that I have everything I need to be the mommy you need me to be. His love has held us together and given us courage to keep figuring itout.
And those grown ups in the blackrobes?

The other day I heard that songagain. It spoke of the truth to which Icling: Jesus commands our destiny, baby girl. Not those strangers that have never met us, but the God who fashioned usand delighted to give you to me.

Youmust know that I long for the day that the law calls you mine, but I am soaware that we have a Counselor and an Advocate who says you already are.

Well, thisletter might possibly be a little long for four-year-old you, but Papaw Biggstold you from the beginning that your mommy has a strong tendency to be quite windy,so you can’t say you weren’t warned. Butit’s getting late and Ty will be up again soon, so I think I will just sneak intoyour room, kiss your soft cheek and rock you for a moment. While I do that, I will thank Jesus again forthe chance to watch you grow into the mighty woman of God you say you will beevery night. I will also thank Him thatHe is using you to make me into one too.

And just in casesomeone gets mommy’s story mixed up and starts to tell you how lucky you are,you just remember that you did all the rescuing.

All my foreverlove,

Mommy

A.K.A PicklePants

Names, Part II.

2012-01-12T13:54:00.000-08:00

Click here to read Names, Part I.

My father always delighted to tell his children how they got their names. Probably because he picked them out himself. My brother, Ryan, was born when mothers stayed in the hospital longer after giving birth (I'm not cracking on his age, either I am just statin' the facts) and my parents had some trouble choosing a name that they both liked. My dad had gone back to his teaching job after a day or so off and received a frantic, high-octane, hormone-driven phone call from my mom that went something like, "If they bring me this child one more time and I have no name to call him, I am going to scream and cry!" Thankfully, she knew her limits after the birth of her firstborn and let my dad do the business of the picking.

The story of how my name came to be is a little different. First of all, I was born just a couple of months shy of my brother's 12th birthday and to say I was a surprise pregnancy would be the understatement of my parents' lives. They were led to believe that I was a boy all throughout my experience in-utero - and worse, they referred to me by the boy name of Nicholas! So you can imagine their shock - and my Aunt Karleen's high-decibel woops from the waiting room - when I indeed turned out to be a girl. Nice to know I've been catching people off-guard since around 1985.

My mom tried to make it easy and suggested that my name should be Nicole - the female version of the boy name they had picked out. My dad was apparently not having that and came back with Lauren - a name he fancied, and Elyse - his ode to the famous piano piece Fur Elise.

My mom had cards with names and meanings on them for 79 cents apiece at her little store, and one day curiosity got the best side of me. Excited and ready for some greatness to tell all my friends, I stepped up to the big book of names and found mine.

Laurel-crowned.

At the risk of sounding unspiritual, I have to admit that I felt like Ralphie in that scene from A Christmas Story when he gets his Little Orphan Annie Decoder pen, minus the cussing part.

"Be sure to drink your Ovaltine?"

Anyway, you could say it was a letdown. I remember thinking that it seemed ill-fitted for me to be crowned with any type of flowers. It's fair to point out that I've never been on the good side of delicate. Considering I was like My Big Fat Greek Wedding's Toula Portokolos as a youngster, minus the Greek part.

"I was a swarthy six-year old with sideburns."

It was tucked there in a back file of my mind and the memory didn't resurface until the conversation with my friend described yesterday in Part I. After the eye-opening realizations God had given me regarding the names of my children, I dug a little deeper into the meaning of my name. From what I have researched, these tiny blooms have caught my intrigue.

Turns out, they can be extremely toxic.

Man, this name thing can be a total drag :)

Stick with me, though...

They are best known as being a powerful analgesic and antiseptic, and are frequently used to treat a variety of skin conditions, scratches and cuts. They are also used to help in easing arthritis, ridding the system of parasites, and relieving the sound of ringing in the ears.

There you have it: two polar extremes. These little buds can be tremendously fatal in their toxicity, but if given the chance, they also possess a healing quality that can soothe all manner of ailments.

They can work some wonders nothing short of amazing if they are used in a medicinal way.

Laurels can offer pain relief.

Laurels are designed to clean a wound and keep it from infecting.

Laurels have been created to calm tired joints and provide rest for those bodies worn out from the journey of life.

Laurels are able to aid in ridding the body of parasites.

Laurels have the ability to silence the incessant ringing and bring the sound of peace.

What if I told you that these flowers - my namesakes, if you will - have reminded me of the choice that has been set before me?

I, much like the Laurel, have been guilty of being toxic from time to time - speaking death over people and situations, poisoning the air with negativity, filling the silence with a critical tone or a look that could bring demise, giving way to temptation and afflicting my sweet Jesus with the lethal wages of my sin.

However, I was not created to be toxic or poisonous. God did not design me to hurt or wound or poison. I was made for more than that. Although I have this flesh, this body of death, that can trip me up so easily, that is not all I am! The Spirit of Life and Truth and Mercy and Justice and Healing and Love flows through these veins. Christ in me - the Hope that His Glory is in me and on me and above me and below me and permeating every part of me.

Walking in that truth, I find a little piece of what my Abba Father had in mind when He called me by name... long before my dad chose it for me.

While I grieve for all the times I have chosen to be toxic, I also remember....He is in me. He is in me. He is in me. The sheer glory of hope that He could take someone like me, who when left to my own stubborn devices, is toxic, and use her to heal.

He is in me, so

Lauren can offer pain relief to those afflicted, be it physically or spiritually.

Lauren is designed to bring purity in places that are infected with evil.

Lauren has been created to offer rest to tired spirits and provide an oasis for those bodies worn out from the journey of life.

Lauren is able to bring justice and deliverance to those who have been used by others for selfish gain.

Laurels have the ability to silence the lies of the enemy in the ears of others and bring the sound of peace.

All this, by Christ's power alone.

I pray that every single time someone calls my name, I am reminded of the choice that I have: to be poisonous or to encourage purpose. To speak death or offer life. To tear down or to build up.

Help me make the right choice, Jesus -- because the sweetest moment, when it's all worth it, is the moment I hear your voice call me by my name.

Names, Part I.

2012-01-11T19:00:00.000-08:00

My buddy Heather grinned, wide-eyed as she listened to me describe the latest stories of redemption taking place within our church community.

I told her in particular of one friend who has recently taken off running full speed toward Jesus in the midst of a difficult season in life. "Actually, you two have something in common. Her name is Heather also," I commented. "You would really love her!"

Heather stepped closer to me as she began to speak. "You should tell her what her name means. It's really important that she knows what it means."

I knew she was passionate about names and their meanings; a year or so ago, she shared with me the measure of grace she received upon learning that the names of her three sons --whom she had named before she truly believed--were beautifully purposed in the heart of God Himself and were a great reflection of His plans for their lives.
As she spoke of the flower for which she is named, I could tell it brought her much encouragement. "Heathers are flowers that grow the best in rocky places - they only grow to their full potential amidst true adversity....conditions that would kill most flowers make heathers thrive."

I promised to share one Heather's affirmation with the other, and with a quick hug, she was off.

I emailed my other friend Heather that very day and shared with her the hope of what God had revealed-through someone she doesn't even know.

As I typed, my mind journeyed to the past and I recalled all the beautiful names I had picked out for my future children. Sweet, unique, purposeful, and special monikers that would find even greater significance as my children grew older and met their namesakes. Names with meanings that I longed to see carried out in my children. But as Elizabeth Barrett Browning once wrote: "God's dreams put man's best plans to shame." As He saw fit in His complete benevolence, the three children God has entrusted us to raise had already received names from the biological family before we knew they existed.

I know it's a trivial thing, but until that conversation with my friend, I had been sad that I missed out on the naming process with the children we hope to adopt-and all of the things that go with it, like sweet bonding time, or knowing what they look like as newborns.
However, His faithfulness is evident over every single part of this journey and I am beginning to understand that "He withholds no good thing" from His own. So as I typed that email, I realized that God had truly gone before us in the naming of our children.

As some of you may know, one of our daughters is named Heather also. We have watched her blossom through the toughest of situations, and it is obvious to me that God's plan began for her even before she was knitted together in the secret place. He knew the way her life would unfold and how He would raise her up in the midst of it-preparing her for good things. Each time we say her name, we are speaking these things on her life.

Inspired by God's sweet ways, I looked up the given names of our other two sweeties and saw His hand at work again...our oldest daughter, Tabbitha (notice the unique spelling with two B's), who shares her name with a Biblical heroine (you KNOW I'm into that) who, of all people, was raised from the dead in the book of Acts. What a blessing it has been to see her come alive with a great measure of care and love - and no small amount of blood, sweat, and tears! Tabbitha also means gazelle, and if you've seen her in action, you know what a truly graceful and gifted child she is. God knew this when He created her, and somehow in His gentle way - He found a way for us to speak her future over her every time we call her name.

As I searched the meaning of our sweet boy's name, I was at first disheartened after seeing the incredible meaning found in the other two names. Tyler means tile maker or tile layer...spiritual, huh?!

However, as I asked God what He had in mind, I felt a still small voice remind me of how busy my son finds himself. He enjoys tinkering, building, and working with his hands, even at his young age. This is a two-fold blessing. God pointed out to me Seth shares this love for building things with Ty, which reminds us that God purposed a long time ago for Ty to be a part of our family forever, no matter what may come. God also spoke to my heart a promise - "One day, your son will be busy building for my Kingdom and my Glory - laying tile where moth and rust cannot destroy."

This revelation of God's grace has been a breath of fresh air to me...another simple reminder that God pays attention to our hearts and cares about the little things that seem so insignificant! It's also another reminder that you and I have a Father who is full of grace.

Perhaps you think you were named without a purpose or without forethought.

Let me assure you that God has a loving name that He truly longs to call each of us....

His.

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Letting Go

2010-06-13T17:26:00.000-07:00

That Girl has always been self-diagnosed with what might be termed 'Separation Anxiety'. I have never been any good at letting go. In fact, I used to cry big crocodile tears when my mom took my blanket away for the bimontly wash-which meant she could not stand the smell anymore and it had gotten to the point when it was pretty much walking around on its own.
Gross.
However, there is something quite nostalgic about the days before GermX rolled down the mountains like God's mercy and started smelling like lavender. And I use the term lavender loosely.
But I digress. Since the days of The Blankie, I have not improved on my ability to
a) hang on to things or people forever
OR to
b) let them go. Case in point: my sadness at having to say goodbye to our College Students that came for camp. They were there for two whole days. We can't hold on to people forever, which instinctively makes us want to hold on to them even tighter. But one way or another-either by life's circumstances or the hand of God-our grip is tested and found far looser than we thought.

That doesn't mean I have to like it though.

Which is why I would be no good at things like
Skydiving- letting go of the sides of a plane to freefall into oblivion? No thanks. I LIKE handles.
Trapeze Art- refer to #1
Reading Karen Kingsbury. After the first series about the Baxters I was very attached. Then I was in seminary and no longer had time to read them. What a cruel world.

That is why I always admired people like my friends Joni and Chad. I mean, they invited children to come into their homes, share life with them, parent them, only to know in the back of their minds one day would come when they might have to let them go.
That's brave.
The word I think of comes from the late Jaime Escalante- the ganas -intestinal fortitude that leads people to do things even though try may be difficult.
I wish I was braver. Don't you?

Every time I heard Joni or Chad talk about foster parenting, I wished I could make a difference like them. I would think about how I could never do that based on my aforementioned separation anxiety. I was afraid of getting hurt and losing someone I loved. I didn't know how they weren't afraid of the same things and many, many more.

Until one day last fall.

Curiosity finally got the best of me. I finally asked Chad, a full-time pastor and seminary student how he did it. "Chad, this little boy calls you Dad. Your kids think he is their brother. You love him so much. How will you cope if he has to leave? How could you face letting go of him-potentially losing him to another foster home or his biological family? I could never do that."
He looked at me with the most piercing glance and then said something that would later change my life.

"Do you think I do it for myself?" Chad replied.

That's all it took, really.

Seth and I were engaged at that time and foster care was always something Seth had been very interested in. So I knew it was no coincidence that I had that discussion with Chad that day. Fast forward through the winter months and a wedding.
We were enjoying our new marriage and content with our new lives. A month went by, and God began to wake me in the middle of the night. I didn't know what He wanted at first, but I knew He wanted something.
Our church had been ministering to children by providing them meals at our programming every Wednesday, and I have had the pleasure of interacting with many of them. Some of them come hungry, with holes in their clothes and no life in their sweet little eyes. At some point, I could no longer say, "That's too bad" or "What a shame." instead, I was confronted with a need and I could either pity these children or I could do something about it. So I began to submit my fear to God a moment at a time, but my inadequacies are many and I was still terrified of inviting a child into our home and hearts and then seeing that child leave. So I went to Seth, hoping the practical side of him would remind me of exactly how long(or shortly!) we have been married and how silly I was to think that we could parent children in difficult transitions.

He didn't.

He promised instead to pray about it. The very next day he sent me a link for foster care at work. So Sweet Husband was on board. But I still wasn't sure I was.

So I cried out to God and ask Him to pick someone more qualified. More intelligent. Better with children. Better at letting go.

You know what He said?

He told me in essence through His Word and His voice that I could get in front of hundreds of people and not bat an eye. I can go overseas and serve without fear and I could pray with a stranger and write a blog that strangers read.
Okay, great.

But none of that took a lot of real faith though. What would take real faith was to commit to something that is totally contrary to my nature and trust God to teach me to let go.

"My grace is sufficient for you-my strength is made perfect in your weakness." 2 Cor. 12:9

This is one of the first times God has asked me to do something that at first, I did not want to do in the least. But I have also heard it spoken that God does His best work when we are out of our comfort zone the most.

So, I am letting go and letting God accomplish His purpose in this. But only with His help.

To Him be the glory.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Yet Another Moment

2010-04-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Checking in with all of you for a little story time...

I would reckon that all of you know a pastor's wife. Perhaps she is quiet, reserved, and gentle-spirited. Perhaps she loves Point of Grace and Betty Robison. She always has everyone over for Sunday dinner and it never burns despite the fact her husband preaches thirty minutes longer than normal. She might like to dance only when no one is around and she plays a killer piano piece or two.

I am not That Pastor's Wife.

Sometimes I wish I was. My life would be a lot simpler if I was sometimes. But as you all have learned by now, I am not. As hard as I may try sometimes, I will probably never be known as a quiet and gentle spirit, as a great cook, or as a fantastic piano player.

But Alas, I am That Girl.

Today's worship experience was another reminder of that. You see, every week we rotate who is in charge of leading musical worship and that person is in charge of introducing songs, welcoming people, announcing transititions in the service-such as introducing the offering time and having everyone be seated before Seth preaches, and today I was the worship leader. It had been an eventful Sunday morning even before I showed up, as our sound system wigged out during our first service and Seth found himself crawling in a cubbie to get it back on--wherein his allergies flared up and I heard he sneezed his way through the message as he got what I playfully call "Allergy Face."

You who suffer with allergies and those that love you know of what I speak.

Anywho, Seth didn't feel good. But everyone was excited as we had four baptisms to do during second service, and there was celebration in the air. So we sang a few songs, but the normal order of worship was changed because of the baptisms at the beginnning.

Who knew that this would throw a Type B like me off my game?

Shoulda known. Shoulda known.

We normally sing three songs at the beginning and then after scripture reading and offering we do two more. I forgot that things were upside down and as soon as we ended with a beautiful acapella last-time-through chorus of "Mighty to Save," I asked everyone to please be seated and invited the children to head through this door to the right, ages 3 through the 2nd grade. I smiled and as everyone was seated, I got up to walk off the platform, Seth shook his head and said, "We have one more! One More!"

You ever wish the altar would open and swallow you whole?

As if I should be so lucky. Instead, I shook my head and said my classic line: "Just Kidding!"

Unfortunately, the damage was already done. It was like PT Barnum introduced the next act. The kids had no idea what to do and the adults were laughingso hard they couldn't sing. Except for the visitors, who had that look of confusion mixed with awkwardness.

grrreeeaaatt.

It's a good thing this next song just happened to be "Your Grace is Enough." As I stood there tryingg to laugh it off, my heart was embarrassed and all I wanted to do was go sit down in the pew.

You have felt that way at some time too, I'm sure.

But this part of the verse changed my mind:

You use the weak to lead the strong

Maybe that's why I am the pastor's wife. Not because I am a great piano player, or a quiet and gentle spirit, but because He uses the weak to lead the strong. If that's the case, I am willing.

But you won't find me sitting on the piano bench. As you might have guessed, I don't have a lot of coordination.

How to Begin

2010-01-21T17:00:00.000-08:00

It's very hard to come back to all of you after such a long separation. Partly because I am embarrassed that it has been this long, and partly because so much has happened since I shared with all of you last time.

I took a new job in the healthcare field

I moved into a new place with my friend Margaret from church until the wedding

I planned/am planning a wedding

You see, I am learning how to begin a new life. A life shared not only with my God, but also with this person I love and who is becoming part of me and vice versa. It's interesting and beautiful and distracting and fun and challenging and this guy's pants just ripped on American Idol that I Tivoed so I am losing my train of thought.

Just seeing if you were paying attention.

I think that God's desire is for us to learn to live a new kind of life not just during periods and seasons of transition, but daily as we strive to surrender ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit and to the Gospel of Love and Truth.

He is good. My life is good, and although you won't hear from me as much in the next few weeks as we prepare for this exciting and amazing transition, I pray that you'll consider how God may desire you to live a new life...

Maybe it means
finally letting it go
quitting that bad habit that separates you from Him
moving out of that ungodly relationship
taking a risk for His Glory
letting Him chip away the walls around your heart
learning to 'love in the Spirit' (as my friend Grace said last night)

I know what it means for me...and it's not all roses and sunshine around That Girl--the chances to live out redemption are begging to be taken all around me and the challenge is to live out what I believe in EVERY aspect of my life. I am praying God will show me how to begin.

I hope you will too...

(PS 37 more days!!)

(PPS I couldn't resist)

I Want a Pink Pair of Gloves!

2009-12-15T07:57:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Abbie for sharing the link!

Answered Prayers and Happy Birthday Nicole!

2009-12-14T11:27:00.000-08:00

Remember this post? Nicole got to meet her Compassion International sponsored child, Jose Enrique.

But I'll let her tell you about that. Click here to read the beautiful story.

I jsut spoke with Nicole on the phone from Thailand and I told her how excited I was that God had answered our prayers. I also told her HAPPY BIRTHDAY--God did a special work 25 years ago today when He blessed us by creating such a wonderful servant of Christ.

That Girl: Walk of Shame

2009-12-07T07:40:00.000-08:00

I had the honor of speaking at Church of the Cross in Shoals yesterday. I got up, got ready, and put my shoes on and left my apartment in Oakland City. It wasn't until an hour later when I arrived in Loogootee that I realized I had one high-heeled shoe on and one wedge.

Now in order to defend myself I shall tell you that they were both the same color and minus a bow they look pretty much the same at the top.

After I confessed to certain members of the church, one of them asked me if it was uncomfortable for one heel to be bigger than the other.

I said, "Oh no. It actually works out since one of my legs is longer than the other one."

There's always an upside, people. ALWAYS.

It Was All Yellow....

2009-12-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

That Girl Moment #1012: Deck The Halls

2009-12-02T08:06:00.000-08:00

On Monday nights, Seth and I always have date night. For those of you who follow me on Twitter, you have read about how much I enjoy these times. Generally Seth drives to visit me, we go out to eat, and then do something else that's fun, whether it's working on wedding stuff (might not be too fun for him...) or going window-shopping or watching The Closer on TNT. Mondays are great.

