All you need is love...(a girl has got to eat)

The title is a tribute to all those Moulin rouge lovers out there (d) but it also has a meaning

Well, lately i have been giving you guys glimpses of my life but not really my heart. I've kind of been chewing on a lot lately. And it's been taking me awhile to process all of it and spit it out. So I apologize if its not very coherent and jumbled.

For over a month now the Lord has really been speaking to me regarding love. When Bryan and I got engaged we began looking for a verse to really focus our engagement and the wedding on and as I was with the Lord one day He continued to take me to passages of love. And yes we know weddings are all about love...but they truly are. Don't worry the love chapter won't be read at our wedding, but I have been meditating on the "love chapter" and really delving into our Father's love. The Lord has been showing me how central love is to the body and that without love everything else is in vain. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:1-4 "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels but have not love, I have become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal, and though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing"

So often I think we get caught up in "doing" and seeking the deeper things of the Lord but just as Paul says here through inspirtation of the Holy Spirit, it profits us nothing if we have not love. Love is the central element in furthering the kingdom of God. The word also says "they will know they are mine by their love". Do we as a body love each other the way Christ loves each of us. Do we seek the good of others above our own good, are we quick to forgive the way christ is quick to forgive us. If we want to see the greater works of God we have got to start loving one antoher the way Christ loves us. Do we love our families, are we patient with them, kind and gentle. Paul says in 1 cor. 13:13 "And now abide, faith, hope, and love, but the greatest of these is love."

I challenge us to love one another the way Christ loves each one of us. "...the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:5 As a
believer the Holy Spirit has been given to us and according to this verse if we have the Holy Spirit the Love of God has been poured into our hearts which means that we have the divine ability to love people!

It is clear this is a message the Lord is speaking to our community because I am not the only one that the Lord is teaching this too. If we want to see a mighty movement of God in our generation we need to start by loving one another!!!!

To be continued...

Tradition

What is so wonderful about being around people who know you and love you and accept you. Every year around the end of October, beginning of November my family goes camping with 4 other families. This has been going on for 30 years! It began with my mom and her 4 best friends from college going camping every year to stay in touch. Now we are on to our 3 rd generation of children. The people I was among are so wonderful. We talked about the Lord worshiped together, laughed together, talked about life together, and just had fun in the beauty of Lake Martin. I can't even begin to explain how absolutely beautiful and wonderful it was. I was so excited about the weekend all last week and my expectations were completely fulfilled. I was encouraged in the Lord and got to have fun and laugh with some of the people I cherish the most in my life. The best part about it was that for the first time Bryan got to come with me. We have always had the rule that no friends or significant others could come unless you were engaged, and so finally Bryan got to come. He was welcomed into the group with love and of course our typical pranks =) I'll let you ask him about his initiation =). One day when I learn how to put pictures on this thing I'll put one up of our beautiful weekend! I am just so thankful for friendships and tradition because this weekend of every year is one of my favorite traditions ever!!

Sugar and Spice and Everything that's Nice

So today was a blast! My mom and I headed up to Birmingham to spend the day wedding dress shopping. My best friend Julia and her mom joined us once we were there, as well as my surrogate grandmother Dink. What a blessed day to be surrounded by some of the people I care about and cherish the most as we searched for the "perfect" gown! Just for fun my mom and I had made two appointments at some very nice bridal shops...a warning to all...once you go there is no turning back! There is a reason designers are good at what they do...i did not put one ugly dress on today! They were all beautiful...and so were the prices =). However, it is very hard to look at other gowns in the same light when you have put such wonderful gowns on your body! I'm glad there are some people out there who have that kind of money to spend because I sure don't! I can't even imagine spending thousands of dollars on a dress that I will wear for ONE DAY(maybe two for my portrait). I think just to justify spending that much money I would put it on and wear it once a month after the wedding! However, trying on so many beautiful dresses made the choice that much harder...I have to say I haven't a clue...well a small one but I can't tell ya'll because it would ruin the surprise. I just don't know how a girl makes such a huge decision...Bryan can attest that I am the most indecisive person...so how on earth can I pick just ONE dress!!! Thankfully I have the Lord...because Bryan also knows well that if I don't love my outfit I will be in a terrible mood and obviously we can't have that on the wedding day!!! So now I just have to find the one that I love and feel the most beautiful in! Going to the fancy boutiques was so much fun...I felt very rich...like I really did have the money to spend on one of their dresses(if they only knew how SMALL my budget was!!) It was such a wonderful day! I am so blessed! I can't wait to see which one I end up with!

