Pandemonium

I accomplished a lot tonight. More than I ever thought I could in one night after work! I cleaned (as in swept, sanitized the entire bathroom, dusted, vacuumed, etc), cooked (which is something I rarely do!), baked cookies, did laundry, and set up my new DVD player! Okay, the only big deal here is the cooking part. I don't cook! Don't get me wrong, though, I can whip up a mean bowl of cereal, an awesome grilled cheese (just ask Kattie), and even some great pancakes! Tonight I made something random! It involved meat, vegetables, and for the random part....cream of broccoli soup. To me, that's random! I'm not too creative in the kitchen, but I was proud! I didn't use a recipe! Nope, just my ideas! Anyway, it actually tasted pretty good! I was impressed! I would have preferred a bowl of cereal with sliced banana instead, but oh well! 

Not exactly pandemonium....but I like that word! :)

Paramedics please...

Life has been crazy lately. I've been super busy, and I love it! Well, for the most part. I've been playing a lot of softball. It's been pretty great! I love my team, the sport, and the exercise that goes along with it. You can't beat that! Last night's softball game went a little different than usual. For the good news...I hit a "home run" and got 3 people home not including myself. Bad news, I supposedly didn't touch first base and I was out! Not cool! I totally touched first base! Later, I was on second base and definitely in the moment of the game! I twisted my knee and fell to the ground in a lot of pain! Okay, I have felt pain like that before but never as instant as it was last night. I was carried off the field but eventually was able to get back on my feet. My knee hurts pretty bad today, but definitely bearable! After all that, we won!!!!

Impossible Sadness?

As I think to myself, talk to God, and have conversations with people, I have started to realize that it's impossible for me to be sad right now (not prior to this post). Maybe I am stretching my imagination a little bit, but I believe that's where I am with all the changes that are occurring. I feel as though, there is no way for me to be sad. Maybe it's the fact that reality hasn't had a chance to fully sink in. If that's the case, I'll let you know in a couple of weeks if this post was a lie. It's from the heart, though. As much as I will miss Catalyst Church and everything/everyone that came with it, I'm happy. I honestly just realized that tonight.

I like to think that our lives are just a bunch of chapters. If I were to take a second to look back a few chapters, I would see how good God has been to me. Despite all the "bad" stuff that might have happened, something better has always come. God has always been on my side (and yours), and He always wants what is best for me (and you). I keep thinking how funny it will be a year from now, to look back on this chapter and be able to smile. Smile as we think of all the good things that came after the storm. 

I look at my life as a book that started out bad, and will end with the best ending no novelist can think up...except my God. All the in between stuff, that's just the road we must take to get to the "good stuff!" Huh....reminds me of a Kenny Chesney song, The Good Stuff. Okay, maybe not! 

Fun in the...OFFICE

I spend 7.5 hours a day at work. I think we all deserve a little playtime! You can't sit around and just work all day...that's the craziest thing I've ever heard! So, here at the office we like to play pranks. A couple that I have done are: page yourself over the intercom...to call your own extension, call someone in the office and say, "Hi ____! This is Jennifer. I just called to tell you I can't talk right now. Bye.", and my favorite one....hang toilet paper out of your pants (of course it needs to look used) and walk around. I did the TP prank on my boss. I went in to talk about work and when I turned to leave she noticed the TP. She hesitated to tell me and all I could do was bust out laughing! Great day in the office!

That was a few weeks ago. Today is a little slow in the office so we decided to do more pranks. A girl googled "office dares" and found - make 15 copies of a paperclip, put it back in the copier so that when someone makes copies there is a paperclip in the middle of the page. Well, we did that this afternoon. Someone went to the copier so I of course gathered my "posse" to see what happened. I gotta tell ya! I didn't think it would be as funny as it was! The ones who knew, my "posse" were all playing along very well. We were "trying to figure out what was wrong." It went on for a few minutes and finally they tried to figure out what was wrong by basically tearing the thing apart! So, I stepped in and said "here, I think I know!" :) Yeah, it was great stuff! You probably had to be there and know the people we played the prank on, though. 

