Well, we had an awesome time at this year's Auction and Casino Night at the new Ritz Carlton in Dallas. Hopefully these pictures will convince YOU to join us next year. Come on...we can dance the night away. My plan was to put the pictures in some sort of order but it didn't happen...sorry!
That's right...the double blog. Well, tonight is the big final for Life Span and then PEACE OUT! I am so thrilled to be done with this stinkin class. I am taking winter session off for good reason. But more on that later. If any of you peeps read this before 6:30pm then throw up a prayer that the Lord will use what's in this head of mine.
Also, Auction and Casino Night at the Ritz is coming up tomorrow. Gonna be working it in a gold dress and I even have gold little toenails (soo cute!). Pictures to come! I know, I know...you want pictures now but you must learn patience. It's a virtue.
Now back to the text and my love, oops, I mean Ipod.
So, in my quiet time last night I re-read Habakkuk for the second time this week and then I started going through Mark. After I finished reading I took some time to be still and let the Lord speak over me. Sometimes, in the quiet, I get nothing. No word, no reassurance, no advice, no direction, nothing. But sometimes, I have a glimpse of something that is beautiful and beyond me and that I know is from the Lord. When it happens I am often quick to try recreate the moment and capture into words in a hope to share with others but it will quickly fade into something less meaningful or lacking the powerful breath of God.
Anyway, last night was one of those nights where I caught a glimpse. It was brief and it made me hot, flushed in the face. I will do my best to recreate the image I saw but it may lack the power that it had on my heart, though I feel that it is worth a try.
As I was reading in Mark and Habakkuk it left me pondering about repentance, true life- changing repentance. About how this is a WORK of GOD, not me. He changes hearts. It's nothing that I can ever do on my own. And I thought about humility. It was then, that as I laid on the floor in my tiny bedroom thinking about humility that I was suddenly taken to this place where I pictured myself in the position of Mary Magdalene who should have be stoned for her adultery. Although in this vision, my sins were my own, not Mary's, and they were many. Certainly worthy of death.
My face was wet with hot tears, sweat crested along the top of my forehead and the mixture of the tears and sweat made the dirt from the ground smear as mud upon my flushed face. Really, all I could see was feet from my bowing position on the dirt floor. My assumption was that it was Jesus. Then slowly the feet began to walk away from me out of disgust. As if to just leave me as I am. In what I saw as my humility , I was on my knees in an attempt to both crawl towards Him and gain enough momentum to rise to my feet in order to run towards him in sheer desperation for forgiveness and acceptance. It was then that it happened. The Lord spoke to my heart so directly and said, "That is not Jesus. Jesus would not be walking away from you."
And so, with those few words I sat up and started thinking about this more clearly. What freedom that brings. Jesus would not be walking away. It's not that I don't have to choose to run towards Him when I am pressed down by my sin and filth, but that when I get to Him I can stop and rest...and be forgiven. No more chasing Him, trying to convince Him of the good girl that I am (yeah right) and begging Him for understanding.
And so, I instead reach the feet of Jesus who stands square in front of me (and if I look closely may have even taken steps towards me) and I start to climb up His legs, and body to cling to Him out of a thankful heart. His arms are extended ready for embrace and He gently wipes away all the filth that is covered on my face, wipes it on his white robe, and takes it as His own...Hallelujah.
Is Starbucks new tag line for the season. And man, did they deliver! I was so cold this morning and I just wanted something warm to start my day off with before walking into my igloo, I mean office. So, I pointed the car west, drove through a miserable school zone, and headed to the nearest Starbucks. My first reason for excitement had to do with the fact that the new holiday drinks are available...joy! My personal favorite is the Pumpkin Spice Latte so I was just anxious as I awaited my turn to get to the giant speaker where I could place my glorious drink order.
Last night after work I took Enzo for a walk/jog around the pond behind my office. It was great. The area was quiet and it was already starting to get dark. The Lord had painted the sky with fiery reds and pinks as the sun set. It was the perfect kind of cold too. Enough chill for a sweatshirt and the kind where your cheeks fill the slightest sting from moving against the wind. And you just know that if someone were to reach out and touch your nose it would be cold to the touch. It was perfect. There is so much peace in moments like that for me. I feel that even if everything does not seem perfect in my life, that I still have so much reason to be grateful to this eternal God who takes the time to paint the skies in a wide array of hues for us. Who takes the time to have the seasons fall as varying backdrops for our lives. Who takes the time to place ducks in a busy park pond who flap around and fish for food for our delight. And a God who gives us the senses that we have so that we can feel the joy of winter's first cold nose. He is so much bigger and kinder and more beautiful than I could ever even attempt be. But I guess that's why I'm not God. But I pray for His heart daily and I pray that this life that He has given me will makes things a fraction of how beautiful His splendor is. To Him be the glory. Amen. Let it be.
Man, I don't know if it's the time change or what but this day has been one of the longest days of my life! I can't believe it's not even 5pm yet. Wow, okay, I can do it.
The Bachelor is on tonight. My guilty pleasure. They have the overnight dates tonight. I am sure that Kari and I will be ranting about that the whole show. Christin, I have faith in you. You will be on that show next year and you will represent. None of this, I have Christian morals stuff and then running topless down the beach.