This particular Monday, Seth and I had made plans to put up the Christmas tree at his house. So instead of our usual plans, I went over to the parsonage. I walked in and bless his heart, he surprised me by making dinner. The table was set and the meal was so good. He is precious to me.

However, as per my standard of living, I could not just have a "normal" experience with Seth as we kept our yearly tradition of putting up the tree together, though. After dinner, I cleaned up (it's only fair) and we headed into the living room.
Now as you know, Seth loves to be organized, and he has two plastic bins in which he keeps Christmas decor. It makes it so much easier to decorate when everything is organized!

Oh so it would seem.....

He has a huge Skechers shoebox wherein all of the ornaments, both plastic and glass, make their little twinkly home. Seth instructed me to dump out the box of ornaments onto the floor so that we could hang them on the tree.

He probably assumed that I would remove the wrought iron ornaments first so that they didn't crush the glass ones.

You know what they say about making assumptions! Skechers boxes have an attached top and so I just pulled both sides open toward the floor. Those little suckers spilled out and I heard a sound that made me sick. Apparently the ornaents rumbled and the big Christmas Tree ornaments had won in their gang fight against the cute glass bulbs. It was bloody. I had broken three bulbs.

OH TANNENBAUM. OH TANNENBAUM. That Girl should not be near you!

I am so blessed to be marrying an extremely patient man who looked at the SHARDS O' GLASS stuck in his berber carpet and shook his head a little while I groveled a lot.

"Please don't apologize anymore. They are just ornaments I bought 6 years ago. Cheap ornaments. It's okay. It really doesn't matter," he reassured.

I still felt pretty much like crap. They were ornaments he had managed not to break for six years. I had broken them even before they were OUT OF THE BOX!!

ay yi yi yi yi.

Trying to save face as the Betty Crocker/Martha Stewart/Sandra Lee wannabe wife-to-be, I went to work on my next assignment: emptying a vase of small rocks and filling it with small plastic silver bulbs. I did it with beauty and grace, too.

Until I accidentally knocked over the vase onto the remaining glass ornaments and broke about three more.

We were talking about The Ornament Incident last night at premarital counseling. Seth explained to the pastor what had happened and said, "They came from WalMart six years ago. I mean, it's not like she broke a baby or something..."

YIKES! I hope I get some more dexterity before then.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas!

On Being Thankful...

2009-11-26T07:23:00.000-08:00

My friend Cori has a new blog that chronicles her journey after a stroke that almost took her life and the many months of grueling therapy afterward. This is the story she tells about how thankful she is for her husband Tim. check it out here.

And be thankful!

That Girl Moment #1001: They See Me Rollin'....

2009-11-24T07:38:00.000-08:00

I think I have adequately mentioned the fact that I might not exactly be the best driver in the world. Here's how you know it's bad: you get comforted by the sound of Dennis Haysbert telling you that you're in good hands.

Saturday night, I was rolling- late as usual-and as I rolled into Bicknell, I must've rolled through a stop sign.

That sentence had more rolls than a SharPei dog.

...rolling along....

I didn't even realize I had done anything wrong at all. Didn't notice, that is, UNTIL I saw those lovable red and blue lights flashing behind me.
YES! I had been looking to be introduced to the local police force.

The officer walked up to my window. "Ma'am, I am an officer with the Bicknell Police Department. May I see your license please?" He was very very polite to me.

I began to fish out my wallet and in one of my most grandiose That Girl moments-within-a-moment, I handed him a card only to realize as he took it from me, that I had not fished out my Driver's License but rather my debit card....
....clearly a Freudian slip as I was wondering how much this little introduction to the BPD was going to cost me. The officer chuckled and said, "That won't do me much good, will it?"
I wanted so badly to tell him that it really, really wouldn't do him any good if I had to pay for a ticket.
I held my tongue. Aren't you so glad?
He then asked me The Question Dreaded by Boyfriends and Husbands All Around The World. "Ma'am, do you know why I stopped you and what you did wrong?"

What I wanted to say: "Sir, with all due respect it's a crapshoot. I probably had multiple driving errors trying to get to my fiance's house while simultaneously running late, applying mascara (which may or may not end up running down my face here shortly), and turning the radio dial to Delilah."

For the record, I didn't put on mascara or listen to Delilah on the night in question.

What I actually said: "Sir, I am late for the parade and I was trying to get to the home of my fiance so I am assuming I was speeding?!"
I said, more in question form so as not to confess if I hadn't been actually CAUGHT speeding. Truth be told, I am unsure as to what the speed limit is on that street...Cringe.

"Actually, ma'am," he informed, "You're late for the parade. It's in Vincennes and it's already 6:30, you know."

{Right or wrong, hence the speeding.}

"Who's your fiance?" he asked.
"Well sir, his name is Seth Alexander." I left out the part where he was the pastor of the church down the street. Last time I got a ticket, I told the officer I was en route to Bible study. I got a ticket and a disapproving glare. I promise it was the truth! He said he didn't know him and I was a little relieved,

You didn't make a complete stop at that stop sign back there."

Hmmm. True.

He looked at my license again and said, "Do you have any unpaid tickets?"

Nope.

"You ever been arrested?"

Nope. I'd never survive in prison. I'm That Girl.

"Okay, ma'am. I am going to let you go with a warning this time. Make sure you stop fully at each stop sign, okay?"

I agreed and off I went. Slowly, counting to five mississippi at ech stop sign thereafter.

________________________________________________________

At 11:30 that night, I got on the road to head back home. There was a car in front of me going a little fast so although I was startled to see the blue and red lights in my rearview (again), I figured he was after that speed demon scoundrel in front of me.

Oh but alas! He did not pass me in a fit of hurry. He pulled in behind me to my shock and horror. I remember praying, "Dear God, if there is any mercy left for me, please go ahead and give me the ticket but please don't let it be the same cop. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE with sugar and puppies on top and sprinkles!!"

It's a miracle God still loves me.

The officer slowly walked up to my car and I sighed heavily with relief when I realized it was not the same officer even though I probably deserved that. The officer, very polite like the other one and very professional, first told me he was from the BPD.

"Do you know why I pulled you over?"

I should've learned the first time but I gave it the good ole college try once again: "I was speeding?!"

People, it was like a movie that just wouldn't end. I felt so ashamed but I also had to bite the side of my cheek to keep from bursting out with "I met your friend in a similar series of unfortunate events."

"No ma'am, you didn't stop completely at the stop sign back there."

Ironically it was the very same intersection. Dang it.

The officer gave me my second warning of the night and I felt worse than I would've had I actually received a ticket.

Who gets pulled over twice in one night, people? An awesome defensive driver, that's who.

I have learned my lesson. I am reformed STOP-er. No more rolls for me! Well, at least rolls through a stop sign. Now pumpkin rolls, that's another story.

Jesus and Pumpkin Pie.

2009-11-23T07:46:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago our church launched a new vision.

Although that's the best way I can explain it, that last sentence was slightly deceptive.

The ideas we are putting into place are not new at all. It's called the Gospel, and it's about working to meet people's physical and emotional needs. In turn, we pray that we will gain trust with unbelieving, unchurched people and form bonds with them that will lead them to a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ.

An important component of the vision (which we call the 4734, you can read more about that HERE) is a no-strings-attached free meal once a month. Our FBC Family has been committed to this for many months. Our long-term goal is to plug these people into the Family of God, but we never pressure people to come to church just because they come to eat.

I believe it is because of lack of pressure that people keep coming back every month and bringing their friends as well. We sit and let them talk....we do a lot of listening. It turns out that people down on their luck don't have a lot of people who are interested in hearing what they have to say. We help them find things like coats and shoes if they need them. We let them know about local resources if they are having a hard time. Our FBC Family has grown so much closer in our pursuit of loving those far from God by passionately sharing the truth of Christ in love...

Cooking for four hundred in a relatively small and raging hot kitchen will do that to you.

At one point I said to Seth, "I think I just smelled myself."
I was UN-sure for sure.

I have really enjoyed the free meals because I love knowing each person's story. It's amazing to me the wide and varied personalities as well as backgrounds. From college graduates to third-grade dropouts. From the funny and light-hearted to the depressed and downtrodden. Smiling, cooing babies and old women bent over with age.

You know, everyone has a story.

Today, I want to share little Jordan's story with you. Jordan came in yesterday afternoon about fifteen minutes after the meal started. He couldn't have been more than 8 years old. He and the man I assumed to be his father had come in before. I never get to really engage in conversation with them because they get their takeout boxes and leave. They always get a few extra, too. So hopefully either we are feeding even more people or we are feeding Jordan and his dad for the majority of the week.

I greeted them and got down to Jordan's eye level and said hello to him.
He said, "I seen you before!"

I asked him if he came to our children's programming or VBS. He had of course, that's how we get to know the kids--before we ever get to know their families. I asked him his name and he told me.

"Your freckles are so cool, buddy! I am glad you came to see us again today. What kind of dessert would you like?"

I led him by the hand over to the table. I asked him if he wanted cake (a wedding cake donated by people in the community who heard about the meal) or some pumpkin pie.

"What's punkin pie?" Jordan asked as he looked up at me.

How could I explain it to him? I did the best I could and thought the better of introducing this sweet little boy to "punkin pie" as some kids (and some adults) really hate it. PErhaps this situation called for a different approach...

"Would you like some apple pie instead, buddy?" I said as I pointed to our selection of the American tradition.

"What's apple pie?" Jordan asked innocently.

That broke my heart.

You see, I never want to live in a world where an 8-year-old doesn't know what an apple pie is. Because that tells me that he has probably been hungry before and he has certainly never had the opportunity to be treated to the things some of us take for granted almost daily.

I do want to be a part of a movement where I can send him home with a big container filled with what will be Jordan's first pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top and see his face light up because he knows it is just for him. A movement where he is learning that the Church is a group of people who are meeting his needs and giving him a smile and a hug. Just because.

Because that's what Jesus is about. Offering extravagant love whether it's through an extra dollop of whipped cream or teaching VBS to a roomful of restless little ones who seem not to hear a word you say.

And I am convinced Jesus Himself was present last night. The Unseen Guest at the meal, the Silent Leader of every conversation and the Center of the Kingdom that teaches people about pumpkin pie, but more importantly, also teaches us about love.

I Think I'll Go Eat My Feelings Now...

2009-11-18T06:57:00.000-08:00

Have you ever seen a picture of yourself someone tagged of you on facebook and cringed at the "angle" of the photo, which in Big Guhl Wuld means you are actually cringing and the number of chins you have, which happens to have a strong correlation to the number of oats Quaker has?

Not that I'm any expert or anything.

Or have you ever stayed up late watching The Golden Girls only to be swayed by yet another infomercial, this time revolving around the Neckline Slimmer?

Don't even tell me you weren't tempted the last time you went into Walgreens and saw that contraption beckoning: "Come to me all of you who are faux dieting and wearing heavy chins, and I will give you a slimmer neckline for your wedding photos."

What I'm trying to say is that I feel as if I've fallen off the self-control wagon, and the wagon went up about five inches once I fell off, adding much insult to my (albeit slightly cushioned) injury.

I'm not making excuses.

Actually, I am going to make a few. I was talking to my dad last night (he has lost a couple hundred pounds in the last two years) and lamenting to him about how expensive healthy food is sometimes.
SERIOUSLY PEOPLE, have you BEEN in the produce aisle lately? It's like highway robbery only I like to think of it as outside aisle robbery because they tell you that's the safest place for us to shop-less preservatives and sodium and such.

Also, there's the little fact that I pretty much spend more time in my car than I do anywhere else. This has furthered my ridiculously sedentary lifestyle and my dinner from a bag kind of life.

But at the end of the day, there really is no excuse. People have lost weight under much more difficult circumstances and have demonstrated self-control in much busier lifestyles than me.

boo.

That makes me feel guilty.

But guilt doesn't really change anything. Guilt is our human reaction to our sin. Conviction is our spiritual reaction to it.

Don't worry, I am also feeling convicted. I need to make some changes.

My God, my future husband and my future children deserve my efforts to live healthy, even with the opposition my crazy life offers. With this conversation still ringing in my head, and my life about to change in a totally ginormous way, it's time for me to quit talking (blogging) and start getting serious about it.

But not so serious that I drop a hundred pounds before the wedding. The dress is lace up and there's no way to take it in. And if it didn't fit anymore, that would make me totally have to eat my feelings.

How do you struggle with self-control?

Snuggie War.

2009-11-13T07:27:00.000-08:00

As I have previously mentioned, Seth hates Snuggies. He thinks they are ridiculous.

Here's how much I care. Remember this? I got one anyway because when I visit him at his house I get very cold and Angie the dog wants me to pet her but it's nearly impossible to pet her or change the channels with a regualr blanket covering my arms.

Okay, that last one was wishful thinking. I don't really have need for the Snuggie due to the Tivo remote. Seth likes to have it in his hand, sort of like a scepter for the King. He does so graciously share much Tivo space for things he doesn't give a rip about, such as SYTYCD. He really is precious.

(My friend Kasey just told me, by the way, that she loves to turn hers around and wear it as a cape. That would be cool if she was three. But she's 22. Even That Girl draws the line someplace.)

One evening Seth and I were working on Save the Date cards (mostly Seth was working and I was just pretending to look busy) and I tweeted that I wished I had my Snuggie. Seth, sitting right next to me, got out his laptop and checked his facebook. He looked at me and said, "Seriously?" Then he proceeded to diss the Snuggie with a comment.

This got our whole church buzzing. Who was for, who was against, who thought they were practical, and who thought they were a glorified bathrobe (that wounded me, Nicole). It was the Snuggie discussion heard round the world.
For the record, I'd like to go ahead and say that I have yet to actually don the Snuggie at Seth's house, so in his defense he has yet to see the real practicality of the thing. But that doesn't mean that this war of words has stopped. So last night, my SIL pulled out the big guns.

The piece de resistance, if you will.

This photo went up on facebook last night with the caption, "Look Uncle Sethy. Mini snugglette Lovers."

Like he can keep hating on the Snuggie when these three look so dang cute.

Are you on Team Snuggie or a Snuggie Hater?

either, way, those three little Snugglettes are adorable, wouldn't you agree?

His Eye is On The Sparrow

2009-11-11T11:01:00.000-08:00

I was having a not-so-good start this morning. You ever have one of those days?
God's word began speaking to me, gently convicting me as it well should.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

The Lord gave me that word because I was feeling discouraged, and I was emailing to a friend who was also feeling discouraged. In my head rang loudly with the words all my friends DREAD:

"That reminds me of a song!"

They don't call me the Human Jukebox for nothing, peoples.

Here's the song:

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home?
When Jesus is my portion
My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

Then I started thinking about what God says about those little birds....

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

and

How lovely is your dwelling place,
O LORD Almighty!
My soul yearns, even faints,
for the courts of the LORD;
my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.
Even the sparrow has found a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—
a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

These little birds, some of the most forgotten and underestimated creatures in the land matter to God.

You matter to God.

I matter to God.

It doesn't matter if
you are unorganized
you are addicted
you are exhausted
you feel unloved
you are overweight
you are grieving
you feel ugly
if you can't seem to control your emotions
you had an abortion
you didn't finish high school
you don't know how you are going to pay the bills
you are paralyzed by fear
& finally
even if He doesn't matter to you...

You matter to God.

I was reading about sparrows and come to find out, some of the nesting colonies may have many hundreds of thousands of birds. With that many in a group, it might be hard for a scientist to tell two of them apart or especially to know if one was sick.

It's not too hard for God. Because we matter to Him. He wants to be our portion-meaning, He wants to be our inheritance...what we find most valuable in this life so brief. He wants a relationship with Him to be the One Thing that sustains us through anything.

If He cares when this little bird, relatively useless to man except to entertain with song, falls to the ground and takes notice when one dies, HOW MUCH MORE does our Heavenly Father care for us?

I pray that because of this simple truth, our song will be sung to Jesus
because He is our portion,
because we take joy in His love,
because His sacrifice has won us our freedom.

We don't sing because our lives are perfect. We sing because we know that He notices that they aren't. We don't sing because He has made every problem go away. We sing because He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. We sing not always because we are happy, but because He is with us in our moments of trouble.

I sing because His eye is on the sparrow
&
I know He watches me.

In light of that, I challenge you to notice someone around you who needs encouragment and look for ways to share love with them today.

Sponsoring Hope.

2009-11-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

A couple of years ago, BFF Jami and I found ourselves staring at a table full of faces. We were working summer camp at Crossroads, who had a strong relationship with an organization called New Missions. I had approached Jami to consider sponsorship with me and for a week we prayed about it separately.

Isn't it funny that we had to pray about it? I mean, after all as Francis Chan says, "Did God tell you to watch TV last night?"

ahem.

So the Table. The Table full of little faces. Some smiling, some looking cute, some royally ticked off because they had to get a picture made. Some whose eyes felt like they were boring a hole through my soul.

As we scanned the Table, it became clear to me in a hurry which little one would be ours. It was a little girl with about fifty baby barrettes in her hair, and they were all neon colored. She had dark brown eyes and she was not smiling. In fact, maybe it was my imagination but she looked like she had a little attitude.

Come to mama!

Without saying a word, a moment later Jami picked up the photo of the little girl with the massive amounts of barrettes. She scanned her profile and said, "Her name is SARAH."

Jami knew that I love the name Sarah because it means Princess. I always call my nieces Princess and I had always wanted to name a daughter that, but it's so popular in the US that I didn't want her to be one of forty Sarahs in her school or something. So the fact that this little one's name was Sarah was complete confirmation!

Her full name is Sarah Prosper. She was four years old when we picked up that photo.

I have never once regretted that decision.

We started corresponding with Sarah and sending her pictures and other things. Our lives have never been the same.

About a year after we started sponsoring Sarah, I had the privilege of going to New Missions to see the ministry firsthand and to spend a week with the Haitian people. I was scheduled to meet Sarah and her mom on Thursday, but God had other plans. People had been fasting and praying for me daily on the trip, and the biggest blessing would come on Wednesday of that week.

My journal:

We came back and had an opportunity to purchase good from the local Haitians. This was partly frustrating because we could not give everyone business and some of them were pretty aggressive.
But then, the coolest part of the whole trip came. I walked toward one of the shops and almost ran into someone as I was looking down and walking (not a good plan) around to find Seth a nativity. I looked up at the man with whom I had collided and immediately began to apologize in the most broken form of Creole ever heard.
He looked at me for a minute.
Then he said, "You have child?"

People, I am a slightly rotund individual, but even I had not had that many bowls of beans and rice.

Trying not to become offended, I was thinking in my head, "Was that a Haitian fat joke?"
Finally I shook my head no. He then said,

"No. You have Haitian child. Sarah."

It took me a second for it all to come together.

"Yes!" I said. "How did you know?"

He responded, "Sarah is my sister. There she is, right over there."

Perched on the wall separating New Missions from the Village of Bord Mer was my little princess, wearing a bathing suit and nothing else. Her brother's name was Charles, and he had recognized me from the picture we sent. What are the odds?

But then again, why am I surprised?

I promised to take Sarah to the clinic later that day due to a skin problem she had (NM covers all healthcare procedures) and I kissed her and told her I would see her then.

So I thought!
We went to a church service and Scott (team leader) tapped me on the shoulder. "Is that Sarah?" He asked.

Sure enough, it was. So I got her and took her to sit with me. As we stood and sang Trading My Sorrows, and as Sarah clung to me like a koala and would not let me put her down, tears of joy rained down my face at God's amazing blessings and His extra grace to give me the chance to meet Sarah and spend extra time with her.

****************

Through my experiences with Sarah, I have learned how amazing it is to sponsor a child. So when my friend Nicole decided to go on the World Race for a year, I wanted to contribute to her mission trip. We were discussing how I could do that, and then I remembered Jose.

