♥ The Scenic Route

A short conversation with a certain amazing girl I know prompted this blog. As with most things I write, I've been mulling over this one for a while. And the more I think about it, the more I have to say. Pardon me if the thoughts that spill out onto this post seem scattered.

What she said: "...totally made me think of “Jesus Take the Wheel,” because really, he’s been taking you on a pretty decent scenic route lately, hasn’t he? :)"

You know, HE HAS. Perhaps not by His own choice (or His first choice, I should say) but when I take into account how my life is turning out, how its trail matches that of Billy from Family Circus, I cannot help but wonder if God really does like the scenic route. If He does enjoy riding along with me and working out all my wrong turns into something that I'll be able to look back on and realize how nice of a drive it really turned out to be. Only because He’s the Navigator.

Of course He would love it if we listened to Him after His first word; if our obedience were outmatched only by our swiftness to obey; if pride were more easily swallowed than chomped on over and over... but, He dealt with that from "Go!" didn't He? He knew, before we knew, that the shortest point from A to B would not be taken. "Aha," He might've thought, "I rather enjoy a road trip and lessons learned along the way." He cares about our getting to the destination He has for us, but not more than the journey it takes to make us the person we need to be when we get there.

That's what He has done to me, anyway. Could have I avoided pain and suffering and sorrow and struggle and heartache? Yes. Would I be the person I am today? Probably not. Because faith requires the aforementioned elements to be made into something solid and substantial. Ladies and gentleman, I haz faith.

Let me clarify that the scenic route might not always be what God wants for our lives. He requires obedience and He requires a life wholly surrendered to Him. His desire is not for us to succumb to sin and have to deal with the consequences (which inevitably cause us to go down that bunny-trail… away from Him) but for us to live as He asks us to. All that being said, and as I’ve said before, I believe that He will allow us to make our stupid decisions because He sees down the road and He sees how He will be able to shape us, using the scenic route.

On the other side of the road (ha, get it? cause I’m talking about routes?) even if we are completely surrendered to His will and are taking each step only at this direction… He still uses the winding paths to get us where we’re going, to mold us more and more into His image. We may think that the way He is leading us is absurd and a waste of time and energy but all the while He is accomplishing exactly what He had intended- the whole time.

I think of all the stories in the Bible where God used a wrong turn, a mistake, a bad choice to bring about total awesomeness:

Joseph? Little (mouthy) brother turned slave turned prisoner turned leader turned savior of his people!

Abraham? The promise given to him of innumerable descendants wasn’t even started until he was ninety-nine!

David had to fight lions and bears and giants and kings before he himself was promoted to King of Israel.

Esther was an orphan, raised by her uncle, and endured countless beauty-pageants (some might say this was an absurd scenic route?) before her time of saving her people was brought about.

This scenic route? It has brought me a deeper hunger, a closer empathy for others who are also going in circles. It has shown me the good that can come out of being patient and understanding my own inability to be in control and, really, my own inability to make good choices without His influence. I’ve mentioned before how I have seen Him as my master mixer, taking the good the bad and the ugly parts of my life and turning them for my good: the very definition of my scenic route.

This video has been stuck in my head for the last few days and I feel that it holds a powerful message to more than just waiting for love. Waiting for God to take you through the route that He chooses will be only to your benefit. Only to His glory.

The pressure makes us stronger
. The struggle makes us hunger. 
The hard lessons make the difference...

♫ RAWR...just kidding.

I'll be honest, I logged in to vent too. I have had angst, and grumps, and rawrfaces on for about three days now. I wanted to tell the world how much it's pissed me off lately (Mostly, I blame the fact that I'm female, and it's that stupid "time" that I can complain about BEING female). And then...THEN I realized how hypocritical that would be of me. Yes, we're all entitled to bad days. Bad months. Bad years. Your problems may be minimal compared to the rest of the world's, but that doesn't mean they're not huge to you. Have a bad day. Get mad. Pout. Cry. Do it.

Then...realize that everybody throws fits. You're not the first to let the pettiness of the world get to you. The biggest thing to remember though, is that you can only control your own problems and emotions. If you're mad at life because of how another person made you feel, you need to get over it. You need to forgive, forget, rinse, and repeat...and move on. You cant change how they made you feel. You can't control whether they'll do it again or not. You can only control you.



