Don't you hate it when time just gets away from you? How frustrating!
Christmas came and went like dust on the wind and, other than a few water related mishaps, it went pretty well!
We still didn't have our tree, but that was fine because we planned on spending the day with our Aunt in Atwater... she had a tree, so it wasn't a treeless Christmas (could you imagine? The horror)! Everyone was up pretty late the night before, trying to get presents wrapped or being unable to sleep in beds because other people were trying to get presents wrapped... so we all slept in, and didn't really get over to my Aunt's place until about 2:30/3:00.
The gift exchange went well, also. Everyone seemed to enjoy their gifts... I got my brother a hoodie buddie which, if you don't know what those are, is a hoodie that has headphones sewn in. The draw strings for the hood are the earbuds and the plug in thing is in the pocket. He was pretty thrilled about it!
I got some pretty awesome stuff, too! I mentioned in an earlier post that my kids got me a Kindle for Christmas, and that it was pretty much the only thing I wanted this year... so I was pretty content with whatever I got. I ended up with some pretty awesome stuff as well! And my dad got Inception, so we watched that. My Aunt hadn't seen it yet.
We had a fairly good dinner (though I think the food at the Branding Iron the night before takes the proverbial cake) and finished the night out with pie and an iPhone swim (excited about the pie... the iPhone swim... not so much).
So, all in all, it was a good Christmas! I hope yours went just as well and, if you own an iPhone, I hope yours went better. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!! :)
The spoils of Christmas include: 1 Zombie shirt, 1 Smurf shirt, 1 Scarf/hat/glove combo 1 awesome necklace, 2 bottles of body mist, 1 deck of snow panda penguin playing cards 2 pairs of awesome earring, 1 pair of sweet knit slipper boots, and a partridge in a pear tree an Amazon Kindle!
This year was probably the most hectic Christmas wise that I've ever experienced. Probably because Christmas just snuck up on me! I'm still having a hard time believing that it's right around the corner, because it doesn't feel like Christmas. The fact that we don't have a tree up may have something to do with it, but whatever the reason, Christmas just snuck up on me!
Regardless, I was able to finish my Christmas shopping last night (geez, Wal-Mart, could you be more stressful? Wal-Mart will be closing in 2 minutes it's been 2 minutes why are you still shopping we're closing our registers in 3 minutes and in 5 minutes if you aren't outside well sweet dreams you're sleeping here we'll see you tomorrow) and that was a huge weight off of my shoulders.
This December seemed to be filled with deadlines... it was crazy! Starting right at the very beginning, when my novel was due by 11:59pm November 30th... or at least my 50K. Then I had a Secret Santa gift that had to be mailed off by the 10th (and wasn't actually mailed until the 11th, ooops!), Christmas cards I had to get out, a gift exchange on December 16th (with my kiddos! YAY!) Sean's birthday last night, Christmas Eve on Friday, and Christmas on Saturday. Breathe with me, people.
hee. hee. hoooooooooooooooo.
And also, the whole moving thing. Oh yeah, that. Deadlines are great, don't get me wrong... and a few of those things weren't even hard to be on top of (like the Dec 16th gift exchange and the Christmas cards), but I think moving around all the time makes time go faster... which is great, unless you don't have that much time to begin with. Right up to the end there it was, "oh yay, I got this, this, and this do--oh no Christmas presents!"
But now I'm done. Anything that isn't wrapped by Christmas Eve is on Amazon and UPS. ha. Which actually takes a lot off my plate and makes the other tasks I have to complete (like, um, my novel?) a little easier to handle.
Plus I'm really excited about some (read: most) of the gifts that I got for people this year... muahahaha (I am so clever... and humble) so there's that. I'm sure that once Christmas is actually here, it'll feel like it.
On Fridays, Camden and I meet for coffee and discuss
the important things in life, like whether or not his Pull-Up
is dry, or if Ander needs more Cheerios...
So, it's officially Christmas break for me. Which is great! I have a lot to do... we've bought a new house, and we're moving slowly over there (haha it's even closer to the church than our current one... as if that were possible), and Christmas is coming up and everything. I'm still trying to keep with working out (and I'm doing a little bit on my own but after Christmas we will be cracking down) and I have a few more gifts that I still need to buy, and just a lot that has to get done... I feel like things won't be "normal" until after Christmas, which seemed to sneak up on me this year. It's on Saturday. What is that about?
