Lessons from Lacey

It occurred to me at 5:30 this morning while cradling a shaking and crying Sheltie in our queen size bed that there are many, many lessons I can learn from my dog Lacey.  Please bear with me while I attempt to put into words the lesson God taught me through my dog this morning.

At approximately 5:30 am, David and I both were awakened by a terrible clap of thunder and our dark bedroom being illuminated by a huge flash of lightening.  I had taken Benadryl last night to combat mosquito bites from this weekend (to be recounted in a later blog post--this weekend, not the mosquito bites).  And if you know me and Benadryl...we don't make for a good pair.  I had been needing to take it all day due to a mosquito bite the size of a golf ball on my leg, but I am an embarrassment when I take it.  The thought of family Easter with David's extended family and Benadryl was enough to give me nightmares.  I envision being drunk would be something like me + Benadryl.  Slurred speech, crazy dreams, grogginess.  I have been known to forget having conversations with people while "under the influence" of Benadryl.  I'm surprised I woke up to the thunder.

Quickly following loud thunder clasp:

David: "What time is it?"
Sara fumbling for phone
Sara: "five thirty"
Lacey: insert crying noise here

Yes, with all of her wonderfully good qualities, we have recently learned with all of the tornadoes that have come through that Lacey does not like storms.  In fact, she shakes, cries, and goes crazy.  Honestly, this is unlike anything I've ever witnessed.

I looked at David who was trying to go back to sleep and said, "I think I'm going to have to get Lacey," all the while thinking I'd take her to the couch like I have done the past two weeks with her.  David doesn't like her in the bed.  To my surprise, he said "okay."  No grumble or groan.  Maybe he slipped some Benadryl last night too, I thought.

I opened her crate door and she walked the opposite direction.  I scooped her up and we went to the bed.  There is a window right next to my side of the bed which is not a good combo for a dog afraid of thunder and lightening.  I could feel her shaking in my arms.  And the panting began.  She continued to try to jump over me to David's side of the bed.

It was a battle like none other to get her to lay down.  She refused, continued to shake, and panted heavily all the while trying to escape my arms to go to David.

Finally, in a last effort to not have to move to the couch so David could sleep, I reached out, picked up David's hand and put it on her head.  He gently petted her in his sleepiness and told her it would be okay.  And strangely, our dog quit fighting my arms and laid down between the two of us.  David went back to sleep, and I continued to hold her shaking body. 

Crazy dog, I thought.  The safest place to be right now is in my arms!  I wanted to scream at her, "why won't you believe that Lacey?"

As I put my hand on her head to cover her eyes, it occurred to me.  Do I do this to God?

Do I run when God calls me to him?  When He opens the door of my little world, do I go the opposite direction? Away from His safety? 

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

Does He seek me out, scoop me up in His loving arms, and whisper that this storm will pass?

 ¹¹"For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. ¹²As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. ¹³And I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land. And I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the ravines, and in all the inhabited places of the country. ¹⁴I will feed them with good pasture, and on the mountain heights of Israel shall be their grazing land. There they shall lie down in good grazing land, and on rich pasture they shall feed on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD. ¹⁶I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them in justice. Ezekiel 34:11-16

Do I fight His arms and struggle to get to what I think is safer?  Better?  Clearer?  Trying to handle things on my own?

²²One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake." So they set out, ²³and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. ²⁴And they went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. ²⁵He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?"  Luke 8:22-25

Do I need him to say, it will be okay when I should already know that He is bigger and badder than anything that could try to hurt me?

³¹What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? ³²He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?.......³⁸For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Romans 8:31-32, 38-39

Do I tremble until He covers my eyes so that I can only see the little piece of His plan right in front of me so not to be overwhelmed by the entire puzzle of life?

Why oh why can't I just run straight to Him in a storm and let Him envelop me in His shelter, trusting that He will protect me from everything?

 ¹He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
   will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.  Psalm 91:1

This was my lesson for today.  All at 5:30am.  All while souped up on Benadryl.  All because of a dog.  God works in mysterious ways.

I'm pretty sure Lacey would like hanging out with God.  He is after all the Shepherd, we are His sheep, and Lacey could be His Shetland Sheepdog.  I hope this is a good case for there being dogs in Heaven.  Every Shepherd could use a good Sheepdog.

¹⁴I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.  John 10:14-15

Psalm 77

In the Day of Trouble I Seek the Lord

To the choirmaster: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.

 ¹I cry aloud to God,
   aloud to God, and he will hear me.
²In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;
   in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;
   my soul refuses to be comforted.
³When I remember God, I moan;
   when I meditate, my spirit faints.
                         Selah

 ⁴You hold my eyelids open;
   I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
⁵I consider the days of old,
   the years long ago.
⁶I said, "Let me remember my song in the night;
   let me meditate in my heart."
   Then my spirit made a diligent search:
⁷"Will the Lord spurn forever,
   and never again be favorable?
⁸Has his steadfast love forever ceased?
   Are his promises at an end for all time?
⁹Has God forgotten to be gracious?
    Has he in anger shut up his compassion?"
                         Selah

 ¹⁰Then I said, "I will appeal to this,
   to the years of the right hand of the Most High."

