The weather was pretty much perfect for our run today.
Sorry Jesus.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Seriously??
I go running 3 days a week with the girls. We go on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
Here is next week's weather forecast:
Seriously??
Here is next week's weather forecast:
Seriously??
Thursday, February 5, 2009
A Dream Come True!!
Yesterday, one of my long time dreams finally came true! I got to see "Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway!!! It was AMAZING!!!
I read the story in the 9th grade as a part of my band class and absolutely fell in love with the sound track. That year, the class took a trip to New York City where we were supposed to see Phantom live on Broadway. Unfortunately, we found out at the last minute that only 20 people from the class were going to get to go, the rest would see "Damn Yankees". Even more unfortunately for me, my name was not drawn as a winner for the Phantom tickets. It was really sad for me because several people who DID go see Phantom came back talking about how they slept through most of it!!!!!
I actually did enjoy "Damn Yankees" and have since seen "Les Miserables" (twice), "Stomp" (twice) and "Beauty and the Beast" in New York, but never made it to Phantom. My usual way of getting tickets is to wait in line at the TKTS booth in Times Square. They have CRAZY discounted seats, but you have to choose from whatever shows they happen to have available that day. Of course, Phantom was never on the list when I went. So, I was still just holding out for the chance to go. 15 years and counting...
Thankfully, my friend Shera decided to see how cheap matinee tickets would be, and she found them for $30!! Of course, we were in the very top row in the balcony (the absolute farthest away you can be from the stage), but who cares!! It was Phantom of the Opera!!!!
So, yesterday became of the greatest days ever for me. First, we boarded the El Train to 30th Street Station. From there we boarded the Bolt Bus to take us to NY. The Bolt Bus cost us $10 each way, and they have wireless Internet on the bus!! Its a GREAT way to get to NY (and they go to DC and Boston as well!). The Bolt Bus dropped us off about 5 blocks from the theater, so we got some lunch and then headed to the matinee.
The show...well...it was EVEN BETTER than I imagined it would be!! I loved every second of it!!! I still can't believe I actually got to see it! I want to see it again someday with better seats. If I was enthralled from the very back row, I can't even imagine being close to the stage!!!!
After the show we grabbed some dinner, did some touring (we were also close to the Empire State Building, although we didn't pay to actually go in), and then headed back to the bus to take us home. It was so relaxing, simple, and cheap!! YAY!!!
Of course, now I am paying for taking an entire day off in the middle of the week; I'm pretty sure I will be working non-stop until next weekend...but I DON'T CARE!! I saw Phantom of the Opera Live!!!!!!!!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Freaking Out
I am more than a little freaked out right now. Its a good kind of freak out though, if there is such a thing. Its the kind of freak out where you know that God is up to something big, but its still really scary! Yeah, that's me right now...
As I mentioned before, I will be heading to South Boston, VA in 2 weeks to hang out with my brother (WOOHOO!) and speak at a church (Ash Ave. Baptist). When I agreed to speak I was under the impression that I would simply share 5-10 minutes about myself and my ministry. I was a little off...
Apparently, I am the entire service. So, I will be speaking for 30-40 minutes. In addition, several churches in town take turns having their services broadcast on the radio; and my Sunday just happens to be the Sunday that Ash Ave Baptist will be on the radio. AHHHH!!!!
Many of you are probably reading this and laughing at me, and that's fine. I hope its because you have the confidence in me that I don't have in myself. :) I know in my head it will all be fine, but I will continue to freak out until its over. (I am nervous EVERY Tuesday night before Kids Club, but I do manage through, haha). 30 minutes, and on the radio?!?
I'm not just nervous about the speaking (although that's a big part of it!), but I'm not sure how I will find the time to really prepare what I want. I guess I need to work on that whole "trust in God" thing.
This is not the only reason I am freaking out, however. There is more...
AIM will be flying me to Chicago the first weekend in April to teach a one day seminar to youth pastors. Hopefully I will have a co-leader (and hopefully he will do the majority of the speaking!), but still...more standing in front of people and speaking.
