Goodbyes

Got to squeeze in about 8 hours trip to Dallas to see Gracie Lou!

Shared a cheese plate with wine while watching the Rangers Game at Bolsa in the Bishop Arts District.

Aaaand this is where I lost her: candy section of Central Market.

Celebrations at restaurants = free cake.

Also, when you have a fantastic waiter, equals recomendations for restaurants to name drop.

The goodbyes are getting harder, as it becomes real that I am moving, not just going away for the Summer. Am I as confident as I think I am?

"for the LORD will be your confidence"

Provers 3:26

Two things I will miss about Austin:

My Mama, and Farmer's Markets.

More Like Falling in Love

Give me rules
I will break them
Give me lines
I will cross them

I need more than a truth to believe
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes

Give me words
I'll misuse them
Obligations
I'll misplace them 

'Cause all religion ever made of me
Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet

It never set me free
It's gotta be

More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance

In more than a name, a faith, a creed
Falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me

Love these lyrics from Jason Gray's song More Like Falling in Love.

We all have (some more than others) rolled our eyes when listening to the Christian radio staion, it can be a little cheesy. The other day I was driving (what I do when I'm restless but have a semi-broken toe so can't run: i.e. don't feel like running), and was really paying attention to these words.

I had just had a conversation with someone, which honestly broke my heart. This idea that people view Christianity as a check list of "ought tos" and not a relationship with Jesus. They see a bunch of tests from God, rather then Him revealing His best intentions for us.

Love that last line, "falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me".

This is such a challenge I find myself facing, conveying that the change inside of me is not the result of rules. We need to be calling others to fall in love with Jesus, and to not be preaching a religion that simply exposes sinners and leaves them with  "a stone tied to their feet".

encouraged and discouraged

Pondering recent conversations on reasoning (which I am usuing reasoning to speak my point), I sit here staring at the ceiling not knowing if I'm enouraged or discouraged.

Encouraged, because I see the need for reasoning and I'm going to school to become equipped in this, but discouraged because I think, "what's the point"? We are told to not cast our pearl's before swine, and that "fertile soil" must exist before the seed is thrown. Heart change is completely out of our control, and reasoning (in the conext of the gospel) is considering foolishness to those who are perishing. 

I think of 2 Corinthians 10:5

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

Here's to taking every though captive for the sake of obedience to His comandments. Specifically thinking about evangelism and looking to Paul's example in reasoning with non-believers in Acts 17 & 18.

Au Revior, Baby Seal, Don't Talk to Sharks.

My precious girls got me a beautiful necklace and earings! Love them so much and already feel like I am leaving a chunk of my heart behind in Austin.

We had a simple come-and-go goodbye on the Whole Foods roof, so happy so many people were able to come out! I am truely blessed by such great fellowship in Austin!

I had a tough time explaining the seal joke, not because my words failed me, but because I heard myself saying something like this...

"Well, you know, we all have our baby animal aliases"

"Huh?"

Baby deer, bear, giraffe, koala, fox, otter, puma, polar bear, owl. You will be missed.

Cousins.

Going to miss her big time. Like BIG time, my heart already aches.

Hey Soul Sista

Harris gang! This family has such a sweet place in my heart!

Tyler representing.

Debra, my sister, and I have branched out from Tyler's Philosophy Club and created our own in Austin! Her counsil and friendship has been such a blessing, especially in the context of the recent decision to go to Seminary! 

Cousins!

I love so much that my roomates know all my family from the past couple Thanksgivings, and that though I am moving, they will still be included in our family tradition!

Love the candids.

It is so nice to have Aunt and Uncles so close, that have been to generous and hospitable over the years!

Twin, Kram, cutest baby ever, Taylor aka kindred spirit.  

Favorites.

Smiles.

Rikki!

Favorite Far Side

Love Your God With all Your Mind



Love Your God With all Your Mind

by J. P. Moreland

This was the first (and only because now I'm moving) book we went through in our Philosophy Club - Austin branch. This book was personally very timely as I prepare to Glorify God with my mind by going through Seminary. We met once a week and discussed a section (give or take. Sometimes I monoplogize conversations and 2 hours goes out the window. Is that a Spiritual Gift?)

Moreland talks historically about what has happened in the decline of intellectualism, and the affects on living out the Christian walk. We are not left left to be discouraged in light of this, but rather an importance is stressed and direction is laid out for fighting anti-intellectualism. All the writing is based on scripture, and he points out examples/roles of the Sprit, Jesus, and the disciples.  He talks through appologetics, evangelism, fellowship, worship, and vocation.

