Stained Glass

A week or so ago, Ben and I had the chance to see one of my favorite bands, Rend Collective, live.  Normally, I'm not a huge fan of concerts because: People.  My loathing of crowds usually trumps all.  But this time they were playing in a smaller venue with balcony seating...which = my idea of a good time.

So we bought tickets the night before (procrastinators) and went out on a school night.  

Rend Collective was fantastic.  Seriously great.  And they played some of my favorite songs right off the bat, so now they have my heart forever.  

And yes, I bought a (grown up version) poster and taped it to my wall.  Near the living room.  One is never too old for a poster.

Anyways.  

There was a guy that opened for Rend Collective, and his name was Jon Guerra.  I had never heard him before, but really fell in love with his music.

I imagine that there's pressure being the opening act for a band.  You're the little guy, playing first, and you know the crowd paid for tickets to see the other band.  Basically.  But as he sang, his music ministered to my soul.  Deeply.  And if I met him (and his lovely wife that sang with him) I would tell them that being the opening-act...well, it's a big deal.  It impacts.  God uses the big guys.  And the little guys.  

I'm always a fan of the little guys.  The underdogs.  The less known.  It might be why I love my church church so much.  

One of my favorite songs he sang was called Stained Glass.  And so I have to share.  

Stained glass explained:

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Two Sparrows

Someday, I will actually get around to showing you pictures of the office in all its gray glory.  It's so happy not to be that shameful green anymore.

And someday I will blog everyday like I said I would.  Just kidding.  I would totally do it if  these people (my children) could just stop needing me (to locate their stuff).  And needing food.  And so on.  Also, if I wasn't so easily distracted. that would be helpful too.

Back to the office:  We found our old CD collection.  90's and early 2000's CD's.  It's hilarious and awesome and aweful all at the same time.  I've been listening to Garth Brooks non-stop in the mini van (because it's the only place we have a functional CD player thanks to my love of the ipod.)  When I moved on to Tanya Tucker's Love Songs I thought *maybe* I might need some sort of intervention with the CD's.  Today it was the Dixie Chicks.  I think I've finally forgiven them for speaking ill of my favorite president.  The destruction of their careers was probably enough punishment.  I am, of course kidding.  Not about George W though.  I heart him.

Also.  I'm not quite sure why I like American Honkey Tonk Bar Association so much.  But I do.  I feel like Weird Al could totally remake it for church.

This is how my mind works.

I will leave you with a Tanya Tucker love song that I used to listen to as a teenager.  Turns out, IT WAS ABOUT ME.

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Dedicated to the Class of 1996

Last night as I was driving (way past my elderly bed-time) to pick up my 7th grader from a "dance" I heard this song on the radio.

And suddenly, I was 13 years old.  Sort of.  I remember 7th grade dances.  I can't remember who I danced with though, and that's sort of bugging me. Hello Alzheimers.  I do remember this was one of my FAVORITE songs.  It makes me laugh now, because I can't quite remember how my 13-year-old-self interpreted those lyrics.  Bah.  

I'm almost positive I never caught this particular video on MTV, because it probably would have ruined the whole song for me.  Maybe.  Or I would have thought they were awesome.  Who can remember?!?

It kinda ruins it now.  Dang it.  

Whenever I drive Noah and his friend home from the dance, I like to ask 20 questions.  I'm sure they love it.  Their vague answers are a sure sign.  It's weird that having a 7th grader makes me feel like a 7th grader...and an old lady all at the same time.

I should volunteer to DJ, and share all my favorite Jr. High and High School songs, I'm sure everyone would love it.  Or at least the parents that graduated in 1996 would.

Next year.

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It's Okay to be Broken

Today I cleaned and rearranged the stuff in our kitchen cabinets.  I probably called Ben on three separate occasions to tell him my progress and explain where I was putting stuff.  He listens and praises my efforts...even though he can't really possibly care about the cabinets, especially while he's trying to work. 

I may have picked the easiest man to be married to.  He didn't quite choose as wisely as me, I mean the easiest wife probably doesn't make you listen to how she moved the toaster to a different section of the counter.  *Seriously, I'm that exciting*

Anyways, I made myself a playlist of some of my current favorite songs.  Ya know, to listen to while I cleaned cupboards.  You do that, right?  No?!?  Hmmm...it's possible I'm more awkward than I thought.  Who knew.

On that playlist is the song Broken Together by Casting Crowns.  I probably listened to 10 times today (it wasn't a very long playlist,  I underestimated how long cleaning out cabinets would actually take.)

