Things we learned in September

Sister dates can still happen even when they are 2 hours apart: Holly took a vacation day to hang out in the Tri-State area with Kelly towards the end of the month. We spent the weekend watching Jeopardy, treating ourselves to coffee and donuts in the park, shopping until we (nearly) dropped, Cold Stone and pizza...oh, and a small little concert with Jonny Diaz and Chris August! :)

Shew- not too shabby for Kelly having a 15+ hour day and Holly working 8 hours + 2.5 hours of driving!

Even though we're April babies...HELLOOOOOOOOOOOO fall!!!!! 

Holly learned, in relation to giving blood that if you eat a Papa Burger approximately 40 minutes before hand and drink 96 (yes, 96) ounces of water from morning until your donation time, you will be good to go! 

Cooking for one is an adventure in and of itself: Yes to leftovers! How did we ever manage without them?

It's a shorty! What did you learn? (Better late than never, eh?) 

Mrs. Lonely

Kelly: For the past couple of weeks, I have embarked on a new career path 2 hours away from Richmond. I have thoroughly enjoyed my job and getting to know those I am working with. The work has been fun, challenging and a great opportunity for me to expand on a very rewarding and promising career. The biggest adjustment I have had to make thus far is living on my own. For most of my life, I have lived with Holly or in close proximity to her (there was one year in college where we lived in the same dorm but 3 doors down from each other with separate roommates). Even when I was abroad in Scotland, I still lived with roommates. So really, this is the first time in my life where I've truly lived on my own. For the most part I can say I've enjoyed it. I'm really learning a lot about myself as an individual and this has been a great opportunity for me to be accountable and responsible, and I think I've done pretty well. There have been some things I miss though about living with someone, and sometimes the feeling of loneliness can get pretty overwhelming. 

That was the case last night. Holly was up here visiting me for a few days, and when I came home from work last night, my apartment was empty. Remnants of her presence were still there, and I instantly thought about how much fun we had over the past 2 days....and I broke down. And she called me, after not hearing from her for a while, and I basically went off. I was upset, told her I was upset and just wanted to be upset, and I wanted her to feel what I was feeling. During the conversation, she stopped me and said "Kelly, just stop. We need to pray about this." So that's what I did. I got off the phone with her, and I prayed. I realized that the root of all I was feeling was just loneliness. Plain and simple loneliness. It stinks sometimes, and it sneaks up on you when you're least expecting it, and that's what happened to me last night. After I finished praying, I sat in silence for about a minute, then for some reason felt compelled to go on my Facebook. The first thing that came up on my newsfeed was a picture of a friend of mine and her kids at the movies. And I smiled....widely. I thought about the good times we had shared over the last couple of months, how we've walked alongside each other in Christ, encouraged each other and some of the conversations we've shared, and it made me so happy. It was then I realized that where that happiness came from; God. 

As a Christian single young woman, it seems like there's a lot of pressure for us to learn how to be contented in our singleness. And yeah, for the most part, I am. But there are some days....where that feeling of walking home after a long day of work with no one to share it with really hits me hard. I am still a work in progress, and God has shown me so much about Him in these last 3 weeks that I've been here. I know there's still so much I have to learn, if I'm willing to be open to what He might be trying to show me or tell me. I am so thankful that God is patient, and I don't think I'll ever be able to truly comprehend and acknowledge all that He has done for me. I really am blessed, and sometimes I forget that when I let my feelings take over. One day at a time. Today is better. 

Holly: As I told Kelly via text just a little bit ago, the timing for this could not have been more perfect. I'm a little hesitant to share this, but  here goes: Over the weekend I attended a church event. At one point the crowd had thinned considerably and I was left waiting for my boyfriend to finish tearing down the set/stage from the morning. I waited...and I waited...and I waited some more. And it wasn't too long before this overwhelming feeling of loneliness set in. It didn't make any sense to me; in a good-sized crowd, all gathered together for the sake of glorifying the Lord, I should have felt right at home. But I didn't. At one point I felt very isolated.  Left out. And it hurt.

Later on in the day, after seriously considering going home, I moved spots, where I was able to spend some time in pleasant conversation with a mom I'd recently gotten to know through a small group. It certainly helped to alleviate the feelings from before. But after I'd gotten home and was talking about the day with my boyfriend, at some point, all of the hurt from earlier came to a rise. And I just completely broke. All the while I was silently praying...just for the hurt to go away. After that, I'm not sure what happened, whether it was my prayers or my boyfriend praying too, but I felt better. I soon realized that there is one person that will never, ever leave us to feel isolated, lonely, left out, and that's God. I believe He brought peace into my heart at the exact moment I asked for it.  I believe He did the same to Kelly, just through a different means. Part of my conversation with Kelly a few days ago was a reminder that my boyfriend by himself is not and cannot be the source of my joy. At least full, complete, unconditional joy. That type of joy can ONLY be found in Christ and through Christ based on what He did for us at the cross and what He has done in our lives.

Wrapping up and maybe digressing a little with a bit of a confession: I think the church needs to refocus some of its areas more towards single people. Many ministries are geared towards married couples and families, and I think that's absolutely fantastic. But I don't think I need to throw out hard data and statistics to make a point that number of single people attending church is rising. And sometimes I think they're getting left out of what could be some very valuable opportunities. I think my prolonged period of singleness was beneficial in my now relationship, but I think that, especially for young women, there's a lot of shame in being single. And there shouldn't be at all!

Maybe I should rephrase that last bit: I think we as humans sometimes need to refocus some of our areas towards single people. I would encourage any of you reading this who are married or in a relationship: reach out to one or a few of your single friends. Encourage them in their goals and in their walk with Christ. Show Christ TO them. Remind them that their singleness is to be celebrated, not a problem to be fixed. Let them know that they are loved and treasured. Because when we have that perfect, complete joy in Christ, we are free to be the 100% version of us that we are destined to be. Single or not. Cry out to God in the midst of your loneliness. He is there.

Things we learned in August

There's leaps of faith, then there's shoves of faith: Kelly has stepped into the world of travel nursing! After tiptoeing around the idea for a while and signing on with an agency over a month ago, she has decided to take a chance and make a good positive change in her career. She's been ready to do something else, and though a little anxious about the future, we are both equally excited!

Sister dates are still awesome: We made several last month, including a trip to Lexington to check out a new Good will! What can we say...we're good company? :)

Travel is hard...not just on the traveler: Holly's boyfriend Justin made a trip back home (yes, as in home home to Australia) and his journey back included a delayed and a missed flight, a late night phone call to friends in Louisville, a night of little sleep, and  a round trip drive to Louisville and back. However, we are very thankful for his safe return and for the time he shared with his family.

Wineries are great. Wineries with friends are even better: We had the opportunity to spend a rainy afternoon with dear friends of ours at a winery in Versailles. Oh man...can't recommend it enough. And the company was lovely.

Patience, time and grace: Doctor's visits, a few appointments and Kelly's foot/ankle is starting to heal. It's going to take a lot of time, but it's getting there. There have been some good days and some bad days, but the good days are far outweighing the bad.

