This past week we drove, yes DROVE, from Northern Ohio down to Sarasota, Florida.
It was a beautiful drive. Let's look at some of our sights along the way (Keep your hands and feet inside the viewing area at all times)
Winding through West Virginia, where the two most common signs are the 'Road is super curvy' and the 'Watch out for the millions of deer to jump out in front of you'.
The tunnel going into Virginia. There did not seem like there was a light at the end of our tunnel at this point in the drive. Over 10 hours to go and the hunger is setting in.
After Virginia we headed in North Carolina where we saw the most beautiful sunset. Sexy, even.
I think my God gave this one to me specifically.
Oh, how I love the sky.
We stopped for the night in South Carolina where our exit held my favorite number =)
The next morning we drove through Georgia, which has some pretty bland landscapes in my opinion. I didn't take a picture of the swamps because, well, I kind of think they're gross. We also were seriously attacked by bugs ALL over our windshield and front of our car. But we did find this gas station with a most creative and yet, I think, deceptive name.
After Georgia came Florida, which was the best out of all of them because it was where we got to get OUT of the car, stretch our legs, and eat something that doesn't automatically come with a side of fries.
We drove straight to Alli's softball game.
It was warm, sunny and GORGEOUS.
She's a beast =) And she's my sister.
We're in Florida this week and leave for Disney World tomorrow. Be Jealous =)
My mom is the one who enstilled in me a love for all things grammar. She taught me how to love crafting words, and molding them together to make the most eloquent of sentences. She plagued me with diagramming sentences until I wanted to scream. I have lost a lot of what she taught me, but continue to love learning about the constructions of grammar. Nerdy, I know.
Listen, I don't care if you are 5 years old or 55 years old, you NEED to get this Bible and pour through it. It is so great. I seriously cannot say enough about it. What makes it stand out to me, from other kids books especially, is how it relates every story to Jesus. All throughout the Old Testament stories, it points to the person of Jesus and what he would do to make a way for people to know God. EVERY SINGLE STORY.
It's incredible.
I want that consistency in my own life. I want every single story in my life to point to Jesus Christ. I want my decisions, no matter how insignificant, to reflect my devotion to him. I want bringing glory to Christ my ultimate aim, the thread that ties all the stories of my life together.
Every story whispers His name, so that my life may shout His name.
Sometimes I forget that this blog started as a way for me to document our lives. It didn't begin to gain followers, or to join link parties. It began for me.
Yes, I love the chance this blog gives me to touch others' lives. To reach into their world through this computer and speak truth // encouragement // all of God's goodness to them.
But when I saw this post over at Under the Sycamore, it inspired me to begin to write down not the inspiring or profound, but the everyday things and habits and normalcy that I want to have with me.
Things I want to remember...
I want to remember how Nate and I have begun to copy this trend...and it ALWAYS makes us laugh. Without fail.
I want to remember how Nate's PB&J Sandwiches are Ah-mazing and mine never seem to live up to his gloriousness.
I want to remember how when I was going through a super emotional phase, I asked Nate if I needed to shower before going out to which he emphatically responded, "YES." I pretended to be hurt, and in a panic that he actually hurt my feelings he blurted out "Well, um....you're a beautiful flower." And then we both started dying laughing.
I want to remember how Nate got his "JJ" nickname
I want to remember visiting Grandpa Self in the hospital and saying that he looked like Mother Tersea. He's hilarious. Seriously, could there be two more different people?!?
I want to remember playing basketball at the YMCA. How Ron is like 70 years old but still has a sweet jumpshot, how Lee will always be a better passer than me, how Marshall always picks me for his team, and how Jon and I seem to read each others' minds and always try to play together...when Nate linebackered me into the wall and yet I still made that game-winning layup. I want to remember how fun it is to let go and just play the game of basketball.
I want to remember how excited Matt and Brad were to get the first Bibles they would ever own. The joy on their faces as they held God's word in their hands. The eagerness that they now have to scour Scripture and soak up all of it they possibly can.
I want to remember how a month without seeing Lindsey feels like a lifetime. How we meet at Starbucks and are dying to share every single detail of our lives.
I want to remember Sue at Tri-C. And how blessed and sweet she is.
I want to remember the Pamela light at Mom and Dad's house and Dad, "I can't stop looking at it!!"
I want to remember Skyping with Erin Hawkins and how my heart swells up with pride at how awesome she is...how she is following God's call into ministry.
I want to remember staying up until 4:30am at the Youth Lock-In and then deciding it would be a great idea to sleep on the concrete floor...then after an hour and a half of laying in pain leaving to try and sleep sitting up in a chair...then after another hour of no sleep, sharing a couch with another grown woman for an hour of smushed yet almost good sleep. Then waking up and realizing everysingleone of those things should be put on my Murtaugh List. #HIMYM
I want to remember #Goldteam. How it is just the 5 of us and we resemble this one, dysfunctional family. How we have suppers together, and play Golf, and make fun of Kyle =) How we are all running around like chickens trying to sustain all these different campuses, but in the crazy hecticness we have a beautiful shared experience and are seeing God move in awesome ways. I want to remember our original team.
These are my memories. Little things that may slip away as time goes on, but that are adding to my life, and are blessing me in their own ways. I want to hold on to these.
Lately, I have pushed that little pencil icon to write a new post and literally just stared at the screen.
No. Inspiration.
It's very weird because there is actually a lot happening in my life right now. A lot of good stuff going on in our little household...I just can't seem to write it down. Does anyone else ever go through these spurts?
I can only theorize that because of this lingering sinus infection, all the space for my words is taken up with disgusting snot. (Too much?)
So life philosophy #69: When words fail, post pictures =) Actually that's pretty much my only life philosophy.
Kind of creepy. Kind of awesome.
I said, "Nate, make the best face ever." This is what I got...
I have a love-love relationship with Sonic Tots. I can't imagine a world in which I love them more than I do right now.
Frozen Yogurt. Enough said.
Movie date to the swankiest movie theatre in Memphis =)
Privileged to work at this school. Pumped to see what God's going to do in the lives of students here.
There are very few things in life that bother me more than someone twisting my words. One of those, is someone twisting the words and intentions of those I love. Both of these things are happening right now in my life. People lying about my friends, about me, and about the God that I serve. I can't stand it.
I don't consider myself an angry person and yet there have been times as of late where I can feel the anger creeping up my bones, grasping tighter and tighter around the cords of love in my heart, squelching every ounce of grace in my being (correction, every ounce of God's grace I am willing to extend).
To be honest, it has really made me shy away from writing anything of substance in this space. To bear my heart, shout my opinion for others to read is to open myself up for these lies to come pouring out.
But I'm starting to realize that my whole purpose on this earth is to continue the process of becoming more and more like Jesus Christ. And was there ever a person more misunderstood than Jesus? And unlike me, Jesus was completely without sin. Clean. Unstained. Innocent.
If Jesus can be accused, his words twisted, motives questioned...if he can be spit on, laughed at, mocked, and have the response of silence during accusation, forgiveness in the midst of betrayal then I can continue to take shelter in HIS presence. I can be confident that he knows my heart and can even protect those I love at a level that I cannot even comprehend.
Jesus has got this. I'm just gonna rest in that fact, and love the unspeakable in others, because HE has loved the unspeakable in me.
The End.
P.S.
How could two people (Me and my director) who look like this:
