We're All In This Together

I'm channeling High School Musical.

No, really. I experienced two things today that really made me think about this thing we call "the world" and what humanity really is.

The first...

The large certified can of Whoop-Yo-Butt Mississippi State put on Ole Miss today to bring that sweet little (ahem...big) golden egg back home to Starkville. Y'all, work in athletics and I work game days which means I don't get to cheer a lot so in a way, I've sort of become desensitized to the yelling and screaming of it all because well, I'm forbidden to do all the yelling and screaming because I'm expected to be an unbiased professional at the "workplace".

However, when I get home, away from all the professionalism, and close to my rowdy fan of a mother, I tend to get rowdy myself. And today, I'm pretty sure I shredded my vocal chords on that last pick-six by Corey Broomfield. That sweet kid played three quarters with a separated shoulder, y'all. All to bring me that Golden Egg.

Anyway, this is why it's good to be a college football fan. You end up celebrating with complete strangers. After the game, you're at Lowe's. You get out of the car and are greeted by other State fans, yelling, "Go Dawgs!" You're at the movies. A lady notices the shirt you're wearing and asks who won. You give her the news and what does she say? "That's just like Ole Miss to lose." Ha.

The second...

I went to see 2012 at the movies with the parental units this afternoon after the Egg Bowl. I was afraid of how this movie would turn out. I was hoping it would be a little more than ohmygoodnesstheworldisending. And I should've known that these kinds of movies always have a moral to the story.

To paraphrase what one of the characters said towards the end of the movie, humanity isn't sacrificing others lives for the sake of our own. It's caring for each other in this thing we called life.

So, what is the big epiphany that I came away with today?

It is this.

In triumph or tribulation, we, humankind, come together at the end of the day. That's why it's called humankind. Human. Kind. Kind. Human. We care for each other. We share this thing called life. Together. Whether we like it or not.

Because we are human. We can't help but care for each other.

Ain't that just like God to make us care for each other and stuff.

Thankful

DVR. Gummy Bears. Grapes. Cheese Pringles. These are things I'm thankful for.

Chips and rotel at Bulldog Deli/Pepper's. The hilarity of Amanda Bynes. So You Think You Can Dance. The music of Switchfoot, Hillsong, Dave Barnes, Green Day, Dave Matthews, Brandon Heath and so many more.

I'm thankful for...

...the family I have. A mom. A dad. Still together after 32 years. Loving each other unconditionally. And teaching me how to love everyday.

...A sister who always has my back. Who completely uses her God-given gift as her ministry. Who gave me the coolest nephew ever.

...A brother-in-law who has seemed more like a real brother than an in law. Who serves the Lord in the church and out and has no less made me a secondary LSU fan.

...Friends. Young and old. Friends whom I seek out for wisdom and friends who seek me for wisdom. Growing together in the love of the Lord. Spurring each other on and keeping each other in check.

I'm thankful for...

...the job I have. That it meshes my three of my passions together into one cool gig.

...A Heavenly Father whose mercies are new every morning. Who gives me a reason to live everyday along with the breath and sustenance to live that day. Who saved me from myself so I could serve him and glorify Him. Who has completely changed my heart to align with His desires for my life.

I'm thankful for...

...the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. The only thing that can get me up early on a holiday at my age. The Rocketts. The Broadway showcase. The balloons and floats and marching bands.

...Extended family who seem more precious every time I see them.

...Mississippi State football and the Egg Bowl. GO DAWGS!

...Mississippi State basketball and Jarvis Varnado.

...Football on holidays. Period.

I'm thankful for the ability to express myself through the written word. On this blog. For the whole world to see.

What are you thankful for?

I'm profoundly apologetic that my NaBloPoMo efforts have been less than desirable. November has turned out to be both an incredibly busy month and an incredibly uncreative one in my brain. I'm sorry to say that I don't think I'll make it to 30 posts this month. I have failed. Here's to hoping I don't try to do this again.