Oh, and there is a blog about office pranks. Go here.

Fears

Despite everything going on, it's been a good week. I'm trying to trust God with what's coming. It's hard to stop thinking about, which is why I talk about it all the time! As far as what is going to happen over the next little while, I know that is in the hands of my God. 

One of the hardest things to deal with are the questions people have. People who didn't attend Catalyst or who don't attend church anywhere. It's hard for me to grasp the fact that this wonderful thing has come to an end, much less the unchurched. A friend (who does not attend Catalyst) told me that if she had called Catalyst her "home" that she would probably not go to any other church. That, along with Casey and so many others, is my fear. I pray that God helps those people find a church to call "home," but never let them forget the impact that Catalyst had on them. 

Another fear I have is for me to become a slacker. I fear that I am going to slack off when it comes to investing and inviting. It's been a thought in the back of my mind from the moment I heard that Catalyst was closing. Where will I invite my friends? How will I introduce my Savior to them? Can I do that without the help of Catalyst? No matter how hard it may be, that cannot be an option for me (or anyone for that matter). I must continue investing in my unchurched friends. I must continue praying for those friends. I must continue inviting them to church. 

May God guide CCers as they search for another church. 

Hard Times

It's been a hard week. I've been in denial all week, but I think it finally hit me today. What I'm feeling is real and it's okay to cry. It's okay to show my emotions. As much as it hurts and as hard as it is, it's gonna be worth it in the end. God has something wonderful planned, and I can't wait to be a part of it. It's no fun having your heart ripped out, your family taken away, and left to trust God with your future. What other choice is there, though? I would much rather have God handle all the decisions in my life, it's easier that way! 

To be honest with you, I'm already trying to figure out the future. What does this mean for me? What does this mean for all my friends? Where will we go? What does this mean for Greenville? All I know for sure is...I don't know what's going to happen in 1 month from now. I'm in the dark, and that's okay. 

I will be praying for everyone who is dealing with this loss. You will get past this, no question about it. Everyone is hurting in different ways and for different reasons. Whatever you're hurting about, just know that God won't leave your side. He's with you, trust Him to get you through this time. 

GO TEAM!

I'm playing softball again! It's one of the greatest things ever! Tonight was our first game...and the first time meeting my teammates! Except for my boss. I just found out she was on my team. She can hit a ball! Let me tell you! I have a great team, though. We had a lot of fun. I was put on first base for the last two innings. I like first base. To me it's the most fun. You get a lot of action. Well, tonight I did my first split, and not by choice! In order to get the runner out, I had to do a split...I got her out with my toe! Haha! It was pretty hilarious, because if you know me, I've never done anything so crazy in my life!  Mostlikely never going to be able to do that again! I am definitely gonna hurt tomorrow, but it was worth it! 

Oh yeah....WE WON!

Facing reality

Sometimes it is hard for me to face reality. As often as I hear it, I try to ignore it. Of course, not if that "something" is good. I'm all about the truth that makes me happy! It's the truth that hurts or the truth that is sad or hard to grasp. It's something that I want to have the power to change. I will pray and beg God to change His course a little bit, but after that I try to forget about it. 

Instead of just praying about it, I want to brainstorm. I want to help. I want God to use me to turn this not-so-good thing into something great! He can do it. There is no doubt in my mind! I don't know what His plan is, but it's there. He definitely has a hold of it. So, I am going to trust Him!

Drank much lately?!

Click on "D.U.I." below. It's hilarious and stupid at the same time!

D.U.I.