There's something for everyone! We introduced two friend to Charming Charlie's, a store in the mall beside Lexington. It's jewelry, purses, shoes, a little bit of clothes and it is fabulous! Each time we took each individual friend we were there over an hour! There's a bit of satisfaction knowing we found something that fits our friend's tastes.


That's all for now! Keep reading and keep learning!

Things we learned in July

Take a break: Sometimes, circumstances in life force you to. The two of us experienced that first hand this past month and learning to deal with sudden changes that resulted in some difficult decisions that had to be made. All is well now and we learned a LOT about patience, humility and not being afraid to speak up and ask for help when needed.

Time doesn't matter: A friend of ours visited at the end of the month for a long weekend and we had a marvelous time. Good food, catching up and picking up right where we left off, and it had been months since we saw each other. But it didn't matter at all!

Trips home are still needed and always enjoyable: We spent the 4th of July weekend in Ohio with our parents. It was a laugh filled weekend with croquet, shuffleboard, a beer or two, photo albums, some much needed rest and too much fun. Plus beautiful weather!! And J came with us as well :)

Balancing act: While we've had friends over and boyfriends (Holly's; Kelly is still available), it's sometimes been difficult to find time just for us. But that's ok; we treasure the time we share together and are continually learning to still carve out time for each other as we navigate these new and exciting endeavors!

Good things are happening all around: A longtime college friend breezed through our neck of the woods on the way to Colorado and stopped for a visit! He's off to do some great things and we are very happy for him and whatever endeavors he chooses to pursue. And as for our shenanigans...it was just like old times.

The game is (still) on: Sometimes you just have to watch the new Sherlock trailer over and over. We've lost count!

Being sick as an adult is not fun: Poor Kelly got stricken with an ear infection later in the month after ignoring it for a little while. Luckily she is on the mend and probably about 99% better.

Small steps of faith are worth taking...again! We were reminded of this one Sunday after hearing a repeat sermon we'd heard back in 2008-2009 as first year college students. The message's relevance was still meaningful, perhaps even more so. God truly has perfect timing.

Good things come to a city who waits: So many exciting eateries and opportunities have come to Berea just within the last couple of months, our favorite being a Thai noodle restaurant, Noodle Nirvana. DEEEEELISH. Check it out if you're in the area!

It pays off (literally): After five years Holly made her final student loan payment this month!! She is now enjoying a life of being debt free at 26. She thanks God and AmeriCorps for that! 

What did you learn last month? P.S. is it just us, or how can it already be August???!

Things we learned in April

New friends: We've had the privilege of making one! It's never too old for anyone, isn't it? Over this past month we've done a few things together, and it was just a time in our lives where we felt God calling us to reach out to this particular person. It's been terrific!

Let's get better: We're both pretty healthy and have been for all our lives, but this month we decided to see for ourselves- that is, make actual, adult doctor's appointments and be more proactive with our health. I (Holly) go tomorrow, even though I'm currently battling cold-like symptoms, and Kelly went earlier in April and, aside from some joint issues, received a clean bill of health :)

Honest conversations and realizations: Sometimes you have to have them, be it for setting the record straight or coming to that conclusion that you just have to let go. It's one of the many ways we grow as humans.

Cars are expensive: Both of us had some unforeseen car issues arise this month that left us needing to pinch pennies for a few days. Be prepared!

Mental illness is real: Our sweet, dear friend bravely shared her struggles with depression in a candid, honest way, because so often these types of conversations are brushed aside. A sobering reminder to always, ALWAYS be kind and considerate to others, because we never really do know what the other is going through. Treat others with compassion, and be grateful for what you have.

Birthdays can still be fun: For the first time since either of us can remember, we rang in 26 out of school, out of home, and actually...out of Kentucky! We spent our birthday weekend in Chicago, where we nearly froze to death, ate way too much, and just cherished the moments we got to spend both together and with Justin.

Those that we hold in our hearts never truly leave us: Our beloved Grandpa passed away on our birthday (April 9) three years ago this year. It's almost every day that something or someone reminds us of him.

Happy b-day from Chicago! 

Things we learned in February

Holly and Kelly: This was an interesting month for us. A lot of growth occurred, and our lessons were few but simple.

Bigger and "more" isn't always best: I (Kelly) had an opportunity come up to apply for a better paying job (still where I work now), with full time hours and weekends off. The catch was it was working with a patient population I really don't care for. After deliberating and deliberating, I decided not to move forward with applying for it and being ok with where I still am. Because I still am ok where I am.

The start of something new: I (Holly) am still new in my recently not being single, and I have learned so much about myself as a partner and what that may look like in the months/years to come. Who knows? God does. I've also learned a lot about who God is and who I am and it's been a very humbling journey.

Good company is easy to come by: We were at Winter Jam and just had a rocking awesome time. The crowd waiting in line was insanely huge, but there will no ill tempers; just a bunch of Jesus loving folks gathering to hear some praise and worship music.

It's ok to just binge: on TV. Case and point; we have THOROUGHLY enjoyed re-watching House of Cards over the past month or so and some change. It's just fun.

Mom visits are still the best: Even when you're 25 years old.

That's all for now. We're about to get ready for our trip to Florida where baseball and a day of beach will be awaiting us this upcoming weekend!!!!

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!

To have or not to have (kiddos/wee ones)

Kelly: DISCLAIMER: WE LOVE OUR MOM FRIENDS AND YOUR CHILDREN! THIS POST HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH "MOM BASHING," OR BRATTY KIDS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. ANYTHING SHARED IN THIS POST IS PURELY OUR OWN THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND CONVERSATIONS THAT THE TWO OF US HAD. SO MOMS AND OUR MOM FRIENDS, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB!!!!! OK???? OK!!!

I am 25 years old. I am a nurse. I love my family, friends, my job and doing what I do. I hope one day that God will give me "the one," and that I will get married and live happily ever after (that's a good one) with my future husband. I pray that I will find a Godly man who loves God first, supports me in whatever I decide and remembers daily the promise he made to me and before God. If/when I meet "the one," this truth I am about to reveal may be a deal breaker, and I've come to terms with that.

I don't want children.

I have absolutely nothing against my mom friends or moms in general, like mentioned in the above disclaimer. Now before you try to say "oh but when you meet the one you'll change your mind," or "when the time is right you'll want them."  I will say thank you and smile. But I'm not going to change my mind; I'm just being honest. And this isn't something that I've thought overnight, no. This has been my way of thinking for years now. Quite a few years. I've honestly just never seen myself becoming a mother. I've never had that desire. Please don't be sad on my behalf, please. I really do like kids. I've enjoyed watching the kids grow up at my church and become mature and responsible young men and women. I enjoyed babysitting in high school (and still do!). I enjoy some of my mom friends sharing their funny stories on Facebook about their kid stories. There are a lot of reasons why I don't want children, and that right now is not the point of this post. Why am I sharing this? What's the point of this? I don't know; this is something that's been weighing on my heart to share for a while now. I honestly don't know why now. But now you know.

