Good Ideas are Meant to Be Stolen

My friend Allison posted (a while back) about things that make you look like an idiot at a concert. While at the Hillsong United concert last night, I formed my own list:

THINGS THAT MAKE YOU LOOK LIKE AN IDIOT AT A CHRISTIAN CONCERT

Disclaimer: What I am about to type is in no way judging the other Christians who were at the concert I attended last night, these are just simple observations that drove me a little nuts. So, please don't be offended if you fit into any of these categories.

1. Yelling "We love Jesus yes we do, we love Jesus, how about you?" across the theater over and over again. Then pointing and laughing when your side "wins" the yelling match.

2. Shouting "Jesus" when everything else is quiet and the band is trying to have a "moment" of reflection. Way to draw attention to yourself instead of Jesus!

3. Clapping and cheering when the guy in #2 shouts. Really?

4. Clapping and cheering to the beat of a song that turned out to be downtempo and not uptempo, then realizing "oops, maybe I should have waited to hear where the intro was actually going".

5. Yelling and screaming every time a song had some sort of pause...even if it was a downtempo song, again...really?

Please don't be an idiot at a Christian concert.

Apparently, Physics is Romantic

I really hate science, I don't get it and it takes me forever to understand elements, forces, pulls...boo!

The other day while listening to my iPod I realized that two of my favorite artists have made a physical force a part of their lyrics...and surprisingly enough, I love it!

John Mayer-Gravity
Gravity is working against me
And gravity wants to bring me down

Oh I'll never know what makes this man
With all the love that his heart can stand
Dream of ways to throw it all away

Oh Gravity is working against me
And gravity wants to bring me down

Oh twice as much ain't twice as good
And can't sustain like a one half could
It's wanting more
That's gonna send me to my knees

Sara Bareilles-Gravity
Something always brings me back to you.
It never takes too long.
No matter what I say or do I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone.

You hold me without touch.
You keep me without chains.
I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love and not feel your reign.

Set me free, leave me be.
I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.
Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be.
But you're on to me and all over me.

What do you say?

What do you say to some who has hurt you and said really terrible things about you? Who has talked about you behind your back (while all the while you knew this and chose to ignore it)? Who has acted as if you didn't even exist and given you dirty looks?

I know what I chose to say...nothing. I just kept my mouth shut and never told anyone anything, just chose to let God soften their heart.

What do you say when they send you an email apologizing? And they live a few minutes away from you...

Am I asking for too much when I think a phone call or face to face conversation would have probably been more appropriate?

Don't get me wrong, I am really thankful that they have come to understand that what they did was wrong and I realize that it probably took a lot for them to actually type and send that message...but really?

What do you say? How do you respond to that?

I probably feel this way because I know that we will probably never be friends...real friends. We will probably be polite acquaintances. Nothing more, nothing less.

Is this resolution?

Maybe it is.

Maybe saying nothing, but forgiving quietly in my heart is enough.

But, what would you say?

Mucho, Mucho!

Lots of things are changing...fast, fast, fast...but I like it because there is no other place I'd rather be, than in the center of God's will.

The only way that I can describe this season of my life is with the word PEACE.

Really...peace. What an amazing gift God gives us!

More details soon!

Why, yes...I'm still here

Day 2 of PDYM was great!

It was a bit of a whirlwind...you know those times when you meet and talk with so many people at tons of different times and you wish you could remember every name, every face, every conversation but can't? Yeah, it was like that.

What most stood out though was that I think I laughed with just about everyone I met and talked with. Seriously, either I've stepped it up in my humor abilities or all these people are legitimately fun (I prefer to believe the latter is true).

I also got to meet with a few women in youth ministry and totally fell in love with them. These ladies loving God, loving students and trying to balance life as moms, wives and servants is amazing! It was great to sit and learn from one another.

Oh, and I got to say "prairie dogging it" several times...I don't know how useful that is in ministry but it was quite the highlight!

Oh, I'm Here!

I'm at the PDYM Conference this week!

I'm here with three of my youngest and funnest volunteers! Seriously, I almost peed laughing today...several times.

I'm a bit exhausted and just realized that I totally forgot to text my small group to remind them there's no small group this week, oops!

None the less, the first day here has been great! We got upgraded and received a MAJOR discount at our hotel, we got to have lunch at Panda Inn (so yummy!) and we played a couple of ping pong games where I, of course, totally dominated!

So far, so good!

I Love You, America!