I got this on Monday; hafta gotta share it:

"Don't listen to those who say, 'You're taking too big a chance.' Michelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor, and it would surely be rubbed out by today. Most important, don't listen when the little voice of fear inside you rears its ugly head and says. 'They're all smarter than you out there. They're more talented, they're taller, blonder, prettier, luckier, and they have connections. I firmly believe that if you follow a path that interests you, not to the exclusion of love, sensitivity, and cooperation with others, but with the strength of conviction that you can move others by your own efforts, and do not make success or failure the criteria by which you live, the chances are you'll be a person worthy of your own respects."

Love yourself, trust yourself, respect yourself, and leave the rest to God. Forget what everybody else thinks.

Yours Truly,
Nomz

♥ Vent. (v.)

I love people. I really do. When I’m not around people I feel uneasy and lonely. God made me to be surrounded by fellowship and laughter- it’s the place I thrive most. Buuuut, like all other areas in life, there comes a time when I just need a break. I just need to find a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop somewhere that offers superb tea and a quiet corner for… quiet time. Reading time. Reflecting time. Praying time. I just need Me Time.

It must be an antisocial week for me because I’m also a little sick of Facebook and Twitter. Mostly because a lot of what I see goes a little something like this, “Drama. Drama. Drama.” or “Pain. Hurt. Pain. Hurt.” and you can only take so much of that before it becomes a little cloud that follows you around.

I’m demanding rain so that the little cloud can move along already.

My head hurts, my throat hurts, I sound like a bullfrog and everything in me just wants to crawl into bed and go to sleep for a day. Or a week. Whichever comes last.

I feel like I’m on a stretching table. With one responsibility strapped to each appendage. All pulling. All at the same time. I’m trying to be a good mother who provides quality time for her son; a good bridesmaid who is involved in the details; a good employee who completes all tasks with excellence; a good housekeeper who has all the laundry folded and healthy meals cooked at the right times; a good leader who can pour into other’s lives a love and interest so worthy of the calling; a good Lover of the Most High who sets aside time each day for intimacy and spiritual pursuit. And so, it feels like I’m in little pieces everywhere. And each those responsibilities are asking, “But, why can’t I have ALL of you?!”

I do adore this busy life though. It’s better than having no friends, no amazing wedding to look forward to, no one to invest in, and no activities crammed into each weekend leaving me bored and discontented.

♥ LIFE. life. life. life.

I recently posted the above video on my Facebook account. One of my oldest and dearest friends offered her viewpoint of the video and I think that the conversation which will result can be one of controversy and a challenge to both of our ways of thinking (let me add that Rebecca and I both have a huge amount of respect for one another and I'm excited about what else she has to say). SO, this is where I ask for your input. I'll copy and paste the beginning of our thoughts and you can fill in the rest.

PLEASE, be respectful. I know this issue is big and we've all minded our Ps and Qs when I've brought it up before; so I would appreciate the same attitude this time around. Instead of entering your thoughts on abortion without a moment's hesitation, I recommend that you DO hesitate, watch the video (it's in two parts), listen to this amazing woman and then, after you've searched your heart, let me know how you feel. Love you, readers!!

Rebecca: "I hate abortion. I hate it. However, I would rather see a baby die in the womb than be raised by the state, or by a family that beats and molests them. Make no mistake, these babies are not wanted by their parents. As horrible as that is to think about, I do appreciate the element of mercy in abortion that spares these poor babies from enduring a life of rejection and hardship. Judge me if you will, but I believe that. I am not sure what the answer is to the abortion epidemic. It's ugly and murderous. I love my kids, but I would rather kill them myself than put them in the wrong hands where they will suffer forever because they are unwanted."

Sarah: "Thanks for your input, Rebecca! I love it when you comment on my stuff with your challenging viewpoints. Really, I do. I totally understand where you're coming from and I can see why you would feel that way. Actually, at first I was like, "Rebecca makes an amazing point and I have nothing to say back." But then, after I brushed my teeth (which is a prime time for me to think, btw) I began to remember all of the things that God did in the life of that amazing woman. And I also thought of all the things He does for anyone who endures suffering and pain. Of course, it is an automatic reaction for us to want to avoid pain and suffering in any degree and to protect any child from a lifetime of hardship. But, if Jesus promised us anything He promised us that we would be hated, that life will SUCK sometimes, that pain goes hand in hand with breathing, that suffering cannot be avoided AND that He is with us through every second of every minute of every hour of every day, teaching and comforting and making everything work for our good. Pain is not lost on Him. He knows suffering more than any of us could imagine. So, would it be better to snuff out a life because the chances of pain and a hard life are a reality? Or do we trust Jesus and His ways and His LOVE and His ability to rescue any child from the grips of Satan? Do we justify abortion and say, “At least they won’t know pain.” or be the hands and feet of Jesus as we reach out with unconditional love to those who have both been victims of abortion (I’m not just talking about the baby, here) and are born into this world of sin and despair? After all, babies born to the most responsible and loving parents will and could still endure their days in the shadow of pain, abandonment, and affliction. Should they have been aborted? No. No. No. No. There is no easy answer to this abortion epidemic. Obviously, the only answer is Jesus. But, we must be realistic, not everyone will accept His gift of salvation. Instead, I believe with my whole heart that we need to remain firm in our convictions and hold close to the Bible when it says that murder is wrong. Then, in the face of a fallen world, we need to trust Jesus and know that He holds each life in His tender, compassionate and loving hands. And He is asking that a life be allowed to exist so that He can be glorified in that life redeemed."