 ¹¹I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
   yes, I will remember your wonders of old.
¹²I will ponder all your work,
   and meditate on your mighty deeds.
¹³Your way, O God, is holy.
    What god is great like our God?
¹⁴You are the God who works wonders;
   you have made known your might among the peoples.
¹⁵You with your arm redeemed your people,
   the children of Jacob and Joseph.
                         Selah

 ¹⁶When the waters saw you, O God,
   when the waters saw you, they were afraid;
   indeed, the deep trembled.
¹⁷The clouds poured out water;
   the skies gave forth thunder;
   your arrows flashed on every side.
¹⁸The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;
    your lightnings lighted up the world;
   the earth trembled and shook.
¹⁹Your way was through the sea,
   your path through the great waters;
   yet your footprints were unseen.
²⁰You led your people like a flock
   by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

Songs for the Season

Every year in about October, I get antsy.  Why, you ask?  Well, Thanksgiving is around the corner which of course means it's almost time for one of my favorite things ever. And strangely, I'm not talking about the Egg Bowl!

If you guessed Christmas, you'd be correct.  But more than just Christmas, the changing weather of October brings with it a desire to break out the Christmas tunes!  {Let's face it, I'd like to break them out in July when Hobby Lobby puts out the Christmas decor, but I don't think my hubby would approve}.  Christmas music seriously has to be one of my FAVORITE things about Christmastime.

Well, about two years ago, I made the decision to celebrate Easter in the same way.  Shouldn't we have Easter CDs too?  I mean just think about it.  Maybe you disagree, but I decided to create a compilation specific to my Savior and what He did for me.  As we go into this Passion Week before Easter on Sunday, I wanted to share with you my list.  It is an ever evolving list, and there are definitely hundreds more songs that I could have included on it.  These are just a few I choose to celebrate the week with.  While they may not be the author, I included the artist that sings my favorite version and tried to include links to the youtube videos.

1. Hosanna by Christy Nockels
2. Come and Listen by David Crowder Band
3. Why by Nicole Nordeman {love this song}
4. Lead Me to the Cross by Hillsong United
5. Crimson by Nicole Nordeman {Chopin's Prelude in E min--really cool song}
6. Nothing But the Blood by Matt Redman
7. At the Cross Where I First Saw the Light by John Sherrill Band
8. At the Cross by Hillsong
9. The Wonderful Cross by Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin
10. Mighty Is the Power of the Cross by Chris Tomlin
11. Lord, I Need You by Chris Tomlin
12. Amazing Grace {My Chains Are Gone} by Chris Tomlin
13. Jesus Paid It All by Kristian Stanfill
14. The Glory of Your Name by Christy Nockels
15. The Glory of it All by David Crowder Band
16. In Christ Alone by Avalon
17. Salvation is Here by Kristian Stanfill {link is Hillsong United singing it}
18. We Win by David Crowder {I know it's really about Jericho, but we have already won!}
19. Set Free by Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman
20. Shadow of Your Cross by Joel Engle
21. Carry Your Name by Christy Nockels
22. Awesome God by Hillsong
23. Our God Reigns by Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Charlie Hall, David Crowder

So if you were making an Easter CD, what would you include on it?  I just might have to add them to my ever-expanding playlist!

Red Hots Video

Apparently I'm in a YouTube video sharing habit these past couple of days!

If you haven't read this post, I would strongly suggest you do so before continuing.  It will make the video make a WHOLE lot more sense. 

This is the video from Crosspoint's DNow.  Just pay no attention to the psycho in the crazy red outfit with red hat, hair, glasses, shorts, long johns, shirt, and jacket.  I don't know her and have never met her in my life!   



I have to say, this was probably my favorite DNow to be a part of.  Feel like I say that every year, but it was just so good to be back home with my wonderful girls!  They are amazing and though the videographer didn't get near as funny footage of us as he did the Jr. High girls, make no mistake, there was plenty of it.  

I love these girls! I am so blessed to have been able to witness their passionate pursuit of Christ for the past 4 years.  You girls challenge me to go deeper, and even though you ask tough questions that I don't always know the answers to, it makes me so happy to know that you are seeking to know about His glory, power, and grace.  I've gotten to walk with you through so many seasons of life and watch how those seasons in turn have shaped molded and changed you.  I know the LORD has awesome and powerful things in store for each of your lives!  Katie C., Katie B., Holly, Molly, Danielle, Amanda, Hannah, Alex, and Mames, where my Red Hots @t?!  LOVE yall! (and to my purple jr. high girls: while I don't know all of you, I love you too!)

Personal shout outs probably aren't cool on blogs.  So sorry!  But I've kind of started using my blog as a journal through our year.  So bear with me.  The funny stuff and crafty stuff will be back tomorrow! And one day, there will be pictures of a clean house posted on here.  I'm just trying to keep your attention!  Haha...actually it's because my house isn't clean right now, and I've been working on school and updating the blog.  Oh and washing clothes.  It seems I do that weekly now.  What happened to once every three weeks?  Oh college...how I miss those days.  And the Chi O house that had 4 washers and 4 dryers.  2 hours and every article of clothing washed.  Sigh.