Overflow

This week the Lord has totally blown me away with blessings. It's been such a good reminder though of His love for me as my Abba, and just as my parents desire to give me the things that I want so does the Lord. It's also been wonderful to be able to give all the glory to Him for each thing. The Lord continuallly blows me away by the fact that He knows my desires far better than even I know them! There's no way I can take credit for all the things He's blessed me with.

1. A wonderful finace' who speaks truth over me, is supportive and helps me make the best decision, and enjoys doing all the wedding stuff with me

2. A beautiful wedding dress that I feel radiant in, has certain things that I wanted, and also has certain things that I never imagined I would want...but fit me perfectly
("Karen, that dress looks like you just hanging on the hanger"-my best friend Layne)

3. An amazing mother who answers my 12 million phone calls a day(she's the only person I can talk to b/c our minutes are free and I went over my minutes for the month already)...who calls the caterer, photographer, etc. for me...who picks up at the last minute to drive to Auburn when I think I found my wedding dress and take me to dinner.

4. A kitchen table exactly as we wanted it...on sale

5. Pillows that i wanted and couldn't find anywhere!!

6. A couch for free!!!

7. A caterer with amazing prices who gives 50% of his profit to missions!! So half the money we spend on the delicious food you will all eat at the reception will got to missions! What better way to spend your money??!!!

8. A wonderful dinner last night that made me remember my summers in Nepal and the people there.

9. An incredibly sweet time with Jesus and the girls on the prayer team last night before Encounter

10. Our friends and family who are loving on us and supporting us during this time! I can't even begin to tell you how much each one of you has blessed our hearts with excitement and congratualtions...the Lord has used ya'll to bless us and remind us how much we are loved and how much people care about us!

I can't even begin to tell ya'll how faithful the Lord has been to us during this time! I am not stressed out... the Lord has made everything fall into place far beyond what I could have hoped or imagined! My mom has been amazing helping get things done! Thank ya'll so much for being there for us and making this time so wonderful and sweet! I wish we were going to be engaged longer...wait what am I saying...no I don't...5 months is plently long enough!!!

The Secret is OUT!!!

Finally! The secret is out! Bryan and I are engaged! He proposed last friday night. I had gone to Montgomery for the day and he came over to see his family that afternoon. The original plan was for us to ride back to Auburn together and he had planned to propose in Auburn...but I decided I was going to stay in Montgomery and ride to Auburn Saturday with my parents. Bryan knew that if he tried to convince me to come back to Auburn I would know something was up...so he came up with a plan B. We went to the Shakespeare Festival to have a picnic dinner at sunset. It was normal for us to do something together on Friday night because we don't spend a lot of time together during the week. So we were eating our dinner and he said he needed his phone because someone from work was supposed to call him. He came back though with his guitar. At first I thought oh we're going to sing some worship songs...but then he said he had a surprise for me and he wanted to play me a song. So he played a song that he had written for me two years ago(I had never heard it). The last line of the song is "Lord you know how honored I would be if she would marry me"...I was already crying because the song is amazing but at that point I kind of starting freaking out because I knew what was coming. He put the guitar back in the case and said he had another surprise for me and then pulled out the ring box. I freaked out and closed my eyes and buried my face in my hands. I didn't even know that he got down on one or knee or what he said to me. As soon as he was done talking I just jumped in his arms and gave him a big hug. He said I told him yes over a minute later. Then he asked if he could put the ring on my finger and of course I said yes...but I closed my eyes again...and when I opened them I freaked out again...because its beatiful. He could not have picked a better ring. I love it so much!! We are getting married March 11, 2006 at Marengo Plantation; its an old plantation home outside Montgomery. It's so beautiful! We are so excited!!!

