Happy 10th anniversary to us! In front of the Atlantis hotel in the Bahamas.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
This Pop Quiz We Call Life
Scott and I returned Monday night from our tenth anniversary getaway. The hotel was great-- the aquarium displays were truly amazing-- food was REALLY expensive though.
June is the beginning of the rainy season there, and it did rain quite a bit in the afternoons, but there was still enough sun for us both to get sufficiently burned our first day out. The beach was just the best! The water was crystal clear and tropical fish were everywhere swimming right by us-- no need for a snorkel!
The best part of the trip was the time we had to reconnect-- to talk about our marriage and to set goals for the future. Like I have discussed many times before-- it is so easy to fall into the "roommate" trap as a couple-- which is the point where your relationship becomes all about the facts and practical aspects of life and less about the passion and purpose that keeps you together. We agreed that we should cut each other some slack since having a child definitely has an effect on the overall relationship-- especially in the beginning. We are glad that we are able to discuss things openly and that we realize we need to be aware of how important our marriage is. So-- weekend getaways are a very good thing! Thanks to my Mom and Dad for watching Luke for us!
Luke was very happy to see us return! It is crazy to me how he looks so much older than he did just a mere 5 days earlier when I dropped him off! He is definitely a little "spoiled" after being with the grandparents. Maybe spoiled isn't the right word, but he is just "whinny"-- he doesn't like being told "no" and he wants to be the center of attention. Hopefully he will fall back into his old self soon and start sleeping until 8 am again-- for some reason he started getting up an hour or so earlier while we were gone.
As far my return to the real world-- there is much going on at church with our Sunday school class-- some good, some bad. It amazes me how adults can always so easily revert back to a state of "high school drama"-- (I include myself in that category). I have continued to be struck by how very differently people can view the world even though you would think we are all looking out the same window. Not a chance! Some people see a vast frontier yet to be conquered, some see a desert wasteland not worth pursuing, some look past the sand and see an oasis, some can't see anything because they can't stop focusing on the patterns on the curtains!! My problem is that I can't seem to determine which category I fall into on this one! I fear that I am ready to jump out of the window or at least I want to shut it and pray for God to point me to the door-- or at least another window!!!
One thought has struck me-- why are some so desperate to find a formula for faith? It seems like so many of us are more than ready to follow blindly anyone who makes spiritual sense and seems to have a faith of their own. Do we think that we can share in that faith if we become "good students of the teacher" and start to think the same way and hold to the same views? It's like we want someone to say, "Here is how you find God and a real relationship with Him in three easy steps." Sign me up! I like to follow directions and be involved with something where I can see real, tangible results-- and I can measure my progress-- and yours-- along the way. Somehow, I think Jesus came to show us that there are no formulas, only the form of a cross. Lord, please help me to open my eyes to how easily I have let this happen in my own life. Help me to mature in my own walk and to put my trust in you alone-- not in any person or Bible study.
Another side to all of this is how desperate we have become to find "community" in a world that has become increasingly more isolated. Few dare to venture outside their homes except to take out the trash or mow the lawn. We rely on our internet, TV, and the pizza delivery man! We don't have the time to cultivate meaningful relationships with others-- we are always trying to recover from the rush and hassles of our own lives, so when we have a few moments of unspoken for time, we want to retreat into our homes and enjoy the silence and seclusion. So, when we do manage to drag ourselves to church on Sunday, we expect the people there to be our "community" and to make up for all that we have been missing the other six days of our isolated week. We soon find that a few hours on Sunday is a hard way to develop those deep ties-- we soon find that the church is so large that no one really notices if we show up or not (and we can always watch the sermon online anyway!). We begin to wonder why we don't fit in and why we don't belong, why we aren't needed, and why everyone else seems to have their lives together except us, and we get angry and frustrated that we can't figure out how to obtain that community that seems to be out of our reach..... Church becomes more of a country club with cliques and rules and social hierarchies..... and some decide that they no longer see the benefit of paying their weekly dues-- and really, the church down the street seems to have a better atmosphere and perks as of late anyway.
How did Jesus define "church"?
Yikes! Didn't mean to ramble on! It's late. Scott's in Denver, and I have more questions than answers lately! Such is life! One stage after another where you continue to realize that just when you think you might have started to answer the question, you realize the question has changed, you are living in a "post" something or another world, and that you have NO idea why you ever thought you had the slightest inkling of knowledge on that subject or any other one for that matter!!! :)
That is when you have to slow down (stop typing!), take a deep breath, and remind yourself that Jesus is THE only Answer needed for this pop quiz we call "life."
June is the beginning of the rainy season there, and it did rain quite a bit in the afternoons, but there was still enough sun for us both to get sufficiently burned our first day out. The beach was just the best! The water was crystal clear and tropical fish were everywhere swimming right by us-- no need for a snorkel!
The best part of the trip was the time we had to reconnect-- to talk about our marriage and to set goals for the future. Like I have discussed many times before-- it is so easy to fall into the "roommate" trap as a couple-- which is the point where your relationship becomes all about the facts and practical aspects of life and less about the passion and purpose that keeps you together. We agreed that we should cut each other some slack since having a child definitely has an effect on the overall relationship-- especially in the beginning. We are glad that we are able to discuss things openly and that we realize we need to be aware of how important our marriage is. So-- weekend getaways are a very good thing! Thanks to my Mom and Dad for watching Luke for us!