I'm ending this blog now because my mom and my husband will say tonight, "do you know how many times you got off subject on your blog today?" And I'll say, "when have you known me to EVER stay on subject for more than 2 minutes?"  Okay fine ONE minute!  Hope everyone has a blessed day!

The Marshmallow Test

A couple weeks ago, David and I saw this video at Downline.  (which, by the way, if you live in, near Memphis, or want to move to Memphis, you should really check out).  Anyway, we watched this short video in class. 

It's about marshmallows.  I really like marshmallows.  With hot cocoa.

Back on subject.  This video is great.  A church/media group in Texas designed, implemented, and recorded it to show the struggles of temptation.  It is little kids who are tempted with marshmallows. If you have 3 1/2 minutes, I suggest you watch it.  The idea is simple.  Set a kid in a room with nothing but a marshmallow.....and some hidden cameras.  Tell them not to eat it until you come back, and if they can wait, they'll get two.

Please check out these little kids responses:



Oh my goodness!  I see myself all in this!  Don't we do this with sin?  God commands us not to do it, and we'll receive far more than we could imagine at a later time.  Satan wants us to go after instant gratification.  And isn't this exactly what we do?  We look at it, turn it over, stare at it, roll it in our hands, lick it (or taste a little bit of how it would feel), smell it, pinch a little off, pretend to eat it, kiss it (my favorite), bang our head against the wall trying to decide....etc.  Then, like the little girl, we can bite in and enjoy it and try to put it back the way we found it to cover up what we did.  But it doesn't look the same.  

Thankfully, it doesn't end there!  God, in all His power and might, saw it fit to give us GRACE.  Grace that we didn't deserve, but freely receive.  He can take our marshmallow and put it back together again.  Even if we, like the last little girl, decide to take a bite out of it right in front of His face before He can even give the directions to us.  

If this doesn't show our sinful nature, I'm not sure what does.  Little kids. A marshmallow. And temptation.

Red Hot's on Fire

Fair warning! These are some of the most embarrassing photos of my life!  But it was also some of the most fun I've had!

Last weekend (yes, I'm late updating yet again!) I was privileged to lead DNow for the Senior High girls of Crosspoint Baptist Church in Starkville with my friend Mamie.  I drove to Starkville Friday morning to catch up with some people at MSU that I needed to discuss work with.  After a little time on campus, I went to Columbus.  When we unpacked all of our wedding presents last month, we discovered that one of our crystal glasses was the wrong pattern.  11 were right, 1 was wrong.  So I took care of that.  I had previously planned for my friend Chelsea's mom--from our church in Columbus--to meet me at Belk with Chelsea.  Chelsea rode back to Starkville with me and came to Friday night's DNow events.  And I didn't get a picture with the two of us!  Luckily, someone else did.  Chelsea is on the left and Danielle is on the right. 

Friday night was awesome.  After dinner at the church office, we made our way to Lee Hall where all Matt Piland from Atlanta spoke and there was a great band to lead us in worship the entire weekend.  Starkville does a city-wide DNow every other year. It was great fun to be around all of the youth in Starkville and not just our church.

However, I love being around just our youth.  I've worked with these youth for four years, and we've all become really close friends.  I look around at them all and most of them came to our wedding.  I miss them so much in Memphis.  Anyway, we went to our DNow house--the Edmondsons.  I feel like I could be a member of this family!  Molly, the daughter is like a sister to me.  It's been so neat to watch her grow spiritually and grow up in life.  She graduates from High School this year which is just crazy!  Her parents are so wonderful!  First off, they agree every year to let 8-15 girls stay at their house. (I know...right!)  Mrs. Kathy was in charge of my bridesmaid luncheon.  She asked one day if she could do it, and it was planned by that afternoon!  Of course, when we got to their house, Mrs. Kathy's legendary brownies were hot and waiting on us. Yuuuummm.  Bad part about DNow...eating WAY too much. 

After our session, it was time to discuss the second most important part of the weekend.  Of course the first is learning about God and growing nearer to Him.  Three years ago, we started something called the "Color War."  The Junior High and Senior High compete in colors.  We dress up in our color of choice and then we do a skit/song to prove who is better.  And we talk "trash" all weekend.  So at about midnight Friday night, we began planning.  Our color this year was Red (if you couldn't tell from the title).  We were the Red Hots and since Mrs. Kathy's fave color is red, she had decked the entire upstairs in RED!  After planning all night, we came up with the cutest skit ever! More on that later...

I seriously have the most competitive group of girls ever.  They want to win at whatever is put in front of them.  The first year, we were the Pink Ladies.  And we had a killer song to "All the Single Ladies" by Beyonce.  Except with changed the words to "All the Pink Ladies."  It was wonderful and there was ZERO competition between the Jr. High and Sr. High.  Last year however, my girls decided to use our afternoon break time to play.....Rock Band.  Yes, I'll admit I'm a bad influence.  I absolutely love singing my lungs out to Bon Jovi...."ooooh we're halfway there! OOOOH livin on a prayer!"  Just imagine...  Anyway, we were the Girls in Black last year, and decided to do a spoof on the Taco Bell Black Jack Taco commercial.  Needless to say, it was an EPIC fail!  But we didn't care---we had lots of fun with Rock Band.  This year, we were out to win it.  


