Do We Measure Up? [Link Love]

This month I had the opportunity to write about another exciting but convicting topic at myMISSIONfulfilled.com...

This is just a snippet, so follow this link to read more. I wrote this for the great site I mention often, www.mymissionfulfilled.com. Comment and tell me what you think!

Surviving Saturday

We did it! Nic and I finished the 5K on Saturday. Thanks to general March craziness and travels over the past SEVERAL weeks, we definitely didn't train as we wanted to.  So, in the end, we decided to just have fun, enjoy the day, enjoy running/jogging/walking together, and finish whenever (as long as it wasn't last). So, with those expectations, we definitely survived. I learned several things along the way:

1. I'm far too competitive with myself. Seriously, I always want to do better. This can be a good thing in some instances, but many times I'm my own worst critic and far too hard on myself.
2. A running playlist can make or break my mental game. I always try to run with music and it definitely motivates me to keep going.
3. Having a running buddy is awesome. I loved running with Nic by my side. He could have easily gone ahead, but in sticking together we were able to encourage one another and keep each other going. It was much more fun this way!
4. I didn't realize how important our training was, until I hadn't trained. We literally had not run at all in 3 weeks... and we could certainly tell once we started the race. Next time I will FIND and MAKE a way to keep on training. I'm glad we set low expectations before we started!

If you're reading this, please pray for Emmett and Wendy... the reason behind the whole Team Emmett 5k. Read their blog to see how you can specifically pray for them.

For you runners out there, any advice for improving my pace? According to runkeeper I generally jog at about an 11-minute pace... I know, super slow! :)

Let's be honest

I tend to say, "let's be honest..." quite often. Lately, I've been thinking about this a lot. We (yes, me included and no, you are not off the hook either) tend to exaggerate a LOT! Think about it. Frankly, it's way too easy to exaggerate, to make things sound "better" or "worse" than they really are. Two words we use more than any, when we exaggerate or try to make something sound good, are more and less. 

I have an idea. Let's be honest. Shoot straight. Tell the truth. Instead of saying, "We have more than 2,000 people at our church," just tell us how many you really have. Is it 1,987 or 2,001? Instead of saying, "It costs over $73." Just tell us it costs $73. No more or less needed. Have you ever thought about how often you stick a "more than" or a "less than" in front of a number when it really has no business being there? It's addicting. We somehow think it makes us look better, right?

Infomercials are the worst. Just watch one and count the number of times they say, "MORE than," or, "LESS than." It's fascinating.

I hope you will step up to the challenge with me. Can I call you out for exaggerating? Will you call me out, please?

Meredith's March Madness

Nope. Not talking about basketball. My bracket is shot, but so is everyone else's in America. My vote at this point is for Kentucky! Roll Tide!

March has been a crazy month.  I've been beyond busy, and on the road way more than I've been in the office. It's been fun... here's a taste of what's been happening.

Family Visit. We went to California several days early (no first class flight this time). We visited Disneyland with Nic's family and then hung out at the beach for a couple of days before making our way to San Diego.

CPC San Diego. Nic flew back home for work and I stayed in San Diego to work at the Children's Pastors Conference. I helped promote two new LifeWay Kids products, FLYTE and THEO, and also had some great conversations about CentriKid Camps!

Home for a few days. Played catch up, went grocery shopping, did lots of laundry, and got ready to travel once again!

Director Training. I was home just long enough to realize how much work I needed to finish for Director Training, and leave again! We were in town at a YMCA camp. I loved getting to hang out with some incredible folks and talk leadership. We got to preview the new movie COURAGEOUS and climb a tower... and, of course, we always play nerts!

I got home Sunday and completely crashed. I did some laundry and repacked to hit the road again...

Georgetown Meeting. Jen and I left yesterday for Georgetown meetings to get ready for summer. These are always good visits, and our friends here are great ministry partners. I can't wait to meet our teammates who will serve here this summer, and today we get to see the Ice Cream Fairy!

