Sweet Bakin' Friday

Happy Friday! Today was World Series Game 7. So I baked, of course. Any time there is going to be game watching-there must be a party. Where there's a party-there's tasty party food! I decided to make some Bisquick Sausage Balls. Hate the name, but I love-ah the flava-flave.

After a few minutes in the oven....Here they are!

And they were "yum", as you can see on my sweetie pie hubby's face. 


This morning Jordan took me to Cracker Barrel for brunch then to consignment stores to find a few treasures. I love it when he takes me shopping. I doubly love shopping with him because he drives. I hate driving anywhere anytime. I'm sure he thinks I'm completely spoiled (his fault) because I will find any excuse to not have to drive. Like, "Well it's gonna be so snowy and slick outside and my brakes might go out!" (It was 67 degrees today) And, "But babe you are so much better at driving than I am-you are so aggressive, the other drivers do whatever you want them to!" However ridiculous my reasons are - they somehow work for me! Sweet studhubs :)


How was your Fun Friday? Shopping? Napping? Gaming? Baking? YES?!

Snowboots and Scoby

Today it snowed! And everyone said, "Halllllllelujuah!" Our little town was rejoicing as we opened our sleepy eyes to the white miracle this early morn. Jordan took Mia and I out for a little exploring when he came home from work. Mia hates the snow. Maybe because she blends in with it. Tiny thang, I have to carry her everywhere we go :)


I'm still drowning myself in Amoxicillin, garlic pills, Advil and Kombucha synergydrinks.com. I'm addicted to the stuff in the best way. It is made from a SCOBY (for "Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast") and apparently does wonders for you:  aids cancer recovery, increases energy, sharpens eyesight, aids joint recovery, improves skin elasticity, aids digestion, and improves experience with foods that 'stick' going down such as rice or pasta. It sorta has a apple cider vinegary taste to it. Give it a try.


I'm also raking through the web for tips on entry level photography. I think I found yet another hobby... yeah!


And for my encouraging word today: rest. Getting rest and relaxing is the best thing you can do for your soul. I, myself, rested today rather than busying with the usual. I had plenty to accomplish but I gave into the urge to close my lids and catch up on my zzzzz's. I don't regret it either. 


So if you get 20 minutes (or 3 hours) close your baby blues and let yourself refuel with much needed rest.... goodnight!

De-Stress-A-Tize

I think most of us would say that the biggest concern in our jobs and relationships is the fear that someone better than ourselves might come along. We let our minds daze about how they will waltz in  and snatch our dreams right out of our sight.

I remember feeling this way in elementary school. Worried my little self to death that my BFF might have a new BFF by tomorrow. That she would sit with her instead of me at the lunchroom of doom. I felt that way in our show choir tryouts in high school. Terrified that I might not be chosen for my Soprano II spot that I wanted because of the high influx of fabulous lady singers that year. I frazzled my poor heart over way too many lead roles in plays and not to mention the fear that I might not win every rhinestone crown at a pageant. Oh yes, I was a pageant queen. Miss Teen Amarillo, mind you. I was a smarty though, nothing like this gal:

All that worrying never added a single thing to my life. Not one. Everyone tells you not to worry: doctors, dentists and counselors. They give you techniques on how to de-stress-a-tize your life by soaking in a bath tub before bed, meditating, and taking deep breaths. Almost every sickness and disease can be traced back to one nasty contributor: Stress. With a capitol "S".

I think our culture has something to do with the fear of being replaced. They pretty much spoon feed us to be bored with the pop stars and rich n' famous before they ever turn 19. Songs like this one teach us ladies to treat our men like Chinese dinners and I'll order a number 9 tomorrow night, hun! (This song is super fun to sing though, so sing along and let your stress out-just don't treat yo man like that :)

So let's just get over ourselves, trust God and de-stress-a-tize our lives by looking at the lighter side.


1. Laugh when it's funny
2. Sing when it's a good song.
3. Give props to other folks when they do something brilliant
4. Trust God. No one can stop His plan for your life.