Anyway, Sunday was my last day with my boys, and I felt so bad because I got sick halfway through the night and had to keep my distance from Cam. Which was fine, until we watched Toy Story 3 and he wanted to cuddle (which of course I eventually caved to... you try saying no to that face, knowing you won't see it regularly for 2 weeks). 2 weeks is not that long, just 14 days but it seems painfully long when you consider having seen the kids everyday for 3 weeks straight. And all of the families I work for are pretty much family, and time is always drawn out when you're away from family.
Ander and me on gift exchange day!
(Dec 16 2010)
The gift exchange went well, by the way. The kids seemed to love their gifts, and I know I loved mine!! Those stinkers got me a Kindle, which was pretty much my Christmas wishlist this year. So jazzed!! It is seriously one of my favorite pieces of technology recently. It's dangerous, because of what my dad calls "instant gratification" but what is for normal people the ability to buy books at the drop of a hat... and I love books I do. So I've had to stop myself from just going OO I WANT TO READ THAT and buying it right there. But it's also great because if I need to read I can just boop get a book. And the free books they have aren't bad! :D Plus, there's a way to link to Twitter/Facebook and share notes and stuff as you read... which I love because I adore discussing books I'm reading. It really is fantastic. I love actual books, but the Kindle is great when actual books aren't an option. Seriously, so jazzed about this! :)
I'm looking forward to this vacation, and Christmas, but at the same time I'm dreading it a bit. 2 weeks is a long time, which means I need to find things to occupy my time (hey Lauren, you could always finish your book quiet, muse) when I'm not cleaning/painting/moving/working out. Haha, yeah, I'd be hard-pressed to find some free time in that, too.
I already can't wait to get back to work, though.
Too many darling faces. I love them all.
(From L to R: Cam, Asher, and Bria)
This is Kara's fish... Yes, I actually got her one! It's a male delta tail beta... The pinkest one I could find. I'm hoping she'll be excited.
Camden saw it this morning and asked if it was a dolphin... Lol. These kids.
We're doing our gift exchange today. The kids are going to help me get their moms' gifts ready, and we're gonna have a little party. Looking forward to it. :)
I'm posting early today, because I don't know if I'll be able to post at all tomorrow. I want to start off by saying - THANK YOU AMY FOR THE ALMOND ROCHA! :D
My Christmas morning looks to be a little packed. We're to be at my Aunt's house at 11 for Christmas Brunch, which means we have to be up and ready and doing presents before that... that's early... haha. I'm determined to make it fun... I'm sure if I fill the day with games of Apples to Apples and Pictophone, it'll turn out to be a hoppin' Christmas Brunch indeed!
We'll probably spend a few hours over there, then head on back home to chill and make Christmas dinner... which I'm looking for. I might even talk everyone into finishing up Band of Brothers (Oh my heck I can't begin to tell you how much I love that series!!! What I wouldn't give to have Easy Company under my Christmas tree!) - we only have 2 more episodes left, but they're the hardest 2 to get through. Nix and his transformation, Winters and his requests, the photos, and of course... the concentration camps. BUT - as much as it tears my heart to shreds, I do so love this era of our history. I firmly believe it was the point at which America was at it's most majestic.
BUT - I digress. Friday morning holds in store for us an epic breakfast - I'm already making plans for the left over ham!! Haha! And, as Christmas comes and goes, it becomes time to make the resolutions... I had tons at the beginning of the year but as I type this, I realize I have none, and should probably think of a few.
And I think I should throw this out there - I'm prepared to accept the end of 2008. As much as I hate to see it go, I've found myself each and every day EAGERLY anticipating the new year. I kind of get like this near the end of every year, but I wasn't expecting it this time around. 2009 holds a lot of things for me - more auditions, possibly more plays, more opportunities to step into the director's chair... more job opportunities, more memories, and - of course - more FACE TIME opportunities. It's strange to see how fast and yet how slow everything passes... To wake up every morning wondering what lies ahead, only to wake up once again on January first knowing you've been here before. Knowing you've been here before, but knowing this is something completely fresh and new.