And yes, maybe one day I will change my mind. I've always been open to that possibility. And if I do change my mind, I hope to be as great of a mom as my mom is.

Holly: First off, I would like to echo Kelly's statement, and that is do not be sad for her.  There is SO MUCH more to life than having children (Although kids are great and I'm sure they bring fulfillment and joy and all kinds of other stuff to your life) I wouldn't know because we do not have any.

I don't share the same side as Kelly, in the sense that I honestly don't know whether or not I want children. My mind changes often, and it flip flops so much because although I am completely and totally amazed and in awe at the concept of being pregnant and all that comes during and after, it's the after that is just a mind-boggling amount of responsibility that, quite frankly, scares me. There is no room for selfishness. You have to invest hours and hours and hours of time, love, nurturing and sleepless nights with absolutely no idea of the outcome (All you can do is the aforementioned and pray that your child doesn't turn into a total monster).

I hope to be married someday, and when I think about my life with my future husband, I picture us traveling together, sharing life together, doing all the crazy stuff I do with Kelly, together! I love the idea of sharing my life with my "soulmate" and the one that God has intended for me to be with, rather than sharing my life with my "soulmate" and one or two mini "us"es. I guess the bottom line is that I won't be devastated if my husband and I don't have children. But if we do, well then...adventure is out there! :)

There's a whole lot more to our kid conversations, and perhaps we will share those at another time.  Regardless of whether you are a mom or not, let's focus on what is the "right now" in our lives, instead of "what could be" or what someone else has.  You'll find you're a lot more blessed than you think!

4 years and counting...

Kelly: I'm going to tell you all a story.

Once upon a time, there were two twin blondes, who after each of them spending time in Europe, decided to write a blog together. Nothing was really done for a while, just a lot of talk. Finally, they decided to write it, and they called it The H and K Chronicles. They didn't know where this blog would take them or how long they would have it. But here now, 4 years later, and H and K is still going! They are so happy by the fact it's still going and hope for 4 more years and beyond. The End.

4 years! I still can't believe it. Unfortunately this has been a slow year for us and blogging, as we haven't done much. But it's been incredibly busy filled with good and awesome things, and for that we are extremely blessed and grateful! I hope that some of you have been encouraged and blessed by what you have seen us write, because looking back we have been the same way! So once again, thank you! Thank you for sticking with us and journeying on our lives with us. We don't do this for fame, attention and whatnot; we just do it because we enjoy it and we want you all to enjoy too if you wish. So here's to 4 years and hoping for many more!

Holly: Man, times flies when you're having fun!!!

Like Kelly said, this has been a pretty light blogging year for us, and we are sorry about that.  It's just been a whirlwind of a year and sometimes I still feel like I'm trying to catch up! When we started this blog 4 years ago, we didn't have a plan, really. We just decided to keep writing and go with it, and here we are still going with it! I'll admit, there were a few times when we did talk about possibly stopping, just because of life craziness, but we just couldn't. We don't do this for followers, we don't do this to see how many comments we can get, we don't do this to link-up or "get ourselves out there", so to speak.  We do this because we love writing and we love sharing what's going on in our lives with those who care about us (And we've realized that there's A LOT of you, and for that, we are so grateful!!! ^_^ )

It's shaping up to be a pretty exciting rest of the year, so stay tuned, and thanks for hanging out with us these past four years!

August 20, 2011: date of blog launch

August 20, 2012: one year after blog launch

August 21, 2013: two years and one day after blog launch

August 21, 2014: three years and one day after blog launch

August 23, 2015: Taken 4 years and 3 days after launch. 

A Richmond chapter begins

Disclaimer: There is a lot of talk about God in this post.  We believe we can ONLY give the credit to Him! Once you read this, you will see why. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to speak to us privately about them.  Otherwise, enjoy the story, and if you feel inspired, praise with us! :)

H: Wednesday we found out that moving into the house was no longer an option, without any real concrete explanation.  Disappointed and frustrated didn't even begin to scratch the surface as to how we felt.  I wrote in my journal for a long time, pouring out my frustrations and anger to God.  Yes, I was angry.  I don't like being angry, and I even apologized.  There was no holding anything back.  At one point I wrote, "I've learned in the journey of becoming a follower of Jesus is that we still have an obligation to show Your love, even if we don't feel like it."  Quite frankly, I didn't feel like it.  We had spent the last two months praying, putting our faith in people following through, only to be left empty-handed and disappointed.  I went to bed unhappy that night, utterly defeated and spent.  I'm surprised I got any sleep at all.

Kelly was due to come home from Ohio Thursday, so I shared with our house church members that we would not be there, so we could spend the evening catching up, relaxing, and discussing our next steps.  But what I didn't mention was that Thursday morning, I heard that still small voice, something, in my gut say, "You shouldn't go to church tonight."  I couldn't explain it.  (That was the first God moment, although I didn't know it at the time)

We went out for Chinese and we'd barely been home five minutes when Kelly got a Facebook message from a co-worker of hers, saying she had spoken to somebody about a duplex available in Richmond (God moment #2). On the phone, she said that a couple was going to look at it the next day, and asked if we could look at it that evening.  We dropped everything and drove up there.  Yes, it was that split-second of a decision! We had no trouble finding the apartment and were immediately taken to the location and the quietness of the neighborhood, despite it being right off the interstate.  Kelly's co-worker arrived a few minutes later and we asked how she knew the landlord.  This was her response (another God moment):

"Oh, I just talked to her on the phone just now.  I've never met her before.  I was just driving through here and I saw the sign out front, and I thought 'This is for Kelly. I want her to be in a safe neighborhood.'"

We were like ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME.

Jennifer, the landlord, arrived a few minutes later.  In addition to her infectious personality, she mentioned that a police officer lives down the street and that her niece works at the preschool nearby (Remember the talk about a safe neighborhood?) We helped ourselves to looking around, and, admittedly, it is a downgrade in terms of size and space, but we've learned over the last year that we've had too much space.  The rent is more than $100 LESS than what we're paying now, and the place was near immaculate, there was new carpet, a small patio outside, plenty of parking, a washer and dryer hooked up (!!!), and, most importantly, Yoda and Wiley are welcome! :) Needless to say, it was not a difficult decision.  By the end of the night, a key was given to us and we had signed the lease!

The drive home was a combination of a daze and utter exuberance. God had shown up! Big time.  If we had gone to church, we would have missed the Facebook message and, ultimately, the phone call, the apartment would have been shown tonight and probably taken, and we would still be stuck waiting until the end of next month.  But now, there is no more waiting, and we have a cute new duplex in Richmond waiting for us.  All thanks to God!