Please prepare yourself for the pictures below.

Our skit this year consisted of a play on a bunch of commercials and TV shows.  We had everything from Red Pajama Jeans, to the Bachelored who picked Rednardo instead of Redberto, Cherry Springer where Scarlet and Ruby were in a fight over their house burning down, Red House Furniture, Publishers Clearing House, RedState where Mayhem did his best to wreck a car, Apple of My Eye--our version of Eharmony, and the list goes on and on.  It actually was really funny.  Because the people changing the channels could pause, rewind, and mute us.  I'd say we beat the Purple Girl Swag any day of the week!

Saturday afternoon brought more competition as the girls were charged with the task of collecting can food for the Calvary Baptist Church pantry.  We went to people that we knew so that we could really rack up the points.  That meant taking the list in and asking for top point items mainly.  My girls came through and beat all of the other teams by about 150 points.  The Red Hots dominated!  Thanks to all of the Crosspoint members we could think of who lived from Green Oaks and past Wal Mart on the Wal Mart side of Hwy 12.  We were limited to only that area.  At least we stayed in our area and didn't cheat like the Jr. High girls!  Oh well, they collected a lot of food too and that's all that matters. 


Saturday night after canned food and dinner, we headed back to our host homes to watch a movie called To Save A Life.  It was really good and thought provoking.  But you know us girls, as soon as that was over, we had to watch Miss America.  Like my friend Megan Fly (find her blog on the side--She's a Fly Girl), we were able to fast forward through everything but competition and finish in an hour!  Great fun. 


After church Sunday, Lacey and I crashed on the couch.  My mom was wonderful enough to dog sit for me. Though she will tell you she kind of owed me since I've dog sat Skip plenty of times.  I totaled up my hours of sleep for the weekend.  I've never pulled an all nighter for school.  I'm kind of proud of that.  I woke up Friday morning at 5am to start my rather long day which finally ended at 3am on Saturday.  Total, I slept for 10 hours and surprisingly this is the first time ever I've worked a DNow and not been sick.  Probably because I slept all Sunday afternoon and night. 


Here come the pictures:

My Red Hots.  David said it was sad that it took him 3 minutes to figure out which one was me.  If you can't tell, I have on red shorts, a red lamae (sp?) jacket, red lips, red tshirt, red flowers, red sunglasses (know which one now?), and the best part---A red wig!  My reasoning? If I wasn't going all out, there was no way they would!

You've heard a lot about the Lovings.  Unfortunately, Isabelle got a horrified look on her face and ran to her mom in tears when I walked in the room. Guess I have that effect on children.  Ava and Carson refused to take a picture with me. But TESSA!  Oh thank goodness for TESSA!  Tessa thought I was cool!

The competition! GRrrr!  Laken and the purple Junior High girls!  Hey Laken...Purple - Blue = Red!   (they were the blue team last year!)

We put aside our differences though and danced the ho-down in the main session.

This is Molly.  She's headed to Ole Miss next year against my plotting, planning, and ploying. (hence the wig).

Our group at Lee Hall. For the record, I didn't have my Uggs on when we did our skit.  I had on my red socks. Head to toe red baby!  Red Hots!

I'm not really sure why the band guy decided to sneak in our picture and try to kill us. Disregard his red shirt. He's clearly a purple team fan!

All ready for church Sunday morning

It was such a fun weekend at HOME!  I cried before I left and when I got back to Memphis.  I know that will go away one day. Until then, I guess Lacey will have to deal with the brunt of my tears.  And my mom.  Who laughs at me when I call her.  Before you think I have a bad mom, laughter is warranted when your almost 25 year old daughter calls you with what I call hiccup tears.  I usually laugh through the tears with her!  Haven't cried all week since though so that's a good sign!

Well, David just walked in from duck hunting.  It was his last trip of the season as we'll be in Starkville next weekend.  If you haven't read about my first experiences with duck hunting, you should.  Though this morning I didn't mind him getting up so early because it meant Lacey got to get in the bed with me.  Tough life our Lacey dog is having these days!  Haha.

Meet Lacey Lou

Meet our new puppy, Lacey!  We're still waiting on the snow in Memphis to melt, but here's a picture from us playing in the snow.  She is a six year old Shetland Sheepdog who came to us from the same people that Skip, my parent's dog, came to us from--Ozark Crest Shelties. While she grew up with the Hannah's at Ozark Crest in Nixa, Missouri, Lacey was bred at a kennel named Laureate in Canada.  Yes, that's right.  As David says, we have a Canadian Sheltie, aye?  Her official name is Laureate L'Audace.  Which I assumed was French and looked it up.  Apparently, it means "the audacity."  And I don't know why I shared that with you, but I felt like you should know!  Since she came to us at age six, we figure, why change the name?  So she'll remain Lacey.  Or as I like to call her Lace, Lacey Lace, and Lacey Lou.  Or Sweet Girl.  It just kind of depends on what I'm feeling!

