The Extraordinary Life Of A Nobody

(I've been mulling over this idea that we're all nobodies - we are all people who don't really mean anything to anyone - until we realize we are made a "somebody" when we acknowledge that Someone put us on this earth to do much more than we could ever imagine...)

It all started when I read this book in one afternoon at the beach. There's something about the stories my friend Bob writes about in his book (I can call him friend - I texted him once and he replied #truestory) that are both absolutely insane and insanely beautiful at the same time. The whole time I read his book my brain was exploding - "who is this guy?!"/"people have lives like that?!?!"/"he's not a fictional character?!?!?!"/"is this real life?!?!?!?!"

Then I was reading along with my community of women a couple of days ago (and men too, I guess, if they're into the truths I've been rediscovering daily through their devotionals) and read about this awesome man named Shallun who lived a long time ago during the 'boring parts of the Old Testament' that was a nobody-turned-somebody when his commitment to the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem put him in a bigger story with Jesus of the New Testament when he didn't even know it. (Spark notes: Nehemiah writes of Shallun repairing the wall of the Pool of Siloam, which is the same place Jesus sends a blind man to wash off mud from his eyes to receive sight in John 9 #thatjusthappened)

And then this thought occurred to me: what if I lived my life like I was a nobody?

It's so easy to be a "somebody" in this day-and-age. We have Facebook and Instagram and Twitter and Vine to make us look like we're the biggest 'somebody' anyone could ever meet/have in their life/call bestie. Do we really think we're that important? If we pulled up your Vine videos 20 years from now, would we look back on your short 6-second documentary life and say, "Oh yeah, that's really somebody! Look at all the a-m-a-z-i-n-g things they did with their life in these 6-second clips!"

Would we? Really?

We are so consumed by what people think of us*, because if people don't think good things of us (or worse - if people don't think anything about us), that must mean we're missing something...missing something that makes us special or that we're missing that indescribable 'thing' that we need to make us important in people's lives so that they'll talk about us (in a good way) when we're not with them. We want people to know and feel and believe that we're worth their time, worth their friendship, worth their love, worth their acceptance.

But then there's this thing that I always seem to forget about, and it's kind of a big deal when I start remembering it: there's this story (although after being confronted by Andy Stanley over the word 'story', I don't really mean 'story', more like "there's this historical fact"...) about a God who created every one of us uniquely (uniquely! we have forgotten how awesome this word is...) and a God who loves us so much that He sent his perfect Son to come to our mess and save us from ourselves. Because He thought we were special - back in the garden - and He STILL thinks we're special now (even with our self-absorbed 140 characters and our perfectly-chosen filters of nothing/everything).

If I really think about it, I've already been made a somebody by the only One who is worthy of calling me "somebody". Y'all, I don't know about you but that's reallyreallyreallyreallyREALLY freeing.

The moment I think I'm a somebody, the fear of fitting in or the fear of disappointing sinners will overwhelm me to the point of inaction. When I know that I'm a nobody, the world is literally my oyster (ok not literally, as we all know the Earth is not an oyster...and if this is a new fact for you, you're welcome).  I'll do whatever it takes to show others that I love and care for them, because I'm not bound by the shackles of expectations or my reputation to act on my morals and beliefs. It means that if I see something wrong, I will speak up, even if it makes me unpopular (you can't be a 'somebody' and unpopular at the same time...unless you're the popular unpopular nobody that everyone knows about...). It means that  I might quit my job and say goodbye to my kingdom plan because I have felt and heard God's call to serve Him and His kingdom plan. It means that being a nobody frees me to be the somebody God has called me to be, because I trust in His plan for me, I accept His love for me, and I cling to His thoughts of me.

The world is filled with nobodies. We know about them now because they followed their nobody calling and their nobody calling resulted in an extraordinary thing - but if we had known them then, well, we wouldn't have know about them then. Nobodies like Katie Davis who followed God's call to serve the least of these in Uganda when she was 18 years old and now finds herself the mother to 13 girls. Nobodies like the missionaries I grew up with who serve the people of Northern Thailand, helping them translate the Bible into their native tongue word-for-word. Nobodies like Jim Elliot who did some insane things without fear, whose short life ushered in the amazing power of compassion and forgiveness for a tribe of people and has since impacted Christians to be fearless with their faith. My church is filled with nobodies too. The nobodies who show up to drop off filled backpacks for kids who need school supplies. The nobodies who sew pillowcase dresses to send to foreign countries. The nobodies who serve our church community by reading to elementary school students and helping them with school work.

I hope you're not offended that I've chosen to call these amazing people nobodies. What I'm really trying to say is what Miss Davis said so eloquently when she she said this: "People tell me I am brave. People tell me I am strong. People tell me good job. Well here is the truth of it. I am really not that brave, I am not really that strong, and I am not doing anything spectacular. I am just doing what God called me to do as a follower of Him. Feed His sheep, do unto the least of His people."