Amen :)

Whatcha Craving

I'm getting over the worst case of Strep in the history of, well, my whole life. Ugh. I have never been so achy and miserable. Jordan said that I hurt all the way to my fingernails. He was right. Migraines, back aches, neckaches... and no amount of food was staying in or out. Tonight was the first time I've been able to think about food of any kind. This was a good sign because for the last few days I couldn't even watch Food Network without gagging. You don't realize how much our world revolves around food until you can't stand the sight of it.

I overheard a sweet young couple talking about their love for Taco Villa tonight. Suddenly, that sounded wonderful! I found myself wanting to know what they order rather than running for the porcelain throne. On my drive home I made a stop by that house of tacos to order my combination burrito with green sauce and a quadaladara. It got me thinking about cravings. How they can be a good thing.

Jordan and I are on the leadership team with a re-launch of a ministry. It's taken me completely out of my comfort zone and it feels a bit like I got zapped back into my life in 2006. It's been thrilling and nerve-wrecking simultaneously. I've decided that in an adventure like this one, you start to learn what your spirit and soul actually craves.

So many of us know what we do and don't want out of our jobs, church and relationships. But it's very difficult to express what we DO want. Tonight when a that a combo burrito with green sauce sounded delish (and I drove myself there with no one else in the car) I realized that I had just pinpointed a craving and went with it under no other person's direction. Eureka!

Maybe that's the key. Maybe we all need to take a break or fast (hopefully yours will not be a sickness like mine) and then reintroduce our silly selves to the big world of food. AKA: Life. Choices. Preferences. And think about what we really want! Rather than criticizing all the things we don't like-discover what we DO like. Then hop on our merry ways and go get it. If we don't like our choice, just try again. Let's let all the junk of the world telling us what we like fade away and run after the stuff that makes us tick. Maybe we will discover who we were created to be? Maybe we will find the thing we've been trying to like-we really hate? Either way, let's be our uniquely wonderful selves.

Studhubs: Servant of the Year

My husband is a giver. He loves to do things for others. He lights up when he gets to help a neighbor and he knows no strangers. He's a people person like no one I've ever seen. In the time we've been married, I've seen him do the following:

1. Setup a sound system for a local non-profit while he was sick just to ensure their event was a success
2. Pull over to help a woman change her tire on the side of the road
3. Hand out dolla-bills to any person in need
4. Carry mattresses into a teeny casa for a single mother
5. Discovered a robbery in our neighbor's home
6. Drive to Canyon to repair a hole in the wall for a friend
7. Spend a few hours learning how to install a ceiling fan for another friend
8. Jump a mini-van for a sweet momma and her 3 babes
9. Restring a guitar for a worship team member
10. Gave my little brother an entire sound system for his car just because

He surprises me every day with his servant heart. He saw my post yesterday with my movie clip and came home with a new Blue Ray player and the Diamond Edition release of The Lion King. It's so easy for him to pay attention to me and find ways to show me he loves me.

Today, he gave to a local ministry to feed the hungry on Thanksgiving. I love when he has ideas like that. It's probably the most attractive thing about him. Seeing a need and meeting it is something we can all do-and you don't need lots of money to help others either! You can use your gifts, talents or expertise to help someone.

So fellas, take it from me: ladies will be most attracted to you when you notice small details about them. When you take time to help others. Go out of your way to do something kind for someone. Your girl will see it and/or hear about it. Good deeds never go unnoticed. Plus, God sees it too.

Did you see an act of kindness this week? Brag on them! Tell them you noticed!

Inspiring Thursday

Here are the things that inspired me today:

1. Teaching a leadership class with Candy Gibbs. She is the Abstinence Director at CareNet Crisis Pregnancy Center. Everything she does is fabulous. She's like our local Beth Moore with a big heart for young girls. I like to be in her presence. I learn something wonderful about leadership and God each and every time.

