i know i just posted about this cd..but i love the song about Jesus:
"i'll show you what Love sees when Love sees you: i see what i made in your mother's womb, and i see the day i fell in love with you. i see your tomorrows, with nothing left to chance. i see my Father's fingerprints. i see your story, i see my name written on every beautiful page. you see the struggle, you see the shame; but i see the reason i came.."
my apologies for it being SO long since i've blogged--this holiday season has been a busy one for sure! how was your christmas? did santa bring you anything good that i should know about? {leave a comment and let me know, i love seeing that i have comments!}
i came across a pretty cool photo while celebrating the holiday at my grandparents': some snapshots of my aunt peggi in 1958. they look EXACTLY like my baby pictures!
{i will have to scan some of my baby photos in a later post--this is seriously freaky how identical they are!}
let me think back to all of the happenings since my last post: i went to another amazing concert, got my hair done, did a lot of christmas shopping, welcomed home a friend from iraq..and man, has God showed me some awesome things in the last few weeks!
as for the amazing concert: i was blessed to be able to see the story tour. one word for the songs/performances: breathtaking. the idea for the music came from a book by max lucado that profiles major persons in the bible. the lyrics to the songs, made to be each historical person's "song", were written by nichole nordeman, and to say she was given a unique insight into their lives is an understatement.
growing up in church, i've heard most of these stories since i was a toddler in the nursery. adam & eve, abraham & sarah, joseph, moses, joseph, ruth & naomi, david, daniel, esther, and job make up the old testament line-up; mary, Jesus, the thief on the cross, mary magdalene, the disciples, paul, and the Lord's return make up the new testament. ever since i was 5, i could probably give you a detailed account of what each person experienced in their unique mentioning in the bible. yet this musical compilation helps you to really understand what they felt..how they thought.
my favorite songs on the cd are abraham & sarah's, and david's. david's song, "your heart," has the powerful lyrics: "i know that i've crashed and burned, and lives have been overturned, but You redeem everything; yeah, even me. at the end of the day, i want to hear people say that my heart looks like Your heart.." how challenging of a request is that? yet i've found that being my heart's cry; will i fail, yes. but will God love me through my attempts, absolutely.
(i saved the best for last!) :) gosh, i have learned SO MUCH from the song about abraham and sarah. i'm just going to post the entire song here for you to experience:
tell me that doesn't both break your heart and want to just praise God for who he is? the lyric, "you think somehow i'd let my heart believe it's time to let go of lullabies,"..for me that just paints a picture of how sarah felt, disappointed and heartbroken that she had not been given a child. but God promised -- and God stays true to his promises. it blows my mind when i remember that THAT God, who fulfilled promises to Abraham and Sarah, is the same God who promises me that he is here for ME.
i saw them last night live (front row..amazing). their music is beautiful..but them doing a live performance nearly makes you cry.
their website has a free download. and a free live album, i believe. get it..it'd be a good christmas present to yourself. :)
{joy williams and john paul white, the amazing duo.}
random fact: joy williams used to be a contemporary christian singer.
check out their facebook page. you will fall in love with their beautiful voices!
my current favorite song: "to whom it may concern"
why are you so far away
in my arms is where you ought to be
how long will you make me wait
i don't know how much more i can take
i miss you
but i haven't met you
oh but i want to
how i do
slowly counting down the days
til i finally know your name
oh, the way your hand feels round my waist
the way you laugh, the way your kisses taste
i've miss you
but i haven't met you
oh but i want to
how i do
dear whoever you may be
i'm still waiting patiently
<3
oh, and ps, the opener for them was a new band called milo greene. check out their facebook too!
{two of the members from milo greene!}
they are super talented too! they all are talented at multiple intruments and trade off every song. as joy from the civil wars described them: "they're like a musical chinese firedrill!"
its the end of another weekend, and i must say i am not wanting to greet monday in the morning. i had an ahhhh-mazing weekend and i'm sad its time for it to be over! sorry i've been quiet; i've been busy with work trainings, work christmas parties, and a much-needed mini-vacay!
my best friend/roomie {ashley} and i went to richmond for the weekend to spend some time with friends. we had so much fun!