A Good Sunday

I would like to list for you the components that made up one of the best Sundays I've had in a long while.

1. My church. Amazing praise and worship. And even better it was "choir day". (We don't have one of those "every Sunday choirs". We don't even have a choir loft.) And then my pastor continues to challenge us to live out what the bible teaches us about the new testament church living life together and bringing glory to God through making disciples and multiplying the global church and taking care of his people.

2. Lunch at Panera. Chicken salad on a croissant and sweet tea with three lemons. And great friends. Doesn't get better.

3. An afternoon on the couch catching up on my DVR.

4. An evening with Francesca Battistelli, Leeland and Brandon Heath. The Follow You Tour was at Samford's Wright Center tonight so I headed out catch some good music and praise the Lord a little bit. Or a lot bit.

Here's some photographic evidence of the night.

Leeland, Brandon Heath and Francesca Battistelli opening the show.

Francesca doin' her thing. This girl can wail!

And precious Brandon Heath. His lyrics are somethin' fierce.

So how was your Sunday?

I Made Up My Mind...I Think

Well, folks. This is it. I think.

I had several votes to keep it the same and several for this one. So since I wasn't fully satisfied with this one, I went for the second option. And I have to say, I'm pretty pleased.

It looks like this is going to be my post for the day. Sorry, NaBloPoMo. But hey, I could've just not posted.

Anyway, I'm off for a weekend full of volleyball. Let's hope I bring home a trophy. Or at least my team brings one home since I am no help whatsoever to the winning of the matches. I'm just there to report the facts and well, eat free food.

Hasta luego!

The 5,000 Question Survey (Part 1)

1. Who are you?

Hi, my name is Katie. Welcome to Walmart.

2. What are the three most important things everyone should know about you?
One: My faith in Jesus Christ is the most important thing to me. No one can ever take it away from me. If you have questions, please ask. Two: My family is the second most important thing to me. They always, always come first. Third: I love sports. Amen.


3. When you aren't filling out 5,000 question surveys like this one, what are you doing?
I should be working. I also watch recorded TV (because anything that is live is just not worth the commercials) and I love to sing, dance, and paint. But I'm usually watching a sport. See 2.


4. List your classes in school from the ones you like the most to the ones you like the least (or if you are out of school, think of the classes you did like and didn't like at the time).
Choir with my mom, AP English with Mr. Avalon, 10th grade World History with Coach Rob, Art with Mrs. Gibson, Algebra I with Mrs. T, 11th grade English with Mrs. Holcomb. The least favorites are not worth mentioning.


5. What is your biggest goal for this year?
To find something I absolutely enjoy doing.


6. Where do you want to be in five years?
Still living within driving distance of my family. Hopefully married. And working for a charity.


7. What stage of life are you in right now?
The "I want to do more" stage.


8. Are you more child-like or childish?
I'd say child-like. I think that's why I love babysitting and babysitting loves me. I never get tired of playing hide-and-seek.


9. What is the last thing you said out loud?
"Um, nope. I think I'm good."


10. What song comes closest to how you feel about your life right now?
That's hard but it's probably something by Hillsong.


11. Have you ever taken martial arts classes?
Nope but there is no end to the attempts by my dad to get me to.


12. Does your life tend to get better or worse or does it just stay the same?
Better. The more I get to know my God, the better it all becomes.


13. Does time really heal all wounds?
I don't think time does. I think maturity, understanding and forgiveness do.


14. How do you handle a rainy day?
I'd love to just stay in bed every time it rains but I usually get up and go to work.


15. Which is worse: losing you luggage or having to sort out tangled holiday lights?
Definitely losing your luggage. The only thing you lose with tangled lights is your mind, and maybe a finger. When you lose your luggage, you lose clothes. I mean, come on.


