Life has been interesting lately.  Very broad statement…but just true.  In so many areas there has been a hardship or something new or another something gone.  It will always be this way in every season.  But so many at one time is alot to take.  I could list all of the little things that contribute, and I could list all of the bigger things that people would consider worthy of the “hard times” label.  A place where what’s supposed to be, isn’t, and what’s not supposed to be, is.  Not resorting to priorities, but more moments and situations.

For example:  Am I supposed to be without friends??  Well, I am.  Have I done something wrong?  Or is this the way it’s “supposed” to be?

Almost everyday I come to the conclusion of  “nothing is supposed to be anything”.  We worship, we work hard, and we GO.  Of course I trust God whole heartedly with my life and my everything.  Not worried about where I’m going or where I am.  But more of my surroundings in the mean time. 

Does this even make since to anyone else??

My husband is VERY talented in so many ways!  Today he has assigned to put new words to the Christmas song “Silver Bells” and sing it infront of his school!  It’s HILARIOUS!!!

Here’s my song:
 
Busy Hallways, Going All Ways
Filled with Students Galore
In the air there springs
Chatter of Christmas
Children Coughing, Nurses sobbing
Doing chore after chore
In the teacher’s lounge, this you will hear:
 
10 More Days! 10 More Days!
Christmas Break Starts on the 18th!
10 More Days! 10 More Days!
Soon it will be Christmas Break!
 
All the school staff, chase down riff-raffs
And they go see Coach Green
As the teachers rush home with some freedom
Hear the paper crunch, “Gosh When is lunch?”
In our minds we may scream
All the office staff, joins in to sing
 
10 More Days! 10 More Days!
Christmas Break Starts on the 18th!
10 More Days! 10 More Days!
Soon it will be Christmas Break!

Let me know what you think and I’ll relay the comments!

What we hear, we will repeat.

What we speak will come back to us.

What we write will come to pass.

Most people I know, know the situation with my health lately….it’s been hard.  It still is.  But God is good.  God is foundational.  And God knows what’s happening. 

I have, for the past 3 months, been dealing with swelling in my joints and pain.  Awful, horrible pain.  I waited for a very long time to get into a doctor that refered me to someone else, and God moved SO miraculously there!  I was told I wouldn’t be able to get into this Rheumatologist until possibly November or December, and I was in there the Thursday after the day she refered me!!  Ya know..He’s just AMAZING like that!!  After my first appointment, I was sent to get x-rays and more blood work.  And with several crazy possiblities floating through my brain – “what in the world does she think is wrong with me?” - I was told I could have arthritis or an infection…..    But NO.  According to my blood work and symptoms, there is nothing wrong with me.  The only thing she mentioned was my weight…which we all know is……there.  BUT slowly going away!  God has brought everything back where it started…which is “TRUST ME”. 

This is a very long story cut very short…and sadly still going on.  But God is good!!

I wrote a song a while back, before any of this came on.  And I never realized it until about a week ago, that I wrote it for this season.  God gave a song to me before I needed it.  How amazing

Jesus you’re my Savior
Jesus my Redeemer
Jesus you reign over our hearts

In sorrow and in laughter
Or happy ever after
Jesus you reign over our hearts

There is none like you
There is none like you

Jesus you reign
Jesus you rain
Jesus you reign over our hearts

Jesus you reign
Jesus you rain
Jesus you reign, you rain.

These problems you can handle
When we don’t understand em
How do we try to move without you?

No matter where this goes
Forever I will know
You are all I need

There is none like you
There is none like you

Jesus you reign
Jesus you rain
Jesus you reign over our hearts

Jesus you reign
Jesus you rain
Jesus you reign, you rain.

A good friend of mine died on Tuesday.  He hung out with our group of friends in high school for a while; he was a freshman and we were juniors (“the cooler ones”).  Of course we all thought he was kinda annoying.  heh.  I remember we would all go play football late at night at the high school, right before the sprinklers came on, and he would always get in my space!    He would elbow me in the stomach when I was reaching up to catch the ball, and then tackle me real hard.  Or when we’d go swimming late at night he always got us in trouble because he was too loud and constantly doing canon balls into the pool. 

I got to know him a little after he had “grown up” a little…and he really was a good guy.  But all of my memories of him are when we were younger.  He influenced several people’s lives through his struggle…and somehow, even though it’s been 6 and a half years now since I’ve actually hung out with him, I feel connected.  He died of cancer.   And my grandfather died of cancer almost 3 years ago now.  It’s so difficult to watch them hurt and see what they have to go through.  I think if anyone has had to watch anyone close to them go through the same thing, you understand what I mean when I say I feel “connected”.

