Minnesota Nice

my brother is a blogger genious....thanks to him..i now have comments again..so you can all give me random shout-outs.....

ok...now for some random updates on my west coast life...

1. it's a far cry from the 15 below weather all of your are experiencing in IL...sorry....just hold on..only about a month of winter to go....for you.....p.s. i'm wearing flip flops...(or thongs..as they are weirdly refered to)

2. i cant talk on my cell phone before 9pm...cause at only 2 weeks into my billing cycle..i. had already gone over my minutes....so i have to ride out this cycle till my upped minutes take into effect on feb 7th...so....sorry, if you call..i cant talk unless you have verizon mobile to mobile minutes..i have 1000 of them to burn... :)

3. i ate so many carbs yesterday....i took one whole day and cheated on atkins...i was at plateau..and needed to jump start it.....pizza was what i craved......mmmm...it was worth it....back to meat and eggs and cheese today.....and franky i dont really miss carbs....or the rolls of fat....hahahah...

4. i..shelly...the one who used to hate to run...am running..and i actually quite enjoy it....this morning..i booked it baby....my goal is to do a 5k someday..and yes..i know that's only 3.something miles..but that's a lot for me.....the girl who doesnt understand why anyone would want to play soccer and just run all the time.....

5. random: my brother started to eat a candy cane..and decided he didnt like it..so he set it on my sweater in the back seat of my car....not to be found till last week...thanks scott.....

6. i'm out...gotta go make dins...and get ready for small group.....

Posted by Shelly at 4:42 PM | Permalink | Comments

Mondays...i dont really know how i feel about them...
i guess i should look at them as a fresh start to my week...but mostly i look at them as recovery from the weekend....
Sundays drain me...in every way....of course, not being a morning person..i dread getting up at 5ish...which actually means..my alarm is set for 5..i actually get out of bed around 5:30....my physical energy is spent lifting heavy speakers...rolling out chords....tuning my guitar..and all the fun stuff of set-up....my mental energy is spent thinking about how the songs are really going to pan out...what chords i'm playing, what notes i'm singing....my relational energy is spent on trying to meet new people...finding new vocalists...and musicians...and my spiritual energy is spent on trying to lead the congregation in an encounter with God....that's a huge task....

so needless to say..i crash on sunday afternoons...i take a good 3 hr nap at least..although this week i only got an hour and a half.....so monday's i drag into the office to sit at my desk and figure out......ok..what needs to be done so i can do that all over again on Sunday....

but you know what...I love my job...I love working on Sundays...I love leading worship.....I love what i get to do....i may not love mornings..i may not love lifting speakers..i may not love the sound of my alarm on Sunday morning...but i do love that every Sunday is a new experience...every DAY is a fresh encounter with God....

we sang this on sunday..and i cant get it out of my head....

There must be more than this
O breath of God, come breathe within
There must be more than this
Spirit of God, we wait for You
Fill us anew we pray
Fill us anew we pray

Consuming fire, fan into flame
A passion for Your Name
Spirit of God, fall in this place
Lord, have your way, Lord, have your way with us

Come like the rushing wind
Clothe us in power from on high
Now set the captives free
Leave us abandoned to Your praise
Lord, let your glory fall
Lord, let your glory fall

Consuming fire, fan into flame
A passion for Your Name
Spirit of God, fall in this place
Lord, have your way, Lord, have your way with us

Check out our church blog at http://blog.lifejourneycc.net/

Posted by Shelly at 5:20 PM | Permalink | Comments

Stolen from Jamie's Blog: good little quiz

1) using band names, spell out your name

Stained (scott's fave)
Hootie and the Blowfish
Elvis (not really a band..and i dont even like him)
Linkin park
Lone star
Yes

2) have you ever had a song written about you? No
3) what song makes you cry? Here Without You...
4) what song makes you happy? You can do it..put your back into it...
5) what do you like to listen to before bed? the sound of tony's voice on the phone....

a p p e a r a n c e

height: 5'10
hair color: blonde
skin color: california golden
eye color: blue
piercings: 9 (3 on each ear lobe, one in cartilage, one in belly button, one in eyebrow) however..i dont rock any in the ears anymore...really
tattoos: none

r i g h t n o w

what color pants are you wearing?: Jeans
what are you listening to?: jan (at office) is currently yelling at the copier
what taste is in your mouth?: my protein bar
what's the weather like?: gloomy...not typical cali
how are you?: I'm really happy
get motion sickness? nope
have a bad habit?: who doesn't
get along with your parents?: Yes.
like to drive? totally
tv show: what do you mean? i'm at my computer..how can i be watching tv?
conditioner: Finesse
book: i hate books....hahahah
non-alcoholic drink: water
alcoholic drink: Miller Lite or Michalob Ultra (gotta keep it low carb)
thing to do on the weekend: work

h a v e y o u

broken the law: not been caught though
run away from home: No
snuck out of the house: never had to
ever gone skinny dipping: um...maybe...
made a prank phone call: I love prank calls
ever tipped over a porta potty: ew..no
used your parents' credit card before: nope
skipped school before: Nope
fell asleep in the shower/bath: no....hahahaha....
been in a school play: yep

r a n d o m

do you have a job: yep...
your cd player has in it right now? moby
if you were a crayon what color would you be?: blue
what makes you happy: my life...
who makes you happiest: tony, my friends..my fams
what's the next cd you're gonna get?: not sure..any ideas?