K: While reading this, I thought of Holly. Gave up a UK, full-time benefited job for what she does now for the sake of being happier and less stressed out. I also think about getting my first job; that moment and time when I was just ready to give up was when I got the magic phone call. That's what happened here last night; God gave us what we needed, not what we wanted. I remember so many times praying "God just get us this house. Just get us this house." I'm not going to say it was as if my prayers were falling on deaf ears, because I don't believe that. Rather I just felt that this house we were seeking so hard for was just not going to happen. I always had this small notion in the back of my head that it was just going to not work out. Perhaps that was God's way of saying that He had something better for us. Because let's face it, the last thing we actually needed was MORE space and more money to be given for rent.

I truly believe that God talks and shows us what we need in a lot of mysterious yet awesome ways. I remember walking into that duplex and was like "this is it." That "aha!" moment. I don't believe in coincidence. I think coincidence is just one of the many ways God speaks to us. Though I can't hold claim to actually hearing His voice, I can hold to the fact that His fingerprints were ALL OVER THIS. There's really nothing more I need to add to this. It's all been said. We are excited to begin this new adventure and see where else He will take us. My ending is this; if you're waiting for something and feel like throwing in the towel, that's usually when a corner will turn. Sometimes it's not a good corner, but in our experience it usually is. Keep the faith, and remember that God is good.

Choosing to choose

Kelly: Sometimes I take mini social media breaks. It's good for my health, hence I threw in the "internet safety" label in this post, the safety being for me. It seems like every day I see more and more negativity posted, and I'm kind of at my breaking point. I've had enough, so I don't feed into it anymore. It just makes me wonder about the choices we make, I make in my day-to-day life. And lately it seems like poor choices are glorified more often than good ones. I think we actually wrote about something similar to this, and the question we posed was why is it bad to be good? Anyway, I'm digressing a bit, but I want to share a small tidbit of something from my nursing school days.

I was working with a nurse and she had been working at her current job for a while. I asked her if she enjoyed it and she said she had always wanted to work with kids but felt "stuck" doing what she was doing. I asked why she not pursue working with kids; she didn't answer. The way I see it is this; we are all victims to stuff happening, good stuff or bad stuff. We can choose to be victims of the bad stuff and we can choose to display all the good stuff every day, multiple times a day. Or we can choose to have a bit of modesty, ask God to help during the bad stuff and praise Him for the good, instead of spraying it all over social media like a hay-wire sprinkler. On our birthday, which was just this past Thursday, I posted a selfie and mentioned I was going to get ready for some fun. 46 likes on Facebook. A while ago I posted something about reading the Bible and how much it meant to me. 2 likes, maybe 3. Choices, there is such power in them. We can choose what grabs our attention, and it can influence us in good ways or not. As for me, I'm more conscientious over what I post on social media and ask myself  "do all my friends/followers really need or want to see this?" or "is this going to encourage them and make them happy?" Am I glorifying my Maker or something else? Choices, like I said, it's a power we have, free will. Choose wisely though.

Holly: "If you're free to choose, then you're free to accept the consequences of your choice. Be wise in making decisions & responsible in owning them." 

The above is a retweet from Tony Nolan's 18-year-old daughter Christy.  Talk about wisdom beyond your years! I think this tweet sums up perfectly general decision making, whether they're good decisions or not-so-good ones.  I do agree with Kelly in that poor decisions do seem to be encouraged and praised more than good ones...here's our thoughts on why it's "bad to be good."  While we're at it, here's our thoughts on selfies and other social media stuff. 

I've recently adopted a philosophy that if you don't like something in your life, then change it.  I read a lot of stuff on Facebook about how person X hates their job, person X hates where they live, person X is just pissed off for no reason, really, person X has a co-worker/roommate/significant other/friend that drives them crazy/makes them mad...I don't really need to go on.  Trust me, I know what it's like to not be happy with your current circumstances.  But I believe life is too short and too much of a gift for it to be spent being miserable or otherwise unhappy, and I don't understand why anyone would want to live that way.  Is it really easier living in your own unhappiness/drama than deciding to take the time to try and change that one thing or things? What makes these situations worse is enablers, or others who just feed into it.  Allow me to give an example (bear in mind this is just an example; Kelly is quite happy and content with life right now): 

Kelly: Angsty status about general life unhappiness/work drama/traffic jams.
me: Oh sis, you must be irate right now.  They all suck anyway! 

All right, I think ya get the idea, because you've probably seen it at some point or another.  I don't have a valuable solution for stopping enablers/negativity, so I just choose to ignore it and do my best to spread my joy in my little social media circle.  Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.  I read somewhere that life is 10% what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it.  How will your circumstances and attitude influence the choices you make? How will YOU choose to choose?  

For reasons we can't explain

Kelly: This conversation we are about to share started yesterday while the two of us were shopping around Richmond. One of us mentioned that we don't really consider ourselves selfish people. I don't really think of myself as selfish. Seriously. And then this led into one thing after another after another, a commonality in which we both stated we wouldn't do what we do if we were selfish people. It's true. I've known for a while that I wanted to be a nurse, but I truly believe that God has called me to be a psych nurse. It is a calling bestowed upon a select few individuals, but I sincerely believe that I have risen up to the challenge. I have a lot of really good days at my job. Things go smoothly, my patients are calm and there isn't a crazy amount of admissions/discharges or both. Then there are those days where I walk into chaos the moment my foot enters the unit. A patient's upset or psychotic, 2 admissions have just come in, one patient wants to leave AMA and other patients are scared of another patient and they don't feel safe. Yet despite those bad days, where I am, what I do...it feels right.

For lack of a better word: Right. I was talking in Sunday school today about how when you find "the one" and when someone asks you how you know it's "the one." And what is that age-old scripted response? Yes, say it with me. "You just know!" I compared that to feeling contented about the path God has you on. The path that God has me on for the time being is the right one, and I know that it is. How do I know? Because I just do. I just know. I feel at peace with the direction my life is going right now. It's a good feeling, unfortunately, it's one that I can't explain. I can't put into words or put my finger on how I know I'm where I'm supposed to be. I suppose that it's something that only comes from knowing God. But when the time is right, you'll know.

Holly: I said in Sunday school today that we bank a lot of our security in what we do for a living.  I remember when I was considering my AmeriCorps position; one of the biggest things that almost held me back was the considerable pay cut.  I kept asking myself "Do I really want to go back to being flat broke all the time again?" I talked to my co-workers at the time and I was sometimes met with less-than-enthusiastic responses..honestly, not that I could entirely blame them.  "Is that what you really want to do?" "Do you really want to make that much?" But what I also remember, as clear as day, is that still-small voice saying: "Don't let this opportunity go." Despite the reservations, yes, even from me, I went.  And guess what? We're not flat broke, and I sincerely have no regrets.  For the first time in I don't even know how long, this feels like what I'm supposed to be doing.  I'm trying not to get wrapped up in the long term, although I'm not being unrealistic: Grow Appalachia won't last forever, I know this.  But it's like Kelly said, I feel at peace with the direction my life is going, and I too can't explain it.  It's God.  It's all God.  I've learned that sometimes, where we are in our lives doesn't make sense to those on the outside.  Guess what?  Sometimes it doesn't make sense to ME either!! But I take comfort in knowing that I serve a God who has my best interests at heart.  My life makes sense to Him, and that has to be enough.  