I guess if there’s anything I would say to him now it’d be, “Congratulations on some of the biggest canon balls I’ve ever seen, little man”

My husband and I were talking this morning over breakfast about how excited he was about getting his new pedal (he plays guitar)!  After talking about it for a while, he wanted to show me exactly what it did to the sound of his guitar.  Now, first off, my husband has several pedals, and for so long I never understood why he needed so many pedals and even why this one was the one that would “clear up” his sound.  I didn’t understand why he was having to add something to his board in order to make his guitar sound have more clarity.  And then it hit me, that clarity does not mean simplicity.  However, in our lives, simplicity does bring about clarity.  So, I’ve decided to take this a step further and apply it to our lives…

I always put the words simplicity and clarity together because they seem to be the same.  But, if you think about it, simplicity is escentially less of something and clarity is more transparent than a removal of anything.  

Simplicity is the external – the things that we remove in order to get closer and to hear God.  Clarity is internal - what we feel and ARE when we are walking in that light.  We ARE to be transparent/open/sensitive.  In order to be and remain transparent we must want, add and act more of Christ and the characteristics of Christ as who we are.   We can know characteristics and love them, but never live them out.  We can feel love, but not live it.

So, we have to get rid of things in order for things to be simple.  But we have to choose to add Christ and light and everything else in order to be clear and have clarity.  Almost like the color white, and how it’s not blank, it’s actually a combination of every color…

Give us more colors God!!

My newest hobby is painting.  I have my canvases, my brushes and my paint…and I just GO!  One day I was sitting on the couch praying about this whole health thing going on in my life, and all of a sudden an overwhelming feeling of love, color, expression and pictures hit me.  All these things that were in me, had to get out!!  Now mind you, I have NO experience in actual art….I mean, you should see my pictures I drew the other day of Issa, they’re awful!  But apparently I LOVE to paint.

Another hobby I’m really enjoyings is dancing!  I dance everyday.  Yes, by myself…usually with Issa in my arms so I don’t step on her, and usually to a waltz!  AND its usually in the morning to start my day off awesome!!! 

Most all of my friends are in “The Arts” in some way or another, and I LOVE all of the different areas we cover together!  Singing, bands, painting, church music…etc.  Anyways, my grandma painted when she was younger, so maybe this is something like she had…it just came and went.  BUT, I kinda hope not for me.  It’s too amazingly refreshing!!

Why are there so many things I want to do???  Sometimes I wonder why I’m such a big dreamer.  I talk about them alot, and yet alot of the time, they don’t happen…makes it seem like I just like talkin.  I mean, I like talking in general.  But I want these dreams to happen SO bad….  They’re crazy and out there, and sometimes weird, but they are my heart!!  It’s so easy to say “well Danielle…go do it!!  what are you waiting for?!?”  but I’ve heard that, from myself mainly.  But what is it that keeps us from doing these things sometimes?  What keeps me from (prepare yourselves, this is a random, weird one)  owning or taking care of a baby elephant named Eula??  (told you.)  Maybe in a zoo somewhere?  Give her baths and just talk to her.  I dunno….but do you see what I mean by big dreams?  There’s so many of those..

When should it end??  When is the line drawn for how far you can really go with your dreams?  I don’t know, but for me they haven’t ended.  And I can’t tell you that my heart will ever give them up.  They may be weird, unconventional, and they may sound unrealistic…but they’re there.  What do ya do huh? 

What is something you dream about that’s really out there??  Something that shows your dreamy heart?

My husband and I got a puppy!!  It’s been about 2 months now, and I think she’s ready for her doggy debute on WordPress!

one more..

She is such a joy to us!!! 

I am officially a teacher at the Navarro Southern Gospel Summer Music Camp!  I have set up my classroom, layed out my lesson plans (which weren’t a requirement, but I found out that I HAD to have them for my sanity), set up our dorm room (ah, the good ol’ days), and talked to every Southern Gospel lovin’ teacher here until my cheeks hurt!  They even have a talent show with the requirements of singing a gospel song…interesting.  Chris and I have been here trying to specifically define Southern Gospel Music, and have come up with this:

- the country side of Gospel music that requires a country-fied accent…except chorally of course.  All vowels must be TALL  :-O

Eh…it’ll work.  The camp director here, Chris and I call her Florence Nightingale cause we can never remember her name, is the SWEETEST lady I’ve ever met.  It started raining today, and she walked outside shoutin’ “PRAISE GOD!!!”  and laughing……love it.  I guess you really had to be there to get the experience of her awesome personality (and that’s truely what she is, and experience!) and her lovely moments of on-going chatter.. that eventually ends up no where!  hahaha  But she’s so cute!!  I can’t tell her to stop!!

I found out that I only have 5 students, so far.  Which is good, cause that means we’ll probably get to have a little more fun!!!  Kids get a little rowdie if there’s too many of them, ya know?  Anyways, I’m off to grade some entry tests.  I hope I’ll have time to post about more of my experiences here!