Pen Strokes of The Author

Kari Jobe - "Steady My Heart"

2012-01-25T20:33:00.006-05:00

Just watch...and worship. Thank you, Kari, for using the immense talent God gave you to give it back to Him.

Wish it could be easy
Why is life so messy
Why is pain a part of us
There are days I feel like
Nothing ever goes right
Sometimes it just hurts so much

But You're here
You're real
I know I can trust You

Even when it hurts
Even when it's hard
Even when it all just falls apart
I will run to You
Cause I know that You are
Lover of my soul
Healer of my scars
You steady my heart
You steady my heart

I'm not gonna worry
I know that You got me
Right inside the palm of your hand
Each and every moment
What's good and what gets broken
Happens just the way that You plan

And I will run to You
You're my refuge in Your arms
And I will sing to You
Cause of everything You are

You steady my heart
You steady my heart

Renewed Hope for a New Year

2012-01-03T18:59:00.002-05:00

It's been a long while since I've updated, but I had a bit of a moment in the car after work today, and I wanted to share.

New Year's is my second favorite holiday - second only to Christmas. There's something magical about going into a new year - fresh starts, clean slates, big dreams, etc. I love the hopeful feeling that comes with knowing you can make of the year whatever you wish.

However, New Year's can also be a time where it's hard to see the hope. It can be a time when you're reminded that another year has passed and you're still waiting. Waiting for pain to go away, waiting for healing to come, waiting for a blessing, waiting for some guidance, or just waiting. This year I myself had one of those times, but today I was reminded in a big way that I have a hope that truly endures no matter what.

Driving home from work today, I heard Natalie Grant's "Our Hope Endures" on the radio, and it completely overwhelmed me. I'm not a crier, and there were tears. I'll let it speak for itself, but remember that you too can have a relationship with the God of the universe, and He will never ever leave you even if you have to wait out the storm. He'll always be there with you, and He has a perfect plan and perfect timing.

"Our Hope Endures"

You would think only so much can go wrong
Calamity only strikes once
And you assume this one has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here
Oh, but sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

How do we comprehend peace within pain?
Or joy at a good man's wake?
Walk a mile with the woman whose body is torn
With illness but she marches on
Oh, 'cause sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

Emmanuel, God is with us
El Shaddai, all sufficient
We never walk alone
And this is our hope

But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged

The Lifter of My Head

2011-09-18T15:36:00.002-04:00

"But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head." -Psalm 3:3

We sang a song at Lawndale this morning that reminded me of this verse, and I had forgotten how much I loved it. The image created here speaks to the tenderness of my Savior. Can't you just picture Him? He sees your head hanging low with the pain, heartaches, and weights of this world, tear-stained, puffy-eyed, and defeated, and he gently takes your chin in his hand and tilts it up so that your eyes meet as if to say, "I'm right here. I see your pain, and I can take your burden. There's no pain I can't handle...no pain that catches me off guard. I know your every day before you live it, and you are never, ever alone. I am here. Always."

Let Him be the lifter of your head today.

Ode to Tiger Stadium

2011-08-31T19:42:00.003-04:00

Legendary LSU public announcer Dan Borne wrote a poem about the magic and majesty that is Tiger Stadium on a Louisiana Saturday night that LSU is using on a lot of its football promo material this year. It's too amazing not to share, so I thought I'd post it in honor of season kickoff week. This literally gave me chills. I wish I could make a game in Death Valley this year, but I'll see LSU play Ole Miss in O-Town in November! But without further ado, here's the poem...and Geaux Tigers!

"It is a pantheon of concrete & steel.
It's a city that rises defiantly in the Delta
Alongside the Father of Waters.
It is the humidity of autumn evenings
That drapes stately oaks and broad magnolias.
It is haunted...and it is loud.
It is Halloween night & Cannon blasts.
It is a Louisiana gumbo of humanity
That cheers its Tigers to victory
And destroys the dreams of invading foes.
Chance of rain is...NEVER!
It is the cathedral of college football
And worship happens here.
When the sun finds its home in the western sky,
It is a field of glory for sure...
But much more than that it is a sacred place,
And it is Saturday night in Death Valley!"

-Dan Borne

For the Times when You're Tempted to Whine

2011-08-30T19:58:00.004-04:00

My very brief epiphany of the night: there are times when I think to myself that life just isn't fair, and then I remember that the Son of God Almighty being tortured and dying a humiliating death on a tree wasn't exactly fair either. Quite a humbling thought. What we view as temporary unfairness may in actuality be God planning something much bigger, better, and more beautiful in the end. Life may not be fair, but God's plan is always perfect. Lord, please give me the patience to see that. Your ways are truly higher than my ways and Your thoughts higher than my thoughts.

A Lesson in Courage: My Review of The Help

2011-08-11T17:47:00.005-04:00

I loved Kathryn Stockett's novel The Help. Loved it. However, I was nervous when I found out they were making it into a movie. Hollywood has this way of screwing things up sometimes especially when it comes to movies set in the Civil Rights era in the South, but when I found out Kathryn Stockett's childhood friend and fellow Mississippi native Tate Taylor was going to be directing it, I eased up slightly. Now that I've seen the movie, I've realized only a Mississippi native could have written that book or directed that movie. See, as someone who was born and raised in Mississippi, I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with my home state.

Now, before you go berating me for insulting my birthplace, let me explain. I love Mississippi. I love summer nights and the tune of crickets singing and fried chicken and the electricity of football season in the air and strong but delicate magnolia trees and a million other things about Mississippi, but my home state has a dark history that's no fault of its own. The guilt lies solely with its people and the way in which they've treated each other with injustice and allowed hatred over petty differences to engulf our state's history like a disease. Not that any other place doesn't have just as much guilt, but when I think about the horrors inflicted on African Americans and the hatred and fear felt by both races in my beloved Mississippi over the years, it just makes me sick. And it has always left me asking myself a haunting question. Would I have been brave enough? All through school when learning about the Civil Rights movement or even the Civil War, I always had that question in the back of my mind. Would I have been brave enough to do something about it...to stand up for what is right? I hope that I would have been. I hope that I would have been one of those good people who knew that love and respect are neither black nor white who treated all people equally and spoke up when others didn't. I hope I would. Movies and books like this always find me hoping I'd have been one of those people, and I like to think there were more of those people than history lets on. People who fought in quiet ways that wouldn't get them in the textbooks but changed their world in smaller yet still significant ways.

I see a lot of myself in Skeeter Phelan - curly hair, single, writer, sassy, college-educated, career-minded Mississippi girl - and I hope that I'd have been as brave as she. It's a beautiful and moving book and an equally beautiful and moving movie. Read it. See it. Go out and live it...because injustice didn't end with the Civil Rights Act, and there are new injustices to fight everyday. The Lord has called us to stand up against them and to be set apart. Find your cause and fight for it, and He will be there beside you to give you strength and clear your path.

Laura Story - "Blessings"

2011-07-19T11:22:00.003-04:00

We've recently been studying this idea of crying out to God in our Life Journey Group at Lawndale, and I came across this song on the radio today that blessed my heart and pretty much sums up what we've been discussing. I hope it touches you today too. :)

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

It All Ends...or Does It?

2011-07-17T13:38:00.003-04:00

I woke up Friday morning with some strange symptoms: blurry, puffy eyes from crying; sleep deprivation; smiling satisfaction; and bittersweet longing. I didn't need a doctor to tell me what was wrong. My diagnosis was a Harry Potter hangover.

Hundreds of thousands of eager fans like me ran to the theaters late Thursday night for the midnight showing of the second part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and I have to say it did not disappoint. It was definitely the most intense Potter movie; my heart started beating like crazy from the beginning all the way to the epilogue. It runs the gamut of human emotion with perfect moments of love, fear, anger, acceptance, comedy, and sacrifice, and in the end (spoiler alert) love wins.

It was Dumbledore who said throughout the series that Voldemort would only be defeated by love, and love did defeat him when Harry sacrificially laid down his own life for his friends and the entire wizarding world. Sound familiar? :) Harry comes back to life to finish off Moldy Voldy and rightfully claims the Elder Wand as his own. Then in an effort to prevent anyone from attempting to wield its power for ill gain again, Harry snaps the wand in half and tosses it off the bridge. After his long journey, Harry now knows that selfish ambition and a drive for power only corrupt one into an ugly, barely human creature and that selfless love is where true happiness lies.

I'll go into more detail on the spiritual side of Deathly Hallows when I finally get around to it for the finding God in HP discussion, which at this pace may be 10 years haha. The great and wonderful thing about these books and movies is that there is always more to learn and always more to see. Is this the end? Technically, yes. Realistically? Oh, no. So look for the finding God in Harry Potter discussions to start up again soon(ish) here. I'm planning on re-reading the entire series with notebook in hand to really delve into how God makes Himself known in this series (with or without the author's intent). And I pray that all the millions of people seeing the movie over the next few weeks will open their hearts to this message of sacrificial love and let it point them to our Savior.

Thanks for the thrilling ride, Harry. I just got off the rollercoaster, and I'm already ready for another go. I mean that philosophically of course, but if anyone wants to fly me to Orlando, I'm okay with that too. :)

Love's Like a Hurricane; I Am a Tree

2011-05-30T19:58:00.004-04:00

I admit I've been a slacker blogger lately, and I promise I will get back to the finding God in Harry Potter series (eventually), but I'd like to share with you about the incredible meeting God and I had this weekend at the retreat at Caswell Beach.

If I'm perfectly honest with you, God and I have not been on the best of terms lately. It's not like we've been at odds or anything, but for the past few months or so, I've been dragged down by this awful apathy about my walk with Him. I've still been going through the motions, but my passion was zilch. I was stuck in a rut and couldn't get out. I went into this weekend praying basically two things: 1. Lord, please meet me here this weekend so I may refocus and fall in love with You all over again and 2. Lord, please don't let me be distracted by all the cute Christian guys (Did I mention it was a singles' retreat?) (I told you I was being perfectly honest!) ;) Wow, did God ever answer those prayers. I won't go into detail about that second request except to say that He was the focus of my weekend and I met some amazing brothers (and sisters) in Christ this weekend.

As for the first request, God knew this weekend that I needed to get back to the basics of our relationship, and by that I basically mean that He reminded me that The Gospel can pretty much be summed up in one word: love. As in...He loves me. A lot. And He wants me to share that love with as much passion as a parent who can't stop talking about how much they love their kid or a lover who can't stop talking about how much they love their beloved. He is my one true love, and He always will be no matter who else may come along. And He is jealous for me. Wrap your head around that statement from the David Crowder song for a second. The God who created the universe is jealous for your love. He wants you to give Him your whole heart and being. He is jealous when you put anything above Him because He can love you more than anything else could possible dream to.

God really used David Crowder's "How He Loves" while He was working in my heart this weekend. I couldn't get it out of my head all weekend, and I'm a firm believer that He puts particular praise songs in your head like that for a reason. (Random fact: the technical term for this is "earworm." Ew.) I keep singing that song over and over in my mind..."(His) love's like a hurricane...I am a tree bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy." Such powerful words. I've been through a few hurricanes in my time in Louisiana, so images of raging wind that will not cease and forever change the landscape around it come to mind. Then on Sunday, we drove back by some trees I'd seen all weekend, and all of this finally clicked for me (This is not the actual tree...this is one from some random person's Flickr account, but you get the drift)...

These funny-looking trees definitely stand out from the landscape. They don't stand up tall like normal trees because they have been physically altered by their prolonged exposure to high, hurricane-force winds coming in from the ocean. Even when these strong winds are not present, you can still see their permanent effects on the trees. There is clear evidence of change...of something out of the ordinary. Do you see where I'm going with this? The hurricane force of God's love for us is permanently changing when you accept it. It bends you and molds you in ways that make you holy and set apart and make people who look at you say, "There is something different about this person. Something must have made them that way." We are ordinary people who God uses in extraordinary ways for the furthering of His kingdom.

