Son of a bee sting, Mother frito...

There are many unsaid rules of being a christian here in the bible belt (many of which I do not agree with, some I do...."work out your OWN salvation with trembling and fear"-Phillipians 2:12...booya)
Rule #1-Do not consume alcohol...ever... do not pass go...do not collect 200 dollars, even though I think this problem is pretty much isolated to the South. I think if you take anything to the extreme it's a bad thing (shopping, gossiping, eating, etc.). I don't think you are going to hell if you have a beer (please see scripture mentioned above, it's different for everyone)

Rule#2-Tithe, this one I believe with my whole heart, there is nothing more joyous than trusting God with everything...including your finances

Rule#3-Be at church everytime the doors are open...personally I think we need to get outside the four walls and interact with people, you know do what Jesus did, love people and meet them where they are. Somehow I don't think Christ envisioned his bride (the church) to be a lazy broad who sits at home in her bath robe...

Rule #4-Do no curse, cuss, swear, whatever you want to call it....don't do it...just don't....I personally am not pro-cursing or anti-cursing. I think if all people have to worry about it is a few four letters words...they might should re-prioritize. I think ironic cursing is funny...sorry...I don't think that makes me any less of a Christ follower...I do, however, become annoyed when I think that's all people say. I just wanna shake em by the shoulders and tell them to read a book, it increases your vocabulary.

Rule#5-Love people. It's true. A life postured after Christ is a life full of love for the human race. We don't try to be perfect, or at least I don't, it's impossible and tiring. A constant prayer is for God to break my heart for what breaks him.

I know the church has really screwed some things up. Some really great churches have been lumped in with some really crappy churches. I think we are on the verge of a new awakening. People are finally starting to get it. Even here in the bible belt. We have a way to go...but at least we are moving forward.

The one where you laugh and laugh and laugh....

"I would love to see U2 in 3D but I'll probably have nightmares about Bono's glasses taking over my body."

Can I just say that I love my friends. A lot. My friends are my family. They are the people I lean on when I start to tumble over. I have been immensely blessed with people that will call me out when I do something stupid, love me when I'm hurting, and make me laugh harder than a marathon of The Office. I am never bored with these people. They say that you should only be able to count your true friends on one hand....well, I need both my hands, and perhaps a foot. My friends say random, crazy, ridiculous, and inappropriate things. That is certifiably the thing I love about them the most. The above quote is something a friend of mine said to me last night. We are going to see the U2 concert in 3D at Tinseltown because a) I have a giftcard b) those cool 3D glasses and c)what could be better than a 30ft version of The Edge. I won't be cliche' or cheesy, but God really does place people in your life. I'm not saying that God revolves everyone else's world around mine but that we are all instrisically involved with one another. It's a system of checks and balances. I like the system. It's worked out pretty great so far. They say you never really keep the same friends. I say let's debunk that myth....

“Here is the deepest secret nobody knows.Here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud And the sky of the sky of a tree called life;Which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide. And this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart.I carry your heart.I carry it in my heart.”

E.E. Cummings

Today is Valentine's Day. I have always been indifferent about this holiday. I have had Valentines that have brought me flowers and taken me to fancy dinners. I have had Valentines Days when I was just with my friends and that was grand. I think the emphasis on this holiday is that it is for people who are in relationships. It's for people who kiss and hold hands and make babies together. Yes, it is for those people, but what are the other people supposed to do. The majority I believe don't mind being single on a days such as this. I think people who are in a relationship look at the poor single people and pity them. Poor single people who are alone on this day of love. I believe we are supposed to love the other 364 days in the year. I don't think love calls for special holidays or flowers. I think it calls for finding the wonderful in the mundane areas of life. Love isn't about how much I can buy and spend. Yes, granted, people do like to be acknowledged and appreciated but don't just do it on this day because it's a government issued holiday. I would trade all the flowers, gifts, and fancy dinners in the world to love someone who makes me laugh on an ordinary Tuesday as opposed to showering me with gifts on a holiday. I guess a lot of people will probably disagree with me and that's fine. I plan on having a wonderful time tonight with friends who make me laugh and bring me joy.

The times they are a changing....

I like looking retrospectively at my life. I like to do this in one year increments. I can look back a year now in my life and it's always so different year to year. This is one of the things that gives me joy in my life. Things are always changing. I'm an advocate for change. I sometimes think that if we aren't changing then we are being stagnant and irrelevant. I love looking back and seeing who I was close to and who I'm close to now; if I was in a relationship or single. Now this is the conundrum I find myself in. These words above are true. I believe what I just typed, however, there is something beautiful about not changing. I think there is something mystical about being still and just appreciating life. Sometimes I feel like I have a healthy mix of this at other times I feel like my life couldn't be more opposite.

I can't believe I am graduating in two semesters. This will be the biggest change that I could possibly go through with the exception of motherhood and being a wife. This college life feels like it has been going on forever and went by as if I was going through some warp zone. I feel like an adult and a child. I am excited and terrified. I feel prepared and ill-prepared at the same time. Is that normal? I don't think anyone is ever ready for massive changes like that. I think it just all has to do with how you handle them, a person's attitude if you will. I plan to take it in stride pretty much like everything in my life. I guess we'll see how it all pans out. I'll just enjoy where I'm at in my life now.