Fools Rush In

In 6th grade, (1993)  I was sitting at my kitchen table rolling my hair with Caruso HairSetters when my little brother knocked over the steamer and the water poured all over my bare arm.

As you can imagine- I reacted!

I ran to the kitchen sink and turned the cold water on and stuck my arm under it as fast I could.

When we feel pain-we react fast to do what we can to make that pain go away.

I have been thinking about this a lot lately.. we are wired reactors.  We are made to react.

Welcome Home

I have been watching Billy Graham’s funeral here and there as I do laundry and do work... I was able to catch the part of the funeral when his children spoke about him.

Admittedly, I have heard stories about his daughter Ruth that didn’t always hold her in a good light...I had heard she was kind of the “black sheep”  of the family...

Worth It

There is a moment inside of all of our lives ....usually in our childhood that we decide what it is-or isn't that makes us worthy.

I think I made that discovery around 1989 when I was 8.5 years old...

You see, this was the year that I started to realize that I was not "smart."

I didn't make good grades...in fact, I made TERRIBLE grades.  I hated school!  It was boring!

I would sit at my desk and draw or practice writing my name in cursive.  I would day dream about anything that would come into my head... and I fell behind.

I remember being in the remedial reading class...and doing the "walk of shame" every day out of the classroom and into a class where I would look around and measure my own worth by the kids in my group.

Begin Again

I have been reading a TON of books lately. My head feels like it might explode in the best way possible!  One book that I am finishing up now is by Lysa Terkeurst called "Uninvited." 

I think that there is a fear in every single one of us that is rooted in rejection.  We all want to be accepted, part of the group, good enough to be at the table, and affirmed in some way-that who we are is enough!

Failure to Launch

A few years ago a movie came out with Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker  called "Failure to Launch."  Basically, McConaughey's character was a 35 year old man still living at his parents home and sleeping in the same bed as he did when he was 6 years old.

Failure to Launch.

As parents our end goal is the launch. The day we drop them off at college...or whatever direction the choose their lift off...

No-that does not make it easy OR unemotional...but, LAUNCHING is still the goal.

Does it show?

One year, for my Birthday, my parents came to town and we went to dinner at Buca di Beppo. As we were waiting on our meal, I commented that the interior decor of the restaurant reminded me of what the inside of my sister's head must look like!  (My sister is a very fun loving, exciting, bright and colorful girl, who loves a crowd and has an affinity for bright shiny objects!) We all laughed and enjoyed the rest of our time there!

If your brain were a room, what would the interior design layout look like? 

I don't know about you, but when my life is crazy, so is my house!  You can tell the kind of  day/week/month/year  that I am having by walking in my front door.

 Hear me out!

I do not need to be on the next episode of "Hoarders: Buried Alive," but I if there were a show about clutter and nothing really having a place, then I could probably occupy a 30 minute episode!

I believe this is probably true for all of us.  Sure, some of us are probably better at hiding it than others, maybe you do the exact opposite as me. Maybe when your life seems "crazy," your house is spotless, seeing housework as something you can actually control!

Those of you clean-organizing types are like aliens to me.  I believe that secretly, somewhere in your home you have a messy drawer, closet, basement, or cabinet that nobody knows about!

Those of you who are fans of the show "FRIENDS" will remember that even the neurotic, clean freak
Monica Geller had a crazy closet that she kept locked and wouldn't let anyone see.

Maybe you think, "I can't control all the chaos in my life, but I can control my house," and so that is how you  can best cope!

I have been there too! ....ish.
(You would be amazed at what giving me an hour with a container of Clorox Wipes would do for a kitchen on a stressful day!)

My husband says I need to do what he does and have "file folders" in my mind.  Just like with any file cabinet, I would be able to keep my thoughts,emotions and anything else I feel like I need to "manage" in order, by prioritizing each one in a nice and neat system.  It's easy for him.

(I picture the inside of his mind to look like one of those sparkly clean rooms in a 

"Mr. Clean" commercial.)

I am someone who will start my car and spend the next 5 minutes digging in my purse, looking for my keys.  I do most things on auto-pilot because I live my life in worrying I need to do next, rather than being in the moment and being deliberate.  Chaos paralyzes me and makes it difficult for me to know what to do first.

I need to find a way to push through my natural tendency to daydream and easily distracted by the "bright and shiny" of the world and create a system in which I can focus long enough to put things back where they belong-and not just set it somewhere-never to be seen again.

This is not to say that how you or I run our homes are right or wrong, but more a practice in doing things that are more purposeful.

