Under Construction

I apologize if my blog looks crazy right now...after all of my work to redesign my blog, the images I was using were moved to a different site. Guess that's what happens when you use free stuff ;) So bear with me as I start over!

Flashback Fun

Ok. This picture totally made my day! They must be going through old pictures at BSF, because this is me, my brother, and my mom volunteering in the press.

You may have to click on it to get the full effect of the picture. I laughed SO hard when my dad sent this to me.

Why this picture is so funny:

• Ummm...we all look so crazy confused. My mom looks downright scared haha.
• I am totally rocking the bangs...you may not be able to see it, but I am wearing a clip on the top of my head because this was when I was growing out part of my bangs so they weren't so thick. So yes...they used to be worse than even this!
• My brother's cast and shoes match his shirt.
• My brother is totally rocking the comb-over :)

Why this picture is so fun:

• Look how young we all look!
• We had some really fun times working in the press...I miss it!
• I have some sweet memories of the people we worked with in the press- both staff members and volunteers from around the world!

I miss going to volunteer at BSF and then go have lunch with my dad...this picture brought back some fun memories and definitely made me SMILE :)

First Christmas Present!

A few days ago, I wrote a post about how much I have been convicted about the way I spend my time and money, specifically with Christmas around the corner. I felt like I needed to probably clarify my heart...when I said I would return any gifts that I got and use the money toward giving clean drinking water to families around the world who are denied access to it. I realized after that that might sound a bit, well, rude. My heart was in the right place, it just didn't come out right. But before I even had a chance to clarify or re-word my thoughts, I got my first Christmas present via email, and I couldn't have been more ecstatic.

My sweet friend Laura understood my heart and she did the hard thing for me. She actually returned the gift she had already bought me and used the money toward Living Water International (which is all part of the One Gift campaign our church is doing). So I got this fun gift card in my inbox and then got to choose where I contributed the water. I spread it around to several different countries, but gave most of it to schools in India...mainly because Yusuf (the little boy I support) lives in India.

What an absolutely beautiful gift! Thank you, sweet friend, for understanding my heart and wanting to be a part of what God is doing. I praise Him for your generous heart, as well as for your love for Jesus. I am so blessed by this selfless gift, and I am excited how God can use 2 friends who made a decision to spend less and give more.

Thank you, Lord for using us despite the fact we are a mess. You don't need us, but you choose to be in love relationship with us, and you allow us to be a part of your kingdom work. I pray that you would use this humble gift to reach many for your kingdom. Thank you Lord for breaking our hearts for the things that break yours. Continue to work in our hearts, Lord. Give us the strength and the courage to know what it truly means to "offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to You." May your name be praised in our tiny gift, for it is all for Your glory and honor.

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch!

Last night our singles group had a fun outing to the ICE! exhibit at the Gaylord Texan. Laura and I went last year to the exhibit and loved it, so we decided to go again and invited a few extra friends! I just have to say that I absolutely LOVE the Gaylord Texan. My love for this resort/conference center probably borders on obsession. When I was looking for event jobs, that is where I wanted to work. But alas, God had other plans. Just being at the hotel last night made me miss my old job and the career path I so desperately wanted to be on. I was grateful for sweet friends who kept me distracted and helped remind me of what I would be missing out on if my life had taken a different path. God is good.

Here are some pictures from the night. It was -2 degrees inside the tent, so it was definitely COLD. We had so much fun, and it was great just to be with a sweet group of friends.

Waiting in line to get in!

Still waiting, but enjoying fun times with sweet friends!

We look SO hot in our parkas ;)

Let me see your excited faces!

Nathan was excited after some coaxing...

Laura is excited!

And I am most definitely excited!

Grinch faces....LOL.

Rethinking Christmas

Last Christmas, our 20s group participated with our church staff in the One Gift Campaign through Advent Conspiracy. And this year we are opening it up to challenge the entire congregation. I loved this campaign last year, and I have committed to it again this year.

Christmas has become something it was never intended to be...stress, shopping lists, traffic jams, unnecessary consumerism. All the marketing, the spending, the debt that people accumulate...why do we do it to ourselves? And why do we as Christians get caught in it? I can't help but be a little sick over what we have done to the celebration of Christ's birth. The fact that we as Americans spend $450 Billion every year on Christmas and it is estimated to take only $10 Billion to solve the world's fresh drinking water crisis...it's enough to make me stop and rethink my Christmas.

I love giving and receiving gifts as much if not more than the next person. Buying Christmas presents for the ones you love is a good thing. The whole concept of giving is biblical, and I believe God is glorified when we give to others. But do we really need half the things we buy? Do we really need an extra material thing? I have been very convicted lately on just exactly how I spend my time and my money. God has given me such an overabundance...am I really using His resources in the best way? Because everything I have is His...and I am pretty sure He didn't give me what He has so that I could spend it on things that will perish. I really feel like our American mentality has messed with our priorities and how God truly intends for us to serve Him.

What if we did spend less and give more? What if we spent less money on a material gift and more time with friends, family, loved ones? What if we decided to spend our money on something that actually mattered?

So this year, I have decided that I don't want anything for Christmas. I am so broken by what God has placed on my heart, that none of the material things matter. I can certainly do without gifts this Christmas. Anything I receive, I plan to return and give the money to the One Gift Campaign so that a family across the globe can have clean drinking water. I don't post this commitment out of pride or self-praise...I post it as a confession that my priorities are out of wack and something has to change. Instead I post it as a concrete commitment for which I desire accountability. Because I really want new boots for Christmas. And it would be so tempting to ask for them anyway. Because when push comes to shove, it's going to be hard to return something I open that I really like. But I am choosing to honor God by fulfilling this commitment to Him. I want you to ask me about it.