2. Watching this video clip while leading a leadership class at a local high school and of course, the Holy Spirit would speak to me through it. Of course He would. Of course He would remind me that He lives in me. He's not dead. He's alive in me. Oh, what a sweet reminder there in that high school classroom that He's put great value in all of us. And, of course I would cry. Right there in front of all those teeny-boppers. Good thing the lights were off.

3. Hearing a story of a young boy who's mother was murdered and how he's trying to live a not-so-normal life in the aftermath. I wondered how he has the strength to smile and greet me knowing what grief fills his sweet heart.

4. Talking with a friend about her family member who is terminally ill and how she is tending to her family in the process. I'm so in awe of her tender heart and selfless perspective throughout the process. I've always thought she was strong. But now I see why.

5. Congratulating a friend on her pregnancy! She is going to be a surrogate mother for a family in our city. She is absolutely glowing with joy knowing what gift she is carrying for this couple. She reminds me of what Mary must have felt like knowing what hope she would deliver to the world.

6. Skyping with my Event Coordinator in Nashville. I am a city coordinator for a LifeWay Women's event that will be held next year. Today we got to see each other's faces as we begin the first stages of planning for our event. She is a bubbly, beautiful Southern belle from Tennessee. I love to talk with her. I love that she talks with her hands a lot and says "y'all" in every sentence.

7. And finally, this little gal from the X-Factor. I'm sure you've all seen her but I have watched this clip of her singing over and over. I'm usually a tough critic with shows like these but this 14 year old Beliber is ahhhh-mazing. And here she is singing one of my faves:

8. I fed my husband pizza tonight. Which was really stupid considering he just had his gall bladder removed. This mistake, however, is inspiring me never to do that again.

That's all for inspiring Thursday. What inspired you today?

Come On Up to the House

Do you ever feel boxed in? Stuck in a rut? Going around the same mountain? I do. I think it's easy for creative types to get this way. Seemingly unsatisfied with any kind of results that we produce and longing for more. Although, It's probably the best place to be in. Without that feeling-I doubt we'd ever grow.

Grow:

1. to increase by natural development, as any living organism; increase in size or substance.

2. to form and increase in size by a process of inorganic accretion, as by crystallization.

3. to arise or issue as a natural development from an original happening, circumstance, or source: Our friendship grew from common interests.

4. to increase gradually in size, amount, etc.; become greater or larger; expand

We had a worship department meeting today where we went through an entire worship set with a mix of deeply intimate songs mixed with secular music. It was nuts. I felt my heart increase in size as my mind was forced to expand. I was forced to accept a new dimension of God. That He can move through anything. 

I see Him everywhere, but accepting in my little worship leader heart that the Holy Spirit could move on that kind of creativity, such found in a Killers song, was a mind crunching task. The experience pointed me to what I've always wanted to be true:

He is way cooler than what we've made Him out to be.

Apparently He does like great, creative and boundary pushing music. 

So my action item? Go to the deep things of who He is and find a new sound. Rather than copying every successful church's idea of a "worship win song" I think God is ready to show us Himself. He's been misrepresented a lot. But we can show His love in a new sound. His creativity is limitless. And I have the power to take the limitations off of Him in my worship leading.

We have access to the Creator of the Universe. So why are we letting the world define music? As lovers of God, let's embrace that our God is in everything. Not just a 4 song set of Hallelujahs. 

In conclusion, here's a favorite song by my favorite gal, Sarah Jarosz singin a Tom Waits tune. It's inspiring me and my country worship side that's comin' out :)

Let's go up to The House and get some creativity for this place.

Here I come to save the DAY!

Yesterday my sweet friend, Jill, asked me to take her to the airport. As it was my day off-I was more than happy to give her a lift. I arrived at her house at 12:01pm sharp. Jill and I loaded her sister and her darling baby into my car. After cramming my trunk full of suitcases and strollers (and one more trip back to the house to get nursing pads) we set off to the glorious Rick Husband Airport. 