I'm definitely looking forward to April, to some kind of routine, to spending more time with Nic, and simply slowing down!

Meeting Mickey Mouse

A couple of weeks ago, I made my very first trip to Disneyland. Nic and I were so very thankful that his grandparents showered us with Disney giftcards at Christmas. Thankfully, these cards covered all our expenses for the day, and we didn't have to kill the Dave Ramsey budget to make this trip happen. The lines were short, the crowd wasn't bad, and the weather was gorgeous!

One of my favorite parts of the day was getting to meet Mickey Mouse.

I love that Disneyland puts so much emphasis on the little details -- each ride is characterized from the second you get in line. Each worker is "costumed" perfectly for their particular ride, restaurant, or job. Every detail has already been considered! It was also fun to be in an environment that so many churches have modeled their children's facility after (while some have even hired Disney's own to do the design work!)

Overall, we had a fantastic day.  These pictures are some of my favorite... Nic and his sister, Cara, who's trying hard to kiss him on the cheek!

catching my breath

Life's been pretty crazy the past week or so. Not bad crazy, just crazy busy. For several days, I felt like I didn't even have time to catch my breath -- running from one thing to the next! I've taken the little bit of time I've had and decided to spend it on things other than blogging. Shocker. Actually, I haven't even read one blog in my google reader in 10 days. I hope I can catch up on that! A few friends have questioned where I've been, and wonder if I've quit blogging.  No, I definitely haven't quit, but I decided to take a couple of days to catch my breath, and aside from that here are some fun things happening:

*Traveled to Alabama to visit my parents and attend a baby shower for my sweet friend, Kristen!
*Worked on CentriKid Camps print pieces... a lot!
*I'm getting ready for a trip to San Diego and visiting Nic's fam. So exciting!!!
*Trying to meet writing deadlines.
*Couponing (spent $3.90 at Publix this week and saved over $22)
*Hanging out with my parents who came up to Tennessee this weekend.
*Antiquing with my mom (I found a Hoosier cabinet that I REALLY want!)
*Celebrating with friends on the birth and adoption of their baby girl. YAY!
*Running... more than I have in a long time.
*Visiting my brother and sis'in'law and my niece (ok, that hasn't happened yet, but is happening soooooon, as in today!)
*Preparing for the CentriKid Camps team reveal tomorrow. One of the biggest days of the year for staff.

No excuses, though. I'll be blogging again soon! :)

BLOGROLL: Encouraging Reads [Part 1]

Social networking is built into our workday and words like facebook, unfriend, hashtag, and tweet have new meanings in the dictionary.  We all know the Internet offers much more than just time-wasting stalking tactics. I was recently asked to find great blogs that offer ministry help, challenge your spiritual life, and encourage you in leadership-- all for young women. Do you ever feel like a little kid with tons to learn from those who are older and wiser? I know I do! Here are some blogs that offer very practical helps for young women in ministry:

Kyria –A resource of Christianity Today and Leadership Journal. This site offers practical helps for young women in areas of church leadership, women’s ministry and lots of other topics. An offshoot of Kyria.com is the blog, giftedforleadership.com, a site specifically for women called to ministry.  

WomenReachingWomen – This blog from Chris Adams at LifeWay mainly offers insights on women’s ministry, but you’ll find some helpful articles on ministry in general and leading other women. Chris, with the help of guest bloggers, posts great content several times a week.

JustBetweenUs – The quarterly Christian women’s magazine, Just Between Us, inspired this website. Content ranges from daily devotionals to practical everyday advice. The layout makes it very easy to subscribe to specific content, and the site has a separate blog that is updated several times a week.