Somebodies don't say stuff like that. Somebodies say stuff like this: "It’s what I came here to do. I’m now a legend. I’m also the greatest athlete to live."- Usain Bolt. And stuff like this: ""My best and worst 'Idol' moments? I don't have a worst 'Idol' moment. I've been spectacular. Yes, I am going to toot my own horn. And then my best moment is every single moment. I'll toot it again." - Nicki Minaj. Or stuff like this: "I'm sorry that people are so jealous of me... but I can't help it that I'm so popular." - Gretchen Weiners (ok so she's a fictional character, but I have definitely heard people say this in real life, so I think you get my point).

(Did any of this make any sense? Probably not.) All I have to say is this: The world is filled with too many somebodies. We don't need any more somebodies. We need more nobodies. Nobodies who are fearless and unencumbered by what others think of them or what others know of them. That's when crazy, insane, spectacular things start happening.

I want crazy, insane, and spectacular, don't you?

*I hope you know that whenever I say  "we" and "us" I really mean "I" and "me". Because, let's be honest, I am very guilty of everything I expressed in this post.

Love...and stuff.

It was nice to love on my man this year, now that we're finally in the same place and getting to "celebrate" every day of being together since we've gotten married (ok not every day, but pretty close to it!). We're stayed home and ate delicious barbecue from our favorite local BBQ joint. Mmm, ribs.

But you know, love (and being in love) isn't about loving your main squeeze on one 'super special day' one day of the year. At least, that's not enough for me. This is probably something you've heard already but I think it's worth saying again -- we should try to love people every day. I try to do that...secret: I usually fail at loving people every day, but at least I start every day determined to try!

I read in a commentary somewhere that when Paul wrote about love in 1st Corinthians 13, he described love as it being an action, not an emotion; "love is seen, experienced, and demonstrated". When the oh-so-familiar verses start listing what love is ("Love is patient, love is kind...") there is a sense that 'love' is used in terms of "action, attitude and behavior" (Keith Krell). So, then, it should be assumed that love reveals itself in many beautiful, defying and God-glorifying forms.

On valentines day, love reveals itself as a husband picking up dinner and flowers for his wife.

There are currently 27 million living in slavery right.now. Find out more here and here.

On a random Sunday, love reveals itself as a bunch of young people sacrificing time and money for their brothers and sisters around the world. A couple of weeks ago, our 8th graders participated in a Love Walk over the weekend and raised close to $1500 for a local community center...then some returned to church the next day and participated in our "Shine A Light on Slavery" event as our entire youth ministry learned about human trafficking and raised $1,013 (in change - pennies, nickles, dimes, quarters) for the End It Movement to see an end to human trafficking in their lifetime.

Every day, in ordinary (but really not so ordinary) people's lives, love reveals itself as a tireless commitment to someone - through thick and thin - because they know and cling to the fact that they are loved by One who loves them. Ian & Larissa's story tore my heart apart, and challenged me with the question: would I be willing to love my husband this way too? And if I had to care for my husband like Bill cares for his wife Glad, would I have the strength and the joy to do so?

Love is about thinking others more highly than we think of ourselves - through our acts of service. Love is not to be confined between you and the man-candy (or woman-candy) you have in your fleeting life. I am thankful for that reminder this post 'valentines day season', because sometimes the candy hearts and the sweet tarts make love an emotion too easy to get caught up in.

If I speak in the tongues of men or angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poora nd give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13: 1-3, NIV)

Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. (Romans 12:9-13, NLT)

#boom

New Year, New Me

You guys.
It's 2013.
Like...what?!

For some reason I've not been impressed/taken aback by a 2000's year until this year. Something about the 13 staring back at me made me realize 1. how old I'm getting, 2. how young I'm not getting, 3. how fast time flies, and 4. how great God moves + blesses + saves + redeems.

I remember 2000. Y2K. Everyone thought the world was going to end (everyone still thinks the world is going to end - #notmuchhaschanged). My family had just made the move from serving in a third-world country to the United States of crazily blessed Americans. I was my awkward self, but heightened to the nth degree because it was smack-dab in the middle of my middle school years.

I remember 2005. Graduated from high school. Got destroyed by God at our annual Senior Send-Off sermon by my beloved youth pastor. You know those memories you have where you don't really remember content but you remember all the raw emotions? I don't remember much about the sermon, specifically the part about me, but I remember weeping. This was probably the year I realized that I am a unnecessary weeper (kind of like how Kristen Bell describes her emotional reaction to having a baby sloth surprise her on her birthday). If you catch me watching a cheesy Nicholas Sparks movie, or hearing about how someone's friend's uncle's co-worker's grandmother experienced some awful, heart-wrenching trauma of some kind, or if I spend time alone thinking about all the awful things that are happening in the world...I'm probably weeping in the corner.

