Restore to Factory Settings…

Today I went 4 whole hours without a phone. It was a rough time and my little life line was touch and go for a while. I was in the middle of playing Words With Friends when my iPhone just froze. Ok no big deal right??? I’ll just turn it off wait a moment turn it back on and kill my opponent with a triple word score. But that didn’t happen. It just sat there with its shinny silver apple staring at me. I then thought no problem ill just call the hotline and have them fix it, so I reach for my phone. Dang it- It’s broken. I then called from a land line at work. (Don’t worry I put the phone on speaker and continued to work as I sat on hold.)

After the long time on hold and more hours of cell phone emergency surgery, sadly my phone didn’t make it. Well the hard ware made it through but the poor little thing needed a memory wipe of sorts. The verdict was to restore to factory settings. This means that I still get to keep my phone but lose all of what is on it.

It got me thinking. There are some things in my life that I truly wish I could restore to the original factory settings. I wish that some things in my life would just magically be forgotten, gone just like they never existed to begin with.

Lucky for us we have Jesus. He does just that. He takes all of the icky yucky stored up materials that we don’t need and restores them to factory settings. What a blessing that God can use the loss of my Angry Birds to teach me about the restoration that he has supplied for me.

Often I forget that I am good as new and choose to live in my circumstances (looking for those old apps that were wiped away during the renovation) that tell me I am not new at all. It is a daily battle to get up every day and choose to see the truth of my redemption as opposed to what the world tells me.

I pray that I can live everyday in my Restored Factory Settings….

(that being said I lost all of my phone numbers and need yours too. So texted me your number and I’ll save it in my “new” phone.)

Eluded

A lot in my life has eluded me lately. For example: I was very excited about the new Harry Potter movie. (Because I am a nerd. And for those of you who are against Harry Potter because of its witchcraft I am sorry if my enjoyment of fantasy offends you, it is not my intention to offend) (I digress)


Anyway, I got midnight showing tickets and waited in line for over 4 hours to get decent seats, paid way too much for a giant coke, and tried to ignore the 17 year old next to me dropping the F-bombs every 20 seconds. I am a huge fan of the books and the whole movie franchise has been, ehh. It has been nice to get to see my favorite characters in Live Action…. LOL that reminds me.

My friend Libby was talking about a park she discovered by her house and how wonderful it is. She stated that it was an unofficial dog park and they occasionally had concerts there. Then she said, “Sometimes they even put on these medieval shows or something cause people are always dressed up.” I almost peed my pants with laughter. I had to explain what LARP (Live Action Role Play) was. Hahahaha I told her they would let her join if she just asked lol. And no I have never participated in LARP for those of you who are wondering. (I am just a baby nerd with isolated nerd tendencies not full blown nerd regalia)  Need more LARP info? Watch the below out-of-state news cast.



Ok back to my Harry Potter a much less nerdy hobby. The point was/is that in the end I was left eluded as to why so many wonderful things were left out and why I had expected anything more considering the massive amounts they have left out of the previous movies.

More importantly, God has eluded me, or well his plan in my life has. I have been praying for three or four big things in my life lately. These things have taken up my quiet times and I still cannot discern what the Lord wants me to do. These things are very important to me and I know that we have free will and a choice but I also know that God always has a best in mind. I want his best but for some reason I cannot decipher what exactly that is. People keep telling me to keep praying, never give up, and eventually the answers will come.

That’s all great and wonderful but in some cases “eventually” is not fast enough for me. Actually most of the time eventually is not sufficient for me. I know that waiting on the Lord produces blessings but must I wait even for an answer? I mean I’m not asking for magical results just an answer as to how I should react in a few specific but very important situations.

I want God’s best but right now, it eludes me.

Dollar Daze

Today was super needed emergency laundry day. My Dad called yesterday at ohhhh 4:30 and informed me that he was coming into Lubbock today and would be crashing on my couch. D’Oh I didn’t have any clean sheets for him and my last “clean” towel was hanging up in my shower, I’d used it that morning on my hair. So i really needed to do laundry yesterday, but it was way more important to go shopping right????? So my master plan was to beat him to my house today and do a secret load of laundry and pick up my house. Well I end up not getting off of work early and rushing home right as he calls to say he is in town.