ReviveOurHearts – a website from the ministry of Nancy Leigh DeMoss. This site has a sister blog, www.truewoman.com, with lots of great ministry tips and resources for life issues.  This is one of the few blogs I found for women in ministry and leadership that actually offers some great resources on the topic of singleness.  With any of their topics, blog authors seem to respond quickly to reader comments.  Subscribing to this blog via RSS or email is quite simple.

myMISSIONfulfilled – the blog portion of this site is coming soon! Articles are updated monthly, and cover a very wide variety of topics – from cooking and exercise to dating, marriage, books, and Bible studies…with a focus on missions and living missionally. I write for this site from time to time. Go check it out!

[Part 2 coming soon... personal blogs from some influential women in ministry!]

14 Things I Love About Nic Teasley

One of our first photos together

Happy Valentine's Day!  In honor of Valentine's Day, I'd like to dedicate this 14th of February post to 14 things I love about my husband.  There are, of course, many, many other things...these are just a few:

*He loves the Lord above all else... the most important thing I could ask for in a husband!

*He loves me.

*He makes me laugh. All the time.

*He has a huge heart, and is the most giving person I know.

*He prays for me often.

*He has accountability in his life, and spiritually leads our home.

*He likes to cook, and he's so good at it.

*He’s always willing to watch shows/movies that I want to watch (more than he can say about me!)

*He works out with me. He'll go to the gym (even with broken wrist) and train for a 5K with me.

*He remembers the little things about me.
*He makes our lunches everyday. Seriously. How awesome is that?!?!
*He is an auto-mechanic at heart.
*He’s a handy man at heart. He can fix just about anything!

*He challenges me everyday!

I am richly blessed. Praying for many, many more years of journeying through life with my amazing and incredible husband.  Remind your spouse how much you love them today!

Road Trippin'

Today I'm going on a road trip (for work) with my good friend and coworker, Jen.  Road trips are awesome, and here are a few reasons why:

1. Time to think and pray if you're road tripping alone. Driving down the interstate or through the country is a great time to think about lots of things.  It's also a great place to get in some good solid prayer time. Based on the history of our carpool, there may be time for this on my current road trip!
2. Time to talk. I love road trips because inevitably I seem to get to know the people traveling with me a little better. Our camp team comes up with lots of ideas on road trips.  Jen and I will probably spend some time talking through plans for the summer.
3. Time to ask lots of questions.  Nic and I made several road trips before we got married.  During one of them (a 12-hour one), we read/talked 101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged. It was so helpful for our relationship!  I love to tell folks not only about this book, but also about how to use your time wisely while road tripping.
4. You get to see cool things.  Well, most of the time.  Good road trips usually include some awesome landmarks or historical sites.  Jen and I will be traveling to the town that's home to Stephen Foster-The Musical, and that served as inspiration for "My Old Kentucky Home." We won't be visiting, but you get the point... oh, and we'll probably get to see lots of gorgeous snow along the way!
5. There's no place like home.  A great road trip reminds you of how good it is to be home.  When the end is in sight, I'm always ready to be home, hug my husband's neck, sleep in my own bed, and pick back up with my routine.

I'm going to hit the road, but what do you love about road trips?

Accountability

"Accountability means loving someone enough to hurt their feelings for their own good." -Dave Ramsey

Let's be honest. Most relationships in life are pretty shallow. We try to say the right thing, don't want to offend, and work hard to maintain the peace. We smile politely and continue on with our day. Perhaps we are pretty honest most of the time, but not really open.

And then there are those few relationships that get really honest. These are with people we don't mind to offend every now and then because we care about them an awful lot. We want the best for them. Deep down, we just want to help them in their quest to follow Christ more closely every day.

I'm more honest with my husband than anyone else on the planet. And he's honest with me, even when it hurts! I can't imagine life without that accountability... it'd be a marriage full of half-truths and fakeness. Miserable, I'm sure. I loved having a mentor who was not afraid to hurt my feelings because she cared so much about me becoming more like Christ.

Do you have true accountability in your life? At least one brutally honest relationship? Who are you currently holding accountable?

Don't be a dummy

Photo Credit: Lester Public Library

Don't text and drive.

