Holly and Kelly: March was a busy and somewhat slow month for us. Here's what we learned.
Sometimes, you have to say no: even if it's to an old friend who wants to re open the lines of communication. We had to say no; it wasn't even an option. It wasn't worth the risk of possibly things being ok for a while, then back to the same old stuff. You get to a point in your life where you are free to make those decisions, and we lived with the consequences of said choice for too long. We are both at points in our lives where we made peace with the situation and have moved on. Neither of us have heard from this friend since, which says to us our point exactly.
Priorities change: We've put our relationship with each other on the back burners, and are now going to be taking the time to spend time with each other in prayer and devotionals. Over the last few weeks we have done this, it has been astounding to hear about what God is doing in each of our lives. It's been extremely beneficial to the both of us!
Time away is essential: Even if it's just for a few days. The time we were able to spend in Florida was....amazing. Seeing the sunrise on the beach...it was just one of those moments that make you realize how much of a masterpiece artist God is. Neither one of us thought about obligations we had at home, whether at work, things to do in the house, whatever. Take some time to just get out of work for a while; you will be amazed at how much better you feel.
God is working: In Kentucky, people! Over the past few months, but more regularly this month, we've been visiting another church with Holly's bf and some friends of ours. We're NOT leaving our current church anytime soon, but it's been super amazing to see the body of Christ working elsewhere in Madison county. He's doing some great things in His body, people, and it has been a privilege to see that work come to life. Also, we had the opportunity to sing with a church from London in a combined service for Easter. It was a long day, but full of blessings to celebrate our risen Lord. (There's a link at the bottom of the page for your viewing pleasure. Buckle up though...it's an hour and ten minutes long...)
Basketball....nah: We suck at basketball. Really, REALLY, suck. There's a reason God called us to work at Grow Appalachia and to be a nurse and to NOT be professional basketball players. Thank God!
Easter program
Basketball part 1
Basketball part 2 (Kelly's shame)
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
For God, in God's place with God's people: A night of worship with Rend Collective and Chris Tomlin
Kelly: Sunday night Holly and I trekked an hour and a half to Newport to partake in a concert night that will be hard to top. I had been awake since 6 that morning and didn't go to bed until almost midnight; I was at work all day prior to the concert, and the latter part of the day was not one of the greatest. I was on edge, with the weight of not only patient safety but staff safety as well as a patient became belligerent, hostile and very threatening. I was very concerned for the safety of the entire unit, and it was very emotionally draining; constantly being on pins and needles and tip toeing around controversial questions, such as what to do and how do we keep everyone safe. I spent half of my required off the clock break in the supervisor's office tackling a game plan. In the end all was well, but some of us were a little more relieved to clock out at the end of that day. And each time I kept trying to leave, I kept getting interrupted, which only added to my frustration, since I was trying to leave at a timely manner to go to the concert. On the way home, I just prayed that even though my thoughts and attitudes had not reflected one of a follower of Jesus, I just prayed that God would tune my heart and mind into one that was wide open and ready for a night of worship.
If someone ever tells you that God answers prayer, believe them. He really does.
For the entire 2 hour concert, most of it didn't even feel like a concert. It felt like being in church. One of the things Chris Tomlin said really just resonated with me for the rest of the night: how great was it to sing about God, in God's house in the presence of God's people? There was so much love, passion and energy in that stadium last night. There's nothing like truly getting lost in the presence of God; where minutes pass by and you don't even realize it because you are just so encapsulated by Him. I had several of those moments there, and I have to be honest, that's something that hasn't happened in a long time. Suddenly, the fears and troubles of the day were just lifted away, and I didn't think about them for the rest of the night. I really listened to the words of those songs that I have known for years, and I felt them, believed them, and felt them. I don't know what's going on in your all's life; I know some things. But I would encourage each and every one of you to take a moment for yourself to just be in God's presence. If that means locking every door and getting into some Scripture, or rolling down every window in your car and singing P&W music at the top of your lungs, or if it just means sitting quietly with nothing around you for a few minutes every morning. It's something I'm going to try and be a bit more intentional about. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.
Holly: Never mind the fact that we had a three hour round trip and that I had to be at work at 8am on a Monday morning, there was ABSOLUTELY no stopping us in going to this concert. We sort of went on a whim, but if you're a fan of Chris Tomlin and his music, you know that it's going to be an awesome, God-honoring show. And it was. It really was.
I have to echo Kelly's comment: it was church, church with 10,000 of my brothers and sisters in Christ, and it was awesome, you guys. Just awesome. The last time we saw Chris Tomlin was ICHTHUS back in 2006, if my memory serves me correctly, so it'd been a while. Man, he knows how to rock out for God's glory- high energy, passionate, so full of the Spirit that it was contagious! He played all of my favorites, and it was so powerful to hear every single person in the audience sing along too. Rend Collective was a perfect opening band! They are such a blast! I'm also obsessed with one of the songs they performed, and I think it's threatening to drive Kelly crazy :)
One of the reasons I love Christian concerts is not only the fact that they don't feel like concerts, but you leave feeling so much more encouraged and rejuvenated than before you came. I don't want to say I've been in a "rut" lately spiritually, but I do feel my quiet time is not necessarily quiet because it's sometimes hard for me to shut my mind off. I really needed that concert, because I was able to just let go and freely worship, my mind attuned entirely to Him! It reminded me that I can get there, and that I will get there. I'm working on it, and in the meantime I'm thankful that God doesn't just leave us to our best guesses. I'm thankful that God speaks to us in many ways...for me, especially through music!
If someone ever tells you that God answers prayer, believe them. He really does.
For the entire 2 hour concert, most of it didn't even feel like a concert. It felt like being in church. One of the things Chris Tomlin said really just resonated with me for the rest of the night: how great was it to sing about God, in God's house in the presence of God's people? There was so much love, passion and energy in that stadium last night. There's nothing like truly getting lost in the presence of God; where minutes pass by and you don't even realize it because you are just so encapsulated by Him. I had several of those moments there, and I have to be honest, that's something that hasn't happened in a long time. Suddenly, the fears and troubles of the day were just lifted away, and I didn't think about them for the rest of the night. I really listened to the words of those songs that I have known for years, and I felt them, believed them, and felt them. I don't know what's going on in your all's life; I know some things. But I would encourage each and every one of you to take a moment for yourself to just be in God's presence. If that means locking every door and getting into some Scripture, or rolling down every window in your car and singing P&W music at the top of your lungs, or if it just means sitting quietly with nothing around you for a few minutes every morning. It's something I'm going to try and be a bit more intentional about. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.
Holly: Never mind the fact that we had a three hour round trip and that I had to be at work at 8am on a Monday morning, there was ABSOLUTELY no stopping us in going to this concert. We sort of went on a whim, but if you're a fan of Chris Tomlin and his music, you know that it's going to be an awesome, God-honoring show. And it was. It really was.
I have to echo Kelly's comment: it was church, church with 10,000 of my brothers and sisters in Christ, and it was awesome, you guys. Just awesome. The last time we saw Chris Tomlin was ICHTHUS back in 2006, if my memory serves me correctly, so it'd been a while. Man, he knows how to rock out for God's glory- high energy, passionate, so full of the Spirit that it was contagious! He played all of my favorites, and it was so powerful to hear every single person in the audience sing along too. Rend Collective was a perfect opening band! They are such a blast! I'm also obsessed with one of the songs they performed, and I think it's threatening to drive Kelly crazy :)
One of the reasons I love Christian concerts is not only the fact that they don't feel like concerts, but you leave feeling so much more encouraged and rejuvenated than before you came. I don't want to say I've been in a "rut" lately spiritually, but I do feel my quiet time is not necessarily quiet because it's sometimes hard for me to shut my mind off. I really needed that concert, because I was able to just let go and freely worship, my mind attuned entirely to Him! It reminded me that I can get there, and that I will get there. I'm working on it, and in the meantime I'm thankful that God doesn't just leave us to our best guesses. I'm thankful that God speaks to us in many ways...for me, especially through music!
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
All for God's glory
Kelly: A friend of ours shared this article on her Facebook, and Holly mentioned that we should share it on here. So that's exactly what I'm doing!