Nicole has been sponsoring a little boy from Nicaragua named Jose through Compassion International for a few years now. In our apartment, his picture hung and we spent time praying for our sponsored kids (although not nearly enough!). I saw his sweet face daily and I knew that as Nicole was working hard to raise funds so that she could meet the needs of people all over the world who are just like Jose, someone had to be this little boy's sponsor for a year to free up Nicole's finances. Just for this year, i get the honor of meeting Jose's needs.

Now Nicole is heading to Nicaragua tomorrow on a 17-hour bus ride. She will be spending a month there Would you join me in prayer that Nicole will have the same experience as I did? Please pray that somehow, God would work a miracle and she would get to meet Jose!

Also, I would like to ask you to consider getting involved with child sponsorship. For just a few dollars a day, you can have the blessing of reaching a child with the love of Jesus Christ. With a little sarificial giving, you can sponsor HOPE in a child's life. If you have children, it's a great project to help the understand God's love for the nations and to teach them about giving.

One more thing, some Compassion Bloggers are set to hit El Salvador in the next few days. They will be blogging their experiences and I encourage you to take time to read their stories.

For your comment consideration:
How are you reaching out?
If you're not, how are you going to?

What if we?

730 days.

2009-11-02T07:52:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting at my desk today hoping I have received every single ounce of refining that the last two years and a gracious God have offered me. Every moment with every lesson that came with every hardship and every day that I wanted to pull the covers over my head and hide but didn't--I hope that none of them were wasted.

As I stood by my dying mother's bedside two years ago today, I remember thinking:
"If you are everything you say you are, you better do some good out of this. Because THIS is not good."

I was begging God to prove that He was the faithful, loving, enduring, trustworthy God I had always said He was. I'd be lying if I said I hadn't questioned everything that I have believed in the past two years. I'd also be lying if I said there are no questions that remain unanswered. The thing that I've learned in the past 730 days is this:

I serve a God who doesn't mind me asking them.

I have always thought it presumptuous to assume that God doesn't like our questions and doesn't deal with us in our doubt. After all, we are told to be like little children-for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.

....Oh, to be like the little hearts who ask a million questions every day. "Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? Why are you singing so loud in the car, Aunt Wah?"

(ok, maybe I am the only one having to field that last question.)

We are told in Hebrews that we don't have a Great High Priest who can't sympathize with our weaknesses. I have demonstrated that one of my own weaknesses is the fact that I like to understand exactly why things happen the way I do. I believe with all my heart that God understands why I ask the questions. He may choose not to answer them in the way that I expect, but that my doubt is faith seeking some understanding.

It's frustrating when people act as if they have a corner on the mind of God, whether it be in approaching the grief-stricken such as:
"God needed another angel."
"He must've had work for her to do up there."
and my personal favorite
"She's one of those stars shining back at us at night."

Okay, your Lion King meets angelic being meets works in Heaven theology might be a little off.

or about life in general:

"Here's how the end of time is going to play out, step-by-step."
"We know when Jesus is coming back."
"God didn't heal you because you didn't have enough faith."

It take some serious, errr, intestinal fortitude, to assume the mind of God. Now I don't know about you, but I am not really interested in serving a God that I completely and fully understand with my finite mind.

But we can't be angry with humanity for searching for the answers to the questions out of a mostly pure desire to understand. The reason that people say things like that is because their faith is seeking understanding--but they are looking for understanding in places other than in God's Word.

Another thing that I've learned is that God doesn't need me to explain why He allows certain things to happen. He doesn't need my commentary to make people still love Him even in the midst of suffering.

What He needs from me is to be His PRESENCE around people in the face of it. What He desires is for me to love those who are suffering, not get them to avoid blaming God for it. It's not my responsibility to explain God--it's my honor to let them know that they can ask Him directly about it. It's also my honor to help them feel His love so that when they ask, "Where is God in the midst of this?"

Their answer will look like mine:
God was in the room 730 days ago when I kissed my mama goodbye for the last time.
How do I know?
His people were there.

730 days ago I began a journey of asking the God of the Universe if He really is who He says He is. For the first time in my life I found myself in the Dark Night of the Soul. The crossroads of faith. 730 days ago I began the journey of realizing that He is everything He says He is and that there is coming a day when, as Steven Curtis Chapman says:

But in my mind’s eye
I can see a place
Where Your glory fills every empty space
All the cancer's gone
Every mouth is fed
and there’s no one left in the orphans’ bed
Every lonely heart finds their one true love
And there’s no more goodbye
And no more not enough
And there’s no more enemy
no more

It's not enough to just believe in that day, though. it's our joy and responsibility to see that the Kingdom comes here and now. It's our job to point people in the direction of the Kingdom to come by seeing it enacted now.

I'm glad to know a God who is willing to go to great lengths to prove His love for us. The last 730 days have been some of the hardest of my life so far, but His promise is true. He is who He says He is, and I am thankful I have had the chance to discover it firsthand.

Get Down

2009-10-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

What is your favorite song to dance to at a wedding reception?

And for Erin S, Seth knew that if he wanted to marry me he would have to endure the DJ at the reception and one slow dance.

he's willing to put up with it for yours truly. He's a good man!

Do you Tweet?

2009-10-23T21:39:00.000-07:00

I am trying to get better at Twitter. Be patient! I am hoping to follow some of my blog readers, so leave a comment if you are a Twitter Girl!

Love you all more that this here Dell computer!

The One Where The Dog Strikes Again....

2009-10-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, so Riley 'Cujo' Thompson has once again earned her nickname. Here I am, sitting in the sunroom at the Thompson family abode, minding my own and chatting on facebook.

Let's not talk about how much I despise facebook chat. You'd think with all that money, Marky Mark Z would do some work on that. But that's another blog.

Anyway, you may remember Riley the St. Bernard and her torturous tendencies that fateful night. Well, she must've heard it through the grapevine that I been puttin' her business out there on the internets, as BooMama calls it, and she is channeling Twisted Sister with her "we're not gonna take it" attitude.

Here I am, sweet as pie, chatting and talking and shooting Le Breeze when all of a sudden I hear this horrific noise that sounds like a mixture of badness from Friday the 13th and the Halloween movies. You know, like the scene when Freddy Krueger or Jason with the creepy mask is trying desperately to break into the place to maim and/or destroy the innocent victims?

Not that I watch those kinds of movies.

So I turn around after I pee in my pants just a little bit from complete and utter fear. Now let me stop here and evaluate what I just wrote. Instead of fleeing for my life, I turn around like a total and complete nincompoop. Who does that? Apparently yours truly, That Girl who gets killed off first because she isn't so bright. Just give me a container of Jiffy Pop and a blonde wig and you have yourself the first victim.

So I turn around expecting to see a chainsaw glittering with red blood and a man with

a) scary mask

b) scary mask that is actually designed to look like a disfigured face*

*shudders again

Instead, who is it but Riley 'Cujo' Thompson, on her hind legs punding the glass with her two front paws, looking like a full grown person?

How ironic that it would be a character from a Stephen King novel.

She was menacing. It was almost as if she was saying with her big chocolate brown eyes, "IF you don't play with me we will be reenacting the scene where the guy's in the car and Cujo climbs on the roof..."

I thought she was going to come through the window. It was frightening. After my heart rate returned from the brink, I was able to regain composure, and then (silly me!), I actually had compassion on the blessed creature.

I tried to play with her for a second. But as she rammed her 65 LB body into me repeatedly, it wasn't very fun at all. My bruises cry out for vengeance but God demands that I turn the other cheek. So as I threw her chew toy out into the black oblivion of night and quickly ran inside, I didn't even feel a twinge of satisfaction for distracting her so I could return safely into the sunroom.

But Riley has the last laugh as the evil hound left her wet dog stench on my PJs so now I will be stuck with her for the rest of the night, whether she keeps me up with her incessant howling or not.

Grrrrr. :D

Wedding Website.

2009-10-19T13:09:00.001-07:00

www.theknot.com/ourwedding/laurenbiggs&sethalexander

colors: pink and black

The bridesmaids are picking their own black dresses....you know why!

My dress has been purchased and is now in a secure location. Oh, you would love to see a pic? Well, good things come to those who wait. Only a mere 131 more days until the world gets a look! It's pretty righteous if I do say so myself.

I am currently trying to talk Seth into building a chuppah to represent God's covenant love over us. I would say a few more winks and smiles and I should have it in the bag.

Any wedding questions I forgot to answer? Ask away in the comments!

Love you all!!

That Girl Moment #997: Interviewer Skillz

2009-10-15T07:33:00.000-07:00

SO last week I was honored to be asked to do interviews with students for a campus event. There were three of us judging the interviews, but throughout the week we had some situations arise that I needed to deal with and one of the other judges was fighting off illness, so it was a crazy time trying to participate in the interviews.

We had a script we followed where certain judges asked certain questions so we didn't just look at each other and wait for someone to come up with a question. My questions were, "What's a book you've read recently that has challenged and /or shaped your perceptions and caused you to have a more open mind?" and "What is your favorite memory at OCU?"

I came up with those myself. I think they were classy.

anyway, during our last interview of the week, I was exhausted. The situations had worn me out and coupled with the wedding planning, my brain was totally fried, and I may or may not have been spaced out worse than an Elton John/Buzz Aldrin duet of "Rocketman." Honestly, I was distracted for a few key moments during the interview as I remembered a long list of things I had to do and things I had not done yet and come to find out they were the same list. It was high stress and I needed a caramel macchiato like Rocky needed Adrian.

We had gone around the circle and I had asked both my questions. When everyone looked at each other to say whether or not they had acquired enough information from the candidate to score the person's interview, I realized, no one asked the interviewee where she saw herself in five years as was our custom.

So I asked her.

This is where you can cringe.

You see, in my "Rocketman" space cadet to-do list stupor, I had missed the portion where the other judge had already asked her that very question.

dang it. dangitdangitdangit.

The poor interviewee looked up at me, confused. "Uhhhh, she already asked me that."

It's at these moments that the earth could just open up and swallow me whole much to my great delight.

and yet.

I apologized to her and did thank God that it was our last interview. The one question I spaced out on. That'll teach me to be more alert next time. My colleagues were sweet about it as well as the interviewee, bless them.

But they were probably wishing for me to stop orbiting the earth and actually come join them next time!

Pa's Makeover...Courtesy K, H, and E

2009-10-06T07:19:00.001-07:00

The Clinique counter's got nothin' on the three Short Stacks.

Captain, we're as frightened as you are.

There are no words. He tells me he drew the line at lipstick.

Oh, the love of a Papaw is SO demonstrated in this.

What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon?

Life and Death.

2009-10-05T10:45:00.000-07:00

I messed up.

I have apologized. I have cried. I've felt guilty. I've called myself stupid and begged God for His grace. He forgave, but I can't forget.
Neither can my precious friend that I hurt in the process.

I don't know what came over me. A know-it-all attitude for sure. A prideful heart. And out of the overflow of that heart, my mouth spoke with a total lack of love. You know those little heliocopter leaves we are accustomed to seeing in early fall? The ones that show up everywhere, including the door frame of my apartment.

Trying to take my words back is like trying to collect all of those heliocopters. I just can't do it. How I wish I could, and it pains me to think that the wounds my words (although unintentionally made) may forever leave scars on her heart.

I cannot pretend He didn't warn me about it:

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. proverbs 18:21

I am thankful for grace but hate having that feeling that I have disappointed Him, especially when God has given me immeasurably, abundantly more than I deserve. How did I let such discouragement come out of my mouth?

Today I am learning from my mistake. I will speak life, not death. I will use the power of the tongue to speak of the goodness of God and to encourage His people. I can't collect those little heliocopters, but I can keep from ever releasing them again.

If you have regrets like I do, please remember that we serve the God who said He can show off in the middle of our failings. How desperately I want Him to do that!

And to pick the arrows out of my friend's heart so that we might share a stronger bond than ever before.

May this post be proof positive that you'll never waste a prayer on me.

Have you ever wished you could take back your words?

Every Kiss Begins With Kay.

2009-10-02T06:30:00.001-07:00

Can this huge megawatt smile make up for the lack of blogging?

How about some ring pics?
(Please disregard the fact that I look like I have ginormous hands in these.)

shiny.

You can tell I am wedding planning in the background with my Blackberry and my lists.

HOLLA!

And We're Back...

2009-09-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

...after a weeklong blogger's block and bad time managment, I am now taking questions. I'm sorry for my lack of blog interaction this week. I have neglected you in order to plan this wedding in 152 days (but who's counting, right)! I have a book to tell you about later this week and I am trying to do better!

Here's a little That Girl action to tide you over...

Yesterday I was taking Communion at a church service and we were communing by the intinction method. That's where you take a piece of bread, dip it in the juice, and then eat it. So I got my piece of bread, went to dip it in the juice cup....

and I dropped it. Right in the cup.

I blame it on my acrylic fingernails. I am not used to not having nails and they got in the way. Good thing my friend was administering communion! I quickly, at her urging, tore off another piece of bread and dipped it. As we were walking away, my friend said, "Well now you have your That Girl's Communion Experience story!"

It really did make me think about some things involving the Lord's Supper. I was reminded that the table of the Lord is the only level playing field in this life, and that I serve a God who not only serves screwups and eats with sinners. He has never had a "no shoes, no shirt, no bad attitude, no service" policy at His table and I am so thankful. Aren't you?

My friend Darrell preached a killer message about philoxenia, which in the Greek means "love of stranger." He talked about how easy it was to love those we know, but how hard it is to welcome those we don't know. He told a story to prove his main point: "If she ain't welcome, ain't nobody welcome."

I thought about that as I stood to praise God after being welcomed at the Table even with all my failures, shortcomings, and quirks.

And if That Girl ain't welcome, ain't nobody welcome.

Thank you Jesus.

Me and Slim Fast are Getting to Be Good Friends.

2009-09-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

So much to do, so much to do!

and only so many cans of Slim Fast in the world. You see, I would like to lose some weight before the wedding but I can't decide if I just would like to or if I am going to. I made friends with the Slim Fast can today but I am not making any promises. How much weight can you really lose in five months anyways?

And on top of that, whoever thought I would plan a wedding in five months?

Whoever thought I would *successfully* plan anything at all? I think Seth was uber-impressed when I whipped out my special book (okay, it's just a white three-ring binder) and had all the info when we went to register at Macys.

I am telling you people:
it is good times to pick out things that you don't have to purchase but may get anyways.

good times.

I gave him the "Nernt Gun" as I affectionately call it because of that fantastic sound it makes and we were off to see the Wedding Wizard. He was so patient with me as I picked out one thing and approximately 27 seconds later would find another thing I liked way better. He never once said, "WOMAN WE ARE LEAVING THAT ON THERE BECAUSE YOU JUST TOLD ME YOU WANTED IT!"

furthermore, he has never, ever referred to me as "Woman!"

A patient man indeed.

Plus, I think he secretly enjoyed figuring out the ins and outs of the Nernt Gun and learning how to work it. The Nernt Gun's magic scanned everything from 800 thread count sheets to a Martha Stewart bake mat.

good times.

I picked out china after Seth helped me get over the fact that it might be slightly ridiculous by reminding me that we only get married one time and Imight as well get some cute china. By the way, Monique Lhuillier, if you are reading this, I dig those plates you made.

It's crazy to think that God is in every little detail of our lives and how over a year ago I was registry shopping for someone else with Seth in that same Macys wondering in my heart when it would get to be our day.

Now it's here and I am in awe of all the beautiful gifts our loving God has given us. We plan to share that love in some really creative ways at our wedding and with our marriage.

And maybe I'll get Seth a Nernt Gun for a wedding gift.

Advice.

2009-09-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

During this season of engagement, Seth is holding me accountable to focus more on the marriage and less on the wedding. Bloggerotsky, will you help me too?

Leave some advice for Seth and me today in the comments.

(and keep it clean kids. this is a family show.)

love you all

(squealing)

I Love to Tell The Story...

2009-09-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite hymns is called I Love To Tell the Story...

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;
It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.
I love to tell the story; more wonderful it seems
Than all the golden fancies of all our golden dreams.
I love to tell the story, it did so much for me;And that is just the reason I tell it now to thee.

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat
What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

I love to tell the story, for those who know it best
Seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the rest.
And when, in scenes of glory, I sing the new, new song,
’Twill be the old, old story that I have loved so long.

It has always been my heart cry to tell the story of God's great love for His people. I could have never imagined the opportunities I've had to share about the reckless love Jesus showed us, and to have the chance to tell that story, belonging to God's family, is the greatest honor of my life.

I always prayed for a man to come into my life who would love to tell the story as much as I did. From the time I was thirteen years old, I have been praying for my future husband. I have prayed about pretty much everything-
that God would protect him
that his relationship with God would grow strong
that God would bless his life
for his family
for Godly mentors
and lots of other things

since that time, there were periods in my life when I had trouble believing the possibility that God had someone out there for me who was engaged in telling the story already. A man who had been brought into the story and now took great delight in sharing it.

It was hard to believe based on our culture's poor imitation of love.

I still kept praying, hoping in my heart that a man would come along and see a potential diamond in the rough.

When I met Seth, I could tell he loved to not only be a part of the story of God's redemption of His people, but that he loved to tell it as well. It was the passion of his life. Through everything we have faced as a couple and even in the valley of the shadow of death, it became so clear to me that he was a man of great integrity. I could tell that he also placed marriage in a high regard and understood the implications of that kind of commitment. God showed me several times in his Word that this indeed was a man I could trust to guard my heart and to love me.

So it is with great joy that I tell you this joyful part of the story of Jesus and His love being perfected in us.

Sidebar:
On Monday night, Seth and my dad had a chat. Of course it was at Mi Pueblo, where I first met Seth and where most of the significant events of my life have happened (whether I am present or not, it seems). For about three weeks, poor Seth has not slept at night for being nervous about said meeting of the minds. My dad, bless his heart, came prepared to their meeting with pages and pages of difficult questions (ack!) for Seth to answer. I felt bad for Seth when I learned this, but I was also proud that my dad took it so seriously. (Seth told me later that he was glad that I have a dad who truly cares and wants the very best for me.)

Last night (Tuesday), Seth came to pick me up for date night. He arrived at my door with a gift bag in his hand, saying he had a present for me. I said "Can I have it now?" He, of course replied to the negative and we went on our merry way to Evansville. He asked if Biaggi's, a local Italian place that we go often, would be okay.
"Is that your favorite place in Evansville?" he asked.
"Yeah. I like it the best. And Firefly too."

We walked into the restaurant and Seth strangely asked the waitress for a more private table in the back. I looked at him like he was crazy when they told us we'd have to wait five or ten minutes. I LOVE MY CARBS, people. And oh the Biaggi butter.

I thought it was weird because we always sit in a booth up front. We were seated right away, and we sat down. Bloggerotsky, you know how much I can't handle a secret I don't know about, so I said oh-so casually, "I haven't hardly asked AT ALL what's inside that bag. I have been so good, haven't I?"

"Yes," he answered. He didn't hand me the bag. NUTS.

I ate my rigatoni alla toscana all while talking to him a mile a minute like always. When I got done, I pushed my plate away and Seth plopped the bag down on the table in front of me.

Now a few months ago, I had mentioned I wanted to do a couple's devotional together but we hadn't had time, so he wanted to give me a gift.

I pulled the gift out of the bag and it was a Couple's Devotional Bible. It is beautiful with silver and brown, and I said, "Thank you honey! It's really beautiful!"
Then Seth told me to turn to Proverbs 31--he had a note to me:

Dear Lauren,
I love you more than anything but Jesus. You are the most important thing in this world to me! Paul tells us that a man is to love his wife like Christ loves the Church. that is what i want to do so will you marry me?
Love,
Seth

At this point, I was overwhelmed. Shock is probably a very accurate word. I looked up and Seth got down on his knee. I looked over--

get your tissues

---and he had my mom's wedding set in his hand. My mom's ring, formerly my grandma's, was shaking in his hands. And then he said it.