Luke was very happy to see us return! It is crazy to me how he looks so much older than he did just a mere 5 days earlier when I dropped him off! He is definitely a little "spoiled" after being with the grandparents. Maybe spoiled isn't the right word, but he is just "whinny"-- he doesn't like being told "no" and he wants to be the center of attention. Hopefully he will fall back into his old self soon and start sleeping until 8 am again-- for some reason he started getting up an hour or so earlier while we were gone.
As far my return to the real world-- there is much going on at church with our Sunday school class-- some good, some bad. It amazes me how adults can always so easily revert back to a state of "high school drama"-- (I include myself in that category). I have continued to be struck by how very differently people can view the world even though you would think we are all looking out the same window. Not a chance! Some people see a vast frontier yet to be conquered, some see a desert wasteland not worth pursuing, some look past the sand and see an oasis, some can't see anything because they can't stop focusing on the patterns on the curtains!! My problem is that I can't seem to determine which category I fall into on this one! I fear that I am ready to jump out of the window or at least I want to shut it and pray for God to point me to the door-- or at least another window!!!
One thought has struck me-- why are some so desperate to find a formula for faith? It seems like so many of us are more than ready to follow blindly anyone who makes spiritual sense and seems to have a faith of their own. Do we think that we can share in that faith if we become "good students of the teacher" and start to think the same way and hold to the same views? It's like we want someone to say, "Here is how you find God and a real relationship with Him in three easy steps." Sign me up! I like to follow directions and be involved with something where I can see real, tangible results-- and I can measure my progress-- and yours-- along the way. Somehow, I think Jesus came to show us that there are no formulas, only the form of a cross. Lord, please help me to open my eyes to how easily I have let this happen in my own life. Help me to mature in my own walk and to put my trust in you alone-- not in any person or Bible study.
Another side to all of this is how desperate we have become to find "community" in a world that has become increasingly more isolated. Few dare to venture outside their homes except to take out the trash or mow the lawn. We rely on our internet, TV, and the pizza delivery man! We don't have the time to cultivate meaningful relationships with others-- we are always trying to recover from the rush and hassles of our own lives, so when we have a few moments of unspoken for time, we want to retreat into our homes and enjoy the silence and seclusion. So, when we do manage to drag ourselves to church on Sunday, we expect the people there to be our "community" and to make up for all that we have been missing the other six days of our isolated week. We soon find that a few hours on Sunday is a hard way to develop those deep ties-- we soon find that the church is so large that no one really notices if we show up or not (and we can always watch the sermon online anyway!). We begin to wonder why we don't fit in and why we don't belong, why we aren't needed, and why everyone else seems to have their lives together except us, and we get angry and frustrated that we can't figure out how to obtain that community that seems to be out of our reach..... Church becomes more of a country club with cliques and rules and social hierarchies..... and some decide that they no longer see the benefit of paying their weekly dues-- and really, the church down the street seems to have a better atmosphere and perks as of late anyway.
How did Jesus define "church"?
Yikes! Didn't mean to ramble on! It's late. Scott's in Denver, and I have more questions than answers lately! Such is life! One stage after another where you continue to realize that just when you think you might have started to answer the question, you realize the question has changed, you are living in a "post" something or another world, and that you have NO idea why you ever thought you had the slightest inkling of knowledge on that subject or any other one for that matter!!! :)
That is when you have to slow down (stop typing!), take a deep breath, and remind yourself that Jesus is THE only Answer needed for this pop quiz we call "life."
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Lightning never strikes twice-- but 10 times!
Scott and I celebrated our 10th anniversary on Friday! I can't believe it! TEN YEARS!
Scott brought me flowers and surprised me with a diamond cross necklace! Very pretty! Then, we went to Fleming's for a nice romantic dinner! We are also headed to the Bahamas this Friday for an amazing getaway to the Atlantis resort! It will be a second honeymoon of sorts! We are VERY excited about this trip together to think back over our last 13 years together. (3 dating!)
Who can sum up 10 years in a few words? Thought I would share from the journal entry I wrote on June 9, 1995-- the night before our wedding.
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Finally, the night I have been waiting for is here! Actually, it's almost come and gone! I wasn't nervous at all today except for a few brief moments on the way to the church for the rehearsal dinner.... Scott and I didn't get to talk much. You're just too busy to think! I am glad that I am writing about how I'm feeling the night before our wedding! I'm pretty calm and very tired! I hope to get some good sleep tonight- everything is going so fast! It seems like chaos to me, but I guess it's normal!
This is my very last night as "Amy Anderson"-- I wonder what Scott is doing tonight at this moment?.... On the way home from the rehearsal dinner tonight, the sky was filled with lightning over the lake. It was very beautiful. Scott loves lightning. I think that it is very special that it happened tonight, because the first time Scott told me that he loved me, lightning had just struck, and I said, "I love lightning" and then Scott said, "I love you." I was so happy to hear those words because I knew I loved him, too! That was about a month and a half after we started dating! God truly brought us together! I can't wait to take his name tomorrow and start a new life with him! Lord, thank You for this beautifully hectic time!
