Absolutely Loving- Long Way Down

Hi friends,

not sure how many of you have seen Ewan McGregor's Long Way Round or Long Way Down, but if you haven't you should! Put it in your queue, drive to your local blockbuster and you will have done yourself a favor!

You're gonna be exposed to so many things you haven't seen and probably won't, cuz let's face it, who can afford hitting every country in-between England and the US? And if you could would you want to? Not me! But what a gift to experience what life is like for these other people even if just through my screen!

The idea is a road trip of epic proportions... A motorcycle journey around the world!

And yes, even girls will enjoy it :)

I'm half way thru their second journey, The Long Way Down... where they start at the top of Scotland to the bottom of Africa... I have cried more than 2 times! The stories will just break your heart of what so many children are living thru and how they do it with such positivity!

So if I haven't convinced you yet... get it! You'll love it!

I'm not at all a celebrity stalker or even fan of most celebrities, but I've grown

to really like Ewan McGregor, he's pretty funny and charming in it and I appreciate so much that he's trying to bring awareness of what the poor and sick in this world are going thru to the western world...

So check it out...
www.longwayround.com

Long time no see...

I might as well not have a blog at this rate, but then I'd miss the opportunity to share gems like this one with you!

This is a video of teenage heartthrob al la 1955, Ricky Nelson, singing my song, for which this very blog was named :)

Here is where I would normally promise a great post real soon, but instead... I'll be honest! Dang it! I wish had been honest in the past! I love writing here, I just have NOT had the time for it lately.
Life is busier than ever, which isn't a complaint, I just haven't figured out how to sneak blogging time in there.
But I'm hoping to figure it out sooner than later.
If you're still reading thanks for your patience, and support!
Hope this finds you and yours well!

Your old time friend...

Lite brite has never been so cool

A little caveat, I'm not a huge David Crowder fan... but I'm making an exception, because he has pulled out possibly one of the coolest music videos I've ever seen!

Just watch! And trust me when I say you won't expect where this one is going... you might want to get a tissue!
I promise a bona fide post sooner than later :) Thanks for reading!

Ponyo!

If you have yet to brave the movie Ponyo, don't wait any longer!

I think this is one of the cutest kids movies I've seen in a really long time!

Emmy loves it so much, she's gonna be Ponyo for Halloween!

We're still looking for a Soskue ;) But we might put that off until she's 25!

There's one questionable line in the movie, but I don't even think it's worth mentioning. It's a very cute movie and an amazing piece of animation... WOW!

Have fun....

HHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everythings Amazing & Nobodys Happy

If you haven't seen this... please.... watch!
So true, so profound, so funny!Then after you've watched, challenge yourself to be thankful for your easy, wonderful, cruisy life! Unless of course you're one of my 3rd world country readers ;)

Grilled Artichokes ala Bandera!

One of my absolute favorite things to eat is Grilled Artichokes... they've become more popular recently and a few restaurants have been trying their hand at them, but there is only one restaurant that has nailed them! And that restaurant is Bandera and they only charge a ridiculous $12 for that perfection. Every where else I've tried them is not quite right, too watery is usually my complaint, so I scoured the Internets to see if I could find someone out there that had figured out Bandera's secret, and alas I did!

So because I like you, I'm willing to pass on this highly treasured secret of chokey goodness...

Oh and if by some chance you happen to be a grilling freak and have a wood fire grill with some hickory, these are gonna be amazing... I had to settle for gas, but it still was surprisingly good!

Lets begin:

Steam your artichokes with a lemon slice, garlic clove and bay leaf for 15-20 min. depending on their size. (25 min. for a especially large choke) You only get one shot at this, so make sure they're done!

As you can see here I was a little too anxious to get mine out of the water and the heart is slightly underdone... whoops :\

When you take them out of the water slice them starting at the stem working down toward the leaves, this will help keep the choke intact and not get all over the leaves.
Rub a little lemon on them and stick them in the fridge for an hour or if you're always late like me, throw them in the freezer for 10 min. This is the MOST important step, so don't skip it. I'm pretty sure this is the step that the restaurants are blowing it on!

While your chokes are chillin' you need to make a little marinade for these beauties:

Get the lemon you used in the beginning and cut one more slice off it and put the slice aside
Now use the juice from the rest of your lemon
3 tablespoons of olive oil
I use one square of frozen crushed garlic (which looks like 1 and 1/2 crushed garlic cloves)
a large pinch of kosher salt
and a a good amount of cracked pepper
(don't be shy with the salt and pepper!)

