A Quality Weekend

Recently I have been really, really busy. Like, so busy that I've been gone every single night for almost three weeks straight. Each Monday that rolled around I would vow that that particular week would be different, then this or that would happen and by Friday I'd be exhausted.

In an intentional effort to reduce the busyness, both last Saturday and this past weekend, I decided that I would be the boss of my calendar as opposed to letting it boss me. The issue is that I happen to be a very social person and I hate to miss a good party, and with no husband or kids at home vying for my attention, it's easy to just go, go, go. I realize this is not the healthiest way to live, but it was my reality.

Last weekend on the one day I had free, I rested as opposed to making myself crazy. It was good. My body was so physically tired that had I wanted to, I don't think I could have gone one more minute.

When I realized that I only had one "scheduled" thing this weekend, I deemed it the weekend of rest as well. What you might find ironic is that although some might characterize rest as being still at home, I actually feel rested when doing things that fill my love tank.

Quality time and words of affirmation are my top two love languages. This weekend I spent a lot of quality time with a lot of my favorite people and as I sit here and type this blog post at the end of the weekend, my love tank is so full. And I feel rested. Not insane.

Friday night I attended a wedding and sweet Sara happened to be my date. We had the best time and I am so glad she was there. Sara has been a special girl in my life that I've loved getting to know on random lunch dates and outings, but what is really awesome now is that her mama is my co-worker. Isn't that so fun? After spending time with her at the wedding, I got the itch to see all my other college girls that are due home any minute for the Christmas break. I can't wait to give some hugs, spend some time together hanging out, laughing, eating and catching up on all things college life.

Me and Sara at the wedding. This picture happens every time we're together. : )

After the wedding I actually ended up heading to my parents house to see some friends that had come in town. We were having such a great time that I didn't realize it was almost 1:00 AM and I was STILL at my parents. I drove myself home shortly after that and fell right into bed.

Saturday morning after clearly sleeping in a bit, I got ready and drove to the Woodlands to hang out with some of my best college girlfriends Jen, Raven and Katie. I have been a horrible friend to them lately and I needed to redeem myself. Why have I been a bad friend? Because I've missed HUGE events happening like Raven getting engaged and celebrating Jen having a BABY GIRL! I needed to physically lay my eyes on them and hug them, so since Raven was in town and staying at Jen's house, I killed two birds with one stone. It was perfection. I spent five hours with them catching up on every little detail and I've never been happier. I love them to pieces and love what the Lord is doing in and through them! Ironically, we didn't take one picture, but that's because we never moved from the couch. We were comfortable to say the least.

That night I had dinner with my roommates and parents and then we drove around to see a few Christmas lights. Really fun times!

Today was just delightful. Bayou City Fellowship had their first baptisms since launching and it was the sweetest day. We used a horse trough and all gathered around outside since there isn't an actual baptism in the chapel of Houston Christian High School, but I can't imagine a better way to have done this. I said this leaving church today and my roommate said it again tonight to me, but it is just really neat and fun to be a part of a church plant. The Lord is moving and working and the fact that He allows us to take part in what He's doing always amazes me. I am beyond grateful for BCF and all that it's meant to me these past three months. I am praying, anticipating and expecting even greater things the next three years.

This afternoon, after finally decorating our apartment for Christmas, I headed over to the Melton's house, some sweet new BCF friends, to watch the Broncos, or more appropriately Tim Tebow, play the Patriots. Let's be honest, number 15 is easy on the eyes. We may or may not have planned my wedding during that time. ; ) My sweet friend Kristy is originally who invited me and she and her sweet family were there too, along with my friend Angela. I'm telling y'all, quality time plus quality people and I am a happy girl. It doesn't take much. We had so much fun and I told the Melton's to be expecting a knock on their door from me every Sunday evening from now on. I am just so thankful tonight for new friendships and new seasons.

It was most definitely a quality filled, restful, fun weekend. Thank you, Jesus!

Life is Full

Apparently I need a challenge to blog everyday or I don't blog at all. It has been over two weeks since I've even thought about writing one word and just for the record, it is not due to a lack of material. Life has been very full the past few weeks. So full, in fact, that yesterday evening I was visiting some friends and I told them I was glad we were in 2012 and it wasn't 2013 yet. Um, earth to Lindsee, it is actually 2011 and we are only two weeks out from 2012.