[WARNING: This is a rant. It feels like an infomercial for Drug Free Week in elementary school. Sorry.]

Nic drove us home from church on Sunday. He picked up his phone to send a quick text and I snatched it out of his hand. We have the kind of relationship where we can do that type of thing. I care so much more about him as a person than I do about offending him, so I'd gladly snatch his phone any day if it meant protecting his life!

We made a decision this year not to text while we drive. I've been thinking about it a lot lately because it's VERY difficult and I haven't fully lived up to my resolution.  You're sitting at a stoplight, so what harm is it to send a quick text? You're waiting for 5 cars in front of you to turn... same thing, right? We all know that waiting at a stoplight turns into driving through a neighborhood or driving on the freeway, and you're right back to texting while driving anywhere.

We need to step up and become designated drivers, not crash test dummies. If I am ever driving with someone else in the car, I don't need to text. I want to let them text for me if it's urgent. I'd like to challenge you to do the same. Don't want that person to see what you're texting? Then it's not urgent. And what kind of shady stuff are you texting anyway?!? Driving by yourself? Don't text. I promise, if the person on the other end of your SMS has any sense at all, they'll be glad you waited! Why not pick up the blue-tooth and call?

Do you text and drive? What will it take to make you quit?

Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist

Photo Credit

I'm a recovering perfectionist.  I have struggled with this my whole life. I cried in 4th grade when I left my lunch at home, afraid my teacher and parents would be mad. I was sad if I ever made less than an A on any test, quiz, etc.... much less on my report card (gasp!)

I fight a daily battle with the perfectionist spirit inside me. 

I'm not perfect. Actually, I'm far, far from it.  Still, I hold such high and unrealistic expectations of myself and others (just ask my husband).

I want to be a spiritual mentor, influence, and role model for those I lead, but there are days when I don't complete my Bible reading, or worse, don't touch it at all.
I want to have a personal best time at my next 5K, but I seldom run as fast as I think I should be able to on the treadmill.
I want to have a clean, organized house 24-7, but my house/apartment is usually not very clean. I'm very thankful that my sweet husband helps me clean it!
I want to be the best friend a friend can be, but I don't always return phone calls or texts, I don't let friends know how much they mean to me, and frankly, I'm learning that I'm just not able to be that friend to everyone.

God is teaching me over and over that I don't NEED to be great at everything.  I'm not EXPECTED to be great at everything. I'm expected to trust Him.

Every good and perfect gift (and talent!) is from the Lord.  He is my righteousness. He gives me a place of right standing, and that's not something my own selfish works can never do.

...Learning to trust in Him today and every day.

Cemetery Adventures, Take 1

My parents are probably laughing if they read this.  When I was little, I absolutely hated going to cemeteries and looking for graves of ancestors.  I mean the whining, crying, complaining, "let's go home!" kind of hate.

Sunday, Nic and I took off the Cheatham County, TN (about 45 minutes from home) to find an old cemetery where one of his distant relatives is buried.

This adventure started back on Christmas Eve, when Grandma and Grandpa Teasley uncovered these things in their home:

A photo of some Teasley ancestors.

A genealogy book put together by one of Nic's distant relatives.

This book told us that Nic's ancestors came from Virginia to Dalton, GA (carpet capital of the world) where they had a cotton plantation.  Somewhere along the way, Nic found out that others lived right here in middle Tennessee, so we went on a cemetery hunt.

This place was in the boonies.  Not just out in the country, or down an old country road. We're talking real, live, legit boonies -- where you've gotta be careful to not hit the cattle grazing on the side of the road!  The roads are "paved..." if you get my drift.  Boonies.  Soon after I lost 3G coverage on my iphone, we stumbled upon the small road where said cemetery was located.