When you've got about 10-15 min. to go until you're ready to eat throw these beauties on the grill with a healthy amount of marinade on them. BUT before you do that make sure to scoop out the choke! (the hairy bit just above the heart, you don't not want to eat any of that stuff!)

You'll need to flip them over every 2-3 min. to keep them from burning, but a little char is a great thing on these guys!
Every time you flip them give them some more marinade and when you're close to done sprinkle them with a little more kosher salt!

Now it's time to eat! YUMMMM! I serve these beauties up with a garlic remoulade that you can make up in advance and it will last in your fridge for a week!

Garlic Remoulade:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cubes of frozen crushed garlic or 3 fresh cloves minced
3 tablespoons relish
The juice from your slice of lemon you put aside
A large pinch of salt
And a dash of dill weed
(taste and add more lemon or salt if needed)

Enjoy!

The Anti-Consumer Hypocrite

So there's plenty of things I'm known for, making my own shoes from carrots I grew in my garden is one of the funnier ones my girlfriend Janeille coined, but one of the lesser known ones is that I'm a bit of an Anti-consumer hypocrite... sad but true.

I'm constantly tortured in my head, knowing that Forever 21 just got in that perfect dress that is gonna suit my not-so-perfect figure and I'm gonna miss it! But I know that I have no business being in that store because my closet is full and once I'm there, there's at least 5 other things I can't live without, ughhh!!! It's places like Nordstroms rack that convince the anti-consumer hypocrites like me that it's OK because that dress was $130 and now is only $11 so it's not really that bad, right!!!!

In an ideal world I would just be content with what I have and never need anything shinny and new. But no, I'm tortured, I'm tossed to and fro all the time. I can't, but I would love to blame it all on Orange County, I mean shopping might be highest on our list of cultural priorities.

So my friends, it's only fair that you share the burden with me, so I'm gonna do what any good anti-consumer hypocrite would... Give you the two options to wrestle over that I do, everyday!
You're welcome :)

Let the torture commence:

This month, charity: water is doing a campaign, encouraging people to give up their September birthday gifts in exchange for a donation to charity: water. They hope to further solve the world water crisis, and so far, they're doing a killer job! Good thing it wasn't October birthdays this year, phew!
Watch the trailer, I'm pretty sure you'll become an Anti-Consumer hypocrite too... sorry. And don't worry, I am gonna give up my October birthday this year :)


Next is for those of you who can shop online unimpeded by that nagging feeling.
Zafirenia is a really cute company I just learned about. Seriously cute, cute vintage inspired jewelry.

Did I say cute. I love their big, bold fun designs.

I really wanted to get one for my best friend's birthday, but she has to make the ever torturous call, since it's her September birthday, no pressure.


If you decide you can't live without one of Zafirenia's designs, you can make yourself feel better knowing that you're supporting the cottage industry and actually putting food on a family's table :)

I know, I know, I would say I'm sorry, but all kidding aside I think this is too important. So much of what we do in America needs a bit of a reevaluation. At the very least I've gotten you thinking, cuz if you never did, nothing would change.

Balance my friend, balance.

Your Old Time Friend

A Shout Out!

This is a Shout Out to all you single moms out there! I've had 10 days with my husband gone to Australia and New Zealand, and I have to say I have a new found respect and admiration for those of you doing this all the time! I pray strength and courage for you! I'll be back soon, I'm bubbling over with things I have to tell you... but not now, I got stuff to clean :)

On the Road Again!

Me and my beloved are hittin' the road very early tomorrow morning!
If you're the prayin' sort, please pray for us, we're off to Montana for a really special time with other church planters... but I have MAJOR, MAJOR anxiety about leaving my babies.
One small consolation, there's a Cracker Barrel in the State we're off to... (there's a reason the word "crack" is in their name!)
Sorry I couldn't resist! I'm a huge fan of both her and 'Crack'er Barrel!

I'll be back on my blog in a week with gads of insight... You're gonna have to hold me back!

The Basics of our Faith

As I sit here and ponder all of the pearls of insight into the depths of my soul that I could share right now, I'm coming up short... I'm still right in the thick of processing all the ins and outs of Behavior Modification, so I'm finding it hard to exactly articulate my thoughts... I know that God is in the midst of doing surgery, but one thing that I feel affirmed in over and over again in throughout this process is, that even as I screw up and learn lesson after lesson because of my shortcomings, I'm loved and accepted. I'm beloved and cherished because of Jesus and not because I'm a perfect little saint that never screws up... if that were how God worked, I would be screwed!