I hope writing, and blogging, remain as therapeutic as they proved themselves to be near the end of this year. I guess everyone has an outlet, and I hope this one remains mine. It's a unique outlet - not like stage or dance or singing or anything like that. It allows me to calm myself, but at the same time record everything I'm feeling, what's happened, what I'm going through, offering me the opportunity to look back on my life and see how I've changed or grown. See what I've accomplished.
I can only pray that, as we celebrate our Lord's birth, He watches over me and guides me, and that I hear Him as best I can. Maybe that will be my resolution - grow in Him, follow Him more. That's one that can never end badly, right?
And as I finish this off, I'd like to wish all of you and your families a VERY Merry Christmas - may you remember what we are celebrating, and may you enjoy the times you can spend with family. May the Lord be with those that can't be with us, be it one way or the other, and may he smile upon you all. May the New Year bring you many blessings, as well... I know Christa's got one already in the works. :) (I am SO jealous!)
AND - David - IF you read this, I just want to wish you a Merry Christmas, as well. It sucks you can't be with us for what I think is the first time in forever. I hope everything goes well and you keep yourself safe!! Have a great time!! Miss you!! *hugs*
...hmm... despite the fact that Lt. Lipton's episode makes me cry every time I see it, and despite the fact that I just watched Lt. Lipton's episode, I'm in a rather chipper, giving mood right now. Mayhaps I'll leave out a piece of Almond Rocha for the ants in my room - it's the least I can do for killing their Spider Centurion on the Eve of Christmas (It was his fault, though, he jumped on me while I was getting laundry to wash, I reacted as any person would when a HUGE brown spider jumps on them).
Merry Christmas, blog readers. Get ya minds right, and enjoy your time with your families. A family is a priceless treasure, and the time you spend with them could be the best gift you receive this year. :)
There was a time when all was broken, The fault was mine I watched my bridges burning, I had started the fire I ran out of hope, I ran out of excuses I ran out of time, I ran into You and learned…
That your love is the one thing that I can’t run out of Your love is the one thing that’s always been enough And there is never a time when you’re not by my side You’ve proven your love is the one thing that I can’t run out of
Such conviction, there’s no question that I was being chased Goodness and mercy, both follow me, I was stalked by grace I ran out of fear, I ran out of losing I ran in and found you running to me….yeah…
Your love is the one thing that I can’t run out of Your love is the one thing that’s always been enough And there is never a time when you are not by my side You’ve proven your love is the one thing that I can’t run out of
There is never a time when you’re not by my side You’ve proven your love, is the one thing Your love is the one thing…
Your love is the one thing that I can’t run out of Your love is the one thing that’s always been enough And there’s never a time when you’re not by my side You’ve proven your love is the one thing that I can’t run out of
Dooo Dooo Dooo Doooo Oh Yeah Yeah Dooo Dooo Dooo Doooo Yeah your love is the one thing Oh Yeah You’re always, always by my side
Your love is the one thing Your love is the one thing Your love is the one thing Your love is the one thing Your love is the one thing Your love is the one thing….
So - I was going to cheat and give you just a bunch of blog posts from the boys, but I decided against it and wanted to try my hand at giving you all a REAL post for once. I've been kind of lame the past few days - I used friends as an excuse but really, I just haven't had anything to blog about. Now, don't worry, I'll still share Donnie's holiday wishes with you - it was the one that made me smile the biggest. But I'll just link you to Jon's and Joe's... But before I do that, let's get this underway.
Christmas is only something like 6 days away... and I have to step back and review how remarkable it is that it's so close. I've been thinking back to years passed, and I can't remember a single time when Christmas has ever snuck up on me. As far as I can remember, it's always been me at the very start of December anticipating Christmas and it's gift bearing arrival.
It isn't so this year. I haven't done any Christmas shopping, and the gift bearing arrival is less than a week away. Not to mention, it's not like my days are empty from now till then...
So - I think it has something to do with the fact that this year, I really dove into life. In years passed, December meant the end of school, the end of responsibilities, the end of the year. December meant relaxation, it meant family visiting, it meant a new start. It meant Christmas, and I had always anticipated that season, even if I had my moments when I despised Christmas day. Not actual Christmas day; I didn't despise Jesus' birth, but I despised the Americanized Christmas, the one that meant people being insane and rushing around and buying gifts and thus buying people's love. No matter how I was feeling, though, Christmas always stayed the same, and it never snuck up on me.
