Cheesy, but I don't care...

Okay, so this is cheesy, but I was looking at my wedding pictures and two pictures stood out to me. Mainly because the people in them are people that I LOVE.  Below each picture, I'll describe why I love them.

                                                                Bradley Allen Salinas
1. Brad is one of the most loving people I've ever met. He's honest about his love - never cheesy or unbelievable. He loves hard and even when you frustrate him, he's almost always the first to call and make things right.
2. Brad has a hilarious sense of humor. Sometimes he's crass and sometimes you just can't believe what comes out of his mouth, but he never fails to make me laugh. Most people love his laugh (it's infectious) and his facial expressions. I laugh everyday.
3. Look at him. Hot. Enough said.
4. Brad is very giving - he'll go without anyday so that someone else will have something they need or want. This isn't my strength, so sometimes he has to sort of shove me, but very rarely will Brad turn down someone who calls for help. His heart is HUGE!
5. Brad seems to always be growing - over the time I've known him, he's become a more mature, loving, patient, and understanding man. He's continuing his growth spiritually and puts me to shame when it comes to loving people the way Christ would.

                                                           Stephanie, Amanda, & Kait
(I really don't think I could've been happy on my wedding day if these girls weren't there! They're my "cry-on-your-shoulder, laugh-til-it-hurts, say-anything, be-crazy" friends and I wouldn't trade them for the world. So glad they could be a part of my day!)
1. Stephanie is one of the most hilarious, honest, genuine people I know. She has become a very independent girl who is passionate about her convictions, but quick to accept others for who they are. Her impressions of Mary Katherine Gallagher are spot on and can appreciate my "weirdness," because we're both "quirky." :) She was such a HUGE supporter and cheerleader on my wedding day. Some things didn't go as planned and she was there to remind me to just keep moving and have fun!
2. Amanda...oh, Amanda. I've always had a hard time describing her - not because she's weird or boring, but because she's just an interesting person. I want to say "she's changed so much over the years!" But the truth is, she hasn't. She is just always trying new things and introducing us to new ways of thinking. She's still so loving and spunky and "our chameleon" (always adapting to new situations). She's realistic - which I appreciate as a fellow realist, and she doesn't let you stay negative. She's always pushing you to THINK and question everything. Wedding day stress was nearly eliminated because of Amanda.
3. My maid of honor, Kait. Anyone who meets Kait understands immediately that Kait is the sweetest person ever! She is one of the most compassionate people I've ever met and is consistently one of the shoulders I cry on and the first number I dial when I need to vent. Kait has a good head on her shoulders and refuses to let me be a jerk. She holds me accountable to be the kind of woman I want to be and supports me in all I do. I had the honor of living with Kait and some of my fondest memories were of the times we were busting our guts laughing over the dumbest things. :)

Be Bold!

So, long story short, I am hosting the annual Harvest Party for Wildewood on the 30th. We are doing it at Bellevue Berry Farm this year and I'm really excited about it. It's one of our biggest events and we usually see an influx of visiting families. I find this to be an incredible opportunity to make connections in our community and it lets those who don't know Christ, hear about him in a new way. Anyways, usually every Monday morning there is a stack of "Sign In-Sign Up" cards on my desk. They are small sheets of paper where families can "sign in" and show us their attendance and also a quick way for them to sign up for any events or volunteer opportunities.  This morning I just had one. There was nothing on the front - no name - no other information. The back looked like this...

(In case you can't read it, it says, "It is a real shame we are spending money on a Harvest Party when so many people in the church are struggling to put food on the table.")

At first, I was a little put off. HOW DARE YOU SAY ANYTHING BAD ABOUT MY HARVEST PARTY! But then, I settled down and realized that indeed they were right. We're going to spend about $2,000 on a Harvest party and we have so many families that are in need. I thank God for this paper, because it really did remind me where to put our money, time, etc. But also, because it gave me a lot of new ideas for future events - externally focused events. Anyways, I found myself still bothered - not by the note itself, but by the lack of name on the front. (Note: this isn't the first time "negative" notes have come in without a name.) Why are adults so afraid to speak their mind and own their opinions? I would LOVE to sit down with whomever wrote this and figure out just what families they feel need our help - I would help them! I am consistently frustrated with adults who can't just be honest - be bold! There's nothing wrong with disagreeing or feeling like we're headed in the wrong direction, but writing notes on a sign in-sign up sheet and not being willing to take ownership of your opinions is cowardly. I am in children's ministry, but I find more often than not that the children I deal with are actually adults. My vent is done. Thank you.

New Face of American Evangelicalism

Random video that my boss sent me today about "New Christianity" (which really is old or original Christianity, rediscovered). Not the most amazing video of all time, but definitely impressed with the panel's answer to some of the questions. I love that they picked people who are making an active difference in the world - not just consumed with politics, etc. They are about redefining what being a Christian means - because we have certainly distorted it. Click here to watch it on ABC News!

Blogging

I'm writing my first blog post and realizing that I am a dork. I made fun of bloggers for years - I was like "how lame are you guys that you sit around and write down your thoughts all day??? Ha! Losers!" 

Serves me right...

Thanks to one of my best friends, Amanda, I am here today having officially started a blog. This blog is MY blog. I'm not on it to promote an idea or lobby for a politician. I'm not on it because I think anyone particularly cares about what I have to say or thinks my opinions and ideas can change the world. I'm blogging because millions of thoughts (some brilliant and funny; others dumb and driven by negative emotion) run through my head everyday. I want the people I love to have a way of knowing what I'm thinking and what's going on in my life - if they so choose. :)

So, although Amanda will probably be my only follower, I'll have a semi-permanent, hard to destroy diary of sorts for my friends, family, and future children. (Note: I'm not pregnant, just planning ahead.) AND if something I put on here inspires someone else, makes someone laugh, or simply helps them to know me more, then I would be okay with that too.

P.S. You may have noticed the title of my blog is "Officially Different" and I have owls on my site. Why? No big reason that takes lots of explaining - simple, actually. I'm weird - not creepy, just quirky. Enjoy.