{prior to dinner on saturday! ash let me borrow her new infinity scarf :)}
specifically, we were there to spend some time with our friend, rowan, before he went back home to australia. yes, we paraded around town with an aussie for 2 days..told you i had an ahhhhh-mazing time!
{rowan's so cute :) the guy in the background is ashley's fiance..thanks for photo-bombing, zabe..}
favorite moment of the weekend: sitting around the table listening to rowan and some of the guys argue when einstein's genius was realized..and discuss the theory of relativity breakthrough..and many other facts about einstein. as ashley and i sat in amazement, both thinking "i feel like i'm on that tv show, big bang theory," rowan looked over at us and said, "isn't this just like an episode of big bang theory?!"
oh, and hearing how the aussie says our names: "ahhhh-nuhr" and "ahhhhhhsh-uh-lee" :)
i love getting together with friends to watch fun matchups.
and i love the hype and excitement that surrounds both the big games and the players in the nfl.
as of lately, i've really enjoyed the controversy that a certain player in the nfl is stirring up: mr. tim tebow. for those of you who don't watch football, he is playing his first year in the nfl and is the quarterback for the denver broncos.
he's pretty darn good.
and on top of that, he's kinda my type of man: he loves him some Jesus..SUCH an attractive quality.
having grown up in the philippines with missionary-parents, he has a passion for making Christ known.
{dear mr. tebow: i would love to be the mrs. sincerely, anna}
i came across an interesting paper clipping on the internet earlier, and was inspired by it. if only we were faithful and courageous enough to speak up for Jesus the way we're called to..
LOVE IT. preach, timmy. and call me after football season. ;)
i've been in several weddings these past few years. and i was supposed to be in even more, but i just couldn't make it happen financially sometimes. if you're a girl like me, you feel my pain: i now have a closet full of dresses that i may or may not ever wear again.
while browsing pinterest tonight, i came across the NEATEST idea: a bridesmaid dress trade-off website! you sign up with newlymaid, and they send you a pre-paid package to mail them your bridesmaid dress in. in turn, as long as it's in good condition, they will credit you a dollar amount off of "little black dresses" on their website. and they're CUTE!
how lucky are we, to be living in a time where we do pretty much anything from a cell phone or portable computer device?
visiting my pawpaw in the nursing home, my mom asked my brother to pull up a bluegrass clip on youtube from his ipad. pawpaw loves him some banjos and guitars! lee pulled it up, and as they watched the fingers on the instrument strings, mama whispered, "that's a computer, daddy. remember when they first came out, how big they were? that flat screen is the computer."
the idea of how the world worked, before all of the luxuries we have now, completely boggles my mind. not to say that we are better, because i do think that some of the convenience aspect of today's toys is entirely unnecessary {do i really need to check facebook while at family functions, or receive emails on my days off?}; but how neat is it that it's available for us?
the doctor i work for went to africa over this past summer, to work with an eye clinic in kenya. while there, he also spent some time with the children. he said one of the neatest things was taking a photo of the children on his ipad, and turning it around so that the kids could see the photo he'd just taken. he said until that moment, those young ones had never seen a photo of themselves. how strange a thought for us, as americans!
without technology, i wouldn't be able to keep in touch with as many friends as i do. and with me being SO people-oriented, that would crush me! the idea of not being able to post on someone's wall to let them know i'm thinking of them or to post a funny memory makes me so sad..and appreciate that i am able to do it whenever i want.
i am just grateful that i live in a country and in a time where i get to be blessed enough to own as much tech-stuff as i do.
-24-
i am thankful that i will never go hungry.
{fatty translation: i'm thankful for FOOD!}
especially today: mama's making dinner and i am super excited. it's the one day a year when i get to eat as much as i want and not feel TOO bad about it..all gyms are closed today! yesss.
such a beautiful song! i am so thankful that there are people in this country who are selfless enough to enlist in the military. the risk they take is the ultimate sacrifice and not a day goes by when i do not thank God for their willingness to serve.