This year, Christmas must have spent it's off season training to be a ninja because I didn't even see it coming till I read someone's Happy Holiday's blog and went, HOLY HAITIAN, BATMAN! Christmas is just around the corner!!!
And I'm not looking forward to it one bit - but we aren't there yet.
I think the reason it snuck up on me is, like I said, I dove into life this year. December was by no means easy - I had a lot to look forward to, and a lot I had to do. Instead of having just 1 night of an improv show I had to do, I had 2 nights of a skit show, a children's musical, and 2 nights of an adult Christmas musical. I was helping write the skit show - which happened to fall on the same night as the children's musical, so that was a crazy day - and I directed, blocked, etc. etc. for the Adult musical, as well as acted in it. The adult musical was a week after the Skit show/Children's musical, so I pretty much didn't even see December show up. I was so focused on getting everything put together and not crashing and burning that I was 2 weeks into December before I realized what month it was. ((Anyone who's wondering, everything went REALLY, REALLY well. Thank goodness - it was all God, too))
Now, like I said before, I'm not looking forward to Christmas one bit. One reason is because, like I said, I haven't gone shopping, and I don't have much money to do so even if I wanted to. Another reason is that neither my brother OR my grandpa are coming down to visit this year. I got to see my Grandpa over Thanksgiving but I haven't seen David in a while and I miss him, and I really wish he was coming down.
But the biggest reason would be, I don't want 2008 to end. Interesting conclusion, if you look back to a lot of my blogs/rants/whatever you want to call them from the middle and beginning of this year. A lot of crap happened this year that, at the time, I hated. I can't exactly talk about all of it here, but basically 2008 was filled with anxiety, disappointment, heart break, more disappointment, financial crisis, more heart break, more anxiety, and a presidential election (lol). But if I really break it down, I had a pretty good year. I dealt with the anxiety, I learned from the disappointment, I got through the heart break, and I grew as a person.
I had a lot of questions at the beginning of this year - do I really want to be an actress? Do I have what it takes? Am I too old? What am I gonna do without my friends? Am I going to be alone forever? Is this where God wants me in life? Am I missing his signals? etc. etc. whine whine so on and so forth.
But to be completely honest, this year was one of the best of my life, not the worst, and I don't want it to be over. I don't want to have to tackle another year when I've already achieved so much in this one.
Do I really wanna be an actress?? the answer to that is ABSOLUTELY I DO. I've been through so much acting wise this year, and OMG I loved every second of it! I may have complained, ripped my hair out, lost sleep, ran from place to place, freaked out, and panicked, but it was fantastic, and now I know I can do it even through all of that. Will it get worse? Will it get more difficult? I hope so! I'm looking forward to where this will take me - even if it ends up fizziling out in the end.
Do I have what it takes? I'm still alive, aren't I? I'm actually extremely proud of myself for not giving up. Never in my life have I had something in my hands for the first time and NOT quit when things got difficult... It means something - at least to me - that I stuck it out with all that was going on. Says to me that, if I don't yet have what it takes, I'm pretty dang close.
Am I too old?? That was the hardest one to get over, to be completely honest. I was so sure that I had missed my chance. I hadn't gotten started when I should have, and now I was far too old to acquire the skills I needed to make it far... that I was too old to get started in this profession, I was too old to turn heads. It wasn't until September that I was finally able to admit that there's no such thing as too old... Sept. 28th to be exact... if that date means nothing to you, well, then... I can't help you... but I know there are people out there that know what it is. The live Boston broadcast, the one that perked my radar... the one that got me asking questions, and ultimately lead to me seeing THIS music video and crying tears of joy. Clearly, there was no such thing as "too old" when it came to talent.
What am I going to do without my friends? This question was in two parts... but it doesn't matter the details behind the two parts, because I really didn't have to ask that question. The truth is, I have some AMAZING friends, ones that I didn't even know I had, and I don't need to worry about not having any unless I go through some drastic personality changes and chase them all away. :)
Am I going to be alone forever?? Absolutely not. Even if I never find a significant other, I still have amazing friends, family, extended family, etc, that are always going to be there, and even if I chase them all away - I've learned that God will still be there for me... I'm not going to be alone forever, because I was never alone to begin with.