For that reason, I LOVE this video!



Let me know your thoughts, or how you've experience this grace in your life!
I know the hardest part for me is to just accept it, even when I do screw up, there's some arrogance in me that just wants to earn His love so bad. But when I take a step back, I'm so glad I can't! Because when I'm totally honest with myself, I know I never could, I know I don't measure up to His standards, so I'm just grateful for His acceptance and grace on Jesus' behalf!

Behavior Modification?

Well, well, well... if you're still reading 3 gold stars for you!

Sorry I've been a lagger, but life for the Weeks have been busy! There's been the executing of an estate, lots of worship leading, good friends in from out of town, entertaining, meetings up the wazoo, veggie gardening and of course lots of watching Judah eat sand! But all along I haven't forgotten you, I think of you often and wonder if you think of me ;)

OK enough with the mushy stuff...

Amidst all the business there has been a lot on my mind! The one that has dominated my thoughts is the whole idea of behavior modification that I eluded to in my post's title,this has had HUGE implications for me in my life lately, on so many levels!

I promise an explanation or at least an attempt at one in my next post. But for now I'm posting the video that's has really challenged me in my usual attempts at behavior modification for y'all to watch, and no I'm not from the south... well Southern California, but we don't say y'all, I don't know what came over me.



We have so much to discuss! Talk to you soon!

Oh Betty!

This one's been a long time coming... one of my all time favorite people ever is Betty Hutton, and I've wanted to introduce you for a long time. I'm hoping most of you already are good friends and have enjoyed her for years, but if you haven't, here's my brief yet non-exhaustive intro to one of my heroes!
Betty Hutton was a glamorous, yet not quite right for Hollywood type that somehow managed to star in dozens of films in the 40's and 50's. She had said that she hit fast and run in hopes that no one would realize that she couldn't really do anything... Well I definitely disagree with you Betty! She had a spunk that is unrivalled. Bob Hope once called her a vitamin with legs... She would definitely fit right in with me and my girlfriends! Fiery and fun with some sass and silliness! This is me doin' my best to pull of Betty's hair for my 30th birthday party!


This one here is my favorite! It shows her range and how funny and delightful she can be. I especially love the part when she sings "woof, woof"


Sadly, Betty followed the road of many in Hollywood, turning to drug use and nearly had a nervous breakdown. She ended up living in obscurity until someone discovered her working as a cook in a Catholic rectory in the 70's!
In an interview with Robert Osbourne on TCM in 2000 Betty was very candid about her personal struggles and the turmoil she experienced in Hollywood and later her bout with drug addiction and ultimately her faith that changed her life!

This one's called the Sewing Machine, I sing it to my kids when I sew :)



I learned that Betty had become a devout Catholic living quietly at the end of her life in Palm Springs, really close to where my Dad lives. I often fantasized about writing her and seeing if we could get together to talk or pray... but my courage failed me, and I soon after learned that she had passed away. Boo...

This one's about a neighbor that never stops playin' his piano... She's so cute!



So while my opportunity to hang out with my girl has passed here, I can't wait to hang out with you in heaven Betty! I hope you love her as much a me! When I hear her fun and silly songs, they just bring a smile to my face and a little joy to my day! And if you want some more Betty head on over here to SatinsAndSpurs.com The Betty Hutton Website
This is the best site there is for all things Betty!


And if you're looking for a good movie to rent this weekend, check her out in "Annie Get Your Gun" it's rip roarin' old timey fun!

And apparently 3 or 4 of her movies will be featured this month on TCM!

So have fun!


Your Old Time Friend...

Some good and some bad news...

Let's start with the bad news... Yesterday the poor, defenseless baby dove eggs met their demise. (tear...) Next year little dove, I'll do whatever I can to protect your precious baby eggs!