Tick Tock Tick Tock

Are you tired of waiting? Waiting to hear from God. Waiting for the right person to come along. Waiting for that promotion. Waiting...waiting...waiting. For the majority of us waiting is the hardest thing to do. That might have something to do with our culture, but we will save that for another day. It was the same way for Saul. 1 Samuel 28 reveals how Saul got tired of waiting. What did he do? In 1 Samuel 28:7, he said to his servants, "Find me a woman who is a medium so I may go and ask her what will happen." Just prior to that, in 1 Samuel 28:3 we learn that he "had forced out the mediums and fortune tellers from the land." Wow! What an impatient guy! He did the very thing he was against! 

There is a lot to be learned from Saul in this chapter. Waiting isn't the easiest thing in the world, but it's always worth it in the end. Although God's timing is perfect, he doesn't worry Himself with watching the clock. So why should we? Who cares if it is taking 3 days instead of 1 day to hear from God? What does it matter if it takes 2 years instead of 6 months to get that promotion? I'm sure God was preparing you for something you weren't ready for a year and a half ago. If you've been waiting 26 years for God to bring you your Mr. Right...that's okay. God knows what He is doing. By the way, He's been doing it for a long time! 

Shift your focus a bit and focus on the things God has for you right now. Focus on the answers God has already given you. Don't miss out because you are too focused on the next question for God to answer?

I am small....

God is so amazing and so BIG! I always knew He was/is HUGE, but Louie Giglio helps me begin to understand just how magnificent God is. When you hear that Earth - our huge world - is only a small part of the Milky Way Galaxy and that the Milky Way Galaxy is only a small part of God's universe, you begin to see how big He is and how small you are. Go check out Louie Giglio's, Significant Insignificance.

I can't comprehend all of it. I see the pictures and hear the facts but I can't wrap my small brain around it. God made me and loves me, yet I am so small compared to His world. It's sometimes hard to believe but that's where faith comes in. I cannot know everything about God. I cannot understand how God can make the world we live in (and the universe) in 6 days! If you try to picture how that looked when God spoke everything into being, you eventually give up. God is BIG, we aren't supposed to know everything!

"'To whom then will you liken Me that I would be his equal?' says the Holy One. 'Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these stars, the One who leads forth their host by number, He calls them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, Not one of them is missing.'" Isaiah 40:25-26

Movin' on up!!

Today was the BIG moving day! Thank you Casey, Brant, Jake and Kattie! I owe you some mardi gras wings!!!! As much as these guys did today, I owe them more than that! We got everything onto the trailer and there were black clouds and lightning all around us! I had been praying all day that it wouldn't rain, but knew God might have other plans (and He did). So, I ran to K-mart to get some tarp. The 30 minute drive turned into almost an hour. We stopped several times - at a car wash, then at a bank drive-thru - to fix the tarp. Lots of laughter and tears....well almost tears on my part!  I don't have a bed to sleep on tonight, but that's okay. The good part is we had fun anyway! 

Praise God for friends....and rain!

Shout out!

I want to give a shout out to some of my favorite people. These few people are my heroes in a way. They make me take a step back and realize what is most important in life. They are faithful, courageous, hard-working, and believe that God is up to something BIG! They are some of the most humble people I know. They are not looking for praise or a "shout out," but I want them to know they are appreciated. Individually their lives produce great amounts of encouragement (to me). I'm not sure if that statement makes sense, but I'll go with it anyway. These people are the people that God uses to make Catalyst Church happen. The staff and their spouses have incredible passion and child-like faith! So, here's to you Casey, Julie, Jake, Kristi, Ryan, Sarah, Ryan and Courtney! Here's to you!

I am praying for each of you!

"I love rock-n-roll!!!!

Put another dime in the juke box baby!"

I love music! I could listen to music 24/7! I'm not necessarily the person who "finds" great musicians. I'm not the girl who "hears it first" among my friends. However, I am beginning to find things on my own (not necessarily first). The only reason is because I have started watching/listening to VH1 in the morning as I get ready for work. They play some great music during that time. Here are just a couple of artists that I enjoy (whether it's one or all of their songs):

Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
Yael Naim - New Soul (MacBook Air Commercial)
Paolo Nutini - Million Faces
Ingrid Michaelson - The Way I Am

Go check them out if you haven't already!

