For Ashley

Boom. Roasted.

Starting new

Hello!

Well I started my new job this week (technically I started last week, but all I did was research "off site") Anyways, I started my new position as the Youth Director at the First United Methodist Church of Brighton. Pretty cool, huh? I absolutely love it. As of right now, I have just been planning summer events and researching different curriculum. I also am putting together a proposal for the church to send me to the National Youth Workers Convention in Nashville, TN this fall. My mom has gone in the past, and I know a few others that have gone as well. Should be a good time!

Tomorrow morning we are all meeting as an entire staff and doing calendar planning for the entire year. Sounds boring, huh? Actually, I am very Type A when it comes to organizational calendaring. I'm a complete nerd when it comes to that stuff. (You may be laughing at me, but I know when everything is happening, AND it all is color coordinated too!) If you want to see some real freakish calendaring, you should come check out my 4-month dry erase calendar that I have. It takes up almost an entire wall.

Enough talk about calendars.... you may never stop me!

I should be getting to bed. Big day tomorrow with the calendar planning! Wish me luck!

Inspiration from Inspiration

I got this from my roommate's blog. Whether she realizes it or not, she is truly an inspiration to me, and I only wish I could be the woman of God that she is.

Creating your own 1001 Day Project

The Mission:Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

101 Things in 1001 Days
6/2/2010-2/26/13

Green Signifies : In Process

Red : Completed

1. Read the whole Bible in a year
2. Workout every other day for two months without ceasing.
3. Go camping

4. Go kayaking
5. Go to 3 Detroit Tigers' games in one season (home or away)
6. Go on a date
7. Finish Crazy Love
8. Read 5 books in one summer
9. Start Seminary
10. Invite someone over for dinner
11. Share the gospel with someone under 18.
12. Go to Haiti
13. Invite an International student/person over to my house for a holiday
14. Talk to someone on the phone at least once a week (not business related) for 3 months
15. Paint something on canvas and be genuinely proud of it
16. Go Skydiving
17. Not buy clothes for 6 weeks
18. Learn how to play guitar
19. Go to IHOP (International House of Prayer in Kansas City, MO)
20. Not watch TV for an entire day
21. Leave a gathering of friends to pray
22. Be intentional and show Jesus' love to someone I don't want to
23. Eat completely vegan for an entire month
24. Go on a prayer hike
25. Send my mother a card in the mail just because I love her.
26. Go to a broadway musical

27. Fast from secular music for 1 month
28. Babysit for a single mother for free
29. Go to an outdoor concert
30. Go on a spontaneous roadtrip
31. Practice my flute for one week just because I feel like it, not because I have to.
32. Memorize a new scripture verse every week
33. Make brownies and give them all away without eating any (not even the batter!)
34. Go to a petting zoo
35. Get under 200 pounds

36. Play with a baby.
37. Plant a garden
38. Watch the sunrise on a beach
39. Give two items of clothing away for every one item of clothing I purchase for a six month period
40. Get a puppy :)
41. Not drive my car for an entire week.
42. Finish my Europe scrapbook from 2003 (oy....)
43. Drink 2 Nalgenes full of water for 1 month
44. Visit Andrea in Baltimore (or wherever she may be)
45. Take a cooking class
46. Visit Dave, Pam and Maddy in Virginia
47. Clean my dad's house because I want to
48. Have a movie marathon with a friend on a rainy day (minimum of 3 movies)
49. Not go out to eat for 1 month
50. Put $10 in savings for every task completed
51. Read the Methodist Book of Discipline
52. Ask questions about the Book of Discipline
53. Research John Wesley and put together a powerpoint about him
54. Go to a U of M football game
55. Re-read Irresistible Revolution
56. Skype with a friend once a week while they study abroad
57. Tell Jamie Patterson how much of an impact she has made on my life.
58. Complete the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred workout video
59. Don't eat fast food for 1 year (0/365)
60. Write in my blog every day for 1 month
61. Take my vitamins every day for 1 month
62. Create a new dish
63. Learn a new dish
64. Compile a cookbook for a fundraiser.... or just because :)
65. Take my high school seniors to the Passion Conference
66. Write 1 thing I am thankful for every night before I go to bed for 1 month
67. Tell 5 people that I love them
68. Make a mixed CD for someone
69. Say Yes to everything for 1 day
70. Help someone grow in their relationship with Christ.
71. Take 1 picture a day for 365 days, Post is on Facebook.
72. Find a mentor
73. Be a mentor
74. Visit my brother in Chicago
75. Give up sweets for 100 days
76. Get in footie pajamas and have a girls night with Jordan McKamie
77. Do something intentionally nice for someone else every day for 1 month
78. Enhance my piano playing skills
79. Create a budget
80. Maintain a budget for one year
81. Don't spend any $ for 1 month (besides gasoline, groceries, utilities, and rent)
82. Intentionally pray with someone every time I see them for one week
83. Write a letter in the mail
84. Have a conversation with a non-believer about God
85. Update my facebook status with only scripture for 1 month
86. Make a cookie brick
87. Do a Polar Bear Plunge in the lake at Winter Retreat 2011
88. Deep clean my room and give everything possible away to charity
89. Go on a mission trip
90. Pray with a stranger
91. Give up soda for 1 month
92. Raise 100 pairs of socks for the homeless
93. Go to the dentist and leave with zero cavities
94. Point out God's beauty at least once a day for 6 weeks
95. Host a game night
96. Learn how to circular breathe
97. Go to a vegan restaurant
98. Do a Daniel fast for 40 days
99. Share a meal with a person who is homeless
100. Give up texting for 1 month
101. Make a new list.