"there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends."
today i am thankful for whoever prayed me through the day. there was no reason, with everything i've been preoccupied with in thought lately, why i should have been in a good mood when 5 o'clock came around. but somehow, i was.
someone must've been praying for His grace and peace to carry me through the day, i'm convinced.
{..actually i think the saying is that bad things happen in threes..but we're going to just overlook that.}
weekends seem like both the easiest and hardest times to blog; easy when i'm home all weekend, and harder when i have plans that keep me away from the house and my laptop. the past few days fall into that latter category, so i am making up for friday's and yesterday's in today's post.
there are no photos today, only my very real feelings of thanks for these blessings tonight:
-18-
i am thankful for a God who cares when i hurt and when i cry. he cares about the little things that are so specific to me, that no one else can understand them.
"what's the price of a pet canary? some loose change, right? and God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! so don't be intimidated by all this bully talk. you're worth more than a million canaries." -matthew 10:29-31 {the message}
-19-
i am thankful for godly women in my church who are my support system. these women pray for me and invest in me and i would not be where i am and have the faith that i do without their backing.
-20-
i am thankful for God's master plan. i don't understand it and sometimes that really irks me. but i find that when i feel the most frustrated in life, reminding myself that "God's got this!" is reassuring. its hard to swallow, but if i say it enough then i remember to believe it. my status on facebook tonight isn't just a challenge to myself, it's a challenge to anyone who reads it:
i am thankful for songs that you hear at the most random times, that bring a smile to your face because you know EXACTLY what the lyrics are talking about. :)
{preach, girl.}
had my itunes on tonight, and a song from a cd i bought way back in high school came on. so i listened to the words and it brought a smile to my face!
one day closer to you {carolyn dawn johnson}
my married friends keep askin' when i'll settle down
they tell me time's a passin' and there's not too many good ones still around
i tell them i'm not afraid to be alone
and there's no need to rush into something wrong
so i'm not gonna worry, no i'm in no hurry
it's in the hands of fate, there's nothing i can do
and it might be tomorrow, or the one that follows
got the rest of my life to look forward to
cause every day is one day closer to you
you might be in montana livin' in the hills
or you might be in virginia workin' in the mill
all i know is that i haven't found you yet
but who knows, maybe we already met
so i'm not gonna worry, no i'm in no hurry
it's in the hands of fate, there's nothing i can do
wow, today is november 16, 2011..its an anniversary of an event in my life. i got my first kiss exactly 10 years ago tonight, during my freshman year of high school. wow, time flies! i think back to the innocence of that first kiss; girls, cherish that! one day you will look back on your high school days, and you won't miss the relationships, the situations, or the boys. but you will miss that innocence. so lock it up and hold on to it tight! i can't believe all that God's brought me through in the last decade. {oh, that almost hurt my fingers to type--i was in high school a decade ago? ahh!}
-16-
i'm thankful for dessert!
{individual mini blueberry cheescakes--in corolla, nc}
{is there anything more american? hallelujah.}
{at kuntry kitchin in lynchburg, va..i was a little worried about this one but all was well.}
i had lunch with my sweet ms. kim yesterday. we ordered dessert with our meal, and she said,
"all of our lives, we've been told to save dessert for last. why? you burn calories eating! why not eat dessert first and then your meal? we're gonna eat our dessert first today!"
i'm curious, is anyone doing this "thanks for something every day" challenge too? i challenged my girls last week to try it; i'm looking forward to hearing from them tomorrow. their spin on life always makes me think :)
since my monday was a little hectic yesterday, i need to make up for missing a blog. lucky you, you get 2 entries in 1!
-14-
i am thankful for having a JOB! and one that i love, at that!