16. How is your relationship with your parents?
My parents are my most favorite people on the earth.


17. Do you tend to be aware of what is going on around you?
Yes, most of the time. I'm pretty observant and I don't think people realize that.


18. What is the truest thing that you know?
The Gospel of Jesus Christ


19. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Lots of things: a teacher, a veterinarian, a playground architect, a doctor, an orthopedic surgeon, a physical therapist, a journalist, a sportscaster, a rock star.

20. Have you ever been given a second chance?
I'm given a second chance every day.


21. Are you more of a giver or a taker?

I'd like to say giver.


22. Do you make your decisions with an open heart/mind?
Most of the time.


23. What is the most physically painful thing that has ever happened to you?
Hmm, I busted my finger open playing skeeball one time. That was pretty painful. Other than that, I sprained my knee in cheerleading practice when I was a sophomore. That was pretty gruesome.


24. What is the most emotionally painful thing that has ever happened to you?
There are several. Of course, everyone has one of "those" breakups. Then I'd say, losing a friend to death and almost losing my dad.


25. What have you hugged today?
Gosh, I haven't hugged one person.


26. Who has done something today to show they care about you?
God woke me up. My coworkers invited me to lunch.


27. Do you have a lot to learn?
Yessir.


28. If you could learn how to do three things just by wishing and not be working, what would they be?
A. Sewing
B. Surfing
C. Flying


29. Which do you remember the longest: what other people say, what other people do or how other people make you feel?
You know that old saying; it's definitely how other people make you feel.


30. What are the key ingredients to haveing a good relationships?
Honesty, humor, a love for each other


31. What three things do you want to do before you die?
I have a list of many so I'll just pick three randoms: surf, go to Australia, parasail


32. What three things would you want to die to avoid doing?
This is a weird questions and can't say that I can answer. I'll willing to try everything once before dying.


33. Is there a cause you believe in more than any other cause?
I believe in helping the helpless, feeding the hungry, educating the uneducated and saving the lost.


34. What does each decade make you think of:
20's - The Great Gatsby
30's - The Great Depression
40's - World War II and The Holocaust
50's - Poodle skirts and Grease
60's - Hippies and Civil Rights
70's - Disco
80's - Old Cosby episodes
90's - Slap bracelets and NKOTB
2000's (so far) - confusion
2010's - uncertainty


35. Which decade do you feel the most special connection to and why?
I guess the 90's because it's when I grew up


36. What is your favorite oldie/classic rock song?
Inspiration by Chicago


37. What country do you live in and who is the leader of the country?
The United State of America and Barack Obama is the president.


If you could say any sentence to the current leader of your country, what would it be?
I think it would take me a whole year to narrow that down.


38. What's your favorite TV channel to watch in the middle of the night?
There are no channels I like to watch in the middle of the night because it's all infomercials. That's why I have a DVD player.


39. What Disney villain are you the most like and why?
That's insulting. I'm not like any of those villains.


40. Have you ever been a girl scout/boy scout?
Nope.


41. If you were traveling to another continent, would you rather fly or take a boat?
Fly. I love flying.


42. Why is the sky blue during the day and black at night?
Because there is no sun at night. And that's the way God intended it.


43. What does you name mean?
Katherine means purity I think.


44. Would you rather explore the deeps of the ocean or outer space?
The ocean.


45. Word association: What is the firs word that comes to mind when you see the word:
Air: Plane
Meat: Ball
Different: Strokes
Pink: Panther
Deserve: Win
White: Black
Elvis: Presley
Magic: Wand
Heart: Breaker
Clash: Of the Titans
Pulp: Fiction


46. If you could meet any person in the world who is dead, who would you want it to be?
I actually was talking about this with some athletes last week and we all said that it would be interesting to get into Hitler's mind. To ask him some questions.


47. What if you could meet anyone who is alive?
We all know this: Michael Phelps or Tim Tebow


48. Is there a movie that you love so much that you could watch it every day?
I have several of these but The Wizard of Oz is definitely one of them.