Upon approaching the drop-off point, Jill quietly said, "Ummmm. I think I forgot my phone."

At that moment I'm having flashbacks. You see, Jill and I were roomies for a year and a half. She is one of my very best friends but on several occasions she would leave the garage wide open all night, leave her keys in the door, and rarely ever remember to take her phone with her to work. 


I'm thinking to myself, 'Oh well, she's going to California with her sisters. She won't need her phone.' She interrupted my thought with, "Will you run to my house to get it?"


Keep in mind that it is now 12:27pm. Her flight leaves at 1:10pm.


"Sure?!" I reply.


They jump out of my car and I fasten my safety belt and race off. Zooming down the highway, I make sure to go no faster that 71mph. I'm a rule follower even in the middle of crisis.


I pull up to her house and run inside to find her Otter-boxed beauty right on the dining table. Back down the highway I go. I'm right at the entrance when she calls from her sister's phone, "It's too late. The gate is closing in minutes and I can't miss the plane. Sorry you had to drive back."


"NO! I can make it. I have to try!" I exclaim.


After almost bulldozing a few slow pokes leaving the baggage claim area with my Avalon, I pulled up to the outdoor parking. As I try to take my ticket to park, MY phone drops out of the car. So I jump out and crawl under my car to retrieve it. 


Back in the car I find a spot and burn rubber as I peel into the space. Some guy thought I was trying to impress him so he starts waving and winking at me-whatever dude! I take off in a dead sprint through the parking lot, past the check-in, bob-n-weave through some more slow-pokes on the escalator and halt at security.


I try to regain composure and get a deep breath before I ask the guard, " Can.... You.... get... this... to .....Jill.....please?!" Then I spot her way down the line walking through the X-ray machine. "Jill!" I try to say but no sound comes out because I'm so out of breath. The security lady is giving me the evil eye but somehow believed my plead for help and takes Jill her keys and phone.


As I'm walking off, Jill yells, "Molly! You gave me your keys!"


By this time, I have 5 security guys standing around me like I have something explosive in my possession. The first security lady returns with my keys and I hand her Jill's keys.


"Excuse me, Ma'am. You can NOT carry mace on an airplane!" she says with a look like she's about to eat me. I look down. Of course Jill carries mace on her keys-she doesn't lock her own doors but she carries mace. Of course she does. Of course. I quickly take off the mace and keep it with me promising to take it to my car.


Third security guy says he will take Jill her keys because at this point she's already on the plane. He returns shaking his head saying how lucky I was that he has the power to open the doors because it had been sealed off already. Way to go, Mr. Mustache.


I say to first security guard, "Thanks for your help. I didn't want to look like a crazy person running in here."

She responds, "Well, you did. But we see folks like you everyday"


I walked away completely humiliated and exhausted from my frantic haul across the entire airport. But oh well, I saved the day.

Just try it

 It probably comes somewhere in high school or middle school when get that comparison funk all over us and we think that every single person is watching our every move. And not only watching our every move, caring about everything we do! Which is pretty funny because the truth is most likely the opposite: they are too concerned with themselves to even notice us!

If we never decide that we will walk in our value and be ourselves we will waste hours, days and years consuming our lives with people pleasing. When instead, we can wake up each morning and say, "I am me and I have a responsibility to be the best me I can be." No one else can be who we are. God can only be God and therefore I must be me.

But maybe that's easier said than done for some. I think that's because we may not know how to be ourselves. "Who am I created to be?" "What am I uniquely called to be?" That was a burning question in my heart from my earliest memories. 

If you want to know what you are called to be, try asking yourself/doing the following:

1. What do I enjoy doing?

2. What do I spend most of my time thinking about?

3. What have those I trust and love said about my strengths?

4. What are my weaknesses? (Sometimes the thing we are worst at is actually the thing we are best at on the opposite spectrum.)