Of course, we met a car along this one-lane dead-end road. We wiggled our way around to get two cars on the road and asked about the Teasley Cemetery.  The nice lady we passed informed us that we were on her property and that we'd need take a different road to get to the cemetery.  She told us who owned the cemetery land, where that lady lived, her maiden name (Teasley, sure enough!), what she did for a living, etc. etc. etc.  Side Note: It's really true that everyone knows each other in small towns like this... it was to the point of SCARY!

This kind lady (yes, we're friends now!) was on her way to town when we passed her, and she offered to show us where we'd find the cemetery. Of course her directions included things like "a road grown over" and "a huge log pushed to the side of the road" but we found that huge log and the road grown over. Too bad Teasley Cemetery sat at the top of a steep hill... and I was hearing heels from Sunday church! We went to town to find me some shoes, but had no luck.  I'm so thankful my sweet husband didn't make me hike the mountain in heels.

Ok, so maybe, just maybe I was a little scared off by the neighbors... you know, the ones who have chickens running wild, dogs chasing our car, confederate flags flying everywhere, and giant spray-painted signs reading "Mind Your Own Business!"

Needless to say, we didn't make it to Teasley Cemetery on this trip.  But don't worry, we'll be back!

Off the Couch

Nic and I have signed up to run a 5K race in April.  I mentioned a few weeks ago that the race is for Team Emmett... to help some incredible folks who are fighting a very tough battle with cancer. You can read more of their story and learn how to pray for them here.

We are using the Couch to 5K program, and have just begun our 9-week adventure on the treadmill.  I haven't run a 5K in a long time... probably since almost 2 years ago!  But, that's ok, because Couch to 5K (C25K for short) helps you go from absolutely nothing to being able to run 3.1 miles. No excuses here.  They have a treadmill version, and an iphone app that talks to you, telling you when to walk and run, start and stop, cool down and stretch. If you live anywhere near Nashville, you should consider running (or walking) this race!  There's no harm in walking it, you get great exercise, and you're helping a great cause.  If you live somewhere else, you can still register and run your own 5K on race day in honor of Team Emmett! Nic's family will be walking out in California.  So, who's with me??? You can sign up here!

I've been painting

Today, if all goes well, I will be an AUNT for the very first time (more pics to come, I'm sure!)

I love doing personalized paintings for new babies, and I've been working on a project for my niece all week... trying to get it finished before she is born.  My sister-in-law wanted something to match her room, so she gave me a swatch of fabric.  Jenna Grace's room actually has another floral pattern as well, but I'm not too good at anything with flowers... so here's the finished product (22"x28"):

I wanted to include a verse of Scripture, since this will probably hang over her crib.  Brittany and I talked about several options, and she really liked Philippians 1.6: "And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus."

 

I started the verse at the top, to it could be personalized (He who began a good work in YOU, Jenna Grace!) and finished the verse at the bottom.

I tried to take a piece of the stripe material and create a ribbon look with it on the painting. The nursery is already gorgeous with pretty light green walls, so I certainly hope this only adds to it, and doesn't take away from it.  I'll try to post a pic of the finished nursery as well! Here's the striped fabric that served as my inspiration:

 Pray for Jenna Grace, Brittany, and Jeff today!  More to come soon...

awkward wasn't awkward until awkward was cool

I have a theory that far more awkward moments exist today than five, ten, or twenty years ago when awkward wasn't the cool label.

I have a friend and former co-worker who claims that he and I are on opposite ends of the awkward-sensing spectrum.  I could label just about any awkward situation for you, while he's comfortable enough in most conversations to never even suspect awkward.  When we worked together, I'd have to go tell him, after the fact, that a situation or conversation was awkward.

I tend to label a lot of things, people, and situations.  "Awkward" has become one of my go-to labels and I don't like it.  I mean, who says it has to be awkward?  Sure, there are always be a few truly awkward happenings... but what about that conversation where no one really said much?  What did we call it before it was awkward? Or the person who acts uncomfortable carrying on a normal dialog? Or the time you had to dig yourself out of a hole for saying something you shouldn't have said?  It didn't used to be called awkward, did it? 