So I get home right at five and I am cramming clothes in my closet and hampers, and shoving dishes in the dishwasher as he walks up my little entry way. I give him a quick hug grab my laundry basket, a ten dollar bill and lavender scented laundry detergent then head for Spinway my local laundry mat.



When I get there try as I may the stinking change machine didn’t want to take my money. BOO I noticed a nice man trying to avoid eye contact with me because he can tell I am not winning my battle with the Change-O-Rama. As I walk around the machines he notices and walks at an increasing pace away from me. I call out to him… Sir…. nothing… Oh Sir… still nothing. (So I yell at him used my outside voice) Excuse me Sir. He sighed and turned around I asked him for change for my ten and he reluctantly gave me a wad of ones.



My Dollar



I get my change start my laundry and head back home to hang out with my dad. As I am checking out my money I notice one of my dollar bills has a stamp on it. This stamp says Track Me at www.wheresgeorge.com. I show my dad and we get excited this could be really cool. We eat dinner then head to the local McDonalds to use their free Wifi too look up where this dollar has been.



I am expecting this amazing story of this dollar bill’s five year life; imagining all the cool places it’s been and sweet things it’s bought. We get to Micky D’s I open up my laptop enter all the serial numbers from my dollar bill and boom. My dollar bill is from…. Drum roll…. San Angelo. Sad day, but a fun time with my pops who at this moment is chilling in McDonalds like he owns the place. LOL I love you dad.



My Dad Owning  McDonald's



Sorta Kinda Indie Hipster Cool - i wish

This isn’t supposed to be a music theme week but it’s turning out that way. You may have read my Passion and Purpose post, where I talked about things I wish I cared more about. Well I guess music is sorta one of those things. Let me explain.

I think music people are uber cool in their hipster chic kinda way. They have this awesome lingo I don’t understand. They say really deep passionate things to a beat and rhythm that I can’t hear. And they sing in tones, pitches, keys, and harmonies that I can’t distinguish. So needless to say I probably have very poor taste in music. But it is something I have wished I was good at or understood since high school. (I am aware that the people in the hipster photo to the left are posers and a little too preppy and clean to be hipsters but I think it fits since I too am not hipster)

A couple of years ago my friend Mat (yes with one T –see music people are just cool.) Anyway Mat introduced me to PANDORA and all of a sudden I didn’t have to have good taste in indie bands to be cool. I could just tell Pandora one song that I sorta like and it would play all sorts of “good” music for me.

Now whenever I want to feel indie hipster chic or pretend like I’ve ever heard of even one band that played at ACL, I just turn on PANDORA. OK... here it goes... I am probably about to talk about an artist that everyone knows, one that they play on VH1 all the time, and one that doesn’t live up to the cool indie status I have pictured in my head. (But just go with it and humor me) –cause for reals I have NO music knowledge at all.

So I am sitting at work trying to ignore all of the work noises like fans, and staplers and the old mad down the hall’s TV. It isn’t working so I try some actual work to distract me form the sound of non-silence. Still not working; so I turn on PANDORA. I select my Matthew Perryman Jones radio station, cause it usually plays mellow but good Christian music that I can tune out and still “work.” When all of a sudden it begins playing a song called “No Envy No Fear” by Joshua Radin. So like a nerd I paused the song looked up the lyrics and really liked them, they were solid. So I did some googleing…… and I think I did it. I think I found a cool band that isn't mainstream. I mean as I You-Tubed them I found out that they have loads of acoustic instruments. How indie is that? My favorite being the classical acoustic bass. YEAH!!! (and if you are thinking that I scrolled through loads of pics to find the one where Joshua looks more hipster just to make myself look cooler - shame on you, but you're right)

All of that aside,  the best thing about them had to be the lyrics to the song No Envy No Fear. As I read them I was sure it was a Christian song. It really hit home with the things I am struggling with right now Envy and Fear. But as I continued to search and dig I found no reference to Joshua Radin claiming Christ. I can't know a man's heart but there was no evidence. How amazing is it that God can use a song not about him at all to speak to me and reach me where I am at. Thanks Jesus for the tiny daily reminders that you have not forsaken me!!!!

And yes I attached another you tube video just because I want you to hear this awesome song. There were videos where the band looked cool with their hipster clothes and acoustic classical bass but this one sounds better so I opted for it. I sacrificed hipster for sound….. (Is that a hipster cool thing to do or what??? I’m gonna go with yes just cause it make me feel sorta kinda indie hipster cool) 

Walk it Out

Walk it out

Now Walk it Out

Walk it out

Now Walk it Out

Walk it out

I said do it how you do it gone and walk it out….