"Lauren will you marry me?"

It took me a minute, girls.

Then I said, "YES!!"

Then I couldn't say anything else. For a while. Imagine it. That Girl silenced for the first time in her life.

What can you say when God grants you the beginning of the next chapter of your story?

We left the restaurant and I called my dad in the car. That's when the tears came. I was crying and laughing and shaking and screaming and I could barely breathe. I think Seth thought it was time for the paper bag!

Off we went to the jeweler, where we arranged for them to take my mom/grandma's diamond out of my mom's set and put into my very own set! In a week or two I will get some photos up!

I thank you in advance for your prayers as we enter into a really precious time of betrothal and I am honored to invite you to share this journey with us.

I consider it the second highest honor in my life (besides serving my Jesus) to be Seth's wife and partner in ministry. I am delighted to share my days with such a Godly man and I hope that our marriage will be a reflection of the reckless love God offers His children and the blessings that come with waiting on God.

I love to tell this story because it's only a small page in a Bigger Story. the story of our Savior and His love to me.

I AM GOING TO BE A WIFE to the most precious man ever!

(allow me a bit of squealing for the next few days....I just got to add two new tags: Wedding, and marriage.)

Love you all.

This is the One You've Been Waiting For....

2009-09-15T20:01:00.000-07:00

Seth asked me to be his WIFE tonight!

I, of course, said YES!

Details to come tomorrow.

(This is not a drill.)

Rejoice with us and thank God for His love for us!

Eye of the volcano.

2009-09-15T08:26:00.001-07:00

This morning I was preparing to brush my teeth when I accidentally flicked the tube opening on my toothbrush. I blinked my eyes.

and oh the burning.

it felt like someone dropped sulfuric acid into my eyeball using a Visine container.

mother of pearl!

Don't worry. It wasn't sulfuric acid after all. It was only Arm 'n Hammer BAKING SODA Toothpaste.

If I cry this week, it may appear that I'm rabid, but don't you worry bloggerotsky. My eye is only temporarily a volcano science project.

my teeth are very clean as well in case you were wondering. I did the world a favor and went ahead to finish brushing my teeth even as the burning ensued.

Don't fret. I'm fine now. My eye is no longer burning and I have learned my lesson about the dangers of baking soda toothpaste. :D

Have a great day!

Wear Love Today.

2009-09-11T07:58:00.003-07:00

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.

Colossians 314:16

Wear Love Today.

2009-09-11T07:58:00.001-07:00

Flea Market Fun.

2009-09-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

A couple of my friends, Liz and Amber, and I headed out of town last Saturday for some good ole fashioned flea market shopping. We found some absolute WONDERS, people. WONDERS.

For your viewing pleasure:

My dear friend Liz who introduced us to the quaint town of Robinson, IL and all its charms.

Liz and Amber, who have been great friends and sisters in Christ to me over the years--even The Years of Bad Hair. Now that's friendship!

Do you need a home? My real estate company beckons you! Who even knew I was competent enough to sell real estate? Haha.

Jami, this one's for you. I don't know if any of you Bloggerotsky love some Southern Gospel music, but this Kingsmen album is like Jesus with a jukebox.

I'm holding a Scottie Dog gravy boat.

You read that last sentence right. I assure you.

Liz rockin' the Quail Creek hat.

Every season is poncho season!

She looks like a creeper. Don't worry, I told her that myself.

What a TREASURE.

Amber's classy piggy bank find.

Here piggy piggy.
SOOOOIE.

That looks like a Sunday church hat.

Liz, what big eyes you have!

Me Hearty Liz. This be pleasin' to me eye.

I wish it would have been a watermelon. Like Baby in Dirty Dancing: "I carried a watermelon."

Strawberry just doesn't have the same ring to it.

The fundamentalist response to the Feminine Mystique. The three of us read it aloud and laughed all the way home. It says in one portion of the book that all women have to do is "obey your husband." No reference to as he obeys Jesus or anything! It was slightly appaling to us and sweet Amber (who is a great wife in my opinion) said, "Well, I guess I can stop reading my Bible and praying now. I'll just ask Tracy from now on." Of course, she was being tongue-in-cheek. I'll have to blog some of the more ridiculous things in the book.

SEMPER PARATUS, girls.

So I haven't gotten around to telling you too much about this, but I never learned to ride a bike without training wheels as a kid. Seth decided it was time for me to learn, and there are pictures and videos to come regarding this endeavor. When I found out about the bike I decided to look for a helmet and SHAZAM!

Look at that creepy Barbie eyeing me as I take a necklace.

All that with a bow on top. hah!

Birdcage veil is not my best look. I'll file it away in my memory bank.

"Betty White's Guide to Dancing" or something like that. Too bad Liz didn't get a pic of the page where she told us how TO dance. Since now I know how NOT to and all.

You have no idea, Buddy.

Creepy lurker doll and a nice photo of Liz's moccasins.

They should call it "That Girl's Laws of Life"

Wow.

The only OBLONG in the whole wide world, I'm told.

Trekking through the weeds with determination. Amber took this pic from Liz's sunroof.

That's one awkward facial expression.

It was great and very cheap fun and I hope you'll let me know in the comments the best treasure you've ever found in a flea market!

Hungry for Love

2009-09-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

I was having dinner with my dad and some friends the other night when he mentioned something that made me stop and think. As he told my new friends a little bit about my mom, he shared about our bookstore and the ministry that came of it.

"Cheryl always said that when people came in and wandered around for a little while, and then came up to the counter and said, 'I don't know why I'm here,' that she was to encourage and pray with them."

I want to be careful not to make the woman who birthed me into some kind of saint on this blog, but she was a mighty fine lady. She was also onto something.

People are hungry for something and they don't even know what.

But we do.

It's called love. Sometimes people just need to be loved.
Even mean people.
Even cold people.
Even difficult people.
Even people who have abandoned the faith.
Even people who have hurt us deeply in the past.
Even people who are absent--those who have checked out of life as they knew it.

It's true that some people need a swift kick in the rear as well--that is also loving when appropriate.

They wander in and out of our lives just like they wandered in and out of our store.

Do you see their hunger? Do you even notice them?

Maybe it's a coworker that's always hanging out at the water cooler with sad looking eyes. Maybe it's your daughter's friend Aubrey who is ALWAYS over at your house and requires much more patience than you have to offer at times. Maybe it's a family member who is always critical to you and everyone else but keeps coming over to visit.

Do we see them? Do we hear their unvoiced cries for help? Do we have the courage to passionately share His truth with them in love? Or do we ignore them in order to maintain our pristine image and perfect social life and some sense of our sanity?

We have a divine responsibility to take the time and spare willingly the energy required to truly love people who float in and out of our lives. (Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we should enable people or allow them to abuse our bodies, minds, or spirits.) Everyone so desperately needs love.

Maybe it's you, dear reader. Maybe you're the one who stumbled upon this blog and you don't even know why you are reading or following this blog. Can I know your name and your story? It would be my honor to pray with you and to encourage you along this sometimes bumpy road called life? If you're not sure why you are here, please email me at lauren.thatgirl@gmail.com and tell me about you. It would be my honor to listen.

If you know of someone who has wandered into your life, I dare you to show them the love of Christ and see what happens. If that's the case, I encourage you to leave a comment with a prayer over the first name of the person in your life who needs the most love.

Quote of The Day.

2009-09-03T13:22:00.000-07:00

Dr. Asa:
"An archaeological discovery of a gaming table in ancient Rome had this inscribed on it:
'Venari, lavare, ludere, ridere-hoc est vinere'
which translates to
'To hunt, to bathe, to gamble, to laugh-this is to live.'"

That Girl:
"Well, obviously they've never been SHOPPING."

That Girl Moment #991: Revealing Vicki's Little Secret

2009-09-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Listen kids. Since my last laundry mishap, I have tried to guard my wardrobe closely to avoid more of such misadventures. However, my efforts were proved futile yesterday.

I love getting mail. It brings me great joy to receive something through Snail Mail that is not a bill. In fact, my sweet friend Meghan did a precious thing for my birthday: she sent a birthday gift to me through the mail. It pretty much made my month. I LOVE seeing my name on a package and the thrill of oppening it. I like prying the packing tape off of a parcel and opening it to see what lies inside. It's one of the last great surprises in life.

Which, I found out yesterday can be a blessing and a curse-a double-edged sword, if you will.

I traveled across the street from my office to my apartment to get my lunch money yesterday. We have a fantastic new food service here and paying four dollars to eat a well-balanced (or NOT so well-balanced in some cases) lunch seems like a steal when I pay two dollars apiece for the processed meat wrapped in bread dough and preserved for nuclear attack otherwise known as a Hot Pocket.

No offense, Hot Pocket people. My freezer is still full of them. It's hard to cook for one!

Anyway, upon my arrival at my apartment, I found a parcel peeking out of my ancient and dusty mailbox.

I did that happy dance that made my neighbors and passers-by extremely uncomfortable. I began to sing The Song:
Here's the mail
it never fails
it makes me want to wag my tail
when it comes I want to wail -
MAIL!
Thank you, Blue. You are the second best dog in my life.

I may or may not have sung that song in my head as I happily walked back to the cafeteria line. I went ahead and skipped some of the students in line to stand with Candace, who is my coworker and dear friend, and Mary, who is the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President. A couple who serve as Resident Directors were standing directly behind me.

I know, I shouldn't have skipped line. But don't worry. I paid dearly for it.

I worked as fast as I could at prying off the parcel's brown packing tape as I explained that the parcel was from my sister-in-law, Shannon.
"I think it's pictures of the girls! I love presents! This is the best day of my life!!" (ok, slightly dramatic, perhaps. Welcome to That Girl's World) I told those in line with me. My nieces, K, H, and E, had their picture made in July and Shannon had promised when she got copies she would mail them to me from the West Coast. I got so excited thinking about how cute their pictures would be framed in my apartment and how excited I was to show them to everyone.

I had forgotten something.

Last week, my sweet sister-in-law Shannon had called me to see if I was interested in a new VS bra. Apparently it did not fit her right and she was so kind to pass it along to me and would I be interested in such a thing.

OH BOY! WOULD I?! Heck, I'm interested anytime there is something free involved. There may be No Such Thing As a Free Lunch (I tole ya homegirl--four bucks), but there is Such a Thing as a Free Bra When Your Sister Plays Pass it On.

As my IRL friends know, my short-term memory has been horrible for about the last year and a half. So inconveniently for me, I forgot that conversation EVER happened.

You are now permitted to begin cringing.

As I stood in the cafeteria line, surrounded by my coworkers and lots of young and impressionable students, I exclaimed, "This is the best day EVER! I Love sur---" and pulled the contents of the parcel out for the whole OCU Community to see.

I am pretty sure the force I used to pull out my Unmentionable Surprise caused one of the straps to hit someone in the face at one point.

That lace is stretchy. I'm surprised it didn't fly across the room and get caught on the water fountain.

Candace wore a sly grin, pleased to witness another full-throttle That Girl Moment in process. Mary was in shock-and-awe mode, and my Resident Directors (my employees), especially the fella, turned bright red.

Definitely won't be framing that surprise.

Nashville by the Numbers

2009-08-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

# of miles traveled round-trip: 495.2
# of TomToms borrowed: one
# of times aforementioned TomTom lost suction on the car window and hit me on the right knee: 4
# of stops to go pee pee: 5
# of times the term "recalculating" was heard in my Ford Focus: 27
# of turns I missed because I was singing too loud to Selah's new record: see above
# of times I visited the Opry Mills Mall: two
# of times I was creeped out and forced into buying my fav perfume by the rather direct perfume salespeople: one
# of soaps I bought at Bath and Body Works: 5 (sale!!)
# of friends I ran into in unexpectedly in Nashville: 3
# of country stars I saw: dang zero (Sugarland, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts, Reba, --where were you hiding?!)
# of dear friends I saw: one (Hey Jen--I missed you!)
# of meetings I went to: one
# of thumbnails chewed to the quick because I was nervous: two
# of Panera Bread egg souffles ingested: one (Thanks, Myca)
# of Thunderstorms experienced in the Rainforest Cafe: 2
# of new friends made: 16

# of times I will be back to the Blessed Town: a hundred, I hope!

That Girl Moment #989: How Do You Say "That Girl" in Spanish?

2009-08-27T07:14:00.000-07:00

This entry could also be subtitled as: Pride Goeth before the Fall.

So I am taking a new class at OCU called Spanish for Ministry. It's a class filled with both advanced spanish speakers and those who have never studied the language. There are graduate students like me who are taking it along with OCU freshmen, so it's definitely a hodgepodge. Some of the folks are not Religious Studies majors and they are just taking the course for a brush up.

Now I had a wonderful and fantastic Spanish teacher. Her name is Mrs. Bough, and she taught us very well. She had a flair for Spanish culture and had lived abroad. She also worked at Mi Pueblo for a while which makes her even more of a folk hero to me. She taught me everything I know about Latin America and I am proud to say I was her student. I took four years of Spanish in high school and received 12 college credits, none of which transferred to OCU because they didn't have any Spanish classes.

So I had The Big Head when I walked into the classroom the other day. Big Girl on Campus thought she had the language mastered.

When will I learn.

So my professor, a dear man named Dr. Walls who was a missionary in Venezuela and has taught me lots of things, went around the room working on introductions. Everyone was simply doing what we had been told to do-repite, por favor (repeat, please). He asked us how we are doing and we were to respond to him and extend to him the same courtesy. Dora the Explorer here thought that was too simple and began to write down sentences to translate. He called on me, I answered and that was that.

Then the moment came. He went around the room asking our names. In high school, Mrs. Bough gave us the luxury of choosing names with a more Spanish nature. Some kids, like Pete or Chuck, might become Pedro or Carlos. But there was no translation as far as I know for Lauren. So I went for a more stylish and beautiful name: Isabel. Sweet Mrs. Bough still refers to me as "Isa" whenever I see her, and I can't imagine learning Spanish as anyone but my also.known.as in honor of her. So I silently schemed in my mind to tell Dr. Walls about it in Spanish when my turn came.

{I know you are shaking your heads sadly. Don't do that. I feel awkward enough...}

So finally he got around to me and said, "Que es su nombre?" (I forget how to do the upside down question marks. Forgive me.)

I thought I would answer him in a large-and-in-charge kind of way, showing that I was La Jefa of la clase Espanol. Sweet and humble, I know.

When will I learn.

"Me llamo es Lauren pero mis amigos span...
err....
mis amigos...
uh...
mis amigos span....
MY SPANISH FRIENDS CALL ME ISABEL!!"

Everyone in the class laughed including Dr. Walls, who is too precious to have any thoughts that I received my just desserts for trying to be all cool and you know, Senorita Rica Suav-eeeee.

My reward for trying to earn a Student of the Year star: a severe ache from the syndrome known as Big Head, a steaming blue plate special of humility served up over-hard by the Holy Spirit, and turning muy muy RED in the face as my classmates laughed.

Esa Chica es loca.

Did you ever have a time when embarrassment led you to a clearer picture of humility?

Caption Please.

2009-08-25T13:25:00.001-07:00

We haven't done one of these in a good while here at That Girl, and when I saw this photo today I laughed thinking about what all my Bloggerotskys would have to say about it!

So with the title of That Girl of the Day on the line, give me a caption to win a shout-out on the blog!

PS--If you want, grab my blog button on the sidebar. Thanks so much to Crystal at Presh Web Design for my new blog look! I think it's so cute!

Giveaway Winner!

2009-08-25T07:36:00.000-07:00

Oh, my friends. The kiddies here have been distracting me from all of you. They are a good distraction but I am here to answer your question of "seriouslylaurenwhyhavewebeenwaitingsolongtofindoutwhowonthe40minuteBiblestudy?"
Know that I did indeed, with the help of The Random Integer Generator-I talk like I know what that is-pick a winner! I used this guy:

The numbers generated by this widget come from RANDOM.ORG's true random number generator.

the integers went up to 20 even though there were only nineteen comments. I had a sweet friend enter someone else via email. Those comment things are tricky as you know.

Anyway, the winner is Lindsey!! Shoot me an email and I will let you choose which one you want, my friend.

___________________________________________________

Selah's new CD comes out today. What a testimony this record will be to all who have been reading along with sweet Angie. The album is called "You Deliver Me" and features the song Angie, who is the wife Todd Smith of Selah, penned to their daughter Audrey Caroline as she carried her in her womb, knowing that Audrey's time on earth would be short. The song is called I Will Carry You and I know within the depth of my being that this recording will lead people to Jesus just as every other aspect of this redemptive story has. Please buy it and know Him more because of it.

__________________________________________________

This morning I got up and decided to fix my hair. This is rare for me as I enjoy going to work looking like Frankenstein's Bride. I have found that people are mostly scared to tell me no with this look.
But today I decided to get up and use my friend the Flat Iron. I worked on my hair as best I could and was out the door. On the way into the Student Center, I ran into my dear friends Ryan and Spencer who greeted me. Then Ryan got a weird look on his face and said that I had a sleep line from my pillow or whatever. There goes all my effort! This just goes to show that just because I am conscious in the mornings does not mean that I am either awake or alert. I looked in the mirror for approximately ten minutes and NEVER noticed an impression my face from my pillow. Don't ask me to solve your dilemmas or feed your dog before ten AM. You people are lucky this blog is even COHERENT considering the hour in which I write most of them.

Actually....the more I think about it, that might explain some things. :D

People Matter.

2009-08-24T08:42:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to the grocery.

You know, I think God likes dealing with me in the grocery, and I am tremendously befuddled as to why. If it were up to me, I wouldn't even shop in that particular store AT ALL, because I have dear friends who own stores about an hour away.

An hour's drive is simply not that practical when it comes to buying a gallon of, say, Ben and Jerry's.

Not that I ever buy Ben and Jerry's or anything...

Back to the grocery. I was in quite the hurry as I normally am and I was speed-walking into the store, unneccessarily acting like shawty's-fire-burning-in-the-store, oh-oh, when I noticed something interesting.

My friend Mark was sitting out in front of the store on a little bench. He had a gallon of milk and a bunch of grocery bags sitting on the gournd next to his feet, and he was listening to a lady I knew to be one of his congregants.

She works at the grocery, and it appeared she was on her break. I think they were engrossed in an important conversation. I simply waved to them and walked into the store.

I still haven't quit thinking about that image: the milk sitting out on the curb in the heat. The groceries in the hot sun. My friend taking time to listen to someone who really needed it.

I thought about Mark again this weekend when I heard John Kaiser say:
"Ministry matters more than our convenience."

I was trying to decide what that meant. It's unfortunate but honestly, most of my days are spent speed-walking from one issue to the next mentally, and from one location to the next physically. If God put opportunities in front of me, would I have been able to stop and meet the immediate needs of the people that cross my path? Maybe it's not convenient to stop checking emails in order to chat with a student who needs it. But people matter, and it's worth it.

I am struggling with that question. But I never want to place a higher value on my time, resources, or even my gallon of milk (!) than I do on other people and their needs.

How are you doing this in your own life, or how are you struggling to with it?

Guest Blog: Marvelous Meghan!