w h e n / w h a t w a s t h e l a s t

time you cried: um...sunday night....
you got a real letter?: yesterday from tony's nephews...how cute
thing you purchased: ahhaha..protein bars from trader joes
tv program you watched: cant remeber
movie you saw in the theater: Return of the King

Posted by Shelly at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments

sorry to all you blog readers...it's been a while since i blogged.....i'm sitting here in a teleconference meeting with naperville...waiting for them to get back online...so while i wait..i'll tell you a little about myself....

i hate mornings:..if you know me at all...you know that....tuesdays kill a sister...cause i have to be at the office for a 7 am meeting....and yes..i realize 7am is not that early (before those of you who get up at the crack of dawn comment).....but for me...it sucks...especially when i am up till at least 1am every night....at the earliest..it's usually more like 2....so that is why i complain....i hate mornings...i hate em....and i'm not sure what i feel about those people who love them....

i love to sleep: i love it..i love naps....long naps...esp. sunday afternoons..after i've been at church for 6 hrs....i get home..and just pass out..for a good 3-4 hrs...aww..nothing like a good nap

I hate pride: it sucks...and i'm learning that i have a lot more of it than i like....but God is definitely shooting that down real quick...

I love slide whistles: yes...a random statement indeed..but i cant stop mimicking the sound of a slide whistle all around the house...ask kristi and scott....although i'm sure they are sick of it..they laugh every time......aw...is there anything more funny than that sound?

i hate that's its only 9am..and i want to go back to bed...

i love that's it's only 9am...and i have gotten 2 hrs of work done....

Posted by Shelly at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments

For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts an attitudes of the heart...Heb 4:12

Here's a slice for today...this coming after Paul pleaded with God to take away "the thorn in his flesh"...

...Three times, I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong... 1 Cor 12:9-10

For those that are in situations that seem hopeless...for those who are going through immeasurable hardships....for those being persecuted...for those who are weak.......boast about it....

HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU......

Posted by Shelly at 7:16 PM | Permalink | Comments

Open my Arms....

That's what i'm supposed to do....
yesterday i met with a woman in our church..who is definitely an intercessor..and God definitely speaks to people through her....she is so in tune with the spirit.....
she called me and wanted to meet iwth me yesterday..and..i always have mixed emotions when she wants to talk to me......i dont know if it is the child in me that always assumes i'm in trouble.....but sometimes..i think...."yes" i need guidance so bad.....
so anyway..i met with her yesterday...and this is what i'm supposed to do....open my arms..and just receive what God is going to bless me with.....
sounds simple right....well not so simple for someone who likes control of everything......
but i realized it cant be worse than what i'm donig..right...
I have been racking my brain for weeks...trying to figure out..what it is that "I" need to do to make this ministry better...how can "I" get more musicians...how can "I" get people to experience worship.....
and that's what i've been doing wrong all along...."I" have been trying to do it all.....not once have I prayed that "God" would do all those things....
God was saying to me that....i need to open my arms and just receive what he is going to bless me with....
That takes a lot of trust......a lot of laying down pride... a lot of unselfishness......

but it's so simple...just open your arms..and receive......

I can't wait to see how God is going to bless this ministry and this church....

I already can feel such a difference in how i work....how i start my day...just trusting that God is going to bless me......

Posted by Shelly at 4:49 PM | Permalink | Comments

today=the foam on my breve....pure goodness....mmmmm

i'm in a great mood today..maybe cause i finally feel better after about a week or more of feeling like complete poop.....or mabye cause i can wear flip flops on jan 3rd....or maybe cause i cleaned my bathroom..and for some reason that makes me happy.....or maybe it's cause i got to wake up to the best phone call ever this morning....or maybe it's cause I get to serve my God every day...using the gifts He has given me....and to be surrounded by His people.....yeah..i think it's all those things.....

so..i think i'm addicted to scrabble....i thought i would never say that..esp. since i'm the worst speller ever..and i hate anything related to words...like reading or writing....although i do like to talk..and that's related to words......but anyway....i keep telling myself that the reason i like scrabble is the math strategy..not the love of words...see it's all about the numbers for me..and trying to use the "Q" on the triple letter spot..so i can rack up 30....yeah..i know i'm weird...i love math...i think someday i want to teach it...maybe i'll go back to school..i've been itchin to go back....just get my teaching degree on the side...so that someday maybe i can teach...and spend my summers going on mission trips...or guest leading worship all over...that would rule......just a thought.....

Posted by Shelly at 4:16 PM | Permalink | Comments

Wounded Grace

my poor little guitar....her name is grace...the most beautiful taylor ever.....she has a few bumps and bruises from her journey..this weekend..she got 2 more....i think i hurt more than she does though....i watched from a distance as someone accidentally made her fall over....as she went down..she scraped her neck along the stage...ouch..that hurts.....
my guitar...named grace because it was a gift...free, undeserved...just like GRACE......she's wounded....i'm sorry baby...

That brings me to the real GRACE.....the real gift....free, undeserved, unconditional if we accept it....never wounded...God's perfect grace...for ME....for YOU...this kind of grace isn't affected by my actions....this grace catches me when i fall...it's the bandade on my scraped neck..if you will.....

"grace, grace, God's grace...grace that is greater than all my sin..."

Posted by Shelly at 4:45 PM | Permalink | Comments