Hearts Transformed

When I was in Charleston with a group of friends several weeks ago, we were walking the streets looking at all the great buildings. My eye was caught by quite a few things. The most striking though was this scene. I edited the picture a little to capture the feelings I had about this bench. At first it was hilarious to see a reserved sign over a random bench in a parking lot. But as I stopped to take the picture I realized it was one of those teaching moments in life. A "God Sighting." Right here in the middle of an obscure parking lot there was a reserved space. A place set aside. A place to take a rest. A place to be still. How wonderful it is to consider these words in relationship to a God who prepares a place for you to sit. A place in the middle of the most obscure times in your life. A place, reserved.

So I am getting married in 9 days and I am so excited for that to happen, but I would like to give a run down of my week: Monday-Had to have my entire windshield replaced because a rock broke it. Tuesday-Had to have an air inlet tube replaced in my car and learned of new and exciting repairs needed. David brings me to Jazzercise only to have a wreck right outside the church messing up his car. He is okay and the car is drive-able. Wednesday-My car was put back in shop to have the entire brake system (basically) replaced. It's David's birthday and I spend a good part of his birthday dinner crying and asking him what we are going to do with no savings and one income? I am busy telling God how unfair it is that this is all happening this week. What could he possibly be teaching me? Why in the world is all this happening to us? UGHHHHHH!!!!! And how I am so frustrated about all of it. And how I feel like this should be the time in our lives that everything seems to be falli

You know when you click on that random email link to check it out. Well I did that several weeks ago and it opened up so many new ideas and thoughts for me. First, I won a drawing to receive a free book. I never win those things. I was so excited. Less Clutter, Less Noise by Kem Meyer is a wonderful book of new ideas and funny anecdotes. I would recommend this to anyone who is in church ministry or any other profession where you are trying to communicate with your audience important information. Also I am a guest blogger tomorrow, January 19. Check it out at Less Clutter. Less Noise. Group Blog Happy Reading!

I am not a big fan of resolutions but I am a huge fan of goals. Each year I set goals to accomplish throughout the year. I appreciate that I have shared these with a few people and they are my accountability to continue to work towards these goals. I don't know if I will accomplish all 25 of them but I am sure going to try and I promise I will get more done working towards these than if I had planned none at all. I won't share all of them with you but here are a few. I have broken my goals into 5 categories. Physical Work out 4 times a week for at least 1 hour. Professional I would like to get one article published  Personal I would like to try a new recipe once a month Spiritual Begin each day with prayer and time in the Word. Relational Invite one new couple to dinner once a month.  I set 5 goals that are specific and measurable in each category. I encourage each of you reading this to set forth goals as well. See how much we can get done in 2011!

I recently went on an annual traditional New Years trip. I have the most amazing group of friends that come together every year to ring in the new year with one another. We have traveled all sorts of places: New York City, Gatlinburg, South Walton Beach, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Gulf Shores, and this year Charleston, SC.  I will probably blog about my Charleston visit in the coming days but today I wanted to get a particular stop off my chest. I went to the Old Slave Mart Museum located at 6 Chalmers Street. It cost $7 for adult admission and it seemed like a pretty small place. I wasn't sure if it was worth the money but decided to give it a try. David and I entered together but soon split up due to reading speed. I found myself lost in a world so "foreign" to anything I know. Yet it was about my country and my people. I finished the tour and walked outside so overwhelmed emotionally and mentally that I needed a minute to take a breath. I could not process all the thoughts