I was required to go visit Voorhis Elementary last Friday morning.

When I got there, a few girls from Mrs. Morales' class kept me company while we waited for the bell to ring. As far as I knew we would enter class immediately following the bell...I was so excited when I found out there would be a patriotic program as their Friday morning assembly!

After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance (which I absolutely LOVE) we sang:

The Star Spangled Banner
and
This Land is Your Land

I love singing songs about our nation! I sang so loud that one of the little girls asked me how I knew these songs (I guess I look too old to have been around when school was invented).

Although we didn't sing:
America the Beautiful
God Bless America
The United States
Take Your Hat Off When the Flag Goes By!
My Country 'Tis of Thee
You're a Grand Ole Flag

I'd like to note that I love all these songs and would sing them anywhere, anytime...seriously.

Dear Dreams,

I really dislike you.

I've written on my blog about disliking dreams. And I stand firm on that post.

But last night was just too much! I had a really rollercoaster-y day and was super emotional. I decided to stop reading my book a bit early so I could just go to bed and clear my mind. Then came the dream...

I dreamt that someone hated me.

This is someone I really like and I totally got my feelings hurt in my dream. A little part of me hopes that the dream wasn't a premonition...that would really be terrible!

Just so you know, it was someone who reads my blog. So if you're reading this, I really hope you don't hate me in real life.

Hip Hip Hooray!

I finally got my Mac!

A lovely Talbot student was selling his for a ridiculously low price...so I bought his!

She's beautiful!

Call off the Search Party

I spent over 2 hours online last week looking for this purse:

I saw it months ago on the Roxy website. Then at Macy's over Christmas. And when I went to buy it last week it was gone.

I found it at the Quicksilver Outlet yesterday, at $22 off the original price.

How lucky am I?

A Little Change Goes a Long Way...

When I opened my Bank of America accounts last year I was enrolled in something they call "Keep the Change" transfers.

Here's what it is:

Every time you make a purchase with your ATM, Bank of America rounds the amount of the purchase up to the nearest dollar and transfers the difference to your savings account.

The clerk told me that B of A would match whatever change I transferred. I never saw that money...never. So I figured it was just a "new accounts gimmick" and forgot all about it.

Until today!

I went online to do some banking and saw that my savings account was $49.02 richer...

Yup, they finally matched it! Sweet!

PDYM

PDYM: also known as, Please Don't Yudge Me...okay, it's not known as that, but I felt the need to start off on an apologetic note. I haven't blogged in what feels like a lifetime...sorry!

The PDYM Conference is actually run by a wonderful group of people that genuinely care about the health of youth workers and the health of student ministries (the church). And go all out to serve and equip youth ministers!

If you serve in youth ministry at your church (Pastor, volunteer, dodgeball coordinator...) COME! March 24-27, 2009 at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA.

Trust me, you won't regret it!

In this community of great, passionate people my ministry found health and great direction!

An added bonus is that, I'll be there! Hope to see you there too!

Here's your personal invitation!

Register at:
pdymcommunity.com

I'm Goin' MAC!

I've been in a debate with myself for the past year about switching over from being a PC to Mac user...the debate has finally ended-by the end of this week I will be the proud owner of a Mac Notebook!

There were tons of reasons for why I made the switch (reliability, durability, performance, etc.),but I thought it important to mention the most important reason of all...

I want to be cool.

It really is that simple (kidding)...

But really, I will be way cooler by the end of the week, right?

Christmas Canciones

I love Christmas music...love it!

My usual Christmas playlist runs from the day after Thanksgiving until December 25th...every year.

This year I'm looking for some new, great music for the holidays. I know that nothing in the Christmas music selection is really "new". Everyone re-does the same songs over and over again...but even with that, I'd like to get some new re-done songs.

I currently have Mariah Carey, Relient K, Michael Buble, Amy Grant and a few others on my playlist...

Can you think of any others I should have?
Or better yet, which are some favorites on your Christmas playlist?

I Know

I haven't been the posting diva in this season of life as I've been in the past...

I apologize.

Some of the reasons for why I have been inconsistent are the following:

1. Lack of proper Internet at home.
2. Going back to school full time, while still working at the church full time.
3. Life changes (more on that later).
4. Little to blog about (well, lack of fun, interesting things to blog about-my life has been all work and little play lately).

This is my last week of instruction before finals and I would totally appreciate your prayers as it's also a busy season in ministry.

I will post updates soon...promise!