49. You are going to be stuck alone in an elevator for a week. What do you bring to do?
A puzzle.


50. Have you ever saved someone's life or had your life saved?
I've saved a couple of flailing kids in a pool.


51. Make up a definition for the following silly words:
Fruitgoogle: A connoisseur of fruits and vegetables.
Ambytime: The technical term for counting the offbeat in music.
Asscactus: A severe medical condition.


52. What was the last thing you made with your own hands?
A grilled cheese.


53. What was your favorite toy as a child?
Either legos or Marble Works.


54. How many TV's are in your house?
Just two.


55. What is your favorite thing to do outside?
Swim or watch baseball.


56. How do you feel when you see a rainbow?
Forgiven.


57. Have you ever dreamt a dream that came true?
Yes.


58. Have you ever been to a psychic/tarot reader?
No.


59. What is your idea of paradise?
Hawaii.


60. Do you believe in God and if so what is he/she/it like?
Indescrible, uncontainable
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God.
All powerful, untameable,
Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim.
You are amazing God.


61. Do you believe in Hell?
Yes.


62. What one thing have you done that most people haven't?
I went to Honduras for a week. Most people I know haven't been to Honduras.


63. What is the kindest thing you have ever done?
I'm not one to gloat about kindness.


64. Are you a patient person?
For the most part. Maybe not as much on the road.


65. What holiday should exist but doesn't?
Katie Day!


66. What holiday shouldn't exist but does?
I'm pretty sure all holidays have a good reason for existance.


67. What's the best joke you ever heard?
I don't know.


68. Where is the most fun place you have EVER been?
There's this place called DisneyWorld. And it's kind of a big deal.


69. Is your hair natural or dyed?
Natural.


70. Do you have any deep dark secrets or are you pretty much up front?
I'm pretty much up front.


71. What is under you bed right now?
Boxes and duffle bags.


72. If you were in the Land of Oz, would you want to live there or go home?
If my family was with me, then I'm pretty sure staying would be a must. But if not, Oz would be a good vacation spot.


73. If you drive, do you frequently speed.
Yes, I'd say I frequently speed.


74. What is the world's be song to dance to?
Come On Ride That Train. It takes me back to 8th grade. Every. Time.


75. What song was on the last time you danced with someone?
Wow. It's been way to long that I don't even remember.


76. Do yo prefer Disney or Warner Brothers?
Disney


77. What is the first animal you would run to see if you went to the zoo?
The kangaroos.


78. Would you consider yourself to be romantic?
Hopeless.


79. If the earth stopped rotating would we all fly off?
Yep.


80. What is the one thing that you love to do so much that you would make sacrifices to be able to do it?
Sing and be with my family.


81. If you (and everyone) had to lose one right or freedom, but you could choose which one everyone had to lose, what would you pick?
The right to bear arms. Then no one would have guns.


82. If you had to choose, would you live on the equator or at the North Pole?
The Equator


83. Would you rather give up listeing to music or watching television?
Watching television.


84. What do you think makes someone a hero?
Risking their life to save someone else's and/or making an impact on someone's life enough to rock their whole world.


85. What cartoon would you like to be a character in?
The Powerpuff Girls


86. Name on thing that turns your stomach.
Mayonnaise.


87. What was the last thing you paid for?
Bread.


88. Are you a coupon clipper?

I try to be.


89. Get anything good in the mail recently?
The December Southern Living. Woohoo!


90. Which would you rather take in gym class: dancing, sailing, karate or bowling?
Dancing.


91. In Star Trek people "beam" back and forth between different places. What this means is they stand in a little tube and their molecules are deconstructed and sent to another tube somewhere else where they are reassembled. The only problem is when the molecules are deconstructed the person is dead. When they are put back together, it is only a clone that has all the dead person's memories. So...Is the person who gets beamed the same person on both ends?
No way.


