church

It's been a long time since I've really been invested in a church. I had gotten used to going to church by myself and didn't have a problem with it. I came and went as I pleased and no one probably even noticed when I wasn't there. I'd been to several churches in Lynchburg, found some new friends that are amazing, and then would move on to the next church to try and fulfill my desire for more out of a church. Then I stumbled along Brentwood Church. It wasn't love at first sight but I am definitely in love now. I used to go to church alone... now I recognize many and have friends at church. I used to come and go as I pleased without being noticed... now I am noticed and missed. I am serving and love it. During my service I see a side of the church rarely seen by others, I see the leaders of the church just being regular people. It's so neat to see them kicking it, and being regular people that don't get up on a stage and preach every Sunday. I'm loving being invested in a church, serving, making friends, and feeling fulfilled spiritually by the same church and people in it. God finally brought me somewhere where I can belong, invest, and grow. I can't wait to see what He has in store for me next :)

Family

Over the past couple of months I've had a really strong urge to have children and a family. It's not even like I'm worried about steps 1 and 2 which are meet a man and get married! Nope just the baby fever. It's funny because this past weekend when I went to Charleston I didn't think about babies or family once... boys on the other hand were another story lol! The men in the south are very well made and mannered (I'm a sucker for southern charm)! Anyway I think just the different pace of life in Charleston and the different focus the town had steered me away from such thoughts which had been really normal lately. Then I come back to Lynchburg and I'm doing really well until I fell off the wagon after babysitting a friend of mine's 4 kids. They are so much fun and the youngest is so adorable. I've finally earned his trust and he immediately greeted me when coming into the house and wanted to play with me. He crawled all over my lap, fed me pretzels, and talked to me. He was so sweet as were the other girls who only wanted some love! As I tucked them into bed I sighed and thought yes, this is what I want (maybe not 4 but still). I just have this drive to take care of people and love people that can only mildly be satisfied with my job and friends right now. Don't get me wrong I love lovin' on my friends but it's not the same type of love and care-taking.
I think another reason I crave family so badly is that I never experienced what I would call a "typical" family. I was an only child for 8 years and so my brothers and I didn't really experience anything together. We weren't really close and it's almost this awkward relationship where I seem too old to be their sister but to young to be their mother. I didn't experience family bonding the way others do when they have siblings that are close and sometimes I feel I really missed out on that. I can't wait until my brothers grow up a little bit more and we can be friends and interact more often and more maturely.
I can hope and pray that a family is what God has planned for me but it's not in my hands. I will take whatever He puts in my lap and I will be happy with it whether it's the traditional family setting I desire or something different. Until then I will mother Sully, nurture my friends, and continue to love my athlete's in a very unique way.

Thoughts for Lent (yes I know it started Wed)

So in thinking about what I would give up for Lent many things crossed my mind... the normal things like giving up sugar or processed foods, facebook, or tv. But as I thought about those while they would be hard and good for me at the same time and I would focus more on God hopefully in those times when I wouldn't be doing those things, they would be about ME and not about God. I heard many people talking this year about adding something to their lives for lent like quiet time or meditation. This idea was a new one to me and I immediately got excited. I'll just add some meditation I thought.... and then a week went by. This weekend when I was in Charleston talking with one of my best friends I voiced a concern that came to the surface finally. I often think really nice things... but have a hard time speaking them. I don't complement people or encourage them as much as I should. I know that I really love when people encourage me and Jesus encouraged His followers and still encourages us today. So for lent this year I will be attempting to encourage others and say nice things that benefit others on a regular basis. Thus taking the focus of lent off of me and placing it on sacrifice for others and on being more like Jesus. Please pray for this journey for me :)

A Charlestinian for the weekend :)

I took a much needed and long overdue trip to Charleston this weekend. I lived there for 2 years and well that just wasn't enough! Charleston is one of the most amazing cities you could have here in the US. It has so many beautiful sites, sounds, places, food, and people! The deep south is just so different from any other place you go. I love listening to southern accents, the lack of rush or hurry, how much more they tend to enjoy things and people, and just their love for life and their heritage. Virginia is south of the mason dixon line but still is a long way from being the "true south".