Oh but wait, there's more! My aunt has invited me (and I stupidly accepted!) to come and speak to her women's bible study group....of about 100 women! This talk (which will most likely come 2 days after I return from Chicago) will be completely different from my Ash Ave Baptist presentation. Instead, I will be focusing more specifically on the gifts God has given me and how He has called me to use them. So, while I will be sharing about my ministry, the bigger focus will be on my life with God, especially a single woman in ministry. I'll say it again...AHHHHHH!!!
Can you tell I'm a little nervous?
And, while preparing all of these talks and presentations, I also have Kids Club and Children's Church to prepare. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. Can't we go back to the days when people just told me what to do, and I did it?
I liked those days...
As I mentioned before, I will be heading to South Boston, VA in 2 weeks to hang out with my brother (WOOHOO!) and speak at a church (Ash Ave. Baptist). When I agreed to speak I was under the impression that I would simply share 5-10 minutes about myself and my ministry. I was a little off...
Apparently, I am the entire service. So, I will be speaking for 30-40 minutes. In addition, several churches in town take turns having their services broadcast on the radio; and my Sunday just happens to be the Sunday that Ash Ave Baptist will be on the radio. AHHHH!!!!
Many of you are probably reading this and laughing at me, and that's fine. I hope its because you have the confidence in me that I don't have in myself. :) I know in my head it will all be fine, but I will continue to freak out until its over. (I am nervous EVERY Tuesday night before Kids Club, but I do manage through, haha). 30 minutes, and on the radio?!?
I'm not just nervous about the speaking (although that's a big part of it!), but I'm not sure how I will find the time to really prepare what I want. I guess I need to work on that whole "trust in God" thing.
This is not the only reason I am freaking out, however. There is more...
AIM will be flying me to Chicago the first weekend in April to teach a one day seminar to youth pastors. Hopefully I will have a co-leader (and hopefully he will do the majority of the speaking!), but still...more standing in front of people and speaking.
Oh but wait, there's more! My aunt has invited me (and I stupidly accepted!) to come and speak to her women's bible study group....of about 100 women! This talk (which will most likely come 2 days after I return from Chicago) will be completely different from my Ash Ave Baptist presentation. Instead, I will be focusing more specifically on the gifts God has given me and how He has called me to use them. So, while I will be sharing about my ministry, the bigger focus will be on my life with God, especially a single woman in ministry. I'll say it again...AHHHHHH!!!
Can you tell I'm a little nervous?
And, while preparing all of these talks and presentations, I also have Kids Club and Children's Church to prepare. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. Can't we go back to the days when people just told me what to do, and I did it?
I liked those days...
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Bullet Points Update
I know I haven't updated in a while, and I do apologize for that. I am busier now than I ever remember being, so blogging has taken a back seat. Its actually kinda sad for me because I have a lot of thoughts spinning around in my head that I would love to blog about. So, hopefully in the coming days I will carve out some more time. I have realized that this semester will challenge my time management skills immensely. I am up for the challenge though! I am really committed to doing this with God, making my schedule based on HIS plans for me and not letting the important things take a back seat (which is what usually happens). We're almost in February and so far so good!
Unfortunately, this is a very busy time for both AIM and Cornerstone. Generally the two alternate busy times, which is why I rarely get overwhelmed with both jobs, but that's not the case right now. I work non-stop from 9-3 for AIM, and then immediately get started on Cornerstone stuff, usually finishing that up around 9 or 10 at night. The 10 hour days are definitely overwhelming, but God is being SO good to me. I am taking time to cook and eat healthy, making sure I actually get sleep at night, taking time to talk with Him daily and I am exercising regularly...all of which are keeping me in a really good state of mind despite my busyness. And, I'm holding on to my Saturdays (my ONLY day off) like my life depends on it (which it kinda does). I am struggling with a little bit of guilt as I turn down things so I can keep my time off, but I know that this is what God wants me to do.
Okay, so that's my general update. Here's some more fun facts for you:
* I spent last weekend in Birmingham, Alabama with my friends Jess and James Hawbaker. We haven't seen each other in over 3 years, but you would never know it from last weekend. We had SO MUCH FUN! We went hiking, played Wii (I LOVE the surgery game!), laughed A LOT, ate yummy (healthy) food, and best of all; we encouraged each other in the Lord. They are such a HUGE encouragement to me! They are actually moving to Denver this summer so Jess can attend seminary and I am planning on spending one of my vacation weeks with them sometime after they get settled. That's how great they are!