After about the 7th time through it, I you-tubed it so I could catch the lyrics better.  It's lovely.  And so representative of all marriages, no matter what stage you're at.  We all hit times of "drought" in our marriages because so much of life can demand our attention away from each other.  It's tricky finding that balance.  

The song is right.  We are all broken people.  We don't complete each other, Jesus alone completes us.  It's so much easier to give love and grace when we each see our own brokenness.  I don't have to complete him, and he doesn't complete me.  The pressure would kill us.  "The only way we'll last forever, is broken together."

I also listened to Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds (the Elton John version because it's my favorite) 10 times too.  See:  Broken.

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I Pick Theme Songs...

Rend Collective had been one of my new favorites this summer.  It's on about every play list I have.  It's helped me kick it in on the last mile of every.single.run since June.  (I'm on week 12 of half-marathon training, so it's a lot of running. More on that laterish)

And now I've adopted it as my official theme song for the year.  For me, my family, our church...you name it.

I also now feel the need to take up the tambourine.  And I have some boys that would be happy to play the thing that guy is pounding on the ground. I'm not quite sure our church is ready for that.  We'll just practice in secret for now.

 And Ben is most definitely getting a bow tie this fall.  

Packed full of so much truth.  It really is my heart wrapped up in a song written by people much cooler than I.  

That is why music is so darn cool.

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Should've Been

Sometimes I listen to a song over and over for days on end.

This song is the one I've been listening to this week.  

Love it love it love it.





And...it's Friday.  Amen.

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Love

So far in 2013 we have two family members getting married...well one is in January 2014, but within the next year...that's how I do math.  A nephew and a first cousin (who is more like a niece because I'm that much older.)  I love weddings.  So fun.

And back in November we went to a lovely wedding that I mentioned here.  In that post I linked to one of the songs that I fell in love with.  Turns out, I'm also in love with the other song the bride had in her wedding.  

In love with love songs, that's me.

So, for your enjoyment, I give you Hundred More Years.  Makes me cry every.single.time I listen to it.

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We Go Out...

Ben and I had the lovely opportunity to attend a beautiful wedding not long ago.  We got dressed up and then left all the kids in the care of Grandma and Grandpa, which means we actually enjoyed the wedding.

Fun times.

After the wedding, when I looked at these pictures, I realized I had totally skipped my eyeliner and mascara.  Whoops.  I guess it meant that nothing smeared all over my face after I cried watching my two sweet little nephews walk down the aisle as the ring bearers.  Seriously, they were so sweet I bawled.  I'm not the only one that does that?  Right?

One of the songs in the wedding was Brandon Heath's, Love Never Fails.  So now it's at the top of my playlist because it's one of my new favorites.  Even though it's not new at all.

I love weddings.  And the bride and groom were beautiful and handsome but you'll have to take my word for it because I forgot my camera.  Loser.

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I Need A...

I mentioned here, that I have been listening to the Wow Christmas 2011 lately.  I don't know what my deal is this year, but I'm just not in the mood for the regular Christmas songs sung in the regular way.

I sound like Scrooge.

Anyways, there's a ton of songs on that album and several I skip over.  I've been skipping the song I Need A Silent Night every time because it's by Amy Grant...and I'm just not in the mood for Amy Grant.  Yesterday though, in the van, I was distracted and didn't switch my ipod before the song started.  And WHO KNEW that  I would LOVE this song?!?

It's the words.  I relate to it.  All of it.  Christmas sometimes seems like more of a chore than a celebration.  It reminded me I need to take a time out and have a silent night in order to enjoy the season.

Sometimes Mamma needs a time out too.

And on a random note:  I never skip over Go Tell It On The Mountain by needtobreathe or Christmas This Year by Toby Mac. ;)  

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Stuff

I really left you hanging on the mom jeans thing.  My bad.  The good news is, I've been wearing them for two weeks now and I LOVE them.  The denim was kinda itchy/scratchy at first, but after several visits with my washer and dryer (yes I dry my jeans, I don't know how you people can stand wearing air-dried jeans...so stiff) the denim is softening very nicely.  I need to hem them a little, but until then, I've just been cuffing them.
I took the picture below right after my last post, but then I decided the pic was not all that flattering, so I didn't post it.  But apparently today, my vanity is gone, so here you go:

What else...

Oh... my Christmas shopping would almost totally be done if I could afford all of the things in my Amazon shopping cart.  In reality, I've bought like two things.  The rest I just keep adding to the cart and then pray it's still available by the time I get around to placing the order.