I used to write a lot of poetry as a kid and draw. I had such a creative imagination (still do!) and have always loved music. Music, I've heard, is something to be felt, not heard. I could not agree more with that statement. So below is the article; give it a read. It's really good stuff!
Why Christians should paint, compose music, etc...
Enjoy!
I used to write a lot of poetry as a kid and draw. I had such a creative imagination (still do!) and have always loved music. Music, I've heard, is something to be felt, not heard. I could not agree more with that statement. So below is the article; give it a read. It's really good stuff!
Why Christians should paint, compose music, etc...
Enjoy!
Sunday, April 26, 2015
The Christian Music Industry: The Grrs and the Greats
Holly: Just in case you didn't get any recent memos, we're pretty into music. Or, more specifically, Christian music. Duh. I think we first sort of really got into it after attending ICHTHUS for the first time. Kelly will mention it later, but if you don't know what that is, you should educate yourself: it's glorified worshipful insanity at its absolute best. Since getting out on our own, we've also had the great fortune of attending quite a few Christian concerts, and I've noticed several very positive attributes and trends towards them. First off, the ticket prices are very affordable. Example 1: we attended a K-LOVE sponsored Christmas concert (where yours truly finally got to meet the one and only Jeremy Camp, a long sought-after dream of mine since about the tender age of 14), and it was $28 for him and three other artists. It cost us $25 to see Matt Maher and I Am They last week, and it was $10 for Winter Jam last month. We saw for KING & COUNTRY in Winchester on the 4th and it didn't cost us a penny!! DID I STUTTER? Plus, everyone else who performed at the Christmas concert stayed afterwards to talk to fans. Which brings me to my next point: Every single concert we've attended, someone has stayed afterwards. Did you hear that? Every. Single. Concert. It's awesome! Do you really see that anywhere else? I'm willing to bet not.
We found out (while attending Winter Jam, actually), that the Eagles were going to be in Lexington in July. We thought it'd be a fun surprise for our folks, so we looked up tickets. Imagine our surprise when we found it was going to cost us, for the worst possible seats, a pretty $185!!! Say. What?! Actually, while writing this, we checked prices again: anywhere from $188- $426. You have GOT to be kidding me! And with the experiences and moments we've had at our shows...you can't put a price on those, especially to the tune of three flipping figures!
Kelly: I generally find the Christian music industry very appealing. We have been blessed to have attended several concerts over the years which have been super amazing! Case and point, ICHTHUS. If you don't know what that is, you should definitely get into that; it's a weekend of music, speakers and camping! It will change your life. However, it's frustrating when I'm listening to the radio driving to work and I hear one song then turn it back on driving home and hear the exact same song again. One time I was driving to and from Richmond in a span of about 4 hours in between being in and out of the car and I heard one song three times. Really? Is that how it works? Yet I remember hearing a few songs that I only heard once or twice and was like "hey, what happened to that song?" I'm the first to admit that I have no idea how radio stations pick their music, but perhaps maybe a little bit of variety every now and then would be nice. Most of the time I find myself getting bored with the same selections that I hear over and over and over.
I've also found that I'm not alone in my thoughts of this as well. To be fair though, that's why I have a lot of my own saved on Spotify, Pandora or my iPod. Yet sometimes I even find my selections a bit redundant. On the flip side, there is some AWESOME Christian music out there!!!! I find myself sometimes when I'm listening to a certain song, it just gets me at the right time and I just find myself totally immersed in the presence of God. I just have to stop whatever I'm doing and just worship. Still I have songs I hear that give me goosebumps. There's so much power in that, and I can't describe it any other way. And that's all I have to say about that. I love Jesus music, but I think it's important to remember to love Him before the music.
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| He was really nice, and he gave me a hug :) |
We found out (while attending Winter Jam, actually), that the Eagles were going to be in Lexington in July. We thought it'd be a fun surprise for our folks, so we looked up tickets. Imagine our surprise when we found it was going to cost us, for the worst possible seats, a pretty $185!!! Say. What?! Actually, while writing this, we checked prices again: anywhere from $188- $426. You have GOT to be kidding me! And with the experiences and moments we've had at our shows...you can't put a price on those, especially to the tune of three flipping figures!
Kelly: I generally find the Christian music industry very appealing. We have been blessed to have attended several concerts over the years which have been super amazing! Case and point, ICHTHUS. If you don't know what that is, you should definitely get into that; it's a weekend of music, speakers and camping! It will change your life. However, it's frustrating when I'm listening to the radio driving to work and I hear one song then turn it back on driving home and hear the exact same song again. One time I was driving to and from Richmond in a span of about 4 hours in between being in and out of the car and I heard one song three times. Really? Is that how it works? Yet I remember hearing a few songs that I only heard once or twice and was like "hey, what happened to that song?" I'm the first to admit that I have no idea how radio stations pick their music, but perhaps maybe a little bit of variety every now and then would be nice. Most of the time I find myself getting bored with the same selections that I hear over and over and over.
I've also found that I'm not alone in my thoughts of this as well. To be fair though, that's why I have a lot of my own saved on Spotify, Pandora or my iPod. Yet sometimes I even find my selections a bit redundant. On the flip side, there is some AWESOME Christian music out there!!!! I find myself sometimes when I'm listening to a certain song, it just gets me at the right time and I just find myself totally immersed in the presence of God. I just have to stop whatever I'm doing and just worship. Still I have songs I hear that give me goosebumps. There's so much power in that, and I can't describe it any other way. And that's all I have to say about that. I love Jesus music, but I think it's important to remember to love Him before the music.
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| The first time we met Joel :) |
Sunday, March 29, 2015
We Choose Jesus Above Us: Winter Jam 2015
Holly and Kelly: So there we were, barreling through the traffic that is Winter Jam, on our way to meet Tony Nolan (which we did) and out of nowhere we saw THIS AWESOME GAL walkin on by. Kelly grabbed her by the arm and a 30 secondish screaming session began! We have not seen this awesome lady since her wedding day...which we wrote about right here! That was the middle of a pretty awesome night of worshiping Jesus through music, laughter, friends, a bit of testimony and a lot of fun!
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| !!!!!! |
Far and away, the best one we've attended! Yeah...that's pretty much it. We got to say hi to Tony Nolan for a few minutes. If you have not heard his testimony or heard him speak, do yourself a favor! We were pretty far up in the stands, but we certainly didn't let that stop us! All in all a good night of friends, new friends, laughter, good music, good messages, and most of all a wonderful night of giving it all back to the One who gave it to us in the first place. How great is our God!
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| Here's us with Tony Nolan :) |
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| Joel from fK&C bringin' tha word! |
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| Arise My Love!! |
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| Party on stage with Family Force 5 |
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| I love his heart for God! :) -H |
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| "Those nights kept me right." -Skillet |
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| Until next time! | \ |
The fact that we woke up with crazy headaches and barely any voice= worth it!
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Prayer for Casting Crowns
Holly: I'm writing on behalf of Kelly and I, because she is currently waiting out Snowpocalypse 2.0 up in Lexington, and I'm at home for snow day #3.
My heart is a little bit heavy today. I read on my Facebook and Twitter feeds this morning that the lead singer of one of our favorite bands, Casting Crowns, has been diagnosed with cancer. You can read the full story on their Facebook page.
Kelly and I have been fans of their music for a long time. Even before we rededicated our lives to Christ six years ago, I can still remember listening to them in high school. When we were in youth group we saw them at ICHTHUS and I just remember feeling God's presence so strongly and thinking how anointed they were! We were also very fortunate to be able to see them in Lexington last February. I'm pretty astounded that the story didn't end up on here, but again, God's presence was so strong there. Honestly in my top five concerts I've ever attended! I was moved to tears by "Who Am I" (Which, trust me, doesn't happen often). Y'all...their music is something else. If you have not listened to them, please do yourself a favor, and please join Kelly and I in praying for Mark. He is able!
I'll praise You in this storm
I will lift my hands
You are who You are, no matter where I am
Every tear I've cried, You hold in Your hands
You've never left my side, and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from?
My helps comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
My heart is a little bit heavy today. I read on my Facebook and Twitter feeds this morning that the lead singer of one of our favorite bands, Casting Crowns, has been diagnosed with cancer. You can read the full story on their Facebook page.