2009-08-20T20:57:00.000-07:00

Dear friends, because I have had commitments all week and I go out out state in just a few hours with our vision team at church, I am thankful that my friends have shared with you this week, and I can tell by your comments that you've enjoyed it! See why I love them?! I am thrilled to be a part of what God is doing at FBC (click the 4734 link on the sidebar to learn more) but next week I promise to be back in full force! Until then, I leave you in the capable hands of Miss Meghan M., one of the most precious friends I have ever made. She contacted me a few months ago and since then she has been a precious cheerleader to me in this season of my life-seeking God on my behalf and I love her so!! I asked her to share and boy, did she! Blog Babies, get ready!
Love,
Lauren

Hi friends! This is my first ever guest blog post and I'm so honored that Lauren asked me to participate. I'm Meghan and I'm a full time student at UNC (GO HEELS!) and have followed Lauren's blog for a while now. Isn't she just the greatest?! I am so lucky to have her in my life. She has been a huge source of encouragement for me over the last few months and I have literally laughed so hard at her "That Girl" posts because I certainly have my fair share of moments. I just love her welcome message..."Living life and making a scene for the Kingdom of God. This girl loves Jesus so much and it shines through her amazing personality. She and I relate on so many levels and I am just so blessed to call her my sister.

I have my own recent "That Girl" moment to share so here it goes. So I've been trying for a while now to find the perfect wedding dress. Not one that I get all emotional over and cry like those girls do on "Say yes to the dress." (I love that show by the way) but just one that fits me well and makes me look downright skinny! So all you girls who have ever tried on formal gowns probably know that most of the time, the dress shops only have one dress in each style. Therefore, sometimes you may try on a dress that is not exactly your size and it's hard to envision whether the dress in the right size would actually accentuate your physique.

Well my dear friends, let me tell you that I was trying on dresses with my mom and sisters the other day. The lady at the dress shop was super nice and stayed open late for us so I could try on a few dresses. I told her what I liked and she told me that some of the dresses in the trunk show might be a good fit for me. She started handing me some of the most beautiful designer dresses off the rack and told me not to worry about the size (or price ha), just to try them on anyway. Well, don't you know that I tried and tried and tried on those dresses for about an hour. Some were good, others not so much. But, I get to this one beautiful dress. One that looks like it just might fit perfectly. I pull it on over my spanx and thought that it just might zip. It didn't but it was ok because I liked it and thought that it could be a strong possibility anyway. It was just what I was looking for, simple, dropped waist, beautiful fabric, and straps! Girls, I don't have much to hold up those strapless gowns if you know what I mean :)

Well, wouldn't you know that when I finally went to take that pretty thing off, my skin-tight spanx caused my foot to get caught in that beautiful dress and not only did I tumble over in the dressing room with one leg still in that beautiful gown, but my big foot got stuck on that beautiful dainty spaghetti strap and POP! It tore completely from that wedding dress. I was humiliated! I thought about pretending that everything was fine and hanging it back on the hanger (totally dishonest and wrong, I know) but of course, it would no longer hang back up and so I had to confess to that sweet lady who stayed late for me. I knew it was the right thing and bless that lady's heart, she hugged me and said not to worry about a thing! I offered to pay her for the damage but she told me that a bride should never cry...these things happen. I learned many big lessons that day.

1. Spanx are no fun. It's time to work on my bride body the hard way.

2. Always have someone else help you in and out of expensive wedding gowns, no matter how uncomfortable you may be in your spanx.

3. Most importantly, that lady forgave me for my clumsiness and thought I was beautiful and deserving of happiness anyway. I saw Jesus in that lady.

Scripture says this: "The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken in that day and they will say, surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation." Isaiah 25:8-10

I am reminded to rejoice in the Lord in all circumstances, even the embarassing ones. He is the ultimate author of our story and through all things, I strive to praise Him! What good news we have in Jesus, my friends. Our God created us before we were even born. He knows everything about us. And, His plan is perfect. Next time you are with a sister who is having a "That girl" moment or who just needs some encouragement, I encourage you girls to love her through her circumstances. Bring her up and hug her tight for our Lord forgives and is mighty to save!

Let us praise the One who first loved us. Enjoy today friends!

A Confession.

2009-08-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl growing up in the church, I tried to figure out God's Word.

Meaning, I thought there was one word that God wanted us to know. I kept saying, "Mommy, what is God's Word?"

She would reply, "It's in the Bible, honey."

Bless her heart. I misunderstood her and turned it upside down trying to find the illuminated word in the Bible that was God's Word. The Word that everybody kept talking about in Sunday School and church. I never asked in SS because I was ashamed that I didn't already know it.
Hello, I liked knowing all the answers and all and may I just say some things never change.

One time I asked her yet again upon my disappointment in not finding that Holy highlighted WORD of God, and she said it differently this time.

"It's the Bible, honey."

I remember walking away thinking, "Oh man! I liked the idea of just learning one word as opposed to so many more words. One word was very appealing compared to that big dusty book that held the full counsel of God.

If I am transparent, I still feel that way some days. Especially when I don't feel like obeying all those words.

Did you ever have a misunderstanding because of churchy lingo? How does it reflect the rest of your story as a believer?

Guest Blog: Andrea J.

2009-08-20T06:34:00.000-07:00

Welp, my little Bloggerotskys, I have a real BIG TREAT for you today. My dear IRL friend Andrea has written a blog that went on the verge of making me pee my pants. Gosh I love her. I hope you do, too! Visit her at Finding Myself at Forty...

Lauren

I LOVE me some That Girl! Don’t we all secretly take some kind of sick pleasure in reading about the crazy hi-jinks that tend to ensue wherever she goes? Don’t we all long for more That Girl moments so we can read the crazy posts that invariably follow and laugh till our sides ache and our jaws are locked… I’m comin’ out of the closet here stalkers…. I live for it!

I recently had a That Girl moment of sorts. My Emmaus reunion group, affectionately known as the Ya Ya’s, was gearing up for our annual trip to Women of Faith. Since my husband and I own a shirt business, I thought it would be Super Cool to make said Ya Ya’s matching tees for the event. Awesome idea, right?! So I work for several days tweaking just the right design, and praying over and pouring over verses to find JUST the right one to reflect the importance of our meeting together.

I head off to WOF with the shirts ever so carefully wrapped, each with a special little card for my dear sisters, feeling pretty darn proud of myself I must say. I also made a shirt for That Girl, who has always been an honorary member of the Ya Ya’s. My plan… to present it to her at a surprise birthday party we were giving her at our hotel.
It was gonna be awesome!

So we are just partyin’ away, the room is packed, and it comes time for presents. I hand Lauren her gift and wait with great anticipation for the ooohhhing and ahhhhing and squealing that she tends to do when opening gifts, cause we all know That Girl loves her presents. Trust me folks… She did not disappoint.

So she opens her shirt, right… obviously thrilled with having her very own first edition official Ya Ya Tee…. But THEN… she sees the verse, grabs a Bible (which just happens to be right beside her), and begins to look it up.

Here is where it gets awkward… I am quoting That Girl as she reads the verse printed on the shirt…."It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God….Hmmm… Oh my… that’s nice...”

My mind begins to race… wait… that is NOT the right verse…

“Yes it is,” she giggles as she checks the verse against the shirt.

She continues to read a verse that could not possibly be more inappropriate for the purpose in which I intended. Obviously, the Finding Myself at Forty girl needs to be Finding Herself a new eye doctor… What was supposed to read Hebrews 10:21-25 became Hebrews 10:31-35. And man… I felt like I was channeling Alanis Morrisette….

Think of it folks… my very first That Girl Moment….pointed out by none other than That Girl herself. Isn’t it ironic…. Don’t ya think?
Love you Laur!!!

Guest Blog: Angela W.

2009-08-19T08:13:00.000-07:00

Hey kids.
I asked my sweet new friend Angela to share with you today as I'm swamped with work...
She is a delight and I did not pay her to say nice things, I promise! Please share the love of Jesus with her as I think she is pretty incredible.
Love,
Lauren

Hey guys, this is Angela, a fellow stalker reader of Lauren’s blog! Miss Lauren so kindly asked if I would consider writing a guest blog, so here I am…in all my glory no less! And, let me tell you, I am so thrilled and honored to be sharing with you. Isn’t Lauren awesome? She’s truly a gift from the Lord and what a blessing it is to call her my sister in Christ. Lauren suggested I share a “That Girl” moment with you and/or an insight I’ve received. So, I shall do both… First, a little background…I’m “that worship leader girl”. I lead worship each Sunday at my church and am not at all immune to “that girl moments” both on the stage and off! Last December, in one of my on stage "moments" I was leading the congregation in a Christmas hymn, and accidentally sang the wrong words to the song… The real lyrics were, “the shepherds feared”. And, I, being ‘that worship leader girl” sang, “the shepherds farted”! Nice huh?!?! At least I was honest (not to mention totally embarrassed!) I mean seriously, don’t ya think the shepherds had GI issues from time to time just like the rest of us? I have yet to find any scriptural evidence, but still believe it to be true... Sigh… yep, I’m THAT worship leader girl…

Have you ever gone through a period of discouragement? A season in which you just feel totally deflated? Not that I asked for a show of hands, but if you could see me now, you'd see my hand in the air (permission granted to put yours down now)...and if you knew me dear friends of the most awesome Lauren, you'd also know when the rain comes, I’m fast to run to my friends or update my Facebook status , but I'm not always so quick to "tweet" to the Lord in prayer. Instead, I turn to others to make me feel better. While friends are wonderful gifts from God who love us and offer encouragement, there are times, we need to be still and know that He is God. And, this, folks, is something God has been laying on my heart lately...the aforementioned "insight", so to speak...

Throughout the Bible, God is described as "gracious and compassionate; slow to anger, abounding in love." When expectations go unmet and when discouragement and disappointments come our way, I pray you and I will keep pushing forward, with our eyes fixed on the Lord...cause the heavenly rewards are far greater than the earthly ones. I am so very thankful for a gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, love abounding (and not to mention, patient and forgiving!) God who sees and knows everything. God knows exactly where we are at this very moment. He knows our every thought, every joy, every heartache, and even every thing we just shoved in our mouths (not necessarily a great thing if you're a stress eater like me! Forgive me Lord for that extra large Frappacino with the ginormous chocolate cookie on the side).

We don't even have to find the words to tell God how we are feeling, or explain to Him why...He already knows. How awesome is that? We can just be still, rest in His almighty arms, allow him to love us and wipe our tears and give us the strength and clarity to carry on. So, if you're feeling discouraged and overwhelmed, take heart in knowing that we serve a compassionate and loving Lord. A God who tells us if we wait upon Him, He will renew our strength. A God who has plans to prosper us and a God who also tells us in Galatians 6:9, "...at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." I don't know about you, but that sure sounds good to me...I mean, after all my "gun show" could sure stand some divine strength, and a harvest? Do tell! Does this harvest involve a Frappucino with a cookie on the side or possibly even some Ben and Jerry's? Can I get an amen?

Much love to you my brothers and sisters in Christ. May you find renewed strength, peace and comfort in our gracious, compassionate and love abounding Lord.

Psalm 141:8 - "But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge."

Angela

That Girl's Bookshelf....40 Minute Bible Studies

2009-08-18T07:24:00.000-07:00

What better way to come back than with a giveaway? As you all know, I am really passionate about God's Word and women being Biblically literate. After all, when we see a third-world country teach the women to read, the quality of life gets so much better. What will happen as women learn to be literate in God's Word and hide it in their hearts a little more each day?

Thus the giveaway. I like away-giving, but I needs to get meeself to the post office.

I have a delightful Bible study series I want to share with you. I used to do inductive Bible Studies with Kay Arthur.

(Here is a definition of inductive study for you)

I mean clearly not with Kay Arthur, but rather she wrote them and I did them at CFC in Evansville with a lovely group of women. One morning a week, my friend Kristin and I would pile into the car (sometimes still in our pj pants) and drive with coffee in hand to meet with several women at a Bible study run by an amazing lady named Jan. She was wonderful and had been teaching the inductive method for a really long time. As in probably like before I was born. Kristin and I were the youngest girls in the class, and I started the Bible Study at the time my mom was dying. I was brokenhearted that I couldn't give it my all with all the distractions raging around me. If nothing else, I think God gave me that Bible Study because the women were on their knees for me and Jan was so pastoral to me. I'd like to do another class again someday, but I don't have time to go to an inductive class right now.

So....

How happy am I about the 40-Minute Bible Study Series? If you are like me, you may not have time to go to a class, but these subject-driven Bible studies are designed to help busy women like us and they don't require a class!

"The 40 Minute Bible Study series from beloved Bible teacher Kay Arthur and the teaching staff of Precept Ministries tackles important issues in brief, easy-to-grasp lessons you can use personally or for small-group discussion. Each book in the series includes six 40-minute studies designed to draw you into God’s Word through basic inductive Bible study. There are 16 titles in the series, with topics ranging from fasting and forgiveness to prayer and worship. With no homework required, everyone in the group can work through the lesson together at the same time. Let these respected Bible teachers lead you in a study that will transform your thinking—and your life."

Titles Include:

•The Essentials of Effective Prayer •Being a Disciple: Counting the Cost •Building a Marriage That Really Work •Discovering What the Future Holds•Forgiveness: Breaking the Power of the Past •Having a Real Relationship with God•How Do You Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk? •Living a Life of Real Worship•How to Make Choices You Won’t Regret •Living Victoriously in Difficult Times•Money & Possessions: The Quest for Contentment •Rising to the Call of Leadership•How Do You Know God’s Your Father? •Key Principles of Biblical Fasting•A Man’s Strategy for Conquering Temptation

Kay Arthur, in case you are unfamiliar with her, is the executive vice president and cofounder of Precept Ministries International and has worked with her teaching staff to create the powerful 40-Minute Bible Studies series. Kay is known around the world as a Bible teacher, author, conference speaker, and host of national radio and television programs. She has a heart for the lord and desperately works to see people be changed by the power of God.

I really enjoy these, especially if someone is trying to have victory in a certain area of life but doesn't know how to begin. The one on forgiveness is really good.

I can't wait to give one of these away! The winner gets to choose from two different 40-Minute Bible Studies. If you don't win, you can always track one down at your local Christian Bookstore or you can go directly to www.randomhouse.com RIGHT NOW to order your very own copy of the Bible Study you are interested in.

Give me a shout-out in the comments if you want to win and are extremely patient as I try daily to get to the post office. After all, I wouldn't be That Girl if I got it to you tomorrow, now, would I??

love you all!

Where in the World is ThatGirl Sandiego?

2009-08-17T11:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry, friends, for my lack of blogness. Stick around, I promise I will be back at it soon and very soon. OCU is a very busy place what with my precious students returning and such. I haven't had time to breathe the last four days. But I do have a couple of That Girl moments waiting in the wings.

Love you all and see you back here soon!

Party on the Grassy Knoll.

2009-08-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

My kickball birthday party was held on Monday night on the Knoll. We nicknamed a particular area of campus "The Grassy Knoll" and somehow it caught on and spread like wildfire and three years later that is what a lot of Mighty Oaks call it.

Of course they had a really uncool team name.

Meet "The Stuff"

L to R:

Micheal, Ryan, David, Thomas, Seth

Micheal and Ryan are my neighbors, David works for Campus Life at OCU, and Thomas is a friend from FBC. Clearly they were all dressed to win.

The best looking Kickball team ever to lose in a ten-minute game.

"Team Snaggle"

A snaggle is a weapon much like a Triton developed by taking a plastic fork and breaking out the two middle points.

you really had to be there.

Ah! The beautiful cup-CAKE. Made of chocolate and vanilla cupcakes covered with the most awesome frosting to cupcake ratio.

The bandanas the girls used to represent the best team ever.

A mini-candy bar for the 'ballas.

Treat bags for everyone. I love Hot Tamales!

Janky teeth from the frosting. Turns out all those pretty colors look pretty unappetizing when mixed together.

I received the blessed gift of the Heifer plates. These are plates that have been a part of the Vaughan family for a while now, and since my sweet roommate Nicole is leaving, I get the pleasure of using these plates for now.

My favorite kickball player.

Jami (in the Harvest gold shirt--everyone has a shirt this color from fourth grade softball or soccer) and Amy, Kasey, and Kris10 on the bench.

Amy is enjoying this cupcake. I will have to bring her some box mixes when she and Andy leave for HONDURAS to do missions full-time and we come to visit her there.

BFFs with a zest for chocolate and life.

Amy and Molly Jo...Molly Jo has the sweetest temperament and is possibly my favorite dog in the world. I have heard her bark only twice. UNLIKE Riley Cujo Thompson.

Sorry, Molls. No chocolate for you!

Kris10 and Kaci enjoying the cupCAKE

Yahi and her infamous Camp Allen T-Shirt.

Frosting fight...that ratio of frosting to cupcake was just begging for it.

"The Aftermath"

The frosting color manufacturers should call "Baby Poop."

Kristyn means business. She's leaving it all on the field, folks.

Kasey, we want a REAL pitch this time.

My precious roommate Nicole taking "The Stuff" to school on offense.

Look at the intensity!

Megan walking/running the bases. It was hot out, okay?

Look at That Girl's hustle! The back view is not that great. Shouldn't have had that cupcake.

Intimidation. A La Whitney.

Jimmy thinks he's Beckham or something.

With that half-hearted attempt at a beard I suggest a lot of night games, Konrath. :D

Who is That Girl with all the charisma? And by charisma I mean the ability to trip over her own feet?

Apartment number five. Sort of like Mambo No. 5, without the sketchy Lou Bega white suit and such. Nicole's leaving the OC to go around the world on a mission trip next year, and my heart breaks in a bittersweet sort of way when I look at this picture. I wish I could explain in words what she means to me along with the rest of our lovely OCU gang.

There was some fierce lightning and after Team Snaggle got stomped, we headed into the chapel narthex area to play the Mafia game.

At one point I called them BeBop and Rocksteady because I just knew they were co-conspirators ready to kill off the innocent townspeople.

Kaci looks slightly guilty too.

Dave is having what appears to be a crisis of belief in the background as Jami chews on her twizzlers and kills people off as a card-carrying Mafia member.

i.hate.twizzlers. so this pic of Amy grosses me out. She's like a cirque du soleil Twizzler eater.

He's in the Menards mafia. Loud and proud.

Pippi Longstocking is coming into your world. Eleven countries of it, in fact.

Whitney is also suspicious of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

As you can see, a good time was had by all. The only ones missing were all of YOU! Furthermore, I dare you to think outside the box anout what you can do to build, encourage and strengthen your community of faith.

Team Snaggle FOREVER!

I think I strained something...

2009-08-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

In my quest for Kickball greatness, I think I pulled a hami.

Will report back tomorrow with pictures of the most delightful birthday party yet. Minus the whole hami thing, of course.

I love being a part of the family of God. It's the only team who doesn't chew you out when you miss the easy past and picks you first anyway because you're the birthday girl even though you may very well be the worst player on the team.

Birthday Weekend and "The Jumbotron Incident"

2009-08-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of your kind and dear birthday wishes. I did turn 24 in true That Girl style. It involved a women's conference, a surprise party, a Jumbotron and a sombrero.

Because I'd hate for you to run out of reasons to read this blog.

I went to Indianapolis this weekend for that happy yearly time known as Women of Faith.
Sadly I did not get to talk to Lisa Harper but I did have the best nachos of my life on Saturday morning. I got to hear Mandisa sing and she is a powerhouse...she can preach at my church ANYTIME. Steven Curtis Chapman gave witness to the power of God sustaining him and his family during and after the loss of his beautiful daughter Maria. You need to go 'head girl and buy his new album that will be coming out soon. It's going to make you ugly-cry in such a good way.