On the other hand, I ordered my Christmas cards.  I know.  Snapfish is mailing them as we speak.  Who knows how long it will take me to actually address and mail them, but for now I have NOT procrastinated at least this one thing.  *pat on back*

Yesterday I bought the Wow 2011 Christmas album on itunes.  I justified it to the voice in my head of Dave Ramsey that I needed it because I have lots of sewing projects to get done before Christmas and I need something new to listen to.  The album is so good.  Tell Dave Ramsey you need it too.  My favorite is Deck the Halls by Tenth Ave North.  Not that it matters...but it is. ;)

That's probably enough random information for you to process.

Happy Last Day of November to You!

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I'm Listening To...

I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite songs as of late.  And by "favorite" I mean I'm listening to them on repeat over and over and over...and over.  I don't know if regular people do this?  But I do.


Jesus, Friend of Sinners is by far my most favorite song on the new Casting Crowns album.  The message, the reminder...I adore the whole song...open our eyes to the world at the end of out pointing fingers...break our hearts for what breaks Yours.  I'm thankful for songs that change me.  This one does.




  

The next song is one of my new favorite running songs.  It has some amazing base (that you won't hear through the youtube video;) that may literally mess with the rhythm of my heart.  If I kill over while running, check my ipod, I think you'll find this song playing.

Happy Friday Everybody!

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Make a Difference & Giveaway

If you haven't read yesterdays post.  You'll want to...unless you're one of those people who can jump into the middle of a movie and keep watching till the end, not even caring that you have no idea what happened in the beginning.  Not that I mind that *cough*


Yesterday I mentioned that I am SUPER excited about something...mostly because I love it.  A lot.  And I think you will too.  


Haleigh (from yesterdays post) is going to be going on a Christian Missions Aid trip to Kenya in November.  They'll be working in orphanages and doing other CMA relief and developmental projects.  You can learn more about it here.


To raise funds for the trip, she has put together a lullabies CD called Lullabies for Africa.  There are several different ways you can purchase it for download, all of which you can check out at the website  HERE.  And if you'd like to purchase the CD and case (below) you can here.

I downloaded it last week.  I can't even tell you how much I adore it.  It's a compilation of songs that Haleigh, her friends, and her sisters wrote and sing and it simply blows me away.  Every time I listen to it, I think of those babies in Africa...and I think of my own kids...and I just love it.  It's beautiful and fun, we've been listening to it all day long around here.


I just think it's such a great, creative way to not only raise money, but minister to people.  


It's the perfect gift for yourself, a friend, anyone...and the bonus is that it goes to such a great cause. 


The Lullabies for Africa website will have all the information you need to buy as much as you'd like.  Super simple.  You can even listen to some of the songs first.  We have some favorites in our house.  Bugga Boo is the song we sing non-stop around here.  Even my hubby is humming and singing it.  Right now, as I type this, I can hear (through the baby monitor) Ben whistling it.  For Real.  We also love Rest Your Head, One Two Three, I Love Ya, and Rest Your Head for the Night...you get the idea, we like it. 


There are also some ways you can help get the word out, so that everyone everywhere (go big or go home, right?) can get their hands on this music and fund this ministry opportunity.  I can't go to Africa to do the work needed.  Haleigh can.  The least I can do is help...and listen to music. ;)


I'm also excited to be GIVING AWAY a CD as well!  There's a few ways to enter.  For each way you enter, just leave me a separate comment telling me what you did.  


1 - Go to Lullabies for Africa and "Like" on Facebook. (you can also do this from the Lullabies for Africa website.


2 - Mention and link to the Lullabies for Africa website on your blog.


3 - Share the link on Twitter


4 - Purchase a copy or download it from the website (enter yourself twice for that!) and if you win, then mark someone off your Christmas list. ;)


5 - Listen to Bugga Boo and tell me you too cannot stop singing it.


Ok, I think that's it.  


I'm gonna leave the chance to win open till Friday.   Now it's your turn.  Spread the love.


Isn't this fun?!?  

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Winner and Terrible Song

We have a winner!  Gretchen @ Lifenut...it. is. YOU!  (email me your address:)


I'm a little giddy about this because she is one of my favorite bloggers.  I always leave Lifenut completely amused by her writing style.  And her.  And her family.  Well, you get the idea.  


And, in honor of her win, and this post that has kept me thinking of terrible Christmas songs all week long....I give you the Christmas song I desperately despise, with all my heart. And after my few years of working retail, back in my early 20's, (which was not when this song was new, by the way!)  I can honestly say I've heard it 1.2 million times.  


Enjoy.  *cough*  


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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gmARGvPlI

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The View I Love the Most

The other night, probably close to 9:00, I stepped out our front door to let Gus out.  I happened to turn around and get a glimpse of my home from the outside, with the lights all on, curtains open.  And it made me smile.