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The past 10 years with him have been truly blessed! I can't imagine having a better husband or father to our son, Luke. I am looking forward to the next ten years with my best friend!
Scott brought me flowers and surprised me with a diamond cross necklace! Very pretty! Then, we went to Fleming's for a nice romantic dinner! We are also headed to the Bahamas this Friday for an amazing getaway to the Atlantis resort! It will be a second honeymoon of sorts! We are VERY excited about this trip together to think back over our last 13 years together. (3 dating!)
Who can sum up 10 years in a few words? Thought I would share from the journal entry I wrote on June 9, 1995-- the night before our wedding.
----------
Finally, the night I have been waiting for is here! Actually, it's almost come and gone! I wasn't nervous at all today except for a few brief moments on the way to the church for the rehearsal dinner.... Scott and I didn't get to talk much. You're just too busy to think! I am glad that I am writing about how I'm feeling the night before our wedding! I'm pretty calm and very tired! I hope to get some good sleep tonight- everything is going so fast! It seems like chaos to me, but I guess it's normal!
This is my very last night as "Amy Anderson"-- I wonder what Scott is doing tonight at this moment?.... On the way home from the rehearsal dinner tonight, the sky was filled with lightning over the lake. It was very beautiful. Scott loves lightning. I think that it is very special that it happened tonight, because the first time Scott told me that he loved me, lightning had just struck, and I said, "I love lightning" and then Scott said, "I love you." I was so happy to hear those words because I knew I loved him, too! That was about a month and a half after we started dating! God truly brought us together! I can't wait to take his name tomorrow and start a new life with him! Lord, thank You for this beautifully hectic time!
----------
The past 10 years with him have been truly blessed! I can't imagine having a better husband or father to our son, Luke. I am looking forward to the next ten years with my best friend!
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
My Babble and the Flip Side of Babel
Well-- it is almost midnight, and I should have gone to bed a LONG time ago. It is hard to keep a normal schedule when Scott is out of town. I always end up staying up late for some reason.
Having Scott gone makes for LONG days, too. Luke is still a dream-- so fun to be with, but I never underestimate how great it is when "Daddy" comes walking through the door at night. It is just nice to be able to sit back and watch him interact with Luke, or change a diaper, or feed him, or give him a bath. It lets me focus on other things and allows me to have a more objective perspective on things. Scott really is an AMAZING dad. Luke and I are blessed.
Once again I find myself struggling with my spiritual journey. I have finally begun to acknowledge that I am running on empty. I have been so busy lately that it has taken awhile for me to finally see that I have overdrawn on my "faith account" because I have not been making any deposits! I am the classic example of someone who can get so caught up in the "doing" that I can completely forget about the "being"-- as long as I'm "doing" churchy things, then I must be deepening my walk. This is simply a lie.
Tonight I was blessed to hear something that I needed to hear... Thanks, God, for speaking to me through the message of a godly woman. She reminded me of a very important thing....
I have been wondering what my purpose was as far as how God wanted to use me or what He wanted me to do in life. Surely there had to be more than being a stay-at-home mom living in isolated domestic bliss! What do you want from me, Lord?! Tell me! Tell me!
He did tell me-- and all of us:
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:29
It is so simple that it is profound! God wants me to stop trying to chart out the future and to focus on Jesus only-- BELIEVE! I had been trying to put the proverbial cart before the horse. For some reason, I had fooled myself into thinking that I was fulfilling the will of God by "doing" instead of allowing my heart to be totally taken with believing in Him, and trusting that He would lead me where He wanted me to be in His own time. It is only in first believing in Him, and being changed by all that encompasses, that we are even able to begin to comprehend what He might have in store for us. It is also the overwhelming nature of our belief and our faith which motivates us to do those works that "He has prepared us in advance to do." It has to be in that order-- or our motivations are not pure. I had lost sight of that.... I pray that I will be more aware of it-- my tendencies to focus on the spiritual "externals" instead of the internals.
I also feel like I have had a minor break through in my thinking on the Holy Spirit. I have always been stumped by the concept of Him. How does He work in our lives today? Am I truly living a life in the Spirit-- by His power? If not, why?..... Anyway, I have also been in many late night talks about why He seems to have worked differently amongst the disciples in the first century than He does today-- at least, if He still does, I have never witnessed it firsthand-- although I have heard many reports-- even from within my own family. I have never seen someone healed on the spot, raised from the dead, or seen someone prophecy.
So-- I have been reading a book that mentioned that throughout Scripture God would pour out His Spirit on people for a specific time or task-- like Gideon, Samson, David, Elijah, Elisha-- He allowed them to participate in miracles that demonstrated His power to a lost world. Then, when Jesus came and died, we were able to access the Spirit once and for all time-- He came to dwell in us. I had never thought about John 20:22 before-- when a resurrected Christ returns to reveal himself to a sad, defeated bunch of His terrified disciples:
And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
Is this the first sign of the new indwelling Spirit-- the Comforter that Christ had promised?! It is all so deep for me to ponder, but-- at least I have had some new thoughts on it.
It is the Spirit who allows us to move beyond the "doing" and to truly live in the power of "being" what God has called us to be!