Kelly and I have been fans of their music for a long time. Even before we rededicated our lives to Christ six years ago, I can still remember listening to them in high school. When we were in youth group we saw them at ICHTHUS and I just remember feeling God's presence so strongly and thinking how anointed they were! We were also very fortunate to be able to see them in Lexington last February. I'm pretty astounded that the story didn't end up on here, but again, God's presence was so strong there. Honestly in my top five concerts I've ever attended! I was moved to tears by "Who Am I" (Which, trust me, doesn't happen often). Y'all...their music is something else. If you have not listened to them, please do yourself a favor, and please join Kelly and I in praying for Mark. He is able!
I'll praise You in this storm
I will lift my hands
You are who You are, no matter where I am
Every tear I've cried, You hold in Your hands
You've never left my side, and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from?
My helps comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.
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| From last year. Thrive. |
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Stories: A night of tobyMac (and others!)
Holly and Kelly: Keeping up with the spirit of concerts, our second concert in one week (Yes, you read that correctly. We are blessed!) was on this past Friday night. We bundled up, as it was quite, quite cold and after a pit stop at Five Guys for some food, we made our way over to a church in Lexington to see tobyMac and company. It. Was. Packed! We ended up having to park over at Mejier, which in relation to the church is a few blocks away. But all of that is completely irrelevant. The show was awesome!
The icing on this cake was that we got to share this experience with some folks from our church, which sweetened the deal, so to speak. I (Holly) see a lot of folks who attend my church as family, so it was just one big happy familial gathering to us, and I know without a doubt Kelly and many others feel the same way. Anyway, you don't want to hear me ramble on and on anymore. The show opened with Ryan Stevenson, a fairly new artist in the CCM industry. We are familiar with a couple of his songs via the radio, but it was really special to see just him, his guitar, and his voice. His testimony is pretty incredible as well: One of his songs "Holding Nothing Back" was penned at a really difficult time in his life, including his mom passing away and he and his wife losing their twins. It's amazing what God can do though. It is. He played four or five songs and he got a standing ovation when he was finished. It made him cry!!! What a powerful moment. It's like something for KING & COUNTRY says "When you merge the power of music with the ultimate power of the Gospel, it not only has the power to change your day, but to transform your life as well." A pristine example of that is what we saw at the opening.
After that was Matt Maher, whom we haven't seen since ICHTHUS of 2008, before he was really popular. I loved his show then and I loved him this evening as well. He played a new song "Because He Lives" and I think it's his best song yet. Such simple words, but such a strong reminder of who God is and who we are in Him. One of our favorite songs by him is "Lord I Need You", which is about a kajillion times better live. Take my word for it! We've been fans of his for a while so seeing him was an added treat to the already great evening we were having!
Finally, tobyMac came on!!! He has been around the block for quite a while now; he started out in a group called dcTalk back in the late 80's/early 90's with the current lead singer of the Newsboys (Michael Tait) and the former lead of Audio Adrenaline (Kevin Max). Went solo not long after that and the rest is pretty much history. We first saw him at ICHTHUS of 2006; we broke our curfew to wait in line and talk to him. He's a super cool guy, y'all. We saw him again at Winter Jam of 2010 (I think....), and it was a great high-energy show. The show this past Friday was no exception whatsoever! And it was loud. Oh man, was it loud! But it was such a great time. I had completely forgotten just how big his heart is for God. It was beyond inspiring! He had a good mix of some of his older stuff, and some of his stuff that I know really well, as well as some new stuff, which I can't WAIT for his new album! What was especially cool about the show is that he brought the previous "acts" back on from time to time to do some stuff with him. One of my favorite songs by tobyMac, "Speak Life" was written by Ryan Stevenson!!! I didn't know that! Something that he said, though, and it's still with me: Someone walks up to you on the street and asks who are you. There are a million different answers to that: a sister, a Christian, a friend, a twin, a doctor, a mom, and the list goes on and on. The only "label" that matters, though, is that we, YOU, are a disciple that Jesus loves. In the Bible, John referred to himself as "the disciple that Jesus loved". Guess what? We are the same! How cool is that? :)
Definitely a memorable evening, beyond all reaches of the imagination. An added bonus: We got to hang out with Ryan Stevenson after the show for a few minutes. He is unbelievably sweet! I posted a couple songs below. I hope that you are encouraged, both by the stories on this page and the stories in your own life.
Ryan Stevenson- Not Forgotten
tobyMac- Speak Life
Matt Maher- Because He Lives
The icing on this cake was that we got to share this experience with some folks from our church, which sweetened the deal, so to speak. I (Holly) see a lot of folks who attend my church as family, so it was just one big happy familial gathering to us, and I know without a doubt Kelly and many others feel the same way. Anyway, you don't want to hear me ramble on and on anymore. The show opened with Ryan Stevenson, a fairly new artist in the CCM industry. We are familiar with a couple of his songs via the radio, but it was really special to see just him, his guitar, and his voice. His testimony is pretty incredible as well: One of his songs "Holding Nothing Back" was penned at a really difficult time in his life, including his mom passing away and he and his wife losing their twins. It's amazing what God can do though. It is. He played four or five songs and he got a standing ovation when he was finished. It made him cry!!! What a powerful moment. It's like something for KING & COUNTRY says "When you merge the power of music with the ultimate power of the Gospel, it not only has the power to change your day, but to transform your life as well." A pristine example of that is what we saw at the opening.
After that was Matt Maher, whom we haven't seen since ICHTHUS of 2008, before he was really popular. I loved his show then and I loved him this evening as well. He played a new song "Because He Lives" and I think it's his best song yet. Such simple words, but such a strong reminder of who God is and who we are in Him. One of our favorite songs by him is "Lord I Need You", which is about a kajillion times better live. Take my word for it! We've been fans of his for a while so seeing him was an added treat to the already great evening we were having!
Finally, tobyMac came on!!! He has been around the block for quite a while now; he started out in a group called dcTalk back in the late 80's/early 90's with the current lead singer of the Newsboys (Michael Tait) and the former lead of Audio Adrenaline (Kevin Max). Went solo not long after that and the rest is pretty much history. We first saw him at ICHTHUS of 2006; we broke our curfew to wait in line and talk to him. He's a super cool guy, y'all. We saw him again at Winter Jam of 2010 (I think....), and it was a great high-energy show. The show this past Friday was no exception whatsoever! And it was loud. Oh man, was it loud! But it was such a great time. I had completely forgotten just how big his heart is for God. It was beyond inspiring! He had a good mix of some of his older stuff, and some of his stuff that I know really well, as well as some new stuff, which I can't WAIT for his new album! What was especially cool about the show is that he brought the previous "acts" back on from time to time to do some stuff with him. One of my favorite songs by tobyMac, "Speak Life" was written by Ryan Stevenson!!! I didn't know that! Something that he said, though, and it's still with me: Someone walks up to you on the street and asks who are you. There are a million different answers to that: a sister, a Christian, a friend, a twin, a doctor, a mom, and the list goes on and on. The only "label" that matters, though, is that we, YOU, are a disciple that Jesus loves. In the Bible, John referred to himself as "the disciple that Jesus loved". Guess what? We are the same! How cool is that? :)
 |
| My favorite picture! |
Definitely a memorable evening, beyond all reaches of the imagination. An added bonus: We got to hang out with Ryan Stevenson after the show for a few minutes. He is unbelievably sweet! I posted a couple songs below. I hope that you are encouraged, both by the stories on this page and the stories in your own life.
Ryan Stevenson- Not Forgotten
tobyMac- Speak Life
Matt Maher- Because He Lives
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| Here we are with Ryan Stevenson afterwards! :) Thank you to the nice lady in line behind us for taking the picture |
Monday, November 10, 2014
Burger and Chips; it's a Fine Fine Life, and guess what? YOU Matter: A night of for KING & COUNTRY
Holly and Kelly: For the 3rd time this year, we saw for KING & COUNTRY last night.