Now onto the good news

Do you recognize that face??? It's my beloved Keith Green, and in 2011 they will be releasing a movie about his life! You can read the full story here... There is probably no one that has collectively influenced my spiritual and musical life more than Keith Green, he is definitely one of my heroes. I can't wait to see the movie. Keith really lived out what he believed, more than most of us would dare. He and his wife took in single mothers, people wanting to be freed from drug addiction, the homeless. And I believe he was the first contemporary Christian artist to give his music away and or only charge what people could afford to pay for an album! Such a beautiful life, such an inspiring testimony!
By some miracle when I was in highschool all my friends thought, even in the face of all the punk rock we we're listening to, that a Christian Contemporary artist from the the late '70's was the coolest... I don't know how to explain it, it's just a miracle ;) We would drive down the street, singing his songs at the top of our lungs, and we knew every single lyric! It was the BEST!

If you're not familiar with Keith at all check out some of his lyrics to one of my favorite songs...

Your Love Broke Through
Like a foolish dreamer, trying to build a highway to the sky
All my hopes would come tumbling down, and I never knew just why
Until today, when you pulled away the clouds that hung like curtains on my eyes
Well I've been blind all these wasted years and I though I was so wise
But then you took me by surprise
Like waking up from the longest dream, how real it seemed
Until your love broke through
I've been lost in a fantasy, that blinded me
Until your love broke through
All my life I've been searching for that crazy missing part
And with one touch, you just rolled away the stone that held my heart
And now I see that the answer was as easy, as just asking you in
And I am so sure I could never doubt your gentle touch again
It's like the power of the wind
Like waking up from the longest dream, how real it seemed
Until your love broke through
I've been lost in a fantasy, that blinded me
Until your love, until your love, broke through

then if you wanna hear him in action check this out! He had such a creative way of telling a story with such fun music!


ENJOY!

CROWS!!!

I'm sorry but there is some of God's creation that I don't enjoy...

I'm sure there is something redemptive about crows, I just haven't found it yet!

All morning they have been trying to attack these precious little unborn baby doves...

Not OK!

So I've been fighting them back with yells and claps, my only ammunition... my neighbors think I'm so weird... oh well...

Race day approaching!

So I have vaguely eluded to the fact that I've taken up a regular exercise regimen here before, but I haven't really gotten into the details, cuz lets face it, if you wanted to read an exercise blog, you probably wouldn't be reading mine with such items as "Brown butter plum tart" and "Spreads"...

However I am planning on completing my first ever half-marathon this Sunday, and I'm really excited... I actually don't feel any of the dread that I should!

I was just telling my mom the other day how amazing it is that I even want to attempt running... I mean, I'm an adult! There's no scary PE teacher screaming at me to get going any more! I have rights now... When I was a kid there was no better way to torture or punish me. I saw kids that voluntarily signed up for cross country and I thought there was something wrong with them! But by some miracle I came to the conclusion that running would be a good idea for me.

(She is amazing! Look how much clearance she has!, does anyone think this is real??)

Then an interesting conversation ensued with my mom about the misconceptions we grow up with and often never get over even as adults, until we're forced to stare them down by circumstances that are unavoidable, ever had one of those?
I had a huge misconception about running. I labeled it as impossible, too hard for my stubby round body, torture.

Then I told my mom about a recent victory I'd had over a long-time misconception of mine...

My whole life I had looked at this one hill near my house (I still live in the house I was born in) and marveled at people running up it. I had thought to myself, "why would anyone do that, that is the hill of death."
Well sometime after I had started running, I needed to get to a location that was really close, but the only way to get there was up the "hill of death!" I put it of for weeks, telling myself it was just too hard for me. Finally, one day I decided to kick myself in the pants, and I gave myself a whole hour to complete "the hill" and amazingly enough I arrived 40 min. early.
It's amazing how crippling our misconceptions are! I've wasted so many years of my life investing in lies! How sad!

( I could be totally wrong, but I think this photo is a lie... how bout you??)

Now, this is no power of positive thinking pep talk, it's a reality check! We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and if we do like David and preach to our souls a little, I think there is a lot we can overcome that sadly has been overcoming us!

Today I got my number for my race bib, and because I'm so spiritual and love to over-spiritualize everything, I googled to see if there was a bible verse with my numbers, and no there isn't, it's too high of a number, so I immediately turned to Strong's... cuz not only am I super spiritual, I try and be super smart... I'm so kidding guys, you know me well enough, right??
Ok so I looked up both the Hebrew for 3681 and the Greek and check it out...

In the Greek it's reproach, that's a fun word! Where is this heading?? But as I read the verse it began to illuminate something for me!

Luke 1:25- "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace (reproach) among the people."