I also have to pass on this tidbit that I picked up from John York at church on Sunday-- I had NEVER EVER thought of this before!! (Excuse my poor attempt to summarize your sermon, John!) He had proposed that for all of time, humans have sought to differentiate themselves from each other-- Cain and Able, Northside Church of Christ and First Baptist Church, etc. He said that the Tower of Babel is the perfect example of that differentiation. They were arrogantly trying to establish themselves as on par with God, and He chose to show them that they were sadly mistaken. BUT-- when God's perfect plan of reconciliation began to further unfold at Pentecost, there was a complete reversal.... Now instead of many languages and confusion, there was one message of truth understood by all! Pentecost was the flip side of the Babel coin! God's perfect timing and plan revealed! Or, as the man I was sitting next to exclaimed, "The Tower of Babel was all about the mouth-- Pentecost was all about the ears!" Neat thoughts! Ponder that for awhile! Thanks, John!
Well-- thanks for reading my midnight thoughts! I must sleep! :)
Having Scott gone makes for LONG days, too. Luke is still a dream-- so fun to be with, but I never underestimate how great it is when "Daddy" comes walking through the door at night. It is just nice to be able to sit back and watch him interact with Luke, or change a diaper, or feed him, or give him a bath. It lets me focus on other things and allows me to have a more objective perspective on things. Scott really is an AMAZING dad. Luke and I are blessed.
Once again I find myself struggling with my spiritual journey. I have finally begun to acknowledge that I am running on empty. I have been so busy lately that it has taken awhile for me to finally see that I have overdrawn on my "faith account" because I have not been making any deposits! I am the classic example of someone who can get so caught up in the "doing" that I can completely forget about the "being"-- as long as I'm "doing" churchy things, then I must be deepening my walk. This is simply a lie.
Tonight I was blessed to hear something that I needed to hear... Thanks, God, for speaking to me through the message of a godly woman. She reminded me of a very important thing....
I have been wondering what my purpose was as far as how God wanted to use me or what He wanted me to do in life. Surely there had to be more than being a stay-at-home mom living in isolated domestic bliss! What do you want from me, Lord?! Tell me! Tell me!
He did tell me-- and all of us:
Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." John 6:29
It is so simple that it is profound! God wants me to stop trying to chart out the future and to focus on Jesus only-- BELIEVE! I had been trying to put the proverbial cart before the horse. For some reason, I had fooled myself into thinking that I was fulfilling the will of God by "doing" instead of allowing my heart to be totally taken with believing in Him, and trusting that He would lead me where He wanted me to be in His own time. It is only in first believing in Him, and being changed by all that encompasses, that we are even able to begin to comprehend what He might have in store for us. It is also the overwhelming nature of our belief and our faith which motivates us to do those works that "He has prepared us in advance to do." It has to be in that order-- or our motivations are not pure. I had lost sight of that.... I pray that I will be more aware of it-- my tendencies to focus on the spiritual "externals" instead of the internals.
I also feel like I have had a minor break through in my thinking on the Holy Spirit. I have always been stumped by the concept of Him. How does He work in our lives today? Am I truly living a life in the Spirit-- by His power? If not, why?..... Anyway, I have also been in many late night talks about why He seems to have worked differently amongst the disciples in the first century than He does today-- at least, if He still does, I have never witnessed it firsthand-- although I have heard many reports-- even from within my own family. I have never seen someone healed on the spot, raised from the dead, or seen someone prophecy.
So-- I have been reading a book that mentioned that throughout Scripture God would pour out His Spirit on people for a specific time or task-- like Gideon, Samson, David, Elijah, Elisha-- He allowed them to participate in miracles that demonstrated His power to a lost world. Then, when Jesus came and died, we were able to access the Spirit once and for all time-- He came to dwell in us. I had never thought about John 20:22 before-- when a resurrected Christ returns to reveal himself to a sad, defeated bunch of His terrified disciples:
And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
Is this the first sign of the new indwelling Spirit-- the Comforter that Christ had promised?! It is all so deep for me to ponder, but-- at least I have had some new thoughts on it.
It is the Spirit who allows us to move beyond the "doing" and to truly live in the power of "being" what God has called us to be!
I also have to pass on this tidbit that I picked up from John York at church on Sunday-- I had NEVER EVER thought of this before!! (Excuse my poor attempt to summarize your sermon, John!) He had proposed that for all of time, humans have sought to differentiate themselves from each other-- Cain and Able, Northside Church of Christ and First Baptist Church, etc. He said that the Tower of Babel is the perfect example of that differentiation. They were arrogantly trying to establish themselves as on par with God, and He chose to show them that they were sadly mistaken. BUT-- when God's perfect plan of reconciliation began to further unfold at Pentecost, there was a complete reversal.... Now instead of many languages and confusion, there was one message of truth understood by all! Pentecost was the flip side of the Babel coin! God's perfect timing and plan revealed! Or, as the man I was sitting next to exclaimed, "The Tower of Babel was all about the mouth-- Pentecost was all about the ears!" Neat thoughts! Ponder that for awhile! Thanks, John!
Well-- thanks for reading my midnight thoughts! I must sleep! :)
Monday, May 23, 2005
What happens in Vegas...!
