Blue Skies, Green Lights, and Jesus Christ

I love waking up in the morning without hitting the snooze button so I can turn on the Today show and lay in bed for 10 more minutes while watching Matt, Meredith, Al and Anne. Tuesday was one of those mornings. As I layed there listening to the news I got out of bed, showered and threw on I new dress that I bought at the beach (new dresses always make my day better). It was a quiet morning...no one in the house, the dog was still asleep and I was enjoying the peacefulness of the new day.

On my way to work the sky was the lightest lightest shade of baby blue with enormous fluffy white clouds. I turned the radio station to 106.9 the Light which is one of the best christian radio shows in our area. As I approached the turn lane coming out of my neighborhood I got so excited that the light was still green! I kept expecting for it to turn yellow since that seems like the normal pattern when I get to that stop, but it didn't. The next light I came to was also green..then the next one and the one after that and so on. Now I know this sounds like a "so what" scenario but sometimes I feel like I get caught by every red light on the street and in life, not this morning. I even managed to catch the green light at the hospital that takes days to change to that lovely shade of bright green. I was in a great mood and I had made it to work early!

When I arrived in the parking lot I took the time to bow my head and thank the Lord for my very relaxing very enjoyable ride to work. Then He reminded me of a saying that my dad always uses at the end of signing birthday cards for people or anniversary cards to my mom. The saying goes "May you always have blue skies, green lights, and Jesus Christ." On this particular Tuesday morning I had it all!!! And now I understand why that saying means so much...because at the end of the day it all comes down the the little things in life that can make someone so happy. Life is too short to worry or stress about anything. I am thankful that God has a plan for me and I do have the love of Jesus Christ in my heart.

So today as you are worrying about the future or stressing over what you have to get done before the weekend I encourage you to take time and thank God for the small blessings He has given you today that might have gone unnoticed.

May you always have blue skies, green lights, and Jesus Christ

-SiS-

Don't Wait to Wear Purple

I have always been the girl who is very laid back. Under stressful situations I always try to look for the light at the end of the tunnel. I love being this way, but I think it sometimes stresses other people out b/c they feel that I don't care enough about situations. If I ever do get worked up it might be for a few minutes in my head before I ask Him for guidance and peace. "If God brings you to it, He'll bring you through it.

I received this exerpt from a book in an email earlier today. I love these little sayings. I feel like they describe perfectly how I feel when I get uptight. Hope you enjoy.

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

BEE is Graduating!

My sister is graduating this weekend (tear) :.-( Okay I'm not actually too sad maybe she will have more time to come visit me! Or maybe I can actually get a chance to go visit her. She has been living in Alabama for 4 years now and I have only been to visit her three times. I'm the horrible sister. Truth be told the shopping is so good in Birmingham that I doubt I would have any money to get back home haha. God put me in Shelby, NC for a reason.....no good shopping.

Shelby this post is for you. I want you to know how much I love you and how proud I am of you. You may think your "akward" but you are just you...and that's why everyone loves you so much! Both of these pictures made me laugh b/c they remind me how clumsy and uncordinated you are hahaha. We definatley have different strenths and personalities. If we weren't sisters I don't know if we would have even met.

Continue to let the light of the lord shine through you daily. You have made Him proud as well. You are a great example of what a christian lady should be. And maybe one day we will get a chance to live together again :-D yay! I love you so much and I can't wait to see you this weekend! MWAH!

Sleep Under A Palm Tree

Today I just feel like being at the beach. I have so much to do in so little time that I am just ready to take a sabbatical to a beach far far away. Who's with me???

You've Got the Look....or maybe not.

I envy the girls who have the American Eagle/Gap look. They always look like they rolled out of bed threw on their cute ensemble with some stylish flats...which by the way never look good on me. After time and time again of trying to pull off an ankle length jean with some Sperry's and a colorful top I give up!

Maybe it's because I always feel short and chubby without high heels. The only time I ever wear flats are paired with a cute short dress, or maybe some rainbows with some shorts on a really hot day (but rarely).

I love the natural preppy look that for some reason I can never pull off or feel comfortable wearing. But give me GLAM and viola...I'm in my own skin. Unfortunately for me the glam look unlike the AE look is not everyday attire for my current job and town.

This Christmas when my sister came home from school we were getting ready together to go to my grandmothers house. I had thrown on heels and a dress and she had on comfy jeans and a t-shirt. She felt that I was too dressed up for lunch with the family. So I tried throwing on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt as well. Unfortunately most of my jeans are fitted for me to wear with heels. I tried on two other pair that were short enough but then I did not have the right shoes! I refuse to wear tennis shoes with jeans...ugh. I ended up throwing on a velor jumpsuit so i wouldn't be "too" dressed up. Next time I will save myself the trouble and stick with what I know looks good on me.

So when you see me and you ask me why I am so dressed up today?? It's not because I want the attention or I try too hard....but because of the simple fact the clothes others wear just don't look good on me.

Be Still Already!

So this morning has been crazy all ready….. Forgetting the fruit for Free Fruit Friday, dealing with members who can not pay and want the Y for free, realizing I made the mistake on the PRD form (sorry Jan), being about 3 staff members too short, finding out GWU had lost my paycheck, having to get my house ready for family coming into town today, the last weekday for a $9 joining fee, and realizing I forgot my panty hose for my dress that I have to change into before I leave work tonight for the Miss GWU pageant that I so stupidly agreed to help coordinate!

