It was a great night! I wish I had taken more pictures!! Thanks to everyone who was able to come! and to those who weren't there...know that you were missed!
Andrew Peterson, Mindy Smith, Pierce Pettis, Phil Medeira, Ron Block, Sandra McCraken, Derek Webb, Jill Phillips, Andy Gullahorn...Andrew Osenga (formerly of The Normals), Ben Shive, Cason Cooley, and many others.
It was the "Behold the Lamb of God" tour at The Ryman...and it was one of the MOST amazing worship/musical experiences of my life. The Lord's presence was heavy through the music and it was UNBELIEVABLE!!
Just an FYI- it will be in Trussville, AL on Dec. 18th and I think anyone who reads this should go! Seriously, GO!
And I wish this one would show up better...but papa schwee is still on the tree...what a great memory of hanging this one on the tree a few years ago...and OF COURSE it had to make a reappearance!!!
Girlfriend- I think you might have been in the 8th grade in this one...and Yes..it made it to the tree as well...
We just bought our first Christmas tree!!! This is Dawn, Liz, Garrett and I after we bought our tree at Lowe's!!
So it was 19 degrees this morning when I walked out of my apartment!! YIKES!!! Praise God!! Fall is here!!! I LOVE Tennessee in the fall! Amazingly beautiful. I'll post pictures soon!
AND...Next week is Thanksgiving! Oh my gosh! I cannot and WILL NOT contain my excitement about going home to see my friends and family!!
Let's see how well this'll work...
From time to time there are lyrics within a song that get stuck in my head, these are ten that frequently find themselves hanging out in there...
Let's see how well you know my taste in music if you can figure these out (no cheating!!..how well do you know these off the top of your head)...
1. "I miss you, I guess that I should"
2. "what the hell is going on?"
3. "standing on the edge of the begining and end"
4. "I found my strength in forgiving you, I never even dreamed how far my heart could go."
5. "and if it ever was there and it left, it doesn't mean it was never true."
6. "sing me to sleep"
7. "you just might find if you give it time you will wave hello again"
8. "honey, surely one of us is crazy"
9. "take a look at my face for the last time"
10. "Doesn't mean everything must change"
BONUS: "I was always taught well, be the strong one, keep it inside"
Alright...let's see it...GO!
Hey Friends!!
Just want to update you on whats going on in my world, and how maybe you can help spread the love of Christ to children over seas.
I work for a non-profit organization called Operation Christmas Child. Every year we collect over 8 million shoe boxes full of unused toys and other items to send to children in countries all over our world!! Collection week is coming up Nov. 14-21st and I just couldn't not use this opportunity to spread the word.
You can help!! All you need to do is find an old shoe box (or a plastic box from wal-mart thats about the size of a shoe box) and fill it with toys and other items and take it to a drop off location near you. Each box will get sent to a child in a foreign country, along with a gospel message in their language. If you go to www.samaritanspurse.com it will give you a list of suggested items and also has a zip code locator, so you can type in your zip and find the closest place to drop off your box. Seriously guys, you have no idea the difference this tiny little shoe box can make in a child's life, especially a child that has nothing. I just want to encourage all of you to do at least one shoe box!!
P&L.
leland.
These are all pictures from "trunk or treat" at Rolling Hills this Sunday afternoon! It was SO fun and all the kids looked SUPER cute!!
Whelp..I realized I never talk about work on this thing so why not. I'm here right now...So I'll tell you what's going on.
Lance, my boss, is on a conference call right now. So I'm sitting in our front office with my ipod in listening to some, ever so faithful, Andy Davis. Wishing I had brown eyes, and I could be more spontaneous and drive to the beach, then laughing so I don't cry. I just went to target on my lunch break and bought some yummy archer farms trail mix and a bottle of water. The other guy I work with, Chris, he's not here today. I kinda miss him. He tore his ACL and had to have surgery this morning.