The speakers were very encouraging and I felt blessed to participate, especially with all of my amazing friends, some of whom went with me and others I ran into. In fact, some of my friends (Hey YA YAs!) threw me a surprise birthday party in the hotel on Friday night involving ballooons, cupcakes and although Christy broke her camera, here's a shot of the cupcakes:

I have the most delightful friends. One of them, Andrea, had her own That Girl experience. She'll be sharing that on the blog this week at some point. It's RICH, people. RICH

On Saturday morning I arose as a 24-year-old woman, and as we all know, 24-year-old women are better dancers than 23-year-old women. So when I went to my seat after a break and found the jumbotron beckoning me to dance, I obliged. Especially since Beyonce was also beckoning "All the Single Ladies" from every speaker. So I got up and started dancing. I'm nothing if not obedient to my leadership. When Mary Graham and Anna Trent and Patsy Clairmont tell me to dance, I will always respond with "Cha Cha or merengue?" As I was shaking my stuff, I noticed that the camera was

FEATURING

different dancers on the Jumbotron as they shook their groove thang like nobody was watching. I should have totally sat down, but I did not. Puh-leeze. For number one they were playing my jam, right?! For number two they would never focus on me. I'm not exactly Fred Astaire dont'cha know.

But the next thing I knew, there is my mug. On the large Jumbotron at Conseco Fieldhouse. It was then I had instant respect for those women who stand up on that stage to preach and let their faces be humongous. It was a split second so I just kept on dancing and I was filled with a strange mix of empowerment and total humiliation. The ultimate That Girl. But then all of my friends cheered, and it made me feel a little better. It also made me feel better to know that the camera adds like 35 lbs (whoever said 10? I beg to differ) and that there's a reason they call it the Jumbotron.

Beyonce, beware. If they like it, then they shoulda put it on the Jumbotron. Oh wait, they DID! And I'd hate to hafta take your job or something.

When I arrived in Bicknell after my trip, my new puppy was waiting for me. And by puppy I mean Seth searched everywhere and finally found me a plush Pound Puppy on a keychain. After this incident, that may be the best for everyone involved. I also received a plug-in for my iPod so it can be used in my car, Frankie the Focus. My iPod is broken right now and has to be sent off but I am excited to have my tunes again someday soon! On top of that, the gift came in a princess gift bag as well as with a princess card that sang to me when I opened it. Oh, the small blessings in life.

Yesterday after church we went to (where else) Mi Pueblo for some of mi comida favorita. Mid-meal I wandered around doing my best imitation of a social butterfly when my dad and Seth waved me back to the table. I should have known it was coming because for the most part they don't mind me talking to everyone I know, because it gives them a chance to get a word in edgewise I think. But this time my BFF Ashley was at the next table and she motioned me over.

Shortly thereafter, I heard the music. Oh gosh, thank goodness I was in a side booth.

Okay, I secretly loved it, especially the fried ice cream. I love any excuse to get a lot of my community together to have a great time, and so tonight we are playing kickball on campus and eating cupcakes. The best gift I can receive is seeing a big smile on the face of someone I love, so with that in mind you can find us on "The Grassy Knoll" doing kid things, eating, playing board games, and laughing our so-called sombreros off. I am excited that there will not be any cameras or Jumbtrons nearby this time.

But you can bet your sweet bippy I will still find a way to retain the title That Girl.

That Girl Moment #981: Puppy Power.

2009-08-06T08:05:00.001-07:00

I am beginning to rethink my desire for a dog.

The family with whom I live part-time just recently got a St. Bernard puppy. Her name is Riley and she has helped me realize several things. For example, I now know why St. Bernards in all the movies have that little barrel filled with Grandpa's cough medicine. It's not for warming people in the dead of winter.

It's for the nerves.

You see, last night (or early this morning--I hung out with the girls at church until a very late hour) and when I finally got to the T's house, I collapsed on the couch, thankful for sleep. However, during what I am sure was my deepest cycle of REM, I was rudely awakened by a noisy neighbor. Since Riley came to stay, her kennel is on the other side of the wall, which is normally not a big deal. But last night for some reason, Riley was in distress.

The next thing I have learned about St. Bernards (and most other dogs) is that there are different kinds of sounds made by them depending on what is going on and/or what kinds of doggy voices they hear in their heads. For example, when they have the opportunity to enjoy a Beggin' Strip if they "sing" (my friends Amber and Shayne do this with their dog and Hershey the black lab makes noises that give dolphins a headache all the way in the ocean. Seriously I shook my head and could not quite figure out why they reward him for making such an incredibly obnoxious noise. Sweet niblets, it's like slipping money to Lamb Chop, God Rest her soul, under the table to do yet another rendition of the song that doesn't end.

Turns out Riley has some different noises she likes to make at 330 AM. Here is a bulleted list for you.

Regular bark-the only normal noise Riley makes
Regular bark with a twist of whine
"Whine with Cheese" --an emphatic, pay attention to me whine
"Primitive Puppy"- a high-pitched sort of moan that would make anyone cry with her
which brings me to "The Waterworks"--a miserable sort of grief stricken form of Primitive Puppy
"Father Howling Mysteries" (loved the show by the way)-the half-howl, half-whimper emitted from a low key to a high key
Damsel in Distress--the "a raccoon is getting me and you need to come save me before I become a rabid bloody mess" kind of sound

This is pretty much the order of Riley's sounds last night. By the time it got to the Damsel, I knew something had to be done. I was concerned for her welfare.

Since I had removed my contact lenses as I do every night before going to bed, I could not see anything. My prescription is a -5.75 and that's on a good day. This was the dead of night and I could see a glimmer of a big fur ball in the kennel only by the light of the moon.

Oh, and did I mention that I wasn't wearing pants?

Don't judge, Bloggerotsky. I was tired and didn't want to wake the whole house up in order to find my pj pants. Don't worry. They have a fence.

that may not justify my decision to walk onto the back patio sans pants but please know that Riley had given me the Damsel call and I was worried about some nocturnal creature ripping her to absolute shreds and oh the carnage that would ensue. In my mind, going pantsless was of life or death importance to Riley and for future generations, as 4Him would say.

I quickly went to the screened in porch to check on Riley. I wouldn't actually have to go outside! I turned on the light, saw no sign of raccoons or other ugly and unsavory characters, and flipped the light back off. I went back to my cozy bed and shut my eyes.

For two blissful minutes, all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even The Dog. Miss Riley Cujo Thompson was safe in her happy place, the kennel of joy. At least that's the way we act when she goes in.

Until.

Until she came up with another noise of which I was formerly unaware.

Since I am now fully awake and in a better humor, I will not tell you what I called that noise last night. I will only tell you that I gave that noise a moniker of brilliance just now.

I call it "DJ SouthPaw" because Riley was playin' the kennel like Run DMC at the turntable. As in, she was taking her paw nails as I call them, and scraping them across the bottom of the cage.

Nails on a chalkboard people. I needed that barrel stat.

I threw off my covers in a fit of rage and walked outside. I had only a small amount of compassion for Riley simply because I knew what it was like to have to pee pee and hold it. So I opened the kennel and took Riley by the collar over to 'the area' where she is allowed to do her business. I stood there as I expected her to show her gratitude by making it quick as hello I was in my skivs and such. But no. Of course not. She looked up and me and I think she may have grinned in her St. Bernard puppy way but I can't be sure because hello I didn't have my contacts in. Then she took off toward the pool. She drank a little pool water and I went after her. First I prayed that God would help me to spare her life at this really UNgodly hour and then I hustled behind her. She ran away to her water bowl where she proceeded to drink enough water to float the Ark again and by then I was hopping mad, blind as a bat, still without pants, and considering if dogs were also covered under the Ten Commandments.

Lord have mercy it was a sight.

I grabbed her somewhat half-heartedly by the collar and she twisted out of my grasp.

Riley thought it was playtime.

She began to dodge every movement I made and bark very loudly. I was trying to keep her quiet to keep her from waking up the rest of the family and thus seeing me in my skivs trying to corral this perturbing pupkin. As if it wasn't awkward enough.

Finally somehow by the grace of God I took hold of her collar after narrowly avoiding her puppy teeth as she wrestled to play, and ~~jerked her~~ pulled her gently into her kennel. I promptly walked inside, shut off the lights and returned to my cozy bed.

I wasn't there for more than 30 seconds when DJ Paw started her house party again. But this time I closed my eyes and let it lull me to sleep.

4734

2009-08-05T08:22:00.000-07:00

I hope this post rocks your world like it rocked mine.

Arm-In-Arm.

2009-08-04T08:56:00.000-07:00

Here's toddler E holding onto her Papaw's arm.

You can see his happiness in the picture.

She wants to be close to him. She's not trying to butter him up for a gumball on the way out of Denny's or a trip to Chuck E. Cheese for dinner. She is holding onto him because she doesn't just LOVE him, she LIKES him.

When was the last time we spent time with Jesus just for the sheer joy of being close with Him? I know that the Bible teaches us to ask for things, but sometimes the majority of my time with God is filled up by me asking, asking, asking. I rarely just say something like: "I love you so much, Jesus!" or "I just want to know you more, Lord!"

When was the last time we opened our Bibles because we longed for the nearness of Him? Our sense of duty does not impress or bless Him.

We can go through life feeling the weight of the world on our shoulders, or we can link arms with Jesus and have Him carry the load and more importantly, share the journey with us. He's waiting, offering His arm and eagerly anticipating for us to saddle on up beside him and link arms.

What do you want to tell Jesus today in response to this?

Happy Birthday From God

2009-08-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

I will be twenty-four years old this coming Saturday, and I get so so so excited when my birthday comes! I have been like that since I was a little girl and generally was unable to sleep every year on the eve of my birthday party. People keep telling me I should quit that after I get so old, but I really hope not. I love to celebrate LIFE and the fact that God saw fit to give that gift to me, so I will hopefully always look forward to it, no matter what anyone says! I often start to feel guilty because I love birthdays so much...I don't want people to think it's all about me.

I just really enjoy celebrating with those I love, and being thankful to God for each day I wake up. I talked with Him about this just yesterday and I told Him I was sorry if I had made a rear out of myself at any time--'specially when I bug my dearest to NO END about my surprise that's coming. He has a mantra now: "NO HINTS! NO HINTS! NO HINTS!"
He's like Stonewall Jackson, I swear.

Anyway, today I was checking blogs and I got a huge surprise. A week or two ago, I began following a blog called Presh Web Design. I really liked the look of the designs that Crystal created and I have been trying to save money and prepare for a new Blog makeover.

I have also been praying about God expanding the impact for His Kingdom using this blog. I SO want to be a blessing to all of you and I want you to know that I pray for every single person that reads this blog--whether it's one time or every day.

After all, since I love each of you cutie patooties so very much that I feel like you deserve the most aesthetically pleasing blog possible! Anytime people use zebra print and bright pink, it makes me realize one thing:

I can tell that we are gonna be friends.

Turns out Crystal just started giving away one design a month for those following her blog.

Who would've have guessed that when I opened the window to read her blog entry, this is what I found....

I was so excited I started fanning my face like Miss America. I couldn't even speak real words for a couple of minutes. Finally when Candace turned around I got it out--"I won! I won! I never win anything and I WON!!"

Of course, the potential student and her mom in our office and the time looked at me strangely and laughed, but I didn't care. She'll learn after awhile...

I was just so happy and thankful and amazed at the goodness of our God to do something so cool for me! I want to give Him praise and glory today for blessing me like that this week and letting me know it's okay to enjoy celebrating life and being a part of His family.

Jesus I love you!

Celebrating Little Things

2009-07-31T11:09:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's post was kind of a downer in a hilarious sort of way, and I apologize for the lack of sunshine and roses. However, I have always been real with you and I don't want to quit now. I can't divulge too much, but I have a situation in my life about which I have been praying. hard. for a long long loooong time. Yesterday I got some news that goes in the bummer! category.

Letdowns come and go, but God promises never to leave us in the dust of disappointment. In fact, he tells us that we are conquering as we surrender to the plans of Jesus, and nothing can stop Him!

In these moments of disappointment, the enemy would sure like for us to forget all that God has already done and all the ways He has answered our cries in the past.

I don't want to forget.

Here are some things as they come to my mind for which I am thankful:

God's Word. Isn't it amazing how Scripture can cut through the rifraff of all of our emotions/desires/hopes/sorrows/deception and bring unfiltered truth to us? Today my friend Dee sent me a verse at just the right time and it ministered to me in ways nothing else can.
God's provision for me in the past. I am so thankful to have a job in this economy as well as a place (or places!) to live as well as food to eat and a car that works. My family supports me with a little extra and I am grateful for that as well.
Speaking of, my family gives me great joy and I love the things that my nieces have taught me about life. I am thankful for my brother who's a great dad and still loves me even when I am exasperating and a sister-in-law who has taught me how to be a good mom. I am thankful for my dad and his desire to live life to the fullest.
For this guy (and isn't his new picture so cute?!)
for Jami and Ashley
That I may not know what I should be doing in this season of my life, but God does.
For our church family and the way they are embracing a new vision and opportunity to reach the lost for Jesus
That He counts me worthy to bear His name at all
That I woke up this morning
For all of you, dear blog readers
For friends that are willing to fast and pray and encourage me with truth and love
For CARITAS! That's for you, Kate G.
For Meghan and LC, who bring so much joy to me (and for LC's fourth anniversary)
for Vicki-Baby, Ashley's mama who always finds gerber daisy things and buys them for me --just got some cute wall decals about which I am pumped!
for music
for Seth's family, who is having a birthday party for Ross (Seth's nephew) and me tomorrow!
for good health
That He loved me first
For my coworkers

I could really go on and on. It's amazing what a little gratitude can do for our perspectives, isn't it?

For what are you thankful, Bloggerotsky??

Disappointment

2009-07-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

It's all about how we handle it, peeps.

Like me. I try to handle in~~With a mint chocolate brownie ice cream sandwich on my desk~~ with grace and dignity.

Or like Greg Norman the golfer who once said,

"I'm disappointed, but I'm not going to run around like Dennis Rodman and head-butt somebody."

In light of disappointment: make ice-cream sandwiches, not war.

That Girl Moment: #975: Altar Call Gone Wrong.

2009-07-29T11:37:00.000-07:00

Many of you know I preached on Monday night because you bombarded Heaven with your prayers and I am so grateful for that. It went well, only because God was in charge of the whole thing and not That Girl standing up there speaking.

I know God was in charge because the message went out in spite of my thick tongue and ample mistakes.

Like at one point when I referred to Timothy as Tiffany.

I Think We're Alone Now. Because everyone just got up and walked out.

I'm just kidding. They didn't get up and walk out. God's Word went forth with power. In spite of ME.

This was no more clear than after the altar call. The invitation that I wrecked. The Holy moment on which my clumsiness intruded.

I felt the presence of the Lord as I instructed those gathered at the church to think about what God said to them and respond. I gave them a few suggestions and questions to ponder. Then I went to move the music stand.

And it went downhill from there like the Pilgrims' Plunge.

I picked up the music stand.

Let me stop here and explain to you that I LOVE.MY.BIBLE. It's a New Oxford Annotated, and it has lots of notes in the side from my professors, my pastor boyfriend, and pretty much anyone under whose teaching I have ever sat. If something happened to it, I would be distraught. If someone stole it I would hit 'em up style probably with the blessing of Jesus himself. All that being said, this B-I-B-L-E has seen some better days. It has lots of letters and notecards and church bulletins and all kinds of things in it and if you shook it you would think you busted open a little pinata of paper. Little notes, ten cent cards, sweet mementos and lots of other associated things collect in my Bible almost like they did in my old car Darla.

So, imagine my horror when after a stirring invitation to respond to the love of Jesus that casts out all fear, I moved the music stand upon which my Bible rested, and it

fell to the floor.

You would have thought a tiny paper factory blew up.

All my stuff fell out and scattered the ground and a massive cringe was felt 'round the world. I tried to kneel gracefully in order to collect my things as I felt bad for the people in the pew who were embarrassed and feeling bad for me. Plus, forget the questions I had asked. All anyone could think was how did all that paper come out of that Bible?

The cover actually FELL OFF. Like, for good. I am trying to decide whether to get out the duct tape or to get it rebound courtesy of Blessings, my family's Christian bookstore.

I know that message wasn't me because people still responded to the Gospel even after I made a total spectacle of myself.

As my friend Rita would say, "Well, praise the Lord anyhow."

Odds & Ends, Winner, and a Mini That Girl Moment

2009-07-28T09:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks for leaving your favorite Psalm references in my giveaway. I wish I had a book for each of you. buuuuuuut, I will be seeing Lisa Harper next weekend at Women of Faith in Indianapolis.

(Are you going to be there, too? That would make my weekend so much better! Shout out in the comments if you're going)

Unfortunately, she will be on stage and I'll be in the nosebleeds but maybe if she sees me donning my birthday princess crown on Saturday she'll grant my wish of nine more books to give away.....

back off, haters. I know it's very unlikely but please let the birthday princess have her dream. Maybe I can redeem myself and say something intelligent if I get to have her sign my book.

Anyway, one of you beautiful Bloggerotsky's got a ticket to ride....

Miss Deanna, you win!!

If you will email me I will get your book in the mail. His Love does ENDURE!

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I few weeks ago I contacted lovely Leah. My sister-in-law, Shannon, was having a birthday so I asked Leah to do some photos of the girls. The sitting fee was my gift to Shannon. She's on her own for the pics though! Why? I couldn't choose and would end up breaking my bank to get them all. K,H, E and their sweet cousin T (Shannon's niece) took their pics last night and they are already up! Visit the site and you will find a group pic, then T, E, K, and H. PRECIOUS. Leah did an outstanding job in the heat and with Baby Girl E, who I'm told was having none of it although miraculously I could not tell in that adorable photo.

Eat your heart out, Baby Gap.

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We are having VBS this week and I really covet your prayers as I am teaching the lessons. It is challenging at times but we have had amazing students and they LOVE learning their memory verses as well as hearing the Bible stories. This year our children's ministry leadership found a really inexpensive VBS kit for sale and we are doing "Good News Clues" which is a few years old and totally adorable. The kids are looking for clues and our little Gumshoes are loving it! Sorry if I am a blog slacker this week--it's a little crazy!

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Picture it. FBC Bicknell. Monthly Church Outreach Meal. Sunday Night.

I was listening to an older couple share about their family for a few minutes when they began to ask me questions about myself. They asked about my family, if I was "from around here" and what my family name was.

Then they asked how old I was. So I told them I would be turning 24 on August 8th.
The husband looked at the wife and said, "I guess this time next year you'll be an old maid. Heh heh heh."

My hands turned clammy. My face possessed a horrified look. Forgive me for my naivete, but I thought 24 and even 25 were still relatively young. Regardless, my mind flashed photos of an elderly me surrounded by cats yelling at the neighbor kids to "Keep it down out there, ya hear?!"

In a moment I went from That Girl to That Old Maid.

Oh well.

I like cats anyways.

Better Late Than Never, People

2009-07-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

I have a heckuva a That Girl Moment...

for tomorrow.

Right now, I want to remind all of you locals that I will be speaking in Washington tonight. Women's AGLOW starts at 7pm and all are welcome. It's on NW VanTrees Street.

You should really come. I am wearing my best shoes and hopefully a fedora.

okay, so the fedora might get a little distracting.

see you there!

That Girl's Bookshelf....A Perfect Mess.

2009-07-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

****COMMENTS NOW CLOSED!****

Well kiddies, for those of you who didn't win the last giveaway and felt like Donald Duck at the Mickey Mouse Parade, I have some really great news for you! I am giving away another book!

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down to dinner with Lisa Harper. Honestly, I had never heard of Lisa before, but upon meeting her I learned that she had been an intregal part of Focus on the Family's Renewing the Heart conferences for women.

It was one of those That Girl Moments.

I was still in High School and had not yet heeded the call for ministry. A friend's mom planned a conference, and in doing so had asked her daughter's cohorts for some assistance. The night before we were invited to dinner at Raffi's in Evansville. By the way, the was the one and only time I have ever eaten at Raffi's, if that tells you anything. That place is QUALITY.