So here's my prayer in light of all that's been stirring in my heart this weekend. Lord, may our lives reflect your amazing love. Let your love be clearly evident in our lives so that others may come to know You through the testimony of our changed lives. You say in your word that people will know we are Yours by our love. Let that love flow freely out of an overflow of our hearts. Let us serve you and love others out of passion not out of duty. I don't want to go through the motions, Lord. I want others to see Your love in me and want it for themselves. Help me not fall victim to apathy again. "Show me how to love like You have loved me" and "break my heart for what breaks yours." Give me compassion with action, and thank you, thank you, thank you for your jealous love for me. Forgive me for the times I give you reasons to be jealous by putting other things before you. Help me live a life on mission wherever I am. I am Yours. Forever. Amen.

An Invitation to Another World

2011-03-20T13:44:00.005-04:00

"Yeh don' know what yeh are?....Harry - yer a wizard."
--- Hagrid, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Chapter 4

Harry Potter is the boy who lived, yet he didn't have much of a life sleeping in the cupboard under the stairs in horrid aunt and uncle's home. In fact, Harry's future is pretty hopeless - no chance for love, no chance for adventure, no chance for much of anything. He's practically enslaved and stuck in a mundane, abusive life. Then one day a letter changes his life. One day Harry, who knows no one in the world besides his awful family, receives an invitation to a new life and a new identity. That invitation comes in the form of a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and with the acceptance of that letter, Harry's eyes are opened to a new world beyond his comprehension and a destiny he never could have imagined. Harry is no longer Harry Potter, forgotten and unloved child. He is Harry Potter, a wizard with a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11 reference anyone?). Harry is now a member of a world that is magically set apart. The wizarding world becomes his true home yet he still lives in the Muggle world.

What a telling reminder to us that we are not true citizens of this world. Once we accept Christ, we are called out of our mundane, hopeless lives into a citizenship in Heaven and called with a purpose to fulfill our destinies He has planned for us. God invites us to step out of our cupboards under the stairs and join him in a life more wonderful than we can ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). He'll stop at nothing to find his way into our hearts and show us a glimpse of who we can be in Him...just as no boarded up mail slot prevents those letters from finding Harry. He always knows just where to find us, and He meets us right where we are whether it's in a mundane dead-end existence at 4 Privet Drive or in the middle of a dark storm in a tiny shack by the sea with the waters rising. Still, those letters find Harry, and in the end, all he has to do to begin his new life is accept what Hagrid tells him - that he's a wizard. All we have to do to begin our new lives in Christ is accept that we are His bought at a price and devote ourselves to following Him. That's only the beginning of the journey, as Harry soon discovers too, but it's the first step in the transition from the boy who lived to the boy who really lives.

Pen Strokes in the Wonderful World of Harry Potter

2011-03-20T12:35:00.004-04:00

It seems like ages ago that I first picked up Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone mostly to see what all the hype was about. My sister and I were both in high school, and for those of you who knew Staci and me then, I was far more a bookworm than she was (She's warmed up to books since then.), but ironically it was her copy I picked up. A friend of hers had told her it was a great read, and I had heard through the grapevine of the Potter buzz, so after she had finished it (or maybe even before she finished it...I'm fuzzy on the details), I decided to give this Harry Potter character a try even if it was written for "kids" and would surely be below my (what I thought at the time was a beyond-my-years) reading level maturity. At the risk of sounding completely ridiculous and exaggerated, I had no idea this series would literally change my view of literature.

Before you go thinking, "Here's another one of those crazy Harry Potter nuts," let me elaborate. Undoubtedly, I connect with this series on so many levels (It basically took me one book to realize I AM Hermione Granger haha.), but for the purposes of what I'm planning for my blog in the coming months, I'll focus mostly on the redeeming spiritual themes in Harry Potter. Yes, that's right. I said spiritual themes in Harry Potter, and I'll take it a step further and say there are down-right Christian themes in Harry Potter if you open your mind enough to see them. It saddens my heart to see so-called Christians openly bashing the series for its references to witchcraft and evil. Although most of those people have probably never even READ the books (GRRR...don't get me started on this), my focus will not be to fight fire with fire. Instead, I'd like to discuss how you can actually see glimpses of God in this series.

While I grew up on The Chronicles of Narnia (which is also dear to my heart), I knew it was blatantly allegorical, written by a man who is undoubtedly Christian and intended for the series to draw children (and adults) closer to God, but until Harry Potter entered my life, I had never really realized that you can see God in "secular" literature. The more I delved into the series, the more I found snapshots of God's character and references to the Christian walk. I hope to share those with you here in the coming months, and I hope that you too can start to see Him in literature that is not specifically "Christian" and that you may see a new side of the wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter.

I may go chronologically through the books, skip around, or focus on characters depending on what I feel like sharing at the moment. I'm currently listening through the audiobooks while I run, so I might end up sharing my latest treadmill epiphany at times as well. ;) I've also read (and have on my to-read stack) a few good books on the subject too. Check this out if you want to do some reading on your own:

Looking for God in Harry Potter by John Granger
What's a Christian to Do with Harry Potter? by Connie Neal
God, the Devil, and Harry Potter: A Christian Minister's Defense of the Beloved Novels by John Killinger

All Things New

2011-03-13T20:32:00.003-04:00

*I dedicate this blog post to Kathryn Taylor, who recently admonished me for being a slacker blogger and thus inspired me to write tonight. Love you, Kat!* ;)

You've probably heard me say this before, but there's something about the changing of the seasons that always refocuses my heart on God...especially the change from winter to spring. It never ceases to amaze me how every year bare, sleeping trees know exactly when to wake up and start growing leaves again. If that's not evidence of a Creator, I don't know what is. Who else could make new life spring from a cold slumber? It's such a refreshing reminder that when we go through those wintry phases of life or that when winter storms blow through our lives, He can always make spring come again...but in His time. I have to remember that without the coldest winter nights, it would be difficult to truly appreciate beautiful, bright spring mornings. I'm so glad that God can use every season of nature and life to teach me more about who He is. When you see the daffodils start to peek out of the ground this spring, take a moment to thank the One who orchestrated them.

"You're Not Alone" by Meredith Andrews

2011-02-27T08:43:00.000-05:00

I search for love
When the night came and it closed in
I was alone
but you found me where I was hiding
and now I'll never ever be the same
It was the sweetest voice
that called my name
saying

You're not alone
for I am here
let me wipe away your every fear
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest night
and I'm the one who's loved you all your life
All of your life

You cry yourself to sleep
cause the hurt is real
and the pain cuts deep
All hope seems lost
With heartache your closest friend
and everyone else long gone

You've had to face the music on your own
but there is a sweeter song
that calls you home
saying

You're not alone
for I am here
let me wipe away your every tear
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest nights
And I'm the one who's loved you all your life
All your life

Faithful and true... Forever
For my love will carry you....

You're not alone
for I... I am here
let me wipe away every fear... Oh yeah
My love I've never left your side
I have seen you through your darkest night
Your darkest night
And I'm the one who's loved you all your life
All of your life

Hope through Faith

2011-02-22T22:57:00.004-05:00

Often when I'm tempted to view circumstances in my life as debilitating, unfair, hurtful, or despairing, my heart is quietly reminded of 2 Corinthians 4. This passage just might be one of my favorite sections of God's word because it's just such an eloquent, poetic, and beautiful reminder that no matter how hopeless your situation feels, you have the power of God Almighty living in you. He is in control (as my neighbor across the hall reminded me only yesterday), so we have no reason to worry, pity ourselves, or let life get us down in any way. Hope for tomorrow comes only through the faith we have in Him moment by moment. He's only asking us to hold on tight and let Him lead. The question is are we willing to let Him use our light and momentary sufferings to bring Him glory instead of using them as an excuse for a pity party? I'm not saying we don't have real pains in this life or that there's not a perfectly appropriate place for grief in our lives, but there's danger in dwelling too long on pain. There's no pain He can't use to glorify His name if only we'll let Him. I hope this passage in 2 Corinthians blesses you and comforts you tonight as it has done and continues to do for me. May we strive to shine for Him in all circumstances. May our faith in His complete control give us immovable, unshakable hope. And let us not forget that it is only through His ultimate sacrifice and pain that we have that faith and hope.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10, 16-18:
⁷But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. ⁸We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; ¹⁰always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

¹⁶So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Christmas Joy in January

2011-01-13T19:14:00.002-05:00

I heard something in the grocery store today that made my week, and let me tell you...it's been one crappy week. I'm talking first-ambulance-ride-to-the-ER-because-I'm-throwing-up-every-hour-and-dehydrated-and-have-the-stomach-flu kind of crappy week. I needed a pick me up today, and apparently God knew that. I love when He does that.

So on to the story. I was in Harris Teeter exhausted from my first day back at work after being sick when I rounded the corner to hear a little girl singing at the top of her lungs. What's the big deal about that? you ask. Well...she was singing "Joy to the World." I couldn't help it. I laughed out loud at this precious little girl who was hanging on to Christmas for dear life, and it got me thinking how all of us could do with a little more Christmas joy year-round. That's the great thing about the hope we have in Jesus, it's new every morning...not just on Christmas. And that's just what I needed today - a reminder that God is always there, always strong, always loving. Here was a little love letter from Him to me in the form of a Christmas carol sung by a little girl in a grocery store. Did I mention I love my God? :)

P.S.: Speaking of hanging on to Christmas, I should really take my Christmas tree down. Um, yeah. I'm that girl.

A Word from The Word for the New Year

2011-01-01T16:46:00.004-05:00

¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
¹¹Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit. ¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
and sinners will return to you.

---Psalm 51:10-13 (emphasis mine)

The Incredible Power That Comes with Feeling Small

2010-12-15T08:03:00.003-05:00

This morning as I'm listening to Christmas hymns and trying to understand why the Creator of this universe I see outside my window would humble himself to be wrapped in flesh in the form of a teeny, tiny baby, it makes me feel so small but yet so significant. A love like that can't make you feel insignificant no matter how small you actually are compared to Him. A Casting Crowns song began playing in my head, and this is how it goes (oldie but goodie)...

Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt?
Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours.

Who am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love and watch me rise again?
Who am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me?

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours.

Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are

I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
Vapor in the wind.
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours.

I am Yours.
Whom shall I fear?
Whom shall I fear?
'Cause I am Yours
I am Yours.

White as Snow

2010-12-05T19:26:00.000-05:00

Friday there was a buzz around town that we'd get some snow flurries on Saturday. Saturday morning I ran a few errands, hit the treadmill (I'm up to jogging 2.25 miles!), and sat down to check the forecast. I turned around a few seconds later, and saw the first few flurries floating to the ground. Within the hour, the ground was covered with a fresh blanket of snow, and the flakes got bigger and bigger. All in all, we got about 3 inches.

I've mentioned this before, but something about snow just warms my heart (ironic, right?). It's just so magical, and the more I think about it, it really is a beautiful picture of salvation. Snow blankets the ground, making it clean, fresh, pure, and spotless. It covers the mud and muck and dead grass underneath so that all you see is white, and it's the whitest of all possible whites too. That's exactly what the blood of Jesus is for us. His sacrifice covered us in a beautiful, pure blanket of snow to cover all our filthy sins so that all the Father sees when He looks at us is His purity. In fact, Scripture even says in Psalms and Isaiah that we'll be whiter than snow: "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow" (Psalm 51:7). "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool" (Isaiah 1:18). So the next time you witness the breathtaking beauty of a snowfall, take a moment to say thank you to the One who covered your sins with His blood.

A New Chapter

2010-11-29T21:54:00.002-05:00

Hello again, gentle reader. I've taken quite the hiatus from blogging lately, and I think it's because I've been feeling for a long time that it needed a fresh start. Thus, I've given it a snazzy new look and renamed it "Pen Strokes of the Author," and it will focus on glimpses I see of God in literature, music, and the beauties of day-to-day life that we so often overlook. Hopefully it will end up being a celebration of the little things in life and art that can point in big ways to the character of God, the love He has for us, and the hope we have for life beyond this one. God always seems to speak to me through the simplicities of life, and I pray that the ones I record here will encourage you and bring glory to Him. I hope that it inspires you to listen for whispers of God in your own life. In the words of C.S. Lewis, let us look "further up and further in" to see the divine in the everyday...snapshots of wait awaits us.

"But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read, which goes on for ever, in which every chapter is better than the one before." - C.S. Lewis, final lines of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Last Battle

What Love Really Means by JJ Heller

2010-10-02T11:07:00.004-04:00

He cries in the corner where nobody sees
He’s the kid with the story no one would believe
He prays every night, “Dear God won’t you please
Could you send someone here who will love me?”