WOW! This one really spoke to me! I feel like God has really used my training in running to be a part of the process of Him removing my reproach or disgrace. Before I learned to beat my body into submission (1st. Cor. 9:27,) there was a huge part of me that has felt like a disgrace, I felt defeated by my lack of discipline and disgusted by my lack of self control! I'm praising God for this verse that He is dealing with me graciously and removing my disgrace by retraining me to be a more disciplined and self-controlled woman...

Next in the Strong's Hebrew is the word "covering" the uses of the word is kinda funny... I think they are talking about using the skins of sea cows to cover parts of the tabernacle... haha, sea cows!

But immediately I felt the Lord encouraging me that He will be my covering in this race, and when I get tired or feel like giving up, I'm gonna encourage my self with this, that He's got me covered!

So wish me.... luck?... blessings... I dunno... Wait I do! Pray for me, I'm gonna need it!

-Your Old Time bestie...

Hope

As life has been forging on full steam ahead, I have been really impacted by how many of my friends are struggling.
And I don't mean can't find the right pair of shoes to match that dress kind of struggle, I mean a possible terminal illness, a possible terminal marriage and one that's definitely over...

If you have a set of eyes and a heart that's pumping, it won't take much to look around you and see someone who's struggling with something.

Where do you go with this? what's your response, what kind of advice do you give?

In the last couple of months I've been pursuing training for a half marathon and to further inspire myself, I've been watching Biggest Loser. Last night on the show one of the contestants lost his brother to cancer and I couldn't help but squirm as the trainers offered life advice, that to me seemed so hollow and contrived. Maybe I'm biased, but it seems that death makes it so clear that humanistic advice falls flat, because it doesn't solve the problem of eternity! Getting in the gym and giving it all you've got for your brother doesn't really solve that he's gone forever and there's a deep loss and grief that accompanies such losses!

So the question is... how do you deal with catastrophic loss? To what or whom do you turn to, do you hope in?

I think we are such interesting creatures, in the things we turn to convinced that they're gonna solve our problems! Seriously I think there's quite a few of us that have thought ice cream will at least soothe our woes...

But the bottom line is that the power of positive thinking, ice cream or a really intense workout can only temporarily distract us, it doesn't solve the problem of pain and ultimately death!

Hebrews 2:15 says that Jesus came to deliver those who are subject to bondage of the fear of death!
That's encouraging news!

Furthermore, when we put our hope and trust in Him, pain is no longer a useless nuisance that we strive to numb. It's a tool in a Master-Craftsman's hand! This is pain that produces something even more beautiful than gold! The bible says it's endurance, which leads to character, which ends up producing HOPE! (Rom.5:4)

And when it's Jesus that we put our hope in there is a peace, it's not a peace that the world can offer us! The hope the world offers is empty... sorry but it is... It's only something Jesus can give us, He says "don't let your heart be troubled or afraid..." And just before his followers were about to be scattered because of the threat of death, He encourages them to take heart because He has overcome the world! I don't know about you, but when you're facing the threat of death someone chanting "yes you can" isn't gonna cut it!
It has to be someone who has overcome death who can actually offer me some encouragement in that moment! Everything else falls flat!

1st Peter 1 says that we have been grieved by various trials for a little while... I don't know about you, but 80 years plus or minus to be grieved by various trials doesn't seem like a little while, especially when those trials can seem so overwhelmingly huge and painful! But I heard a pastor put it this way recently...
"When we're on year 10billion 800million 465 thousand and 2... 80 years is gonna seem like a recess in 1st grade!"

It's perspective we need! The bottom line friends... God is real, life is short and eternity is long!

I know it's hard, I'm weeping with you, I'm praying for you...

I'm hoping that you place your hope in the only one who is worthy of your trust!
He died for you to rescue you from the most hopeless of situations and He has promised to never leave you or forsake you! Romans 5:5 says that that hope you have in Him will not disappoint you!

Lord help us to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen! Knowing that through our pain and difficulty you are working out a far greater weight of glory! Help us to surrender to You as You work it out! Help us Lord to suffer well, as we hope in you!

Please let me know how I can pray for you if you're going through a difficult season!
- Your Old Time friend

Distraction from Taxes!

If any of you are irrisponsible like moi... you are probably totally stressing out that you only have 4 more days to finish your mount everest called taxes...

So stop for a moment... and watch this
Your brain will be so confused by what it's seeing it will completely forget all the stress and strain of the last month!




I had no clue karaoke was Korea's national sport...