Random Discussions (RD): Part I

I have only a few things up in this head of mine, and rather than creating and overwhelming you with an entire post of my scattered thoughts, I'm going to whine about only three of them. Please read, and discuss. It's like homework, only more like therapy. And I'm getting the therapy from you guys for free.

Point 1:

I miss my friends.

I mean, I've still got all of them for the most part. Heck, I've got one girl back in my life from *gulp* 20 years ago, thanks to the book of face! The rest of them are scattered all over the state of Wyoming, and some others in different parts of the country. The point really isn't that I don't have any friends, because my friends are amazing, and still part of my daily life.

BUT. I miss having friends that are five seconds away should there be a friend disaster, an immediate excuse for a good time, or just to meet for a quick bite at the last minute. It's part of the repercussions of me moving away, and I was fully prepared for it...I think. I'm actually fine, until the feeling of loneliness sneaks up from behind. Example: I was at the bar the other night with my favorite man, hanging with some really cool people...and I realized that I missed SORELY the friends that would normally be there with me. There are two of you, in particular, that would have seen me from across the bar, and known by the look on my face what I was thinking, what I wanted to drink, and exactly what song I was thinking we needed to dance to. Le Sigh. I know it will come in good time, and I still had a blast, but I miss you.

Conclusion: I still have friends that are a mere phone call away. I still have friends that are actively part of my daily life, via phone, Facebook, text message, picture message, or even within an hour's drive. I'll make new friends, sure enough. I've got a good habit of that. And no matter how far away I move, or how close I am in vicinity to them, loneliness will always join me occasionally.

Point 2:

Weddings.

This is not about my past marriage, my next marriage, or my lack of marriage. This is just in general. Ah hem.

I love being friends with blushing, gushing brides. I've never been one to get envious, or feel that "always a bridesmaid, never a bride." feeling. I have, however, stood behind one or two, and noticed a few things.

#1. People take for granted how much time, effort, and lack of sleep goes in to these things.
#2. People have a terrible habit of making them about them, and not the bride and groom.
#3. You only get cake if you play nice. So stop playing not nice.

Conclusion: Planning them, is MUCH bigger than any of them expect. And while they think, or even tell you that they don't need your help, they're lying. They usually feel like they're absolutely drowning in their own bliss, and true that it may be that it IS bliss, and that they want to do it all themselves to make sure it gets done right, they're extremely overwhelmed. If all you do is sit and watch them make things happen, you're going to see some peace come in to the picture.

If you're in the wedding party, if you're related to the bride or groom, or if you're a best friend that's just getting a front row seat...it is your absolute DUTY to make sure that day goes off without a hitch (well...one hitch, get it, get it?!). You're there to support that love, you're there to comfort them, and you're supposed to be there for them every second of the planning stages, regardless of how "not a big deal" you think each step is, or how disconnected you think you are from the planning, or even how Bridezilla she's actually getting. I mean hi, she's dropping at least $6000, just to put on a show for YOU people to watch her take the next step. You do realize that your ticket to the show is free, right? Pamper the hell out of her.

Conclusion Part 2: I'm never planning a wedding.

Point 3:

I want to do everything.

I want to have a job doing Facebook. I want to waitress. I want to ride and train horses. I want to work in a retail store. I want to teach English. I want to work with special needs children. I want to be a vet. And it really bothers me that because I've changed rank in my "title" or pay, that people are assuming I'm settling for less than I deserve, or making poor choices.

Conclusion: I can't be everything, but there is absolutely nothing stopping me from trying everything once.

So, there you go. A massive rant about Things. I need therapy.

Yours Truly,
Nomz

Free The Girls UPDATE, yo!