Who will love me for me
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me
‘Cause nobody has shown me what love
What love really means

Her office is shrinking a little each day
She’s the woman whose husband has run away
She’ll go to the gym after working today
Maybe if she was thinner
Then he would’ve stayed
And she says…

Who will love me for me?
Not for what I have done or what I will become
Who will love me for me?
‘Cause nobody has shown me what love, what love really means

He’s waiting to die as he sits all alone
He’s a man in a cell who regrets what he’s done
He utters a cry from the depths of his soul
“Oh Lord, forgive me, I want to go home”

Then he heard a voice somewhere deep inside
And it said
“I know you’ve murdered and I know you’ve lied
I have watched you suffer all of your life
And now that you’ll listen, I’ll tell you that I...”

I will love you for you
Not for what you have done or what you will become
I will love you for you
I will give you the love
The love that you never knew

Time zone fail

2010-09-11T12:00:00.000-04:00

I kept watching College Game Day and the clock in anticipation of the Lee Corso mascot reveal at 11:00am. "Why aren't they doing picks by now?" I wondered. Then I remembered I live in the Eastern Time Zone. Time zone fail.

"Beautiful Beautiful" - Francesca Battistelli

2010-08-29T19:26:00.000-04:00

Don’t know how it is You looked at me
And saw the person that I could be
Awakening my heart
Breaking through the dark
Suddenly Your grace

(Chorus)
Like sunlight burning at midnight
Making my life something so
Beautiful, beautiful
Mercy reaching to save me
All that I need
You are so
Beautiful, beautiful

Now there’s a joy inside I can’t contain
But even perfect days can end in rain
And though it’s pouring down
I see You through the clouds
Shining on my face

(Chorus)

I have come undone
But I have just begun
Changing by Your grace

(Chorus)

"For the Moments I Feel Faint" - Relient K

2010-08-22T08:20:00.001-04:00

Am I at the point of no improvement?
What of the death I still dwell in?
I try to excel, but I feel no movement.
Can I be free of this unreleasable sin?

Never underestimate my Jesus.
You're telling me that there's no hope.
I'm telling you, you're wrong.
Never underestimate my Jesus.
When the world around you crumbles,
he will be strong.
He will be strong.

I throw up my hands.
" Oh, the impossibilities."
Frustrated and tired,
where do I go from here?
Now I'm searching for the confidence I've lost so willingly.
Overcoming these obstacles is overcoming my fears.
I think I can't, I think I can't.
But, I think You can, I think You can.
I think I can't, I think I can't.
But, I think You can, I think You can.
Gather my insufficiencies and place them in Your hands.
Place them in Your hands.
Place them in Your hands.

Gonna go back in time...

2010-08-17T22:20:00.003-04:00

Now for something completely pointless and possibly entertaining - I have decided to break my blogging hiatus to bring you this little insight into my crazy, nerdy little mind.

For no reason at all this evening, I started thinking about time travel and about how stinking cool it would be if I could actually do that...you know, in a strictly non-interfering, purely observational way. Can't pull a Marty McFly and accidentally erase myself...although I certainly wouldn't mind having Marty tag along for the company. ;)

But I digress...I was mulling all this over in my mind and decided I'd make a top 10 list of the moments in history I'd most like to visit. So...without further ado, I bring you:

Stefanie's Top 10 Moments in History She'd Most Like to Experience (in no particular order):

J.K. Rowling begins penning Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone at a little cafe in Scotland. (I would LOVE to see how that all began forming in her mind. I seriously admire that woman's writing skills.)
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gives his "I have a dream" speech. (I mean, really, how cool would it be to have been there? *Shiver*)
The Phantom of the Opera opens in West End in London. (I'd get to see the longest running musical on Broadway before all the hype!)
The founding fathers sign the Declaration of Independence. (What good American wouldn't want to see that?!)
Angered colonists protest Britain's unfair taxes at the Boston Tea Party. (I'm not really sure why, but throwing tea into the Boston Harbor just sounds like lots of fun...and rebellion!)
LSU defeats Oklahoma for the 2003 NCAA Football National Championship. (Oh, wait! I've already been there! It's worth a second trip though...especially since I was on the FRONT ROW! :D)
Jane Austen pens Pride and Prejudice. (Um...see how excited I got about J.K. Rowling up there? Multiply that times 10, and that's how giddy I'd be to meet Jane Austen. )
Jesus Christ is born in a stable in Bethlehem. (This is the most pivotal moment in history when God stepped down to earth as a baby. Can't miss that.)
Frank Sinatra spends another night crooning to swarms of crazed teenage girls. (Frank in his heyday...count me in! I'd totally have been a bobbysoxer.)
Gutenberg invents the movable type press, allowing books to be printed easily and quickly and providing a way for the common man to have access to them. (I'd have to shake his hand and say, "Thanks, Johannes, for making my job possible and for bringing me years of delight in the written word.")

So if you didn't think I was a nerd before, you sure do now! You can't admit that you don't want to jump in my time machine too though!

Word of advice: hands off my Marty. ;)

Song of the day: By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North

2010-06-29T14:46:00.002-04:00

Just really feeling this today...

Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?
Let me lift up your face.
Just don't turn away.

Why are you looking for love?
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough?
To where will you go child?
Tell me where will you run?
To where will you run?

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you.
My hands are holding you.

Look at these hands and my side.
They swallowed the grave on that night.
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life.
I want to give you life.

(Chorus 2x)

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

It's a bittersweet symphony

2010-04-17T11:39:00.004-04:00

The last few weeks have been quite a whirlwind...full of so much change, my head is still spinning, so I'm taking this Saturday morning to sit on my third floor patio with my new beagle/basset puppy Darcy and soak it all in. It's really the first chance I've gotten to breathe since finding out I got the job in North Carolina.

Let me catch you all up. First of all, God is good. Very, very good. He truly does things more wonderful than we can ask or imagine. I have a great apartment, a job I adore (I'm the new children's librarian at the Kernersville Branch Library!), a precious puppy dog (my first friend in NC!), a new car (fond farewell to my 98 Mustang and a fond hello to my Edge!) and the fresh start I've been waiting for. God does answer prayers, and I don't ever trust Him enough.

This morning I checked out all the adorable little shops in downtown K-Vegas (as the locals call it). I had breakfast (for $3.00!) at this hole-in-the-wall Irish diner and a delicious red velvet cupcake at this cutesy bakery. I found some really nice consignment shops and gift shops and...a bookstore/cafe! Score! To quote Annie, "I think I'm gonna like it here!"

I'm looking forward to meeting lots of new people and finding a good church where I can meet people my age again. There are tons of young people up here...and plenty of good churches to choose from! I sure do miss a certain group of 8th grade girls though! So glad we got to have that slumber party before I left...love y'all much!

Also, thank you all for your prayers for me and my family during the past few weeks. It was rough losing my grandmother, but Mimi was a very vivacious woman who loved the Lord, and she will always be with us. She made her living as a theatre director, and I'm sure right now she's putting on a performance of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in Heaven...and bossing people around as usual. :) I miss her a lot, and it's hard to believe she's actually gone, but I know she's in a better place. Please keep praying for my grandfather as he copes with the silence around his house...such bubbly personalities are the easiest to notice when they are gone.

Anyway, here's to a new chapter of my life as an (gasp!) adult! "The rest is still unwritten..."

Don't blink...you might be MISSING something

2010-03-15T00:10:00.003-04:00

We had an incredible DNOW weekend with our 8th grade girls. The theme was Missing, which was appropriate since I have apparently been missing something about our girls. At some point, I must have blinked and they turned from amazing, goofy, fun fifth-graders into beautiful, mature young women in Christ. I see them every week, and I was still amazed at how much they've grown in their faith. Nothing excites me more or makes me trust more in God than seeing their excitement for Him and His word. And, I'm just gonna tell ya...I got choked up when I saw them all huddled up praying for each other. God is good. I am blessed. Ministering always seems to give you back more than you can manage to give out.

Love you, girls. Thank you for allowing Nichole and me to be a part of your lives and your sisters in Christ. You'll never know how much your friendships mean to me. Thank you for revitalizing my own relationship with God this weekend by witnessing your love for Him.

And I'm so proud you didn't throw fruit!!!

Snow!

2010-02-12T09:28:00.003-05:00

As I'm writing this, my blinds are drawn, and I'm watching big, fat snowflakes float to the ground. Time to make hot chocolate! Saints' Super Bowl win, snow, Mardi Gras parades, and crawfish all in one week?! I love winter!

Unchanging and Relentless

2010-02-10T16:46:00.002-05:00

I'm so glad that even when my circumstances seem out of control, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8) and that even when I don't feel like running hard after God, He is sprinting after me.

Black and Gold Super Bowl!!!

2010-02-07T23:16:00.004-05:00

If you still needed reassurance that miracles still happen, you got your proof tonight! The Saints won the Super Bowl!!! Wow! Geaux Saints! Who dat?!

What a great time to be in Louisiana. In the six and a half years I've lived in this glorious state, I've witnessed LSU's two football national championships, one basketball Final Four, and one baseball national championship...and to top it all off, a Lombardi trophy for the Saints! Pretty amazing stuff.

Congrats to Sean Payton, Drew Brees, and the Saints...it's just another example of how excellent leadership on and off the field is what truly makes champions at heart.

And seriously, wasn't that image of Drew Brees and his baby just tear-jerking? Awww.

Oh, and one more thing...check out my fleur de lis cookies! The icing's pretty sloppy, but I was nervous for the game!

More pain in Haiti

2010-01-20T09:33:00.003-05:00

Another earthquake struck the already-overwhelmed Haiti this morning. Please be in prayer for the people of Haiti and relief workers from all over the world trying desperately to regain some sort of order and save as many lives as possible. If you're able, please think about giving to any of the may relief funds. My fund of choice is Compassion International's Disaster Relief Fund. To donate, click here: https://www.compassion.com/contribution/giving/disasterrelief.htm?referer=105910.

Donate Online

I got lost in Lost...big time

2010-01-19T21:46:00.005-05:00

Hello again, fair reader. If it seems like a while since I've written, that's because I've been a bit preoccupied with a new obsession in the form of Lost. Oh man, is it addicting. I had been holding out to watch it after I graduated, so I started a week or so ago and managed to watch all five seasons in rapid succession (thank you, Netflix!). This show should come with a Surgeon General's warning because it's like crack. One night, I seriously stayed up til 7am. No lie.

And it's just so smart. I love a good show that makes my brain hurt. I think my jaw may be sore from dropping so much. The allusions to the Bible and literature weave little mysteries in and out of the plot line and occasionally make for a great punch line (like the time Sawyer calls Charlie "Oliver Twist" HAHA!). Bottom line: I. Love. It.

I'm waiting anxiously for the premiere on February 2, and to bide the time, I decided to make a list of all the questions I have to see how many they end up answering in the final season. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, just skip the rest of this post. ;) Here goes nothin'...*insert obligatory spoiler alert here*

1. Who is Jacob's mysterious nemesis? Esau maybe? And is he good or bad?
2. What the frick is the smoke monster?!
3. What makes Walt so "special?"
4. Why can only Claire raise Aaron, and where is that girl anyway?
5. Will Charlie come back somehow? (Oh, I do hope so! He's my fave.)
6. Will Desmond have to return to the island? Will that lead Penny to look for him again (using that snowy listening station)?
7. What happened after the nuke went off?
8. What happened to the real Locke? Is he really dead?
9. Who are the Adam and Eve skeletons in the caves?
10. What happened to Ben's childhood friend Annie?
11. What's in Hurley's guitar case, and why did Jacob give it to him?
12. Why didn't Sun go back to 1977?
13. Why can Hurley and Miles see/talk to dead people?
14. Is Widmore really good or bad?
15. Will someone finally kill Ben already?!!!
16. Who was the man in the hot air balloon?
17. Will Aaron ever get Charlie's DS ring?
18. How did Desmond, Charlie, Eko, and Locke survive the Swan implosion?
19. Will Sayid somehow get Nadia back?
20. Will we get to see the Dharma headquarters in Ann Arbor?
21. Are there more Dharma stations?
22. Why does the Island/Jacob speak through Christian?
23. What is "the Island's" real agenda?
24. Where did Richard Alpert come from, and why does he never age?
25. What happened to the Arrow station, and why was there a Bible there?
26. What are the whispers in the jungle really?
27. I know the numbers will still have an important significance, but what?!
28. How did the statue get destroyed?
29. What exactly is this "sickness" that the French crew got, and why has none of the survivors of 815 gotten ill?
30. What happened after 1977 that prevented babies from being born on the Island?
31. Did the Island have any natives living on it originally?
32. Why did they draw the map on the back of the blast doors in the Swan station?
33. Why did Stuart kill himself? Or did he?
34. Will Jack and Kate FINALLY end up together?
35. And...will the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 EVER get OFF the Island?!!!

