just because

my office is a mess with boxes full of TA retreat supplies. normally a messy office would stress me out. but not this kinda mess...it's a glorious mess... looking around i see - - blessing bags decorated and ready to be filled with encouraging words. - flowers cut out of construction paper - bandannas - funny song titles - balloons - name tags - 4000 note cards waiting to be written on - blank "write your heart out forms" - supplies for relay races, ochos and more. if you just saw the supplies you'd think i was insane and that these items may seem haphazard! but that is not the case. each supply is purposeful. each one will be used by God. i love that promise. He is ever so faithful on these retreats to encourage, discipline, speak life and truth, build relationships and FILL the weekend with His presence. without those things...its not worth doing. and i (we) couldn't do it! sometimes retreat planning can be overwhelming. there are SO.MANY.DETA...

my friends may think i am extremely curious and/or obnoxiously nosy. i cant help it. i just like to know what people are up to, whats going on in their lives and just how they are in general. so i ask my friends, often. family too. so i'm kinda asking myself those questions today and answering for you...who did not ask :) hmm, how am i doing? well, let's see. today i turned my calendar to Aug 1 along with the rest of the world. i turn my page with a million emotions... first - COMPLETE JOY b/c it means we have hit the month of COLLEGE FOOTBALL. y'all. next, i must confess there is a slight tremble in my hand as i turn the page because Aug also means the month of the TA Fall Retreat. it is one of my most favorite things but also the most time consuming, emotion consuming, all-of-me consuming thing i do all year.  well, thats not completely true. it doesn't consume ALL of me b/c i give it to God every hour...sometimes every minute. HE is ultimately in control. i...