I'm hungry

Happy belated Valentines Day!  I hope you girls had a great day with people you love.  The holiday was actually kind of funny for me, because God has been speaking to my heart about love a lot lately.  Maybe not the kind of love that the commercialized holiday promotes, but love nonetheless.  

"While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy.  When he saw jesus he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, 'Lord, if you are willing you can make me clean.'  Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.  'I am willing,' he said.  'Be clean!'.  And immediately the leprosy left him."

-Luke 5:12-14

I'm going to Memphis to work in an inner-city neighborhood for Spring Break, and our team has been meeting weekly to prepare for the trip.  One thing that comes up pretty often in our discussion is what love really is, and how Jesus loved.  I'm sure all of us have read the story of Jesus healing the leper several times...but I guess I had never really studied it before.  The fact that Jesus actually touched the man and was willing to sacrifice a little bit of himself was something that I didn't understand before.  I feel like as a nation we like to throw excess money at problems instead of actually sacrificing something.  Don't get me wrong..without adequate funding many things cannot be accomplished.  But there are so many other things to be done besides and in addition to financially giving.  People need to be loved.  We have to actually sacrifice and show people that they matter.  

There are so many times where I have complained about inconveniencing myself just a little bit to give someone a ride or talk to someone who needs a person to listen to them.  That's one thing I get so frustrated with myself about.  Jesus loved in every aspect of his life.  It kind of astonished me that he touched a leper.  After reading up on the disease, many people are immune to it, but if you are not, it can be contagious.  I'm sure it especially was back then...when there were no vaccines or preventative medications.  I had never actually looked at a picture of someone with leprosy, and now that I have...it's really obvious.  Jesus looked beyond the exterior of the disease and spoke into that person's life.  He of all people could have been doing a number of other things but Jesus (who had a busy busy life) took time out of his life to love someone.  

That's my prayer...that we might see people through God's eyes and that our hearts would break for others.  

I love you guys so much...let's go love others.  

Brit

I'm feeling the Cheesecake Factory....

How's this beautiful Sunday morning going for everyone?

Mine has been pretty fantastic.  This morning I showered and got on the computer while I was drinking my orange juice before getting ready for church.  I have not talked to the lovely Kristen Kroll since September (which is a travesty) and she got online!  I kind of skipped church because we talked for a while.  Best morning I've had in a while.  Since I skipped church, I went outside my dorm to some benches out front and had my own Sabbath time....listening to Vicky Beeching, reading a devotional from Rebecca St. James, journaling, spending time in the Word, and just enjoying the beautiful weather.  God really spoke to me through this song, so I thought I'd share...

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…

-Captivated by Vicky Beeching

To end, I thought I'd share some things I'm really looking forward to here in the near future!

• Working the Sanctus Real/Matthew West show with Em next weekend!
• A Valentine's day on the lake with some lovely ladies.
• SWAMP CABBAGEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
• The Article One show in Clermont
• Chris Tomlin.  Need I say more??

Hope everyone has great weeks being captivated by Him! :)

Love,

Brit

Oh boy, Oh boy

The Capital and the millions of people in front of it

Washington Monument earrrly in the morning

The NBC desk at the Newseum

Matt and I on the balcony of the Newseum...freezing because our coats had been checked in.  Brr!

A portion of the Berlin Wall

This could've been a really great picture...hehe.  We're pointing at Florida Avenue trying to convince ourselves that it's warm.  It did NOT work.

Can anyone tell me why Florida is being stupid?  A low of 27 last night...all I'm sayin'....

Ok so a few things are new.  I went to the inauguration of President Barack Obama and as a result have been in DC for the past 5 days.  Let me tell you...it was freezing, but totally worth it.  What an experience.  I could tell you about the people jumping over porta-potties, my fear of losing my toe due to frostbite, Cathy and I partying with homemade lemonade because we weren't allowed to go to the "Lotus Lounge", the amazing people, freezing more than I ever have before, a bus blockade made of people, and jumping through bushes, but I'll spare you.  Oops...

I'll post some pictures, because I feel like that's the best way to really see what it was like.  It's hard to describe in words the spirit of the event, and what it was like to be around alllll those other people celebrating that historic day.  

So.  If you're ever bored, go read old blog posts from all of us, and the comments.  They pretty much made my day today....and there are a lot of inside jokes that I unfortunately cannot remember the meaning to.  Makes it more fun, I think....

Hope your lives are being great to you all, and that we can all get together soon!  