 

The Hannah's (owners of Ozark Crest) show Shelties.  Thomas is their current star.  If you've ever been around me when a dog show comes on TV, you know I stop what I'm doing to watch the herding category.  Thomas has been known to be there and frequently wins it all.  He's won a ton of shows and awards.  He also is Skip's daddy. These are the breeders that show him.  Skip came to my family when he was six months old.  That meant he was potty trained already.  My parents agreed they never wanted to get a puppy ever again.  Skip was too easy.  I emailed around Christmastime to ask if they had any dogs.  Forgive me for being the most homesick person on the face of the earth who desperately needs a friend in Memphis.  Not that I don't like Memphis, I'm just home working on a master's degree and really need a companion in the house.  So I emailed to see if they had any dogs.   So when the opportunity presented itself to adopt a six year old, while we had to think about it a little bit, we were game. 

So on their way from Dallas, TX to Florida on Monday, the Hannah's stopped in Jackson, MS to let us get Lacey.  However, there was a threatening ice/snow/sleet/BLIZZARD storm approaching Mississippi.  So for fear that I wouldn't be able to get to my puppy on Monday, I traveled home on Saturday.  Good decision.  All day Sunday we waited on the power to go out with dad hard at work trying to make sure it didn't go out!  And guess what, it didn't!  Monday, we met the Hannah's a little later than expected in the same Wal Mart parking lot in Richland that we got Skip from three years ago. 

Skip and Lacey.  They are now cousins, siblings, in laws?  I don't know.  I guess technically Skip is Lacey's uncle.  But really, they are dogs. Does it matter?  Skip isn't too sure what to think of Lacey.  He has been an only dog too long.  When David called to ask me how Lacey was doing and if she was in shock, I answered...not as much as Skip is in shock.  He literally HID behind my mom!  

It's amazing how two Shelties can look so much alike and yet so much different.  Skip has a small face and a lot of hair!  Lacey just lost her coat because she's coming out of season.  The Hannah's told us she'd get it back.  However, she looks perfect to me.  It doesn't bother me at all!

She loves the kitchen.  Any time anyone gets up, she runs to see what they are doing.  She doesn't beg.  In fact, we've yet to hear her whine or bark.  (which doesn't bother me AT ALL!)  I would like for her to be able to "talk" to us at some point, but it will just take some time.  She helps me in the kitchen frequently.  Except she's scared of the oven.  When I open it, she runs.  Which is a good thing in my opinion because it means she won't come near it when it's open.  Which means she won't get burned!

Lacey is such a fun addition to the Adams family!  She is a social girl who loves attention and loves to be in the same room as you.  She is super affectionate already and hasn't shown her stress in ways that I thought she would.  The first night, she went from room to room to room.  But we simply followed her and petted her a bunch.  She loves to lick hands that have been holding any kind of food and will give her mommy and daddy kisses in the face if allowed.  

My mom bought her a big pillow when she took over Skip's in Jackson.  Gotta give it to her grandma (which by the way is a terrible name for her!).  She bought a huge one!  Plus Lacey is little.  But she absolutely LOVES it!  Currently, she's relaxing like this! 

Gotta give it to her...at least she's comfortable. 

For this homesick girl, this dog is amazing!  Yesterday, I got a little...um....emotional.  (for those of you who remember me in Sessums or McKee...emotional probably isn't the right word).  I just held her and she licked tears away from my cheeks.  I told her that she and I would make great homesick companions.  As we were sitting in the floor of our living room, I was complaining to Lacey about how I would never find friends like I had in Starkville.  Basically my own little pity party.  (I do know God has friends for me here, by the way...I just forgot at that moment).  I looked up to find a scrapbook that my bridesmaids gave me.  It's on the bottom level of the bookcase with all of my other scrapbooks.  They gave it to me on my bachelorette trip, and while I read it all then, I had forgotten how special every note is to me.  Yes, I have a lot of friends who read this that weren't in my bridal party.  But there's just something about your bridesmaids.  If you've had the opportunity to have bridesmaids, you know what I mean.  They are the ones who know you inside and out.  They are the ones who, even when you haven't talked to them in a really long time, pick right back up where you left off.  Marriage causes less time to keep up with each other, but we still manage.  I asked Lacey if she wanted to meet my best friends.  They each took the opportunity to write me a letter and put some photos with it.  I flipped to the first page and had her attention for a minute.  I read the letter.  I dabbed tears.  I flipped the page.  She looked.  I read the letter. I dabbed tears.  I flipped the page.  She smelled it. She walked away to lay on her pillow.  I read the letter.  I brushed flowing tears away.  Repeat, repeat, repeat.  You know the cool thing about books like these?  You can read them on one day of your life and hear something you needed, then read them on a complete different day and get something completely different that you needed.  On one of the pages, my friend had typed a bible verse. It said...