If you remember, this was the same band we saw at the 4th of July concert in Winchester. Back near the end of September, I was randomly browsing and then I (Kelly) checked my email (we signed up to receive their emails after the Winchester concert) and found out they were coming to Lexington. Yup. All over that one! I mean seriously, we love these guys. Not only do they love Jesus, but they love their fans too! Before we left for the concert, they posted on Facebook that they were going to leave tickets at the will-call center FOR FREE for anyone who wanted to go for themselves, friends or family but couldn't afford them. Yeah. Does your favorite band do that? Would your favorite band do that?
We took a good friend of ours, who didn't want to go at first because of the cost and such, but I (Kelly) said "I will buy your ticket and your dinner because I just really want you to see this concert because you will be so blessed by it." Needless to say, we both got several thank-yous (and if you're reading this Matthew, you are so welcome!) But one of the other things that got us sold was their support of Compassion International. In case you don't know what they are, Compassion is an organization that sponsors children that live in impoverished areas of the world. Sponsorship pays for medical care, food, schooling and for these children to receive the Gospel at their local churches. Luke, one of the brothers in the band, is a big supporter of this organization, and so finally, after seeing them 3 times, we finally decided to become sponsors ourselves. We are now sponsoring 5 year old Perla from the Dominican Republic :) We are thankful to God that a portion of our earnings will be going to this little girl so she can grow and know that somewhere in the world she is loved not only by us but by a God so big and loving. If you have any questions about sponsorship or want to sponsor a child yourself, please go to Compassion International's website and get connected.
Anyway, so the concert lasted close to two hours and afterward we waited 45 minutes to meet Joel...again. I of course (Holly) just had to ask if he remembered me from Winchester (you can read the entire story here...which you should :) ). Guess what y'all? He did!!! In fact, he gave me a high five and said "Rock on! I can tell that it's been loved." You all, if I could just describe the feeling. alkdsjbzskjdfng!!! The icing on the concert cake was that they opened the show with my FAVORITE song, "To the Dreamers". Give it a listen. You will be encouraged! :)
Like we said, last night was the third time we've seen them this year, and it just blows me away at how much more I fall in love with their music, their message, their stories, every time I see them. I'll say it again: if you have not yet seen them live, you really need to. I'm serious.
If you remember, this was the same band we saw at the 4th of July concert in Winchester. Back near the end of September, I was randomly browsing and then I (Kelly) checked my email (we signed up to receive their emails after the Winchester concert) and found out they were coming to Lexington. Yup. All over that one! I mean seriously, we love these guys. Not only do they love Jesus, but they love their fans too! Before we left for the concert, they posted on Facebook that they were going to leave tickets at the will-call center FOR FREE for anyone who wanted to go for themselves, friends or family but couldn't afford them. Yeah. Does your favorite band do that? Would your favorite band do that?
We took a good friend of ours, who didn't want to go at first because of the cost and such, but I (Kelly) said "I will buy your ticket and your dinner because I just really want you to see this concert because you will be so blessed by it." Needless to say, we both got several thank-yous (and if you're reading this Matthew, you are so welcome!) But one of the other things that got us sold was their support of Compassion International. In case you don't know what they are, Compassion is an organization that sponsors children that live in impoverished areas of the world. Sponsorship pays for medical care, food, schooling and for these children to receive the Gospel at their local churches. Luke, one of the brothers in the band, is a big supporter of this organization, and so finally, after seeing them 3 times, we finally decided to become sponsors ourselves. We are now sponsoring 5 year old Perla from the Dominican Republic :) We are thankful to God that a portion of our earnings will be going to this little girl so she can grow and know that somewhere in the world she is loved not only by us but by a God so big and loving. If you have any questions about sponsorship or want to sponsor a child yourself, please go to Compassion International's website and get connected.
Anyway, so the concert lasted close to two hours and afterward we waited 45 minutes to meet Joel...again. I of course (Holly) just had to ask if he remembered me from Winchester (you can read the entire story here...which you should :) ). Guess what y'all? He did!!! In fact, he gave me a high five and said "Rock on! I can tell that it's been loved." You all, if I could just describe the feeling. alkdsjbzskjdfng!!! The icing on the concert cake was that they opened the show with my FAVORITE song, "To the Dreamers". Give it a listen. You will be encouraged! :)
Like we said, last night was the third time we've seen them this year, and it just blows me away at how much more I fall in love with their music, their message, their stories, every time I see them. I'll say it again: if you have not yet seen them live, you really need to. I'm serious.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Run wild. Live free. Love strong.
Holly and Kelly: Today. one of our favorite bands, for KING & COUNTRY, released their second album. You may have remembered us mentioning them during that one time during the 4th of July concert where Holly ended up with Joel's bracelet and it was kinda awesome. So we've been listening to it...pretty much all day, and there's a monologue towards the end of the record that has just resonated with us so powerfully. We wanted to share it with you all. Take some time to reflect on the words, and please listen to the album if you can (it's on Spotify); really fun music with an awesome message! Be blessed!
Run wild. To risk everything, to hold nothing back, to lay it all on the line: your reputation, your success, your comfort. It's that moment when fear is overcome by faith. Live free. It's not the liberty to do whatever you want, whenever and wherever you want, but rather, it's living in accordance with the author of humanity, and finding freedom by connecting with the Creator who conceived you. Let the light flood into your eyes for the first time, feeling the blood course through your veins, finding the truest version of yourself by knowing the One who knows you even better than you know yourself. Love strong. Because you were first loved. Because without love, we all perish. Because the earth and the stars can and will pass away, but love; love will always remain.
Run wild. To risk everything, to hold nothing back, to lay it all on the line: your reputation, your success, your comfort. It's that moment when fear is overcome by faith. Live free. It's not the liberty to do whatever you want, whenever and wherever you want, but rather, it's living in accordance with the author of humanity, and finding freedom by connecting with the Creator who conceived you. Let the light flood into your eyes for the first time, feeling the blood course through your veins, finding the truest version of yourself by knowing the One who knows you even better than you know yourself. Love strong. Because you were first loved. Because without love, we all perish. Because the earth and the stars can and will pass away, but love; love will always remain.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Living life with no desire, not a flame but a fire.
Kelly: This morning, the two of us were presented with an opportunity to possibly fill a need in our church that several of us feel has not been met. For quite some time now, it's been under the assumption that this need has been "taken care of" and that others are doing something about it. In other words, there really isn't a clear direction. Anyway, more on that later, but that's what's been going on. What inspired this tidbit of possibly new direction was this morning at church. In today's day and age, we are all circling in our own orbits of day after day life, wondering how we're going to live for ourselves. Seriously, it's true. Even I myself am guilty of it. But how often do we think about those around us? I know that even in my line of work, when I walk out the door my mind is wondering of how I'm going to spend my next few days off.
It's no secret that we love helping people. I've dabbled into different volunteer opportunities for a while, but after a short amount of time found it wasn't my niche or the other volunteers were often gossiping about things not getting done or were sometimes judgmental towards those who came in. I witnessed this while at a food bank as a volunteer, and removed myself from there because it was a place I felt I did not or should not be mixed into. Hard to show the love of God when the majority are acting in ways that are the complete opposite of such. I have been praying for a while to find ways to use my time off in other ways other than myself; tired of being selfish let's just say. And then this opportunity came up. I don't know what kind of fruit this will produce; hopefully good but again, all in God's will and in His perfect plan. The title of today's post is derived from the words of a song by Matthew West titled "Do Something." Listen to it if you want a good encouraging message and a reminder of our duty as Christians. It's up to us; nobody else is going to take care of it. If not us then who? If not now then when?
Holly: I read a status on Facebook a while back from a young mother, claiming that she hated every single thing about being a parent, yet she loved her child (I really wish I was making this up). Part of this rationale was that this person believed that we as humans were entitled to being selfish. I could not disagree with this more.