Let me tell you about Chris. Chris is like a "wise old man." Everyday I come in and tell him my problems, as if he were my psychiatrist or something. He's 30 and still single, and he goes to Fellowship Bible Church (gosh, it sounds like a personal add or something). He has an amazing gift of listening and speaking truth into people's lives. He truly is a blessing in my incredibly mundane life.
Now, Lance. Lance might be 32? and he's kinda the boss around here. He's a little guy and he's married and has a little girl, Sydney (like Bristow...I think she might grow up to be a special agent). He's cool, but we don't talk much.
Anyway, I just read erin's blog (very nice job by the way, kiddo) and it made me start reminiscing (just like everyone else) about old times. I miss everyone so much!
I had a breakdown this past weekend, just about life. I know I told some of you I might be going back to school to get my masters. Well, I'm not. Ever since I thought about it I think I started getting depressed bc it meant I was giving up on my dreams and giving up on the calling the Lord has put on my life. I was beginning to believe the lies that God wasn't faithful or trustworthy. The truth is He is! I could go back to school and be a teacher for the rest of my life and be "fine." but who wants to live a life that's just "fine."?!?! NOT ME!!! We only live once...and for me...that means walking down the straight and narrow and trusting Him when my way seems lost..all along knowing that He knows the way home and He will get me there! The Lord's story is SO BIG and all I want is to fufill my tiny little role. I want to be so hard core after Him that it means forsaking everything else just to follow Him.
SO...what that looks like for the future and on a day to day basis...you'll need to call me on that one.
P&L
-leland.
So...I must say...I'm sorry to all my fellow OC watchers, such as han, rach, bill, D, jen and MC...but I must say either this season is SUPER disappointing or it's jut not the same with out you girls and Johnny Carino's.
So, alas, I've found myself another television addiction...LOST. It's amazing! If you haven't seen it, tun in! It comes on Wed. nights at 8 on ABC. There's a family here that tivo's it and then a bunch of us twentysomethings go over to their house and watch it. Lots a fun! I think it's the people you're with that make it so enjoyable!
So..i just spent an amazing weekend (4 days) in Auburn and in Montgomery! What a fabulous time it was!
Here are some pictures of the beautifully wonderful people I'm am priveledged to be related to...
Ok guys...since you all know how much I LOVE music, esp. new artists. I decided I would list my top twelve (it was ten, but I couldn't leave some of these folks out) favorite songs RIGHT NOW (like this very moment...these can vary depending on mood, attitude, and so on...you get my point)
In no particular order...
1. Sleeping with the lights on- Teitur
2. Ever After You- The Gabe Dixon Band
3. A Home- Maia Sharp
4. Feels Just Like It Should- Jamiroquia
5. Lately- David Gray
6. Fix You- Coldplay (NO DUH!)
7. Outsider- The Daylights
8. Hide and Seek- Imogen Heap
9. It's the Night Time- Josh Rouse
10. Don't Get Comfortable- Brandon Heath
11. Like the Last Time- Matt Wertz
12. You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go- Madeleine Peyroux
wow...two days in a row..Just call me butter cause I'm on roll!! ha!
Here i am again. I've found myself in my favorite little local coffee shop listening to my "coffee shop" mix on itunes, that consists of my favorites, such as david gray, ryan adamas, david mead, coldplay, counting crows...all the greats. It's raining outside and on days like today I can't help but let my thoughts wander.
I've been getting slack from some of you about how my blogs leave me too exposed to the world wide web. So I could just post some BS about how life is, or I could get real and tell you whats really going on.
I'm confused, content, loving, cozy, deeply thinking, missing someone, joyful, sad, at ease, peaceful, wondering, hungry, prideful, jealous, healing, seeking, wanting, and growing up. As I look over the adjectives that I just listed I kinda wonder how I could be all those things at once, but I am. And I am where I am. And I like it and I don't all at the same time. So that's where I am today.
Thanks for letting me get my feelings out through a stupid blog. It's some type of release for me.
I'll leave you with one of my favorite lines from a song, ever...