To which I say, where in the world has 2011 gone? To say it has flown by at lightning speed would be a vast understatement.

So, to not make this the most boring blog post of 2o11, I'll share some highlights from the past two weeks that would have probably made the blog had I actually sat down and written them out. Of course, if this ends up being the most boring post of 2011, just humor me and pretend it was the best.

1) This does not actually count as it was a few days before December, but a highlight has been the Hillsong Live concert I went to a few weeks ago. A group of ladies from BCF all went together and we had the best time. I said this on facebook, but it's worth repeating, it's amazing to me how on pitch everyone sounds when thousands of people sing together. On pitch and beautiful. Surely, it is a sweet and joyful noise to the Lord.

2) A couple of Sundays ago, I hopped in the car with my friend Angela last minute and we got to enjoy a night of the Shane & Shane and Phil Wickham Christmas tour. Need I tell you how amazing it was? You know my love for all things Shane & Shane. Add a third harmony in there and I'm smitten. Now, I realize that I sound like a complete concert junkie, and I'm really not, but recently people have been tossing free concert tickets at me like they grow on trees. I think in the past six months I've been to five concerts. Really unheard of in my world, but I've soaked up every minute.

3) Our community group had a really fun Christmas party where we did a White Elephant gift exchange and I came home with a moo-moo. Highlight? Absolutely. Attractive? Duh.

4) I recently learned how to play the game "LCR" at a girls night and I'm hooked. Have any of you played it? It's actually a gambling game, but we played for fun. However, there were a few Starbucks gift cards up for grabs, so needless to say, the competition was fierce.

5) Do you remember when I blogged about the Despres family bringing their baby girl home from China? Well, SHE IS HOME! The picked up Sienna two weeks ago and arrived back in Houston a week ago tomorrow. She is an absolute joy. I got to play with her a bit last night and I left with a heart full of love. I am so excited to see what the Lord has in store for her. She is special, no doubt. To read all about their time in China and their journey now, visit their blog.

6) This past weekend Houston's First Baptist Church did their big Christmas Celebration and I went with my people to see my sweet best friend perform in it. I loved it and was so entertained the entire time. I mean, how could you not be when there is a literal elephant in the room? Easily my favorite part of the entire night was getting to see my best friend sing, Hallelujah (Light Has Come) by Barlow Girls, with five other ladies. It was beautiful! I am so proud of Jen.

7) Lastly, and certainly not least, Saturday my sweet friend Raven GOT ENGAGED! I am really a professional at keeping this kind of secret, and let me tell you, it never gets easier. The minute I heard from Nick I wanted to shout it from the roof tops. Unfortunately, I wasn't actually able to be there, which made my heart so sad, but I have celebrated she and Nick all week in Houston. I cannot wait to attack her the next time I see her! Nick is a wonderful, godly guy who happens to be a youth pastor, so I for one, am thrilled for them! Congratulations are most definitely in line. I love y'all!

Well, seven highlights later, I'm out y'all. Hope you weren't bored out of your mind.

Happy weekend to you!

Fifteen

A few weeks ago I went to a Taylor Swift concert here in Houston. I was given tickets at the very last minute so my roommate and I ran out the door and had an unexpected fun night out.

Do I think she’s a doll? Yes, I do. Do I think she’s a bit dramatic? Yes, I do. (I would have never thought that had I not gone to the concert, but the way she talked to her audience was quite humorous and very dramatic. For instance, she kept telling us how incredible and beautiful we were. I just laughed.) Do I think she’s a good role model for the little girls that are falling all over her? Yes, I do. She has a good head on her shoulders and thus far, her walk has matched up with her talk. She’s not gone crazy. I’m praying she stays grounded. You laugh, but I’m serious. Someone needs to say sane! And I say that in the most gracious way. She has a national platform and to see it destroyed would sadden me.

Before the concert I think I owned five of her songs. I knew most of her songs but that was mainly because she gets a lot of airtime on the radio. What I didn’t know, though, were a lot of the lyrics.

Are any of you like me? You think you know the lyrics to a certain song then you look them up and realize you were completely off base? That’s my life. I’m constantly making a fool out of myself in the lyrics department.