{dr. e and me! summer 2010. dang, i need to go tanning again..}
for those of you who don't know, i work as an ophthalmic chairside assistant at tidewater eye centers. i've been there for about two and a half years; and since i started, i've been assigned to the same doc: dr. edmonds. where he goes, i go. what he does, i do {or assist with, anyway!}. in fact, if you're reading this and are curious about lasik, give us a call! we do it all: cataracts, glaucoma, lasik, and basic eyecare.
sure, there are days i want to throw in the towel. and days that i get a little crazy and cranky. and days that i am too easily frustrated. and days that the sight of a clinic schedule makes me want to cry. and days that..well, you get the picture. but..how blessed am i to have a job in today's economy? and not just a job..but one where i truly love who i work with, and where i have the satisfaction of knowing i'm helping patients? every job has it's frustrations; mine, as of lately, have revolved around the recent transition to electronic medical records. so it's weird that i like coming home and blogging, because i get so angry at computers all day! :)
bottom line: i'm thankful for my wonderful bosses, my amazing coworkers who are more friends and family than they are coworkers, and having a stable place of employment. and i am even more thankful that God provided me with a job he knew i'd succeed in and love, even though at the time i interviewed i didn't think i'd like it at all! ;) he's so sneaky. never thought i'd like working with eyeballs..but he knew!
-15-
i am thankful that i own a pair of cowgirl boots!
{thanks to beth hamilton photography!}
AND for the many country concerts that come to this area, so that i can wear them! :)
{allie, me, and paige--eric church--summer 2011}
{tim mcgraw! summer 2008}
{jeana and me--lady antebellum--fall 2010}
{me and paige--JASON ALDEAN!--summer 2008}
{eric church--summer 2010.}
{me, jeana, and thompson square!--sept 2011}
{same night: proof i had the boots:)}
{paige, kate, me, and taylor--darius rucker--summer 2010}
i LOVE me some country concerts. and i love my boots..maybe i'll write a song about everything i've experienced with my boots! oh, wait..
phew! is the weekend over already? where did it go!? i'm writing this entry while curled up in bed; i'm a sleepy girl! its been a fun weekend and i'm really not ready to say hello to monday yet, but i haven't figured out yet how to delay the end of a weekend. {sigh.}
today was a special day in church; one of our 10th grade guys went forward with his testimony today and was baptized. there is something so purely beautiful about a young person taking a stand for God. it just makes my heart smile! and what was super cool is that joe {see previous post} was able to be the one who led him to Christ a few weeks ago. i just love the people that God lets me do life with!
hmm, speaking of people who God lets me do life with..i guess i will introduce you to the subject of my next day of thanks entry: the lovely ms. kim. she's on my mind today because i spent the last half of my day with her.
-13-
i am so very thankful for my ms. kim!
{oct 28th, 2011--inside an organ in a church in olde town portsmouth..yes, INSIDE! cross it off her bucket list, folks.}
{this was immediately after a drizzly ghost walk through olde town..which i highly recommend!}
to say that this woman is amazing is an understatement. i have known kim since i was probably about 3 or 4..and i am blessed enough to have her as my supervisor at work. this woman has the ability to smile and laugh during hard times, and has experienced the Lord's presence in some amazing ways. {her stories give me goosebumps!} kim inspires me to wait on God, to always trust Him, and to love unconditionally. her soul is beautiful; she's the type of person who stays up late to make little somethings for everyone for a holiday, will never tell you that she's in need of something, and will offer you whatever it is you need before you can even realize you're in need.
to summarize: i am thankful for the privilege of knowing and loving someone as inspiring as my ms. kim! and i am thankful that i am able to laugh with her, cry with her, and learn how to act like Jesus from her. <3
*and ps! the last few minutes of the jets v. patriots game are still ticking away..a friend of mine from high school is playing! dad called me a little while ago to say he'd seen him on tv returning a kickoff. now, i love my colts, but i might have a new team to root for. if you're not a fan of any particular team, root for the jets..#45.
it's been a while, but i'm so proud of you josh! you've worked hard!
i was able to have brunch with my beautiful fab 5 ladies {minus jess!} at a delicious little place known as the broken egg bistro. mmm, mmm, mmm! it was so good to see my girls.
tonight, my small group from church hosted a cookout and bonfire at one of our pastor's homes. which ironically brings me to blessing #12.
-12-
i am thankful for the friends in my bible study group.