If you are like me, this highly catchy yet inappropriate song by UNK reminds you of America’s Best Dance Crew. Nevertheless it gets stuck in my head every time I hear someone say (in serious conversation) something along the lines of “you need to live by faith and just Walk It Out daily.” I always snicker at these improper times and then find myself awkwardly trying to explain how the mental image of JabbaWockeeZ dancing to praise music is bouncing around in my head. It is most uncomfortable.

Well this song has been stuck in my head all day because it’s what I am doing. Walking it out with Him. God is dealing with some tough insecurities in my life right now, and the more I work though it the harder it gets. My only hope is in Him, I am clinging to Him and His word and taking it step by step. (ok great, now I have New Kids on the Block stuck in my head) UGH!!

But really, in all seriousness I am clinging to the hope of brighter days to come. Days when this battle is over ad God has come out victorious. I find small comfort in the fact that I am not running away or blaming others for this, like I usually do. I am choosing to trust the Lord with my heart, when in the past I would question him and just take matters into my own hands. I am aware that these difficulties stem from me and my own insecurities and incorrect perspective of the situation, and I am working through it.

I am trying to rely on Gods promises and not dwell on my circumstances.

Proverbs 3:5-8 Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.

And Just in case you are wondering; what the heck is America’s Best Dance Crew and the JabbaWockeez. I have attached an awesome compilation I found on YouTube. And yes if I ever end up in Vegas again I will drop the dough to seem them live!!! They have shows twice daily at the Monte Carlo on the strip in Las Vegas. Tickets are $52.

Fashion it Forward

Everyone and their dog has heard of Toms shoes. It’s a great movement and why not? It’s perfect. We are American and in our culture we don’t give unless we get. So how do you get people to give, by letting them get what they are giving… got it? GOOD.

I was perusing facebook today and saw that an old friend from college just got a new pair of Toms glasses. Brilliant Toms is expanding!!! And it got me thinking where else can my dollar both benefit me and someone in need? Here are a few things I found.

Tom’s eyewear. In thier one for one campaign, if you buy their glasses for roughly $150, they will see to it that a child in need receives medical treatment, prescription glasses or sight saving surgery. So yeah, they are expensive but to me it’s worth it. I will be asking for some for Christmas ... Who needs Ray Bans when you can have Toms?

Bob’s shoes by Sketchers. Yes they are a deliberate knock off of Tom’s but you get the same great charity look for less price and they too donate a pair of shoes overseas. At around $42 why not be trendy, savvy and globally aware? I say go for it!

Next is a company right here in Texas… Don’t believe me just check out the shoe and you will have no doubt.

Lizzie Lou Shoes is a flip flop company in San Antonio TX. She partners with Soles4souls , and for every pair of pink bedazzled flip flops Texas women buy from her, she sends a new pair of shoes to charity. Not my style, but a giving heart comes in all styles. At $100 a pop you've got to really love the flash and bling to drop the dough.

Want to get your kiddos in on the fun at an early age? The online store Olive Juice sales trendy kids’ clothes.  (They are really cute!!!!) And a little more reasonable, at $62 you can buy this dress with a clean conscious knowing another deserving child will also given a new item of clothing.

Ok guys don’t feel left out I’ve found the most reasonable item for you. With their slogan of “U buy1, We give 1” you can’t pass up Antiveenon’s inside out army green T. At only $21 you get to look good and feel good about it.

I am sure there are plenty of other great charity brands out there but I really like the fact that these ones think globally and address the needs of people where they are. It doesn’t hurt to be fashion forward while you pay it forward.

Crafty -Yarn Wreath

Hey guys! As stated in my previous post Passion and Purpose I really enjoys crafts. I wanted to share with you one of my more recent creations. Yarn Wreaths. They are so much fun, very affordable and EASY!!!! This would be a great craft for Women’s weekends or any teen class you are leading. Here are a few examples and inspirations.

This one is a creation by my sister-in-law. She is so talented.  

This next one is a great DIY from Kelly Hicks’ Blog.  She cuts little strips of yarn and ties them to the wreath. That’s way too much work for me. I just hot glued the first piece and kept wrapping the yarn around the wreath being sure to overlap a few for character.