* I am traveling a lot more right now, partly because of AIM and partly because of some great support raising opportunities. In the coming weeks I will:
* Spend Valentine's weekend in South Boston, VA where I will speak at a church and a
women's group. I will also get to hang out with my brother the whole weekend!
* I am leading an AIM Spring Break trip in Philly in March. They will work with Cornerstone for the week, so it should be fun. The team is actually a college football team, so it should be interesting!
* AIM is sending me to Chicago in April to teach a one day seminar for youth pastors.
The seminar is all day Friday. After it's over I am going to drive to Urbana, IL (about 2 hours away) and spend the rest of the weekend hanging out with Brooke!
* Starting next Tuesday, Bonita and I will begin training for the Broad Street Run. I have to admit that I am EXTREMELY nervous about this and totally unsure if I can actually do it. But, I am committed to trying!
* Several weeks ago, just after Christmas, Beth (Jen's dog) bit the mailman. Its a crazy story, but Beth saw the mailman as a threat and was not restrained by anyone at the door (neither me nor Jen were home at the time, a friend was staying at the house with us). The bite was not severe and barely broke the skin. Unfortunately, the mailman is now suing for the "muscle spasms" he now suffers, and even though the dog belongs to Jen, the lawsuit falls on me because I own the house. My home owner's insurance should take care of it, but I'm researching all of it and asking a lot of people a lot of questions before I just hand things over. Please keep that situation in your prayers!
* A really good friend of mine just found out his mom might have ovarian cancer. Its just the 2 of them in their family, so he has a lot of decisions to make (he lives about 4 hours away from her), and neither have a lot of support from other people. I am hoping to get the chance to spend some time with him and possibly help him and his mom out sometime soon. They find out for sure on Friday, so right now I'm just praying that all the test results come back normal! He isn't a believer, but we've been able to have some good conversations about things since I'm dealing with my dad's cancer while he is trying to handle his mom's. I feel like I'm being surrounded by cancer right now, and that is not fun!!
Okay, that's all I can think of right now. Its WAY past my bed time, so nighty night!
Unfortunately, this is a very busy time for both AIM and Cornerstone. Generally the two alternate busy times, which is why I rarely get overwhelmed with both jobs, but that's not the case right now. I work non-stop from 9-3 for AIM, and then immediately get started on Cornerstone stuff, usually finishing that up around 9 or 10 at night. The 10 hour days are definitely overwhelming, but God is being SO good to me. I am taking time to cook and eat healthy, making sure I actually get sleep at night, taking time to talk with Him daily and I am exercising regularly...all of which are keeping me in a really good state of mind despite my busyness. And, I'm holding on to my Saturdays (my ONLY day off) like my life depends on it (which it kinda does). I am struggling with a little bit of guilt as I turn down things so I can keep my time off, but I know that this is what God wants me to do.
Okay, so that's my general update. Here's some more fun facts for you:
* I spent last weekend in Birmingham, Alabama with my friends Jess and James Hawbaker. We haven't seen each other in over 3 years, but you would never know it from last weekend. We had SO MUCH FUN! We went hiking, played Wii (I LOVE the surgery game!), laughed A LOT, ate yummy (healthy) food, and best of all; we encouraged each other in the Lord. They are such a HUGE encouragement to me! They are actually moving to Denver this summer so Jess can attend seminary and I am planning on spending one of my vacation weeks with them sometime after they get settled. That's how great they are!
* I am traveling a lot more right now, partly because of AIM and partly because of some great support raising opportunities. In the coming weeks I will:
* Spend Valentine's weekend in South Boston, VA where I will speak at a church and a
women's group. I will also get to hang out with my brother the whole weekend!
* I am leading an AIM Spring Break trip in Philly in March. They will work with Cornerstone for the week, so it should be fun. The team is actually a college football team, so it should be interesting!
* AIM is sending me to Chicago in April to teach a one day seminar for youth pastors.
The seminar is all day Friday. After it's over I am going to drive to Urbana, IL (about 2 hours away) and spend the rest of the weekend hanging out with Brooke!
* Starting next Tuesday, Bonita and I will begin training for the Broad Street Run. I have to admit that I am EXTREMELY nervous about this and totally unsure if I can actually do it. But, I am committed to trying!
