The first quarter

Ah, what a new year it's been already.  We have been blessed to be able to travel on our WeDJ cruise for photographers and DJ's to Mexico and the Keys, and then attended WPPI in Las Vegas all in the last month!  What a blast it's all been!  We have seen alot, learned alot, and are refreshed for another year.  These were basically our vacations, even though photo-related.  GOOD TIMES!

As life passes, 24 hours at a time, I find myself examining what really makes me feel alive, where my passion lies, and what I am learning.  What I know and understand now, today, February 28, 2011 that I didn't know at this time last year, that I didn't know 6 months, ago...or even 6 weeks ago, are ever-evolving.  Here are just a few.

1. I really am becoming more introverted over time.  I was always an extreme extrovert, and still am at times, but have taken on a more passive role in many situations.  It's growth, I believe.  Sometimes it benefits you to sit back and listen, not speak, and take it all in, rather than open your mouth seeking approval, validation, or understanding.  Many times it's just not worth it.  Knowing when to shut up, is every bit as valuable as knowing when to speak. (yes, I am just now learning this.)

2. Rarely do I feel more alive, than when I travel.  I have a lust to see things, to experience things, to appreciate all that has been placed on this earth, good or bad.  Travel awakens my soul, and allows me to acknowledge my smallness in this world, while seeing sights that make my eyes fill with wonder.  It's a time to reprogram ourselves from the normal, and look at culture, where it's been and where it's going.  Utterly fascinating.

3.  When your heart is broken, the healing takes a toll on you, but in time you WILL heal.  It is ok to allow yourself to forget the hurt, no guilt befalls you when you have exhausted all your options of forgiveness, and turn the brokenness over to the the Healer.  When you have been made to feel guilt and shame all your life, and have been freed from that hold, you can then, truly live.

4. Doing something for others gives me more satisfaction than anything I could possibly ever do for myself.  While everyone loves to pamper themselves with the occasional pedicure, and "just for me" time, there is something so satisfying about serving the less fortunate.  I at first, loved the "warm fuzzy" this gave me, but later realized what I was doing was so pleasing to Jesus, probably more than anything else I could ever do.  That feeling of spiritual satisfaction I crave, and is addicting.  Knowing Jesus loves my actions is a peace that is indescribable.

5.  People treat you differently when you are overweight, than when you aren't.  I have been on both sides of this, it's really true.  A great litmus test of who is legit in your life, and who isn't.

6.  I am not in control, of anything, except my own reactions, attitudes, thought processes, and actions.  Everything else, is beyond my control.  This can either cause me great distress if I allow it to, or I can allow the joy of powerlessness to wash over me.  It's a choice.  Some days are better than others with this.  It's the ultimate test in faith, and I fail miserably alot of the time.  Thankfully, God is always there to pick up the pieces or let me fall on my face to learn from it.  Either way, He's there.

7. People that are not really listening when you speak, usually do not really care about you or your life, do not waste your breath.  It's futile.  They consequently, will expect you to listen to them.  Listen and nod.  Listen and nod. ;)  Then smile, deep breath.

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8.  Not everyone is where you are, and you aren't always where they are spiritually.  Don't beat yourself up over this fact.  We are all on a journey to walk with Christ, some are closer to the destination than others.  What's important is that we are patient with each other on this path, and don't get a case of "road rage".  The Beatitudes are really great to help me remember this.

9.  If you have the ability to help someone or listen, do it.  Easy enough, it takes us all out of "self" for a bit.  Loving others makes them feel special.  In a world where we are all searching for the next thing to make us feel good about ourselves, truly a little kindness goes a long way.  The best thing you can do for a friend is give them your time.  Give them a call and ask how they are.  Genuineness is felt in the heart.

10. Never judge someone by their Facebook posts or text messages.  So much context and intonation can be lost in translation through our typed words.  A real conversation is the only true way to know someone.  I'm guessing the next generation will have some type of media revolt called "kill your Facebook" for this very reason.  At some point, people will get tired of the shallow interactions of social media; I predict people will crave real relationships.  (I have yet to tire of it, don't get me wrong ;) -ha. 

 

My Funny Valentine

Valentine's Day came and went this year, and most likely it will be one of the more memorable ones.  The kids were with us this time, and so I wanted to do something that we would all enjoy.  I found us an overly wholesome flick that romanticized in kiddy terms Romeo and Juliet (which Maya happens to be reading right now in English)...into Gnomeo and Juliet.  Ok so this movie sucked, and wasn't funny in the least, and actually was so boring and kiddish, that I got an insane case of the giggles watching Maya get pissy and huffy at how insanely dumb it was.  Noah and I sat there dumbfounded just saying to each other, "this is SO bad"....and my Valentine, David, fell asleep.  So I laughed until I was sick and looked like a complete lunatic to whoever got the pleasure of sitting behind my Valentine's band of grumps and kooks.  We got up and left halfway through the seemingly appropriate V-day movie, and came home and looked for something festive to watch on Netflix; Noah suggested My Bloody Valentine.  If we couldn't make the gnomes work, a little scary stuff might be fun.  This movie, from 1985 ,was completely inappropriate and we then had to turn it off.  After going through several more movies we ended up turning off, we landed upon a Swedish claymation called Pingo, a penguin that grunted his words (stupid yet hilarious--cue eye rolling from Maya, which sent me back into the giggles), and then ended our rockin' Valentine's Day with introducing the children to some old School Rainbow Brite...wow was that a trip...like literally a bad acid flashback.  LAME.  Very lame. 