"there's things I remember, there's things i forget, i miss you i guess that i should..."
So, I just read John's blog about jackopierce and I can't stop crying. Seriously, it's uncontrolable. So I'm asking myself the question of "why did that hit so close to home?" Is it because I miss my friends? Is it because I'm just being a stupid girl on emotional overload? Is it because sometimes you just wish you could step back in time to be able to appreciate the sweet pureness of a moment?
There is nothing like being with good friends, who know you, and love you, and challenge you to live a life worthy of the calling! I'm learning a lot about "the calling." I'm actually trying to figure out what "the calling" is all about. Strange enough, I went to the ordination of my good friend and boss, Michael Kelley. When he got up to speak about his calling he said, when he does what he has been called to do he feels as if God stands up and says "now this is what I had in mind when I created you." What a beautiful thought and a beautiful place for him to be. Maybe I am on emotional overload because when he said that tears began streaming down my face, and his, and practically every other person in the room. But there's something about that statement that hit the core of me. Something within my spirit rose up and said "surrender." Surrender what I thought I had in mind to what He has in mind. Even though what I've had in mind is good and worthy it is not what He had in mind. I trust Him to lead me through this time, this season of discovery.
I miss you, dear friends! I miss the not having to explain "my story". I miss just getting to "be." And it's because of you and your love for Him that overflowed that I am where I am now and I'm doing what I'm doing and I'm entering this new exciting season!
Much love and peace...
leland.
Dear lele~ I love you. I think you are the best thing since sliced bread. Thank you for hanging out with me on Thursday nights at 7 to watch the oc. You make me smile:) I've never met anyone like you. You have such a heart for people and I believe God was showing off when He made you! You are truly amazing and I consider it a honor to call you my friend. I can't believe we've only known each other a month.. TODAY! AHH...All the memories! Late night sonic trips, Mission "save lele from the football game", Singing gangstaz paradise,rollerblading in Wal-mart, plunging your toilet.. gross, 5 o'clock conversations on IM, late night convos, Christmas in September, it's a grind, facebook, reading psalms, being the referee for kelsey vs. amy fights, boy talks, refuge in the park, writing/singing songs in my car, the 20 question game, and SOOOOO many more to come! (Like Christmas in New York city!!) Love, Amy
So tonight my friend Amy and I decided we'd start Christmas early. We dressed up in our sweaters, scarves, drank gingerbread chai's (Christmas in a cup) and watched "Elf"!! It was an amazing night!!! We contemplated going to find a Christmas tree and putting it up....
So here is a picture of our fun night of pre-Christmas cheer!! Hope you enjoy....
So today I was talking with one of my favorite people in the whole world. And we were talking about love. Mainly loving people, and wanting to genuinely LOVE them!
As of lately, I've felt fake in my love. I felt like in some form or fashion I've been loving people, but it's been a fake love. A love that doesn't come from my love for Him, but for a need to impress. Impress who? I'm not sure. Maybe just to impress myself. Maybe it's a way to make me feel better about myself. Another good deed to check off the list..."love people...Check...whew...i feel much better about myself now." I mean what's with that?!?!
As I was conversing with my very wise friend, he told me that genuine love for people overflows from an intimate love of Father. As I left the conversation on that thought, I of course went for a ride in the car. In my ride, I was talking with Father. And I think just like with everything it starts with faith. Faith in believing that He is who He says He is. And that if our desires match up with Him then He is more than willing to overflow with love through us. He wants to love His people! He DOES love His people! And He wants to use us, His children, to love one another. It seems like the simplest thing that I learned when I had to have been about four. But "love one another." That's just it! He says but the greatest of these is love! LOVE!
I want to love people. I want my love for Him to permeate from my chore to every inch of me! I want people to see His love in my eyes, in my touch, in my laugh, in my tears! I want people to know of His love more than anything else! And I want to be broken for them! Broken from genuine love! He first loved us! And as I think about the cross of Christ, I think of how His body was broken for us out of love for the Father. In the same way I want to imitate Him in my love.