For a moment, I got to look in on my life, and its a good view.


Sure, it involves some chaos and mayhem.  Smelliness.  Imperfections.   All of which make it pretty great.

And then it reminded me of a country song.  Because I can pretty much come up with a country song for every memory I have...they just work like that.





And like it says...I see what beautiful is about
                          when I'm looking in...not when I'm looking out.
I'll never beat the view, of my front porch looking in.

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Swagger Wagon

A friend brought this video to my attention...because they know my quirky love for my minivan...and white people rapping.


If you get a chance, check out the other Meet The Family videos from Sienna.  Hi-lar-i-ous.


Interestingly (or sadly)...I really do think I'm cool in my minivan Swagger Wagon :)


For realz.  Enjoy.

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Blatantly Obvious

I'm feeling very contemplative lately.  Maybe it's the lack of sleep.  Maybe it's the isolation that mothering a newborn brings.  I've been sucked into my own little world of feeding, diapering, snuggling, feeding, feeding, feeding, well...you get the idea.  Or maybe it's God trying to show me something about myself that I really don't want to see.


I'm savoring every moment of this newborn-fog, because I know how soon it will be over.  Gone like a flash. And I know how much I'll miss it. Yet, it's hard to escape the sense of invisible I feel lately.  I don't mean "invisible" in a depressed sort of way.  I know my value.  I know my purpose.  I know the hope I have, because God is in those.  I mean "invisible" in a disconnected from other life activities sort-of-way.  It's made me realize that life goes on without me.  


Friends will find others who have time to lend advice or just a listening ear...
Ministry will continue and even flourish...without my constant attendance...
My boys will survive without their momma knowing every detail of their day...
Running partners will find new running partners...
Life continues on...it doesn't stop to wait.  It doesn't fall apart because I'm not there.


It's got me contemplating.  Why does that hurt my pride so much?  How can it make me feel both relieved and insecure at the same time?  Relived that I don't hold all things together.  (Big surprise, I know)  Relived that I can step aside and take a break.  And the ugly insecurity?  It's for the exact same reasons...weird.  


Pride (for me) always always always causes a host of problems.  It's always on-going.  Kinda like weeding flower beds.  One day you can spend countless hours pulling the nasty weeds, and you go to bed that night thinking man, my flower beds look perfect...go me!  Only to wake up the next morning to find dozens of weeds  have seemingly grown within hours.  And then, if you're me, you think  ahhh...why bother weeding at all?!?  Dumb things just keep growing no matter what.  So I give up for awhile...until one day I notice how terrible my yard looks!  They can only be ignored for so long.  Sooner or later they're blatantly obvious.  There's no ignoring them anymore.


That is pride for me today. Blatantly obvious.  Not very pretty to look in the mirror at.  Time to undo it.

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Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds

Turns out I had never heard the song Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds until friends mentioned it after her birth. I obviously live under a rock.

Word on the street (ie Google) says the song was written while on LSD. After listening to the song, I'm not gonna argue with that. The verses in the song are bizarre...although I do like the yellow and green cellophane flowers and something about marshmallow pie...but the refrain...oh the refrain. I can't stop singing it to her. I added three different versions of it to my ipod. Elton John, Elton Jon & John Lennon, and a Bono version.

Jake (4 years old) has been making pictures of Lucy. He brought me this one the other day and I had to smile. Like the song says...the girl with kaleidoscope eyes. *smile*

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Everything in One Post = Overkill

This once a week blog post thing is really quite boring. I apologize.

Some random updates for you:

• Monday night I went into the hospital because I'd been having regular contractions. By the time they hooked me up to the machine thingy, they had stopped. We'll just call it a trial run. The bonus was that Ben and I got to watch the end of Amagedon while at the hospital. And, we were both reminded of how absolutely wonderful the nurses there are. Five more days and we get to go see them again...for the real deal this time. :)
• Tuesday and Wednesday I came down with some weird viral thing. Nausea, fever/chills, sorta comes and goes. Ben was here to take care of me during the worst of it. He reminded me of what true love really is...sometimes it involves making 100 trips up and down the stairs filling the bathtub with pots of boiling water because your wife has used up all the water in the water heater and is still cold in the tub. I love that man.
• Today I'm feeling much better. Even having some coffee. Totally looking forward to some more nesting in the next few days.

In other news:

Ben came up with the idea of planting a garden (at his grandparents home in the country) this year. At first I was a little skeptical...and by that I mean lazy. Gardens seem like an awful lot of work. Last Summer I was annoyed with the two tomato plants we'd planted because I didn't know what to do with all the tomatoes. Can you imagine me with a garden of produce?