Scott and I just returned from a getaway trip to Vegas! I had never been before, and I'm not really the gambling type-- but we had fun! He even taught me the fine art of craps at 1:00 a.m.! I actually learned the basic tenants and even took a turn and throwing the dice! We made $400! VERY fun! (sorry to those of you who are offended at my wild streak!) We also got to see Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) do his stand up act. He was very funny and talked a lot about his wife and family.It was so nice to get away and to spend time with each other-- without Luke! As much as we love him, we are realizing that taking time out for the two of us is VITAL! We had reached a point where life had gotten consumed with appointments, trips, schedules, etc! We had stopped connecting and had started to feel like roommates united in a common cause to raise Luke. This in itself is probably not all bad-- but, we realized that we were missing out on the wonderful relationship we had always enjoyed together.
So-- getting away was nice! We left Luke with Mom and Dad and didn't fret over him for one second! That is such a blessing just to know that he is safe, loved, and completely oblivious to the fact that Ma Ma and Da Da are lying by the pool at Caesars Palace!!! Thanks, Mom and Dad!
Our 10th anniversary is in a couple of weeks! CRAZY! In some ways it seems like yesterday when we were walking down the aisle-- in other ways it seems like ions ago! I am SO blessed to be with such an amazing man.
The past year has been an interesting time of adjustment for us, our changing relationship, our new roles as parents-- but for me, I think it has been especially hard trying to balance the role of "wife and mother". The mother part has come easy for me-- mostly thanks to Luke being such a perfect, easy-going kid and an awesome, loving husband. But-- the wife part has left me sadly lacking I am ashamed to say. I often find myself being less than loving and supportive at the end of the day-- mainly I assume because I have spent the entire day pouring out my love, energy, and emotions on Luke... I just don't leave any thing for Scott! At least I recognize it, and I vow to work on it!!! Thankfully, Scott is patient, too!
Monday, May 09, 2005
Covering the Gamut...
What a GREAT week-- but different than the other years! We got home from our annual Pepperdine trip late Sunday night. My parents and my little sister accompanied us on the trip this year.
The lectures were really good-- our class with Mike went well, and I actually got to sit in on several of the other wonderful classes-- Yes, I am a lecture geek! I enjoy it! My favorite was Rick Atchley's class with Dave Stone, minister at the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville. Their talks were first rate! They have both been gifted by the Lord! They spoke such truth.
Being in Ken Star's session was also interesting-- he is such a lawyer nerd, but amazingly smart and funny-- which surprised me, because that part of his personality NEVER came across through the media.
No major star sightings this year-- we ate Mexican with Pierce Brosnan and family-- and the lead singer of Incubus (whoever he is?!).
We also had a VERY late into the night conversation with my parents, my sister and my hometown preacher (Paris, TN) which covered the gamut of most of the C of C baggage that you could ever think of.... my parents reluctance to broaden their views on "Christian", instrumental music, the first day of the week Lord's Supper, the issue of baptism-- specifically over if it is necessary for salvation, i.e. is that the point at which you receive the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of your sins, or did that happen on the cross-- etc. etc. etc. -- If you could only have been there for that one folks!!! Isn't it amazing how little we actually discuss our faith with our own immediate family?! Well-- I guess that's not totally true for my side of the family! Seems like we are always staying up late to debate! I think my parents are still a tad in denial over some of their closed-mindedness-- they just can't give up the "glory days of the church", and they aren't much on all the change they see happening-- can't say that I blame them for being sentimental-- just as I am sure I am a tad too open-minded, opinionated, and vain about my own views-- which I am sure I am wrong about on some points!!! Anyway-- they have come a LONG LONG way, and it is nice to see and hear-- even if it is 1:00 a.m. As for me? I am still on the journey myself.
Before coming home, we visited the Reagan Library. It was nice. So odd to be walking through a timeline of someone's life--- his baby photo and announcement in the local paper, his elementary yearbook, the actual restaurant booth where he proposed to Nancy, a display of handwritten love letters and notes he had penned for her, the wedding suit Nancy wore, a concrete remnant from the backyard of their first home where they had carved their initials... Hundreds and thousands of bits and pieces and trinkets which comprised his life. It made me stop and think about what would be in my "museum" when all is said and done.
Here is Amy with the ugly glasses she had to wear during middle school to correct the lazy eye problem she had; the actual clarinet she played in the band; basketball jersey with #32 which she wore for the Mayfield Middle School Cardinals-- (although she might have been #33-- she and her best friend Stacie always mixed up their jerseys, so they never really knew who was which by the end of the season); photo of Amy and her high school sweetheart Lance; her senior portrait with the BIG 80's hair; Her graduation program from Lipscomb; hundreds of books from her days as an English teacher; Photos of her with Scott-- their engagement at the horse farm, their wedding; thousands of photos of their son Luke.....
I can't really begin to imagine what would go behind the glass after that.... makes my head hurt! Life is so funny-- it all comes down to old stuff, faded photos, and snippets of memories.... Gather ye rosebuds while you may-- or at least the digital photo files! Praise the Lord, that there is more to this life than what we make it of it here on earth!
So great to run into so many bloggers out at Pepperdine! What a neat group of people! Keep on blogging!