I'm still learning everyday the simplest of things. But I know, above all else LOVE! Because they will know we are His by the way that we love.
Ok...Ok...So I know at least one of you has been anxiously awaiting my new post (dianne). So here it is...(just for you, d, bc i miss you so much).
I've found that this new life I have begun has felt somewhat bittersweet. It's hard when you're old friends are SO wonderful, but the new ones you're making are equally as great. It's so hard to go from living life with people to catching up over a phone conversation maybe once a month. So, as nature has it, we begin to live life beside new people. And as you go through your daily routine the people who walk beside you are the one's that are going to know you the best at that point.
Life is changing. Everyday I'm learning something new about myself, about my God, and about people in general. Lately the Lord has been teaching me to be exactly where I'm at. I have a natural tendency to get ahead of myself. But, recently I've learned to rest in the day, to not get ahead of myself, and to allow the Holy Spirit to work through me in what He has before that day. Oh, I have big dreams and just because I'm resting in the day doesn't mean that I'm giving up on my future. But each day the Lord gives me a glimpse of His vision. And as long as I rest secure that where He has me at this very moment is exactly where I'm supposed to be, then I am being obidient to His calling for today.
We are growing up. Friends are walking down the isle, seeing life form inside them, buying houses, moving to california... I think somewhere along the way I tricked myself into thinking I lived in "neverland", where we'd never grow up, and things would always stay the same, and the worse thing that could happen would be our daily battle with captain hook, but as luck would have it, each day goes by faster than the one before and one day we'll have grandkids and look back and think where did the time go?
Make the most of each day. Time goes by so quickly, but at the end of my life, how close or far away that might be, I want to know that I lived each day to it's fullest and that He was glorified in it all.
So, I decided to surprise my mom for her birthday and drive home for the weekend.
I quietly snuck in the back door of my house, while my mom stood with her back to me probably cleaning the oven or something. As the door opened she slowly turned around and with an awe struck look on her face screamed, "lele!" She had no idea I was coming. Which meant that my two brothers and sister had done a great job keeping their mouths shut, which is totally out of character for them.
It's so great to come back to a place where every where you go you see people you know and love. I went to the movies on a Friday night expecting to see the world. And just as I predicted I saw everybody! I saw my friends from high school's parents, kids that were in the youth group I used to work with, parents of the kids in the youth group. It was an all round good night!
There's nothing like coming home. I love being able to sit around in the kitchen with my mom and sister and talk until our eyes are so tired they can barely stay open. I love the look on my youngest brothers face when he busts in the house after a night out to see me sitting on the couch. I love the feeling of his arms around me as he gives me the biggest hug he can possibly conjur up. Needless to say, I love my family. They never cease to amaze me with their love. They are always so accepting and yet never let me settle for anything less than what I should be. They are constantly pushing me towards Christ and doing their best to encourage me to live a life in His image. They see my dreams, almost more vividly than I do at times, and will never let me give up until I reach them. They are amazing people. I feel so blessed to know them, much less be related to them.
My cup truly runneth over.
so here i am writing my first blog ever. i sit here wondering if i even have anything interesting to say (and i don't). or if i'm just posting because a few of my friends do it, and it seemed like something cool to do with my totally unstructured life.
speaking of unstructured life, i just got back from leading worship at a camp. i must say, after spending ten days with the same wonderful people and being at camp constantly surrounded by people except while i'm sleeping, i return to the mundane of everyday life and i feel so lonely. it's horrible, i tell you!! just horrible! i miss my friends, and i miss getting to do what i love and i find my self having withdrawals. after talking with they guys, i have found that we all seem to feel this way. i guess thats what happens when you get to do what you love and then it's over.
alas (yes, i said alas), i'm trying to live everyday to the fullest knowing good and well that the Lord has me exactly where i am for His reasons and to fully rely on Him for fullfillment. He is good! and I love Him for that and for so many other things.
well, i did it! my first blog.
enjoy.