I'm going to end with this, and it's something I've witnessed quite frequently.  Heck, I've been through it too: Please do not EVER feel like that you have to be "stuck" with wherever you are in your life!  You deserve to have joy and satisfaction and be at peace with the choices you've made in your life.  If you aren't, then change something!  You have that power, and nothing is more draining than being in that mentality of "I'm stuck and I can't get out."  You can, and nothing is more fulfilling than being at a place of peace in your life.  Even if you can't explain it. 

Adios to 2014: Looking ahead to 2015 and what's to come

Holly and Kelly: With the end of 2014 just 2 days away, we thought this would be a good time to wrap up our blogging for the year and look ahead to what the new year may or may not have in store for us. We decided to do this today because tomorrow we're packing up to head to Ohio, working, taking care of things before we ring in 2015 on the road. To start, 2014 was a great year for the two of us! We both experienced some firsts, went to a lot of concerts and met some awesome musicians who love the Lord, went to A Long Expected Party and bonded with fellow Ringers and bonded over why and how Tolkien's work has changed our lives for the better. Saw the end of an era with The Hobbit. Holly found a job that makes her happy (from Holly: finally) and as for me, even after thinking earlier this year I was going to lose my job found myself getting my act together and not only being a better nurse but just an all around better person. Having said that, here are a few goals we have laid out for 2015 and perhaps beyond:

Remember who we are and whose we are: A simple reminder that we are children of God and that God made us because He loves us so much! This point was in a sermon a few months ago and it has really stuck with us. It reminds us of what He has brought us through and that He will continue to provide our needs, no matter what they are. It reminds us to not worry about what may or may not happen but to really just trust in Him because He's going to take care of us!

"Let me get that." From another sermon that the youth pastor at our church gave. The youth group went on a mission trip earlier this summer, and this was their mentality and sort of motto in order to prevent burnout from a long week of hard work. For whenever we are feeling worn out and just tired, this simple phrase will hold with us to remember to always extend a helping hand, whether we're at work, church, home, wherever. This rolls into Romans 12:11-13, which starts out by saying never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. It's so easy to do that when you're doing something you love. It's easy for the two of us because we absolutely love our jobs. But even the best loved jobs have crappy days, and sometimes we really don't feel like being enthusiastic for Jesus. But we've found even the simplicity of just putting on a smile can go a long way. Give it a go.

Clean up song: I know some of you are thinking....ok, what? When we saw tobyMac last month, he was talking about when he was cleaning up the kitchen with his family he played one of his new singles as the "clean up song." We just looked at each other and were like...we need to do that. So before we clean up the kitchen or whatever, we pick a clean up song, usually a dancey one, and clean up while we sing, dance and whatnot. It's prevented a lot of arguing about who does what and it makes the mundane tasks more fun!

Eat at the table: I know this seems simple, but we rarely eat dinner at our dining room table. We did this while growing up as kids, and it helped us all reconnect with our days and just life in general. Granted, this won't be possible every night, but we're going to try and make it a regular habit.

So there you have it! We hope that 2014 has been great to you all and that you have some goals set for the new year to come. We'll close with a bit of this awesome song from for KING & COUNTRY and we hope these words encourage you. Thank you all for continuing to follow and read our blog! We can't wait for what 2015 has in store for us!

When I'm stuck out in the cold, let me be warm hearted
When the weight's too much to hold, let me be light hearted 
When all I have is not enough, I won't be broken hearted
'Cause you taught me how to love, to live, to learn, to live whole hearted. 

Family pic from Christmas! 

Work that doesn't feel like work

Holly: Not too long ago we came across this article:

"It was so much better than real life."

Yes, I know it's another Doctor Who related thing, but bear with us.  The overarching theme is simple: work that doesn't feel like work.  In the above article, Tom Baker mentions how he would grow sad at the end of the day, because he was so enthralled in the fantastic Who world, and his real world wasn't all that fantastic.  We've talked about this at length.  I'm about to start my year of service as an Americorps VISTA, and notice I used the word "service".  Because it's not a job.  It's filling a need, working with common-minded individuals, being a part of something that's greater than yourself, and I know I'm going to enjoy this because for those reasons, but also because I've been trying to get my foot in the door at Berea College for quite some time now.  It's important to enjoy what you do, because it's so, so easy to get caught up in the "jobness" of it all.  I encourage you to evaluate your current position, really consider if you enjoy it.  If not, perhaps it's time for a change.  It's never too late.

Do any of you have a job that doesn't feel like a job?  Would be happy to hear! :)

Just a little something to remember: Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. -1 Corinthians 15:58b

Kelly: So often when I talk to people about what I do, I get the response of "wow that must be so hard." Well yeah, sometimes it is. But sometimes it's like going to the grocery store, or to church or just out in town. More often than not I just talk to my patients. Not about their illnesses, their medications (though sometimes I do) but just about stuff in their lives, or what's on the news, or if someone said something funny. But really, anybody can talk to people. Put aside the fact that they have a mental illness or two, but yeah. And that's one of the reasons why I love what I do, because I love talking to people. I think that a friendly face can make a difference in someone's day. I did one small act of kindness and just talked to a patient, and at the end of the day she smiled at me and said "you made my crappy day a lot better." It's the little things, like Holly said, filling a need. It also helps that this was something I wanted to do; this field. I'm never bored, and most often it really doesn't feel like work. To me, it's a tell tale sign that I really enjoy what I do.

When I watch Tom Baker's era as the Doctor, I can see his passion and his love for the Who-niverse in his eyes, smile, and demeanor. You can tell he just adores what he is doing in the moment. I think that's why he stayed as long as he did. So there you have it. You can make the best of any crappy job situation, and it's hard. It takes a lot of work, but you can do it! Give it a go; you'll be amazed at how much your mentality will change.

Deep breath: The next chapter

Holly: It's the deep breath before the plunge. -Gandalf, "Return of the King"

It's very fitting for me that the first episode of this newest season of Doctor Who is titled "Deep Breath." This, coupled with Gandalf's words and the words of those who have always had my back and will continue to do so, resonated with me as I hung up the phone this morning.

Today, another chapter in my life story began being written.

This morning I was offered an Americorps VISTA position, in conjunction with Berea College and an organization called Grow Appalachia.  I interviewed for this position on Tuesday, after taking the day off from work so I could gain my bearings and dwell on just what I could be getting myself into.  And today, I suppose that the Grow Appalachia team decided I can cut it.  And I know I can.  

I've had over a week to think about all of this, from the time I initially applied for the position until Tuesday, and even from after my interview on Tuesday until today.  If you know me, you know I've tried to get my foot in the door at the college for quite some time now, but every opportunity I applied for never even got an interview, just a solid rejection after months of waiting.  It was very frustrating, because I believed that God was calling me there.  But this opportunity was different.  Within an hour after submitting my application materials I was called for an interview (I'm really not exaggerating on that, either).  I had my interview on Tuesday and was told I would hear something within a week or two, the following Monday at the earliest; I got the offer today.  I know it doesn't make sense, but it just feels....right.  It's not going to come without some sacrifices, though; as a VISTA I'll be making roughly half of what I make now as a lab coordinator.  In addition to that, it's a 12-month commitment, meaning afterwards, there could be another open door with the organization, something at the college, etc...or I could be back at square one.  