92. What insects are you afrain of?
Spiders and scorpions.


93. If you could print any phrase on a t-shirt, what would it say?
Poo. It'll make people laugh.


94. What's the most eccentric thing you have ever worn?
A leather skirt. But I wore it for a Biker Swap in college.


95. If you could pick one food that you could eat all you wanted but it would have no effect on how much you weigh, what food would it be?
I'd say any manner of chips and dip.


96. What are your parents interested in?
Seriously, what kind of question is this? My parents are interested in a lot of different things.


97. Have you ever caught an insect and kept it as a pet?
Um, no.


Have you ever caught and tamed a wild animal?
Um, no.


98. What is more helpful to you, wishes or plans?
Neither. Wishes don't always come true and plans usually fall through.


99. When do you feel your life energy the strongest?
When I'm completely immersed in God.


100. You are spending the night alone in the woods and may bring only three items with you. What do you bring?
Toilet paper, a flashlight and a tent.

The One In Which I Lose All Readers

I've been contemplating doing this for a while now. I saw it on Holly's (she's from New Zealand) blog and thought, "Hmm, that's a killer. And could potentially make people run far, far away from my blog if I were to do that." But it's fun and could save me on a lot of days when I just. can't. be creative enough to think of something clever to put here. And really, you only live once right?

What it is?

The 5,000 Question Survey.

Yes, you read that right. 5,000. Five thousand. That's five with THREE ZEROS.

For all you non-math majors out there, in technical terms, that's a whole bunch.

I've thought long and hard about how to really go about doing this. Should I do it in increments of 50? 100? 1,000? But seriously, 50 would literally take 100 posts to do. And I think I would shoot myself if I were trying to read, much less answer, 1,000 questions in a post. Not to mention, that would be one hellaciously long post.

So 100 it is. I think I'll start tomorrow. I don't know how many I'll do a week. I'm shooting for at least once a week. The one I found online via Holly takes 51 posts. Which means if I did one a week, it would take me just under a year to do the whole thing.

We'll see how it goes.

Get ready to be bored (or entertained) by more information than you ever wanted to know about me.

Highway Patrol: Seeing Beyond The Negative

Up until Saturday, I saw all Highway Patrol as the enemy. The ones who are out to make my life a living hell. The ones who prey on young single girls who just happen to like to drive a little faster than the law deems necessary. The people who have issued me three of the seven speeding tickets that I have received since I got my license at age 16.

Well, Saturday, I gained a new-found appreciation for our men in blue. Or black. Or whatever color they wear these days.


Why, you ask?


Because, Saturday, this happened:

On my way to Tuscaloosa, Alabama (my most favorite place in the world **ahem** **sarcasm**), for the NCAA Cross Country South Regional, I was literally five miles from where I needed to be, when this happened to my tire. I had a bad feeling that this was going to happen considering my tire/wheel woes from the past week (but that's a whole 'nother blog post).

Now, flat tires don't really bother me. I mean they are an inconvenience, to say the least, but my dad made me learn how to change a flat tire before I could drive so I know what I'm doing. I've changed a flat before; I've even changed a flat while a good guy friend stood there and watched me because he couldn't do it. (Girl power!) However, I've never had a flat tire on the interstate and well, the whole cars-and-mack-trucks-flying-by-at-exceeding-speeds thing really freaks me out, not to mention I was a little upset that I wasn't going to make it to something work-related because of a busted tire. Plus, I don't have a roadside service.

I called the parents but got no answer at home or on the cell phones so I called the next best thing - my sister and brother-in-law. My sister, being the take-charge person that she is, told me to not worry about it, to tell her where I was (which I was proud to say that I was because I could drive 20-59 South with my eyes closed and know exactly where I was considering the millions of times I've driven that stretch in the past four years), and she and Bubba (my name for the BIL) would call someone. Then, being the brilliant pair that they are, they told me to call the highway patrol.

So, I did.