Is this where God wants me in this life? Am I missing his signals? I think I've experienced enough of God telling me what to and what NOT to do that, if I missed his signals telling me I'm on the wrong path, they've been REAL subtle. And it's been my experience that God is not into subtlety.
I like who I've become - I like how much I've grown in this past year, and I think that's why I don't want the year to end. In all reality, I don't want to say goodbye. As soon as this year ends, it's all a memory... it's all a memory now, but when the year ends I have to start saying last year, 2 years ago, 3 years ago... etc. etc.
I hated this year when it started, didn't want anything to do with it... but now I can honestly look back on the past year, on the choices I had to make, on the events I had to go through, and say I'm honestly glad I lived through it all. Say I'm THANKFUL for every pitfall, every tough decision, every night I cried myself to sleep or ran home angry at people that meant the world to me. I'm thankful for the chance to have to figure out how to piece my heart back together, I'm thankful for everyone God gave me to help with that process. I'm thankful for every single second I tore my hair out and got stress induced stomach aches. I'm thankful for the fact that I have no fingernails, lol. Because now I'm someone I never thought I could be; I've seen things in myself that I didn't think I had, I've witnessed myself do things I didn't think I could do. I've surpassed even MY expectations. I'm thankful for all of that, because without it, I couldn't sit here and be thankful for all that came from it.
Merry Christmas, everyone, and a Happy New Year.
Now - you may be asking why I chose to share Donnie's blog with you instead of Jon's or Joe's... and to be completely truthful, it's not because Donnie's my favorite, or because I absolutely love him, and it certainly isn't because Jon's and Joe's posts aren't as good... it's simply because Donnie's post was my inspiration. Remember? Last post I said inspiration was going to bean me in the head with a 2x4??? Well, apparently, inspiration is not as mean as I thought he would be... he instead gave me a bear hug and patted me on the head. Plus, Donnie's post just made me smile... they usually do... and... well, Kayla you know the rest... :)
So - here:
Hey All,
Just wanted to take a second to say Happy Holidays to all of you!!!
Its been an amazing year for me and I hope it has been one for you too!
I hope in some small way- we may have done something to help bring a smile to some of your faces.
I can tell you that meeting so many of you, hearing the kind stories you shared, feeling the love from you, has brought so much joy to me.
I owe so much to so many of you.
I don’t want to get sappy here- but there were so many monents to look back on…
So many fun meetings…
So many fun moments…
From Ping Pong Girl, to the Waffle House Girls, to my pal Ryan in Toronto, and on and on and on….
2008 started out as one of the toughest years of my life…. But damn it finished well!!!!
At holiday time… I am so grateful to all of you for that.
So now I gotta go on a mission to do the same for you in 2009!!!!!!!
08 was fun….
09 can be funner!!
08 was big…
09 must be BIGGER!!!!
Its time to get fired up!!!!
Do you think its gonna stop in 09???
Do you really think we would walk away now???
THIS IS YOUR TIME!!!!
Man… We’re just giving you all a second to re-charge your batteries!!!!!!
Get your mind right!!!
Get your head straight!!!!
FACE TIME CONTINUES IN 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
***AUTHOR'S NOTE - if you're in the drama/christmas musical and I tagged you in this notes, chances are I do ACTUALLY talk about you... haha.
Ok - so, as many of you know... let's rephrase that... as many of you DON'T know, and as many of you may have found out today - I've been steadily freaking out about the drama portion of the Christmas musical. Not only do I have a part in said drama, but I'm in charge of it - which means blocking, lighting direction, mic hand offs, everything was my shtick. Today was particularly difficult... I couldn't sleep AT ALL last night, I was pretty much obsessing over it... the run through on Saturday had not been horrible, but I had dropped a few lines, and I was a bit upset with myself, and started freaking out about everything. Ugh.
Not only was I not able to sleep a WINK last night, but I had to be at church early, to work in the Nursery... as much as I love children, I wasn't really looking forward to spending my morning with them on only a few moments of sleep... and as I got ready, I kept obsessing about the SAME. THING. I forgot to call Frank and see if I could use his CHP shirt for one of the scenes. That was the one thing bugging me. I had filled all the roles, I had blocked all the scenes. I had made adjustments where they needed to be made - worked with the sound and lighting guys, crammed lines... all in a week. Now, going over it, I figure I should have been pretty satisfied with the work I had put in, but this morning, all I could focus on was that shirt, and how the play was ruined without it.