But that's something I've learned while walking with God and living in this world we live in: You can't plan ahead if you're trying to follow God's will.  As a Christ-follower, I believe that God is sovereign, and He calls us to do various things, at any time, without warning, because He is God and He is in control.  As a Christ-follower, I do not live for myself; I live for God.  Where God goes, I follow in obedience and TRUST that He will provide for our needs.  Because He already has. And I'll let Kelly share that bit with you all.  

So that's where I am right now.  These next few weeks are going to be a bit of a whirlwind as I transition out of UK and all the comforts thereto and into the trenches of Americorps and service and really living like the least of these.  

Kelly: My thoughts will continue...after I eat dinner. 

Anyway, now that I'm finished, I will continue. I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive at first, considering this will result in us having a drastic cut in our bank of income. And our Europe trip is now postponed until next fall, but these are sacrifices we were both willing to make. But to be fair, AmeriCorps is a really excellent organization, as is PeaceCorps, as a very dear friend is about 6 months into a 2 year commitment in Thailand. But as we were embarking on our almost daily evening walk, I found myself thinking about my last summer/year in college. I spent my last summer as a student working minimum wage as a facilities assistant...ok...I was a janitor, but hey, it was a good job. In my opinion its something everyone should do at least once in their lifetime. ANYWAY, but in my last year of school, I was working 15 hours a week making $5.65 an hour, and most of the time due to classes and clinicals, I wasn't even getting in 15 hours. I did the math, so that's...roughly $339 a month. And we were living off campus and had to pay rent, utilities, my own cell phone and the sort. Holly had just finished her first job at UK in November and soon after started working in Old Navy; that was her only job from December until I graduated. Then she got another job as a temp in UK's Department of Pathology. Between those two jobs, she was only making about $500 a month. Sometimes more if she picked up extra at Old Navy. Then, when I graduated, I didn't even have a job until August. So from the middle of May to the beginning of August, we were living only on Holly's earnings. And while I was in school, the two of us were living on less than $1000 a month. We were scared, to be honest. We struggled many times to make ends meet, but we got by. Thanks be to God I had food stamps. We prayed that God would meet our needs and bless us with what we had. And He did. Today He still continues to do so. 

So why am I telling you readers all of this? Number one, it's reality. It was reality for us for a long time. But it was possible; God brought us through that time. Number two, God is faithful! He is gracious to those who pursue His best interests. Holly wanted to find something in her field at the time, and I was following God's calling by finishing nursing school. However, that faithfulness doesn't come without a price; we had to learn that His answers come in His time, not ours. And even when we couldn't see the light, God was standing right there, even if He was just holding a flashlight. So that's that. Things will be tight, yes, but I remember God's promises and the fact that He brought us through that and so much more! We will make it work, rest assured, but we'll be ok. I prayed this morning that if this is meant to be, then it will be. God will make a way. Thanks to YOU ALL for being so supportive of us, and please continue your support. We will covet your prayers as this period will bring so much excitement but new challenges as well. 

H and K have church...but not in the way you'd think

Holly: Church was cancelled this morning...well, last night, actually.  Anyway, we didn't go to church this morning.  Instead, we slept in, had pancakes and coffee, put on some praise and worship music and just talked: about God, about how older Christian music is better, about work, about Doctor Who.  And then this came up.  The following is an excerpt from my journal writing on Saturday evening, shortly after watching the third season finale of Doctor Who (and random excerpts will continue cropping up):

I can't help but think of this particular exchange: Here's the Master, who's corrupted all of planet Earth, who's forced Martha's family to watch countless people suffer terrible demises, who's tortured the Doctor and transformed him into a pitiable state.  But through the redemptive power of the human mind and spirit, and Martha's courage and love for the Doctor, the Doctor is regenerated back to his present form, where he is able to meet the one who understands him probably better than anyone.  2 Time Lords.  Given all the Doctor knew the Master had done, he could have banished him to any one fate.  Instead, he tells the Master "I only have one thing to say to you.  I forgive you."  God, Your forgiveness to us, your sin-filled children whom You love dearly, is NO different.  Because, let's face it, the Master didn't deserve the Doctor's forgiveness.  And we don't deserve Your forgiveness.  

Guys, forgiveness and love changes lives.  So often we choose to take the easy way out, which is to hold onto with ever-increasing strength whatever grudge we have, whatever bitterness we've been harboring, whatever pride we can't let go of, what have you.  But I truly believe that that is not God's will for us.  God sent his son into this broken world and broke the chains of all the junk we hold onto.  We ought not to live in bondage to our mistakes and our sin; it doesn't have the last word!  You do!  And you speak love: love that surpasses understanding, breaks barriers, changes hearts and minds, brings people together, drives them apart, and it goes on and on...Forgiveness is scary, sure.  The Master cowered in fear from the Doctor as he put his arms around him and said "I forgive you."  The night before he died, Jesus pleaded for another way out.

And then there's love.  There's a quote somewhere, and I'm butchering it, certainly, but it's something like how Jesus was on the cross in the way he was and that was him saying "I love you."  The Bible says we love Him because He first loved us.  The sad irony of the end of that Doctor Who episode is that the Master died in the Doctor's arms.  There has to be an extraordinary amount of love in there somewhere to literally hold your enemy until his last moments.  Pretty powerful.  I'm thankful for those who lead by example: in this case, Jesus and the Doctor.

"Love must be sincere.  Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love."  -Romans 12:9-10

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." -1 Peter 4:8

Kelly: While I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with all that has been said above, there is one more element I want to add that I think is equally important; trust. It too can make or change lives for the better or the worst. The quote as old as time goes "it takes years to build up trust and seconds to destroy it." But one thing I definitely admire about Martha as a companion to the Doctor is her unending trust in him. On a whim, she decides to put her trust in this man that she barely knows but something tells her to take a chance. As the series progresses, she gets to know him better. I think of the verse in Isaiah where it says "Here I am, send me!" It's the true heart's desire of a servant of Christ; to lead where He goes without really knowing what the plan is. It's how I felt when I first started following God; I didn't know Him all that well, and I didn't trust Him that much. But as I got to know Him and spend time with Him, that trust has continued to build. (Proverbs 3:5-6). In the 3rd series finale, which was a very powerful episode, there was one part that made me think about my relationship with God. It made me think that perhaps I was meant to find this show. In a scene, Martha is talking to a group of refugees as the world is about to end. She is telling of her experiences with the Doctor. Just read this below and see what I mean:

...But if Martha Jones became a legend, then that's wrong because my name isn't important. There's someone else. The man who sent me out there. The man who told me to walk the Earth. His name is The Doctor. He has saved your lives so many times, and you never knew he was there. He never stops. He never stays. He never asks to be thanked. But I've seen him. I know him. I love him. And I know what he can do. 