Within 10 minutes of when I told the nice lady on the phone where I was, HP dude came to save the day. He even brought his own fancy-shmancy jack. In 15 minutes, the busted tire was off, the spare tire was on and I was good to go. He even followed me to a service station because my spare tire was a little low. There I got free air and began my search for a new tire (FYI, don't search for a new tire in Tuscaloosa on a Saturday. No. Help. What. So. Ever.)

Anyhoo, all this to say, my disdain for the Highway Patrol has been decreased significantly.

So the next time you are stuck on the side of the interstate in Alabama, and you don't have roadside service, *HP is the way to go.

Their motto is "Courtesy, Service and Protection since 1935".

I'd say they delivered.

A Letter To Ole Miss

Dear Ole Miss,

Thanks, again, for letting the world see what "Mississippi's finest" is all about.

The lengths you go to to show the nation that Mississippi is indeed one of the least racist states in the country continue to amaze me. (end sarcasm)

To those who continue to live in an era before the 1950s, just a few opinions:

1. The South will never "rise again" because the north and the south are one nation now. Red and yellow, black and white. We are all one nation, under God. If you don't like it, move to Russia.

2. The Ku Klux Klan should be disbanned for life. The values that they stand on go against any and all that the "Bible Belt" should be proud to uphold. If you want to continue to gather, may I again say, move to Russia. I don't care what the First Amendment says. To me, you are no better than the terrorists who claim to do things in the name of Allah.

3. To the students of the University of Mississippi...as children of the 20th century and Generation X, Y, Z or whatever generation it is -- one of the most tolerant generations ever -- you should be ashamed that you are affiliated with a university that would allow the Ku Klux Klan to march on its campus in support of a stupid song. For the love of all that is right with college football, IT. IS. A. SONG. I'm sure it they took "Who Let The Dogs Out" or "Bad To The Bone" away from Mississippi State, the students wouldn't stage a protest, sitting in blazers and ties behind the goal posts. They would find a new song to create a new tradition. One that doesn't offend an entire people group. And I know what you are thinking: No, my cowbell doesn't offend cows.

Get over yourselves and become human beings.

God Is Like Whoa

Ok, sorry for that title but after what I just read, that is the only word that comes to my mind.

Remember yesterday when I told you that Jon Acuff at Stuff Christians Like was trying to raise $30,000 to build a kindergarten in Vietnam.

Wanna know what God did?

He raised that $30,000 in 18 hours. 18 HOURS!

God is like WHOA!

Now, Jon has talked to the people at Samaritan's Purse and they said that there are two more kindergartens that need to be built. If you wanted to donated but didn't get to, or forgot to, or didn't think you should and you slept on it and now you think you should, donations are now being taken to build another kindergarten. And when the money is raised for that, I'm sure they will start raising for the third.

So, go. Donate now.

Live out James 1:27.

(P.S. I didn't plan on posting twice today. I know some of you are thinking that I've gone a little overboard with this NaBloPoMo overachieving thing. But, oh, just wait. There shall come another day or two or 10 that I'll forget to post.)

Where The Air Is Sweet

When I was little, my favorite TV character -- hands down -- was Big Bird from Sesame Street. A close second was ALF but that's a whole 'nother story.

I even had a stuffed Big Bird doll that pretty much went everywhere with me. He slept with me every night and when I went to the hospital with the worst case of chicken pox the doctors had ever seen on a four-year-old, Big Bird was right there with me. I even think they gave him an IV just so I wouldn't be so scared.

Big Bird was my best friend. I cried when he turned blue in Follow That Bird because well, Big Bird is supposed to be yellow.

So, imagine my delight when I was flipping through the channels last night and Jimmy Kimmel announced that Big Bird would be his next guest. He was coming on to promote Sesame Street's 40th Anniversary, which just happens to be today. I couldn't help but stop and watch. It truly made my night. He killed. He was so funny. Take a look.