But God is amazing... As I walked up to the preschool building, I looked who at who was in front of me... a woman with a little blonde girl... her hair in pig tails.
It's amazing what a couple years of being a nanny can do. When you're just "aquainted" with kids, most of them look the same from behind. But I knew this little girl - I knew who she was as soon as I saw the color of her hair - and immediately my day was better. I jogged to the preschool building and caught up with them inside. Reese always puts a smile on my face and brightens my day! :)
But what's amazing about this is Reese is Frank's grandaughter... which meant she was with Grandma. I immediately snatched up the moment, asking if I could borrow a shirt for the musical that was TODAY... apologizing for the late notice - and we were able to get it!! So you think I'd breath this huge sigh of relief, right? I did... for about an hour. By the time I got home, I was so nervous again, I couldn't take a nap - which is what I NEEDED to do. I did a few things online, tried to get my mind off of things, but I just couldn't. By the time I decided to do my hair, I was all but shaking. I was frantic. I tried to get everything together, and when I left the house, I realized I couldn't find the camera, and I had forgotten my jacket. Luckily, we had the wrong call time, and were able to chill and get some starbucks and grab the stuff from the house... (As I type this, I realize my Venti Chai Tea Latte, no water, 2 pumps peppermint, and whip is still at the church. DAAAAAAAAANGIT) But as soon as we got in the building, I was anxious again. I had called Lisa and run our scene a couple of times, ran the scene with Sean a couple times, and ran everything else through my head. My mom kept telling me I had nothing to be nervous about - but quite honestly, I think I would have been nervous even if I had had a YEAR to prepare. It was my baby; the first production I wasn't only a part of, but that I was in charge of. If it bombed, it was my head. It wasn't even so much my cast that I was worried about, as it was myself.
But everything flowed together REALLY well - I surprised myself, and everyone REALLY stepped up. The drama was fantastic, and the choir... OMG. Everything just went SO. WELL... and there's no doubt that that was all God. I met so many smiling faces when it was over, so many people were pleased with it, and I was kind of surprised that it was over. It went by so smoothly, and so FAST.
I want to share a portion of the program with you - it's the part that has touched me no matter what I'm feeling, no matter how many times I see it. We have this young woman in our church named Tisha - and I tell you what, Tisha can SING. But it's not even just that she's AMAZING - she's so full of passion, and she's got one of the most amazing Choir arrangements to sing... the choir really steps up and backs her, and the whole performance is just AMAZING. I'm moved to tears every time I see it... and these aren't just little, nestle-in-the-corner-of-your-eyes tears... no - these are full on ugly cry tears. It's an AMAZING song, and the choir does SUCH a good job... I know a lot of you can't see the musical, so I recorded this particular song... It's absolutely AMAZING!!!
There's one part where the orchestra drops out and the choir takes over, and OMG... if you aren't moved by that, I don't know what's wrong with you! It's absolutely beautiful.
But I think what gets me the most is Tisha and how full of passion she is... she really puts her all into the song and is in tears by the end... she's moved by the message and the beauty of it all WHILE SHE'S UP THERE SINGING. It must be amazing to be in her position... between the choir and the orchestra, completely enveloped in the moment and the song, everything around her... The video is uploading to youtube now, and I'll have it up as soon as it's ready... I want to share it with everyone because I truly think it will touch your hearts as well.
All in all - the whole production was amazing and I am SO glad to be a part of it! :)
So - this being a December NaBloPoMo blog... what am I thankful for???
I am thankful for every single one of my cast mates - all of you are amazing, especially those of you who were willing to step in last second... Stephanie, Lisa, Mom, Sean, and Vicki - thank you for sacrificing your time and willingly serving the Lord - and helping me out in doing so! :) Your dedication and hard work has REALLY paid off, and it's been a blast working with you! Kevin B. and Mikayla - thank you for being so flexible and working with me, even though you only got the scripts a few days ago... you both did amazing. Thank you for also sacrificing your time!! :) KEVIN SHEWEY - Thank you so much for saving my butt last second!!! I WILL mention it often! ;) You're doing a great job - I know the last thing you wanted to do as SOON as you got home was another show, so thank you SO much for helping out!
All of you are fantastic and are working so hard, and it means a LOT to me! I could have spent years on this program and it would have been horrid if it weren't for all of you!