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."  -Joshua 1:9

It was exactly what I needed.  I know that's super personal and all, but I learned a long time ago to just quit worrying about what people thought when you get homesick.  I've been homesick and crying hysterically in the dorm room, in the library, on the drill field, at Wal Mart, in the middle of a test, the list could go on and on.  I hope someone needed reminding of that as much as I did.  And thanks to one of my friends for writing it!  Lacey walked over about that time and started licking tears.  She probably just wanted to lick, but at least it felt like she was getting rid of them.  

I laughed and we went back to work.  I know this dog is going to be so much comfort.

Oh and in case you were wondering....YES, David likes her too!  He comes in from work and lays in the floor to let her lick him and to pet her.  I think it helps because she acts mildly intimidated by his stature.  Haha!  I think she'll have his heart in no time!

Get ready for many more adventures of Lacey Lou!   

Put On My Blue Suede Shoes

Note: Make sure you read this blog to the end. This is not one for you to give up on reading!

If you know me well, you know I LOVE music!  I'd use it to write a theme song for my life any day!  I should note that my love of music comes from my dad (who doesn't read the blog).  Maybe I'll send him the link today.  When I was little, my dad used to play many songs for us.  He still does!  It's a well known fact that if you want to go to a concert, just tell Dad.  He'll arrange it!  From Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Journey, Kenny Chesney, John Mayer, and Nsync, Dad's taken us to a lot of concerts.  He's even been to the Eagles, U2, Rolling Stones just to name a few more.  I can't even keep up with all that he's seen.  He taught me some of the greatest music of all time.  Today, I have a few on my mind though.  Perhaps you've heard a few of these:

Put on my blue suede shoes

And I boarded the plane

Touched down in the land of the Delta Blues

In the middle of the pouring rain

W.C. Handy--won't you look down over me

Cause I got a first class ticket

But I'm as blue as a boy can be

Walking in Memphis

Walking with my feet ten feet off of Beale

Walking in Memphis

Do I really feel the way I feel

Saw the ghost of Elvis

On Union Avenue

Followed him up to the gates of Graceland

Then I watched him walk right through

Now security they did not see him

They just hovered around his tomb

But there's a pretty little thing

Waiting on the King

Down in the Jungle Room

-Marc Cohen

For those of you like David who have never been to Graceland, the Jungle Room is one of the COOLEST rooms at Graceland!  And if you've never been to Graceland, go NOW!  Christmastime is the best time to go!  All of Elvis' decorations are up!

Maybe this one:

Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis

Pumped a lot of 'tane down in New Orleans

But I never saw the good side of the city

Till I hitched a ride on the Riverboat Queen

Big wheels keep on turning

Proud Mary keep on burning

And we're rolling, rolling, rolling on a river

-Creedence Clearwater Revival

And then this one:

I met a gin soaked bar-room queen in Memphis

It's the honky tonk, honky tonky woman

Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues

It's the honky tonk, honky tonky woman

Gimme, gimme, gimme the honky tonk blues

-Rolling Stones

What about this one?

Up in Memphis the music's like a heatwave

White lightening, bound to drive you wild

Mama's baby's in the heart of every school girl

"Love me tender" leaves 'em cryin' in the aisle

The way he moved, it was a sin, so sweet and true

Always wanting more, he'd leave you longing for

Black velvet and that little boy's smile

Black velvet with that slow southern style

A new religion that'll bring ya to your knees

Black velvet if you please

Can't forget this one:

Well I went to bed in Memphis

And I woke up in Hollywood

I got a quarter

in my pocket

And I'd call you if I could

But I don't know why

I gotta fly

I wanna rock and roll this party

I still wanna have some fun

I wanna leave you feeling breathless

Show you how the west was won

But I gotta fly, I gotta fly

Like Steve McQueen

All I need's a fast machine

I'm gonna make it all right

Like Steve McQueen

Underneath your radar screen

You'll never catch me tonight

-Sheryl Crow

And I'd never heard this one, but it sounded good!

Well, Shakespeare, he's in the alley

With his pointed shoes and his bells,

Speaking to some French girl,

Who says she knows me well.

And I would send a message

To find out if she's talked,

But the post office has been stolen

And the mailbox is locked.

Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,

To be stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again

-Bob Dylan

Did you hear that?  That groan all the way from Starkville?  It was my mom saying "Ugh...enough already! Get on with it!"  (she doesn't like it when I blog too long).  Sorry mom. Just wanted everyone to know what that huge noise was from so far away!

Enough with the song lyrics.  Can you tell what's on my mind? Ding, ding, ding. Memphis.

When I was a little kid, I grew up traveling through Memphis with my family on the way from Arkansas to Mississippi to see grandparents and other family members.  My parents would take us to Memphis for fun weekends, and as I got older, since our voice teacher was based in Germantown, we'd come to Memphis frequently.  The ducks at the Peabody, Rendevouz ribs, the Memphis Zoo, two Mississippi State Liberty Bowls, two Bob Westbrook Liberty Bowl pre-game performances, Bob Westbrook practices, voice lessons, & workshops, and singing walking in Memphis with Dad as we walked down Beale Street are all fond memories.  August 2009, Dad took me to see Journey on Mud Island two days AFTER David asked him if he could marry me and two days BEFORE David asked me to marry him.  Memphis has always held many special memories for my family.

