taking a metal break....

Alright Glenn- I've responded to your tag!
And I challenge Ang to do the same! : )

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Subway Sandwich Artist
2. Activities Director at the Elderly Care Center
3. Worship Leader
4. Creative Arts Pastor

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. Emperor's New Groove
2. Ocean's 11
3. Boys Next Door (Hallmark classic)
4. Newsies

What's on your desk right now?
1. Computer - harddrive, screen, speakers etc
2. Lots of stuff for this coming Sunday
3. pictures of my sisters and of Lexi Davidson
4. A MESS!

Four places you have lived:
1. Cincti, OH
2. Temperance, MI
3. Spring Arbor, MI
4. Toledo, OH

Four Books I Could Read Over and Over:
1. The Bible (I know I have to say this ... but it's true.)
2. My Name is Asher Lev
3. The Street Lawyer
4. Better Homes and Gardens<--not technically a book but I can read these over and over

Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. Extreme Home Makeover
2. The Amazing Race
3. 24
4. Saturday Night LIve (censored in some cases)

Four favorite places you have been on vacation:
1. Orlando, Florida
2. the coast of the Carolinas
3. Paris, France
4. anywhere warm

Four websites I visit daily:
1. all my blogging buddies pages- to see if they've updated
2. google.com
3. gettys images (for ideas)
4. istockphoto

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Manacotti (Olive Garden)
2. Skyline Chili
3. A good baked potato with sour cream and butter
4. STRAWBERRYs (I wouldn't be suprised if this little one didn't come out a strawberry) :)

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. asleep
2. sitting in a hot bath!
3. getting a massage
4. somewhere warm

Four favorite drinks (Non-alcoholic)
1. Frappuchino
2. Starbucks Hot chocolate
3. Coke
4. strawberry smoothie with whipped cream

Four things I always carry with me:
1. my purse
2. Cell Phone
3. zofran (lol)
4. my keys

starting to get sentimental

I'm starting to get pretty sentimental about leaving this place... Crossroads has been my home for a long time - and while I know it's not the building that makes the church what it is a lot of my memories are wrapped up in its structure. My family came to Crossroads when I was in second grade - and while I'm too lazy to count how long ago that was - it is in fact a very long time ago. I still remember going to Mrs. Burkett's 2nd grade class for the first time, getting made fun of every Sunday in 4th grade because I had to wear a dress or skirt, going to Howard Lutman's Sunday school class, the kid's summer programs (something I waited ALL year for), getting baptized, deciding that when I was older I wanted to go into some kind of ministry work, getting married there, the privilege of coming back to serve at the church - along with my husband - in ministry, and countless other things. Whew... makes me well up just to think back.

When Andrew and I were ready to leave Spring Arbor - we were asked to write a song for graduation... and the words keep coming to mind this week. This continues to be my prayer as God moves us forward, and onward to the next AMAZING adventure He has for Crossroads.

The road ahead
Is farther than we see
But we find hope in promises that you will never leave

This moment’s joy, this moment’s sad
It’s one more step – it’s looking back
At all the ways your faithfulness was proved

Thank You for the work you’ve done in all of us
You’ve grown our hearts
You’ve grown our minds
And we’ve just begun…
Thank you for the way you’ve moved in all of us
Please fill our hearts
To leave here now as one

And we’ll thank you for
The times we’ve had here
And we’ll thank you as
You guide us through the years…

from a little bit of reading...

“Coincidence was a stupid, shallow refuge sought by stupid, shallow people who were unable to accept the fact that their lives were shaped by a terrifying and awesome design.” - Owen Meany from John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany.

so sorry

For the lack of time I've had recently - the blog has gone a little un-updated... and for this I truly apologize. I will try to get back to updating in a timely manner in about three weeks when things have settled down- or as I'm anticipating - when things are just getting started.

God is too cool! Saw the building yesterday (weds.) - it looks totally different than even last Saturday. It's moving right along -and I'm so excited to be a part of it all!

Follow Up

Okay guys- it's almost been a week... I'm curious how the challenge has been holding up. (if at all) For myself - I have failed. Failed... minus a few fleeting moments when I remembered to be the kind of loving person God wants me to be. But I take heart in knowing he forgives - and continues to want me to change and be better. Love is not just an attribute he calls us to claim - it's an embodiment he wants us to be!

This Sunday, we'll be talking about love in regards to our "stuff" - I've been thinking about adding the following challenge to last week's task... take a good look at your life sometime this week and figure out what stuff in your life is clogging your ability to see people and take time for them. Perhaps it's cable, or (heaven forbid) blogging - perhaps its simply the excuses of just being too tired. Let's agree together to attack those things this week - and we'll see God do a miracle in how we learn to love those around us, I'm just sure of it!

The Name Game... stolen affectionately from Del

Your name: Emily

1.YOUR PORN STAR NAME (not that I would ever need this)
(name of first pet + street you live on):
Pandy Islington

2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME
(grandad's/Grandma's first name + favorite snack)
Thelma Strawberry

3. YOUR FASHION DESIGNER NAME
(first word you see on your left + favorite restaurant)
Generosity Olive Garden

4. YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME
(first initial + first four letters of your last name)
eSmit

5. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME
(favorite animal + name of high school)
Puppy Bedford

6. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME
(middle name + city where you were born):
Jo Cincinatti

7. YOUR OPPOSITE SEX NAME
(name of sibling/parent [opposite sex] + cell phone company you use):
Andrew Verizon

8. YOUR STAR WARS NAME
(first 3 letters of your last name + last 3 letters of mother's maiden name + first 3 letters of your pet's name)
Smireekya

love this!

You may have to click to blow this up... but it's well worth the read - I don't particularly care to tell you where it came from, as I don't support the site - but this I didn't create, it just left a noteworthy impression on me. Enjoy!

God's beauty is everywhere... Ang this pic of you just cried out for this verse to be attached to it- Hope your retreat was amazing!

Quite an amazing service this morning... And quite the topic - knowing we should love like crazy and knowing how to do it are truly two different things.

I've been thinking this past week a lot about the issue of love - preparing for service - and overall it's made me do some self examining. I've been challenging myself this week to figure out how to love those around me better or in some cases at all. : ) A simple thing like turning off the computer moniter and not multi-tasking when someone is trying to ask me something can go quite a long way. (and as simple as that may sound- it's much harder for me to actually do)

So I challenge you - ask God for a way you can love those around you practically this week... I'm anxious to hear how it goes.

life just feels a little like this sometimes...

Thinking about the move to the new building has got me feeling a little bit like this... HOWEVER- I am incredibly excited for the chance to be a part of it all... How amazing to get to serve with the people I do - God has truly blessed us all.