{beth and i keeping warm by the fire!}
my bible study group is led by my former youth pastor, gary, and his wife, stacey; beth, nick, joe, and i have been faithful attendees ever since we started meeting about 2 years ago. my brother comes when he's home from college, and our friends eric and justin just started coming this year. i can not do enough justice when i say how grateful i am for their friendships; especially the ladies'.
{stacey and me, summer 2009. she'll hate me but i love this picture; i love her!}
these women know so much about my life and do an amazing job inspiring and encouraging me to chase after Christ. they have laughed with me and they have let me cry on their shoulders.
..speaking of laughs..
{nick and joe, summer 2010; dressed up for a youth scavenger hunt.}
the boys always do a great job of keeping the laughs going.
{chaperones at summer camp 2009! gary, nick, and me}
to summarize what i am thankful for in regards to my bible study: their love, encouragement, inspiration, hearts of service, and genuine love for the gospel.
{one of my favorite pictures ever: beth and me, with nick creepin' in the background and an even creepier joe's eye..creepin' as usual. teehee}
thank you Jesus for putting these friends in my life to help me know You and understand You more!
***
i decided to add this one last photo..only because it makes me laugh.
reason #529348 i don't allow joe around me when i sleep.
the title of this post is probably a little curiousity-spiking--but i just had the best evening i've had in a while. my brother came home from school for the weekend, and we had a bubba/sissy date!
we started the evening off with {finally} going to see "courageous"...if you haven't seen it yet, DO IT! grab every man in your life and drag them to it, too. it is an awesome; i'm not a father {or a parent, for that matter!} but this movie does a great job at inspiring you to be MORE. more loving, more honest, more people-driven, more God-serving. and it's a super huge rollercoaster of emotion; you cry and then you laugh, and then you cry and then you laugh. {repeat}
after the movie, we headed over to skinny dip for some frozen yogurt goodness.
oh.my.goodness.
hands down, frozen yogurt bars are the best dessert spot. and skinny dip takes the cake for BEST flavors of froyo. they cycle them around, so you never know what to expect {although if you look them up on facebook, they post the daily flavors!}. mmm, mmm, mmm. and in the midst of my delightful sweet tooth satisfaction, i got to have awesome conversations with my bubbadukes.
-11-
i am so thankful that my siblings are two of my best friends.
tonight particularly: i am thankful that i was able to spend some much needed quality time with my brother:)
and just so bean doesn't feel left out, i'll end with a special thanks of having a super amazing mini-me :)
i am a lover of music. most anything - to some extent - is pleasing to my ears. i am not prejudiced against genres, beats, or tempos. that being said, i have certain definite favorites..i.e., country music. i love how country music can make you feel what the singer feels. outside of country, i have "favorite" artists not included in the country-genre: dave barnes, tenth avenue north, and ben rector. {click their names for a listen to my favorite song by each!}
i was super stoked to discover a new group yesterday, thanks to my amazing seester. {yes, that's our nerdy little nickname for each other, please don't judge} "anthem lights" is the new group; if you listen to k-love, you've probably heard their first single, "can't get over you."
-10-
i am thankful for music; the blessing of discovering new music, the talent the good music requires, and the fact that music is something that God loves too. yep, i'm thankful for all that.
{ignore their beautiful boy-band look..the song is solid!}
{human confession: the 4th guy shown looks like edward cullen..and i like it.}
i can't stop watching/singing/getting chills over/loving this video! i downloaded their whole album, and it's pretty darn good. :) hope you like it!
so i know i already posted today, but God is awesome and doing work in my high school girls and i just needed to share :)
my girls read my blog regularly, and one of my 9th graders was inspired to make a blog of her own. the lovely mauren just posted this blog post:
Tonights Echo group was AMAZING! It was full of Laughs,Two Awesome Leaders, My Beautiful Fellow Echo groupers, and (of course) Jesus.♥. We had a Great conversation. I'm so glad God gave me the strength to share with them. (I have Been praying about that for a while) I'm So Thankful They are in my life!(: Oh! aaannnd I'm so Happy Riley Joined our group.( : Shes Awesome!