I might get some flack for this statement, but I believe it to be true, completely regardless of whether or not you are a Christian: Life is not about you. There. I said it. I think, as a Christian, or even as a decent human being, we ought to be seeking out ways to serve others, instead of attempting to fulfill our own desires. Guys, I am far from a pristine example of this. I still am learning, but it is only by the grace of God that I can keep trying. Something that struck me especially from the sermon today (which we've heard before) is that we waste so much time on trivial, meaningless things. We compartmentalize ourselves, turn ourselves into islands with our Netflix and our iPhones and we just completely miss the point. Again, Guilty. As. Charged. Things are just that....things. Things don't last. Period. One of my favorite passages of Scripture comes from 2 Corinthians 4: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
As Kelly mentioned, we have an opportunity at our feet that, right now, we aren't sure of much. It's still in the planning stages, but we are praying for God's will and direction, confirmation that this is what He wants to do. He knows our hearts and our desires. At least for me, one of the goals is that we will reach out to those in need, that we will open our homes and our hearts, and that we will bring them to Jesus. That's the main goal: Jesus. Because I still think life isn't about us.
If not us, then who?
If not me and you right now, it's time for us to do something!
If not now, then when?
Will we see an end to all this pain?
It's not enough to do nothing. It's time for us to do something!
We are the salt of the earth, we are a city on a hill
We're never going to change the world by standing still
It's no secret that we love helping people. I've dabbled into different volunteer opportunities for a while, but after a short amount of time found it wasn't my niche or the other volunteers were often gossiping about things not getting done or were sometimes judgmental towards those who came in. I witnessed this while at a food bank as a volunteer, and removed myself from there because it was a place I felt I did not or should not be mixed into. Hard to show the love of God when the majority are acting in ways that are the complete opposite of such. I have been praying for a while to find ways to use my time off in other ways other than myself; tired of being selfish let's just say. And then this opportunity came up. I don't know what kind of fruit this will produce; hopefully good but again, all in God's will and in His perfect plan. The title of today's post is derived from the words of a song by Matthew West titled "Do Something." Listen to it if you want a good encouraging message and a reminder of our duty as Christians. It's up to us; nobody else is going to take care of it. If not us then who? If not now then when?
Holly: I read a status on Facebook a while back from a young mother, claiming that she hated every single thing about being a parent, yet she loved her child (I really wish I was making this up). Part of this rationale was that this person believed that we as humans were entitled to being selfish. I could not disagree with this more.
I might get some flack for this statement, but I believe it to be true, completely regardless of whether or not you are a Christian: Life is not about you. There. I said it. I think, as a Christian, or even as a decent human being, we ought to be seeking out ways to serve others, instead of attempting to fulfill our own desires. Guys, I am far from a pristine example of this. I still am learning, but it is only by the grace of God that I can keep trying. Something that struck me especially from the sermon today (which we've heard before) is that we waste so much time on trivial, meaningless things. We compartmentalize ourselves, turn ourselves into islands with our Netflix and our iPhones and we just completely miss the point. Again, Guilty. As. Charged. Things are just that....things. Things don't last. Period. One of my favorite passages of Scripture comes from 2 Corinthians 4: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
As Kelly mentioned, we have an opportunity at our feet that, right now, we aren't sure of much. It's still in the planning stages, but we are praying for God's will and direction, confirmation that this is what He wants to do. He knows our hearts and our desires. At least for me, one of the goals is that we will reach out to those in need, that we will open our homes and our hearts, and that we will bring them to Jesus. That's the main goal: Jesus. Because I still think life isn't about us.
If not us, then who?
If not me and you right now, it's time for us to do something!
If not now, then when?
Will we see an end to all this pain?
It's not enough to do nothing. It's time for us to do something!
We are the salt of the earth, we are a city on a hill
We're never going to change the world by standing still
Saturday, July 5, 2014
The Bracelet
Holly: Warning: this is not your typical 4th of July post about cook-out food, fireworks, etc. Although I'm pretty sure I did eat my weight in horrendously unhealthy textbook "fair food", which may or may not have included cheese-smothered fries, kettle corn, and a rough half of a funnel cake and...I'll just stop now.
No, today, this 4th of July post is about this.
No, today, this 4th of July post is about this.
So this is a bracelet that bears two words on it: Respect and Honor. Part of the festivities last night included seeing for KING & COUNTRY in concert. They're a Christian rock duo from Australia, and they've only been around for a couple of years or so. I will just say that if you haven't seem them yet, you are missing out. Those Aussies sure do know how to put on a show! P.S. For any of you fans into more classic CCM music, they're the brothers of Rebecca St. James.
Anyway, they had just finished a few songs, and Joel, one of the band members, jhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhcgfv (pardon the Yoda interruption) was talking about relationships, and how they are all important to all the band members. They're all married. The point of his message was simple: ladies, do not let ANYONE treat you as second-best; we ought to be treated as the priceless jewels that we are, especially in the eyes of God. And men ought to treat women with respect and honor. All the band members wore these bracelets too, in addition to a necklace in the shape of a penny with the word "Priceless" stamped onto it. He also said that our society has ingrained women to be cheap, as cheap as a penny (that's where the necklaces come in). Towards the end Joel said "You know what, there's a special someone I'm going to give this to right now." What happened next I will never forget: He got off the stage, took off the bracelet, and handed it to me.
Yes. Me.
And that's the end of the story, guys. We stood in line and met them again. I told him I didn't have anything for him to sign, I just wanted to give him a hug and thank him. So I did.
Kelly: And of course while this was all going on last night, I was standing beside her ugly crying. Because that's what I do. I ugly cry when something awesome, really happy or sad happens. And last night was awesome. Truly. The end. Probably one of the best 4th of July holidays I've ever had. Not to mention the band MIKESCHAIR opened; let's give them some love too! Turns out I knew more of their songs than I thought. Plus they favorited one of my tweets :) While we waiting in line to meet them (again), I found myself thinking; I was supposed to be at work yesterday. But I put in a day off to see these guys again and missed getting paid time and a half, which means my regular hourly pay plus if I worked a half a day. So quite a bit. But it was totally worth it, and I'd do it again. The last few weeks at work have been incredibly stressful and emotionally draining at times, more than usual. I've been all over the place and have been struggling with fine tuning my purpose in what I'm doing there. Not thinking about leaving by any means, but let's just say I really needed last night. It's not over yet, according to one of their songs.
I really don't have much to add, but I will close with this. I don't know what's going on in your all's lives right now. But I do hope that this story encouraged you or at least made you smile. That's why we share stories like this, not only for us but for you all too. I hope you remember that in God's eyes you are precious and are more valuable than anything. It's ok to feel discouraged, frustrated, worried and pissed off, but just remember who holds the key to being redeemed from anything that is trying to tear you down. God is good all the time. And remember, there's always hope.
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| MIKESCHAIR! They were a great opener! :) |
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| Rest are for KING & COUNTRY. Enjoy! :) |
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| Best picture ever! |
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| Photobombing the concert! :D |
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| We're all singing "Amazing Grace" here, by the light of our phones. An incredible moment! |
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| Cheers!! |
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| Because it ain't the 4th without fireworks! |
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| Holly with Joel :) |
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| Kelly with Joel :) |
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
30 Days of Doctor Who: Favorite Music
Holly and Kelly: So technically, today is supposed to be favorite theme song, but that's silly, because this show has AWESOME music. Seriously. That's one of the things we love about this show. Instead of the theme music, we are going to sample some of our favorite tracks from the show, since you only hear the theme for all of 30 seconds when the credits roll.
1. Abide With Me/The Old Rugged Cross
~This is heard in season 3 in one of our favorite episodes "Gridlock". A seemingly hopeless situation (drivers stuck in a decades long traffic jam, trapped in an under city) show hope in their new home, and this song is heard being sung by the city as the Doctor tells Martha of his fallen home planet, Gallifrey. The track is called "Abide With Me." Below is an earlier scene from the same episode; again, everyone is trapped in the gridlock. But hope resounds in song, or in this case, a hymn. It's really quite beautiful
Since Rose is our favorite companion, naturally we love her "theme" as well. Beautiful, yet with a hint of sadness. Even though it nearly destroyed us at the end of "Doomsday", we think it suits Rose perfectly. Give it a listen.
This is in "The End of Time". And I'll just stop there.
We fell in love with Amy and Rory, hard, so it goes without saying that we were not really looking forward to "The Angels Take Manhattan". The scene where you hear this track is unbelievably powerful...how far would you go for the one you love?
We have just recently begun Clara's run as companion, and there is something different about her as one. One thing that is different is her "theme." It's very whimsical and unlike the other themes. I (Kelly) think it's cute and want it played at my wedding :)
And we saved our favorite two for last...