5. Gather magazines that you like and cut out pictures that fit your personality and things you love.

6. Go on a walk by yourself and ask the Lord, "What have you called me to do?"

7. Is what you like to do something that can help others?

The key to being your best self is to make a decision in your mind that draws a line in the sand. A decision that says, " I do not care what other people think." So many times the thing that is keeping us from our heart's desire is being to afraid that we will look stupid trying. 

Think about this next time you might feel stupid being yourself or trying something new, "Won't it be more stupid if I never try?"

Ask God who He made you to be. When you think you hear something, don't forget step number 8:

8. Try it out! Do what's in your heart!

I'd love to hear how it goes... you might be onto the best idea the world has ever seen!

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

Sayonara, Sweetheart

There are days that we can get easily overwhelmed and discouraged. You know, 'those days'. One of those days when life runs you right over in your white dress and new shoes and speeds away in it's souped up convertible, "Sayonara, sweetheart!"  I'm sure you've had one of 'those days'.  As I was eating lunch with some fellow pastorettes today, a wise woman said, "Life is the stuff in between the calm moments". Isn't that the truth?


Oh how we all long for days of simplicity and bliss! (Do those exist?) When the whole world dwells in harmony and butterflies swirl by as we stop to smell the roses. The day when our bosses tell us how we are far surpassing excellence, our teacher gives us bonus points just for being awesome, and the barista buys our coffee and throws in a reduced fat cinnamon swirl cake on the side. All to be greeted at home with a kiss from the hubs and, "What's this? You Cloroxed the whole house?!"


Eeeeeerrrrrrrk!


Then we snap back into the oh-so-present reality to find we are not Superwoman, time did not stand still for us to accomplish every task on the To-Do, and by the way 'how do i have 537 unanswered emails?


This is life. I think the saying is true that it's what we make it. Whatever it is; it's ours. We can't take it or leave it. We have to live it. The good, the bad and the ugly. Life.


So what do I do when life's got me down? I worship. For me, nothing else heals my hurting heart more than sitting with my Heavenly Father and singing to Him. Singing about how much I love Him. How much I appreciate Him rescuing me. How thankful I am that He cares when my heart aches. How grateful I am that He defends me when I feel misrepresented. He knows me better than anyone in this world. My favorite thing about Him? He always knows what to do. I never have to tell Him the whole story because He already knows it. He's the best friend, doctor, father, mother, brother, counselor, and teacher. He's the best.


I wanted to share this song with you. It's from Bethel www.ibethel.org. As a worship leader, I'm always on the hunt for new songs. These folks out in Cali have started a worship revolution and I for one am lovin' it. 

Most everything keeping us down is a big, bad 4 letter word:

False
Evidence
Appearing
Real


Fear. My mom taught me that one. It's right on the money. Usually the thing I'm in a crazy lady panic about is nothing more than false evidence. Geeez, if only I could counsel myself in the moment of freak out :)

So if you're feelin' blue, lift your chin! He's broken every chain off of you and you, my friend, are free! Dance and rejoice! Put on some worship tunes and sing your own song to the Lord. Make it up as you go. Sing your heart out to Him. He hears you. He's listening. Tell Him. He's excited about you. And you won't regret it.

Getcha, getcha, getcha praise on.


Psalm 62:8 "Trust in him at all times, O people;
    pour out your heart before him;
   God is a refuge for us."
                         Selah

Fall-La-La-La-LAAAA....

Ahh, Fall. You bring comfort to my sweet, southern soul. You leaf (see what I did there) new shades of green, rust, and mustard that are perfect for my olive undertones. You invite hearty crock-pot recipes and fuzzy socks that I have to stuff into my riding boots. On behalf of the Panhandle, we would like to greet you with a Texan, "Howdy, we're so glad you've arrived!"

I went pumpkin and gourd shopping the other at Market Street. Which, to me, is one of the happiest places in A-Town. Friendly sackers and helpful stockers. So helpful in fact, that they went on a 30 minute hunt just to help me find my favorite cereal, Oatmeal Squares. After the fiber search I picked up these beauties. Behold the punkin's!

