What Was I Thinking?

So obviously I am awful at blogging. I have posted two blogs total.... back in January. Today I remembered that I had a blog, so I made a promise to myself that I would continue to use it in order to keep track of my life. 

The past eight months have been somewhat eventful-- but I won't bore anyone by telling you all of the gory details. Here it is in a nutshell:

Finished the school year out in May. First Anniversary weekend in Cleveland. Lots of weddings and events for Table and Chair Affair. Grant and Diana's wedding. Annual trip to Michigan. Chipped off bone in my toe. School started back up. 

So there you have it (it was a very small nutshell). 

I have realized over the last months that if you are not careful, life will pass you by. It seems completely crazy that it is already near the end of September. Each week simply FLIES by--and most weeks I don't take time to catch my breath and really live. 

But what is REALLY LIVING? What do I want to fill my days and spare time with? My latest pinterest project? Laughing with friends? Catching up on my favorite shows? Spending time with my husband? Reading a good book? While all of those things are great (and by the way, I love to do) I need to start realizing that these things are not what life is truly about. 

I call myself a follower of Christ. I love him with my whole heart and believe that I am daily growing in my relationship with him. So then WHAT AM I DOING?? Christ left us with this command, "Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to do everything I have told you" (Matthew 28:19-20). 

Have I been trying to make disciples for Christ? Have I been daily striving to find people to whom I can share the love of Christ? Have I been looking around me with the eyes of Christ--seeing those who desperately need a Savior? Sometimes I think "There is no way that I have the time, strength or energy to keep up with my daily life AND make disciples."  I mean, that sounds like quite the task. BUT...there is good news. We don't have to do it on our own. Jesus didn't leave us hanging. After his command to make disciples he said,   "I will be with you always, even until the end of the world."

So WHAT WAS I THINKING? Looking at my life over the past few months I see a busy, productive life. I also see a life that lacked purpose. My purpose?

Live my life FOCUSED on bringing people to Christ.  

Brimming Over

"Every time your name comes up in my prayers, I say, "Oh, thank you, God!" I keep hearing of the love and faith you have for the Master Jesus, which brims over to other believers. And I keep praying that this faith we hold in common keeps showing up in the good things we do, and that people recognize Christ in all of it. Friend, you have no idea how good your love makes me feel, doubly so when I see your hospitality to fellow believers." Philemon 1:4-7

This verse has been on my mind for the past week. I LOVE the encouragement that it gives--that we who call ourselves Followers of Christ are a part of a HUGE family of believers. I am challenged. Humbled. Motivated. Am I loving my Savior so much that it BRIMS OVER? Are people recognizing Christ in everything that I do? I love that it all stems from simply loving my Father and keeping my faith in Him. Sounds easy. But so hard.
There are people that come to mind when I read this verse. People that I say, "Oh Thank You, God!" for what they are doing. Those that I have met throughout my life that truly have so much love for Christ that they are brimming over. I recognize Christ in them. And it makes me feel good. It makes me feel 'proud' to be a follower of Christ.
The problem? There haven't been an over abundance of these type of people in my life. I could easily list all of the 'Brimming Over' Christians that I know. That is ridiculous! I surround myself with 'Christian People'--why aren't we all brimming--all the time? Some of us are 'full' of love--but have we let it pour out? We need that last drop. The drop of love from our Father that will cause us to spill out. All we need to do is ask.

LOVE Christ. Faith will follow. Love will pour out. We will Brim Over. People will SEE the Savior.

Here Goes Nothin'

So I decided to start a blog (obviously). Yes, I have made fun of them in the past, but I realized that even if no one else reads this--I will enjoy looking back at what has gone on in my life.

I can't believe that it is 2011 already! 2010 FLEW by--probably due to the fact that it was the busiest year of my life. Last January I was taking my last college class at MVNU (praise the LORD). I then moved home and started student teaching for my final semester. Student teaching was a lot of work--but completely rewarding and mostly fun :)

I graduated with some of my best friends on May 22! Even though I thought the day would NEVER come... it did... and it was great. mostly. My uncle Jim passed away the week of my graduation after a courageous battle with cancer. It hit me and our family very hard--and still seems unreal. The calling hours were the day of my college graduation. God taught me soooo much through those days. I realized what was important and how He provides the strength that we need--no matter what is going on in our lives. 

After graduation I had one month until the biggest and best day of my life. WEDDING! Planning and preparations were taking over my life--but I loved every minute of it. June 26, 2010 was the most amazing and blessed day of my life. I finally married the love of my life and my best friend, Justin. The honeymoon was amazing and we settled into married life very quickly. I still wake up every day feeling abundantly blessed and in awe of the blessings in my life.
We were able to travel a bit in the first married months. Pennsylvania for a Raber wedding and Arizona for my cousin's wedding! It was so much fun to get to travel with my hubby. :)

September came and I was struggling with finding a job. I had had several interviews which went extremely well, but never was offered any positions. I struggled a lot with allowing God to direct my steps. I was completely helpless--so I had no choice--which turned out to be a huge blessing. In the middle of September I found out the plan that God was saving for me. I took over as the director and lead teacher at First Steps Preschool. I knew immediately that I was where I was supposed to be. I have fallen in love with my students and actually look forward to going to work!

The holidays came in went in their usual speedy fashion, leaving us tired, blessed, and a couple pounds heavier :)

So now we are in 2011. I feel so blessed and look forward to the places God takes me this year. Maybe it won't be quite as eventful as 2010 :)

Honeymoon-ers  :)

Graduation! Love these girls.

BEST feeling EVER

Some of my best friends in the WORLD.

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Road-Trippin

Love of my life.