This is a great one to study in a group, to really discuess application and accountability. His book is inspiring, exciting, and motivating.

Running in Place

With the fastest timeline ever for applying, considering, getting accepted, finding a subleaser, quitting the job, finding a place to live, finding a part time job and packing, I now have two weeks left and feel as though I am running in place. All that's left is mental preparation, prayer-prayer-prayer, and those hard good-byes.

Right now I feel like I channeling that mental energy towards figuring out how to accept the reality that I will fall out of touch with some, while remaining hopefull that those sweet relationships will continue to grow.

I think the answer is Gchat.

Hoping everyone makes it out for a simple come-and-go on the Whole Foods roof from 6-8 this Thursday!

Sunday Funday

I was house sitting at a home with a fantastic backyard, so I convinced Clinton to bring my favorite nephew over to play with me! He really was smiling in the photo, but then stepped on a rock.

Clinton? Is that you?

This is the smile from a nephew to his favorite Aunt.

Yes, that's also a smile with a piece of candy in his mouth. From his favorite Aunt.

Guarding first.

Homerun. 

Ahh I remember when this sweet boy was born!

He's the fastest.

What better way to spend a beautiful Saturday in Austin?! I am going to miss this family big time.

Isaiah 30

For Bible Study last week, we talked through Isaiah 30. I had originally prepared to focus on verses 18-21, but it was during the study that our attention actually went to the last verse of this paragraph, verse 22.

"Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you,

and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.

For the Lord is a God of justice;

blessed are all those who wait for him. (v18)

"For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. he will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hid himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. (vs 19-21)

"The you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, "Be gone!" (22)

I have found comfort in verses 19-20 many times, I have a sticky note at my desk to remind me and help me memorize them :)

Verse 21 has recently become applicable to me as I seek direction regaring Seminary.

I had focused to much on how God responds to us in comfort and guidance, that I had not noticed that we say to those idols, "Be gone!"

In our Bible Study, we started chatted about idols are not only physical images, and referred to the idol series we recently went through with out Church. Idols can be grouped into the categories of: Power, Control, Comfort, Approval, Security, and Pleasure.

I was laughing, because slowly but surely, God is using the opportunity before me to say "Be Gone!" to these idols. I have not control over my acceptance. I have no control over a subleaser. I have no power to make someone give me a job or a place to stay. I am leaving the comfort of my cute house and all my stuff. I am having to let go of approval, while balancing a proper respect for the opinions of my Spiritual mentors. I do not have the security of a full proof plan to the day I graduate. Pleasure, well I havn't really figured out that one yet...



Is Christianity Good for the World?

Check out the video I posted a while back, hopefully the book is just as good!

Annie's Day

Happy Mother's Day

(of course sung to the tune of David's song) 

Summit Oxford

Macie Claire

Havn't seen this girl in way too long, and depending on my potential Denver plans, do not know the next time I will see her, but she assured me with both hand squeezing my cheeks together,

"I love you Chelsea, I mean Molly"

Was so fun seeing GranAnne and Papa Joe in action, and to experience Macie's wit and humor first hand.

Mama's Outfit

Summit Conferences

So blessed by this sweet family, though we had not seen each other since their wedding day! They put me up in their guest room before and after the Adult Conference, as a way of buffering my trip to relax and organize my notes/thoughts.

Just in case you missed it,

Was blessed to meet these wonderful women the first night, and started some pretty great friendships

If you squint you can see my room.

Ok just kidding it's on the other side. 

Snow in March, soooo good

Don't worry little Texan, just walk right over that frozen river...

Garden of the Gods

We heard from experts in theology, philosophy, economics, sociology, and other religions. I'm pretty sure my library trippled over night with CS Lewis, Moreland, Bonhoeffer, Metaxes, Chesterton, Jeff Myers, and David Noebel.

A flame was fanned at this conference, to glorify God with my mind. Having considered Seminary for a while now, I finally received some more direction and am anxiously waiting to hear back form Denver Seminary.

As a way of jump-starting my mind, I applied for a two week Student Conference offered this summer - a more intense version of this 5-day one I attended in March, and I just received my acceptance letter! Hoping the bro or some of my girls might attend with me, we shall see...

  

Waterdogs, they do exist! My sister and I have these memories of the sons of family friends wanting us to play with their waterdogs they had caught. Come to find out they are real, and were weren't just having crazy dreams! Haha

Spring time in Texas = playing in the waterhose on Saturdays.

And flying kites in swimsuits

Mmm love me some blackberries.

My roomates were quite shocked to find me cooking myself breakfast this morning, but just realized I dropped the ball because I didn't bring my lunch.

Baby steps, people.