After chatting about it for awhile, I realized the garden wasn't really about the produce anyways. It's about the process.

As parents, we've been lamenting a bit about how our boys sometimes don't want to work for things. We live in a culture that wants to take the easiest way possible in order to attain something. I'm entirely guilty of this. I'm perfectly fine with store bought canned green beans if it means I don't have to pull weeds and get dirty. Makes sense to me.

When we presented the boys with the idea, there were mixed reactions. Which reinforced the fact that they need a little hard-labor under their belts. ;) God gives us so many practical and spiritual lessons from the land He's created. Sowing and reaping. Hard work in the planting, the labor it takes to keep the weeds from over-running everything, and the joy of the harvest. It's not just a lesson for my boys...it's for me to. It's a family ordeal.

There's bound to be whining and complaining along the way, but we're praying God uses this time to teach our boys (and us) that things in life require hard work. I want them to learn that just because something is hard, and takes awhile, doesn't mean we avoid it...it means we work hard and see it through. I want boys who grow up to be men who aren't afraid to do hard things.

Saturday, April 10th we started the process. I'm hoping to document it all the way through. Eventually, I'll even be able to bend over again and help...with a baby strapped to my back. :) In the mean time, here's my 38 week preggo shadow.

There, I think you're all caught up now. Oh wait...I can't stop listening to this song: If you can be in love with a song, then I am in deep.

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I'm Still Yours

There's songs that God uses to get my attention. They reach into my heart and seem to wrench it till it almost hurts...because He wants me to get it. And sometimes...I don't want to get it. I want to hide from it. But, I have a Father that loves me too much to let me run for long. This song this past week has done exactly that.

I want my hands to stay lifted. During all of life, the joys, the pain, the chaos. Those hands quickly drop during life's busyness. I need this reminder...I need this to be my heart.

If you washed away my vanity

If you took away my words

If all my world was swept away, would You be enough for me?

Would my beating heart still sing...

If I lost it all, would my hands stay lifted

to the God who gives, and takes away

If you take it all, this life you've given

Still my heart will sing to You

When my life is not what I expected

The plans I made have failed

When there's nothing left to steal me away

Will You be enough for me?

Will my broken heart still sing?

Even if you take it all away, you'll never let me go

Take it all away, but I still know...

That I am Yours, I'm still Yours.

I am Yours, I'm still Yours.

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Little Bit of This, Little Bit of That...

Let me just say that I am a little jealous annoyed that it seems like everyone around me has turned into a fantastic photographer. Some of your blogs I visit and each and every time there is a perfect picture to match your post.

Barf. :)

For awhile I liked to just blame it on my camera...it's not fancy enough. But reality has settled in, and it is in fact not my camera but a certain someone named Sarah that operates the camera. It's not my gift. Reality hurts sometimes. As my friend Shanon would say...Buck-Up Barbie.

Plus, pathetically poor pictures are still entertaining, right?!? Good.

Here's a list of some of my favorite things lately:

1) God. Period. And this song in particular just keeps summing it up perfectly. "Even when I'm caught in the middle, of the storms of this life I won't turn back I know you are near. I will fear no evil, for my God is with me. And if my God is with me, whom then shall I fear?" So thankful He never lets go of me...

2) My husband. Watching him love the flock God has entrusted to him is something I can't quite explain. Thankful for the new understanding I have of Pastor's and their calling. Praying each church goer everywhere understands the love and burden their pastor feels for them...he's fighting for you, and he's on your side. Love him, and lift him up in prayer.

3) Believers that I can go to who encourage and offer support and prayer. Over the big stuff and the trivial.

4)

I got his little doohickey at a Scentsy party. It plugs into the wall and you put these little scented wax squares in the top of it and it makes the whole house smell yummy! Genius.

5)

I can't get blogger to flip this picture...imagine that. Our Ladies Bible Study is in week three of this study. Words cannot express how much I love it. Love it, love it, love it.

6)

I bought these magnets in the dollar bin at Target. Makes me smile every time I go to the fridge...so quite often.

7)

Fake pumpkins and gourds that I cannot kill.

There are also a few things I am not loving...

1) The house goes from picked up to disaster in about 3.2 seconds. If I could just learn how to function well in mess then I would be set. Instead, I start to feel claustrophobic and get crabby.

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B: Their version of picking it up.

About three articles of clothing in that pile are actually dirty.

2)

The stuff that used to be piled in baskets on the desk, until I walked past it this morning and my hips knocked it all on the floor.

I guess I've avoided the mess for long enough...better get at it. You can bet I'm gonna be listening to this song while

getting the job done. If I only had a tambourine... *wink*

Happy Thursday!

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