After the concert I ended up buying a few more songs that I thought were fun and also decided to look up some of the lyrics. I knew I was singing the wrong words and wanted to fix that. Yes, I annoy my own self.

Taylor has a cute song called “Fifteen”, and it’s all about a girl experiencing her freshman year of high school. She talks about the highs and lows that girls would typically experience.

After lacing themes of friends, first dates, first kisses and breakups throughout each verse, she begins each chorus by singing, “Cause when you’re fifteen and somebody tells you they love you, you’re gonna believe them…”

Taylor is right, is she not? If a fifteen-year-old girl heard the words I love you from a hunk of a boy, she’s going to believe him, no doubt. Those of us a few years ahead of that game know it will probably end in heartache (although those of us hopeless romantics would love to believe they end up as married high school sweethearts), but in the moment, that fifteen year old girl will be floating on cloud nine and will undoubtedly drown out every other voice that tries to whisper otherwise.

But what about the girl that never hears the words I love you from a boy? What if she never hears them period? From anyone?

What if I changed the lyrics of the chorus to “Cause when you’re fifteen and nobody tell you they love you, you’re gonna believe them…”

Our present day culture speaks a lot to the girls that have that heartache and breakup, but I think we forget the girls that never experience that. What about them? What about the girl that spends all four years of her high school career waiting for that special moment and doesn’t get it? Or better yet, all four years of her college career and doesn’t get it? Emotionally, this could be just as detrimental.

As time goes on, if you’re not grounded in Christ’s love, you’re belief system will become that of, “I’m not lovable.”

Since I happen to know that hearing I love you in high school from a boy isn't the end all be all, and I certainly don't advocate it, I'm not naive to the fact that, whether we choose to believe it or not, those words are being tossed around on a daily basis by students everywhere. In fact, they're being tossed around carelessly by a lot of people. Those words hold a lot of weight and attachment with them.

I happen to be in the latter category. I was not the girl that experienced breakup after breakup. I lived vicariously through a lot of my friends that did experience that, which taught me a lot, but that wasn’t me.

To be very honest, it is so easy for me to write my own words to that song, and even at 26, believe that I am unlovable. If I am 26 and have yet to be chosen and heard those sweet words, am I unlovable? I know that is far from the truth, but Satan himself likes to feed that lie most consistently to me.

What I know now is that no human man can ever out-love Jesus. No human man can tell me I love you more than Jesus whispers and satisfies me with His love. But I have to believe that and claim that. That is the tricky part, transferring that knowledge from my head to my heart. No man will ever know me greater than Jesus does and yet love me just the same.

But, I am old enough to know that doesn’t always take away the sting of desiring that human love. In fact, I might argue that the older you get, if the Lord has placed that desire in your heart, the more it stings. Is it wrong to desire that? Is it wrong to desire marriage? Not at all, unless it becomes a stronghold or idol in your life, lest we forget, the Lord ordained marriage and said it was a good thing. However, as we mature and become more like Christ, my prayer is that we would let the Lord tend to that sting and replace it with joy. That is the beauty of getting older; you know how to tend to that sting when it rises up in you.

Believing and leaning into truth means believing that you are loved by the one who knows you the best and loves you the most. It means that there is redemption, healing and hope for the girl who has given everything away and left with a broken heart. That the Lord still desires His best for you. And for the girl who has yet to experience the butterflies, it means there is hope for you, too, and for whatever reason, the Lord has protected you thus far. He is most definitely not holding out on you. Be thankful for that.

Believing the truth means that you are wise enough not to jump at the first chance you have to marry the first guy that asks you on a date out of your fear of being alone. There may be a few good (and bad), dates here and there, but that doesn’t mean you have to marry any of them. Not every single guy you lay your eyes on will be your future husband. Give yourself the freedom to get to know them as a friend without the pressure of trying to win them over so you can be their wife one day. We all do it out of insecurity and fear, do we not? The minute I see a single guy as a potential future husband, is the minute I clam up and don’t act like myself. By setting that aside and shifting our thinking, it’s amazing how the chains fall off and the pressure decreases.

At then end of the day, although culture and media will tell you otherwise, your identity is still found in Christ alone, not in whom you’ve dated or whom you haven’t. You’ll do greater things than date the quarterback of the football team. Praise the Lord.

And for the record, you are dearly loved. And so am I.

“The LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.” Jeremiah 31:3