We're so excited to report (and finally be able to put it on the blog) that David was offered a job last week with International Paper in Memphis, TN.  We're so excited!  Did I mention, we're so excited!?  David is truly elated about the opportunity with IP.  I keep asking him if he's sure it's the job he wants!  And he reassures me over and over that it is.  So as of around Christmas, we're moving to Memphis. His potential start date is January 4th.  We'll be renting a house in Memphis (ask David for specifics), and your welcome to facebook or email me to get the new address.  The fact that my stats say someone is reading from Canada, India, and Slovenia kind of creep me out. If you read from there and know me, a comment would be much appreciated since I don't THINK I know anyone in any of those three countries.  And for that reason, among others, I won't be putting the address of the house on the blog! Haha!  I don't need any creepy people showing up on my doorstep, but you are different. We'd love for you (if you are in fact someone that would message me on facebook and I would give our address to) to come visit!  We'll eventually have a spare bedroom, though I feel obligated to let you know we'll only have one bathroom.

As for me, I'll be living in Memphis and working on writing my thesis full time. I'll probably be back to Starkville once a week for meetings and face to face conversations.  However, we are blessed to live in a technological age with email and cell phones!

David and I have been overwhelmed this week by God's incredible plan.  I meet with two incredible girls once a week and we've been working on memorizing scripture together. This week, our verses are:

"God's way is perfect

All the LORD's promises prove true

He is a shield for all who look to Him for protection

For who is our God expcet the LORD

Who but our God is a solid rock

God is my strong fortress and He makes my path perfect."

-2 Samuel 22:31-33

and...

"I raise my eyes towards the moutains

where will my help come from?

My help comes from the LORD

The maker of heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip

Your protector will not slumber

Indeed the protector of Israel

Will not slumber or sleep.

The LORD protects you

The LORD is a shelter right by your side

The sun will not strike you by day

Or the moon by night

The LORD will protect you from all things
He will protect your life

The LORD will protect your coming and going both now and forever."

-Psalm 121

We've been studying Genesis together and we've made it to the life of Abraham.  Talk about a dude that had to live by faith.  In fact, he's "counted as righteous" because of it in Genesis 15 and Hebrews 11.  It is incredible to me that with all of the stupid stuff Abraham did (see telling Sarai to say she was his sister not once, but TWICE, having Ishmael with Sarai's servant, etc.), God still counted him as righteous because of his faith.  Hebrews 11, aka the faith chapter, is full of people that followed God and believed him.  That's so powerful to me. Even in his messups and pitfalls, God didn't give up on him and still counted him as righteous.  I want God to say that about me.  I DESIRE to have faith like that!  I feel like that's what David and I have been trying to do since June 19th when it was so unclear of which way we should go.  When David, king David--not David Adams, says in 2 Samuel 22: "God's way is PERFECT, all the LORD's promises prove true," I can't help but think of us right now.  God has been faithful to us because we believed he'd be faithful.  And don't get me wrong, there have been bumps along the way and we in no way have mastered it.  He's just taught us a lot through a time when we had to fully rely on his faithfulness and that he did have a perfect path in mind.  God doesn't say 'my path will be perfect, easy, and fun if you have faith.'  No! He's definitely had to teach us some things along the way. And I only feel like I've grown closer in my walk with him and my relationship with my husband.

I told one of the girls that I meet with that the day after we got the call, I thought would be freeing, life changing, and like a weight had been lifted off of our shoulders.  But it really wasn't. It was like, "wow God...you were just as faithful last month as you are today."  I thought on several occasions during the day after the call that if He had given us this in August, I would have been elated about "stuff." About having money for stuff and unpacking stuff, and stuff, and stuff, and stuff would be all I'd have to think about.  And you know what I thought about the next day?  It can be summed up in a song.  This is what I thought.  And I'll leave you with it to think about since it seems appropriate to end with song lyrics.  God's faithfulness day after day.  New mercies no matter what He brings that day.  We don't need a "job" to see his faithfulness.  He's been showing it all along. 

"Great is thy faithfulness, oh God my Father.

There is no shadow of turning with thee.

Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not.

As thou has been, thou forever will be.

Great is thy faithfulness,

Great is thy faithfulness.

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed, thy hand hath provided.

 Great is thy faithfulness Lord unto me.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide.

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is thy faithfulnees,

Great is thy faithfulness.

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed, thy hand hath provided.

Great is thy faithfulness,

Great is thy faithfulness

Great is thy faithfulness

Lord unto me.

Life or Death...

No, we're not dying. Yes, we're very much alive.  But it seems lately that we're being hit with our fair share of tragedy...and it also would seem that some of our friends are too. 

This post won't be a "normal" one.  No pictures (which you know kills me!). And not the most lighthearted one either.  But something that we are surrounded by.  God keeps driving this point home--Ultimately, HE is in control.

Many of you saw on my Facebook status last week that David is serving as an interim youth minister at a church in Columbus, MS.  He's been doing that for about a month now, and we are very much enjoying this experience.  It's fun to have a ministry together.  Challenging, yes, but we love loving on some junior high and high schoolers! 

