Friends, Food, Fav Animals, Fun, #FRP

So as everyone else went into hurricane mode a small group of friends and I headed to CONEY ISLAND. Sometimes we NYers forget the cool things that we have right around us. Like Long Islanders seldom think to head to the city for pretty much anything. And Upstate, why? I mean really within a few hours of our homes there are such great attractions that we over look. Today as my AMAZING friends and I spent time at the aquarium viewing some of our favorite animals, feast on some pretty good foodage, def fun and some FRP moments. (ok maybe not FRP esp when people crazily and willingly rhode on the Cycole)

But my thought at one point in the day was... wow, I've lived 20 minutes away from this place for pretty much my whole life and don't think I have ever been there more then on a grade school field trip. How have a let a place like this be over looked, and what else and I missing out on? Then I started to think about the people I was with for the day. Each one of them has made an impact in my life in some way. Some a little more then others but each of them have made a difference in my world.

- Gina amazing leader of the MIX (our church young adult group) has helped me to look at life just a little bit differently and appreciate the AMAZING things that God has blessed us with.

- Danny although my time with him has been limited has taught me that just because we're new friends doesn't mean we can't crack each other up. New is often really good!

- Jenn A has taught me that being a mom doesn't mean you can't still have fun with your friends and enjoy life in general.

- Brittany has taught me to look at life with a smile, which i sometimes forget to do.

- Josie has without a doubt shown me that no matter when you get there it's worth it when you are with people you love to be around.

- David has taught me a lot of lessons in the last 20 years but today he taught me that laughing at the pain helps dull it just a little. Oh and of course that PENGUINS are AMAZING... but I kind of already knew that one.

You see today I realized that my friends... new and old... may actually have been some "over looked" things in my life... so thank you Gina, Danny, Jenn A, Brittany, Josie and David for helping me learn a few lessons today and for being some pretty cool people.

Today was great... amazing FRIENDS, aight food, AWESOME fav animals, a ton of FUN and a little #FRP =)

Without a doubt a good day before IRENE ruins the weekend!

KEYSSSS......

Not the Florida Keys although that would be nice... eh maybe not I'm not a huge fan of the heat. (Oh A.D.D how you do me so wrong some times)

Today "Lynndric" (aka Lynn) and I went to have keys made for our new church offices. It was quite the adventure as it down poured on our little trip to the local locksmith. We picked out keys and got them copied and as we were looking at all the different types of keys thoughts flooded my mind. Such an mundane task but such a crazy reminder. (You're DYING to know aren't you???)

A few years ago for father's day (or maybe his birthday) I gave my father a key on a chain and wrote him a letter. Now although I tend to act tough and like I don't need him or anyone else at times I do... I actually love having the amazingly protective men that are in my life as a part of my life. Anyway... I gave my dad this key and a letter. The letter was filled with things like how much I love, respect and admire my daddy. My dad will always be a man whom I look up to and admire. Few people I know are as genuine and real as him. No he doesn't always get it right but that's partly why I appreciate him so much. He is who he is and I love him for that. In this letter that I wrote to my daddy I explained the key to him. I let my daddy know that he was the first man I ever loved and that I respect and admire him. It also let him know that at heart I am a traditional girl and the key was to represent the key to my heart. I gave my daddy a key that I fully expect someone to ask him for some day when the time is right. See my daddy has done his best all my life to look out for me and be there for me and I trust him and know that he loves me, so I gave him the "key to my heart" and someone is going to have to ask for that.

Why did I give the key to my daddy? Well, simply because my daddy loves me and he cares about the choices I make in life but more importantly because I was challenged by someone when I was a senior in high school to guard my heart and live with a passion for purity.. and to WAIT for God's best. Not gonna lie there were without a doubt moments where I was SOOOOOO not wanting to be on that waiting train but deep down I always knew that my youth pastor (who is now my boss and pastor) was right (shhhh don't tell him I admitted he knows what he's talking about...lol). So I wrote a list and began to pray... and then wait and wait and wait.... i'm not the most patient person and the waiting isn't so much fun... as I still wait and wait and wait but I know it will be more then worth it.

Why wait.... (here's a few reasons)

1- B/c it'll save you A LOT of heart ache. (or so it seems)

2- B/c you don't have to date just because people expect you to

3- B/c you don't have to date just because other people are dating

4- B/c at 17 I was not who I was 2 years later or even today

5- B/c I need to be a better me before I could be a good girlfriend... why should I expect Mr. Right if I am not willing to do my best to be Miss Right

6- B/c not everything socially acceptable is the right move in life

7- B/c my heart is worth protecting

8- B/c life is full of plenty of other complications

9- B/c "he" will be worth the wait

10- B/c I fully believe "he" was made just for me

11- B/c I am "his rib"

12- B/c HE's got a better plan then anything I would have come up with

13- B/c settling is NOT an option

14- B/c I am worth the wait (that one was a little hard to admit)

Yeah that about covers it... that's why I gave my daddy a key and why I am waiting. In the mean time Rebbeca St. James song "Wait For Me" and a journal have become great occupiers.

(A little encouragement to all my single friends... Waiting isn't too hard when you stay focused on WHO's you are rather than who's you'd like to be. Don't get swept up in the thought of maybe or what if... trust me I know that is easier said then done-- yeah I am that girly. But no seriously... I fully believe that for each person when you wait with the right attitude and motives then it will be worth it....not easy but worth it.)

Hide and Seek....

As a kid most of us played hide and seek... it was a game, not a way of life... but some people have made it a way of life. Often times we think we can hide who we truly are and who we wish we could be behind who we want others to think that we are. We can't hide behind the image of who we want people to think we are we have to be willing to be real. Being real takes a lot of guts though and I am increasingly thankful for those who are HONEST and REAL. Life isn't always easy and there are without a doubt moments that make life increasingly difficult, but our life situations should not determine who we truly are deep down inside. I frequently MESS UP like no bodiesbusiness, I FAIL more often then I would like to admit and I am CLEALY far from perfect. One thing I am trying really hard to learn is to stay real in the midst of the toughest of days. Some days are easier then others, but I don't always get it right.... thank GOD He doesn't expect me to be perfect... I'd never succeed at that. I am realizing though that I have lived parts of life playing hide and seek. Sometimes unaware of the fact that I was playing but sometimes without a doubt aware of the fact that I was hiding and hoping no one would bother to seek. See I had older brothers and sometimes when we played hide and seek they would neglect to come find me... not funny when you're 4 but what you look forward to someone not finding you when you're trying to hide the you that's scared to let others see your faults, failures and shortcomings.

So how do you go from willingly playing hide and seek to no longer playing? Great question... let me know when you figure it out... =)

Ha ha... no really... I think the first step... is figuring our WHO's you are rather than who you are. If you know WHO's you are the reality of anything else just seems so much less important. Knowing WHO created you and WHO loves you and WHO has a plan for your life makes resigning from the game of hide and seek a little easier. It won't be easy but it will be worth it... that pit that runs somewhere between yourbelly and your throat will start to fade and the fear of others seeing you for who you are will decrease. Yeah you may still struggle with it but it will get easier the more honest you get with yourself.

After all, God tends to reveal the things that need to be revealed to those who need to see and know them, so why not be a willing participant in that rather then playing a game of hide and seek.

Tea Time....

I have never enjoyed tea, I've always wanted to enjoy drinking a nice warm cup of tea. There was always something about it that made me feel like it would be such a great idea but I never developed the habit.

A few weeks ago our church participated in a street fair where my friend Gina and I connected with a woman who ran her own tea company. She convinced me to test out a tea and I had it once or twice and was like eh, I could take it or leave it. Tonight I brewed the tea and then came up to my room to just relax.

As I sipped my tea and spoke with a friend of mine I realized the tea habit wasn't the only thing that was beginning to change within me. I've been learning so much, growing, and changing... and well... it's been an adventure for sure. I'm learning a lot about myself and about people. I'm seeing that there is more worth in my life then I often understand. I'm realizing that people around me have, can and will make an impact in my life but that I need to be cautious with who I allow to be that influence. I'm learning a lot of different things and as I learn I am growing and changing. So my prayer today is... "God help me as I continue to learn to continue to grow and be open to what you have for my life."

All because I drank some tea and liked it... =)

Ladies & Gents....

So the last few weeks I've been getting schooled. I've been learning two crazy lessons that I didn't realize I needed to learn... but they have been helping me grow in some areas.

Lesson number ONE... it is more then ok to let guys be GENTLEMEN. It's ok to let a guy open a door for you and allow you to go first. It's more then ok to allow a guy to carry something heavy for you. It's more then ok to have guys in your life who look out for you in so many different ways. It's good to allow guys to be gentlemen. It's ok to want CHIVALRY to stay alive.

Lesson number TWO... its ok for girls to be girly. It's ok for tough girls to admit that they need help. It's ok for girls to cry when they are sad. It's ok for girls to just simply be girly with other girls. It's ok to admit that manicures and pedicures are an indulgence that you enjoy.

So essentially I have been learning a few lessons that I have known all my life but at times I need a refresher course in.

Over the last few weeks I have become increasingly thankful for the people in my life who are helping me to learn lessons like this whole Ladies & Gents situation. So friends and family... THANKS... thanks for helping me see things I needed to be reminded of.... oh and for pointing our silly things like the fact that Iam WAYYYY more girly then I like to let on!

DEKA TRIA

You ever have those moments in life where no matter what else happens you will remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when a certain thing happened? I'm not talking like Kennedy dying or 9/11... I'm talking like the first time you met someone or the first time you heard someone say I love you. Not a moment that people or life in general would remind you of often because it happens annually but something that a random Tuesday afternoon would make you think of or something like that.

I had a moment like that thirteen years ago. It was a seemingly regular day and then I met this amazing baby girl who FOREVER changed my world. Her bright blue eyes caught mine and I was instantly in love. Ten tiny fingers, ten itty bitty toes, beautiful eyes, a cute button nose, two ears, and skinny little lips... perfect in every way I could imagine. How could this tiny little thing steal my heart so quickly. As they laid her in my arms all I could think other then... dear Lord please don't let me drop her was... she's amazing! How could anyone not fall in love instantly with a kiddo like this?

Needless to say the day the mini me baby sis entered my world, my entire universe changed FOREVER! So glad God blessed my world with this kid... she def makes it a happier place!

So Happy DEKA TRIA birthday little buddy! (365 till you're 14)

Boxes....

Today two AMAZING guys stopped by and helped pack some boxes (NO I am not moving, we're relocating our offices). They put pretty much the last of things into some boxes and helped stack things a little neater so that the move will be easier.

People think I'm a little crazy (for a few reasons) but because I really LIKE to pack... and unpack. I love the thought of starting a new adventure, or having a fresh start. I rearrange my bedroom every few months just because I think change is good. I love getting rid of things that I don't need and displaying things differently. I've lived in my current room for a little over 2 years and I have rearranged at least 5 times. I love it! It makes like all the more interesting for me.

As we put things into boxes today I had some deep thoughts... I didn't share them but I thought about it... hence the blog...

I began to think about the things that we put in boxes, the stuff that we burry deep or we wrap in newspaper because we don't want them to be seen or get broken. You know the things that could be damaged or damaging to you. The stuff that you have written so boldly on the outside of the box "HANDLE WITH CARE" or "this end up." That hurt that you wrapped up and tucked away, they fear that you buried so deep thatyou almost forgot it existed. That dream or hope that you have been scared to talk about because you didn't want someone to call you out on it. That secret that you keep tucked among the packing peanuts. You know the stuff I'm talking about.

The thing is, all those boxes we packed do eventually have to be unpacked and organized in their new home. But what if I don't want to unpack that box?What if I'm not ready to organize that pile of stuff? What if I can't handle you seeing that thing I have tucked away for so long? What then? Can I just leave it in the box?

I guess I could but then I'd have half empty boxes laying around and the OCD in me would go CRAZY.... so how do I unpack those boxes that scare me to unload?

One step at a time, piece by piece, pile by pile, moment by moment... a little bit at once not too much that I get overwhelmed but just enough so I know it's safe.

As I unpack my "boxes" I know some people will ALWAYS be there with love, support, encouragement, and helping hands when I need it.

So tonight as I unpack a little at a time I just want to say thank you to those who have always let me unpack at my own pace.... you may not know it but that has meant the world to me.