Africa Send-Off Party

Seven of my closest guy friends (including my sweet bro) are headed to Africa on Thursday for a mission trip, where they will be working with children in need of some Jesus. We had a great send off for them all at Trawick Pavillion in Grapevine last Friday! It was such a great opportunity to call get together and allow them to thank their supporters and prayer warriors. Not to mention we all got the chance to all spend some time together...which is always fun. Hope to write more about it later because there were a lot of sweet moments!

Held Together

Me, of All People...

Got a longboard last weekend. Can you believe it? It's so funny to me. Larry Ray has officially moved me on over to the dark side...I mean bright side. I really do like it so much and one day I am going to go down a really big hill with all my longboarding heroes. My brother will be so proud.
And I just have to say it, to the boy's dismay, isn't so cute?
Wish me luck. I have no helmet.

I Got Three Dollars Burning in My Pocket, I Know I Know...

Alright, alright. I know it's been such a long time since I have written. And even now, I write under obligation, not out of a desire to share some exciting news or brilliant thought that I hope will change your life or make you think I am really cool. But, I write nonetheless.

This past weekend was one that I will remember for a long time. I started my move to Lewisville on Friday evening. Kari and I packed our cars full of boxes and furniture and she drove south and I headed north. My new home is in the sweetest apartments and I will be living with an old roommate from a couple of years back. I know that it will be good, just different. And for those of you that know me well, know that I just don't do change well. I grieve for a few days and then I move on. It's my process.

As Kari and I loaded our last items into our cars and finished cleaning the house on good ol' Russell Avenue, we stood on the side porch not quite sure how to say goodbye to one another. I mean, we would see each other come Monday at work, but we would no longer call to check in on our way home for a McDonald's late night snack, grocery run, or hear the yell of a "goodnight" from down the hall as early as 9:00pm. Both strange and sad. We finally let a couple of tears fall and then we managed to laugh through the sting of it all.

As I got in my car, I cried some more. Good tears. Cleansing tears. The kind of tears that you should cry when you are being separated from one of the biggest blessings that has ever occurred in your life. So I cried in the silence. And then I turned on my Ipod. I deemed the song that came on quite appropriate, yet bittersweet. Matt Redman's, Blessed be Your Name. It was appropriate because I have had a love-hate relationship with this song for a while now. I am wise enough to know that you can't stand in church, belting out these lyrics, if you don't mean it. You must be willing to praise Him as He both gives and takes away.

So, my season of living with Kari has come to a close. And it has been good, so I praise Him. And I am sad that it all has to change. And I must choose to trust that the Lord's plan is still good and redemptive and best for me, even when I am so uncertain of what His plan is. And so I will praise Him still...

I left Kari with a parting CD of some of our greatest hits since living together. Here is that list:

If I Could Do It Again byCorey Smith
Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson Girls
Desperately Wanting by Better Than Ezra
Don't Stop Believin' by Journey
Halloween by Matt Pond PA
The One Who Loves You the Most by Brett Dennen
Leave The Pieces by The Wreckers
Hey Ya! by OutKast
Heavenly Day by Patty Griffin
Divine Romance by Phil Wickham
Cosy In the Rocket by Psapp (Grey's Anatomy Soundtrack)
Kiss Me In the Dark by Randy Rogers Band
Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol
Gotta Have You by The Weepies
New Soul by Yael Naïm
How to Save a Life by The Fray
One More Goodbye by Randy Rogers Band
Cotton Eye Joe by Starsound Orchestra Dance
Goodbye by Patty Griffin

I love you, Kare Bear. Thanks for loving me for me. There is no greater gift in our friendship.

Love, Fraggle

Finally, My Search is Over

For the last two years, yeah, you heard me, two years, I have been crazy curious about this singer on one of my Cd's. His name is so clearly printed on the album but he is so dang hard to find on the Internet. I would start a search and would get frustrated that his website did not instantaneously appear. So I would give up with any real time invested.

Well, I pulled out this very CD last night, The King of All of Me, as I was driving home from class. The CD itself is alright. I really only listen to number one and number four over and over and over. In typical Courtney fashion. The first song is by, you guessed it, Sam Lane and it's called All From You. It always, yes, always, speaks to me and provides truth when I need it the most. Last night I needed it. I always need it, who am I kidding. But last night especially.

I decided after my third listen through of All From You that I would search and find this mystery man, Sam Lane. I wanted to know what he looked like. I wanted to know his story. And today, after two long years, I followed his rabbit trail long enough to find him. I realize I may seem a bit like a stalker at the moment, but let's not focus on that right now people. Focus on the fact that part of my search is so that you can know him and his voice too.

Samuel Lane plays worship for Burn Church, made up of people, not a building, in St. Albans, UK. He has a myspace page for his band, Singers. He has an album called Beautiful and you can't buy it on iTunes. In fact, the sell price for it is listed in pounds. And lastly, he looks like someone I would really like. He looks a lot like this guy I know, Larry Ray. Maybe you've heard of him.

So, my work here is done. Enjoy the haunting, heart-wrenching and heart-warming sounds of my new friend, Sam Lane. And may his words usher you into the Throne Room.

And now, the search begins for Suzanne Courtney.

Blogging Blues

Well, my two fans out there have pointed out how pathetic I have been at blogging this month. My apologies. Every day I think, I should blog today. And every day, I don't. I just don't have anything that exciting to say to be quite honest. How did I do this everyday in February?

I am behind on posting pictures too. I have pictures to post from New Orleans, Tahoe and Easter (I think someone took pictures at Easter?).

I have been thinking about one thing consistently this month pertaining to the ol' blogging habit. I read this at the beginning of March and well, although the guy who wrote it was being clever and witty about his own blogging endeavors, I think he may be on to something and it was quite convicting, if I must say so myself. Here it goes...

From Aaron Neiquist's blog:
There is so much to do, wrestle with, and explore. and a blog is perfect: ridiculously self-indulgent, zero accountability, and ideal for deluding myself into thinking that I’m sharing my genius thoughts with a army of interested learners.

Listening to Damien Rice, Delicate

Me and Raney Caroline

I heart her...