A day in the life

So today my job as the lil' intern consisted of putting labels on postcards that we are going to pass out at Encounter about Passion 06...the funny thing is now that I think about it...I put a label on over a thousand postcards and I couldn't tell you anything the postcard said, except the date and city. So....don't ask me any questions about Passion 06 because I probably don't know the answer. However, while labeling I was able to spend some quality time in front of the television because putting labels on postcards by yourself in a quite office gets REALLY boring REALLY fast!!! I first learned how to look 10 years younger if I have a lot of money to get some really expensive surgery and facial things(I want the cheap homemaid treatments, not the ones that break the bank)...then I got a good dose of Stever Erkle which was good laugh, then I watched Erik and Cory grow up and learn hard life lessons on boy meets world...then Michelle Tanner learned to tie her shoes and DJ and Steve said I love you and got caught making out. Lastly I realized why I never want 7 kids from seventh heaven. I'm sure by this point you are thinking I did nothing productive today...however I labeled consistently from 11am-6pm, with only 2 breaks. And a good dose of tv can get you thinking, which it did...but I'm still processing all those random thoughts.

Tonight however, was great fun and a huge blessing. Around 18 freshman chi-0 pledges came over for dinner tonight. It was so fun and great to see their beautiful faces and hang out with them and get to know them. They are some amazing girls. I am still smiling at just what a blessing it was to be able to open up and home to them and cook dinner for them...I love that we have that ability...to open our homes and share the love of Christ through hospitality...it makes me excited about having a home of my own one day and it makes me think about my future home and what kind of place I want to be able to open up to others! I love my internship!! It is so wonderful!!!! I love being able to do what I love to do every single day all day!!! The Lord is soooo good.
Sorry it was sooo long!

I have a little head

So today I got measured for my cap and gown and ordered my graduation invitations. Who would have ever thought you could make a living off college students walking across a stage and getting a diploma but the balfour people sure know how to get every last penny out of the broke college students...some of the options you would have to take a loan out for. It was kind of weird...its all very surreal. The real world still seems very far away...and I think I like it that way. Also can anyone tell me the origin of the word Balfour because quite honestly I think its a really wierd name.

lil' intern

I know its been awhile since my last post...being a lil' intern keeps my life pretty busy. JP has affectionately nicknamed me lil' intern and its our running joke(although I really am the intern...anyway). Life is good. I am more content right now than I have been in a long time. I am doing something my heart loves and desires and I know I am right where the Lord has me. I do get restless and long to pick up and go for an adventure but the Lord gently reminds me of what an adventure everyday is...and this is true especially working with JP(in a good way!). I have seen what an adventure each day is just living life with the Lord right here in Auburn...everyday looks different...there is hardly any structure to my life...which for the most part drives me crazy! But at the same time I love it! So thats pretty much life for now...structureless and adventerous(doesn't sound too bad huh?)

Fleeting

It's hard for me to believe that my college years are quickly drawing to a close. I am now 3 weeks into my internship, the final step before graduation and entering the "real world" in December. Looking back over the past 3 and a half years its amazing how quickly they have flown by, freshman year seems more than just two years ago...and the person I was then a distant memory. I am realizing how quickly each day, each hour, each minute, each second of our lives passes us by. It's moments like these that I savor every minute of each day and soak up each day for its fullness, not wanting to miss the beauty and wonder in each day. It's also moments like these that I realize how often I am so consumed with the trivial things in life that a day passes me by without me having enjoyed one minute of the beauty it held. Its alot times like this that I realize how I often I float through the days acknowledging the Lord but yet not being sensitive to His leading and missing those divine appointments. My greatest desire in these past few days and weeks is to know the Lord more intimately and to be so in tune with His spirit every moment of my day, that each day is filled to overflowing with testimonies and divine appointments. As I am realizing how quickly life is flying by I am also realizing how imperitive it is to make sure that I am on target with the will and plan of the Lord for my life. Our life is so sweet and yet so fleeting, not a moment can be wasted, we were left here on this earth as the church, the hands and feet of Christ to His works. My prayer is that I would never miss a divine appointment from the Lord(although because I am human I will) and that each day would be lived in the perfect will of my Heavenly Father.