Then I changed the channel over to Jimmy Fallon and Elmo and Rosita were on with Lawrence Fishbourne. Now, this was funny. Elmo was slightly A.D.D. which I'm sure we all know is a fact and he wouldn't let Jimmy talk at all. He kept making fun of him. So funny. It made me miss my nephew. William loves Elmo.



This totally took me back about 20 years. Sesame Street was truly one of my favorite shows, as I'm sure it was for many kids. And still is. It's crazy to think how much we all learned from this show.

This Is Why I Blog...

And read blogs.

I love that there is a blog community out there that cares about living out James 1:27.

I love that there are people out there period that has committed themselves to living out this "religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless."

Jon Acuff, over at Stuff Christians Like, has committed himself and his family to doing just this. And he's asked the blog world to join him.

There's a need for a six-room kindergarten building in Hoang Then village in the Phong Tho district of Vietnam. It costs $30,000. And he wants to raise it by December 31, 2009. (And I just clicked over to the giving page and the total raised so far is $21.272.00. How about that? Click here if you want to give.)

Now, I don't have a lot of money but I do have enough to afford the internet connection that I'm using to write this blog post. (I would say my computer but I didn't exactly pay for it.)

I know it's the Christmas season now and stuff, or at least the retail world thinks so (because America never remembers that Thanksgiving and the Macy's Parade preceed Christmas), but my pastor has challenged us again this year to spend at least the same amount of money on living out James 1:27 as we would on Christmas gifts. I haven't done so well on this for the past couple of years, so I'm trying really hard this year.

Will you commit to that too?

My Purpose

Being around college students, I hear one question/statement over and over and over again.

It's one that I've asked/said so many times before, especially in the past five years.

"What is my purpose in life?/I just want to figure out what I'm here on earth for."

Wanna know the answer?

Look up Ephesians 2. Specifically verses 8-10.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Did you get that?

We are created to do good works. That is our purpose.

I've struggled the past several years with the whole faith/works issue. How does it all play together? Paul and James seem to contradict each other. But this little part of Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus clarifies it for me. It hit me like a ton of bricks on Thursday night and somehow just seemed to click like never before.

We know that we are saved by faith. If we believe with all of our hearts that Jesus died on the cross for our sins and was raised on the third day and if we confess with our mouth that he is Lord over everything, including our lives, we receive salvation. By no merit of our own. We don't deserve it. We are filthy, nasty human beings drowning in our own sin. But God showed us mercy (def: not getting the punishment we deserve) and poured his grace (def: an undeserved gift) out on us so that we could be saved from that sin. So that we could be free to live in Him. We don't have to do anything to get that salvation. It's a free gift.

That's the faith part.

Verses 9 and 10 clarify the works part. "Not by works, so that no man can baost." Therefore, we have no right to "boast" in our salvation. It's all because of God. Verse 10 says that we are "created in Christ Jesus to do good works". That is our purpose clause. Because we are alive in Christ now, we are to do good works. Good works are a result of our salvation. Let me say that again -- good works are a RESULT of our salvation, not the MEANS to our salvation. Therefore, I cannot earn my salvation through doing good things. But I can complete my salvation.

You know the story about the tree and the fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit. That means that if we are completely immersed in the purpose that God has made us for, we can do nothing but good deeds. It's just an overflow of his love in us outward.

I don't know why I felt the need to post this today. I went to bed at 8 p.m. last night which is very out of the ordinary for me. I woke up at 2:30 a.m. just thinking about these verses and this concept that I have finally grasped. My dad always tells me that if you wake up like that, that God has as reason for it.

Well, he definitely did this time.

I'm really bad at this.

Wow. I am really failing at the NaBloPoMo thing. Would you mind it if I blamed it on work?

I was at work from noon until 10:30 last night and then again from noon until 5:30 today. It's really zapped my creative juices and given me a migraine to boot.

It was a successful weekend though.

