Many of you have heard me talk about gIRL: girlfriends In Real Life and I’m so excited to tell you that TODAY, June 15, 2010, is the FIRST OFFICIAL day of gIRL! Nine months ago Melinda and I began this journey to gIRL. The concept of nine months gestation is not lost on me – don’t you just LOVE how the Lord speaks to us in the large things and in the nuances of life. Melinda has so much to share about the birth of gIRL and her grandgirl Lilli, but I encourage you to go there for her story.
As for me… well, when Melinda and I first starting talking all I really knew is I wanted a way for women to come together and fellowship in Christ. I was thinking more along the lines of a party with some prayer, but God had a whole different plan. Over these last nine months God has continually blown my mind with His plans and His provision for those plans.
I’m honored and awestruck to be in His service. I’m so excited to tell you about gIRL and the website launch
And about the FIRST gIRL Gathering in Black Mountain, North Carolina – September 24-26, 2010. I am so excited to tell you what started as an idea of a party with some prayer is now a weekend spent with a small group of women studying His Word. We will be building 21st century relationships based on wisdom from the Temple Walls to the Early Church – timeless truths from God.
Who would have thought that social media would make such a huge impact on my life and my walk with the Lord. He is my passion and I pray that He is yours, too.
I hope you’ll be able to join us! I know God has some incredible days ahead for all of us gIRLS!
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I love the music of my teenage years… well, all except some of the REALLY bad disco, but I like some of the disco. Come on, who doesn’t love Gloria Gaynor? I belted out “I WILL Survive” in my mirror, because “as long as I know how to love, I know I’ll stay alive” and what 15 year doesn’t know all about love and survival? But let me focus on the point of this post because YES, there is a point.
Recently we spent some time on the lake and I got some incredible photos of a sunsets.. well, actually two sunsets. Gorgeous, incredible, breathtaking sunsets
I loved these sunsets. I thanked the Lord for allowing me to see such beauty and capture them on film.
As I look over these pictures, I think about endings, about the close of the day and the twilight of seasons of life. I’m in that place right now. As of June 1st I’m no longer the director of a non-profit. I resigned. It was time.
I miss it already… and it’s only been 5 days. But it was time. The sun had set on that season of my life.
A new day cannot dawn until the old one is gone. God has me in this place of a new day…. and I have to walk through the sunset first.
These amazing, breathtaking sunsets. I think about the closing of this chapter of my life. A chapter that began over eight years ago. A chapter that has changed me forever – changed the way I look at families in need and specifically children in need.
Here I stand…waiting for the dawn and knowing it will come in God’ time.
Oh, and back to the song…. in the words of Elton John…..
Don’t let the Sun Go Down on Me……
Although I search myself, it’s always someone else I see
I’d just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me
I’ll be honest with you, I have NO IDEA what those last two lines mean…. and I didn’t even know the actual words of those two lines until I looked them up for this post.
I don’t want to see someone else when I search for me…. I want to be the person God has called me to be. I don’t want to stay so long in one place that the sun sets on my head. I don’t want to miss the daybreak of the new thing God is working out.
How about you? Are you in a sunset period or a dawning season? Or maybe you’re in a midday sun time. I would love to hear where you are these days.
And if you can tell me in song lyrics… that just makes my heart sing.
Apparently, I’ve been on a blogging break. Didn’t really mean to do that, but I’ve not had much to say…okay, that’s a lie. I’ve had plenty to say but most of it was so opinionated that I scared myself when I wrote it. I stopped writing for a few short weeks, but I’m back and I have SO MUCH to talk about. First up…..
Originality. Unique. Different.
I like different. I am not a fan of the cookie cutter anything.
I love that one funky house in the neighborhood – you know the one. And on that note, I love old neighborhoods where the houses were each different. Different styles, different heights, different colors, different sizes… just different. I am not a fan of the modern subdivision with the six standard house styles, matching mailboxes, and standardized yards w/ approved fences. I know the whole property value thing… just not my style.
When I started on this blogging journey in January 2008 one of my favorite things about the blogworld was the uniqueness in the blogs. Sure there were some cookie cutters (and a few copy cats) but overall there was this wonderful difference in blogs – different voices, different structures, different styles and different designs. I loved it. There were no subdivisions with standardized yards, there were just originality popping out everywhere!
Something is happening…. so many blogs are becoming….well, all the same. I can’t tell you how many blogs I’ve read in the past six months that are copycats. Where was once a unique blogging voice, I now hear an cheap knock off. Where I once read fun exploits, I now find promotional posts. Where I once found different, I now find….. subdivisions. Of course, subdivisions give you a collective voice and a more powerful presence. I’m not knocking it, just saying I miss more of the original voices.
Sure there are still originals, but commerce is choking off the different. I realize that I should like the pot telling the kettle it’s black and yes, I do blog for a few different places, but those are organizational blogs — they aren’t me. I’m still me, just here doing the blog thing when I remember. What about you – what’s happening in your blog world? Are you still walking along on the different path or are you joining the collective voices?