I mean...WHAT? You read that and you Christians, tell me. Have you EVER felt that way about Jesus? I know I have! That night, before I went to bed, I thanked God and told him that even though I may not see Him with my eyes, I know Him with my heart. He has saved my life so many times, and sometimes I knew it, sometimes I didn't.  It may sound silly, but I truly do believe God can speak to us in so many ways, even in Doctor Who. You may not want to trust God sometimes, but something tells you to take a chance, like Martha did with The Doctor. Listen when it does. Your life may never be the same.

Take a chance.  Your life may never be the same. 

Love. 

Making the grade

Kelly: I remember growing up as a kid in elementary school and my parents having multiple conversations with various teachers. I was too young to remember these conversations, but some of them included the loosely translated "she's not going to do well in college" speech because my grades were "below average" and I had a difficult time learning. It was suggested I had a learning disability and from elementary school up through college I severely struggled with taking tests. But my parents never enrolled me to have an IEP (individualized education plan) because they didn't want me to have that label of being "different." Now PLEASE do not misunderstand me; when I look back on it now I think perhaps an IEP or a related degree would have been very beneficial for me. But my parents always told me to do my best in school, and that grades were just letters but that didn't mean I could just slack off. The value of a good and hearty education was important to them, and so was the simple fact of just trying.

College was especially difficult for me at times, because in my field of study I HAD to make certain grades in my classes in order to continue into the program. In one of my generals, I was a few points under the 77% benchmark, thus I had to repeat the course. I often found myself envious of some of my classmates who just seemed to naturally excel; those who barely opened the book yet walked away from each test passing with flying colors. I on the other hand,  slaved myself at times to studying and studying. I did not have to work as hard in high school as I did in college, so this was new to me. Making straight A's and "learning how to study" is NOT something you learn in high school in my opinion; it's something you learn, over time, on your own. You learn what works for you and what doesn't. Ok, I sort of veered off course with that, so let me get back on track. I kept in mind what my parents told me; do your best and regardless, they continued to let me know how proud they were of me. Now I understand some people I know have high expectations for themselves. But just bear in mind, it is an opportunity many do not get that we have by going to college. And I am all for making the most of it, but do your best. Sometimes when you do your best and you don't feel like it was or the grade you got doesn't reflect "your best," then....well, I'm sorry about that. I really am. I'm not being brash or insensitive. You fell off the horse; dust yourself off and realize that you did do your best. Don't blame someone else, because trust me. I've tried that. I've pulled the "well they're just unfair" or "they're grading methods are unfair." It doesn't work.

I apologize in advance if I make someone angry or whatnot, but I feel that this blog is a safe place where I can freely express my opinions. It is not my intention to step on anyone's toes, and I am not saying that anyone who expects themselves to get straight A's and nothing else are stuck up and over achievers. Not even close. I honestly sometimes wish I had that motivation for myself. But just remember; in the end, all it comes down to is just....letters.

Holly: This has been on my mind for a while now, and it's come in light of finals wrapping up for students this week, both at Berea and UK (where I work).  I'm being completely upfront now; I surprised myself at some of my feelings yesterday.  There is some bitterness, there is some jealousy, and I know it's petty and I know it shouldn't be there.  But I'm going to be full disclosure.  I've accepted it and I'm going to move on from it, and I'm just going to be frank and get this all out, so I apologize if it is lengthy:

A lot of my facebook friends have been posting their final grades.  Most of you have gotten A's and B's.  Please let me be one of many to congratulate you.  College is tough.  Berea is a league of its own, if I do say so myself.  You all should definitely be proud of yourselves.  HOWEVER: I've also had many conversations with people about their grades.  I work at UK, for goodness sake.  The department has two student workers.  Many of my facebook friends are still Berea students.  You all GO. NUTS. over your grades.  I know so many who get disappointed in themselves and beat themselves to death if they don't make straight A's.  And for what?  A 4.0?  

Guys, I did not make A's and B's at Berea.  Not even close.  EVERY semester I was there I had a least one C.  It sucked.  It really did.  I busted my butt at Berea, and every time I saw that C it sucked.  It felt like I failed.  And to see all of you posting your straight A's and your A's and B's...well, yeah.  The jealousy comes out.  My LAST semester at Berea I was in my adviser's office in tears because I had a D in my Genetics class, and I NEEDED that class to graduate; I thought my life was over, right then and there! But I learned something REALLY quickly during my time at Berea: grades are just letters.  It's a letter.  Nothing more.  A 4.0 will not guarantee you a job after graduation.  A 4.0 will not guarantee you acceptance into your dream grad school (We have a friend who graduated with a 3.9 and MIT TURNED HER DOWN.  Massachusetts. Institute. of freaking. Technology.  Did I stutter?).  It will definitely help, I think, or at least I'd like to think it will.  A 4.0 will not guarantee you those things because after graduation, there are no guarantees.  There just aren't.  That's the world we live in, that's the economy we live in.  I don't mean to rain on everyone's parades, so let me say this: Please be proud of the grades you do get, whether they're straight A's, or alphabet soup, like mine were.  A lot of young people our age don't even get the opportunity to even go to college.  Can we not stress ourselves out over these letters? Do your best, in ALL areas, not just your academics.  Don't stress.  It's not worth it.  Enjoy your college experience.; it really does go by fast (I'll be 2 years post graduation next May...woah?).  I'm proud of my degree, even with the C's (and yes, the D) littered in my transcript, because I gained so much more than I could have imagined, and you can't put a numerical value on that. 

I want that!/I really need that: Two girls struggling to learn the differences

Holly: The other day I was thinking of this very question, and it's really struck me ever since:  If you had everything you wanted, everything you REALLY wanted...would it change anything?  What struck me the most is that, for me anyway, the answer would probably be no.

Sure, if I had a million dollars, it would change my financial situation, but it wouldn't change me as a person.  If Martin Freeman walked into my apartment and said "Holly, be my wife", it would change my relationship status, but it wouldn't change me as a person (Ok, maybe that's not the best example).  But do you understand what I'm saying?  Think about it: When you finally get something you really, really want, how does it make you feel?  Probably ecstatic, at first.  But feelings fade and change over time.  Eventually, it just feels like another routine, another brick set into a growing wall.  Something I've learned is that things don't change me: time does, experiences do, God does.  I've done a lot of growing up since being on my own...probably more so in this past week alone.  Eventually, when it's all said and done, I think at some point you say everything that can be said and do everything that can be done.  It has to be enough.  Our society is so selfish: let's see what we can do to get everyone desiring bigger, better, faster, stronger, damned if we do, damned if we don't.  What's wrong with being satisfied with what you already have?  Right now, there's a lot of unknowns in my life, but I'm the happiest and the most at peace I've been in a long time.  I have everything I need...even if it isn't everything I necessarily want.