Sometimes I wonder if God is saying, "Do not call others awkward, lest you be called awkward!" Not that we really care if we hold an awkward label, but seriously...what does Scripture teach us about labels, judgmental attitudes, and quick classifications?  The Bible says these things are wrong.  I know, I know, I know.  Awkward doesn't just go away.  But it did come at us quick, and it's overtaken our vocabulary without us even realizing it. 

Go ahead and accuse me of Jesus juking or going mid-90's on you, but would Jesus call someone awkward?  Probably not.  For me, it's a heart issue.  Sadly, it's an easy way for me to judge without judging, or to write someone off in a semi-polite fashion.  I feel convicted to make the most of situations, rather than making the least of those moments by throwing a label of awkward on them.

What do you think of awkwardness? How do you go about de-awkward-izing those awkward moments?

randomness, randomness, everything is randomness!

Here are a few of the things that have been going on in my head and in my life...

• Yesterday, Nic informed me that he'd been sick for over half of 2011.  And, well, when you put it that way, not the best year so far... I'm really hoping it gets better!
• I hate sickness.  I got home from Orlando and cleaned the whole house.  It made me wonder if those disinfecting wipes really work?  And where do germs sit?  How do you get germs out of upholstery and clothing?  I think I was paranoid as I cleaned. But, so far so good for Meredith staying well!
• I hate that my husband got sick while I was away.  I think I'm one of those nurturing people, at least for my family.  I guess it is genetic, because my mom was an awesome caregiver when we were sick. I don't know if I'll be that good, but I definitely yearned to just be home and help take care of him. It was nice to get home. :)
• A week in Orlando was fun and a nice change of pace from Nashville snow.  I walked a ton, stood in a booth a lot, talked to random people, and had a few awkward conversations.  You can read about it in my CPC Post. 
• Auburn won the national championship in college football (I know, I'm a week late), and I really struggled with who to pull for in this game.  In the end, I'm happy for my Auburn friends, happy for a 5th SEC National Champion, and not sure what's gonna happen next in the Cam Newton saga.
• Nic and I are planning to run a 5K soon.  It's for our friends who are fighting a really tough battle with cancer.  Can't think of a much better cause to support... if you're in Nashville, you should consider running this race!
• My brother and my sister-in-law are having a baby this week!  I can't wait to welcome Jenna Grace into the world... and I'm finishing up a painting for her room today.  I'm still quite excited to be an aunt. 
• I attended my first tweet up this past week.  Not sure what that is? Let me google that for you. It was interesting. I'm not sold on tweet ups but intrigued, yes.

That's all for now...

What not to do on your resume

[WARNING: This is a rant. I write it with hopes of keeping more folks from making the mistakes list below.]

 I did not know people actually did these things until I recently read through a stack of resumes.  The people represented were not college freshmen. They were "business professionals."

• Don't shrink the font to 8-point to make it all fit on one page. 
• Don't write 200 descriptors about each job you've held. 2-3 sentences will suffice.
• Don't create and attach your resume as a microsoft publisher file. Please. Just don't.
• Don't use an online template... but if you do, be sure to fill in each blank.  I don't want to read [your name] [phone] [email].
• Don't create giant margins to make your resume look longer.  Seriously, don't go for 2 and 1/2 inch margins. 
• Don't forget what college degree you earned.  It's not a  baccalaureate of arts. It's a Bachelor of Arts.
• Don't use there in place of their (e.g. use my abilities to there maximum potential) especially when you're applying for a job that includes frequent communication with customers in writing. Doing so only makes me question the college degree you listed from five years earlier that still says [pending].
• Don't "print screen" your resume from USAJOBS or any other site.  Take the time to create a real resume for this job. 
• When talking about a specific job, don't say "similar description as X job." That says, "I'm too lazy to type out another description of my responsibilities in said role." Instead, tell us what you did that stood out or what you accomplished there, not their.
• Don't put on your resume that you received "atta girl" notes.  That's creepy.  Maybe you could say.... well, nothing. Just leave that out.
• Don't list your mom as a reference.  Or your dad, or your grandma, brother, sister, or child. You get the point.
• Don't change fonts from one page to the next. 
• If you use a template, don't forget about the headers and footers.  If your resume ends with me@mycompany.com 12345 Main Street (123) 456.7890, then it becomes clear you didn't even read all the way to the bottom of the resume. 
• When talking about job responsibilities, don't use present tense verbs, past tense verbs, and adjectives.  Pick one or the other and stick to it. 
• Don't forget to check your headings... like this:
  Certification
  s
  
