Today is a very busy day for me and I haven’t had time to sit and write.  However, I will leave you with this.  If you haven’t seen it…Stinkin’ hilarious.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA17rg8Mcko]

Tripp & Tyler do some pretty good stuff.  Check them out!

I love Jesus.  I love showing Jesus to others.  But sometimes Christians annoy the heck out of me.

Yeah yeah yeah.  Go ahead…judge me.  But it’s true. 

We live a couple blocks from the beach in the coolest little downtown area.  When we walk to the beach, there are lots of “entertainers” at the pier doing their thing.  There’s this group of break dancers, they’re actually pretty good.  There are some really good artists, my favorite is a guy that paints a beautiful picture using cans of spray paint.  Very impressive. 

Then there’s always that guy.

The guy standing up on his soapbox (literally), telling everyone they’re going to hell.  He stands there,  condemns and tells everyone what they’re doing is wrong.  Part of it is true, we are all sinners.  We all fall short. 

But is this really the way to let people know it? Are lost people really drawn to this fanatic lifestyle?

What always gets me, is that people stop and listen.  The crowds really gather.  As I read the stories of Jesus’ ministry, the crowds gathered for Him too.   What hurts my heart, is that typically these soapbox preachers aren’t showing the true love of Jesus.

Jesus was real.  He met people where they were, and showed them love no matter what.  He spoke of hope and forgiveness. He didn’t rub it in their faces, he was simply there and almighty.

Why can’t we be more like Jesus? I know I want to be.

I encourage you to be REAL and reflect Christ for who He is.  Your thoughts?

As I crawled in my verrrrry comfortable Tempur-Pedic bed last night  I couldn’t help but be saddened.  A bed that cost more than many will see in a year, some in a lifetime.  I had a full stomach, and couldn’t even finish all of my chicken at dinner.  It was a little warm, so without a thought, we flipped on the fan.

Wow…how blessed am I?

My mind went straight to the hurting children and families all over the world.  As I sat with my Macbook in my lap (so many people will never know more technology than the beat up vehicles driving through their villages), I read through the blogs of the Compassion Bloggers who are in India right now. 

Even in the middle of the poverty, the hunger, and the hurting… children still have hope in their eyes. 

As you go through your daily life, surrounded by the luxuries you are so blessed with, consider what YOU can do to help someone in need.  These people don’t need a new car or a fancy computer to write their blogs on.  Their lives are quite different than ours.  They need food, water, clothing & education.  They need HOPE.  Maybe you can give up going out to dinner once a month to allow them to eat for a whole MONTH.  Writing a $30 check a month may be a sacrifice for you, or it may not be a big deal at all. 

Either way, it’s worth it.  Worth every penny.

Continue to pray with me for the Compassion team as they impact the lives of these children.  I pray these kids know how much they are loved.  I pray that everyone will sacrifice a small amount so someone in greater need can have a chance at a full life. 

What can YOU do? How can you put hope in their eyes?

I challenge you to do something today.

Ever have those days where everything around you tests your patience? People won’t get out of the way on YOUR freeway, nothing seems to go right at work, the dog forgets how to use the bathroom outside and you get a lovely treat when you wake up. 

It can take one tiny thing to ruin your day, and then nothing goes right. 

Today is one of those days for me.  Maybe I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or maybe I messed up in my “morning routine”  to throw me off…but it was just one of those days. 

A Monday. 

On days like today, I pray for patience.  Mostly for others who have to put up with me… but a lot for myself.  I wonder if Jesus ever had a case of the Mondays.  I wonder if his disciples ever annoyed him to where he just needed to get away and roam around Target for a while to calm his nerves.  Hmm…I doubt it.

Thank you Jesus for giving me your patience on the rough days where I can’t do anything right.  Through Him, I’m made perfect. And that makes any bad day turn out to be a good one. 

How do you handle a ‘case of the Mondays’?

Compassion International is sending 5 bloggers  to India to be in the center of it all.  Poverty. Hurting. Pain.  Hunger.  And the cool thing is, we get to follow their trip.  All in thanks to the world wide web, we now can go on a mission trip from the comfort of our own home.  Hmm…that just seems wrong, but I do love the concept. 

I remember as a child sitting in church on Sunday nights when the Missionaries would bring in pictures on slides from their trips around the world.  Although these pictures tugged at my heart and still do, there was something about the dim lights in the room and monotone voices that would practically put me to sleep.  It excites me to see some color, passion and creativity put into reaching our world for Christ!!

The group leaves today to travel to India.  Please join me in praying for their strength, safety and ability to reach these people!!

Click on the widget on the right of my blog to find out more information and follow the trip!  Or follow these blogs:

anne jackson

pete wilson

angela smith

melissa fitzpatrick

robin dance

Maybe one day I’ll be cool enough to be a Compassion Blogger

Meet precious little Braden Dale Willard.  Goodness he’s cute!  My Big (sorority sister for those of you that don’t speak greek) and dear friend, Sarah Willard gave birth to this angel.  I can’t wait to hold him in just a few short weeks! Biggie, I love you and am so excited for you! Congrats!