On that note I came into my office to shed a few tears of stress because as most of the Y staff know I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I decided to take a 5 minute break just to pray and breathe. My 5 minutes of silence turned into 50minutes due to the interruptions of the phone and people asking for me out front. But for the 2 minutes of silence before the interruptions I decided to read my favorite daily devotion online, Girlfriends in God. As I read the devotion for today I started laughing. I know that I am not the only one who is busy, stressed, or tired. So it is always good to be reminded what is truly important in life by other people who are also tipping over the cliff.

By the way writing, journaling, blogging are great stress relievers for me…so now I feel much better after typing my emotions out on the keyboard and sending them into the web.

Please take or try to take 5 minutes to read this daily devotion :-D


http://girlfriendsingod.com/Devotions/TodaysDevotion/tabid/97/Default.aspx

Live, Laugh, Pray, Dance

I never thought coaching a dance team would fill my life with joy so much! After graduating from college and starting my first job I felt like I was always looking for something more. I missed being around all my friends and being active in college. I never realized living on the 3rd floor of my apartment helped me stay 30lbs lighter.

God and I would have some long talks at night about how much I missed dancing. Going back to grad school and cheering was not an option I would have been the girl who stayed in school to cheer...not to mention tumbling is not my favorite thing in the world. All of the local dance studios only have HS classes or mom classes..blah. There was always the thought of starving myself and trying out for a professional cheerleading team, but I love food too much and I sweat more than a college football player....real sexy huh?

I talked to my wonderful boss about how depressed I was about gaining so much weight and not being active with dance anymore. She convinced me to buy a plane ticket to Chicago to go visit my old swing dance partner, Olin. We had not danced together in six years, but I was so excited to see him again.

As God would have it, the same weekend I decided to go up and visit there was a swing dance competition in Chicago that Saturday. Olin and I decided to enter just for a good time. We ended up coming in 8th place overall out of around 30 couples!! What a BOOST for me!

When I got home from Chicago I was checking some of the voicemails that I had avoided my whole vacation and was surprised to find out that they were looking for a dance team coach at Gardner-Webb University. My prayers had been answered! One of my best friends also moved down to the GWU area and has been coaching the GWU Bulldolls with me for the past 2 years.

Although I miss swing dancing with Olin and having the adrenaline rush of being on stage and performing in front of an audience...I absolutely LOVE the satisfaction of choreographing routines, sharing my faith, and having these girls in my life.

I know that being a part of a team in college changed my life forever. I have best friends that grew from that team, a better work ethic, time management, and an understanding of more responsibilities.

I have seen these girls grow not only in dance but closer to each other.

Now sit back relax and enjoy the show!!

------

Victorious Secrets

Victorious
1. characterized by victory
resulting in victory, or characteristic of victors, victory, or the joy of winning
Secrets
1.Something kept hidden from others or known only to oneself or to a few.
Something that remains beyond understanding or explanation; a mystery.

So this is the name of my new work out group! We are having a contest for the next six weeks at our YMCA. I started tonight with a water aerobics class. I loved it! The Sauna afterwards also felt amazing! My biggest weakness is CHOCOLATE! My life saver.....Slim-A-Bear ice cream sandwitches!!! They are amazing! Try em' mmmmmmmmmmm

One Hot Mamma

I love my friends! We are totally like sex and the city..but without the sex and in a really small town with a lot cows. But we're fabulous at best! As I was talking to one of my Florida gal's today I heard her son in the background, Zeke. He was talking up a storm! It made me laugh a little b/c I started thinking back to the time Colette was pregnant with little Zeke. Now I wouldn't call her high maintenance but like myself she always tries to look her best at all times. Her biggest decision to be made the day she went to the hospital was which earrings she should take...I mean it had to match her hospital robe. That always gives me a good laugh. BUT there is a good fashion lesson learned. I now know to wear white earrings if I ever go to the hospital....they go with all the ugly patterned hospital robes. :-D And I like these

No Knot Necklaces

Have you ever worn a great outfit before only to come home and spot a necklace that would have given it the "WoW" factor??? I admit I'm a little obsessed with fun jewelry and I have a lot of it. There are so many pieces of jewelry that sometimes I forget the fantastic finds I have hidden away.

Problem solved! Use a coat hanger! This is a great way to display your necklaces in your room, closet, bathroom...anywhere. Plus they rarely ever get tangled. Now when you are getting dressed your jewelry is nicely displayed so you can pick and choose. It's almost like shopping all over again!! There are so many designs that you should not have a problem finding one to match your style or room.

30 before 30

Instead of making a New Year's resolution this year I started making a list of 30 things I would like to accomplish before I turn 30. I turn 25 in March of 09' so I figure what better time to create this "bucket list" except I hopefully will not be kicking the bucket any time soon.

Although I do not know yet all of the 30 things I would like to accomplish I have already marked one of my 12 off the list...to create a blog! I am already having so much fun reading other blogs and thinking of things to write about. I hope you enjoy this blog and keeping up with my 30 before 30!