I'm thankful that we are blessed with such an amazing choir - all of you are so talented and the music sounds absolutely BEAUTIFUL! ESPECIALLY Not Unto Us! :) There is no doubt in my mind that each and every one of you is touching a heart tonight!! :D
Tyson - Tyson and ALL HIS HARD WORK. Our church is blessed with a simply AMAZING music pastor with an AMAZING heart for God and worship. I am blessed every Sunday I get to experience him leading worship - he's amazing and I don't think he gets told that enough. What's more, he was INCREDIBLY easy to work with. Him being a grump could have totally ruined this experience for me! :) The program is AWESOME!
Kay - for giving me this chance. As stressful as it was, I am truly glad I had this opportunity... it's an experience I won't soon forget, if I forget it at all! Like I said before, as much as I griped and freaked out and stressed, if I truly hated it, I would have given up. I'm so glad I didn't.
I want to thank everyone that came, and everyone who encouraged me... especially Kayla - girl you have NO IDEA how much your words really pushed me onward. :) I would have been dead without your encouragement! And also everyone for their kind words afterward...
And finally - I'm thankful for God... for a lot of things, but right now, for just being so gosh darn AMAZING.
I'm so pleased with how everything turned out. :)
Break a leg tomorrow, everyone - and get ya minds right! :D
I actually don't know how well this is going to go with the whole "Thanks" theme - but I figured I'd write about it anyway.
There are a few words that I love just because they're more than words - they're words that you can't define just by pointing to something, because they aren't tangeable. HOPE is one of these words - I absolutely love it... but what is Hope, really?
I'm in a Christmas musical at my church called Christmas at Hope Central... it's a real cute production, and one of the songs (sung by Bailey Dalhoff, who does a GREAT job) is called "To Know Hope" and it's a real good song.
It's the time of year when all the lights shine and everyone says: Be of good cheer. He look around, things are so in a mess. Now Christmas is near, but ti's the same old lonely world that it's been. Better luck next year with peace on earth, good will to men.
To know hope, when the darkness that surrounds me brings no hope, please help me to see. To know hope when there's no one really out there. Is there anybody anywhere? Help me to know hope.
It's the time of year when all lights shine and everyone says: Be of good cheer. Hey look around, things are so in a mess. You turn your back to the cold while Christmas bells played their song again. You heard the story told of peace on earth, good will to men.
To know hope, when the darkness surrounds me, brings no hope, please help me to see. To know hope is to know the love of Jesus and to feel his arms around us, to know Him is to know hope.
I really like that song - the tune is sweet, and like I said before, Bailey does a good job singing it. But, I like the message, too... especially the line about turning your back to the cold.
Isn't THAT what hope is?? Some people would say hope is something that you want - when you never stop wanting, the feeling that if you want hard enough it'll happen... but I don't think so... more so than a state of mind, I think HOPE is actually an action... more so than just wanting something, I think HOPE involves a lot of work on someone's part. The wanting and believing whatever you want can be attained is only half of the job - the other half would be what that line in the song says - turning your back to the cold. In order to have real, true, hope, you have to work at it... you have to believe when everything else says you're wrong. You have to want when everyone tells you it's impossible. You have to shut off everyone around you and push on to attain your goal - you have to turn your back to the cold. When people tell you something is never going to happen, you have to know how to laugh it off - you can't let anything discourage you. THAT'S what HOPE is - and to know hope is to know the love of Jesus...
I mean, who can debate that knowing Jesus Christ is true Hope?? How many people in this world condemn Christians? Tell them that what they believe is ridiculous?? And how many of those Christians turn their backs to the cold and continue to believe - continue to have true hope?? I know it exists - I've felt his love, heard his voice, and seen him work in my life... I have the hope in my life that there is more, that I'm meant for more, and that there is more beyond this world. THAT is true hope, and no matter what you tell me, I won't abandon that.
You couldn't pay me to abandon the idea of true hope.
Get ya mind right.
~L
Thanks wise... I guess you could say I'm thankful for Christ... and the chance to experience true Hope.
I'm also EXTREMELY thankful to facebook, for not only telling me I'm a whore, but letting me know that for every 1 person that has a crush on me, there are 2 people that hate me. THANKS FACEBOOK.