* Several weeks ago, just after Christmas, Beth (Jen's dog) bit the mailman. Its a crazy story, but Beth saw the mailman as a threat and was not restrained by anyone at the door (neither me nor Jen were home at the time, a friend was staying at the house with us). The bite was not severe and barely broke the skin. Unfortunately, the mailman is now suing for the "muscle spasms" he now suffers, and even though the dog belongs to Jen, the lawsuit falls on me because I own the house. My home owner's insurance should take care of it, but I'm researching all of it and asking a lot of people a lot of questions before I just hand things over. Please keep that situation in your prayers!
* A really good friend of mine just found out his mom might have ovarian cancer. Its just the 2 of them in their family, so he has a lot of decisions to make (he lives about 4 hours away from her), and neither have a lot of support from other people. I am hoping to get the chance to spend some time with him and possibly help him and his mom out sometime soon. They find out for sure on Friday, so right now I'm just praying that all the test results come back normal! He isn't a believer, but we've been able to have some good conversations about things since I'm dealing with my dad's cancer while he is trying to handle his mom's. I feel like I'm being surrounded by cancer right now, and that is not fun!!
Okay, that's all I can think of right now. Its WAY past my bed time, so nighty night!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Staff Retreating
Sunday-Tuesday of this week was our annual Cornerstone Winter Staff Retreat and it was so much fun!! We had a really awesome time hanging out as one big family, laughing at each other and laughing even harder with the kids. Man am I thankful all the staff have such adorable kids!!
We did have a few meetings, but most of that time was spent being open and honest with one another about what's been going on in each of our lives. A lot of our staff have some really heavy burdens weighing on them and it was really nice to be able to help carry those burdens for one another. The unity we are experiencing right now is nothing short of a miracle and incredible blessing!!
As much fun as the retreat was, it was still a little hard for me. Our August retreat comes at the end of the summer when I am ready for a break. This one, however, comes a week before we start everything up again, so I was constantly thinking about all the things I need to finish before next week. I know I should have enjoyed the hours of free time, but I found myself frustrated that I lost 2 days of work. I also got out of my normal exercise routine (although I did manage to find ways to exercise), so that made me kinda frustrated too.
So, today has been a great day so far! I was able to get up and go to spinning (which is still my absolute favorite way to start the day!! I missed it on Monday!) and have been working basically nonstop since then...and I have gotten a lot accomplished!! Yay!!
I think part pf my stress at the retreat came from the fact that I am going out of town again tomorrow night. I will be flying to Alabama to spend the weekend with 2 of my friends that I haven't seen in at least 3 years. They were with me my first year in Philly and I was a bridesmaid in their wedding 5 years ago, so I can't wait to see them!! But, that means I only really have 2 work days this week, and WAY too much to do. Kids Club starts next Tuesday!!
I guess I should get back to work then, huh? Off I go! I do love to be productive!
We did have a few meetings, but most of that time was spent being open and honest with one another about what's been going on in each of our lives. A lot of our staff have some really heavy burdens weighing on them and it was really nice to be able to help carry those burdens for one another. The unity we are experiencing right now is nothing short of a miracle and incredible blessing!!
As much fun as the retreat was, it was still a little hard for me. Our August retreat comes at the end of the summer when I am ready for a break. This one, however, comes a week before we start everything up again, so I was constantly thinking about all the things I need to finish before next week. I know I should have enjoyed the hours of free time, but I found myself frustrated that I lost 2 days of work. I also got out of my normal exercise routine (although I did manage to find ways to exercise), so that made me kinda frustrated too.
So, today has been a great day so far! I was able to get up and go to spinning (which is still my absolute favorite way to start the day!! I missed it on Monday!) and have been working basically nonstop since then...and I have gotten a lot accomplished!! Yay!!
I think part pf my stress at the retreat came from the fact that I am going out of town again tomorrow night. I will be flying to Alabama to spend the weekend with 2 of my friends that I haven't seen in at least 3 years. They were with me my first year in Philly and I was a bridesmaid in their wedding 5 years ago, so I can't wait to see them!! But, that means I only really have 2 work days this week, and WAY too much to do. Kids Club starts next Tuesday!!
I guess I should get back to work then, huh? Off I go! I do love to be productive!
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