I’ve heard it all before… teen role model goes from sweet to tart overnight. Last week I heard all the talk of Miley Cyrus and her new video. Moms were all manner of upset that Hannah Montana had gone from the adorable girl to gyrating video queen over night.
I reserved judgment until I watched it – I spent three minutes and 49 seconds watching this 17 year old young woman dressed up in bird feathers, banging on the bars of some oversized, bizarre bird cage, singing about how she ‘can’t be tamed, can’t be blamed, and can’t be saved.’ Inappropriate. Yes. Sad. Even more so.
This is a 17 year old child. She may look like a woman and she may even dance like a woman, but she is a child. She may live life in the fast lane. But she is a child. Someone – in authority – had to look at this video and announce they were fine with her performance. And that’s when I get mad.
Someone had to look at this feathered, gyrating, over-sexualized mess of a video and announce they were good with it – and that someone was her parents. She is 17! They had the right to stop this from ever happening. My question is why didn’t they?
As parents it’s our job to stop our kids from making incredibly stupid mistakes. This doesn’t mean we will always succeed, but we should at LEAST TRY! I’ve read the interviews that tell of Miley given free reign to be creative. There’s creative and then there’s trashy. It’s our job to help them make good decisions even when they don’t like it.
I think Mr.& Mrs. Cyrus failed this child. She depends on the two of them for direction and discernment. Certainly, she has managers, handlers, and all kinds of other ‘ers’ to help her career, but her parents have but one job – LOVE her. And in that love they are to help her make good decisions. Sometimes that help comes in the form of denying a request. So what if she wants to express her creativity. She can do that without the gyrating and thrusting – and without the trashy metal corset.
What will she think of this video in years to come. Will she regret her decision to put something so overtly sexual out for all the world to see?
I made some STUPID mistakes as a young woman and I regret them. The difference in me and Miley (beyond the host of obvious ones) is there’s no film footage of my stupidity. Sadly, Miley will always have this music video.
So before we all jump on the “bad Miley” bandwagon, think about the mistakes you made when you were a teenager. Think about the ones your parents stopped you from making.
This is just a teenage girl with way to much authority in her decisions and who is sorely lacking adults to help her walk the road from childhood to adulthood. She breaks my heart.
So what are your thoughts on the Miley Cyrus ‘Can’t Be Tamed’ video?
I was considering why I don’t blog more and I think it’s because I don’t have that much to say…okay, you can stop laughing now.
I have a LOT to say but it’s the focus required to stay on topic – I tend to lose my train of ….. have you seen the new Miley Cyrus video? What’s up with that girl? Dressing like a bird….I just saw turkeys on sale the other day. I think I’ll make turkey and dressing soon….
Get my point?
So, I decided I’d just share a list of random happenings & thoughts
Miley Cyrus – darling girl… your video… oh my. What’s up with the bird thing? Whole separate post to come …
Water meter – the water meter guy came out a few weeks ago and pulled our meter. Yes, you heard me, just took the meter. And yes, we’d paid the bill. I still don’t know what happened, but the water guy who put it back told me he’d pulled four meters and had to put them all back. Don’t you love the way I’m using ‘pulled the meter’? That’s because I know the water meter lingo – which you learn when you spend a whole day trying to get someone, anyone to bring your water meter back!
Web sites – terrify me. Not the sites themselves, but the whole building, installing, coding, and junk . I’m not afraid of wild bears, rollercoasters, and I’ll even stand up to a clown, but web site stuff just makes me feel incredibly inept. I’ve spent the better part of today talking to Melinda about a web site for gIRL and responding to the web person’s questions about CMS and site maps. I need chocolate and a pill.
Air Conditioners – are important. And not supposed to make a loud, banging noise or shake your house. Just my little Public Service Announcement.
God – is amazing, awesome and just blows me away at every turn! I love this life of faith.
Nashville – can’t begin to imagine the widespread devastation. I love the spirit of the people in Nashville. They’ve just wading through the water and helping one another. That’s what this country is supposed to be about, not entitlement packages and lawsuits. But back to Nashville – love the heart of that city. I am also shocked that the National media hasn’t reported on this….. hey, the city is UNDER WATER! Makes me just want to shock! This is music city USA – the heart of country music. But I loved watching this – Nashville flood video
Button issues – for some unknown reason I cannot get the gIRL button on my sidebar and this makes me feel horribly inept and insecure so please don’t mention to me. Thanks.
Cats – we are the proud owners of two cats and both think they are dogs. It’s different.
Weight – I don’t like mine and it seems to be going up.
Cruises – I LOVE this part of my job. And for those who are here for the first time, I cruise for work. It’s a tough life but someone has to do it. Actually, I work for Premier Christian Cruises as the group sales coordinator. It’s both a blast and a blessing of a job.
I’m now out of topics unless you want to discuss Charming Charlie – which is my new favorite place to buy cheap affordable accessories. I hope you have one in your area. If not, start a petition.
Until next time….