Barn Party

Last night was the PERFECT night for Barn Party. Light breeze, full moon, pretty sunset, and lots of excitement. From country songs to arm-wrestling to a pumpkin pie eating contest to glow stick dancing to a great talk by Carol Lee about our need for Jesus.

And the night wasn't over...bonfire and s'mores (I ate two, each one with 3 marshmallows. Oh yeah, baby.), a hayride, and my favorite part: hanging out with my high school friends.

Some of my favorite pics of the night:

Summer and I before the madness!

Suzanne. Epic.

Look at that smile:

 

Baby blues turning red...allergies!

Miniature rock towers?

The Ogle-meister.

The perfect barn.

The perfect moon.

A beautiful night.

Hide your kids, hide your wives....

Never fear, ladies, for chivalry is not dead. 

Due to the recent assaults on Maryville College campus, a group of brave young men under the banner of S.H.I.E.L.D. is vowing to be available at any time of day or night in order to escort any damsel in distress or really just any girl who may be scared to walk across campus alone.

I think this is truly amazing. It makes me laugh every time I think about it.

These fellas have banded together to become the heroes of our campus. With nicknames and battle cries like "For Narnia!" and "Shananananaaaaa!" they are sure to put up a fright.

Posters are being hung with warnings to "Hide your kids, hide your wives...'cause they're rapin' everybody out here!" from the popular youtube video linked here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMtZfW2z9dw

My only question: Why was this not thought of sooner?

My hat is off to you, gents.

Ruins

To my great surprise and joy, I received an e-mail from my friend Claire tonight. She is a deep thinker like me. Every night before we went to sleep at DFocus we would have the greatest conversations. I miss those times.

We were always sharing songs...letting each other listen to our favorites. So it was no surprise when at the end of her e-mail she gave a link to her current favorite song by Bebo Norman called ruins with her words of advice to "soak it in." I thought I would link it here and give the same advice.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZTGq85OXRQ

"As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him--you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2: 4-5).

Our ruins are being turned into spiritual houses with living stones. hallelujah.

So from this:

To this:

 

God is good.

"Seek the Truth, not what is comfortable. Seek the Real, not the easy." -Gerald G. May

What am I seeking in my life right now? I really don't know.
 
truth: Body image can be consuming. Worrying about what people think about me can be overwhelming. School can be blinding.Work can be trying.
Truth: God is in control.

reality: I am afraid of what the future holds.
Reality: He will never leave me nor forsake me.

I need a magnifying glass in my heart. Perhaps then I could see the Truth separated from those little truths that are meaningless. Maybe then I could see God in his fullness as opposed to this limited, fuzzy view that sometimes won't come into focus.

Lord, may my fists give way to clarity in discerning what is True and what is Real. May my arms stretch ever upward in an eternal reach to your unfathomable, limitless love.