..love this! seeing these girls growing in their faith and loving Jesus is the greatest thing in the world! my wednesday nights with them are most definitely the highlight of my week. and yes, ms. riley, we are so excited to have you with us ;)
i owe you an apology: i have neglected my days of thanks the last couple of days. i'm sorry. :(
it's been a busy week so far! but without further excuses, here they are, numbers 7-9.
-7-
i am thankful for my puppy.
{meet callie!}
i have had an obsession with weenie pups for..forever. {refer to my pinterest board!} i just think their little legs, noses, and ears are the cutest thing. about 2.5 years ago, i went through a rough break-up and was relying heavily on time with friends to get me through. a good friend of mine called to cancel our plans, saying that another friend of ours had given her a dog he'd found, and she was trying to find a home for it; she didn't want to leave the dog alone at her apartment. sort of annoyed that my plans had just gotten cancelled, i asked her what kind of dog it was. when she said, "dachshund," i felt a child-like giddiness well up in me. it took a few days, but eventually she was mine. {note: she was "mine" for a matter of just a few days..she ended up living at my parents' house and became BFF with my daddy! men always end up loving those little doggies!} she's a sweet, sweet girl and i love her so much! she's a perfect asset to our family and she was the best rebound relationship ever ;)
-8-
i am thankful for the ability to laugh at myself/be goofy.
{working the youth lock-in around 2am, summer 2010. notice, this one didn't need to be as big as the other pics:)}
i am a goob. beth posted this on facebook with a caption saying something about posting it while i was out of town, so that i couldn't un-tag it. when i finally saw it, i laughed so hard and thought it was so funny that there was no way i could un-tag it. i am so thankful that Jesus puts JOY in my heart and LAUGHTER in my life!
-9-
i am thankful for God's GRACE!
{"adult vbs" notes from last summer}
i love, love, LOVE the concept of God's grace! i could never in a million years express how much i am so very thankful for the availability of grace in my life! His grace covers me..even when i don't deserve it. it covers YOU..even when you don't deserve it. reading my "crazy love" book still with my accountability partner, bess..i came across this quote from francis chan: "in the midst of our failed attempts at loving Jesus, his grace covers us." i love that!
Lord, i am so thankful for your grace. i am so thankful for what i have been spared from, what i have gotten but didn't deserve, and for what you are saving me for..all by way of your amazing grace.
so i'm finally sitting down to take a few minutes to blog--today has been a busy one! my wonderful fall sunday consisted of church, cleaning, a members' meeting at church, followed by frozen yogurt with my mom and dad. i love date nights with them :)
church was amazing this morning; i didn't have the chance to sit in the service because it was my sunday to be in the nursery--which was a different kind of blessing. those babies are so sweet! i just love to love on them. i did, however, sneak out for a few minutes to hear my sister sing in "big church" for the first time ever. {which you can watch, too, if you click here! she's got an awesome voice, i'm so stinkin' proud of her!}
moving right along, it's yet another beautiful autumn day, meaning it's time for another blessing i'm thankful for:
-6-
i am thankful for my fab 5.
{left to right: myself, ashley, lindsey, jessica, and betsy}
i've been friends with these girls since high school. ashley is my roommate currently, but only until she gets married in june of next year. she's been one of my closest friends since we met, way back in 4th grade! i met linds and jess in high school; linds is a mommy and wifey, and jess is doing the whole school and acting thing in LA! betsy i met in middle school but we became inseparable in 10th grade..she's married too. these girls know just about EVERYTHING about me! and we've been through it all with each other -- pregnancies, engagements, called-off engagements, moves across the country, weddings, high school, college..the list could go on.
{sentimental photo-share time..sorry but i have to!}
{told you we go back!}
{summer 2008..maroon 5 concert in virginia beach!}
{betsy's wedding day! august 15, 2009}
{christmas 2010..ugly sweater party. ignore the antlers, i do.}
{christmas..2009? i think?}
{july 2011. love my jess!}
{march 2008..betsy's 21st bday dinner..we dressed exact opposite and didn't plan it!}
{gosh..december 2006? lindsey's baby shower!}
i am just so thankful for everything that i've learned from these girls. i am thankful that they are each a part of my life and i wouldn't be who i am without the influence each one of them has had on my heart!