Love,

Brit

Back to school, back to schoooooollllll

So third and last update about the cyst.  The stitches come out tomorrow! :)

Speaking of tomorrow, it's going to be a busy busy day.  I have to go to Ft. Myers with Grandpa in the morning to get my stitches out, then come back and vacuum my car and pack, then lunch with Emily, then bank with mom, then drive to Orlando, then unpack, and then....HUEY MAGOOS.  I'm looking forward to that a little...;)

I'm looking forward to heading back to school but am sad to leave home too.  Being here for so long made me get back into the swing of living at home and sometimes it feels like I never left.  I love getting 'the best of both worlds' (hehe).  If I could move my family, friends, church, and animals to Orlando and occasionally take a trip to the country, man....how sweet would that be. I certainly have nothing to complain about...I'm insanely blessed at both Orlando and home.

Heading back a few days...Christmas was great, though different.  A lot of our family was out of town so it was a lot smaller than usual.  New Years was special.  We had a huge bon-fire out at our friend James's house and were entertained by a fabulous showing of fireworks.  Oh LaBelle...

Now onto New Years Resolutions...I'm not a fan.  I've never met someone who's actually stuck to one.  Ms. Martha brought up an interesting point in church this morning.  She talked about how the resolutions so often focus on ourselves and how we can improve US.  I had never noticed that.  She talked about instead of trying to improve things about us, how about improving things around us.  She got me thinking more and more about my dream and the call on my heart to be a missionary.  Sometimes with all of the career opportunities that come up with getting closer and closer to being out of school, I lose sight of the call of God on my life.  I'm not sure if it will be forever, for a few years, or for even less, but what I do know is that I have to be careful to never lose sight of God and His plans for me.  For now I'm going to continue on in school and pray for God's plans on my life.  I have no idea where that will lead, and it's a bit frightening, but even more fulfilling and exiting.  

I love you guys, and it was great to see you both over break.  Here's to 2009 being...2009.  I'm not asking for better or worse...just whatever God has in store.  

Oh, and let's not forget to pray for the Kelly family.  Tomorrow with be 1 year since the accident...

Love,

Brit

Update...

So many things have changed about the cyst since the last time I wrote...

For one, there are three instead of two (or should I say they were three).  I did not get them removed Thursday like I thought, because the surgeon had me scheduled for a biopsy of a mole.  Don't you love doctors?

Because of the delay, I didn't get anything removed until this morning.  Apparently, due to insurance problems, they can only remove one cyst at a time.  The biggest one was removed today. Honestly, I barely felt the numbing shots and the procedure itself didn't hurt at all.  The area didn't even start hurting until about an hour ago.  He busted an artery which was lovely when he did...lots of blood.  I learned that I do not have a weak stomach...Now it feels like I have the headache from you know where.  It could have been a lot worse, though.  Thanks for your prayers!  The other two come out over summer, and I'm not nearly as nervous...

Continued prayer would be appreciated so that the pain may lighten up before Christmas Eve/Christmas.  

Thanks!!

Brit

Bahahahahaha

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

So I saw this on my friend Chase's blog, and had to try it out for myself.  Gave me a good laugh.  Oh, and I just found out that I get to have two cysts removed from my head tomorrow at 4:30 PM, so prayer would be appreciated, as I'm insanely nervous.  :)

Falalala Lifetime

I'm afraid that this may be falling into the same pattern my xanga did...maybe not..

So life.  What's new?  Lots of things!

I'm on Christmas break right now...home until early January.  I'm currently working as interim secretary for the church which is a great job, though stressful at times.  We're just trying to get things organized, get through paperwork for the parsonage, and get the Christmas Eve Service hammered out.  It is surely a crazy season to step into this job...but it's only for a few weeks! :)

It's been great to be home so far, though surprisingly lonely at times.  I've figured out that I really like living with people.  It's odd to be sitting here alone in the house, but nice too.  My absolute favorite part of being home is being with friends here.  We've hung at the coffee shop and been to Ft. Myers Christmas shopping.  It was a successful trip...but fyi to anyone who was thinking of seeing "Four Christmases"...don't.  It was not so great.  

I know that most of who read this know what's going on with my brother's girlfriend, so just a reminder to keep her and her family in your prayers.  God understands what's going on...even when we are all a little (or a lot, actually) confused.  

So that's about it, I suppose.  We're Christmas caroling tonight, which should be fun!  I'm really looking forward to Christmas..I just love this time of the year, even in the craziness.  Anna, can't wait till you're home!  The three musketeers, united once again.  Can't even wait to see what craziness will come of this.  

Later...

Brit