It has been exactly 38 days, a few donation boxes and one stellar interview on News Channel 5 (which we'll post soon, if we can) since we posted our original blog announcing our desire to support (get it? get it?) Free The Girls by collecting as many bras as we can. And since August 20th we've had them trickle in and surely, steadily, our cars are filling up with boxes of bras for women who have been rescued from human trafficking.

This touches my heart in a way I could never properly describe in a blog. Women are going to be freed from the bonds of slavery and sexual oppression because of your desire to help them!!

I just called Ruby Juice and had them tally up the bras they've received since we set up our little donation box there and they have 99 (Jay has agreed to give a FREE smoothie to anyone who is willing to donate their bra then and there, to make the total 100!); combine that with the bras I have at my house and in my car and we're well over 150! And that doesn't include the other drop boxes we have placed in Burns. LADIES! We're so proud of you!

Our original intention was to collect bras just until September 30th. But, with the success of your generosity and how exciting this has all become, we've decided to extend the official deadline into October. Really though, we're going to take your bras for as long as you want to give them. How horrible would we be if we refused?!

Ways you can help:

* Buy the really cute, really stylish shirts that Free The Girls is selling on their site. Ten percent of the profits go directly toward releasing the captives and putting their captors behind bars.

* Give bras! Duh!

* If you don't have bras or have a hoarding problem, you can donate your money to Free the Girls.

* Spread the word. Word of mouth is really important for Free the Girls right now because the less money they spend on promoting, the more money they can use toward freeing victims.

* Pray. Pray for the women who have been taken; pray that their hope will remain confident in that we are looking for them. Pray that Kimba and Mama T (the owners of Free the Girls) are strengthened and can continue in this amazing cause without discouragement or stress. Pray that the men (and women, because some of them are involved, too) who commit this horrible act against humanity will realize what they're doing and STOP.

To end in an upbeat style, check out these pictures of our journey to free the girls!

Ashley! donated her talent to make us this awesome sign for our bra box. Isn't it pretty?!

A HUGE thank you to Rylee from Cheyenne's News Channel 5 (and to our friend, Bruce, for his awesomerest connections) for helping us spread the word about Free the Girls!

Sarah: "We should totally wear these on the outside of our shirts for the interview."

Camera guy: "Please, no."

If you're wondering, YES, the ladies of RJ do get hit on. No, these are not their bras.

They're Nomz's bras. Heh. :)

Sorry ladies, Jay is married. :)

We LOVE Jay for being such a good sport and collecting bras from his customers. GO JAY!

♥ Bits and pieces of my brain.

* Yeah, I thought of zombies after I read that title, too. What are ya gonna do? It just fits.

* I love words. I love that one word can be pregnant with a thousand different meanings and a thousand different explanations can’t do justice to one word spoken at the right time. My favorite word? Tapestry. I don’t know why- it just has the most beautiful connotation. Also, when written it’s all flowy and pretty.

* This was my thought process last night as I watched E News: “Who cares?” “Who cares?” “Who cares?!” “Wow, Matt Damon is getting OLD!”

* I received one of the most encouraging emails from my Naomi this week. I'm saving it for forever. My favorite part? "Love will happen eventually, even though every single roadblock seems to be popping up in your way."

^ That right there? Yeah, it makes me wanna blub like an over-emotional girl.

* Oh, if you didn't know... today is Nomz's last day at her place of employment (dood, she 's been there 5+ years. THAT is dedication!). It's scary when one chapter of life ends and another one begins, but she's handling it with grace and and poise. Like she handles everything. Overachiever.

* Today seems like a quote day to me. So, you're gonna get a blogful:

“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one's weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”-Mahatma Ghandi

"There are four questions of value in life... What is sacred? Of what is the spirit made? What is worth living for and what is worth dying for? The answer to each is the same. Only love." -Johnny Depp (That's right. I'm quoting Johnny Depp.)

“Prayer is as natural an expression of faith as breathing is of life” -Jonathan Edwards

“God always teaches us patience, when we do not have time for the lesson.”

"It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, "Always do what you are afraid to do." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." -Helen Keller

"A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner." - Anonymous

"Give me a fruitful error any time, full of seeds, bursting with its own corrections. You can keep your sterile truth for yourself." ~Vilfredo Pareto

* I saw a candle commercial last night with the sort of song that they play in Pier1 during the holidays and now I'm fully in Fall mode and definitely fighting the urge to begin planning white elephant parties and wearing red for most of the week. *fighting fiiiiiighting*

* If you missed them, check out the epic family photos Mal and I just had taken. I'm so in love with them:

P.S. Yeah, I know you tried to write out "tapestry" in your prettiest writing just as soon as I mentioned its beauty. I know you...