10.30.2006

Looking Back

As I was talking to Wade yesterday, I mentioned how I wish I had thought the way I do now back when I was in high school. I guess we hear stuff like this all the time, but I look at our youth and see what potential they have in making a difference at school. As the youth minister's wife I am kind of expected to make sure everyone feels welcome, but just think if I had thought that way in school. I could have been the person that sat at lunch with someone who didn't have many friends, or I could have made sure that I became friends with the new girl at school so I could show her the love of Christ instead of being jealous that she got all the guys, or I could have made sure I said "hello" to all the younger students in my youth group when I saw them at school instead of making the excuse that we aren't really friends. There are so many things our youth can do to make a difference in the lives of students around them. I pray that we are showing them how to do this and that we are raising leaders who can look back and know that they followed Christ's example in high school.

So now I look at today...am I making sure that I am following Christ's example in my workplace, around teenagers, in everyday life? I know that there is so much more that I could do and I will continue to pray that I am not missing opportunities to make a difference in lives around me.

10.24.2006

My Sister and niece


Another beautiful day! A little chilly but gorgeous. I was just sitting here thinking about my sister and how I can't wait until I get a chance to visit her. She is close to being 6 months pregnant with a little girl. It seems so surreal that she is going to be a mom. I mean I think back to when she would drag me out of her room because I was cramping her style while she was on the phone with her middle school boyfriend. But I have always looked up to her...she has been one of my heroes growing up.

I hope when she has her baby that I will be the aunt that Pressley (that's the baby's name) can look up to. I hope that my sister Sharlie and her husband Benjamin will teach her how to follow Christ and tell her how He is the ultimate hero for us all. He will never let us down and He will always be there for Pressley. LIfe is going to be incredibly hard when Pressley grows up...violence in schools, war, bad enviroment, etc. But the only thing that matters is Christ.

10.22.2006

Sunday Night

Tonight Nick's talk started out with a discussion about eyes. Eyes are intricate and complex, but to tell you the truth I complain a lot about my eyes. Take for instance this morning...I was at church where I do media stuff in the balcony for the services when all of the sudden my eyes go completely "foggy." Foggy is the term I use when my contacts get all dry and stuff so then I get blurry vision. So I sit there blinking like a mad woman trying to get my tear ducts to do something to make my eyes water. This is when I say to myself...why do I have to wear these stupid contacts?!?! Well I will tell you why I have to...I can't see without them.

Looking back at this dialogue between me and my inner self makes me wonder what else I have that helps me out but I still complain about. I've been thinking about how blessed I am and how much I have that needs to be shared with people who aren't so fortunate. I've been thinking about how I need to focus on things that further God's kingdom either financially or by prayer.

Tonight I was able to lead a teenage girl to Christ. We had an altar call at youth and she was the first one to stand and walk to me. I was so proud of her for not being scared or feeling awkward being in front of everyone. She didn't want to wait a second longer to tell someone that she wanted to become of follower of Jesus. That is just amazing. She was focused on what really matters-Jesus. And that is where I want to make sure my eyes (with contacts) stay fixed upon so that I don't miss an opportunity to do something amazing for Him.

10.20.2006

Ambient Light

Ambient Light: Also known as "available light" or "existing light". It's the surrounding light within an environment.

So apparently I jumped on board the blog train. Of course my gorgeous husband Wade has his own blog... www.wadejoye.typepad.com and it got me wanting to have one of my own. It is so easy to lose a journal or even if you keep one you never share the amazing things you wrote that God is doing in your life with someone. But with this invention of blogs we are able to share with others some important things and some minute details.

However, in a way it is kind of funny that I am making a blog. As my husband can attest to I go on rants and raves about technology. So for me having something so personal as an online journal is the ultimate victory for technology. Well unless you count that technology won when I became a graphic designer...yeah I probably would give that as the ultimate victory for technology.

And finally for today's post, I wanted to share why I called my blog Ambient Light. As you might know this is an art term, also used in graphic design. The definition is above. And even though it is used for art I thought what better term to represent this journal. I am showing you a little piece of my life with each post by shining a light on myself. There is so much more to me that you will never know and I don't want you to know (except Wade), but I will shine a little light on certain areas to show you what God is doing in my life and then the randomness that goes with being human.