The lectures were really good-- our class with Mike went well, and I actually got to sit in on several of the other wonderful classes-- Yes, I am a lecture geek! I enjoy it! My favorite was Rick Atchley's class with Dave Stone, minister at the Southeast Christian Church in Louisville. Their talks were first rate! They have both been gifted by the Lord! They spoke such truth.
Being in Ken Star's session was also interesting-- he is such a lawyer nerd, but amazingly smart and funny-- which surprised me, because that part of his personality NEVER came across through the media.
No major star sightings this year-- we ate Mexican with Pierce Brosnan and family-- and the lead singer of Incubus (whoever he is?!).
We also had a VERY late into the night conversation with my parents, my sister and my hometown preacher (Paris, TN) which covered the gamut of most of the C of C baggage that you could ever think of.... my parents reluctance to broaden their views on "Christian", instrumental music, the first day of the week Lord's Supper, the issue of baptism-- specifically over if it is necessary for salvation, i.e. is that the point at which you receive the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of your sins, or did that happen on the cross-- etc. etc. etc. -- If you could only have been there for that one folks!!! Isn't it amazing how little we actually discuss our faith with our own immediate family?! Well-- I guess that's not totally true for my side of the family! Seems like we are always staying up late to debate! I think my parents are still a tad in denial over some of their closed-mindedness-- they just can't give up the "glory days of the church", and they aren't much on all the change they see happening-- can't say that I blame them for being sentimental-- just as I am sure I am a tad too open-minded, opinionated, and vain about my own views-- which I am sure I am wrong about on some points!!! Anyway-- they have come a LONG LONG way, and it is nice to see and hear-- even if it is 1:00 a.m. As for me? I am still on the journey myself.
Before coming home, we visited the Reagan Library. It was nice. So odd to be walking through a timeline of someone's life--- his baby photo and announcement in the local paper, his elementary yearbook, the actual restaurant booth where he proposed to Nancy, a display of handwritten love letters and notes he had penned for her, the wedding suit Nancy wore, a concrete remnant from the backyard of their first home where they had carved their initials... Hundreds and thousands of bits and pieces and trinkets which comprised his life. It made me stop and think about what would be in my "museum" when all is said and done.
Here is Amy with the ugly glasses she had to wear during middle school to correct the lazy eye problem she had; the actual clarinet she played in the band; basketball jersey with #32 which she wore for the Mayfield Middle School Cardinals-- (although she might have been #33-- she and her best friend Stacie always mixed up their jerseys, so they never really knew who was which by the end of the season); photo of Amy and her high school sweetheart Lance; her senior portrait with the BIG 80's hair; Her graduation program from Lipscomb; hundreds of books from her days as an English teacher; Photos of her with Scott-- their engagement at the horse farm, their wedding; thousands of photos of their son Luke.....
I can't really begin to imagine what would go behind the glass after that.... makes my head hurt! Life is so funny-- it all comes down to old stuff, faded photos, and snippets of memories.... Gather ye rosebuds while you may-- or at least the digital photo files! Praise the Lord, that there is more to this life than what we make it of it here on earth!
So great to run into so many bloggers out at Pepperdine! What a neat group of people! Keep on blogging!
Monday, April 25, 2005
You were, You are, and You will always be
Aside from coming down with a cold on Saturday, this week was much calmer for us! I didn't feel like I had a million things to do, places to go, and people to see... It was nice! We didn't even have one thing on our agenda for the weekend! I really love when that happens!
Well, the 9th ZOE conference CD is finished as of last Saturday! Yippee! Our last day in the studio proved to be our most daunting though-- of course! We had saved "You Were There"-- a powerful song that Avalon recorded (The Creed, www.avalonlive.com)-- to finish up with... It was a pretty diffucult arrangement, and that one song took us 5 hours to complete! I'm not sure that is a ZOE record, but it has to be close. It was really hard! We must have sung it through a hundred times! I think it is going to be awesome though once the solos are laid down and it is mixed. The words to the song are just so meaningful and strong and true:
I wonder how it must have felt
When David stood to face Goliath on a hill
I imagine that he shook with all his might
Until You took his hand, and held on tight
'Cause You were there, You were there
In the midst of danger's snare
You were there, You were there always
You were there when the hardest fight
Seemed so out of reach
Oh, You were there, You were always there
You were always there
So there he stood upon that hill
Abraham with knife in hand was poised to kill
But God in all his sovereignty had bigger plans
And just in time, You brought a lamb
'Cause You were there,
You were there
In the midst of the unclear
You were there, you were there always
You were there when obedience
Seemed to not make sense
You were there, You were always there
You were always there
So haven't I learned that my ways
Aren't as high as Yours are
And You alone keep the universe
From crumbling into dust
You are God and though we would
Not have understood You
There You were
Hanging blameless on a cross
You would rather die than leave us in the dark
Every moment, every planned coincidence
Just all makes sense
With Your last breath
You were there, You were there
During darkest hour
You were there, You were there always
You were the Victor and the King
You were the power in David's swing
You were the calm in Abraham
You are the God who understands
You are the strength when we have none
You are the living, Holy one
You were, You are and You will always be the Risen Lamb of God
You were, You are and You will always be the Risen Lamb of God
It is crazy when we go into the studio and cut 13 songs over a month and half that you actually forget what you recorded! I sat down at the piano this weekend and pulled out the music from my notebook. As I began to play through the songs, I realized that there are some GOOD songs on this one. I pray that they will touch many lives. They have already touched mine....
