so, i just got back from watching one of newspring's high school girl's basketball games. they made it to the semi-finals. karl is the coach. they have pink jerseys. (do t-shirts count as jerseys?)

anyway...it was fun to just yell and clap and cheer at the top of our lungs, even if the game was really not too close...though i briefly thought the pink princesses were gonna make a comeback.

the "best" part? (by "best," of course, i mean "most hilarious.") blaire bounces the ball back to a ref after it goes out of bounds or something. apparently it catches him at exactly the wrong place. he goes down...and stays down. the whole crowd tries not to crack up. the teams try not to crack up. lee is beside me barely keeping it in. we're all just about to lose it. and he stays down...until the other ref finally says we're gonna take a break for a minute. our bench was doing everything they could to keep it together.

i mean, who cares if you lose when greatness like that takes place?


in other news...i'm so grateful for wise people in my life who are not afraid to tell me what i don't want to hear. sometimes you just need others to get up in your space and make you really think about things. i was in a little bit of a funk, letting certain things just get to me...and the wonderful shay helped me gain some much needed perspective. i love the people i am surrounded by on a daily basis.

don't let the drama queen moments fool you.

okay? okay.

i've been sitting here for a while trying to come up with something that i can say on this thing.

it's just not happening.

the things i'm feeling and learning and working through at the moment need to be discussed with individuals, not with the internet.

sorry.

p.s. at least i'm trying, right?

p.p.s. karl, i feel like this post should make you happy. you know...since you can't find out what i'm thinking by reading the blog.

oh my! look at my birthday cube!
Originally uploaded by l to tha b.

happy 24th birthday karl!!!!

i love you.

(there are a couple more photos of the birthday cube on the flickr page.)

(but something i just fell in love with...and wanted to share with you all.)

captivated

your laughter it echoes like a joyous thunder
your whisper it warms me like a summer breeze
your anger is fiercer than the sun in its splendour
you’re close and yet full of mystery
ever since the day that i saw your face
try as i may, i cannot look away, i cannot look away…

captivated by You
i am captivated by You
may my life be one unbroken gaze
fixed upon the beauty of your face

beholding is becoming, so as You fill my gaze
i become more like You and my heart is changed
beholding is becoming, so as You fill my view
transform me into the likeness of You
this is what i ask, for all my days
that i may, never look away, never look away…

no other could ever be as beautiful
no other could ever steal my heart away
i just can’t look away…

-vicky beeching

i still haven't updated this thing yet. sorry. it's coming...promise.

i need some quiet.

just me and Jesus. somewhere really cool. away from the noise of the people and places that i love so dearly.

possibly involving a paintbrush and some canvas.

(this weekend is gonna be specifically focused on this one thing. i'll let you know how it goes.)

watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. mostly what God does is love you. keep company with him and learn a life of love. observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. love like that.

ephesians 5:1-2 (message)

(i know i use ... a lot. i'm okay with it.)

but i don't know what exactly.

so, let's just recap a little for those of you not close by. i've been at the new job a week. it's wonderful. i work with the best people in the world. work doesn't feel like work. i almost feel guilty getting paid to do what i do. church is incredible. God is moving in mighty ways all the time. yesterday was the first day of services in the new building and we had a little over 6,900 people there (including 1,000 kids). it was truly surreal. i found myself constantly just going--"i'm a part of this. i work here. this is incredible. i don't know why God chose me to be on this team...but i'm so grateful. i'm so blessed." the whole day. i can't really explain it. yes, i was sorta giddy. seeing God work in so many ways, and feeling like i'm even a tiny part of that, is just good.

anyway...i know that's about all i've said recently. but i'm excited! i can't help it. must be similar to being completely head over heels in love...you just can't stop talking about it.

speaking of the love thing...happy vd tomorrow. a special shout out to all my fellow single, hott friends. it's coming, people. we'll get ours. or something.

alright, i'm done. go make someone's day.

so, i'm sitting in my cubicle at the new offices. in newspring's brand spankin' new facility. and it's just incredible. no other way to describe it.

i can't wait until sunday...to see all those people. all those kids. all those lives forever changed by Jesus.

this week has been awesome. i love my new job. all's right with the world.

(by the way...if you have my old cell phone number, it's no longer in service. email me or something if you want the new one.)

okay. love your faces.

life is good.

(sorry about the lack of updates...that internet/cable thing that was supposed to happen on thursday?? yeah, not so much. but that's a story for another time.)

anderson is incredible. our house is great. it's just nice to be home. i can't really explain it...it's not so much the fact that i am physically in anderson. it's more that this new house, these people, my job, newspring, etc., etc just feels completely right. i know without any doubt that God brought me back here. it just fits. it's amazing.

i'm so blessed and all i can do is thank Him. life is sweet. i know i've sorta made that obvious, but i can't say it enough. i'm so grateful for everything in my life right now.

mostly i'm grateful for the ways that i have experienced Him lately...it's just been so sweet.

p.s. you should probably come see us at the new place...

my last day of work here in cola. picking up the truck right after work. packing it full of my stuff with the help of awesome people. driving to a-town!! moving everything (from the truck and from storage) into the new place tomorrow. oh yes. who's excited?? well, i am...and i guess that's what really matters.

we're supposed to be getting internet service hooked up today at the new house...so, if all goes as planned i should be able to give you an update soon. but we'll see.

happy thursday.