  really? seriously? Did that word need two lines? 
• Don't list your unaccredited university or your non-degree "MBA equivalent." That's great for life skills but doesn't offer the best impression on a resume.
• Be honest on your resume.  Keep it short and sweet.  Highlight your relevant experience.  This is your chance to brag on yourself, just not in the ways listed here.

randomness, randomness, everything is randomness!

Here's some of the randomness that's been going on in my life and in my head:

• I am scared of blog stats.  Seriously, they scare me. I look at them, and then wonder who those people are that look at my blog. Then I wonder, wait, why are they reading my blog? Do I really want to blog? Even typing this is scary to me. I need to just get over it.
  
• I saw a blog the other day that said, "I'm called to be a kidmin, not to blog about it!" I chuckled.  Many days I feel the same way.  I'm called to do ministry, and that's what I do everyday.  I'm called to be a wife.  In this season of life, I love love love working with CentriKid.  I'm just not good at blogging about those things.  I'm hoping to be better. Thanks for bearing with me.
  
• Nic has been sick. I don't like it when my husband is sick.  I love to help take care of him, but he's not as fun to hang out with when he's sick.  It makes me sad when I know that he's in misery or pain.  I prefer wellness in our home.
  
• Speaking of wellness, I am going to a nutritionist tomorrow.  I am really scared.  I don't think I have any major issues or anything, just want to eat, exercise, and live a little more healthily.  I'm the kind of person who does better with accountability so that piece of me is looking forward to it.  I'm still scared though.  What keeps me going is the testimony of multiple friends who've had great success working with said nutritionist. I will surely post more on this.
  
• My travel schedule is CRAZY the next few weeks... should make for some fun things to blog about, but will also stretch my time! This time next week, I'll be in Mickey Mouse world.
  
• I will be an aunt soon.  This means Nic will be an uncle.  Unreal!  I really can't quite fathom it.  I am so stinkin' excited for my brother and sister-in-law.  For us, I guess it's like the next best thing to being a parent or a grandparent, right?  Kinda scary but super exciting!
  
• I've recently begun praying for a new mentor who lives locally in Nashville - a woman who's a stage or two ahead of me in life, who I can learn from and meet with regularly.  Becky was an absolutely amazing mentor for me when I lived in Virginia.  God knew exactly what I needed!  However, asking someone to be your mentor is scary too. 

Maybe the title of this blog should have been scary, scared, or insecure?

Putting Away Christmas

All of the things on this tree are put away.  In fact, yesterday I spent the day putting away all my Christmas decorations from 2010. As I was working, Nic was upstairs working from home.  He said, "Hey, what are you doing?" I replied, "Putting away Christmas..." and I immediately thought, that is exactly what we do all too often with our every day lives.  

We shout, celebrate, and joyfully proclaim the birth of Christ for a few weeks in the latter months of the year, and then we tuck it away, tape the box up, and don't really talk about the manger for the rest of the year.

What about that is OK? Why can't we celebrate Jesus taking up residence and dwelling among us all the time? Why don't we live in a way that screams, "GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST!" or "O COME, LET US ADORE HIM!"

Leave up your nativity set(s) if it'll help you remember.  Don't put away the greatest picture of God's faithfulness and love in sending His only son to earth... it's well worth keeping around and reflecting on all year long.