It's not too much to ask to get all that answered, now is it? :) I know those genius writers can do it...

How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news

2010-01-04T17:07:00.005-05:00

At this very moment, a family who has become as dear to me as my own is stepping onto a plane and making the 24 hour journey to Africa in obedience to God's call on their lives as missionaries to Arua, Uganda. It's been such a joy (and so enlightening) to watch God move in every little step of The Taylors' adventure thus far, and I can't wait to hear all about how God uses them to influence the hearts of the Lugbara people. Praise God for friendship in Christ, following His will, and beginning new and exciting adventures totally on faith. Please join me in praying for this amazing family. If you'd like to follow their journey, check out Kat's blog, http://tothebridgeandback.blogspot.com/.

Now for the official shout-out. Doug, Kat, Kylie, Karis, and Caleb, I love you all big time! And I'm saving up to come visit when I can! May your travels be safe, your transitions be smooth, and your faith be strengthened. I know you'll impact your new city just as strongly as you have impacted my life. I can't wait to hear all about it! Thank goodness for the Internet!

Evening Prayer

2009-12-01T23:46:00.003-05:00

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. He's Lord over every moment of history, every fleeting second of the present, and every anticipated tomorrow (for eternity!), and that's the God who holds my life in His beautiful hands. How could I ever think this life was about me? And why would I ever want to be the one in control? Oh, God, how You must laugh when I try. Please forgive the times I take the brush from Your masterful hand in order to create a mess of muddied color on a canvas for which you planned an exquisite masterpiece.

This is my evening prayer. Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my will and make it Thine. It shall be no longer mine.

Tenth Avenue North - "By Your Side"

2009-10-18T15:44:00.004-04:00

Why are you striving these days?
Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Why are you looking for love?
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough?
To where will you go child?
Tell me where will you run?
To where will you run?

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Wisdom in the Little Voices

2009-10-12T12:35:00.003-04:00

One of the reasons I love working with middle school girls is the way God can still manage to surprise me and speak through their precious 13-year-old voices. Yesterday I was sitting next to Mackenzie May when she pointed at my 3-inch scar from my melanoma (removed 2 years ago) and asked, "Do you like your scar?" I shook my head because who likes ugly 3-inch scars in prominent places? She replied with what I thought was a strange answer at the moment, "Well, I do. You wouldn't be Stefanie without it." I was taken aback at first by her response, but after a few seconds, the wisdom hit me like a ton of bricks.

Our scars do make us who we are. I wouldn't be who I am today without the hope, healing, and trust I learned through recovering from cancer. All the pains, trials, and heartbreaks I have ever experienced have collectively brought me closer to Jesus and helped me realize a little more of who I am in Him, and I wouldn't trade them for the world. Mackenzie's little comment was a sweet reminder of that fact and brought to my memory one of my favorite passages, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:3-5, emphasis mine). I'm so grateful that hope in Him will never disappoint and that He knows ahead of time every hurt that will come my way and how He'll use it to draw me closer to Him and make me more like Him. And I'm so glad God uses teenage girls to speak to my heart. :)

Kari Jobe - "Healer"

2009-10-04T08:48:00.000-04:00

You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease

I trust in You
I trust in You

I believe You're my healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe You're my portion
I believe You're more than enough for me
Jesus, You're all I need

You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease

I trust in You
I trust in You

I believe You're my healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe You're my portion
I believe You're more than enough for me
Jesus, You're all I need

Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You

The Prayer of Saint Francis

2009-09-13T19:22:00.003-04:00

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

---Saint Francis of Assisi, 1181-1226

Tragedy from Above

2009-09-11T08:23:00.002-04:00

Manhattan as seen from the ISS 8 years ago. Chilling. http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/iss003e5387_feature.html

Take some time to pray for those families today.

You Are Who You Follow

2009-09-10T22:51:00.004-04:00

OK...at the risk of sounding nerdy, I have a confession. I love library school. Love it. Mostly because it just gets my wheels turning about so many cool things. Allow me to elaborate. Tonight I had my second Issues class, where basically the 15 or so of us who are graduating in December sit around and talk about important and controversial issues in the library world. Tonight's topics: how to use video games, facebook, Twitter, blogs, and wikis in libraries! We had quite the lively discussion about Web 2.0, which is the overarching term for sites that allow interaction between the user and site; all of them have some sort of self-generated information as well. I won't bore you with a lengthy definition, but in essence it's a big umbrella term for facebook, Twitter, blogs, wikis, YouTube...all those things. It's incredible to hear how libraries are using these new technologies to make information available in fresh, creative ways. One of my favorite things - book trailers. These are like movie trailers but for books! There are TONS of them on YouTube these days, and they're great for promoting books visually. Check out this book trailer for Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters...it's hilarious: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jZVE5uF24Q.

I've recently become a twitterer (tweeter?), and I must admit I was skeptical at first, but now I adore it. I can get celebrity, sports, world, national, political, and library news all in one place! The best part currently is that I get job postings when library jobs open up across the country! And I have them texted to me, so I know immediately! Pretty sweet! I'm currently following *gasp* 165 accounts, and the funny thing is that you can tell a lot about who I am from who I follow. You can see the budding librarian, the Christ follower, the LSU alumna, the college sports freak, the Harry Potter geek, the celebrity gossip fan, the intellectual, the film lover, and more, and it made me realize that (pun intended) to a certain extent, you are who you follow.

Of course, they drill this into your head in middle school with all the talks of peer pressure and such, but that's not really what I'm talking about. I'm talking about those things we fill our lives with...the things we pay attention to...the things we can't live without. What is most important to me? What am I letting rule my life? What is taking up all my time?

One of the negative consequences of the digital world we live in is the plethora of distractions created by these Web 2.0 technologies. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE them, but I've wasted my share of hours (or afternoons or evenings) on facebook enough to know that it's easy to get caught up in little things that will monopolize your life if you let them. It becomes so second-nature that we hardly notice the time slipping away. I'm guilty of letting the busyness of life take me away from what's really important in life...what's lasting...what's eternal, and that's loving God and loving people. We're indeed living in an online world, but don't forget to take time for real people and time for God. As human beings, we're wired for friendships and to help each other through life, looking to each other for guidance and doing life together, following step by step.

A relationship with Christ is the ultimate example of that friendship. We follow him through an abundant, joyful life (relying on him through life's hardships) and onto an eternal life with Him. Life is really all about who or what you're following...that is to say who or what you're focusing on. And with that, I leave you to ponder as I go practice what I'm preaching and pry myself away from facebook quizzes to spend some QT with my Jesus. :)

Parting words from The Word:

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
---John 8:12 (emphasis mine)

By Now I Thought...

2009-08-30T18:37:00.004-04:00

Today I've been contemplating timelines, checklists...probably partially because my best friend turned twenty-five and mentioned to me that she's halfway through her twenties...a place I will follow her to early next year. We both laughed and lightheartedly proclaimed ourselves as "old."

I've also recently begun Marian Jordan's The List, a potent little book about the list we make for ourselves. You know the list she means. It's that list you make when you're a kid around lunch tables or at slumber parties - the checklist of life. That list that states unabashedly what you proclaim you'll have done by the time you're twenty, or twenty-five, or thirty. I thankfully have no written evidence of my own list, but I remember countless conversations with my young friends dreaming about our perfect lives that would follow a strict schedule and in which all our deepest desires were met by the time we were...gasp...twenty-five.

So here I am on the brink of that magical age when everything is supposed to snap neatly into place, and my list is not exactly checking itself off. I'm not where I thought I'd be by now. Haven't done half the things I thought I would. Could it be that I have the wrong things on my list?

Or maybe it's that I'm too focused on the list itself instead of on the One who created the desires I so long for. Jordan's book pointed me to Psalm 33 and a few other psalms and reminded me that if God created my heart and my desires, of course He knows exactly how to best fulfill them in my life. The timing's not important...it's the trusting that's important. The journey. To quote Miley Cyrus (probably the only time I will ever do so)..."It's the climb." It's that step-by-step lifelong relationship of trust that really matters...not the temporary (albeit beautiful and wonderful) things our human hearts long for, the things we want so desperately to check off, the husband, the 2.5 kids, the dog, and the Colonial. Those things are indeed blessings from our Father because all good things do indeed come from above, but they will never, never, never compare to the greatness and beauty that is the Father himself.

This all clicked together for me when I stumbled across this video (entitled "By Now I Thought") for a new Bible study I've just started. I hope as you watch it that you too are encouraged as I was to stop falling victim to the trap of The List and of the demon of "by now I thought..." The song in the background sings "Jesus, save me," and will He ever. He'll save you and me from our dreams that seem out of reach, our futures that seem dim, and our whispers of "by now I thought..." I leave you to ponder this and thank God for His immense, unfailing, unmatched love and the hope we have in Him:

"Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and shield.
For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you."
---Psalm 33:20-22 (emphasis mine)

"Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord!"
---Psalm 31:24

The Word of the Lord Proves True

2009-08-11T15:28:00.002-04:00

This God—his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
"For who is God, but the LORD?
And who is a rock, except our God?
This God is my strong refuge
and has made my way blameless.---2 Samuel 22:31-33, English Standard Version, emphasis mine

Goodbye, Summer. Hello, Autumn!

2009-08-07T11:52:00.006-04:00

Well, another Louisiana summer has come and gone...not that you could tell by the weather. It's still plenty hot here, and I can't wait for the cool snap to come through and bring football with it! Things got pretty busy this summer, so let me give you a quick recap...

I finished two more graduate classes including one graphic novels class in which I read 60 graphic novels in 7 weeks. Yes, 60. And I LOVED it. I have a new-found appreciation for comics. Oh boy, add another nerd sticker to my collection. I can't believe it's flying by this fast. This time last year I was finishing my first semester, and now in a few weeks, I'll begin my final semester of school EVER! Yay for a master's degree! Let the job search begin...prayers very very very much appreciated. :) The plan is to look for a teen services position in a public library somewhere between Virginia and Georgia preferably in the Carolinas. We shall see. I'm trying to think positively despite the fact that this isn't the best time in the world to be looking for a job with the economy as bad as it is. I keep telling myself that there's a public library in nearly every city in America...surely one of them will hire me, right?

And speaking of libraries, ALA in Chicago was incredible! Shame on me for not blogging about it while I was there, but I was a little pre-occupied. ;) I learned so much from the conference, met some amazing librarians, got some free books, met some of my favorite authors (Laurie Halse Anderson, Neil Gaiman, Jennifer & Matt Holm), and generally confirmed that I am absolutely going into the right field. I am beyond excited about beginning my journey as a librarian very soon!

I had also never been to Chicago before, and I fell in love with it. The way it's surrounded by water gives this huge city a quaint, quiet feel. I can't really explain it, but you don't feel like you're in a big city at all, and the way the river winds right through downtown, I felt like I was in Italy or something (not that I've ever been there haha). I crammed in TONS of sightseeing (Sears Tower, Chicago River architecture tour, Navy Pier, Harry Potter exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry, University of Chicago, Art Institute, Lake Michigan...and much, much more!), and I took way too many pictures to post here, but I'll include my favorite one. I had dinner one night on the river at this cute little cafe (It felt quite Parisian...never been there either) and snapped this right after dinner on the bridge:

Student ministry events went well this summer too. My girls are growing up so fast, and it's hard to believe they're starting 8th grade this next week. Wow. I saw many of them grow in their relationships with Christ this summer, and one even started her journey with the Lord. Yay, Anne Marie!!! She accepted Christ at Beach Week in Panama City, FL, which was just spectacular. Something about spending a week on the ocean just lets you hear the voice of God a little clearer...maybe it's the crashing waves or the blazing sun. He showed up in a big way, and it was a blessing to see how lives were changed.