Charleston is this amazing and wonderful place but what I love the most (which says a lot because the food is unbelievable) is my wonderful friends I left behind in Charleston. Our lives are all so busy and I haven't been able to make it down there in over a year and a half so communication and visiting had been scarce lately but that didn't matter! They embraced me like I never left wanting to know everything that was going on in my life and how I liked my life in Lynchburg. It was so encouraging and exciting to see people so interested in my life. I have felt more special in the last two weeks because of the people in my life than I have in a very long time and I am truly cherishing this time.

I especially love a few of my friends in Charleston because of the amazing conversations we have. So many conversations in life are so shallow and typical... they lack and pizazz or depth that would make them intimate and exciting. I have these wonderful kind of conversations with some of my closest friends and they are truly some of the best times of my lives. Usually the conversations revolve around life and how we are going to embrace it and end up involving God in a big way. I am learning to be more vulnerable with those I love as I get older and I am seeing that in those conversations where I am vulnerable I see the most growth and the most connection with those I am investing in. There's just nothing like a full Sunday with one of your best friends, kickin' it, talking until your mouth gets dry, and never running out of anything to say.

God blesses us by putting wonderful people in our lives... embrace them, cherish them, tell them how much they mean to you because they are a gift! I pray that everyone experiences the true value of really deep, meaningful friendship. The kind of friendship where you feel like you are the same person on some levels, like you are sisters and have known each other your whole lives. I experience this kind of love and gift in my life and I thank God every day for it. Who do you need to thank God for in your life today?

Birthday Girl

Last week was a very special week :) I can't remember the last great birthday I had. I've had some pretty tough times during my birthday's (not to mention this one is making me older and older) in the past couple of years unfortunately but this year was not the case! My L'burg friends are very special and are really into birthday celebrations. They like to make "birthday weeks". This is a whole new concept to me. My family just does a birthday dinner or lunch but not these girls....

Every day was something new and exciting and they know me so well that it was also something they knew I would love and was very creative. Birthday week surprises included sweet words, cards, white chololate chips for me to use with my Sweet Frog gift certificate, Muse $, a manicure and pedicure, and some bobbi pins since I can't seem to hold onto them for more than a day! That was just birthday week. I also recieved flowers on Friday which was a wonderful surprise as well! Everything I could ever want, everything I wanted, and it wasn't even my birthday yet! Lots of reminders during the week that I am loved, special, and that I'm not getting older but more special.

My Dad and Ellen joined me for dinner Friday night which was totally last minute. We went to Benjamin's Restaurant which was delicious. Crab cakes and fillet for me and I was a painfully full and happy girl. We had a wonderful visit and they dropped me off with Brit and Julie to go to a movie. Many of my favorites were waiting at the movie for me and we saw Megamind. It was sooo cute and funny. I didn't really know what it was going to be like but it was the $ theater so you can't go wrong. I was riding high on cloud 9 because I had a wonderful week, wonderful friends and family and was just feeling very energetic and happy. My friends then wanted to go to Sweet Frog and I was reluctant but went anyway (I was still so full from dinner!) Little did I know that one of my favorite people and a beautiful and unbelievably heavy cake was waiting for me at Sweet Frog! My very first kind of surprise bday party! All of the very young college students in Sweet Frog were really jealous of my fab bday celebration!

The rest of the weekend was filled with TONS of laughs, girl talk, basketball, poor food choices, and way too much sugar. My mom, brothers, and Cary also came down on Sunday and took me out to lunch at Cracker Barrel. I don't remember the last time my whole family came to see me in the same day so it was very special. Also everyone behaved themselves and got along!

Basically I had the best birthday weekend a girl could have. It was exhausting and wonderful all at the same time. I couldn't have asked for anything more. God has truly blessed me with a second family here in Lynchburg who love me for everything I am and everything I am not, who constantly remind me how beautiful, special, and loved I am, and who are just truly wonderful people. I needed this week and to feel this wonderful more than I realized. The past couple of months I have just been giving and giving and running out of fuel. I am now re-charged and ready to go!

I love living in Lynchburg and all the wonderful people it has introduced me to!