I think I might be impressed if I just wasn't so weirded out by picturing him reaching out to Kevin Costner...

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Because it's Easter I have to start by saying... I love Jesus and I'm so thankful that He died for my sins, and I'm so grateful that He conquered death and that I get to spend eternity Him!

And in light of that, I must share with you one song that I love and the rest which are completely ridiculous!

My most favoritist Easter song growing up... Keith just knew how to do it right, and somehow as a teenager my friends and I all that he was sooooo cool! Weird right?! But I'm so glad, cuz he wrote some of the most amazing lyrics of all times!

So here he is doing the Easter Song



This isn't a song, but it's pretty important if you know what my schedule is like and like to laugh at strange men pretending to be church ladies... It's called church slave... please don't be too offended ;)


This one is AMAZING! Ska, ska, ska Jesus! I love how cheesy Christians can be... we're awesome! "Beautiful Sal, Beautiful"


I hope you have a wonderful Easter! And enjoyed a few laughs... I know Jesus wouldn't mind ;)
He is risen!!!!!! He is risen indeed!

It's a good Good Friday!

Well as you can see, my posting marathon didn't last all that long.. I need to get my blogging endurance up! This week has been one of the busier weeks of my life, but all for a good reason.

As you probably know today is Good Friday, the day my Savior died for my sins!

I just got home from leading the music for our church's service, and I had to write to you all... Tonight was so important, so central, so key... In some ways I cringe thinking about this day... but I'm glad in a way, I never want to take His sacrifice lightly.

I spent a large portion of my day reflecting on what my life would have been like, if He hadn't been willing to die, it's unimaginable! I thought about the grief that He had to bear on my account. It was a hard day a sober day...

A lady from my church died today, largely because of a extremely self-destructive sin...

I hate my sin and how it hurts the people I love and how hard it is to free myself from it's grip. It's so costly, so painful!

As I went to post this picture, I definately hesitated, the cross is so grusome, and if I look at it, I'd rather Jesus wasn't still on it... But I think it's really good for us to remember how much it cost Him to buy us back from death!

If you're still reading, I'm praying that you are having a better than good Good Friday, knowing that Sunday's comin'!

And in light of that... I've posted some of my most favorite quotes on the Gospel... I hope you are encouraged!

*The gospel: "God covering his naked enemies, bringing them to the wedding feast & then marrying them rather than crushing them." - Ed Welch

*Religion says "we're the good guys, and they're the bad guys" The Gospel says "We're all the bad guys, and Jesus is the ONLY good guy" - Mark Driscoll



*'If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” - Saint Augustine

*'God writes the Gospel not in the Bible alone, but also on trees, and in the flowers and clouds and stars.” -Martin Luther

*“It is true that every day has its own evil, and its good too. But how difficult must life be, especially farther on when the evil of each day increases as far as worldly things go, if it is not strengthened and comforted by faith. And in Christ all worldly things may become better, and, as it were, sanctified. Theo, woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel; if I did not aim at that and possess faith and hope in Christ, it would be bad for me indeed, but no I have some courage.”
-Vincent van Gogh (wow!)

*"Behold the man upon the cross, my sin upon His shoulders, ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held Him there, until it was accomplished, His dying breath has brought me life, I know that it is finished!" -Stuart Townsend

*"He was weeping n the garden while we wer sleeping under a tree. His discomfort for our comfort. Oh the shame. Oh the grace! " @jonathan_dodson

*"Either Jesus was who he said he was-the Messiah-or a complete nutcase. I mean nutcase on the level of Charles Manson."-Bono @krafto

*"Golgotha is not a suburb of Jerusalem "- John Piper

*“The debt was so great, that while man alone owed it, God alone could pay it.”- Anselm

*"The Tomb is not an Entrance to Death,but 2 life. The moment we take our last Breath on Earth,we take our first breath in Heaven." @greglaurie

Have a super blessed weekend!

You gotta hear this!

Apparently you probably already know all about PS22 and I'm the last one in America who didn't know about them.... but just in case... You gotta hear them!

They are a group of 5th graders from a school on Staten Island, with a killer choral director!


My absolute favorite thing about these kids, is how they emote when they sing! YES!

They've done songs like Viva La Vida by Coldplay, songs by Lady Gaga (whoever that is;) Kanye West, Journey, they even do Crowded House which would make my Cute Kiwi so happy

... they're not your average choral group! Gotta love it! Have fun