And so the summer ends, and a new semester will begin soon...just one of hopefully a few new beginnings in store for me in the next year. New beginnings bring uncertainty and questions, but I'm embracing the change and am thrilled about trusting God to drop me right where He wants me. Here's to new chapters written by the Author and Perfecter of our faith!

Evening Song

2009-07-28T00:31:00.001-04:00

"Faith can move mountains of that I am sure. Just get me through December...get me through December so I can start again."
---Alison Krauss' "Get Me Through December"

Get Your Geek On!

2009-06-24T23:08:00.002-04:00

I geek Jane Austen novels, LSU sports, and ice cream. What do you geek? Find out at http://geekthelibrary.org/!

Three Semesters Down...Two to Go!

2009-05-14T20:35:00.007-04:00

Well ladies and gentlemen, I'm officially over halfway through library school...and somehow I miraculously still have a 4.0. That's gotta be a God thing. Praise Jesus that I graduate in seven months! Woo hoo! Then the door's wide open, and that scarily exhilarating! Here I am, Lord. Send me...your little librarian. :)

I'm thoroughly enjoying my month between semesters and filling my weekends with mini-vacations while I can. Last weekend I took a quick trip up to MS to see Staci graduate. I still can't believe my little sister is out of college now! Makes me feel quite ancient. I had a lovely drive up Hwy. 61 through St. Francisville, Natchez, Port Gibson, Vicksburg, and the Delta. I don't know how you can drive that stretch and not fall in love with the South. It made me want to put on a big hoop dress, sit on the front porch of a big antebellum house and drink lemonade. Sigh.

This weekend I'm off to the beautiful city of New Orleans to visit some friends and family. I think I love New Orleans a little more every time I go...so quaint and historic. I'm definitely going to have to move somewhere with a thrilling history and a unique story...not that Baton Rouge doesn't have one of those, but still.

Then Memorial Day weekend, I'll hit the road for Houston to see the TAYLORS!!! WOO and HOO!!! Can't wait. I'm so excited to hear about how God's moving their hearts closer and closer to Uganda with each passing day, and this is only the beginning of how God's going to work in and through them.

In other, totally unimportant news...two of my favorite couples made the finals on Dancing with the Stars! Vote for Shawn and Mark and Melissa and Tony! I just adore that show. Half the time I really have to halt the urge to dance around my living room with an imaginary partner haha! Yeah, I'm a nerd.

Speaking of dancing...I went to Nichole's dance recital on Sunday, and I've never experienced a dance recital quite like that. She goes to a Christian dance academy, so all the dances were Christian songs, and the recital truly felt like a worship service. I was moved in more ways that one. My mind was spinning with thoughts of how God wires us to all worship in our own unique ways. Nichole is a dancer. My sister is an artist and a dancer. I'm a writer and a singer. God gives us talents so we can give them back to Him in worship. It's a beautiful, wonderful, mysterious cycle of love. How has God gifted you to worship?

What NOT to do on facebook

2009-04-23T15:32:00.001-04:00

I was working on a project for my young adult services class when I stumbled across this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iROYzrm5SBM. Hilarity.

Transportation of the Future Takes a Clue from the Past

2009-04-17T10:00:00.005-04:00

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/04/16/A-Vision-for-High-Speed-Rail/

President Obama is proposing a high speed rail network and construction project. I'm loving this idea, but I'll be curious to see just how expensive it is for the average traveler. I'm all for trains, but if it's just as expensive as flying, I don't see it taking off (pardon the pun). Let's hope it's affordable. And thank goodness it will create some jobs...and cut back on stupid oil and gas costs.

Happy National Library Week!

2009-04-15T20:47:00.001-04:00

Here's a little National Library Week treat. Who knew these people were librarians? http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/24574

Batgirl is my hero(ine). ;)

Post-Easter Wonderfulness

2009-04-13T16:11:00.001-04:00

Robbie Seay Band's "Beautiful, Scandalous Night":

Go on up to the mountain of mercy
To the crimson perpetual tide
Kneel down on the shore
Be thirsty no more
Go under and be purified
Follow Christ to the holy mountain
Sinner sorry and wrecked by the fall
Cleanse your heart and your soul
In the fountain that flows
For you and for me and for all

At the wonderful, tragic, mysterious tree
On that beautiful, scandalous night you and me
Were atoned by His blood and forever washed white
On that beautiful, scandalous night

On the hillside, you will be delivered
At the foot of the cross justified
And your spirit restored
By the river that pours
From our blessed Savior's side

High School Musical 4?

2009-04-13T13:16:00.002-04:00

SNL still has it...sometimes. Check out Troy Bolton's life after high school speech: http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/high-school-musical-4/1085201/

Flutter Is the New Twitter

2009-04-08T17:45:00.002-04:00

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid271557392?bctid=18328570001

Twenty-four

2009-03-30T16:51:00.001-04:00

Nothing like a little birthday song from Switchfoot. This seems fitting today:

Twenty four oceans
Twenty four skies
Twenty four failures
Twenty four tries
Twenty four finds me
In twenty-fourth place
Twenty four drop outs
At the end of the day
Life is not what I thought it was
Twenty four hours ago

Still I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And I'm not who I thought I was twenty four hours ago
Still I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You

Twenty four reasons to admit that I'm wrong
With all my excuses still twenty four strong

See I'm not copping out not copping out not copping out
When You're raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now

And You're raising these twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies
In twenty four parts
But I want to be one today
Centered and true

I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
You're raising the dead in me
Oh, oh I am the second man
Oh, oh I am the second man now
Oh, oh I am the second man now
And You're raising the dead in me

I want to see miracles, see the world change
Wrestled the angel, for more than a name
For more than a feeling
For more than a cause
I'm singing Spirit take me up in arms with You
And You're raising the dead in me
Twenty four voices
With twenty four hearts
With all of my symphonies
In twenty four parts.
I'm not copping out. Not copping out. Not copping out.

It's the Little Things in Life...

2009-03-21T22:25:00.004-04:00

...like when Google changes their logo for holidays! I love that! Check out the archive for all the past logos!

And here's another little fun tidbit of Spring...it's Google's tribute to the First Day of Spring and Eric Carle, author of the children's classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar:

Springing Forward with Fresh Perspective

2009-03-21T21:50:00.005-04:00

It's spring again...that time of year when I celebrate the time I fell in love with Baton Rouge. We're going on six years now. :) I remember why I have a love/hate relationship with Baton Rouge around the middle of June (when I almost have my first heat stroke of the year), but I digress. It's been a beautiful week...one of those weeks where you just want to take a blanket and a book to a park and soak it all up (or at least I do). It's the time of year when sunny days feel like love letters from God, and I'm very grateful even if I don't get to soak them up as much as I'd like.

With spring also comes Disciple Now! I spent last weekend with 9 of my 7th grade girls, and it was a wonderful time of laughter, wonder, curiosity, Bible study, worship, and just plain fun. It's amazing to see how far many of them have come in their relationships with God since I met them in 5th grade. They're such blessings to me, and I adore seeing God working in their young hearts. It's inspiring and heartwarming. Here's my favorite pic from the weekend (We love jumping pics!):
One story we wrestled with and poured over this weekend was the Parable of the Lost Son(s). Allow me to explain that (s). ;) Many of us grew up reading about the poor pitiful younger son who ran off and squandered his inheritance then received amazing grace from his loving father upon his return, but we rarely pay attention to the older brother, who happens to be just as lost as his younger brother. I was reminded that many times we are the one running fast and hard away from God like the younger brother, and many more times we are the one shunning the one running away from God. We pretend we're ok with God ourselves when actually we have a false sense of righteousness and pride that comes from ourselves and not from a healthy relationship with God. Check it out in Luke 15:11-32. It'll rock your world...as I'm sure it did in its original telling.

If you back up to the beginning of Luke 15, you can see Jesus tell two other stories of lost things that were saved and found. I can just hear religious leaders grumbling by the time he got to the third story about a lost thing (This time a son.) and saying to themselves, "OK...we get it already!" Leave it to Jesus to stop them dead in their tracks though. He left them thinking verse 24 was the happy ending: "²⁴For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate." I can almost hear the long pause in the text as he changes gears and utters that age-old literary table-turner, "Meanwhile..."

Verses 25-32 go on to tell the story of the older brother who throws himself a pity party because he's been doing all the right things and HE never got a party. Once again, Jesus highlights the importance of a relationship with Him and defies the false way religious rituals and even good deeds for the sake of only doing good deeds can dangerously try to replace that relationship. He was just as lost as his brother, but he had been at the feet of his father the whole time. Frightening...and yet so true. Thank the Lord there's grace enough for all of us...whether we're runners or goody-goodies.

I just love how Scripture can have that fresh meaning no matter how many times you read the same passage. It's like Spring every time you open it. I'm so glad God's the God of new beginnings, fresh starts, and clean slates. I pray you let Him give your eyes and heart a fresh outlook this Spring. He's everywhere...if you just look.

Windy City, Here I Come!!!

2009-03-02T18:07:00.002-05:00

I found out this afternoon that I got a scholarship to go to ALA in Chicago this summer!!! For those of you non-library folks, that's the American Library Association's annual conference. I'll be there with 20,000 librarians for a whole week of book talks, seminars, exhibits, meet-the-authors, and MORE!!! Can you tell I'm excited?!

And I've always wanted to go to Chicago!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Psalm 34

2009-02-25T10:09:00.001-05:00

¹ I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.

² My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

³ Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.

⁵ Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.

⁶ This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.

⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

⁹ Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.

¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

¹¹ Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

¹² Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,

¹³ keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking lies.

¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous
and his ears are attentive to their cry;

¹⁶ the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.

¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;

²⁰ he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

²² The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.

Livin' the Louisiana Life

2009-02-23T19:04:00.006-05:00

There are a few things in life you can only really experience in good ol' south Louisiana: king cake, crawfish, Mardi Gras, and baseball at the Box! Lucky me...I fit all of them into one weekend! I love this state. :)

Opening night at the new Alex Box stadium was magical, unforgettable, historic...in summary, it was AMAZING (right down to the cheesy ball o' Tiger spirit...don't ask)! I was a bit skeptical about the new snazzy stadium's ability to rekindle the tradition of the old Box, but I was wrong. To borrow a phrase from that terrible PR stunt by those "other" Tigers, it was like a family reunion! ;) There was an electric charge in the air and fireworks in the sky, and it was totally worth waiting in line for two hours with 800 other students.

LSU Pentecost: the transferal of Tiger baseball spirit from the old Box to the new

After the game, we went to see Slumdog Millionaire. I really don't know what else to say about this movie except that it has catapulted itself into my top 20 favorite movies, and I'm thrilled it won Best Picture (more on the Oscars later). I'm such a sucker for rags to riches coming of age semi-musicals. Loved it. You must see it.

Saturday, I went downtown for the Spanish Town parade. Clear skies, cultural history, community togetherness, creative political satire, and lots and lots of beads...what's not to love?!

And what better way to top off a lovely Louisiana weekend than the first crawfish dinner of the season! Gotta love those little mudbugs.

And as for the Oscars, which I've loved as long as I can remember, I was pleasantly surprised this year. For once, the glimmer and elegance of Oscars ceremonies past made its glorious return. Hugh Jackman, please come back and grace us with your gentlemanly presence next year! And Kate, that shampoo bottle quote will go down in Oscar history. Congrats on finally winning one! It's about time!

Sigh. Great great great weekend. Oops...gotta go. My dirty rice is done! (Told you I was livin' the Louisiana life!)

A Treatise on Plural Possession

2009-02-02T22:53:00.002-05:00

If you know me very well at all, you know that very few things really irritate me. I'm a pretty easygoing girl. However, bear with me while I harp on one thing that is truly a grit in my oyster. ;)

I'm not sure where the elementary educational system goes wrong in teaching plural possession, but its misuse is viral and is sweeping the nation at an alarming pace with no regard for age, rank, or degree. Everywhere I turn I keep running into poor, pitiful misplaced apostrophes who just want to show that they belong to someone.

A friendly reminder...