Dinner blew my mind and I had to pick up my jaw off the floor when Rita Springer rolled in.

RITA SPRINGER, PEOPLE.

holy colitis. I was outta my league. Like Donald Duck at the Mickey Mouse Parade. Like Baby's sister performing that Hawaiian song right before the Big Lift Dance with Johnny. Like the Miss America runner-up. I sympathize. I do.

Then I was introduced to Kim Hill and the Raffi's staff had to get the defibrillator at that point.

KIM HILL, PEOPLE.

It took everything I had not to ask them to do a duet of "You are Still Holy" intermixed DJ style with "I Want the Joy" but you would have been proud of me. I was workin' that self-control like it was my job. So when they finally said oh lauren you must meet lisa, my eyes looked as glazed as the chicken.

Dang it.

You see, Lisa travels and speaks all over the world. She's a Harley mama. And she loves the Old Testament.

THE OLD TESTAMENT, PEOPLE.

I found myself so ridiculously tongue-tied that I didn't know where to begin with her. To be fair, I was not as in love with the OT then as I now am. Thank you, Dr. Douglas Low. I wish I could have those moments back in order to form a more perfect sentence or question or something intelligent versus the "Uh, hi. Nice to meet you" route.

for the love of Moses.

Forbid it that I would get to meet her when i actually realize what she has accomplished for women in ministry and have an intelligent conversation about what it was like to work for Focus, or what kind of motorcycle she has.

I can't change the past and my chicken-glazed eyes, but I can introduce YOU to her so in case you do ever meet her, you will know how totally awesome she is and you can tell her That Girl says hi.

My publisher friends asked me to read her newest book and see if I might like it.

IF. IF?

An entire book based on Psalms for That Girl who can't even get it right in front of Kim, Rita, Lisa and the gang sometimes, let alone for Jesus?

It's safe to say I liked it. A LOT.

Okay, I loved it. Not the way I love tacos or but the way I fell in love with Kate g's doggy, Tanka.
(So so so sorry, I just had to mention the dog, you know, because I am getting jiggy with the birthday list thing and you just never do know who might be reading like a generous benefactor or someone like that. whew. that was a lot of justification for a picture very few of you will look at.)

So the Book...

It's called A Perfect Mess and it's paperback.

If you have ever wondered if you are doing enough to make God happy and to win His affection, Lisa has something to say to you:

God is not looking for perfection. He is looking TO PERFECT.

Now be like yours truly and say that last sentence out loud.

I know many of my readers have had the same struggle as me: we've been trying to earn God's approval when we already have it through Jesus Christ. And He is more than willing to take a MESS and perfect it into something beautiful.

"Caught up in the self-imposed pressure to do and be all the things they
think a Christian woman ought to do and be, countless women are working
desperately to convince everyone, including God, that they have it all together.
Few have any idea that the Creator of the universe looks at them with delight
even when they yell at the dog, drive a minivan littered with French fries, or
think bad words about that rude clerk at the store." from the summary

Is that you? That description is sometimes me, too. I gotta tell you, this book was an imporatnt one for me. I read half of it in one sitting and the readability (that's different than Rock-A-Billy, Keyly) is high. Basically Lisa takes several Psalms and devotes a chapter to exegeting them (don't be afraid of the word exegete, it just means she goes back to the context of the times, does research, and explains it in Everyday That Girl terms.)

She tells Biblical truths in a sensible, down-to-earth way which allows for everyone to understand, even those of us who have very little knowledge of the Bible or those of us who don't think we like reading our Bibles. There's also a great section at the end of each chapter where she asks discussion questions and gives space to fill it in. It would make a great quick Bible study resource for moms on the go or for busy college students, yet the material goes deep enough and cuts to the heart to force us to ponder tough questions about ourselves and our relationships (or lack-thereof) with God. It would make a great gift for a friend or relative. in fact, I am thinking of giving a copy to Toots--the 83 year-old dynamo grandmas would love it, too, I am convinced. I very rarely come across material written by a woman for women that is so informing yet concise. I encourage you to pick up a copy of this book.

If I haven't bought them all yet, that is. Until then, here's the link to purchase your very own. See, I even made it oh-so-easy for you to get. it is also available at your local Christian bookstore. Like Blessings, for instance.

Even easier is when That Girl ships it to ya fo' freezy. If you didn't win Barbie Queen of the Prom yesterday, it's your time to go to the ball, sister!! I have one extra copy to give away, and I would sure like to share this book with you. Gimme a holler in the comments with your favorite Psalm reference and you'll be entered to win a free copy of A Perfect Mess!

because I want you to be prepared when you meet Lisa Harper at Raffi's someday.

2009-07-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

I know I just posted a YouTube video, but it is a sad one. I wanted to find a way to cheer you...

and then my coworker introduced me to this piece of GOLD.

(can't believe the pastor approved it on the way in :D )

This soooo made my day.

May I present to you...

"Forever: A Wedding Processional"

"A Woman's Work"

2009-07-23T10:22:00.001-07:00

SYTYCD has done it again. Check out the story and then watch the dance. I started to cry at the 2 minute mark. This dance is not just some movements--it tells a story to which many of us can relate.

Giveaway Winner and HodgePodge.

2009-07-23T06:41:00.000-07:00

Erica, come on down! With the help of the Random Integer Generator, you have won yourself a copy of Holy Roller! Email me for details!
As for the rest of yas, I am doing another giveaway tomorrow so stay tuned and your dreams might come true...Everything I do, I do it fooooooor you.

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Anybody been watching The Next Food Network Star? it's so crazy this season. I have always loved it, since the first season with Guy Fieri, and it's a fun little Sunday night treat. Although I will tell you that my kitchen tends to get a little messier on Sunday nights after I watch because I feel "inspired." Try feeling "inspired" when your cupboards consist of boxed mac and cheese and cans of refried beans.
But don't cry for me Argentina. I do have some produce in there too. Not in the cupboards, of course.
Anyway.

I really love that sweet Melissa. I think she is charming and out of the top three I would Tivo her show. I think that even though she is not a professional chef, she is a mom so she can identify with a lot of FN's audience. I enjoy watching her, and as someone who also possesses frenetic energy, I appreciate her style. I think she would calm right down in a taped setting and be really popular. I'd buy her line of pots and pans. She has stayed really positive in her relationships with the other contestants as well, which I really respect.
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Last night I stayed at my dad's house with the three muchkin princesses. H, the redhead, slept pretty much sideways and I didn't sleep well because I felt like one of us would fall off the bed eventually. So I slept with one eye open, and I'm feeling groggy at work today. I need Robert Goulet to show up with some of those nut (preferably almond) snacks he's been advertising.

I think that's it for now. Still wanting another pronto pup...There's always the Knox County Fair!

That Girl Moment #956: Bloomer Blooper.

2009-07-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

I feel like a desert that just saw the rain.

For a while there, I had so many That Girl moments, but due to sensitive situations or subject matter I couldn't tell you. It's not fair for me to air the laundry of others...

but I can sure hang mine up on the blog line.

Last night I decided it would be a good idea to visit Jami. I have been going stark raving nuts over housing assignments this week and I needed a break after work.

That break needed to involve Candace's famous Chicken Ring, two of my favorite chick flicks -which just happen to be When Harry Met Sally and Two Weeks Notice if you must know- and a big ole watermelon on which I got quite a Deal. Unfortunately the watermelon was slightly overripe (hence The Deal) which was a disappointing outcome for me personally but Jami's big sis Jen enjoyed it.

That break also needed to include me doing some laundry. Not hardcore, but just enough to get me through a few days. If I do the laundry at the apartment, it costs me at least two dollars a load, and that's just if the heating element in the dryer decides to make good for me. I'm sure it's nothing personal, but sometimes my clothes don't get completely dry the first round. It's not about overloading, either--unless you consider overloading two towels and a washcloth. I digress. Anyway, it's costing me almost as much as my almond habit. And NOTHING gets in between my almonds and me. I gots tah tell ya, if you made me choose between getting my $1.99 gas station almonds and clean clothes, I am going to be That Girl that is wearing the same shirt she wore yesterday.

$2 a load may not break my piggy bank, but you just go ahead and try to find 8 quarters. I could go to the bank but that'd be too easy, and there is something about giving them a beautiful $10 bill and getting back change. I know it spends the same, but it's a mental thing for me. The gas station attendants are so sick of me coming in to get quarters that I'm pretty sure they'd like to tell me where I can put my George Washington if you know what I mean. And then on top of that there's the whole almond temptation once again.

For all of those reasons, I pushed some clothes into a little wicker basket (thanks Mandy and Prov girls) and carried it to the car There were too many clothes in the basket so I had to hold it against myself to make it. I put the clothes in the backseat. I hitched up the wagon and headed to Jami's new apartment.

While there I decided that we could have the best reality show ever. Waaay better and more interesting than The Hills. Classier than Paris and Nicole. We even have a set of words that are original. There are moments in my life when I will look at Jami and say, "Read my mind right now."

she can.

so so scary.

Anyway, we cooked dinner, watched movies, and did laundry. I stayed overnight and I got up early this morning (you can tell too-the hair has seen better days). It was raining pretty hard so I was relieved I didn't spend too much time on the hair or it would have been wasted anyway. Anytime my wavy hair gets in the vicinity of humidity, it turns into Gene Wilder's hair when he played Willy Wonka. It ain't pretty, folks.

I drove back to my apartment complex unassumingly. An unexpected surprise greeted my arrival.

A brown shirt lying in the grass soaked by the rain.

Next to it, a pair of unmentionables also drenched by said rain.

I need to praise God at this point in the story because they were middle-of-the-road unmentionables, meaning they weren't my best pair but they weren't a set of Grannies that would have caused me to fall to my knees in a heap of embarrassment or walk by them and shake my head in disgust like "how could someone possibly drop those things and not notice" either. Instead I only prayed for the earth to swallow me whole as I considered the possibility that every.single.neighbor, all 11 of them (including... Jami read my mind) had now seen my bizness.

I glanced around quickly and pounced on them like Boy George at an eyeshadow sale and practically ran back to my apartment. I say practically because if you have been reading this blog for any length of time you know that I do not run unless someone is chasing me.

I got to the door and realized I didn't really have a battle plan to take care of the profusely dripping shirt (Natalie Grant: Live For Today t-shirt) and underoos. I carefully carry them back outside (because my embarrassment was not yet complete) as I literally had to wring them out. As I stood there in the puddle of water I had now created by my own carelessness, I had the most wonderful and slightly terrifying thought.

The drought of That Girl Moments is over.

Weakness.

2009-07-21T11:14:00.000-07:00

Insecurities.

We all have them.

Some of us

hide them
flaunt them
conceal them
~~reveal them to large groups of friends and strangers~~ blog about them
try anything to overcome them
overcompensate for them
get angry about them

Very few people actually take delight in them. In fact, I know only one person who gave advice about that, or at least shared his story about what his weaknesses taught him. It might be a little familiar to you.

...so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, "My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness."
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. (2 Cor. 12:7B-10, The Message)

Often my insecurities give me lots of thoughts and emotions, and not one of those thoughts or emotions have ever, EVER been relief!

A soldier is never relieved to see a chink in the armor.
A Neiman-Marcus shopper is never relieved to see a thread loose on that sale garment she got so excited about.
A model is never relieved to see a blemish on her face the day before her cover shoot (Have you ever seen ANTM? ack.).

You get the idea.

Can I be honest? heh heh. Like you could stop me.

My insecurities have been getting the best of me. Not Jesus. Not my loved ones. Not my job. Not my ministry.

Every single one of the aforementioned have lost out because of my many negative thoughts about myself, my self-doubt, and my desire to win the approval of others, only to fall miserably short. These are branches from the tree of lies Satan daily tries to prune (there is much MANURE for fertilization in these lies)....the lies that I hear so often I begin to believe. Instead of working on producing the fruit of the Spirit, these lies soak up all the resources I have, making me demand affirmation at every corner and sometimes wishing I could fade into the back row of life, so to speak.

It is uncomfortable, demanding, and awkward.

Relieved, I am not. Sick and tired is what I am.
and yet...
Paul tells me to consider these setbacks-weaknesses that come in the form of insecurity-as a means of avoiding pride, bringing about more faithful and constant communication with God and reliance on Him, making me more aware of my need for Christ, and learning to focus on how these limitations-these things that cause all of my many and varied insecurities-actually further the Kingdom when I relinquish them to Jesus!

Strong's tells me that the word translated as weakness in this passage can mean the following:

1) want of strength, weakness, infirmity
1a) of the body
1a1) its native weakness and frailty
1a2) feebleness of health or sickness
1b) of the soul
1b1) want of strength and capacity requisite
1b1a) to understand a thing
1b1b) to do things great and glorious
1b1c) to restrain corrupt desires
1b1d) to bear trials and troubles

I am in want of the strength and the capacity it takes to understand things, to do great and glorious things on my own, to restrain corrupt desires, and to bear hardship. I am frail, and my feeble attempts to offer righteousness are filthy rags to a Holy God.

What a beautiful thing to think that in my want, Jesus meets my needs. In my lack, He becomes greater and I become less.

That chink in the armor makes the soldier more aware-thus saving his life
The tiny thread pull is the very reason she got such a good deal, and no one else really notices it
The model is considered more "real" and down-to-earth because of her blemish and the magazine sells more copies (okay so maybe that one is far-fetched but just go with the illustration here people!)

When was the last time I thanked God for all of the ways He has used my weaknesses to bless me in the form of knowing Him more?

When was the last time I realized that without said insecurities, I might never have realized my need for Him?

When God made the sun stand still in the book of Joshua, the people knew it was not Joshua that made it happen. They recognized his limitations as a man. He was a man of God, but he was still a man.

I want people to know my limitations so God's glory can be recognized and applauded.I'm praying that Jesus will use my weaknesses and my insecurities as a megaphone declaring God's glory to all of those around me.

Lysa Terkeurst says to invite God into our lack. I think she's onto something.

Won't you join me in that prayer?

Olé

2009-07-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

(mi comida favorita, Mi Pueblo...) Happy 7th Birthday, K! You've come a LONG WAY, baby!

That Girl's Bookshelf....

2009-07-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

***Comments Now Closed. Stay tuned for the winner!***

I am dying to tell you of a book I'm reading. I haven't had much time to sit down over the past week, but when I do, it's what I pick up. The book is called "Holy Roller" and the author, Julie Lyons, is so artful in her seamless weaving of details of things like crime scenes and depictions of the characters in her book along with her faith journey that took place when she went looking for a story and found the story and the God who changed her life.

Julie Lyons was working as a crime reporter when she followed a hunch into the South Dallas ghetto. She wasn’t hunting drug dealers, but drug addicts who had been supernaturally healed of their addictions. Was there a church in the most violent part of the city that prayed for addicts and got results?
At The Body of Christ Assembly, a rundown church on an out-of-the-way street, Lyons found the story she was looking for. The minister welcomed criminals, prostitutes, and street people–anyone who needed God. He prayed for the sick, the addicted, and the demon-possessed, and people were supernaturally healed.
Lyons’s story landed on the front page of the Dallas Times Herald. But she got much more than just a great story, she found an unlikely spiritual home. Though the parishioners at The Body of Christ Assembly are black and Pentecostal, and Lyons is white and from a traditional church background, she embraced their spirituality–that of “the Holy Ghost and fire.”
It’s all here in Holy Roller–the stories of people desperate for God’s help. And the actions of a God who doesn’t forget the people who need His power. (from a summary I didn't write.)

Julie Lyons is an award-winning writer, editor and investigative reporter who for more than 11 years served as editor-in-chief of the Dallas Observer, an alternative weekly newspaper owned by Village Voice Media. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University and a B.A. in English from Seattle Pacific University. She and her husband, Larry Lyons Jr., live in Dallas with their son. I would sure like to be her friend, too.

I am reading this book and I feel like the people are changing right smack-dab in front of me because of the way Lyons tells the story. No matter what denomination with which you identify, no matter what worship style you love, no matter where you are at in life, this book will encourage you as you see the transforming power of Christ at work. It gives hope and encouragement and has challenged me as a believer. God can do anything, and if He wants to use a tiny Pentecostal church tucked away in Dallas Texas to help people get freedom from addiction, I wonder what He can do with each of our churches if we commit to serving Him even if it gets awkward or uncomfortable from time to time.

Please read this book--it is enjoyable and challenging! You can go here to Random House or to your local Christian Bookstore (I hear Blessings in Loogootee is nice...) to order the book.

And just because I want you to read it this badly, I am giving away a copy thanks to my friends at Random House! Post a comment and you are entered to win! I will "Random"ly draw the winner of a brand-new copy of "Holy Roller" by Julie Lyons.

It will look good on your Bookshelf and even better with you on the beach.

Troubled.

2009-07-16T11:42:00.000-07:00

I had a meltdown last Saturday.

I still have bad days-they seem to just get fewer and farther between-but they still have the intensity they did when Mom died.

My dad, aunts, and I went out with Toots to celebrate her 83rd birthday. We were in the restaurant laughing at Toots and her penchant for pink sweetener all over everything on her plate to 'doctor it up' and my aunts innocently began making small talk-asking me about my life and such. I began to share about how things were going well, but....

This bit of perhaps unwarranted vulnerability-sometimes June comes bustin' out all over, and by June I mean That Girl- surprised everyone. They tried to make me feel better that things take time and sometimes we're living on dreams and spaghetti-Os wondering where our lives are gonna go, as Martina McB says. Bless their hearts, they didn't know what to do with That Girl who suddenly turned on the waterworks and began to cry. I wasn't crying about my life. It really is lovely. I am thankful for my many blessings.

Honestly, I was weeping because I had looked at the occupants of my table and realized that there was a seat with no occupant. In that moment I felt so defeated and sorrow filled my heart as I realized for the millionth time that she would never be at a special family event again. There will be a hole at K's 7th birthday party this weekend. No one to call me early in the morning and tell me she was thankful for her unexpected pregnancy @36 when I turn 24 next month. No one to light the unity candle someday or to talk me through my first baby's fever. No one to tell me that she's still my biggest fan when I mess up, cry with me when my feelings are hurt or to tell me ever so gently that the skirt makes my hips look big and wouldn't this be a better choice for my body shape?!

No more of those beautiful things.

My heart was troubled.

I think as believers we have a responsibility to ask why. Jesus instructs us to be like children, and all the children I know ask 3 billion questions, sometimes again and again if they forget the answer of why the sky is blue or the grass is green.

After my tiny yet embarrassing scene crying in front of my family, where I wandered around looking like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer because of my slightly ugly cry trying to find the bathroom, somehow I attracted the stare of every.single.patron in the whole joint who were trying to figure out who is That Girl anyway and why did she just open up the door to the supply closet?

( Can't I even have a moment of sadness gracefully here?! )

Then Dad decided to drive by the cemetery. Here comes Waterworld again.

I got out of the car and shut the door. Through my tears I stood and looked at the butterfly on her stone. I couldn't really see it that well through all the tears collected in my eyes. I looked at her birth and death dates and got mad all over again.

why?

this is really no good, in case You haven't noticed, I told Him.

Then I do what I always do, mad or not but always through teary eyes, went to the other side of the grave.

I made myself read it.

I ran my fingers along the words and tried to get the dust off off the grave, so cool to my touch in the heat of the day.

My peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Then it came. Not the answer I wanted, but the one I needed.

Don't be troubled.

It sounds really simple, and yet when my eyes focused in on the word troubled, I could hear my Savior's voice. Not audibly of course, but that still small voice.

In this world you will have trouble. The tricky part is not to let it trouble you.

I may have Trouble. But Trouble doesn't have me.

