Christmas-the most wonderful time of the year

For all 3 people who read my blog, I would like to share with you the things about this season that delight my heart to no end.

1. Tacky Christmas Lights
2. Tacky Blow-up Santa Clauses
3. Hot Chocolate with Peppermint
4. Claymation Movies on ABC Family
5. the smell of Christmas Trees
6. Decorating Christmas Trees
7. Christmas Light Extravaganza

Where people go too far in the name of "Christmas Spirit":
1. listening to Christmas music outside of its intended window (after Thanksgiving to two days after Christmas and occasionally in July)
2. vests (its okay and delightful for women over 40 to wear them)
3. the song Christmas shoes (sorry...)
4. country musicians singing any Christmas song (esp. Alan Jackson)

...In conclusion, I hope that you all will take these things into consideration as we continue in this holiday season

A nose ring and a boyfriend

Since moving to Austin my paradigms of life have been completely changed. I have come to see life in a different way. Sure, I'm still who I was a couple months ago, same tendencies and struggles, still uncomfortable about the majority of life. However, I have found that as I spend more time with the people here, I feel more encouraged to be myself. I wonder what it is about this place that makes me feel so much more comfortable in my own skin. I think a lot of it is that in coming here there were no expectations of who I was supposed to be and we all know that one of my biggest pet peeves is being told who I should be and what I should do. So maybe it has simply been the freedom to be whoever the Lord has me to be at any given moment. Some of it is the reality of being able to do what I was meant to do with my life. I have been able to throw off the shackles of school and constraints of jobs I hated. I mean I really love getting up in the morning to do my job. I love the challenges and the obstacles, the good days and the bad. I love the studying and the work that goes into being able to do vocational ministry and the Lord does renew and grow us in what we love.
Of course I have found quite a few difficulties, remember I said that my schemas of life have been pretty much shattered and that, my friend, is never a totally pleasant occurrence. I am a southern girl in a very liberal and hippie environment. I no longer find myself talking to people acting on the same natural tendency towards legalism. I am not surrounded by anyone bound to the rules. Even in the different aspects of my life I am experiencing a bit of a facelift. Ministry, relationships, everyday living all look different than I have always expected. And maybe this is the beauty of if all: even in the vast difference between my expectations and the practicality of my life, I still see the Lord working and providing me peace and joy.
One of the fringe benefits of being around people who haven't known you for years is that they have a fresh perspective on your strengths and weaknesses. And they believe in you, just because they can. I have found so much encouragement for the things that I want to do in life. At every turn I am provided with encouragement, support, resources and new ideas of how I can serve the Lord and others around me.
So although it has been difficult to broaden my horizons, it has been a delight to grow up a little. But then again, maybe all this change is due to a nose ring and a boyfriend.

Subtle Idolatry

This idea is fairly new and I'm still thinking it through, so be forgiving and give me some feedback...

I've been observing adolescents in the church for about five years as a leader and I was one for ten. Until this morning, I was unable to put my finger on what was going on with the majority of youth I have met, even myself for quite a long time. I see "good" kids. I see kids who can give me good answers, yet something about them just doesn't get it. But, why? I think it may have something to do with this: subtle idolatry. Yes, the exchanging of the Creator for the created, but even worse is exchanging the Creator for something good and associated with Him. It is worse because it is so difficult to identify and most often we get praised for these things. I first observed this in my own life. So often I put the pursuit of a greater faith before Christ. Faith is my idol. Similarly, instead of replacing sin with Christ, I will replace sin with the idea of "purifying" my heart. Essentially I put things in front of me other than Christ to pursue, not realizing that it is through the pursuit of Christ that those things come into being.
Now, how does this relate to adolescents? Well, I think that there has become a trend in youth ministry. Our purpose is to equip students and seeking out that purpose, I think we have tried to take the easier route of teaching techniques and methods. So what we have done is teach technique over Truth and ways to become closer to Christ over Christ. We need to see that holiness, being a disciple, and Truth go much deeper than methods. It is messier than that. The road is longer and rougher. It requires patience and faith. It takes the work of Christ and the seal of the Spirit. We as "ministers" must be willing to do the hard work of loving people.

Austin

So the point of starting this thing was so that I could write, not just about what I'm thinking about, but to update folks on life in Austin.
Let's start with the city. I adore it. One of the delights of Austin is being able to drive around. There are a couple of neighborhoods that are incredible. The view from Mt Bonnell is breathtaking. And there are times when I will drive down a road, turn a corner and all of the sudden I am overlooking the city. It is beautiful. Its a good surprise and it always makes me smile.
Second, my job. Incredible. It is such a gift to finally be able to do what I was created to do. (not that i wasn't in the Lord's will before, but you follow). Being allowed to utilize the gifts the Lord has given me is a great feeling. But even more than that, being able to learn from all the people around me and engage in kid's lives is the greatest thing ever. I am so grateful.
Finally, my favorite time of the week. It's what I'm doing right now. Thursday morning nurture times. This consists of the youth staff picking a coffee shop in Austin and resting. Reading, writing, listening to a sermon...amazing
...i would write more, but its time to go...

Transition

-I wrote this about two weeks after being in Austin:

The wounds of the past months are gaping open. They are being dealt with
and worked out as I rest and ponder. What really gets me is the heartache
of what I miss. The emotional attachment that was ripped at the seams has
left a dull ache that traveled west with me. It is not the vast
differences that are the hardest, but the things that are almost the same that
make me yearn for what I had. And although I believe that it will be fine
and the ache will soon turn to memories of delight as the mysterious becomes
familiar, it still hurts now. And that’s okay. It is in these times
that the Spirit seals Himself to the wounds and reminds me that I am claimed as
a child of God. It’s also when he further shows who He is and who I am. He
is my constant, my stability. I am stereotypical humanity. I choose
familiar sin over freedom. Comfort over challenge. But he has equipped me and
called me to more. I can overcome all that is ahead of me because of who He is.

I want to assure everyone that I am happy in Austin. I really enjoy it here. But the above still stands. The mysterious is becoming familiar, but the ache is still there. I still miss what I left and I think that I might always miss it. I'm okay with that.

For Martin Davis

I am creating this blog under the persuasion of Mr. Davis. I gave in, but I feel that given the amount of writing I am doing, this is a pretty good outlet. Hopefully I will have more interesting posts, but as for now just know that Martin Davis is a very good persuader.