My apartment is Stefanie Kellum's apartment.
My family's house is the Kellums' house.
Our Christmas cards will wish you a very Merry Christmas from the Kellums...NOT the Kellum's (*shiver*)

Respect the apostrophe. Let it do its job.

You can't say I'm not passionate about the correct usage of the English language...haha! Don't even get me started on the final comma in a series...crazy journalists!!!

This soap box presentation of Grammar Lessons from Stefanie is brought to you by the letter "s." ;)

Hedwig!!!

2009-01-28T21:41:00.002-05:00

I would be so excited to see a snowy owl, but I highly doubt they'll come all the way down to Louisiana...oh well. Maybe one will get sidetracked. :)

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2009/01/28/snowy-owl-migration.html

Out with the Old and In with the New... A Tale of Pomp, Circumstance, and Mixed Feelings

2009-01-20T21:33:00.004-05:00

I'm officially five Presidents old now, having lived through Reagan, two Bushes, Clinton, and now Obama. (Man, you feel old when you measure you life in terms of Presidential terms!) Confession number 784: I love inaugurations. Maybe it's the history nerd in me or the sappy patriot or the lover of all things traditional, cultural, and classy, but this stuff just give me chill bumps. I think I'm going to have to make it a life goal to attend one some day.

Today's ceremonies did raise conflicting reactions in me, however. On one hand, it was incredible to see history unfold right before my eyes. It will likely go down as one of the defining moments of my generation and one of those "Where were you...?" memories...right up there with September 11 and the death of Princess Diana. Twas quite a momentous occassion right down to the details. I love that Obama was sworn in on the same Bible Lincoln used in 1861. Yay for rare books and beautiful irony! And while I'm a total sucker for momentous occasions and all things historic, it wasn't all hearts and rainbows today.

I worry that our country may be suffering from celebrity fever. Granted, President Obama is a pretty charismatic guy, and I totally respect him as a classy gentleman who loves his country and has a wonderful, hardworking spirit, but I still cringed a little when I heard all those people chanting his name. Isn't it a bit early to be chanting the man's name just for some (albeit hopeful) campaign promises? What exactly has he actually done in the grand scheme of things so far? I do so hope his presidency is a fabulously successful one because we're in some deep valleys right now, but I can't understand why I'd want to buy an Obama commemorative porcelain plate that advocates the slogan of change for $99.95 when the man just took office today.

I do wish our new President the best of luck, and I am excited about what ideas he might have to change things for the better, but as he said himself in his speech today, no one man can change a country by himself. Change starts with each American, and if we want our economy to look brighter, then we had better stop buying things we can't afford. Poor George Bush has to endure all the blame for the dismal economy that Americans ourselves screwed up in the first place.

Speaking of President Bush, watching the ceremony today, I couldn't help but notice what a crappy job we do of saying thanks to our outgoing presidents. A brief introduction...then we push them onto a helicopter like recluses. What a great way to show gratitude to the men who have the toughest job in the world. I know one thing though: I believe the happiest man in America right now is sitting happily and contently on his back porch on a quiet ranch in Texas and watching the stars with his lovely former First Lady (and, you know, 50 Secret Service guys). Thanks for doing your best, Mr. President, and forgive us for disrespecting you so. Enjoy your retirement! And, Mrs. Bush, I'm proud to join your profession...thanks for making us librarians look so elegant and for constantly reminding the country just how important libraries are...and thanks for bringing classy back!

And to our new President, may God grant you wisdom and strength to make the right decisions for our nation. You're in my prayers. Enjoy your new crib, and get those cute girls a puppy!

P.S.: Michelle, your dress was awesome. :)

Surprised by Joy

2009-01-15T00:14:00.004-05:00

I'm so glad God doesn't promise us happiness. What a fleeting, unsatisfactory thing is happiness. Ever-changing. Whimsical. Flighty. One minute it's standing beside you. The next it's gone without a trace, leaving you in the dark.

That's not my God. He's steadfast. True. Trustworthy. Foundational. Everlasting. He doesn't promise we'll never hurt, but thankfully, He does promise to see us through. To hold our hand. To give us a reason to keep going, keep fighting, keep loving, keep serving, keep showing His glory. He promises to never leave us in the dark. In fact, it's impossible for Him to leave us in the dark because He is light. He is hope. He is trust. He is joy.

His joy is staring life and all its hardships, pains, and heartaches square in the eye...and smiling.

A wise professor once told me that true wisdom is not learning how to give up what is bad for what is good but learning how to risk giving up what is good in order to embrace what is best. It's happiness versus joy.

I choose joy.

A Recharging Christmas Break

2009-01-11T23:19:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the long hiatus from the ol' blog, readers. I've been busy soaking up every ounce of quality free time I could possibly muster while school's out, and I must say, it was indeed a refreshing Christmas break.

I spent a few days in Oxford with the fam then headed to Dallas for the Cotton Bowl for a week with my parents (Staci was on a mission trip to Honduras...sweet!). I actually enjoyed watching Ole Miss regain some confidence in their football program, and it was nice to see Dad so excited again...even if the 50 million "Hotty Toddys" did drive me slightly crazy. Twas a great trip with my parents...harking back to the countless sports trips we made in the past. Ah, memories. Plus as an added bonus, I got to spend three whole days with Jenn and Chris! Man, I wish those kids lived closer because I love me some Carters! I love that you can be away from close friends for a while and just pick up right where you left off. And now that Jenn's married, it's like I've gained another great friend too in the hardcoredness that is Chris Carter. Haha! Fun times in the Big D!

And to top it all off, I just got back from Yoakum/Houston where Kaitlin and I visited Doug and Kat and the Taylor clan. It was beyond wonderful to get to catch up with them and hear how God's using them during the transition time between now and the time when they plan to go on the foreign mission field. They're so faithful to serve Him wholeheartedly wherever He has them even as they wait for a more permanent situation. It's inspiring.

Their pastor in Houston this morning spoke on discontentment, and I was reminded that we can never be content with how close we are to God and that we should be striving each day to know Him more and more and to serve Him sacrificially where we are in the now. It's a lesson I'm taking to heart personally as I finish out my last year of school. I want to give him 110% no matter how ready I am to start a new chapter. He still has abundantly more than I can imagine for me to do here in Baton Rouge, and I can't wait to see what's around the corner this semester. I'm so thankful God has blessed me with such incredible godly mentors and friends like the Taylors to visualize and exemplify that lesson to me as well. (Love you guys! I want to play more Spinner soon!)

That's all for tonight, folks. Good night, and have a pleasant tomorrow.

P.S.: Running on hay bales is ENTIRELY too much fun. And I'm a horrible four-wheeler driver. ;)

Redecorating 1600 Pennsylvania Ave

2008-12-18T09:48:00.003-05:00

I find it quite funny that the redecoration of the White House causes such a stir every four or eight years. Rumors abound about exactly what color schemes and patterns Michelle Obama will choose for their new home. Others speculate that she might utilize a strategy similar to her husband's:

"The comedian Andy Borowitz suggested on the phone last week, they will follow the template the president-elect has laid out for his cabinet appointments. “That whole team-of-rivals approach,” Mr. Borowitz said, “so instead of one decorator there will be eight: four Republicans and four Democrats, none of whom can stand each other, and he’ll make them each do a room.”

That has reality TV written all over it. HGTV execs must be drooling at the very thought. Check out the whole NY Times article.

Cardboard Testimonies

2008-12-16T15:48:00.002-05:00

A dear friend sent me this a while back, and I found it tucked away in some saved emails today. It's a powerful video of testimonies of changed lives put together by Hillside Christian Church in Amarillo, TX.

http://video.stumbleupon.com/#p=9vs13ty1cl

What's your cardboard testimony?

Let Me Tell You What He Has Done for Me

2008-12-13T12:59:00.004-05:00

I came across Psalm 66 this week. It's a song of victory over struggles through God and a reminder that God never wastes pain. We rarely understand why God allows us or our loved ones to go through painful circumstances, but this passage hints that one reason is so that we may tell of the amazing way God helped us through it, taking the emphasis off us and onto the glorious God who heals in His time.

The psalmist pleads with the reader to "Come and see what God has done, how awesome his works in man's behalf!" (v. 5). He doesn't diminish the degree of the pain but instead focuses on the victorious outcome only through God..."We went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance" (v. 12b). What's our responsibility once we're standing in that place of abundance? To share with others how God got us there and offer encouragement to see them through, as the psalmist says in verse 16, "Come and listen, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me"...not let me tell you how I did this but let me tell you how God did this miraculous thing for me.

This psalm is the basis for David Crowder's "Come and Listen." Check out the lyrics, and hit play on my playlist if you'd like...

Come and listen, come to the water's edge, all you who know and fear the Lord.
Come and listen, come to the water's edge all you who are thirsty, come.

Let me tell you what He has done for me.
Let me tell you what He has done for me,
He has done for you,
He has done for us.

Come and listen,
come and listen to what He's done.
Come and listen,
come and listen to what He's done.

Praise our God for He is good.
Praise our God for He is good.
Praise our God for He is good.
Praise our God for He is good.

He has done for me,
He has done for you,
He has done for us.

Come and listen,
come and listen to what He's done.
Come and listen,
come and listen to what He's done.

Remember that any pain you experience does not come from God; it comes out of this broken world. He allows us to go through things so we might grow closer to Him, learn more about who He is, and tell others about our encounter with the Almighty. You can bet that for any major hurt you experience, there will be a person in your future who'll need to hear the way God fathered you through a similar struggle. I hope to develop this come-and-listen type of faith, and I hope you do too. Grace and peace to you, readers. :)

Oh, What a Beautiful Day!

2008-12-12T00:09:00.008-05:00

Yes, that title would be an Oklahoma reference; I'm a musical nerd like that, but today I have reason to be. My semester is finished (only three more to go!!!), we got three inches of snow, I have time to read for fun (finally finished that C.S. Lewis book and the new H.P.!), and Christmas is just around the corner...all is right in the world. Ok, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but it really was a spectacularly beautiful day, and I just love when God drops days like that into my life.

Here are a few pics from my early morning snow romp..

Then I went on a pre-last-final-exam adventure with Rachel (after having the best cappuccino of my life at Highland Coffees!). We had a mini snowball fight and made a teeny, tiny snowman because we had no gloves and our hands were FREEZING! I like to call him "Frosty the Snow Midget."

It was a great way to cap off a summer and a semester full of Stefanie and Rachel adventures! I'm gonna miss ya, Rach! Bring me something cool from Spain! ;)

And just in case you're still having trouble believing it actually snowed this much in Baton Rouge, LOUISIANA, here's video evidence to prove it: (Warning for the Motion-Sickness Proned: It's a bit shaky because I was just so excited that it was snowing!!!)

P.S.: Check out these pics of Mike VI playing in the snow like a good half-Siberian tiger should.

Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland

2008-12-11T07:43:00.003-05:00

IT'S SNOWING, IT'S SNOWING, IT'S SNOWING!!!!!!!! I can't think of a more beautiful thing to wake up to than soft, white flakes falling outside my window. It's such a peaceful thing to watch...I could sit here just watching it snow for hours, but I think I might go play in it instead... :)

An Interview with Yours Truly

2008-12-10T23:04:00.003-05:00

Dr. Lisa Lundy, my fabulous former mass comm prof, also writes for Missions Interchange. She asked me to do an interview for their student spotlight, and we came up with this: http://missionsinterchange.com/studentspot.asp. Check it out if you're interested in my thoughts on missions and other random things like whom I'd most like to have lunch with. :)

Iris to Iris

2008-12-05T15:13:00.008-05:00

I came across this song by Building 429 recently, and it really spoke to where I am right now and thus inspired a redesign of the ol' blog. Click the play button on my playlist widget, and check out the lyrics:

"God I’ve always wondered what You look like
Lord I’ve always waited staring at the sky
But the heavens remained quiet
As they drift along in peace
Sometimes they’ve turned to thunder
Still the echoes always cease
How I long to get home
Lord I hope it won’t be long
Till You

Let the skies open wide
Let Your child see Your eyes
Iris to iris
I will be waiting
Let the skies open wide
Let Your children be like
Diamonds reflecting
We will be waiting to shine
Waiting to shine

Chasing after vapors left me cold
Cause obscurity befalls me like a diamond cased in coal
But Your hand has been upon me and Your workmanship is true
And years I’ve spent in darkness made me long to shine for You
All I want is to see Your face
All I’m praying for today
Is that You’d

Let the skies open wide
Let Your child see Your eyes
Iris to iris
I will be waiting
Let the skies open wide
Let Your children be like
Diamonds reflecting
We will be waiting to shine
Waiting to shine

Sing Hallelujah to our God
Sing Hallelujah we are found
Sing Hallelujah for the Savior has come down
Let the skies open wide
Let Your child see Your eyes
Iris to iris
I will be waiting

Let the skies open wide
Let Your children be like
Diamonds reflecting
We will be waiting
Sunset to sunset we will be waiting
Sunset to sunset we will be waiting
Waiting to shine
Still waiting to shine"

I know I can't wait to be iris to iris with the Creator of those sunsets.