Here's the deal, though, even though it was completely lame, I had a blast and so did they.  We laughed at the calamity of going to see the nerdy gnomes (that Maya had warned us we were going to regret) that was positively terrible and the misfortune of every bad movie ever made on Netflix.  The simplicity of just being together and laughing our faces off, trying to find something to entertain us then became entertaining.  When we are all together just laughing and acting silly, I remember my mom, and how she loved to act silly with me.  I am so grateful for my funny little family, we are total dorks, but we are the coolest dorks ever...lol. 

David and I have shared so many great Valentine's Days together.  This was our 10th, and I didn't know it, but he did.  He gave me 10 roses at the end of the night when we went to bed, all with special events in our lives attached to them with little strips of paper.  I had to put them in chronological order, and then gave me the 11th rose to grow on, and make more memories between now and next Valentine's Day.  Such a cool guy.  God had such a great plan cut out for me with him; Just love it.  There's been lots of great Valentine's Days, like the year David dressed up like a knight and brought me flowers and candy to work, or the year he made me an arrangment that included my favorite perfume, or the year he took me to a fancy restuarant (Gilardi's) when we really couldn't afford it and it was quite a treat.  This year was special in it's own way with the kiddos.  Sometimes trying too hard to make things perfect, actually backfires, what's important is it was still "just perfect".  I love my family. 

I am a little curious to see if the gnomes offed themselves in the end, though...lol. ;)

 

 

Sent from Sarah's iPhone

I didn't have the guts

I read someones blog today that offended me.  In the bigger scheme of things does it really matter, nah, not really.  But it struck a chord with me because they wrote things that were from a pious Christian perspective, and have obviously not experienced a lot of trials.  They didn't grow up with parents that DIDN'T pray...they didn't have an alcoholic father, or a workaholic mother in denial, they didn't have family dysfunction.  I didn't have the guts to tell them how naive they sound because I don't want to offend them, or tell them how judgmental they came off.  In fact, I'm quite sure they are clueless as to how ridiculous they appear to the rest of us that haven't lived a perfect life.  The topic they were addressing is one that is near and dear to my family and lots of families, one this person knows nothing about, and has even less business trying to blog about.  They are just an acquaintance, and most likely will stay that way, but the larger picture here is that this person is my sibling in Christ, and they are misguided and out of line.  They see a very small projection of what they have been told about the world, perhaps from being sheltered and afraid of it most of their lives?  When Christians offend other Christians, we forgive them, we pray for them, and that's that.  But again, when we look at a more global picture, how does this person portray our belief in Christ to those that don't yet know him?  I'll tell you how, as a judgmental so and so, that likes to talk (or blog) to feel superior.  How can some be so clueless and vain in their quest for righteousness?  

I get tired of some Christians passing judgment on things they know nothing about.  It's really easy to condemn others, if you haven't walked a mile in their shoes.  I wish we could all be so sweet and simple and demure.  Life isn't always cut and dried.  Jesus loves us all the same, thank goodness for that.  People mess up,divorce, lie, gossip, cheat, steal, hate, condemn, hurt others, use drugs, live promiscuous lives, PEOPLE SIN.  Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.  Maybe some are better served listening to others stories, passing less judgment, and truly serving our Lord in some capacity.  Understanding is the key to learning, and loving.  I don't see alot of this.  In our small sheltered communities in Missouri I see lots of rebuking and correcting, and very little rolling up the shirt sleeves and actually serving and just shutting up.  Everyone loves to voice their opinions, including me.  So this is mine: hate the sin, not the sinner.  Realize that God knows our hearts, hurts and pasts...and forgives us ALL.  Loves us ALL, and most of ALL wants us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER.  Could this be any simpler, or more complicated?

John 8:1-11
but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”


It's humbling.  All I have to do is read that passage and KNOW in my heart that Jesus loves me more than I can ever imagine.  He loves me through my sin, He died for me and that sin.  Nothing else matters.  That story is impossible to misinterpret, yet some forget it's significance.  

They suck.

Parents think about their children day and night, even
when they are grown. Parents love their children in a way that they will never
understand. Parents will be there for their children when no one else will.
Parents would take a bullet, stand in front of a train, and ask God to take them
instead of their child. If you have a child or children that you love as much as
I love mine, post this as your status!

This was a post today on a friend of mine's facebook status...I was thinking about how David loves the children, how I love them, how my friends love their kiddos...unconditionally.  I guess I lucked out with the narcissists for parents that have no comprehension of this whole concept.  It's just a little maddening.  How as a parent do you completely disregard your instincts?  My parents would rather push me in front of a train, and collect the insurance money, because you know $$ is the only thing that matters...what is wrong with this picture???  Be there for me, no matter what?  You are joking, right?  Ok...done with this negative rant for the day.  Just a thought, now letting it go...on to more positive endeavors.

Sand in my Toes

This last week I stood with my feet in the sand, letting the waves wash over them, I had a thought.  Everytime the waves crashed in, it washed my feet anew or they sunk further into the sand.  Usually I stepped out and let the wave wash over them, that sinking feeling isn't comfortable. Isn't that life?  You let the waves either sink you further in, or your step out and let the wave wash you clean.  One thing is certain, the waves never cease.  Christ inpires me in the smallest moments.  It's usually not momentous for me, just the little stuff that makes an impact.  I'm at a spiritual crossroads right now, not sure what to do.  Just praying for some guidance and something to challenge me to continue to grow in Christ.  Right now I'm comfortable and semi-content...and knowing there's more out there...it's time for some fresh change and decision making.  It's so easy to just stay put.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand.
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand...