My Heart is Stirred

My heart is stirred with love for Him
     and I am overwhelmed in His love.

Sitting in the solitude of this quiet moment
     I'm embraced
     Held
     Comforted
     At peace
Lost in the image of His undoable light.


I'm very excited for tomorrow night.  At Cathedral we are having a very special night of praise and worship.  We are celebrating our musical heritage.  I hope that you can come join us.  For more information please visit us at cpraise.org.


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My Springfield

I've heard a rumor that some people hate Springfield, Missouri, but I love that town.  I love the history.  I love the culture.  I love that it's a modern day Mecca to a couple of fellowships.  I just love Springfield.  Maybe it's the memories or maybe it's the atmosphere, but whatever it is, it's got it for me, well, with the exception of the drivers.

My sister Dalayna (she blogs over at Pointing Up if you care to meander over there) and I went on a short day trip to Springfield on Friday.  I did almost all the things I love to do and discovered some new treasures troves including some vintage shops.  (Those I know you will love.)

So...in order sequential order...I give you my Springfield.

An original play written and directed by Michaela Harris from Central Bible College. (Website)



Followed by a trip to a great store for all things vintage: Funtiques Market. (Facebook) I found a beautiful vintage hat to wear to Cathedral's ladies tea this weekend.  So beautiful.





If you're going to Springfield and you're going to be downtown then you have to stop in at The Cup and get a cupcake!  Yum.


Have you read A Beautiful Mess?  While if you haven't then you need to and you also have got to visit their vintage store Red Velvet.  Best. Store. Ever...probably.



Toes done.  Coffee drank.  Friend date.  Happiness.  Yes, all those things.



Almost done.  Promise.  So after all of that we came home to find that our little cousin had been in an accident.  I won't go into all those details just because it's quite gruesome, but our family has found time and time again that God heals.  My little cousin is now safe at home in Roland, Oklahoma, and recovering after only spending a short time in the hospital. 



Wonderful weekend with miracles and friendship and family and joy.  True contentment, I do believe.


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a Quotable Earth Day

Maybe a day late, but better late than never...


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Obsessions and Singing...or maybe it's Berryhill and Obsessions

Today is a very exciting day because today I am taking the students from the choir at Berryhill High School to Oklahoma state solo and ensemble contest.  I am so proud of these students because they have worked so hard and overcome so many adversities this past year.  These students are so talented and I know that they will sing beautifully.

A few of those fun, smart, talented Berryhill students.

But before I go I have to share my obsession with you.



I love these candles...



Supposedly they are hand made by a local family in Texas.  My favorite scent is Sleeping on Fallen Snow which is a mixture of Vanilla and Baby Powder.  They all smell so, so good and I have no doubt that you will love them.

They cost about $4 each and are supposed to burn for approximately 20 hours.  If you live in the Tulsa, Oklahoma, area they are available to purchase at The Loft in Windsor Market, but I have also found a few online stores that they can be ordered through.

Have a wonderful day full of God's joy and blessing.
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Worship Band of the Week #8

I'm really loving the creative sounds of this worship team collaboration.  So cool and so unique.  With powerful lyrics and catching melodies I think that you will soon find yourself listening to them too.

What's more, they really value (their term) organic worship.  It's all about Christ and not the entertainment side of music.  I love that.  We are all worshiping our God together.  LOVE THAT!



So now I leave you with...

...the Rend Collective Experiment




















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Life Begins, Life Ends


Life is such an interesting adventure...a journey to find God in life and live completely abandoned to His divine will.  You can live life to the absolute fullest and still find, at the end, that you have only begun to touch the edges of the vastness of God's glory and plan.  For me, this past week has been filled with glimpses of milestones in this journey...

a baby shower

a friend in the hospital due to a stroke

another friend being lead away from life to heaven

engagement of friends

reconnecting with a friend from college just to discuss our adventures

...not all joyous, but all adventures in life...all milestones of the journey to become like Christ and to bring Him glory.

All these things so remind me of Soloman's writings in Ecclesiastes.  Of course, we have all heard tell of the famous passage at the beginning of chapter 3, "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven," but ultimately this book really says so much more to the meaning of life.

In our search for significance we must realize that the whole of our adventure--our life--is to bring glory to God.  And in bring glory to God...restoring His dominion on the earth...being carriers of His presence and justice and mercy and grace...we actually bring Him the ultimate supreme worship that no other creature can bring Him.

Today I would like to leave you with these words from Soloman.  His advice to the young (and I'm holding on to that word while I can) is this, Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, or the golden bowl in broken, or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the well.  Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it."  In other words, before you die, and your adventure is over, remember who the your creator is and glorify Him.
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A Quotable Line




"And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down.  Without the rain, there would be no rainbow."

~Jerry Chin
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Searching for Home

Floodgate East Coast Team
Circa 2006

The summer after my senior year of college I spent the summer traveling to different youth camps across the United States.  I loved the experience and wouldn't trade one moment of the trip (well, except when one of my dearest and closest friends and I got in a huge argument...that wasn't fun...it was totally my fault...I earned it...I did knock out the back window of our 15 passenger van).  But all that aside, I remember that summer as one of the best experiences in my life.

Despite the wonderfulness of the trip, I'm sure you can imagine that I might have become homesick at some points in our journey.  During the fourth of July weekend we went to a small cabin of one of the team members family's.  We explored desserted roads, shoot guns, conquered forests.  But one night, I stepped away from the group for a few minutes just to be by myself.  I found myself standing in front of a lake looking at my reflection singing softly Michael Bublè's "Home."

At that moment I didn't really want to go home to be with my family.  (Even though, with the exception of Jesus, they are the greatest gift I've ever received.)  It's almost as if as I was standing at that lake looking down into the waves I wanted to make a new home.  Start something new.  Live a different life than anyone had ever lived.  Conquer the world.  Be the best.  Change people's life.  It's almost as if that place of destiny was home and I wanted to live there...be there.  But I was so far from that place.

Honestly, I still so very far from this divine destiny that I called home that day.  But there are a few things that I'm learning in the journey.

1.  Don't give up.
      Never, ever give up.  It's not worth it.  You know the saying, "It's better to have loved and lost than to never loved at all"?  Well, it's better to dream and to work and to live and never see the end of the dream.

2.  Invest in other people dreams while your waiting for yours.
      No man is a mountain and we can't stand on our own.  You're going to need help to see your destiny fulfilled in your life.  So, even though there is no Biblical precedent to this...at least not one that I can think of, pay it forward.

3.  Pray...pray hard...and don't stop.
     Explanation needed?  I think not.

4.  Stay positive.
      Honestly, I don't like this principle.  Actually, I would much rather be negative and funny, but that's not encouraging to yourself or anybody else.

Well, let me leave you with some pictures of our trip that summer.  I borrowed them (but he's not getting them back) from my friend Allan Howard who happened to be on that journey with me.   Just remember this.  As in the words of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home."  It's true.  Stepping into your divine destiny is a journey, sometimes even long and hard, but in the end is a place of rest, security, love, and affection.  In the end is home.


The duck taping job performed by Candice after my mishap of running into the side of a building...I hit a roof, ok?
I was trying to save some kids lives or something.

Mandy and me after the belly flop contest.
She was proud.

Potomac District Camp, maybe?

Colorado Springs, Co at the Garden of the gods

This is literally right after a belly flop contest.  I got a black eye, but I won.
Bring it!

Allan and me.
Notice that I was duck facing it before that was a popular picture pose. I'm just saying...

Candice doing something crazy.

Shekianah, our pet turtle for about two hours.
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Obsession #1: Downton Abbey

I have an admission to make.  This reveal may shock you because I know it does me every time I'm caught in a tight situation.  I am slightly...or maybe very...compulsive.  Sad, so sad, but nonetheless true.  I obsess over television shows, websites, Starbucks drink, restaurant menu items, books, until I am certain of ever character, every taste competent. every minuet detail and then I drop them and leave them for the next person.

This oh-so-despicable flaw has tortured me quite nearly the entirety of my life and has left me with no choice but to share my observations with you, my kind reader.  Therefore, let it be declared, my currant obsession is with the PBS Masterpiece series Downton Abbey.

I've attached a few pictures of some pieces that remind me of the series.  I think you will fall love with them too.












1, 2, 3-5, 6

I'm sure, as you can see, that more posts are to follow for I truly love old things. :)
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Worship Band of the Week #7

Ladies and Gentlemen...I give you...the Brilliance.



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