A Time for Everything

2008-12-05T10:26:00.005-05:00

I do love a good dose of exquisite Biblical poetry. Here's one of my favorites...Eccelesiastes 3:1-15 (emphasis mine):

1 For everything there is a season,
and a time for every matter under heaven:

2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;

4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

9 What does the worker gain from his toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on men. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. 13 That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. 14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

15 Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account.

Turkey Day Musings

2008-11-26T11:32:00.003-05:00

Well, ladies and gentlemen...as you all know, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Far too often, I let Thanksgiving pass me by without really taking the time to reflect on what God's blessed me with in the past year, but this year, Thanksgiving's just a little more meaningful. God's been so good since last Thanksgiving, and I'm so honored that He's my Provider. So in old-school first-grade style, here's a list of things I'm thanking God for this week:

For all the incredible friends and family God has allowed to journey through life with me and for the encouragement and joy they bring
For a comfy place to call my own
For a beautiful group of 7th grade girls that has brightened my world and taught me new ways to think of God
For giving...and taking away...and knowing when it's right to do both
For His perfect timing and protection
For continuing to stick by me no matter what life throws at me
For amazing role models and mentors who treat me like family
For Love that has changed who I am
For being my Healer and for curing cancer!
For showing me what it really means to grow up
For the opportunity to go back to school and study to become a professional nerd (a.k.a. librarian)...something I know I'm going to adore
For revealing a little more of Himself each day
For helping me realize I'm right where He wants me to be
For the cross and the freedom it brings
For the power of the resurrection in daily life
For His strength
For hope for the future

I pray that you can find a few minutes amidst the hectic holiday hassles to thank Him. Have a Happy Thanksgiving, and God bless you all. :) Now, go pig out, but save some cranberry sauce for me!

The Author of It All

2008-11-16T22:42:00.004-05:00

Since I was a little girl, I have always loved stories. Any kind of stories, really...mysteries, fairytales, romances, adventures...anything that could whisk me away into another world and open my imagination to ideas I'd never considered before.

Here recently, I've started reading Allen Jackson's TEACH, a book for youth ministry leaders, and he touches on the concept of the Bible as a metanarrative, which in non-English major/philosophy major terms is simply a story about stories. I'm fascinated by this idea that the Bible, which was written by hundreds of separate God-inspired scribes, is such a beautifully-woven collection of these intertwined stories, each of which tells a little more of the larger story of the unfailing love of God and His plan for mankind's redemption. Only one Author could pull that off, and He's written the all-time bestseller (literally).

And the cool thing is...He continues to craft new stories every single day. Every moment of every human life is in His perfect hands, and He's using these miraculous stories of love, joy, peace, pain, and suffering to draw His children, His characters closer and closer to Him. I haven't stopped loving stories, but now that I've grown up, I have more of an affinity for the stories God writes...mysteries, fairytales, romances, adventures...there is no shortage of them. I'm exhilarated by my own story and find each new page more thrilling than the last even if the conflicts seem to have no discernable solution. It's in those times that it's too comforting for words to know that I know the Author of my story and that He knows my perfect ending...and every page and chapter before that perfect ending.

Sure there are times when I want to grab the pen from His hand and write my own version of my story, and He lets me do that every now and then, but He soons let me realize my misgivings and realize that His way is always the best way.

The best part is that I'm not the main character in this story...He is. I'm just a teeny short story in an anthology of God-written stories of every man, woman, and child who ever lived or will live. Each one having love as their recurring theme...the only true Love...one that makes you want to share your story and listen to others' tales of how they found it too. It's exciting to feel a tiny part of a bigger picture, a grand masterpiece. I'm amazed at the way so many of our stories are inter-connected with incredible people coming in and out of your life the way a cool breeze swirls through a damp summer night. He plans every chance meeting, every deep friendship, every love interest, every hurt, every desire, every blessing...all to bring glory to Himself, the Author. We're His creations, His characters, and we should desire to praise our Creator, our Author.

Take a moment to just step back and wonder at the unbelievable way He's written this grand scheme, and I'll leave you with this...a verse from John that's one of my favorites:

"Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written." (John 21:25)

You and I are those books...those stories. Jesus continues to do miraculous things in our lives every day (small and enormous) so that we might have new stories to tell about His great Love. So take some time to praise the Author of it all today.

I haven't been a little girl for some time now, but the stories of God never cease to whisk me away while simultaneously opening my eyes to things I've never seen before. Those of you who know me know that I love books...ok adore books, but there's only one that's changed my life. I hope that one day its power and beauty will change yours too.

A Night for the Record Books

2008-11-04T23:28:00.004-05:00

What a wild and crazy night. I've got mixed emotions about the results of this election, but I still don't really understand why so many people are thinking this is the end of the world. There's one thing I do know: God is in control no matter who runs our country, and in case you forgot, God allows those leaders to come into power, and He's never surprised by election outcomes.

And what a beautiful picture of how far America has come since the days of the civil rights movement. I may not totally agree with many of Obama's plans, but I'm so proud that our country has continued to set an example of equality and hard work. I can't wait to tell my kids and grandkids about the night we elected our first African American president. Watching history being written is just nifty. And that John McCain went out with class by giving that inspiring and unifying concession speech.

God is still God, and America is still a democracy, and I'm sleeping soundly tonight...

...although I'm probably dreaming of Bobby Jindal 2012. ;)

Get your butt out and vote!

2008-11-03T19:02:00.003-05:00

You bet I'll be practicing my right to vote the lesser of two evils into the Presidency tomorrow! And you better too! Too many people have died to and fought hard to protect and/or establish our right to let our voices be heard, so get out there and be heard!

And just remember, no matter how down things may seem in America right now...we're still blessed to be a democracy. Now, go render unto Caesar's what is Caesar's! ;)

The seasons...they are a-changin'

2008-10-31T16:35:00.003-04:00

Please accept my sincerest apologies, loyal readers (all 3 of you), for going so long between posts. This semester is turning out to be crazier than I'd expected, but I'm falling in love with autumn all over again. There's just nothing like that crisp, cool scent of football and crunchy leaves in the air. (Yeah, yeah...I'm a nerd.)

I've been thinking a lot about changing seasons lately. Recently I had the joyous privilege of being Jenn Sloane (Carter!)'s maid of honor, and there's nothing like a wedding to make you think about seasons of life. My best friend is embarking on a new chapter in her journey through life, and that's wonderfully exciting. It's a time of spring for her, full of newness and freshness and beginning, and I couldn't be happier for her and Chris.

I feel like spring is right around the corner for me too...not necessarily in the boy department, but in the new life chapter department. With each day that passes, I get closer and closer to December 2009 and graduation and the opportunity to start afresh in a new town, a new church, and a new life. Don't get me wrong...I'll miss Baton Rouge and Istrouma and all the wonderful people in my life here, but there's this little butterfly in my chest who is very much looking forward to flying away and the freedom that comes with starting over.

Until then...I'm just trusting and growing and enjoying autumn. :)

Keeping an Eye on Ike

2008-09-13T00:56:00.005-04:00

This thing just looks B-A-D. Of course I could be falling victim to the news media's melodrama. Geraldo just gets better and better. He fell in the ocean while he was reporting today. Check it out on Micah and Laura's blog. They're riding out Ike in Houston along with millions of other brave souls. Keep them in your prayers tonight.

Oooh. My lights just flickered again. Please, power, don't go out! It went out for the second time last night, but luckily after I got off work, it was back on again. From what I've heard talking to people, it seems the vast majority of Baton Rouge has power back now. I can't speak for other parishes or the outer parts of EBR. I'm almost positive there's no way my friends in Bayou Pigeon have power yet. I won't claim normalcy around here until all the traffic lights are working again. The traffic does seem to be getting better slowly but surely.

We cancelled PNO tonight because of the tropical storm wind advisory and tornado watch, so I got a good bit of homework done. I finished my encyclopedia question set for reference which probably sounds a lot more boring than it actually was. I had to answer 9 random questions from 9 different sources and then write 2 more questions with the answers to them. It was very detective/treasure hunter-like. Loved it! Fun random fact I learned: Martin Luther was going to be a lawyer before he decided to become a monk. What changed his mind? He was struck by a bolt of lightning on summer vacation, lived, and decided to devote his life to God's service.

I know I can be pretty blind and stubborn when it comes to hearing God's voice, but I'm glad to say it's never taken a bolt of lightning (It has taken emotionally painful equivalents to lightning though!). Then again, I'm no Martin Luther either. Is it humbling, though, to think that in God's eyes, ole Martin and I have the same potential to serve Him. I have to say that library school is really making me excited about how I can be a little librarian for Jesus. I can't wait. Every bit of the job itself and the opportunities I'll get to show love to clients just makes me giddy. Is it December 2009 yet? :)

I'VE GOT THE POWER!

2008-09-09T23:37:00.004-04:00

I was blessed to get my power back yesterday!!! I cannot tell you how great it felt to sleep in my bed last night. I owe Nichole big time for letting me crash on her couch for the past week, but I loved snuggling up in my fluffy mattress last night.

Nichole and I cleaned out my fridge the other day, and it wasn't that bad. Some nasty-smelling spinach and melted purple raspberry popsicles were about the worst I had to deal with, so that was nice. It also solved the mystery of the unidentified purpleish liquid I found when I got home on Thursday. Take that, Nancy Drew!

I have to say that I am so ready for life to be back to normal around here though. Those traffic lights are driving me insane along with the rest of my fellow Baton Rouge residents. Stay safe on the roads out there, people. It's a madhouse. I can't figure out why it's so difficult for drivers in this city to understand the concept of a four way stop. If you get there first, you go. If you don't, you yield to the person on the right. What's so difficult about that? Grrr.... Things will return to normal soon, I'm sure. I hope that power comes back sooner than they say it will in Broadmoor, Sherwood Forest, North Baton Rouge, and all those other neighborhoods badly hit by Gustav.

Speaking of North Baton Rouge...I took a little trip out there yesterday evening with a chainsaw crew from Istrouma. Of course, I didn't yield a high-powered cutting device (I'm too girly and pansy for that. Haha.). I did drag some limbs and got to have a lovely conversation with the owner of the house. I was amazed and convicted by her joy despite her circumstances. Here was this woman who had a 2 ft. diameter tree on top of her house, and all she could do was praise God for keeping her family safe. She was smiling almost the whole time we were there. We went there to minister to her, and she ended up ministering more to me. Talk about praising Him in the storm. She took that pretty literally. It was quite a blessing.

I'm slowing beginning to feel life falling back into place and getting back into the groove. Let's just pray that isn't interrupted by another hurricane. You hear that, Ike?

Scrambling for Normalcy

2008-09-06T20:41:00.004-04:00

Sitting here in Nichole's cozy apartment, I'm currently working on some library science reading and watching college football, and things feel almost normal for a Saturday night in the fall. As soon as I drive down the street though, there are giant trees down on either side of Highland Road, and I'm reminded of just how not-normal things are around here.

Earlier Nichole and I went out to grab some dinner and ran by my apartment to see if I had power yet. No luck. However, it was quite ironic and funny that we ran into Red Cross passing out meals in my apartment complex. I guess that means I'm officially a disaster victim. Haha.