In the episode that this song plays in, The 11th Doctor delivers one of the most epic speeches in which he shares his gifts and burdens as a Time Lord who has lived for almost a Century. This speech is given as an attempt to deter a vicious beast from destroying an innocent race. It's amazing.
This song still remains our favorite song from Doctor Who. It is heard in Season 4 after a great war has come to an end, and The Doctor, along with his 6 companions are guiding ol' Mother Earth back where she belongs. But what you don't understand is that it just isn't just a song of freedom; it's a song of so much more. It's a song of hope, inspiration, and of course freedom, but a freedom of fear, worry, despair and hopelessness. You feel empowered after you listen to it, seriously!
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Debunking the stigmas
Holly: It's not much of a surprise that society tends to put people into "boxes". You have your haves and have-nots, your loners and social butterflies, your twenty-somethings and your elderly, your single people and your couples...you get the idea. Then there's us. We're more on the "haves" side of things, we fit somewhere in between loner and social butterfly, we're both single, and we're both in our 20s. We're also Christians.
I've seen a lot of stigmas associated with being a Christian. I'm sure you have too. "Christians don't know how to have fun." (Whatever that means, anyway. I guarantee my definition of "fun" and your definition are totally different). "Christians think everyone's going to hell." "Christians only listen to Christian music and don't watch movies with swearing or sex or any of that stuff." "Christians are so hypocritical." "Christians don't drink or smoke or any of that." "Christians are so judgmental." "Christians think everything is BAD!" You get the idea, right?
I'm going to debunk ALL of these by saying that they're all full of crap. Last night, Kelly and I went and saw "The World's End" in theaters. I will be the first to say that it's filthy. There's a lot of bad language and a lot of inappropriate-ness. However, we saw it anyway. Why? Because it's JUST A MOVIE. It's not like Kelly and I are going to suddenly embark on a mile-long pub crawl. No. And that's where I debunk all of these stigmas. Movies, tv shows, books, etc, things that are "questionable" are merely in this world for the sole purpose of entertainment. It's just a movie. It's just a book. They're not real. There's a quote from Facing the Giants in which someone asks "So you think God cares about football?" The rebuttal is that God cares about our faith. We can indulge in a totally stupid and funny 2 hour movie and keep our integrity in check. Watching a movie is not a sin. As for music...give me Mumford and Sons any day of the week.
Kelly: I remember at the first church I attended when I was about 8 years old. As you all know, Harry Potter had just come out and was starting to get well known. Holly and I were in our Sunday School class and our Sunday School teacher was very anti-Harry Potter because of the magic, witchcraft and wizardry that obviously happens. She blatantly said that Harry Potter was a sin. I remember going home and being very upset because I was thinking about reading it but because of what she said I didn't. Maybe that's why we waited so long to read them...anyway.
Last night, like she said, Holly and I enjoyed an R rated movie. I also have been known to enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage. (Bear in mind I said OCCASIONAL). I think what it just boils down to is ignorance. Just because we carry the name of Christ doesn't mean we're these sheltered, Bible-thumping fire and brimstone kind of people. No. When I was in Scotland 2 summers ago, I was the oldest in my apartment and my roommates were into that kind of party scene that included bar-hopping and the such. I am not really into that. Never have been. I remember I was in the kitchen making dinner and after repeatedly declining their invitations one girl asked me if I was a Christian. I said that I was. She then asked "oh so you don't drink because you're a Christian?" I'm going to use a Martin Freeman picture again to express my frustration then and now.
I've seen a lot of stigmas associated with being a Christian. I'm sure you have too. "Christians don't know how to have fun." (Whatever that means, anyway. I guarantee my definition of "fun" and your definition are totally different). "Christians think everyone's going to hell." "Christians only listen to Christian music and don't watch movies with swearing or sex or any of that stuff." "Christians are so hypocritical." "Christians don't drink or smoke or any of that." "Christians are so judgmental." "Christians think everything is BAD!" You get the idea, right?
I'm going to debunk ALL of these by saying that they're all full of crap. Last night, Kelly and I went and saw "The World's End" in theaters. I will be the first to say that it's filthy. There's a lot of bad language and a lot of inappropriate-ness. However, we saw it anyway. Why? Because it's JUST A MOVIE. It's not like Kelly and I are going to suddenly embark on a mile-long pub crawl. No. And that's where I debunk all of these stigmas. Movies, tv shows, books, etc, things that are "questionable" are merely in this world for the sole purpose of entertainment. It's just a movie. It's just a book. They're not real. There's a quote from Facing the Giants in which someone asks "So you think God cares about football?" The rebuttal is that God cares about our faith. We can indulge in a totally stupid and funny 2 hour movie and keep our integrity in check. Watching a movie is not a sin. As for music...give me Mumford and Sons any day of the week.
Kelly: I remember at the first church I attended when I was about 8 years old. As you all know, Harry Potter had just come out and was starting to get well known. Holly and I were in our Sunday School class and our Sunday School teacher was very anti-Harry Potter because of the magic, witchcraft and wizardry that obviously happens. She blatantly said that Harry Potter was a sin. I remember going home and being very upset because I was thinking about reading it but because of what she said I didn't. Maybe that's why we waited so long to read them...anyway.
Last night, like she said, Holly and I enjoyed an R rated movie. I also have been known to enjoy the occasional alcoholic beverage. (Bear in mind I said OCCASIONAL). I think what it just boils down to is ignorance. Just because we carry the name of Christ doesn't mean we're these sheltered, Bible-thumping fire and brimstone kind of people. No. When I was in Scotland 2 summers ago, I was the oldest in my apartment and my roommates were into that kind of party scene that included bar-hopping and the such. I am not really into that. Never have been. I remember I was in the kitchen making dinner and after repeatedly declining their invitations one girl asked me if I was a Christian. I said that I was. She then asked "oh so you don't drink because you're a Christian?" I'm going to use a Martin Freeman picture again to express my frustration then and now.
Again, I think it just boils down to ignorance. It's frustrating. So if anyone out there asks me how I spent my weekend, please please PLEASE do not gasp and be all flabbergasted if I reply that I went and had a drink with my friends. I believe there is absolutely nothing wrong with alcohol and R-rated movies. It's just if we let the drinking go farther than our limits and we start behaving in the way that R-rated movies sometimes are, then that in my opinion is when they can become problematic. Yet again there's another struggle, because today's culture is immersed with this type of behavior ALL the time. More often than not these types of behaviors are just casual, brushed off with "oops it just happened" or "oh it's ok. I'll clean up better next time." Now I ain't trying to preach, but it seems to me that the line between right and wrong has been so blurred in the past few years or so. And let's face it, our society has become so accepting of basically just a "doing it your way" type of lifestyle. Hey, that's great and all, but in my world living for myself is too small a thing to live for. God made me as the person that I am today; I think I owe it to Him to take care of this vessel He made in me. He's built something in my head that started young, because I've never been one to follow with what is "right" in today's world. So in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy what I enjoy and live my best for God. That's all any of us can do really.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
30 Days of Writing: 5 weird things you like
Kelly: These may not be weird things, but they might be things that you all don't like. But I do! :D
1. Pickles. ANY kind. I love them ALL!!! It's sort of unnatural.
2. A clean kitchen. Seriously. I don't even go to bed until the kitchen is clean.
3. Porches. I get massive porch envy when I go to people's houses. The big wrap-around ones are my favorite! That's the kind I want when I eventually get my own house. We have a wee porch at our place but no furniture (may all checks payable to H and K Porch furniture fund)
4. Sushi. Yes the California Rolls and goodies you get at the grocery store but also the REAL stuff! As in raw fish and everything (Koto in Richmond has it). Don't knock it until you try it; it's actually really good!
5. Vanilla. I love the smell!!!!!!!! It's my favorite. And I like vanilla cake over chocolate, which is unusual because I am a chocolate fiend!
Holly: Don't even ask me to explain some of these. I just can't. :P
1. Clean clothes. I love folding clothes because I love how they smell and feel. I mean, who doesn't love going to bed in a flowery field?