I think of Bilbo Baggins in his sweeping quest: something "Tookish" awakes in him and he's suddenly longing for adventure, thrills, a rip-roaring good time.  But look what happens: he's attacked by trolls, spiders, elves, almost drowns, is caught in a humongous battle, among other things.  Is what you REALLY want really worth the possible repercussions?

Kelly: Often the scream of protest when something goes our way, or you didn't get what you wanted...again. Life is cruel sometimes, ain't it? As a result of some events that have happened this week, I've done a lot of growing up. I suppose I'm a lot stronger than I thought I was. For the sake of privacy I'm not going to go into detail of the events, but all is well. Eventually you get to a point in which you can't say anymore or do anything else, for it has all been said and done already. You win some and you lose some. I've prayed and made my peace with the situation. Anyway, as I was thinking last night about the events of this week and other things, I realized that one thing that I needed was some sort of closure. But the more Holly and I kept talking, the more I realized that it wasn't something I needed; just something I wanted. But we continued to talk more, and I realized that I didn't even want it at all. I was somehow trying to justify something that simply cannot be. Like I said, it's all already been said and done.

Last night as I was wrapping up my daily quiet time, I wrote in my journal, thanking God for how He has blessed me lately. I closed by writing that I was thankful for always having everything that I need, and thanking Him that He did not give me everything that I wanted. That would be quite scary; me having everything I wanted. I feel if that were so, I would completely lose dependence on God...sometimes I already feel like that. It's like I feel like a child who has lost her mom in a crowded shopping mall. I then though of something else; and yes, you can't have an H and K blog post without some sort of reference. When the new Hobbit movie trailer was released, I was quite pleased with the fact that Smaug's voice still remained hidden. Leave room for a little bit of mystery come December. That's what it's like with living with God; if He granted us everything we wanted, we'd all be stagnant. The mystery that is Christ Himself would no longer be. So I'll close with this; do you really NEED what you are seeking, or do you just want it?

We are Second. Are you Second?

Kelly: The other day, I was at work when Holly told me that I should watch this video. So I did. If you're not familiar with the speaker presented in the video, you will be. If you've seen Facing the Giants, Courageous, Fireproof or Flywheel, then you're already familiar. Anyway, there are more of these videos and they are speaking on behalf of a non-profit called I Am Second. The basic premise of I Am Second is that God and others are first while we are second. Makes sense? Makes sense to me. But the point of today's post is for us to talk about what we feel it means to be...second. 

Every day, I do my best to live for God and to follow His will in my life. The most simple principles of being a follower of Christ is to love God and to love others. I give 110% of everything that I do, and being in nursing is a prime example of basically getting paid to do what God has called us to do. And it's easy to do! But also, being second to me is keeping your mind open to the possibilities of failures or falling short. And it will happen....OFTEN. But we have God's everlasting strength to catch us when we fall and to pick us up again! Some days are easier than others, especially when things are going right. I think it's harder to be second when things are going wrong, because our inner "me" monsters want to rear their ugly heads. "Why is this happening to me?" "This isn't fair; I don't deserve this!" "Things aren't going my way." "Well I'm going to do it this way because it's about me anyway." I've heard them all. I've said them all. I'm trying to not get consumed with the me-centered world we live in; instead I'm doing my best to live for a God that created all us me monsters in the first place. It's a challenge that has to be taken heavily...daily. But in my opinion, it's worth it.

My name is Kelly, and I am Second...or at least I'm trying to be.

Holly: These videos absolutely amaze and inspire me because it just goes to show how much God will bless you if you let Him!  So many times at church our pastor prays "Get me out of the way."  Our society is so self-centered: how YOU can be more successful, how YOU can be a better spouse, how YOU can get on the road to the American dream, how YOU can have it all, do it all, how YOU can be better, faster, stronger, smarter, skinnier, healthier, prettier, more confident.......

Honestly, I used to be like that.  I used to do whatever was best for Holly.  I used to help people and then think "Well, what's in it for me?"  I used to do whatever it took just so Holly could get her way.  Thank God I've grown up since then and realized that life is not about me.  We are here to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves.  Kind of hard and counterproductive to do that when you're a one man me-fest, isn't it?  For me, being second is simple: start and end every day with God.  Pray consistently.  Thank Him for all that you have, and ask for His mercy to cover those who are less fortunate.  Put other's needs ahead of your own.  Smile.  It's taking some getting used to, and I know I have so much to learn, still. But I'm working on giving EVERYTHING I have to God and having faith that He will carry us through life.  Complete and utter surrender.  It's not easy, but I know it will be worth it.

I am a living testament of God and His grace; I used to be all about me.  But He's gotten a hold of me and given me a joy and spirit for encouraging, uplifting others, and making them laugh.  Who am I to keep that to myself?  

My name is Holly, and I am second.

God can do whatever He wants to do, however He wants to do it.  He chooses to work in our lives because He loves us, because He's good.  -Facing the Giants

Be Happy. Be Healthy...er

Holly and Kelly: My hope for today's post is that it inspires someone who reads this. Almost a year ago (around last May) Holly and I were talking about goals we were trying to set so we could be healthier. We had tried a lot of different things; going to Seabury gym, cutting out sweets and pop and sugar (all of it), and a lot of other things. These things did work...temporarily. We weren't motivated to go to the gym and after a few days of cutting out all sugar and pop we ended up getting frustrated and falling back. Didn't work. So after Holly graduated and we moved where we are now, we were trying to think of what to do. I have food stamps, so we decided to buy healthier food and have switched to whole grains. We only eat enriched when we go out to eat. We don't drink pop as much (ironically I just finished one. Ohhhhhhhh  well). I usually only drink pop 2-3 days a week. At restaurants or when I'm eating fast food I only get a small and only fill it up halfway. Other than that I drink water, milk and coffee with the occasional tea. We also don't eat out as often anymore, probably only 2-3 times a month, sometimes more if we have friends visiting. Sometimes less. And lastly, we walk anywhere from 4-6 days a week, depending on the weather. We walk about a mile (usually to the Community school and back). Since we went shopping today we're not walking today.

L: 1 year ago. R: This afternoon. 

What really irritates me about seeing stuff on the TV and stuff I've seen people do is they do these weight loss pills or "crash" or "fad" diets. If you want to do that fine. I'm not going to judge. But what I will say is doing SIMPLE things WORK!!!

1 year ago. Had to get this dress in a 1X b/c I couldn't fit in any junior sizes. 

This afternoon. Back in juniors! Size 11. Haven't worn that since high school!!! 

Focus on being HEALTHY and not necessarily losing weight.  Do what you are able to do.  We picked walking because everyone knows how to do it, and we stuck with the food mentality of if we keep good food in the apartment, then we'll eat good food.  And moderation is ok.  It really is.  Don't punish yourself: a "treat" every now and then is perfectly fine.  Keep yourself accountable, but don't beat yourself up if you screw up.  Our culture is so unhealthy and it's hard to stay on track; we get it.  But that first compliment you receive, that first thing you try on that's a size smaller than what you would normally wear...it motivates you!  Like we said, do what you are able.  You can do it!  :)