What's ironic is that just yesterday I was out on a trip on a Red Cross Emergency Response Vehicle (fondly called an "ERV") helping pass out meals myself...in the middle of the swamp. I left Istrouma with two ladies from Bloomington, IL and attempted to navigate them across the River and into Iberville Parish. (Like a Mississippi girl knows how to find her way through the bayou! Riiight.) After an hour and a half, we traveled over and under power lines and downed trees and reached our destination - Bayou Pigeon, Louisiana. To give you an idea of just how remote this place is, check out the Google map. Let me just say...that place is bad off. They probably won't get power for another three or four weeks, and they're at least 30 miles of curvy, tree-filled roads away from a Walmart or Shell. It made me feel really grateful for what I have right now.

The whole experience was just such a blessing. Sondra and Jan and I pulled up to the fire department and saw no one around. We had tons of food and were worried that we'd have no one to feed since they didn't know we were coming. Never fear! All I had to do was go up to two houses, knock on their doors, and offer them chili, and the word began to spread. We ended up giving out about 250 meals in that itty bitty town, and I loved every second of it. Those people out there have some big hearts, some awesome Cajun accents, and some strong nerves. I definitely admire them for their courage and good attitudes.

I'm also very grateful to Sondra and Jan, the Red Cross ladies, for taking such good care of me. Maybe I should explain. See...I tend to get motion sickness sometimes, and riding home in the back of the ERV facing sideways and not being able to see the road sure did the trick. I never actually threw up, but I felt nauseous the whole way home almost and had to stop twice. Bless those ladies for being so patient with me. They just sat with me and rubbed my back and put a cold rag on my forehead. I felt like such a pansy! Haha. Even with the nausea, it was an incredibly rewarding and eye-opening day. I'm planning on going back tomorrow (Sunday) and pass out some more meals. Even the mention of Red Cross tends to get a few grimaces from Louisianians, but I have to say that I have a whole new appreciation for that organization now. It may not be perfect, but I'm not so sure any other organization would send relief to back-woods swampy Louisiana like that.

Guess I should get back to my reading. I'm learning how to do HTML, XHTML, CSS, and JavaScript! Aren't you jealous?! ;)

Good night from broken but beautiful Baton Rouge where we're all praying Ike away.

Back from Hurrication

2008-09-04T21:52:00.007-04:00

Well, I'm back from my "hurrication" as I heard it called in the coffee shop earlier this week by a fellow evacuee. For those of you a little slow on the uptake, that's hurricane+vacation. ;) I drove down I-55 with what seemed like the entire city of New Orleans today, but I got back to Baton Rouge about an hour before curfew tonight and immediately began seeing the damage. The street lights on my exit at Sherwood Forest were blown at 90 degree angles...all of them. One beacon of hope shone down the street though...Cane's was open! God bless Cane's!

Once I made it back to my apartment, I found out I had no power...but no damage either. I did have a lovely purplish, greenish, brownish liquid oozing out of my fridge. Joy. I took the time to Swiffer WetJet it up, and I'll just have to tackle the smelly fridge itself tomorrow. Double joy.

Don't let my sarcasm fool you though. I am SO glad to be back. How glad? So glad that I played "Calling Baton Rouge" in my car as I drove over the Amite River bridge (like I always do...a silly little tradition I have) and belted it out louder than I ever have before. Go ahead and laugh. ;) I know it's been less than a week, but something weird happens to you emotionally when your city is in shambles, and you're hundreds of miles away and helpless. Maybe I'm being melodramatic, but oh well...I'm home. I had a wonderful time with my family these past few days, and it was a much-needed time of rejuvenation, but now it's time to step up and help Baton Rouge back onto her feet. I can't wait.

One last random thought for the night because John McCain is about to speak...

Sarah Palin is my new heroine.

And so is Nichole Maher for letting me crash in her air conditioned apartment tonight. :)

Lights Out in Baton Rouge

2008-09-02T00:40:00.003-04:00

One more finding from WBRZ before I check out for the night...this is a chilly video of just how in the dark Baton Rouge is tonight.

I Suppose I'm an Evacuee

2008-09-02T00:06:00.004-04:00

Earlier, I was trying to remember the last time I watched the news all day long, and it may have been as far back as September 11. I have been unable to tear myself away from the t.v. all day. I keep telling myself I need to read for class, but who knows when class will start back. I haven't gotten much information from Baton Rouge, but what I do hear is that there are LOTS of trees down and LOTS of wind damage. I'm not sure what neighborhood this is in, but check this out. Pay special attention to the huge tree that's uprooted. Insane. I just had no idea it would end up being this bad in Baton Rouge. We're supposed to be the place people evacuate TO right? :( I've been searching online like crazy trying to find damage footage, and the more I see, the more I keep telling myself I need to stop looking. This is just bad...I don't know what else to say.

One thing did lighten the mood slightly today. I love any time Geraldo Rivera humiliates himself, and boy did he today. While on the Industrial Canal bridge, Geraldo spotted a "victim" in the water. He proceeded to scream and curse at the policemen around him to rescue the man, who turned out to be a rescue worker himself. Way to go, Geraldo. Congrats on costing Fox News that censorship fine for your cursing. Good job! I'm really sorry if your power went out and you didn't get to see it. Read more of the ridiculousness here.

Props to Bobby Jindal for being the soothing voice of hope and clarity that he was today. The way he has handled things is twenty times better than that other governor-who-shall-not-be-named. I'm proud to call him my governor.

I hope all of you in Louisiana are safe and sound, and I hope the beginning of what could be a long clean-up process goes well tomorrow. Believe me...I wish I could be there to help, but it looks like I might be in Oxford a little bit longer. I'm trying not to let the stir-craziness set in, but it's just not safe for me to come back yet. Be safe, friends, and I'll be home before long. My prayers are constantly with you.

The Proverbial Calm before the Storm

2008-08-31T22:45:00.004-04:00

You may be relieved to know that I did the smart thing and decided NOT to drive back into the category 3 hurricane just yet...after much anxiety, mind you. It feels so strange to be so removed from what's happening in Louisiana. Who knew living there for a mere five years would make you this attached? Just when I thought I was dying to get out of grad school and move away, here comes a hurricane to remind me just how big of a spot Louisiana holds in my heart.

I keep having tons of Katrina flashbacks, and while I'm glad I won't have to hear the wind roaring and the rain pounding, I'm longing to get back as soon as possible and jump right into volunteering. Sometimes you just don't get to be the first responder, and that's ok. I'm excited about the work ahead and praying that there won't be as much as I'm anticipating.

So to all my friends (and surrogate family) in southeast Louisiana, be safe and know that you are all in my prayers. Jesus has calmed many a literal and metaphorical storm before, and he can calm this one down to a 1 or a 2 before it hits too...if He so chooses.

Now...in other, much happier news...CONGRATS TO JENN AND CHRIS! I am so blissfully happy for you two, and I can't wait for the celebration ahead...even if it is going to interfere with one of the biggest football games of this season. ;) Love y'all!

Also, congrats to my Tiger football team for a sound win over ASU, who turned out to not be so hot, hot, hot after all. In case anyone is wondering, my QB pick for now is definitely Hatch, but I think they're both still finding their wings. Overall, I feel much better about the QB situation and am looking forward to what could be a season that surprises critics in quite a good way.

Praise God it's football season again! GEAUX TIGERS!!!

Goodnight from Oxford. May God keep all of you in Louisiana safe in the coming days.

A Not-so-happy Anniversary for Katrina

2008-08-28T22:33:00.004-04:00

It sure doesn't seem like it's been three years since Katrina changed life in the Gulf Coast as we know it forever, but it's true, and what better reminder than another hurricane looming in the Gulf? Great. Katrina had innumerable, profound impacts on every industry under the sun and every person within at least five hundred miles of the eye, but I think for me personally it was a time to grow up and a time in which I saw God around every corner.

In the week and a half or so I spent volunteering at the medical center at the PMAC, I saw things I never thought I'd see and heard stories I never thought I'd hear. God opened my eyes to a lot of things about Himself in those days, and when it was all over, I didn't want it to end. Once school started back up again, the PMAC was still an active hospital for a little while longer. I remember being so angry with the administration for making us go to school while those people were still in there...not because they were in our way but because I thought it was a whole lot more important to be volunteering than sitting in class. I rebelled by procrastinating a whole lot school-wise and dropping by the PMAC after class for some extracurricular triage volunteering.

Those days taught me that little old you can make a difference...no matter how small it may seem. We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and during Katrina I saw that lived out daily in my fellow volunteers...especially in those refugee volunteers who evacuated New Orleans themselves but couldn't sit idly by and wanted to help too. That sense of purpose was dually intoxicating and humbling, and I loved every difficult, rewarding second of it.

So as I watch projections for Gustav, I'm processing a flood of memories (no pun intended). I got news today that the PMAC is again being readied to be a medical center. Am I ready for round two...if need be? You bet.

If I can make it back into Louisiana that is. I'm taking a much-needed vacation after the crazy, emotional summer I've had and going to Oxford for the weekend. The plan is to try to make it back before Gustav does.

So if you're evacuating from New Orleans and see a little blue Mustang on the other side of the interstate, that'd be me. I'll be the only idiot driving INTO the hurricane. :)

May God see us all safely through another storm if He so wills. As with any storm of life (as I've learned so well), He's always in control.

Why I Love Artsy Fartsy Olympic Ceremonies

2008-08-24T23:08:00.003-04:00

Tonight I watched the Games of the XXIX Olympiad come to a close while spending some quality time with a few of the surrogate families God has blessed me with in Baton Rouge (shout-outs to the Taylors, the Russells, and the Staples). I don't think I've ever missed an opening or closing Olympic ceremony since I have been old enough to remember them. I'm such a sucker for all that drama, dance, music, and art and how each country uses those elements to create their own unique Olympic celebration with their national twist. China sure did outdo themselves this year, and London will have a tough act to follow. I've never been so amazed by the human feats performed in a ceremony as this one. It also really made me want to get a light-up drum and a high-collar red and gold dress. :)

Opening ceremonies are definitely my favorite. The closing ones just mean I have to wait another two whole years before the next Olympics. Despite the ceremonies' artsy fartsy quality (as my mom fondly calls them), I adore them still. For one, they always remind me of just how huge God is. Some people find the Parade of Nations entrance to be a dull tradition, but I love watching one country after another walking in their cultural dress and seeing the spectrum of skin colors. It's God's handiwork personified on a global level...one nation at a time. God made us all uniquely, and He loves us all uniquely. Wrap your mind around that one.

Secondly, the olympic ceremonies serve as a reminder of what life on this planet is supposed to be like and what God intended it to be like --- harmonious. The Chinese zeroed in on harmony as a theme for this year's opening ceremony, using the character for harmony in various artistic movements (including that incredible moving type act...I'm still in awe over that one). The Olympics has always been a time of putting aside differences for a time of friendly competition, but to me, it's a little bit more. I looked at the Bird's Nest, full of people from every corner of the world, and saw a glimpse of what God must have had in mind for humankind from the beginning (and for that matter...what we'll see in Heaven one day). What do I mean? Why...harmony of course. Harmony that puts aside petty differences in order to glorify a higher cause. In this case, it's the Olympics, but one day, people from every corner of the globe, a sea of multicolored faces, will join together in Heaven, put aside our past lives and glorify the God who made us and loved us all so uniquely. I can't wait to experience that in person one day.

Come to think of it...I'd even be ok with seeing a glimpse of that in person. Anybody up for London 2012? ;) Let's make a trip of it.

A Fresh Start for the Inbetween

2008-08-21T00:43:00.001-04:00

Being a twenty-something is a funny thing. Part of you feels like a genuine adult who's ready to take on the world and stand up and be heard, and part of you feels like a little girl who's all dressed up in mom's heels that are five sizes too big. This crazy stage of life is where I find myself these days. Since I graduated in English lit from LSU in May 2007, I've weathered a few major storms of life, and after taking a long break from the blogging sphere, I'm ready to write again with fresh wisdom that only comes through seeing God work in mysterious ways. Nuggets of wisdom I learned during the past year might pop up here from time to time, but I'll mostly write about the little lessons the Holy Spirit is teaching me in the present...and about those funny, random little oddities of daily life of course! Don't worry...I'm still wordy nerdy witty Stefanie at heart. Some things never change. Wordy nerdy witty Stefanie just grew up a lot since she last blogged her little heart out, so this is my fresh start...a fresh start during the great inbetween of life - the early twenties.