After typing the word trouble so many times I want to also tell you that the word looks weird to me now. My apologies.

My heart has seen difficulty. My life has been changed. The fact that I belong to Jesus has not changed, and although tragedy and heartache have come knocking on my door and I have repeatedly asked why, he has told me that sometimes the answer is not as important as the faith it takes to ask the question. I may ask why, but I won't let the lack of a full blueprint trouble my heart. I won't be troubled by the lack of answers. Instead, I will let that perfect peace rest deep in my heart and soul--the peace that even as I ask the same questions again and again, I may not get every answer just this second but I will be safe and he will provide for me, like a parent cares for a child. The peace that he loves me and that he knows how much of the answer I can handle right now, and how much needs to be saved for later.
I won't be troubled come Saturday. I'll see my mom's smile on K's face when she opens her brand new Princess Protection Program DVD (the gift that keeps on giving-shhh) and I'll know that Mom is no longer troubled by things like cancer, or chemo, or bills to pay, or even sin. He will grant me the peace of HOPE in redemption and resurrection.

I leave you with a Puritan prayer that has really encouraged me.

O God, most high, most glorious, the thought of Thine infinite serenity cheers
me, for I am toiling and moiling, troubled and distressed, but Thou art for ever
at perfect peace. Thy designs cause thee no fear or care of unfulfilment, they
stand fast as the eternal hills. Thy power knows no bond, Thy goodness no stint.
Thou bringest order out of confusion, and my defeats are Thy victories: The Lord
God omnipotent reigneth.
I come to Thee as a sinner with cares and sorrows, to leave every concern entirely to Thee, every sin calling for Christ's precious blood; revive deep spirituality in my heart; let me live near to the great Shepherd, hear His voice, know its tones, follow its calls. Keep me from deception by causing me to abide in the truth, from harm by helping me to walk in the power of the Spirit. Give me intenser faith in the eternal verities, burning into me by experience the things I know; Let me never be ashamed of the truth of the gospel, that I may bear its reproach, vindicate it, see Jesus as
its essence, know in it the power of the Spirit.
Lord, help me, for I am often lukewarm and chill; unbelief mars my confidence, sin makes me forget Thee. Let the weeds that grow in my soul be cut at their roots; grant me to know that I truly live only when I live to Thee, that all else is trifling. Thy presence alone can make me holy, devout, strong and happy. Abide in me, gracious God.

I've been praying for you today. May the peace of Christ be with you now and forever.

Q and A...

2009-07-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

I got completely done with my Q and A post and my computer failed to keep the connection. So all of my time answering your questions has been wasted.

I will put the answers up tomorrow.

If I am done sucking my thumb and weeping in the fetal position.

we'll see.

fine. Tomorrow it is.
Because you're worth it.

:D

Better Go and Get Your Armor.

2009-07-13T12:33:00.000-07:00

Jordin Sparks is right. Only I would change her lyric just a little bit from the original.

Why does life always feel like a battlefield?

I never meant to start a war.

and yet, I find myself in one.

Scripture tells me that there's someone interested in stealing, killing, and destroying my life and the lives of those I love. Some folks will tell you that he is not real, but I assure you, he is. He is Satan, and if you know Jesus Christ, you are in a battle with him. He does not like you and he would like to take you out.

These are just a few of Satan's means to the end of destroying every believer:

discouragement
frustration
gossip and slander
porn*graphy
unforgiveness
financial bondage
bitterness
keeping us busy with good things so we neglect our relationship with Jesus

Sometimes, we let Satan have his way simply because we choose not to use the armor God has given us to protect ourselves.

Now, let me tell you what this armor is NOT before I remind you what it is. It is NOT shutting ourselves off from the world and hiding in our church pews like terrified fainting goats. It's not sheltering those we love from the harsh reality of life. It's not ignoring the problem and hoping it will go away or just giving up.

It's learning to fight darkness with light. After all, the Bible tells us that we don't fight the way the world fights.

The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity. 2 cor. 10:3-4 the message

It takes changing the way we think and act in order to defend ourselves against this enemy who so readily prowls on both the weak and the strong, the poor and the rich, the young and the old. He's an equal-opportunity offender. He wants you because he knows how powerful you are with the Holy Spirit inside of you, ready to make a powerful difference and potentially help snatch a few from Hell's clutches.

He is also not going to force you to dress in the armor He has given us. It's our choice to put on that armor that protects us from the lies the enemy whispers to us, the sin that so easily entangles us, and the discouraging darts that he launches to bring us down for the count. For vulnerability's sake, sometimes I get so sick and tired of fighting I just let Satan do what he wants and start believing the lies he sells me. Isn't that ridiculous?

I worship the God of the universe, and He doesn't take any crap. He REALLY doesn't take any crap when it comes to His kids.

Instead of rolling over and playing dead like I want to do occasionally, He wants us to stand up and declare that we belong to Him and that nothing we have done or left undone defines who we are. Only Jesus defines us now! That's why we have to protect ourselves.

10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11Put on the full
armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12For
our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the
authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13Therefore put on the full armor of God,
so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and
after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of
truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of
peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you
can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of
salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in
the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in
mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

This may sound dorky, but when I pray about this, I actually pretend like I am putting something on! Don't make fun. It works!

Let's talk about this armor, piece by piece.

The helmet of Salvation...
I try to remember that this piece of armor protects my thoughts and my beliefs about God, myself, and others. As Satan may try to whisper lies into my ear, I am responsible for remembering that I am a child of God and that Jesus defines me. NOTHING ELSE.

That person doesn't like you.
You are fat and ugly.
You aren't as smart as her.
You really blew it last week.
You aren't very successful.

The list of lies goes on and on. Yet, when I place on the Helmet of Salvation, I can remember that I have been saved by grace through faith and now belong in the Kingdom of God. When you place on the Helmet of Salvation, pray that God will remind you of who you are in Christ. This always helps me.

The Breastplate of Righteousness.
When I think of this piece of armor, I think of a medieval knight's armor, especially that big piece that covers his heart and protects his vital organs. When placing this on, we remember that though we are unrighteous, Jesus paid the price for our sin and we have been made righteous in God's sight through the blood of Chirst. This protects us as the Enemy reminds us of past failings and shortcomings and tries to get at our hearts. We are told in Scripture to guard the heart, because it's the wellspring of life.

The Belt of Truth
In my mind, the belt of truth is much more like a girdle than a belt. I have always loved girdles because they hold everything together and keep it from jiggling around. Much like a girdle, the belt of truth is to remind us about
who God says He is
&
what He says He can do
When we buckle that belt of truth (or lay on our beds to hoist that girdle up, so to speak) we are committing to remind ourselves about God's character. This means calling Scripture to mind when we are tempted to believe something untrue about God. His word holds us up and keeps us all together, helping us to know how to act and be and keeping us encouraged so we don't fall apart.

The shoes of the Gospel of Peace
I'm all about the pedicure. God is making our feet ready to share Christ and stay on the narrow path. In Colossians, we are told to let the peace of God reign in us. I always think of that verse when I put on the shoes of peace. When God doesn't want us to wander or disobey, he pulls back the reigns on us and this explains our lack of peace. He is trying to help us obey, and if we are unsettled about something, generally it's the Spirit warning us. We are also sent out to share Jesus with everyone, and the shoes of peace help to READY us to accomplish this without getting sidetracked. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!

you know the old sports saying, "Offense wins games. Defense wins championships." This is also true in the Kingdom of God.

The Sword of the Spirit.
This part of the armor represents offense. Offense wins skirmishes with Satan, and he desperately wants to get you off of your game. That's why we must not only carry the Sword of the Spirit, but memorize the Word of God and hide it in our hearts, so when we are tempted to disobey God, we will be reminded of what He has commanded us and avoid sin.

The Shield of Faith
This part of armor represents defense. We are to use the gift of faith God has given us in order to protect ourselves from the fiery darts of the Enemy sent to make us believe lies about God. That belt of truth holds us up, but it takes faith to believe those things are true and that God has more power in His pinkie finger than Satan has in all of Hell. This helps us stand against the evil one. We can use the Word of God as offensive protection and coverage, but only the Lord Himself can win the actual battle. We are not righteous or holy apart from Him, so we must have our belief in His strength defending us at all times.

I have to admit, I didn't treat this post as a seminarian. I treated it as a Woman of God who has fought many battles and only because of Jesus has a winning record.

I KNOW that this was for at least one reader today....I had a different post in mind and this is what came out.

Better go and get your armor.

2009-07-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

My dad actually named both of his children. Keep in mind that I am the only girl on my dad's side of the family, and my Grandma, Toots, was plumb excited to have a little lady in her group of grands. Thus, Toots had LOTS of name suggestions for my parents as they prepared for my birth. My mom wasn't a mom who had a bunch of names picked out before she went to the hospital, and although they discussed names with both my brother and myself, by the time her water broke, no conclusion had been reached on a name for each gender.

My dad gave my brother his name when my mom called him in a panic. This was back when women got a two or three day hospital stay even after a natural birth, and my dad was at work when my mom called him and said, "Pick a name for this poor child! I don't know what to call him and they keep bringing me to him and he doesn't even have a NAME!"

you see where I get it.

So the second or third day after his birth, my brother got his name. It's a good one too.

So obviously, when Toots began to suggest names for me, my mom was all ears at first. The Captain (my dad) had rejected her pick, Nicole, and they assumed I was a boy all through the pregnancy. They referred to me as Nicholas. A lot of therapy appointments later I can admit that to you :D

Anyhow, Toots declared that she had a couple of BEAUTIFUL NAMES--family names--that would be so perfect and wouldn't they just make a lovely moniker for sweet little Baby Girl Biggs?

yeah. about that.

Her suggestion stemmed from the fact that her maiden name was Barnett and my dad's name is a weird variation of Kevin--Keevin (pronounced Key-vin). She decided that it was only fair and smart and right and sweet and too cute to name me:

BARNETTA SUE BIGGS.

folks, you know that you know that I cannot make this stuff up.

But as my mom was trying to tactfully reject sweet Toots's suggestion, she declared that if it wouldn't work, she had another option.

KEEVILEEN.

perfect. so incredibly perfect. Heck, why didn't my mom think of that?

No worries, it's fine that mom didn't know what she was going to name a little girl. She was SOOOO having a boy. Soooooo completely having a boy named Nicholas.

And then, on August 8, 1985, when I made my grand debut, I immediately turned a lot of heads. Of course, I was a cute newborn (hee hee, who isn't?) but I mostly caught everyone's attention. I was lacking something expected.

Hold up, wait a minute. we got one that pees sitting down here, people.

Get out the pink blankets. No Nicholas here.

I have been told that my aunt, KARLEEN (also named by Toots) screamed so loudly in the waiting room when they declared my gender that my mom could hear her in the delivery room. She leaned over to the nurse and said, "That is my sister-in-law. She must have just heard the news."

Again with the no names. I should have used this example when my mom brought up my award-winning procrastination techniques. It's not like she was all Boy-Scout with her "Be prepared" up in there. So once again, she asked my dad to please pick a name for That Girl to whom I just gave birth.

He picked Lauren because he thought it was pretty and my middle name as Elyse, a funky-spelling'ed version of one of his favorite piano pieces: Fur Elise by Beethoven.

A lot of work for when I go out in public and still get called "That Girl."

2.) I collect Willow Trees, but I never buy any for myself. I think they are beautiful and they suit lots of home decor.

3.) The veggie on my desk was a cucumber. Thankfully someone I know has a green thumb so I can have a little fresh produce. Holler if you've got something homegrown!!

4.) LEMON SHAKE-UPS/Fish/Pronto Pups. Like I can pick just one...you should see me in the shoe store.

5. My favorite board game is "Barbie: Queen of the Prom" circa 1961. Thank you, Mindy, for exacting this amazing find. Although I don't own a copy of the most simultaneously chauvinistic and hilarious game ever, my birthday is around the corner so I'm hopeful. My favorite game show is totally "The Newlywed Game" and when we played the game with our friends from church it was a real hoot--especially since the SINGLES got to ask the questions of the marrieds.

Okay, I will be answering reader questions on Monday or before. in the meantime, pray for Spurgeon Church and for me as I will be bringing the message on Sunday. Visit my sidebar for the link!

love you like I love Friday nights!

Time for More Q and A...

2009-07-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

Bloggerotsky, did you ever wonder why my parents named me Lauren? Or what I love to collect? Or what vegetable is currently sitting on my desk at work right next to me as I type away? Or what my favorite Fairground food is? What my favorite game show is?

Well, now's your time, honey. This is your day! All of your questions answered here. So leave your comments filled with what your sweet little inquiring minds want to know, and I will answer them in a timely manner.

oh, and by the way:
I will answer the questions listed above tomorrow :D

And now a rather shameless plug from the sponsor of this blog....

2009-07-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know, I am now prayerfully accepting speaking engagements for the fall. If this is something in which your women's group, church, girl's youth ministry, or other organization is interested, please contact me at lauren.thatgirl@gmail.com

I will work with your budget in planning the event and I look forward to communicating with you regarding your need for a speaker!

Not to mention I love you more than Roger Federer love his tennis racket.

I Bring you a Bit of Deliciousness From Senior High Camp.

2009-07-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

Hoagies and Grinders! Hoagies and Grinders! Navy beans, Navy beans! Navy beans, Navy beans!

Guest Blog by my Former Roommate Amber in Which She Rats Us Out.

2009-07-07T13:43:00.000-07:00

Since I made that list of ten honest things, I decided to ask Amber to give you the Paul Harvey version of the eHarmony story.

Then I remembered it is quite telling and a little ratty, as Holly Golightly would say.

Then I thought, OH WELL, as That Girl would say.

from Amber:

My good friend and roomie Lauren and I were enjoying our usual scheduled meal time at the trough *ahem*
cafeteria...when we honed in on a conversation across the table between two of our guy friends. They were openly discussing the fact that they had set up eHarmony accounts in hopes of finding their true love.

The sad reality was that neither of these guys had received any matches in about a week or so. Lauren and I exchanged awkward glances and didn't really know how to respond to the situation, so we just kind of snickered behind our hands a bit.

Later in the dorm room, we erupted into laughter, like, really boisterous laughter, about the whole pathetic situation. So...

we did what any great gal friends would do: see if we could show up our guy friends. We took turns helping each other create the most awesome eHarmony profiles of all time. Not that the stuff in it was untrue, just...well, our personalities really are that awesome :) Anyway, we swore each other and our other roommates to secrecy that no one would ever know about that fateful night.
The next day, we signed into our accounts and lo and behold- we each had at least 12 matches!!!! As the days went on, the numbers grew! It was unbelievable, but mostly we considered these facts: (1) We had won in our secret battle. We definitely outdid those boys. (2) Those boys must have some really crappy profiles. AND (3) GIRLS RULE, AND BOYS DROOL, which is why those two must never know about our conquering of the eHarmony world. As an addendum, one of these gentlemen just got married a few weeks ago. Although they didn't meet on eHarm, he did find the love of his life and turns out, Neil Clark Warren's help wasn't needed in this case. If you have been helped by EHarmony, rock on! If you don't have any matches yet, call us and we can help!! We are currently contracting out.

From Laur:

Please note that you should never ever swear my best friends to secrecy because there is a distinct chance later on down the road we'll make you blog about it to your one hundred closest strangers.

I'd like to thank LC and the Academy....

2009-07-07T10:36:00.000-07:00

Miss Lauren at Walking by Faith is a real good friend of mine.

(In fact, we are doing an online email study of Jennifer Rothschild's "Me, Myself, & Lies with our cutie patootie Blog friend Meghan. I am also doing this same study with my small group at church.)

I feel like we are BFF already despite the fact that I haven't yet met her in real life. details, details.

Anywhoo, she nominated me for this blog award.

I, like LC (I started calling her that after too many episodes of The Hills to end the confusion between That Girl and This Girl) don't quite know what this award means except that I probably give you a little too much information from time to time...ack. Sorry about that.

but not sorry enough to quit being honest.

Anyway, now I am supposed to tell you 10 things that you will probably wish you didn't know.

Here goes:

1. I am very self-conscious about my hands. I bite my fingernails -like, down to the "quick." Whatever the "quick" is. Both my hands have scars from where I burned myself on the oven two separate times. WHAT ARE THE ODDS, people?
Therefore, I think I have made my God created hands into some slightly ugly man-hands.

2. I failed at Twitter. Maybe because (gasp) right now I don't like it one little tiny bit. I tend to think that people don't find me near as interesting as I think they do. I'm sorry if you are following me on Twitter. That may be the decision leading to the boringest thing in your life since Antiques Roadshow.

3. I will waste my whole day watching "America's Next Top Model" rerun marathon if I am not careful. Especially on Sunday afternoons.
Don't judge. I know some of you do it, too!!

4. Sometimes I struggle with the concept of grace. I forget that everything I do for God should be a response to His love, not an effort to earn what I have already been given: righteousness and love through Christ Jesus.

5. I have never learned how to ride a bike. I didn't like skinning up my knees and didn't want to taint my future as a MODEL/actress/singer/Mary Hart. You see how that went. Now I am a housing director who could never be a MODEL/actress/singer because she cannot ride a bike. Ah, the irony.

6. I hate hate hate making facebook photo albums. It is time-consuming and annoying. I would probably pay someone to do it for me if I could afford it. Boy that sure sounds lazy.

7. Occasionally if I feel like my life is going crazy, I will call my hairstylist Bev and have her cut off some of my hair. It's cheaper than therapy and more fun than exercise.

8. One time I double-dog-dared my friend A to put up profiles on E-Harmony for kicks and giggles. This was one of the most hilarious nights of my life. I quit checking it so there may still be some kind of thing up about me but I got freaked out when one guy wanted to contact me. I'm sure he was harmless, but Jami's motherly refrain of: "The root word in E-Harmony is HARM" didn't boost my confidence about the whole situation. Plus, I was too cheap to buy a membership. More to come on this story ...

9. I am not good at calling people back most of the time. I used to HATE texting with the passion of a thousand burning suns.
Then I fell in love with a man who hates talking on the phone. Then I became a texter. Then I got a Blackberry and with it, a full keyboard. Now, here I am. My name is Lauren and I am a text messaging addict. I tried to figure out how many I send each month, but since I have unlimited, they don't keep track. Which is probably a good thing considering it might break the counter.

10. If I wasn't called to the ministry, I'd be a wedding planner or a profiler for the FBI. Both are great careers with lots of benefits in the real world, such as being able to tell when the guy at McD's is a serial killer and helping my girlfriends word their invitations (right Ashley?)

Now you want ten more or you are sorry you asked.

Either way, I love you more than Britney loved the Judds when she did Star Search.

2009-07-02T15:41:00.000-07:00

Turns out, I got the cabin that loves to sing and dance. In fact, we just took a picture jumping off some picnic tables while holding hands a la High School Musical. Can you believe that?!
What are the odds? Clearly God has been keeping up with my blog and thought wouldn’t it be funny if…

My sweet Seth has been sending me a little note every day and I feel really spoiled. I am pooped out because I ran out of thyroid meds (Yes, It really IS my thyroid, Anita Renfroe…it’s also that coconut cream pie and lots of ice cream as well) so I need prayer for that even though I do get a little nap every day while the kids have free time. I just slid down the hill on a block of ice they froze in a Tupperware container. I got stuck midway, too. That was awesome. REALLY awesome. You know that I am so athletically inclined and it’s my perogative to roll down the hill on a block of ice and girls just wanna have fun. Thank you very much.

Please pray for my girls and me as we only have two days left to learn all that God wants us to learn from each other.

Know that I miss and love you more than the film "Troop Beverly Hills" and Wilderness Girl patches, of which I feel I have successfully earned twenty or so.