ZOE is off to Pepperdine next week! One of our most fun trips of the year! This year will be a tad different... Sheryl-- our AMAZING soprano (Brandon's wife)-- isn't coming since little Sam is so close to making his debut. Jason-- our AMAZING tenor and comic relief-- isn't coming since he is getting married in July and needs the vacation time for his honeymoon. And, the group isn't staying for the Friday class (Mike Cope) this year. So-- it will be a little different, but still an awesome week I'm sure. We have two incredible subs that sound GREAT! We are so fortunate to have so many great singers to pull from in Nashville. These two are like family to us anyway, and they will fit right in. I am really looking forward to it! Can't wait to see Luke at the beach this year! Hard to believe he turned 3 MONTHS-OLD at Pepperdine last year! He is SO big now! I think he will be so fun, if he survives the plane ride out!
I'm posting our family photo from New Arrivals Day a few weeks back. It turned out well!
God, help us to constantly remember that You are there-- even when we don't feel Your presence. In spite of our unreliable emotions and "feelings"-- You were, You are, and You will ALWAYS be our Lamb who came to save us! THANK YOU, Father!
Well, the 9th ZOE conference CD is finished as of last Saturday! Yippee! Our last day in the studio proved to be our most daunting though-- of course! We had saved "You Were There"-- a powerful song that Avalon recorded (The Creed, www.avalonlive.com)-- to finish up with... It was a pretty diffucult arrangement, and that one song took us 5 hours to complete! I'm not sure that is a ZOE record, but it has to be close. It was really hard! We must have sung it through a hundred times! I think it is going to be awesome though once the solos are laid down and it is mixed. The words to the song are just so meaningful and strong and true:
I wonder how it must have felt
When David stood to face Goliath on a hill
I imagine that he shook with all his might
Until You took his hand, and held on tight
'Cause You were there, You were there
In the midst of danger's snare
You were there, You were there always
You were there when the hardest fight
Seemed so out of reach
Oh, You were there, You were always there
You were always there
So there he stood upon that hill
Abraham with knife in hand was poised to kill
But God in all his sovereignty had bigger plans
And just in time, You brought a lamb
'Cause You were there,
You were there
In the midst of the unclear
You were there, you were there always
You were there when obedience
Seemed to not make sense
You were there, You were always there
You were always there
So haven't I learned that my ways
Aren't as high as Yours are
And You alone keep the universe
From crumbling into dust
You are God and though we would
Not have understood You
There You were
Hanging blameless on a cross
You would rather die than leave us in the dark
Every moment, every planned coincidence
Just all makes sense
With Your last breath
You were there, You were there
During darkest hour
You were there, You were there always
You were the Victor and the King
You were the power in David's swing
You were the calm in Abraham
You are the God who understands
You are the strength when we have none
You are the living, Holy one
You were, You are and You will always be the Risen Lamb of God
You were, You are and You will always be the Risen Lamb of God
It is crazy when we go into the studio and cut 13 songs over a month and half that you actually forget what you recorded! I sat down at the piano this weekend and pulled out the music from my notebook. As I began to play through the songs, I realized that there are some GOOD songs on this one. I pray that they will touch many lives. They have already touched mine....
ZOE is off to Pepperdine next week! One of our most fun trips of the year! This year will be a tad different... Sheryl-- our AMAZING soprano (Brandon's wife)-- isn't coming since little Sam is so close to making his debut. Jason-- our AMAZING tenor and comic relief-- isn't coming since he is getting married in July and needs the vacation time for his honeymoon. And, the group isn't staying for the Friday class (Mike Cope) this year. So-- it will be a little different, but still an awesome week I'm sure. We have two incredible subs that sound GREAT! We are so fortunate to have so many great singers to pull from in Nashville. These two are like family to us anyway, and they will fit right in. I am really looking forward to it! Can't wait to see Luke at the beach this year! Hard to believe he turned 3 MONTHS-OLD at Pepperdine last year! He is SO big now! I think he will be so fun, if he survives the plane ride out!
I'm posting our family photo from New Arrivals Day a few weeks back. It turned out well!
God, help us to constantly remember that You are there-- even when we don't feel Your presence. In spite of our unreliable emotions and "feelings"-- You were, You are, and You will ALWAYS be our Lamb who came to save us! THANK YOU, Father!
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Real Estate vs. REAL
Luke is back to his normal, happy self after several days of grumpiness-- He just wasn't feeling like himself and was battling the same stomach issues that he fought off last month. It wasn't as bad this time-- no vomit, etc. So-- times like that make me REALLY appreciate what a truly good kid he is. If he were a grump all the time, I would be, too!
He is just so much fun. He is getting smarter and smarter each day. Every day he does something that astonishes me and makes me smile. I will point to a car and say "vroom vroom" and he will say "car" and then mimic my "vroom" sound-- and I think-- "How does he know to do that?!" He also has Scott's sly, mischievous side to him. He will do something he knows he's not supposed to and then look up at you with those gorgeous blue eyes and a half-grin... it is so hard for me not to laugh when I am trying to teach him a valuable lesson in self-discipline! :)
Scott has been gone all week to the Ritz in Orlando-- rough life!! I was going to go, but I have ZOE commitments this weekend-- oh well! Poor me! I am actually looking forward to another weekend in the studio. We are only 3 songs away from being done! I have to say-- I really love this CD. I think it has a completely different feel from our last few, but I can't really say how or why... I just like it. I also love hanging with the gang. What an awesome group of people! LOVE THEM! Bring on the Pringles!