Why bad things happen to good people. The age old question

Good evening all,

I've been reading a great book recently, called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. I am really only on chapter 3, and I am so convicted by it. I really do love those kind of books; Each word is so thought provoking, that I fill margin after margin with comments and it literally takes me hours just to read 5 or 6 pages.

Earlier tonight I came across a certain passage that really had me thinking, and so I feel compelled to share:

"Maybe life is tough right now, and everything feels like a struggle. God has allowed hard things in your life so you can show the world that your God is great and that knowing Him brings peace and joy, even when life is hard."

I don't know about you, but I am having a particularly difficult time with the italicized part of that. Okay, I italicized it, but I'm still having a difficult time wrapping it around my head. I was talking about this with a ministry friend of mine the other day, and we were discussing why God "allows" bad things to happen.

I personally believe that He doesn't allow it. Plenty of things are out of the will of God. We shall call those things "circumstance". When circumstance happens (i.e. a friend dies in a freak accident), God can take those circumstances and use it for His glory. In the example provided above, many people may come to know Christ or rely on Him more through the death of this particular person.

What do YOU think? I'm interested in hearing what others have to say. I understand that we may disagree, so I just ask that responses are left in a passionate, yet civil and tactful way. :)

It's been way too long.

Okay. So I don't really know who reads this, but enough is enough. I have neglected this for FAR too long. Did you know that the last time I updated this was in 2008? That was last decade! Wowzers.

Can I make a New Years resolution in June? Because, well, I'm going to. :) Yes, I resolve to update this blog AT LEAST once a week. Shouldn't be too difficult.

But as a reader of this blog, I want you (yes, YOU!) to hold me accountable to this. I want this blog to be able to encourage others and lift them up in their walks with Christ.

Some upcoming summer chronicles to be looking forward to:

• Road trip with Erica Wylie!
• The trials and tribulations of my new Youth Director position (woo hoo!)
• Campus Ministry internship at His House Christian Fellowship at EMU and U of M
• Weddings of friends and family

Well, thats all I have for now. Have a fantastic day and Memorial weekend. As always, I pray that God will teach you something new today and that you are able to connect with Him on an intimate level.

Blessings!

Movies

Hello world. My name is Jessy, and I don't really know what I'm doing here. Sitting in front of my computer, I mean. I should probably be doing something productive. Like showering. Or even cleaning my car. But what am I doing instead? Yep, that's right. I am creating a blog and watching a marathon of the Bachelor from probably 5 years ago.

I know, I'm probably a reality TV junkie. But really, what a confidence booster! Watching some of the people on those shows really reaffirms that I am a good person. Sometimes it is when I see good qualities in genuine people on the Bachelor and I strive to be like that, and then I switch over to VH1 and I come across an episode of Flavor of Love 3 or the new season of the "Real" World. Now that's a riot! I think those are just people that are on TV for the sake of being on TV. Causing drama to get airtime. It's kinda like me ranting about reality TV to get more blog space filled.What a concept. Okay, I'm digressing; time for a new subject.


So I'm going to see the new Indiana Jones movie tonight. I've heard its amazing, so I hope I'm not being set up for disappointment. I was on the website earlier today for the theater that I am going to, and there was something about 5th Avenue seating or something like that. I had no idea what it was, so I read into it a bit more. I guess this is like VIP seating for the movie theaters. Apparently, you can choose which seat you want, you get cocktails and there are leather seats with table room.This is what it looks like:
So here is what I am thinking: If movie tickets are generally $8.00 for a cloth upholstered seat and no table, I'm willing to bet this is $20 a ticket and sacrifice of your first born son. All I have to say about that is that its a good thing I don't have any children! I suppose I'm just glad that I am a student, and can still get a discounted ticket. Here's a thought: If I am a senior in college, do I get the student rate and the senior rate? That would definitely be a blessing!

Well, I think I am all blogged out for now. I really don't know how often I will be on here this summer. Between an internship and another part time job, several weddings to attend, and two mission trips, we'll see how often I'll be around.

Until next time, God bless!