2. The smell of gas. Don't ask why.
3. Having songs on my iPod versus entire albums. I have 350ish songs on my iPod. None of them are entire albums. Most of the time when I buy a CD or something there's always a few songs that don't really roll with me like the rest. If you don't like the song, why put it on your iPod?
4. Accents. Mostly European ones. See basically any movie with a British or Irish dude and you'll see why.
5. Reese Cups. This is weird because I can't stand peanut butter.
1. Pickles. ANY kind. I love them ALL!!! It's sort of unnatural.
2. A clean kitchen. Seriously. I don't even go to bed until the kitchen is clean.
3. Porches. I get massive porch envy when I go to people's houses. The big wrap-around ones are my favorite! That's the kind I want when I eventually get my own house. We have a wee porch at our place but no furniture (may all checks payable to H and K Porch furniture fund)
4. Sushi. Yes the California Rolls and goodies you get at the grocery store but also the REAL stuff! As in raw fish and everything (Koto in Richmond has it). Don't knock it until you try it; it's actually really good!
5. Vanilla. I love the smell!!!!!!!! It's my favorite. And I like vanilla cake over chocolate, which is unusual because I am a chocolate fiend!
Holly: Don't even ask me to explain some of these. I just can't. :P
1. Clean clothes. I love folding clothes because I love how they smell and feel. I mean, who doesn't love going to bed in a flowery field?
2. The smell of gas. Don't ask why.
3. Having songs on my iPod versus entire albums. I have 350ish songs on my iPod. None of them are entire albums. Most of the time when I buy a CD or something there's always a few songs that don't really roll with me like the rest. If you don't like the song, why put it on your iPod?
4. Accents. Mostly European ones. See basically any movie with a British or Irish dude and you'll see why.
5. Reese Cups. This is weird because I can't stand peanut butter.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
30 Days of Writing- First 10 songs on shuffle
Kelly:
1. Love (with Watoto Children's Choir)-Chris Tomlin
2. The Universal-The Royal Philharmonic
3. Solsbury Hill-Vitamin String Quartet
4. Anywhere Is-Enya
5. Fountain of Youth-4HIM
6. That's When The Angels Rejoice-The Penny Loafers (!!!)
7. These Are the Days-Sugarland
8. Shine-Newsboys (!!!!!)
9. Dreaming of Bag End-Howard Shore (Yes....I have The Hobbit soundtrack on my iPod)
10. Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)-Chris Tomlin
Holly:
1. My Hope is in You- Aaron Shust
2. Be Thou Near to Me- Selah
3. Eight Days a Week- The Beatles
4. Freedom- Michael W. Smith
5. Your Love- Brandon Heath
6. Remind Me Who I Am- Jason Gray
7. The Captain- Kasey Chambers
8. I Have a Hope- Tommy Walker
9. Only You- Yaz
10. Here Goes- Bebo Norman
Little bit o' errythang! :P
1. Love (with Watoto Children's Choir)-Chris Tomlin
2. The Universal-The Royal Philharmonic
3. Solsbury Hill-Vitamin String Quartet
4. Anywhere Is-Enya
5. Fountain of Youth-4HIM
6. That's When The Angels Rejoice-The Penny Loafers (!!!)
7. These Are the Days-Sugarland
8. Shine-Newsboys (!!!!!)
9. Dreaming of Bag End-Howard Shore (Yes....I have The Hobbit soundtrack on my iPod)
10. Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies)-Chris Tomlin
Holly:
1. My Hope is in You- Aaron Shust
2. Be Thou Near to Me- Selah
3. Eight Days a Week- The Beatles
4. Freedom- Michael W. Smith
5. Your Love- Brandon Heath
6. Remind Me Who I Am- Jason Gray
7. The Captain- Kasey Chambers
8. I Have a Hope- Tommy Walker
9. Only You- Yaz
10. Here Goes- Bebo Norman
Little bit o' errythang! :P
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
30 Days of Writing: Your views on mainstream music
Kelly: For the most part, I don't listen to mainstream music anymore. It's not what it used to be, and to be honest 99.9% of the time I find it disgusting to listen to. I can barely get through a mainstream radio station without lyrics involving sex, taking clothes off, "bumping a ho" or whatever. HACK!!! And then the rest of it I find to be just obnoxious. Yet this is what young children are "into" these days; as for me I like K-LOVE and Air1. Much safer and definitely friendlier on the ears! :)
When I think about the type of music I listened to while growing up, I think about what my dad would play. Bob Marley, Dire Straits, Steve Miller Band, all those. Then of course I listened to N'SYNC and Backstreet Boys as a kid. And now? Now we've got "Beliebers," Nicki Minaj (uh...REALLY?!) and in my opinion just really gross and distasteful music. It makes me wonder why this paradigm shift of music has occurred. Who started it?!
Holly: In general, I'm not a fan. Granted, I do work at Old Navy and hear the same obnoxious pop music about 389230 times a week, so it's hard for it not to get stuck in your head. I do have a playlist on Spotify with music such as this; call it a "guilty pleasure", if you will. But most of what we hear now on the radio is either screechy (as my mom would say), involves artists that do nothing but autotune themselves, nothing but the same words over and over and over again, has so much bass that you practically go deaf, or every word is "eff this", n-word that, ho this, "bumpin' and grindin'"....I mean, KIDS listen to this stuff! I'm horrified by some of the stuff I hear on mainstream stations. Horrified.
I prefer to listen to Christian music. And no, it's not just because I'm a Christian, although that is a part of it. I prefer it because it's uplifting, it's encouraging, it makes me happy and want to sing along to praise God...it's a booster shot, if you will. :) Now don't get me wrong, I do have some mainstream stuff on my iPod, but in general, I will listen to Christian music. Or acoustic-y, guitar-y, pretty stuff. Give me Mumford and Sons or Chris Tomlin any day of the week!
When I think about the type of music I listened to while growing up, I think about what my dad would play. Bob Marley, Dire Straits, Steve Miller Band, all those. Then of course I listened to N'SYNC and Backstreet Boys as a kid. And now? Now we've got "Beliebers," Nicki Minaj (uh...REALLY?!) and in my opinion just really gross and distasteful music. It makes me wonder why this paradigm shift of music has occurred. Who started it?!
Holly: In general, I'm not a fan. Granted, I do work at Old Navy and hear the same obnoxious pop music about 389230 times a week, so it's hard for it not to get stuck in your head. I do have a playlist on Spotify with music such as this; call it a "guilty pleasure", if you will. But most of what we hear now on the radio is either screechy (as my mom would say), involves artists that do nothing but autotune themselves, nothing but the same words over and over and over again, has so much bass that you practically go deaf, or every word is "eff this", n-word that, ho this, "bumpin' and grindin'"....I mean, KIDS listen to this stuff! I'm horrified by some of the stuff I hear on mainstream stations. Horrified.
I prefer to listen to Christian music. And no, it's not just because I'm a Christian, although that is a part of it. I prefer it because it's uplifting, it's encouraging, it makes me happy and want to sing along to praise God...it's a booster shot, if you will. :) Now don't get me wrong, I do have some mainstream stuff on my iPod, but in general, I will listen to Christian music. Or acoustic-y, guitar-y, pretty stuff. Give me Mumford and Sons or Chris Tomlin any day of the week!
Thursday, January 17, 2013
"Dwarf" Invasion
Holly and Kelly: We are still deep in the trenches of the Hobbit fandemonium, so imagine our utter giddiness when we stumbled across this gem of musical happiness. If it doesn't make you laugh (which it does for us, on many occasions) then we hope it will, at the very least, bring a smile to your face.
The band is from Wellington, NZ, by the way.
The band is from Wellington, NZ, by the way.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
A Dog's Perspective (Really Makes You Think...)
Holly: So there is this country (1/2 of this blogging duo has been there!)
Where there is this band
Which features this guy
Whom you probably recognize as Pippin from Lord of the Rings
Anyway (ha, that was fun!), Kelly and I stumbled across them recently and while Kelly was busy being all student and stuff, I listened to their most recent album. Which opens with the track below. But it isn't a song. It's a monologue, written from the perspective of (I'm going to assume...) a dog. I had to listen to it a couple of times to get all the words, but for some reason it really made me think. It's poetic, almost...poetry. What do you think?