I am tired of reacting to chaos in my cluttered life and desire to slow my brain down and be more intentional and calculated in my day to day things.  As much as I would love it, I am not going to wake up tomorrow and be as domestic as Martha Stewart!  It is going to take effort on my part-not just one day but every day. 

Dang.

Our Nesting Place

So I have started reading a  decorating book 

by Myquillyn Smith aka "The Nester" called The Nesting Place.

What you should first know is that I love looking at houses and admiring home decor what you should also know is that I know nothing about decorating a home.  

I stroll through Target, Home Goods, Pottery Barn, and Hobby Lobby admiring all the cute home nicknacks and am also paralyzed by them at the same time.

I don't understand the concepts of decorating. The way things should be position, the colors that should be paired together, or how to choose the right paint for the size of room.

I am not a risk taker-at least when it comes to home decor.

I play it safe in various tones of beige.  My philosophy is that if I keep my walls in the beige family, then I can change up my furniture without having to repaint.

I am sure those of you who are decorators are appalled by that concept.   You are probably thinking, "The fun is in the paint color!!"

Catalyst 2014 Notes: CHANGE (pt 1)

Jennie Allen 
Catalyst 2014: Labs
IF: Gathering

IF: Gathering exists to gather, equip, and train a generation.

Numbers 13
Joshua
12 spies...



We {kind of} believe that God can use us for a purpose

...but there are Giants!

We {kind of} feel like a grasshopper.

We are grasshoppers and there ARE Giants ....

But-God!

We will lay down our grasshopper insecurities because..YOU.(God)

I don't want to be a generation that missed it.

Go fight the Giants! Take the land!

EVEN IF we don't think we can!

IF: Gathering Question

What could you God do in YOUR land for YOUR ppl?

{make a list}

Cute Quote:
We all think we are going to be janitors in Heaven

Mark Batterson
Catalyst 2014: Labs

Book: Grave Robber
We trust God for the BIG miracles
We need to trust him in the "little" ones.

We all want miracles-we just don't want a reason for one.

Thomas Jefferson cut out the miracles in the Bible....

What promises have you stopped believing?

How much better would you be if you would believe in a God who is bigger than your box?

Don't seek miracles
Seek Jesus

Never put a comma where God puts a period.
Never put a period where God puts a comma.

God can't bring back to life what is not dead.

Sometimes it looks like God is missing the mark bc we are too short sided of what what he is aiming for.

Maybe God is preparing you for something you haven't thought of.

Ie the Story of Lazarus.

Allow moments and space for God to show up.

Don't give up on something unless God releases you.

Exodus:
Stand still and you will
See the deliverance of the Lord

Don't Panic

If one thing doesn't die another thing can't come to life.

Be willing to look foolish
Take the risk!

Work like it depends on you
Pray like it depends on God

Andy Stanley
Catalyst 2014: Session 1

Q: who are you?
Q: what breaks your heart?

There is a correlation between leadership and change.

Great leaders make things better.
Status Quo drives leaders crazy!!!!!...

-leaders hate to see broken things continue.

Leaders don't blame.

Blame is the most effective change avoidance strategy.

Broken hearted leaders change things that go beyond their generation.

The thing that breaks your heart may be THE THING that God wants to do through you.

It is possible that what breaks yor heart is Devine Design

You have NO idea who/what hangs in the balance of your decision to embrace the burden on your heart.

Don't Fear!
Don't choose "purposeless" over fear.
Ie: don't think that you are not good enough to do whatever it is

Many years from now- what would you like for people to thank you for?

What God originates, God orchestrates.

HOW is not an issue

Who are you?
What breaks your heart?

Christine Caine
Catalyst 2014: Session 2

Change Yourself: Strengthen your core.

Love the Lord Your God with all your (core) heart, mind, and soul. Love your neighbor as yourself.

We love others as we love ourselves-we just don't love ourselves that much.

You do what you WANT in passion....
You do what you HAVE to out of obligation.

Skinny jeans and a ratio does not make you a leader.

Don't go from burn out to burn out fill yourself with Jesus.

Soul:

Our souls are damaged and it takes hard work to heal them.

We can't accelerate what takes work.

Ex. You may decide to follow Jesus and walk down the aisle to alter with cellulite on your legs but after you say amen, doesn't mean the cellulite will be gone!

You have to do the work.

We must go through the pain of recovery

We put on a good show.
(How you clean your house for guests. You hide the mess)

Same with our souls.

Same with church.
(Oh snap)

Mind.
Take control of your thoughts.
Fill them with the truth of God.

God has not given us a spirit of fear

Cancer is not terminal
Life is!
Christ is Eternal!!

If you see the devil tell him I'm
Going to bed bc God's got this!

Find HOPE in Gods Word!