Last second grace

I drive the freeway every morning and every evening - what fun! Actually it is more stressful and weird than I ever imagined. And given the fact that you have a bunch of people going 65, er, 75mph (who are we kidding) trying desperately to get to their destinations first, it makes for a circus of ego's and brakes.

Here is Orange County, CA, we take our driving seriously - no cut ins, no merging; if you could not figure out that you were meant to be in the right lane way back when we did (I'm not going to let you pull in front of me back there either) you sure are not going to cut in front now! It's a wonder we have a nervous system left at all.

This morning while driving I came up to my exit and noticed that someone cut right in front of me. AGHHH! I made my annoyance known to them by inching up, yes I realize this is a non-christian thing to do, you'd be wise to imagine my horror when I know I have sped past someone angrily and know that the last thing they are going to see on my car is not only my fish but my dove as well!

DO AS I SAY, NOT AS I DO

So me and this "bad" driver were just about the place the exit separates from the freeway and this car zooms in front of them. They, I am sure were bitter and mad (maybe it's just me) but for some reason, the ultimate GPS; God. Plain. and. Simple, spoke to my heart and said, life is like a highway, wait, no that's Rascall Flatts.

No, seriously, we are all going towards heaven and some of us cruise, and some speed, and for some, right when we take the Eternity Heaven off ramp, choose to refuse those who realize at the last minute, that is their exit. In essence His question was clear and gentle, "Do you want to be the girl who keeps them from getting in your lane simply because they hadn't figured it out until then?"

NO!

I want to be someone that is able to slow down enough (safely - if actually on road, metaphors and driving don't always go together) to make sure that anyone and everyone who in that last second wants to go, gets to go.

LORD KNOWS, there will be no other way for me to become this person without Him, but my sincere prayer is that my need for salvation for others becomes more important than my need for speed.

Cast down your crown

Well, well, well; beauty pageants can be fun. A wonderful tradition of poise and glamour, we revel in the whole, well, for lack of a better word, pagentry of it all. Women, who are beautiful and beautifully coifed floating around the stage in glitzy, stunning gowns hoping that all of their hard work and MONEY (gulp!) will be worth it and they can all of a sudden hear the runner-up's name called and tear up, startled, as they get to put that beautifully designed crown atop their head.

Oh to be a beauty queen!

This must have been Carrie Prejean's dream - Miss California, who had everything going for her (including the feathered dress, love it!) But alas, her destiny came down to a loaded question by a biased judge who had no intention of judging fairly. And she lost. But wait, did she really lose?

“By having to answer that question in front of a national audience, God was testing my character and faith. I’m glad I stayed true to myself,” Fox News quoted her as saying.http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/miss-usa-runner-up-god-was-testing-my-faith-with-gay-marriage-question_100182636.html

Well I applaud you Carrie; it is refreshing to have someone who regardless if I agree with (I just happen to) HAS the character to stand up and give a "big girl" answer. At the end of the day, she knows where she stands and who she stands for.

Matthew 25:23 (New International Version)
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11"You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4: 10b-11.

When we lay our crowns down, literally for the sake of the truth of our king, there is no losing in His sight. And no losing in ours. Sure she would have loved to have done the job of Miss USA and in my opinion sending a candidate to the Miss Universe pageant that speaks her mind with class and dignity in lieu of opting out of making a stand on any issue, would be refreshing. Not to mention the fact that she spoke with such care and kindness. Class and dignity are hard to come by these days, she possessed both. Shame on those who pass up kindness in search of "open mindedness," when it dosen't line up with their agenda.

But don't fret, Miss California, even though you will cast your crown before the LORD because of His brillance and beauty beyond compare, and gladly so, I am pretty sure He will give you a beautiful crown to adorn your head.

To watch the full interview, see below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5tZbga2Iz8

Burning vs. warming

Who's been burned? And who has felt the warmth of God's love and just the hint of light from the firework's show He can produce when things go right?

I want the the fireworks...and the warmth! I'm done with getting burned.

I am a die-hard "Dancing with the stars" watcher, I can't help it. I have danced in my earlier years and along with the choreography and the songs, not to mention the costumes, I love it!!!

The other night, Shawn Johnson performed a rumba with Mark Ballas, that, well was wonderfully romantic and beautiful. And left something to the imagination, gasp!

Judge Len Goodman appropriately spoke up saying, "The rumba is a bit like a fire, it can warm and it can burn, and for me sometimes the rumba's are too hot, but I think you got this just right."http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uuqe0pGFnXM

Carrie-Ann, however harped on the idea that she was uncomfortable because she was young and thus she didn't dance it well because she lacked that romance. Shame on you Carrie-Ann! Romance is a story, and it never looks the same. It can differ in so many ways, and I for one am with Len, I appreciated the fact that it was romantic and not sex in heels and sequins.

It is amazing how some view romance as sex, and some view romance as relationship. I am one that embraces the latter. Romance is such a beautiful story that reaches beyond the intimacy, it reaches into so many aspects of our lives. Friendship, companionship, respect, loyalty, peace, trust. Those are feelings I want in my life.

I truly was blessed by someone speaking up for the subtly of romance; think of how wonderful t.v could be if we left so many things unseen and to the imagination. How many times must we be burned by the world before we realize we want the warmth that comes from the true definition of the word love - God! He is the only one, with holy fire that can warm us, yet burn away the bad and ignite us without consuming us. Hallelujah!

Happy Birthday Grown up girl

Well tomorrow I turn 30 - and I thought I would jot down some things I have learned over the years, and know-that-I-know:

1. God is real and sees me

2. Jesus was flesh, God in the flesh

3. Pumpkin pie for breakfast is NEVER BAD!

4. BBQ is the best meal I have ever had

5. Dogs are angels

6. Family is crucial

7. Love is harder than I thought, but oh how worth it.

8. People are almost never "worrying or spending time wrapped up in me"

9. The mountains own a piece of my soul

10. My mom is human, and I love her anyway.

11. Work is work for a reason; it is meant to stretch us

12. Friendships take time, and patience

13. Knowledge is power, power is not always knowledge.

14. The bible is not just a book

15. Dreams are attainable, but prayer must come first.

16. Laughter is the best medicine

17. I am my Heavenly fathers child, and boy, does He love His Girl!

18. I will make it; I have the LORD with me.

19. Worrying wastes time and energy, why waste something I'm low on anyway.

20. Life is meant to be lived, and what better way to live, than to give.

My prayer is that for this time on I will work on some new hurdles:

1. To trust God with my heart and let Him direct my path of relations.

2. To be a good steward of my time, money, energy.

3. To be bold in the places where the threat of insecurities pop up.

Here's to the next 30! And even more, in Jesus name!