My Samford Bulldogs won their Homecoming game over Georgia Southern, 31-10.

My volleyball Bulldogs won both of their matches this weekend and clinched a share of the division title. Let's all pray we can win next weekend and take that baby for our own.

My Mississippi State Bulldogs didn't lose this weekend. They didn't play this weekend but they didn't lose.

And the Mississippi State basketball team looks like it's going to give me something to smile about this year.

I'm off to eat some Moe's and watch The Amazing Race. Go Flight Time and Big Easy!

NaBloPoMo Fail #1

So, it's only six days into NaBloPoMo and I've already failed. I know. I'm sorry.

However, I'll make up for it today with two posts and a free gift. Mkay?

Actually the free gift isn't from me. Because, well, I'm poor. And cheap. So there.

But I got Matt Wertz's new live album for free yesterday just for tweeting it and I'm listening to it today at work and I. am. in. love.

This is such a great album because it's not just Matt and Justin Rosolino singing a bunch of songs live. It includes all the funny banter in between the songs. Which, by the way, is pure gold. There are no three guys in the business that are better at inter-song banter than Dave Barnes, Matt Wertz and Justin Rosolino.

It's just good stuff.

So, go here, look at the top of the page and check out the ways that you can help Matt spread the word about his music and get the album for free at the same time.

It's totally worth it.

A Boy And His Birthday

This little guy...

Turned two on Saturday...

Had big party...

With a really cool cake.

He got lots of cool presents including this...

This...

And this was the winner.

See...

He even gave his KK a ride.

Fun was had by all.

Happy Birthday Little Boo!

Home Sweet Home

No matter where I live for the remainder of my life, Jackson, Miss., will always be home to me. And not just Jackson, my parents house will always be home to me.

I won't be going to visit my parents. I'll be going home.

Because home is where you are who you are. All of the time.

Home is where you know you're loved, without even having to hear someone say it.

Home is where you're greeted at the door with a smile, a hug so tight it makes you dizzy and a wet, slobbery kiss from the dog that you swear is annoying one minute and is the cutest little puppy in the world the next.

Home is where every single member of your family is. It's where you mind is flooded with memories the minute you step in the door, no matter how far back they take you.

Anecdotes and stories are a staple in family conversation. And there's a song for each one of them too.

I remember when I first went off to college. Although I was only an hour and a half down the road, I cried every time I pulled out of the driveway to go back to school. Everytime. For the first year. A whole year.

Now, the crying seems to have subsided. I pull out of the driveway, of a completely different house no less, but I blow a kiss, smile real big and whisper to myself, "Man, I can't wait to come back home."

I think the main reason the tears have dried up over time is not because I'm older and more mature and wise in my years. I think it's because, everywhere I go, my family goes with me.

I take them with me.

They are in my heart.

Everyone I meet knows that my dad is the strongest (and wisest) man in the world. They know my mom's smile can light up a room and that she could coach the Mississippi State football team to a championship victory is they'd let her. They know that my sister is my best friend and that her voice puts even the most top-selling artists to shame in my book. They know that my brother-in-law is a coon-ass from 'Nawlins who uses the gift God has given him to lead everyone around him in glorifying the Father through song.

And they know, boy do they know, that my nephew rules my world.

I think I've just now figured out why I love The Wizard of Oz so much. It's such a representation of how home is where we are, not where we are.

To my favorite character,

"There's no place like home."

What month is it again?

Seriously? It's November already?

If you remember, last year I participated in something called NaBloPoMo, or National Blog Post Month. That's November.

I think I fared pretty well last year and I've been hesitant to do it again this year (and actually sign up) but I figure I like challenges (no I don't) and this might get my creative juices flowing (or kill me), so why not?

I know I'm already behind a day but will the excuse that I was in my car for half of the day yesterday suffice? No. Okay.

Then how about two posts today. Maybe? Okay.

Let the fun begin.