*P.S. I copied these words by ear, so I apologize if they aren't completely correct*
"Dog's Waltz"
I dreamt I was a dog
Running through pale through the long wet grass
Enjoying every moment as it came and went
Not a second of my existence spent worrying about a future I knew nothing about
I laid panting on some cool concrete
And watched the humans busily rushing back and forth, shouting, crying, laughing in a language I didn't understand
Trying to stick to the five-year plans
Buying and selling, hoping their second house investment was a good one
Fighting wars for oil or land, or because their God is a better God, a vengeful God, the only God
And I close my eyes...
When I wake, I find a stick
And I busy myself throwing it around, enjoying the stick for all that it is
Then I see another dog with a better stick, and I think "I might fight him for it"
Maybe I'm evolving
Where there is this band
Which features this guy
Whom you probably recognize as Pippin from Lord of the Rings
Anyway (ha, that was fun!), Kelly and I stumbled across them recently and while Kelly was busy being all student and stuff, I listened to their most recent album. Which opens with the track below. But it isn't a song. It's a monologue, written from the perspective of (I'm going to assume...) a dog. I had to listen to it a couple of times to get all the words, but for some reason it really made me think. It's poetic, almost...poetry. What do you think?
*P.S. I copied these words by ear, so I apologize if they aren't completely correct*
"Dog's Waltz"
I dreamt I was a dog
Running through pale through the long wet grass
Enjoying every moment as it came and went
Not a second of my existence spent worrying about a future I knew nothing about
I laid panting on some cool concrete
And watched the humans busily rushing back and forth, shouting, crying, laughing in a language I didn't understand
Trying to stick to the five-year plans
Buying and selling, hoping their second house investment was a good one
Fighting wars for oil or land, or because their God is a better God, a vengeful God, the only God
And I close my eyes...
When I wake, I find a stick
And I busy myself throwing it around, enjoying the stick for all that it is
Then I see another dog with a better stick, and I think "I might fight him for it"
Maybe I'm evolving
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Top Ten Tunage
Holly: So Kelly and I were inspired by this:
http://twopaddocks.com/team-tunes.shtml#BenedictCumberbatch
Yes, it's Mr. C. Sue us. But we were browsing through the rest of the lists and we just kept thinking, what would be OUR top ten songs?? So here they are (these are in no particular order):
1. Who You Are- Unspoken
I first heard this song on a radio station I don't normally listen to, and the words just really spoke to me. It just resonated with me that no matter how far gone you go, God is still there.
2. Holland Road- Mumford and Sons
Ok, essentially ANYTHING by them is good, just very recently got into them and love their music, their instrumentation, etc. But the rhythms and driving melody is just...aah! My ears are happy. And the words are really powerful.
3. Can't Stop Loving You- Phil Collins
Like Mumford, I'm a huge Phil Collins fan. HUGE. It's very hard to find a song by him that I don't like. But this is just one of the most beautiful love songs in existence, in my opinion. If I ever get married I will play this song.
4. Solsbury Hill- Peter Gabriel
Just makes me think about life, memories, good times.
5. River- Enya
I listen to this if I can't think of anything to listen to. Beautiful music.
6. No Not One- Brandon Heath
Probably one of my favorite songs ever. Great reminder of God and His love and power.
7. Tonight is the Night- Outasight
Don't judge. Makes me want to dance.
8. Ticket to Ride- The Beatles
Catchy.
9. Hide- Scott Grimes
Yes, Dr. Morris on ER can sing. And he does it well.
10. Into the West- Annie Lennox
Still gives me chills to this day. Hauntingly beautiful.
Kelly: (my list changes daily. I love all kinds of music)
1. Caledonia-Celtic Woman.
I first heard this song when I was in the Highlands last summer in Scotland. It's a beautiful song about making a return journey home. There are many versions of this song; I just like Celtic Woman's the best :]
2. Broken Crown-Mumford & Sons
There are a few explicit words in this song, but a friend of mine pointed out how much passion there is in it. There really is. Just listen to the words. And the music is terrific too
3. The Memory of Trees-Enya
This song...is so beautiful. I love a lot of Enya's work, but after a long day this song is so relaxing.
4. One Thing Remains-Kristian Stanfill
Just a reminder that God's love is always with us. It never fails, never gives up, and it never runs out. Power! What power! Currently playing on repeat
5. All This Time-Britt Nicole
I call this my theme song. For real. Sometimes I forget that God has been there walking beside me through the hard times. And He still is!
6. Voice in the Wilderness-David Nevue
Found this song through Pandora. It's gorgeous! I love calm piano music, mostly hymns.
7. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)-The Proclaimers
I just always want to get up and start dancing when I hear this song. I play it after I get something done and want to celebrate. Plus, they're twins...from Scotland! :D
8. Joy to the World-Hillsong
Yes, yes. I know it's a Christmas song. But it's my favorite arrangement of said song. Take a listen.
9. Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da: The Beatles
Because it's awesome. That's why!
10. Free-Dara Maclean.
Another whoop whoop song! Just got introduced to this not too long ago. Such true words! Great for walking early in the morning. :]
Let us know what you like or what you like on this list! Cheers!
http://twopaddocks.com/team-tunes.shtml#BenedictCumberbatch
Yes, it's Mr. C. Sue us. But we were browsing through the rest of the lists and we just kept thinking, what would be OUR top ten songs?? So here they are (these are in no particular order):
1. Who You Are- Unspoken
I first heard this song on a radio station I don't normally listen to, and the words just really spoke to me. It just resonated with me that no matter how far gone you go, God is still there.
2. Holland Road- Mumford and Sons
Ok, essentially ANYTHING by them is good, just very recently got into them and love their music, their instrumentation, etc. But the rhythms and driving melody is just...aah! My ears are happy. And the words are really powerful.
3. Can't Stop Loving You- Phil Collins
Like Mumford, I'm a huge Phil Collins fan. HUGE. It's very hard to find a song by him that I don't like. But this is just one of the most beautiful love songs in existence, in my opinion. If I ever get married I will play this song.
4. Solsbury Hill- Peter Gabriel
Just makes me think about life, memories, good times.
5. River- Enya
I listen to this if I can't think of anything to listen to. Beautiful music.
6. No Not One- Brandon Heath
Probably one of my favorite songs ever. Great reminder of God and His love and power.
7. Tonight is the Night- Outasight
Don't judge. Makes me want to dance.
8. Ticket to Ride- The Beatles
Catchy.
9. Hide- Scott Grimes
Yes, Dr. Morris on ER can sing. And he does it well.
10. Into the West- Annie Lennox
Still gives me chills to this day. Hauntingly beautiful.
Kelly: (my list changes daily. I love all kinds of music)
1. Caledonia-Celtic Woman.
I first heard this song when I was in the Highlands last summer in Scotland. It's a beautiful song about making a return journey home. There are many versions of this song; I just like Celtic Woman's the best :]
2. Broken Crown-Mumford & Sons
There are a few explicit words in this song, but a friend of mine pointed out how much passion there is in it. There really is. Just listen to the words. And the music is terrific too
3. The Memory of Trees-Enya
This song...is so beautiful. I love a lot of Enya's work, but after a long day this song is so relaxing.
4. One Thing Remains-Kristian Stanfill
Just a reminder that God's love is always with us. It never fails, never gives up, and it never runs out. Power! What power! Currently playing on repeat
5. All This Time-Britt Nicole
I call this my theme song. For real. Sometimes I forget that God has been there walking beside me through the hard times. And He still is!
6. Voice in the Wilderness-David Nevue
Found this song through Pandora. It's gorgeous! I love calm piano music, mostly hymns.
7. I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)-The Proclaimers
I just always want to get up and start dancing when I hear this song. I play it after I get something done and want to celebrate. Plus, they're twins...from Scotland! :D
8. Joy to the World-Hillsong
Yes, yes. I know it's a Christmas song. But it's my favorite arrangement of said song. Take a listen.
9. Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da: The Beatles
Because it's awesome. That's why!
10. Free-Dara Maclean.
Another whoop whoop song! Just got introduced to this not too long ago. Such true words! Great for walking early in the morning. :]
Let us know what you like or what you like on this list! Cheers!
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