The neurotic side of me has been working over time the past few weeks... I confess that I think I have gotten a little stuck in the "Keeping Up with the Joneses" mire. Several of our friends have bought new homes or land to build new homes on... and that started me on a search for the perfect piece of property for us. Well, we actually have an extremely nice home already, and I do feel so blessed and I love it! BUT (isn't there always a "but" somewhere!?)-- one of my downfalls has now become home decor. I love thinking about new layouts, paint colors, fabric, etc. I get excited thinking about the possibility of getting/building a new house just because I think it would be fun! We probably will want to find another place with a bigger yard as Luke grows... but that will probably be at least a couple of more years... Which means my spending hours online at "realtor.com" was not exactly needed-- neither was my cruising of neighborhoods as Luke slept in the carseat! I am so bad about getting focused on a "mission"-- I don't want to do anything else until it is accomplished. I get impatient and want to make it happen right now!
After coming home and telling Scott about a perfect home that I found for us, he looked at the price, and then proceeded to tell me that we weren't ready to move just yet. He reminded me off what a great place we already have and how blessed we are. He's right. House hunting will have to wait-- although I have talked him into looking at two lots for sale this weekend! :)
We really do have more than MANY and I am blessed. I am so thankful to be able to stay with Luke and to have a beautiful home. This morning I think God was speaking to me-- I was watching Joyce Meyer while Luke was eating his breakfast. She was speaking from James and she said that when we run around impatiently, not trusting that God has a plan for us, it shows spiritual immaturity. That is so true-- I am spiritually immature, and I have such a long way to go! I need to just trust that we will be and live where we need to be and live-- regardless of whether I check the new MLS postings each day. I have some work to do on myself! Instead of "real estate", I just need to get REAL about my walk!!
Lord, teach me not to love this world and its trappings so much! You have blessed me over and above what I deserve! Let me live in the happiness You have blessed me with and be content. Content to be Your child and to know Your love. And-- thanks for my adorable son and amazing husband!! AMEN!
He is just so much fun. He is getting smarter and smarter each day. Every day he does something that astonishes me and makes me smile. I will point to a car and say "vroom vroom" and he will say "car" and then mimic my "vroom" sound-- and I think-- "How does he know to do that?!" He also has Scott's sly, mischievous side to him. He will do something he knows he's not supposed to and then look up at you with those gorgeous blue eyes and a half-grin... it is so hard for me not to laugh when I am trying to teach him a valuable lesson in self-discipline! :)
Scott has been gone all week to the Ritz in Orlando-- rough life!! I was going to go, but I have ZOE commitments this weekend-- oh well! Poor me! I am actually looking forward to another weekend in the studio. We are only 3 songs away from being done! I have to say-- I really love this CD. I think it has a completely different feel from our last few, but I can't really say how or why... I just like it. I also love hanging with the gang. What an awesome group of people! LOVE THEM! Bring on the Pringles!
The neurotic side of me has been working over time the past few weeks... I confess that I think I have gotten a little stuck in the "Keeping Up with the Joneses" mire. Several of our friends have bought new homes or land to build new homes on... and that started me on a search for the perfect piece of property for us. Well, we actually have an extremely nice home already, and I do feel so blessed and I love it! BUT (isn't there always a "but" somewhere!?)-- one of my downfalls has now become home decor. I love thinking about new layouts, paint colors, fabric, etc. I get excited thinking about the possibility of getting/building a new house just because I think it would be fun! We probably will want to find another place with a bigger yard as Luke grows... but that will probably be at least a couple of more years... Which means my spending hours online at "realtor.com" was not exactly needed-- neither was my cruising of neighborhoods as Luke slept in the carseat! I am so bad about getting focused on a "mission"-- I don't want to do anything else until it is accomplished. I get impatient and want to make it happen right now!
After coming home and telling Scott about a perfect home that I found for us, he looked at the price, and then proceeded to tell me that we weren't ready to move just yet. He reminded me off what a great place we already have and how blessed we are. He's right. House hunting will have to wait-- although I have talked him into looking at two lots for sale this weekend! :)
We really do have more than MANY and I am blessed. I am so thankful to be able to stay with Luke and to have a beautiful home. This morning I think God was speaking to me-- I was watching Joyce Meyer while Luke was eating his breakfast. She was speaking from James and she said that when we run around impatiently, not trusting that God has a plan for us, it shows spiritual immaturity. That is so true-- I am spiritually immature, and I have such a long way to go! I need to just trust that we will be and live where we need to be and live-- regardless of whether I check the new MLS postings each day. I have some work to do on myself! Instead of "real estate", I just need to get REAL about my walk!!
Lord, teach me not to love this world and its trappings so much! You have blessed me over and above what I deserve! Let me live in the happiness You have blessed me with and be content. Content to be Your child and to know Your love. And-- thanks for my adorable son and amazing husband!! AMEN!
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