Last Saturday night (10/2), a girl in our youth group was killed.  She was 16 years old riding in the car with two of her friends.  The driver swerved to miss a deer.  None of the girls were wearing seatbelts, and she was killed instantly.  The driver and other passenger walked away unscathed.  Tragedy.  

So many questions.  So many thoughts.  Why being the number one.  Why God would you take away such a young life? WHY? Why did you have to end her life?  WHY? Why, if you promise to protect your children and those that love you, did you decide to let this one die?  WHY?  Why make all of her friends walk through this event at such a young age?  WHY?  Why ask those close to her, her family, friends, and community to walk through such a tragedy? WHY?

And just as we walk through this, we watch friends that we know and love walk amidst similar tragedies in their families.  Many of you know Simon and Ashley Bailey (click name for blog) who just found out that Ashley's mom is extremely sick. Why take a loving mom and family who loves God and put them through what they are walking through?  Many of you also know our friends Brett and Laura Beth Williams (click name for blog).  Laura Beth recently lost her aunt who was the mother of two young boys.  Why God do you ask these young boys to not grow up with a mom?  Why take LB's aunt away?

I spent a long time asking God these things on the drive to Columbus for visitation and the funeral last Tuesday and Wednesday night.  I've been doing a bible study on the Psalms. We happened to be on Psalm 125 (Holmon Christian Standard) which says:

"1. Those who trust in the LORD are like Mt. Zion.

They will not be shaken. They remain forever.

2. Jerusalem--the mountains surround her

And the LORD surrounds His people

Both now and forever.

3. The scepter of the  wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous

So that the righteous will not apply their hands to injustice.

4. Do what is good, LORD to the good

to those whose hearts are upright.

5. But as for those who turn aside to crooked ways

the LORD will banish them with the evil doers."

In verse two, it says the LORD surrounds his people.  In the bible study, it was depicted like mountains surrounding us.  Mountains are harsh, jagged, and protect what they are surrounding.  And how God does not let anything in that He didn't see fit.  Not letting us have more then we can handle.  Then verse four says "Do what's good to those whose hearts are in tune with you" (new living translation).  Why would God let such tragedy come into our lives.  To people who love the LORD? To those He SURROUNDS?

Honestly, I don't have an answer.  I know that God is just in whatever He does. I KNOW THAT.  And I KNOW that He is faithful!  But why?  I ask God this all the time.  And it struck me.  What if God's "good" is not what I see as "good."  God likes glory.  He wants all the glory I have.  He wants your glory. He wants OUR glory!  So "good" to Him means me not understanding. BUT knowing that He just is.  I can ask why all day long. I can literally let it paralyze me that we endure such heartaches. Such tragedy.  But ultimately, he does things to get glory.  How? I don't know...but I can share with you what I saw on Wednesday at the funeral of a 16 year old.

The pastor talked about how we can know that she was in heaven.  Not because she did a bunch of good things, but because she had salvation in Christ.  In reading my friend Laura Beth's blog, I came across something that was shared at the funeral of her aunt.

"In no way do I want to discredit the life that my Aunt Michelle lived.  She was a great wife.  She was THE BEST mom.  She was one of the most giving people that I knew.  She loved people with everything that she had.  She went to church.  She lived a good life.  By the World's standards, Aunt Michelle was a good person and "deserves" to go to Heaven.

They are wrong.  It is not the "good" things that she did.  It is Christ in her.  It is the decision that she made to make Jesus Christ the Lord of her life.  It is that moment when she realized that Jesus came to this Earth, lived a sinless life, and died on the cross for her sins.  It is because she had a RELATIONSHIP, not a religion.  It is because of that, and only that, that I will be able to see her again."

The pastor at the funeral I attended shared something similar.  During the funeral about 45-60 people stood to say that they had accepted Christ during her funeral--most of which were youth.  I know that all of them may or may not plug into a church to be discipled, but regardless, because of this 16 year old, God got glory.  And my understanding of what is good was shattered.  To God be the glory. 

I'll finish by giving one more of Laura Beth's excerpts (and I'm sorry LB, I have taken every bit of your blog post now!)  But it says it so perfectly:

"It is my prayer, and I know that it would be [Aunt Michelle's] too, that if you don't know Christ as your personal Savior that you would surrender your life to Him THIS very moment.  Don't put it off.  As we have seen with my Aunt Michelle, we are not promised tomorrow.  No matter how young.  No matter how healthy.  We just don't know.  Do it now.  So that you can spend eternity with our Heavenly Father.  It is either Heaven or it is Hell.  There is no in between.  And it is only through Christ that we can escape Hell, because that is what we deserve."

Lastly, in bible study we talked about how when we are saved by Christ, we are surrounded by His crown of thorns that He wore when he died at Calvary.  Like the mountains, that crown of thorns only lets in what He sees as good.  God surrounds His people with that crown of thorns.  WE are covered by the blood when we are saved by His grace.  And forever....HE WILL GET THE GLORY!

This song was on a CD given to us recently in how to help the students cope.  I'm finding it to be such a good expression of how I feel...both during this tragedy, but life in general!