Ages and Ages

It's been a long time since I popped up here. I don't know if it matters or not, if anyone reads here or not. BUT, it's a place that I can be a little more indepth regarding whats going on in my and Aaron's lives. Which brings me to Friend, Nebraska. Recently Aaron and I went to Friend Nebraska to talk to a pastor in the town who was looking for a youth pastor. We had a great weekend and really like the church and town, and I really liked the kids, but in the end we just didn't feel the Lord pulling us there. In fact I think Aaron actively felt the Lord saying no (which he was quite dissapointed over because he really wanted to go). It was hard because I have a lot of roots there and I feel like there were a lot of people who wanted us to say yes, but I'm glad we didn't. It's not the kind of move you can make without knowing that the Lord is putting it on your heart. It was a great little place though. My grandparents first met each other at this red slide: And this is the world's smallest police station:

Aaron recently played in a big mud volleyball tournetment. Normally he and the same group of people play in a mud volleyball tournoment every year, and have won it the last 7 years in a row! This year though, the tourney they play in was cancelled and so we traveled to Rochelle, IL to play in a MUCH bigger one (300 teams!!!). Sadly they didn't make it to the playoffs, but to be fair, the two games they lost, they lost to the top two teams from last year! They played great though!! And it was suuuuper fun to watch! JUST watch!!! One of their femail players almost didn't make it in time and they have to have two girls on the court to be able to play SO I ALMOST HAD TO STEP IN!!! EEsh!

Aaron is all about mud and all about volleyball, so honestly it's a good sport for him. :)

My cricket friend who chilled with me:

On Thursday we leave for New York for four days to see Aaron's family, including his brother who I haven't ever met and who Aaron hasn't seen in almost 10 years!! It's pretty exciting!!

I am going to post what I spoke on at Frontline this past week before we go. Pray that we have a safe trip and that it's joyful and full of laughter and love!

Cupcake Birthday

Just in case anyone who missed my birthday still wants to get me anything:







Cupcake Lip Gloss














2 Cupcake Pens (the cupcake pens only please)





















The Martha Stewart Cupcake Tote












A Cupcake Tshirt












Cupcake Sunglasses
















Cupcake Scarf

Post AC

Some SPUR OF THE MOMENT THOUGHTS I had the other day. Someone mentioned something about polite CHristians and it got me thinking.

"Hmm...Should Christianity be polite? Is that true? Jesus was offensive. Not maliciously, and he wasn't mean, but he challenged the social standard which always leads to people taking offense. Did he worry about being offensive? Did he worry about what people thought? When someone's ideals are being challenged they get defensive, angry, offended (even Christians...especially Christians) - by the very nature of living a Christ-like life you are challenging the world's ideals. If we are living a Christ-like life should we then be interpreted as offensive?

Why don't we say the important things? Because they're offensive? Two important things no Christian says anymore because it's too "offensive": 1) You're going to hell. 2) What you're doing is wrong. Two true statements, but we don't say them.

Didn't Christ say for us not to worry about being hated by the world since it also hate him? Doesn't that mean we, like Christ, should be living in a fashion that makes the world at least take notice, maybe even hate us?

What does that look like today?

It does NOT look like hate. There is abig difference between challenging the worlds ideals and spewing hate. I think so many Christians have stopped living offensively for fear of being confused with the Christians living hatefully.

Litmus test for if you're living like Christ: do the unsaved people in your life a) know you're saved; b) know you think how they live is wrong; AND c) know you believe that without Christ they will spend eternity in hell? What does it mean if we answered no? That we're accepting? Non judgemental? Or just too scared to live a life that offends.

How do we reconcile an offensive life with a life of love? How do we incorporate both the way that Christ did?

What have we done to the church by watering ourselves down so much? How can we mature spiritually if we don't strive for that Christ-likeness that does so often offend....

Personally I feel the answer is relational. Christ was a relational leader. "Offensive" words said in the context of a loving relationship are usually received with love. "Offensive" words said out of that context just come off as hateful.

Where do I stand?

Where do we find balance?"

I have more I would like to say about this, just not the time.

And an update on Ascension Convention is forthcoming.