Today, Studhubs and I took little Mia (my diva Maltese) outside to let her prance around the front yard. She's happiest there. Maybe because our backyard is made of concrete? Poor dear. I think if she could talk she would welcome Fall, too. Isn't she the cutest!

And you'll notice I sported my faux fur today as a welcome sign to the glorious Autumn. Or as my pal, Patrick Kemp of ThreeLeaf Creative threeleaf.tv and patrickkemp.com, refers to the fabulous faux fur as the "shrug rug". Which makes sense because well...it looks like a bathroom rug. Mine is from a boutique so I feel confident wearing it round about town.  See?!

Jordan has also introduced me to his favorite thing about Fall: candy. More specifically: Tootsie Rolls. They are also called Midgees-isn't that funny?! This pile may or may not be mine...yikes.

I hope you are enjoying the new change of seasons. I love that God gives us visuals of change. Change changes us. In good ways if we will let it. We are constantly changing-and that is a great thing. So bring it on, Fall. Let's 'tootsie roll' with the flow and let God show us some great and mighty things this season. Maybe He will bring new. Maybe He will let the things you don't need go. Maybe He will reveal a hidden thing to you in this time. Whatever your season, roll with it, baby!

What changes are you facing? What is God showing you about change? If you are feeling sad about it-look at the colors of autumn and remember-there is a time for everything....

Ecclesiastes 3 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens"

Modest is the Hottest

I am an abstinence speaker for CareNet Crisis Pregnancy Center. I lead a group of little lovelies each Sunday afternoon in a mentoring program called "Pearls". I adore these young ladies! They are icing on a cupcake kind of cute. This afternoon, we got to go on a shopping trip where they could pick out an outfit with money from their corresponding sponsors.

Here were the rules:
1. Under $50 buckaroos
2. Must have good coverage of all things lady-like
3. Can not go into Spencer's or Hollister or Nightsongs (ICK!)
4. Collect a fabulous outfit in under 1.5 hours

At the end of our shop-a-thon, I gathered some cuties for a little glimpse of our day at the mall:

And here's a shot of my sista, Bree Proffitt, and I sporting our ultra trendy yet modest worship leading attire tonight at our Sunday evening service. Bree is a fellow fashionista and singer/songwriter. See how we're rockin' the hot-mod look?!

So to all the fashionistas out there, hear us roar: "Modest is the Hottest!"

My All American Boy

I married the man of my dreams. He's the strong one between the two of us. I mean, I thought I was strong, but this guy takes the gold. He's the happiest person I've ever met and he wakes up that way each and every morning. He makes me laugh till there's no sound left and hates it when I try to dress him like a frat boy. He's fun. All the time.

I know he's strong because for seven weeks he's been sick. Like, I've never seen a person this sick in my lifetime. (How's that for newlywed bliss, eh?) In that time, we've been to countless doctors and hospitals trying to find a diagnosis. After being treated for a virus, parasite, and stricture we FINALLY found the culprit: gall-bladder-a-titus. Yep. A non-functioning gall bladder will make even my chatty Mr.Manly-Man speechless.

Yesterday, my studhubs went in for surgery to remove that nasty thang. Now that we are home and can breath again, I'm getting a kick outta watching hubs try to laugh. He sounds like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory Sheldon Laughs. I can't help myself from kissing his scruffy face over and over again! He's sorta hating that but I don't care :)

I'm completely passionate about us lovelies waiting on Mr. Right. I hope to give that message to every darling I meet. In the middle of all the drama-rama in high school and trying to figure out who you want to be-it's easy to lose hope that there is someone special for you. (Cue the tiny mice singing "Somewhere Out There") I'm not really into debating whether God did or did not create someone specifically for each one of us but for me, He did.

So, dream on, lil' ladies! I believe in happily ever after and I don't care who knows it.

Ephesians 3:20 "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us"