Speaking of babies… my niece Taelyn Brooke  is due in 4 short weeks!!

Speaking of babies… I want one! No? Hm. Ok.

Praise Jesus for babies!

I’m not.  Can’t even draw a stick figure that looks normal.  However, my little brother (in-law) is a stud.  Seriously.  He doesn’t read my blog so I can write that about him without worrying he’ll ever see it (Apparently my blog isn’t within his ‘niche’, however you should see him do an impression of me…it’s pretty stinkin’ funny. He loves me!)

He’s very artsy.  I appreciate art.  I love that other people can design and see things in a way I never can.  That’s just not within my creative realm.  I always knew he was good, but after I started following his blog and really seeing some of his work, I was very impressed. 

Check out this piece of art he did.  It’s like one of those Magic Eye things where you have to stand way back to see what lies beneath.  Isn’t it cool??

I’m just proud that I have really cool people that I’m related to.  Makes me feel cooler. 

That’s all.

Do you do what you love? I mean really LOVE? Like you couldn’t NOT do it because it’s what you were made to do?

What are you passionate about? Truly passionate? The thing that keeps you up at night, that you get incredibly frustrated when other people do wrong or don’t care enough about? Are you pouring your life into that thing?

I have a heart for Africa.  I know…that’s what every Christian is supposed to say.  But it’s true.  I remember when I was very young praying for this country and how I could someday make an impact on the people that are hurting and don’t know Jesus.  In 2001, I had the opportunity to go there and physically do everything I could.  I had the honor of leading people to Jesus.  I played with children.  I held the hands of hurting women.  It was life changing.  I also got a really bad reaction from the malaria medicine and hallucinated that I saw pink monkeys and stuff.  Good stuff. 

In 2004, I began sponsoring a child through World Vision from that same country I visited.  I always hope she was one of those children who sat in my lap as I read them stories about Jesus, or one of the little girls that braided my hair.  One day I hope to go meet her, hug her and be able to show her how much I love her.

I love great causes.  TOMS is an awesome organization that gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair you buy.  I wish I could buy a thousand pair…but my husband is mean and won’t let me. Plus they’re cute and comfy.  Can’t beat that. 

I’m passionate about helping people.  I love to help women in difficult relationships and help them see their potential and how Jesus sees them. 

What are you passionate about? What gets you excited? What more can you do? How can you bless someones day without them knowing it was you?

My brain is going crazy with all the things I want to do. 

My husband teaches me a LOT.  He likes to act like he’s not grown up or mature, but I see through that facade. 

I have wounds (other than the mega sunburn I’m suffering from at the moment).  I have deep wounds.  I’ve been hurt by relationships, friends, the church, and people I really love.  I have a big heart, and it’s a sensitive one.  I don’t take things lightly, and I hang onto those hurts.  It’s difficult for me to let them go, because I think I can heal my own wounds. 

But I can’t heal my own wounds.  Last night as I was laying in bed cringing in pain, my husband went to the store for me at 11:30 to get anything and everything he could find to help the pain.  He sprayed me down with Aloe Vera,  he waiting on me hand and foot and sat with me until I fell asleep. 

All because I finally sucked it up and told him I needed help, and he didn’t hesitate to jump to my rescue. 

Sometimes I have to ask for help.  Not only from the people I love and trust, but from the One who can heal all of my wounds.  When I realize I can no longer mend my wounds, all I have to do is ask for help from my Healer.  He jumps to my rescue and does everything to heal my wounds. 

My hubby not only teaches me everyday about how to be more Christlike to others, but how to lean on Christ for my everything as well.  I can’t do it on my own,  no matter how hard I try.  He is the healer of all things.

What are you holding onto that you need to let go of and allow the Healer to mend?

How can you show Christ to someone today?

Yesterday was a great day.  Beach, sand, my hubby, a good book, some good music and…..the sun.  Oh the sun.  I forgot about a tiny important thing.  I’m a white girl.  VERY white.  Ghostly white.  The sun enjoys my skin. And it had a hay day on it yesterday.

I’m burnt to a crisp!!! I look very lobster-ish. I’ve been lathering on the Aloe and hoping I don’t get sick!!

We were supposed to go to Laguna today with some friends from church, but I’m in so much pain and so burned that we had to skip out on that trip.  Besides, it is 94 degrees today so I figured that wouldn’t be the best option!!

I went and bought TWO bottles of sunscreen last night.  Bring it on summer.  I’m ready for you (in about a week when my burn goes away of course).

Last night we rented Marley & Me.  WOW…such a great movie.  For all you dog owners out there, go get this movie.  I love my little Jack Bauer more than ever after watching it.  However, saddest movie I’ve seen in a long time! I bawled like a baby.  Go read the hubby’s review of the movie.  Very touching.

Today we’re relaxing and bathing in Aloe every 10 minutes.  Maybe next time I’ll remember the sunscreen.  Ouch.