No way!!

22 So, I never knew there were 238 colors like Jake pointed out. I tried it, and I didn't do as well as he did! See if you can beat my score, or Jakes score of 26! Let me know how you did! I want to see how many colors you really know! It's pretty crazy how many different names they have! Click on the picture above and take the test!

Celebrate Good Times....COME ON!

So, my birthday is March 23. Yes, that is Easter this year! I know that's exciting, and I don't doubt why, but my mom made it a point to remind me a hundred times that my "birthday is on Easter this year!" Well mom, you aren't the only one that has gotten excited about that! :)

I love my birthday for many reasons. Want to hear them?!

1. I was born!
2. It's in the Spring! (best season ever!)
3. March is just a happy month!
4. My birthday usually lasts about 1 1/2 to 2 weeks!
5. Gifts! Who doesn't enjoy a gift(s) on their birthday!?
6. I get to choose where I have my birthday lunch...and I choose....drum roll please...
CHICK-FIL-A!

So, I'm going to start the celebration!

Busy busy bee!

Busy, busy weekend! Friday I packed, helped my roommate move some of her stuff, went out to dinner, and then tried to go dancing (there was too much rap music!). Saturday I went to lunch with my future employers (for the nanny job), then sat in a basement to stay safe from all the tornadoes, drove to Atlanta (in the storm) for a wedding and danced 'til my feet hurt! It was some kinda fun! I got 5 hours of sleep, got up and went to church. Left church early and went to meet my old roommate and her husband and child for lunch. I also went on a little walk tonight, which was much needed! Oh yeah, and in the middle of all that, I am dogsitting and trying to pack for my big move! 

Stealing Cinderella

Last night was so much fun! I finally got out and did something exciting! Might I add....it was FREE! Yes, it was a FREE concert @ the Blind Horse Saloon last night! Whiskey Falls, Chuck Wicks, and Trent Tomlinson. As we were walking up to get in line, Chuck Wicks was standing by the buses giving out autographs and posing! I got a little picture with him. Yes, he's pretty good-looking! We had a great time!

We also ran into a friend from church...who is a bouncer at the Blind Horse. Yes, I felt rather safe!

Anyway, we had fun and I am definitely going back! Can't wait to go line dancing! Yes, you heard me! I love line dancing! I am a country girl at heart!

Thank you WSSL 100 for giving a free concert!

Truth or Dare?

Dare please!

I am watching The Moment of Truth and sometimes I want to change the channel! The questions they ask are way too personal! How could you, knowing the questions they have to choose from, ever agree to participate?! Obviously we hope that you have some good answers that will not risk relationships, but do you think they would choose you to be a contestant if you didn't?! NO! They want the ones who can get some Oooohs and Aaaahs from the audience!

The girl on right now is doing pretty good, because she has pretty good explanations. I mean, it doesn't change the truth, but it helps cover it up a little. Would you really risk everything that mattered in life for a few thousand dollars? I could never! Especially if I knew the truth was hard to say/hear.

So....truth or dare?

Ugly Duckling

"But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'" 1 Samuel 16:7

What a great verse! The Lord says so much in these few sentences he spoke to Samuel. This verse was a constant reminder of God's love for me, no matter what I looked like on the outside. Somehow this verse got covered up by a lot of the material things in my life. I began caring about what others thought of me by changing the way I looked. I changed my hair and actually took time (too much time) fixing it every morning. I began wearing more make-up to cover up the things I didn't like about myself. Of course, I am not going to go back to what I was before by not caring about myself and my appearance. I think it's okay to fix your hair and put on make-up. The only problem is when it becomes more important to you than anything else. 

God does not worry Himself with the way we look, so why should we? He only cares about the heart. If we are right with the Lord, our appearance doesn't matter to Him.

Be careful when you begin judging people by their appearance. I am sure you had a time in your life when you were the one being judged (MS/HS?). Stop. Think before you speak. What really matters?

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14