And for any of you who want one, but don't want to make one. You can always buy handmade crafts at ETSY.com.  Here is the most popular Yarn Wreath seller on Etsy.... ItzFritz. But Trust me you can do this!

And here is my creation. I know it’s not the best photo my camera was dead so I tried to used my iPhone camera and let’s just say I am NOT a pro with the iPhone. But you get the Idea.

And now for the close ups.

Notice the overlap detail. fun and Easy!

I made this wreath with very fluffy yarn, fabric roses, and vintage buttons for my great friend Amber. If you don’t remember Amber I talk about her in these two posts: Time Travel, and Germination. I am very happy to report that this was made for Amber’s WEDDING SHOWER!!!!! Congratulations Amber and Bryan.

The Waiting Game.

If there ever was such a board game called “The Waiting Game” I’d be a pro at it by now. Well…. I take it back. I might not be a pro, because I’ve received my fair share of penalties, but I would be well experienced to say the least. There are so many weddings for me to attend this summer and as a single person it’s like running a triathlon. From dresses to buy and showers to attend to RSVP cards with no plus one; it’s a constant battle to not get discouraged.

There are so many times in the Bible that God talks about blessings for those who wait on the Lord. The most recent time this biblical encouragement came to my door step was yesterday.
In Psalm 31: 23-24 it states. “Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves the faithful and abundantly repays the one who acts in pride. Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord.”

Well here I am taking courage. I am finding strength and hope in the promise of God.

As I look back on my “dating adventures” I am grateful for where I am now. Waiting…. It is such a freeing word. The world calls this time in my life single and sees it as a license to date around and find out what’s out there. I realize that everyone’s convictions and ideals are different but God has really shown me the path he has chosen for me to take during this time. I am single, yes, but more than that I am waiting.

Waiting, just as the Israelites waited for the coming Messiah. Comparing their waiting game to mine reveals loads of similarities; there were moments of hope and moments of despair. At times it seemed that God had forgotten them and left them for slavery in Egypt. After being delivred from Egypt, each profit brought them new sparks of hope. At times they went through hardships, some of them were lead astray by their own desires, and some even chose to follow foreign idols only to realize later these idols were not their redeemer.

But the part of the Israelites story that I find most hope in is the coming of Jesus, their long awaited Messiah. He wasn’t what they expected at all and it took them a while to realize who was in their midst. He loved them with a passion they didn’t deserve, lead them in a way they hadn’t anticipate, protected them from things they couldn’t see, and provided them with things they couldn’t even dream of.

So I am proud to be waiting. I don’t want to me lead astray, by giving tiny parts of my heart away, or date loads of guys to find the right one. I want to wait for the one who will be something I didn’t expect, deserve, or anticipate. I want the one God has planned for me, the one who will pursue me because it’s what God wants him to do, not just what’s convenient. So in this waiting game there really is only one way for me to win, and I plan on winning.

Passion and Purpose

Why am I an all or nothing kind of girl? I love passion and so wish that I could obtain it for something for more than a nanosecond. I do have passion and drive for things but it always tends to fade with time. Like with this blog for example. I truly loved it for a good few months. It was a great outlet of creativity and inspiration a wonderful place for me to reflect on the amazing wonders that God brought my way. It still could be if I found a little bit of drive and passion.


A few things I wish I had consistent passion for. Photography, crafting, cooking, art, travel, world missions, reading, working out, the poor and the broken, my friends, and my family. Those are just a few. The only things in my life that passion never seems to die for is TV, movies, and food; and that makes for a deadly combination and a very uninteresting hermit lifestyle.

I pray daily that God would magically open doors and provide me with an unbelievably amazing job that encompasses all of my talent and passion and still provide for me financially. The only problem with this scenario is that I am not sure where my passion lies and what exactly my talents are.

I know that God has a plan for me and I will continue to grow and change and I am so grateful for it. I just wish that I knew what it was that I was created specifically to do. I know that on a whole humanity was created to worship and be loved by our creator but individually we were given special strengths within the body. I would like to know if I am the foot, meant to go and tell the world of this great love. Or maybe I am a hand meant to help others up when they are down. Or am I the eyes made to watch and be on the lookout for those in need. There are so many different gifts, as many as there are people on this earth; I am just having a little bit of difficulty locating mine. So if your gift is finding other’s strengths, I could use a little help right about now.