I remember 2009. Graduated from college. Got rocked by God. Put off grad school for a year. Worked as a youth director. Realized I have been called out of death to live a life of giving Him glory, honor, and praise. Messed up a lot of times. Made myself my own idol - worshipped my own talents, strengths, abilities. Got rocked by God again.

and
then
came
2013.

It is only the 7th day of the year, but there's something different about this new year air. It's both heavy and overwhelmingly refreshing. In the months leading up to the end of 2012 (and I'm talking since June), I've heard and/or read an absurd number of sermons/talks/interviews/blog posts about having joy during trials and suffering. At the same time, I've heard and/or read an absurd number of sermons/talks/interviews/blog posts about how the Lord is sovereign, and how He reigns supremely and justly especially during the hard, dark, lonely feels-like-I've-been-deserted times. All of this came together in a resounding crash! when I watched Passion 2013 from the comforts of my couch and computer screen and heard once more that if I'm eager to accept God's blessings, I will have to be eager to accept God's everythings - pain, suffering and sadness included.

And I'm ok with that. Because if there's anything I'm learning about my God, it's that He is good. All the time. No matter what. And if things aren't 'good', who am I to say otherwise? God is God, He does what He wants, when He wants, how He wants...in the most loving, we-wont-understand-because-He's-God-and-we're-not kind of way. I find comfort in knowing that at the end of the day, the world does not revolve around my ability to cross things off my own list of to-dos for life (or the fact that a list of to-do's exists, for that matter). I am loved by a God who beckons me daily to seek after Him, to seek after what He loves, who He loves. Yes, this is good news, good news indeed.

Y'all. This is going to be a big year. I can feel it in my dead-but-now-alive bones.
!

iPhone dump

Word of the month: busy.

Action of the month: taking iPhone photos.

May your days be merry, bright & filled with Jesus-loving spirit! Merry Christmas y'all!

Full of Thanksgiving

There is something about getting a couple days off to spend time with family, eating good food, and relaxing that makes every Thanksgiving meaningful and enjoyable. Since we started dating, the hubs has been making the thanksgiving trek to Maryland to visit me. Now that we're married and living closer to his parents, we decided to swap holidays this year...and we were so happy we did!

Every Thanksgiving my father-in-law's side of the family gets together for a huge family reunion (I'm talking extended family huge, like I've-never-met-you-before-but-we're-related-somehow huge). We kick it off with an oyster roast. Then just when you think that's all there is to the meal, you get ushered into the house to feast on several turkeys, sides-galore, and just as many desserts.

Then we go to my mother-in-law's friend's house for Thanksgiving dinner. I think I finally got Thanksgiving right - portion control...and lots of veggies. I think I had two pieces of turkey all day long. The rest of my plate was filled with veggies -- first time having brussels sprouts and beets (Love the brussels sprouts, not so much the beets).

One thing I love most about Bluffton is that there are so many great memories there. Every time we visit, we leave feeling refreshed and renewed (and fat). This time in particular, my friend came into town to spend the holidays with us and that just made this weekend even more special!

Thanksgiving also marked our six-month wedding anniversary! Time really does fly when you're having fun. So thankful for this guy, I love him so!

Happy thanksgiving y'all, hope you found time to be thankful for all the big and little things in your life!

omgsry

omgsry4nvrupdating.

One: Went to a wedding, had fun as always. Danced my feet off to Gangnam Style and repped the Asian community.

Dos: Took the high schoolers on a mystery trip to Six Flags and rode rollercoasters until I felt like puking. Held my husband's hand when we rode Goliath and almost died laughing at his screams of excitement screams for help.

Trois: Did the expected thing this Halloween and dressed up like Psy.

4: Ran my second half marathon and barely survived. Thought I was going to die, but had a friend (and runner extraordinare) run and pace the last 5 miles with me. Best part of the race? The time I danced to Gangnam Style after several bystanders were poorly doing it right before I crossed the finish line. #represent

Seems to be a lot of Psy in my life...
I'm ok with that.

That one time, in middle school...

...yes, I have been MIA for quite a while. I do have to admit, though, that I've been busy enjoying life and balancing the many hats I have found myself wearing lately - wife, friend, employee, volunteer, cook, cleaner, dog-walker, runner...

The one thing that I have really enjoyed as of late has been spending time with the young people at our church. I would encourage all people to give youth ministry a try - you don't have to be good at it, you just have to want to have fun, laugh a lot, and brush up on your herding-cats skills...

Two weeks ago the hubs and I went to Orlando for the weekend with the middle school ministry at church. I had so much fun with the students, and got embarrassingly dizzy/nauseous after riding a couple rides, but I put my big girl panties on and trucked through the rest of the day rode water rides and watched bags the rest of the day.

This past Sunday, we unveiled an awesomely disgusting hilarious game we have affectionately named "Honey Boo Boo Breath Challenge", taken from Honey Boo Boo's family game of "guess who's breath". Word on the street is our video has made it on a youth ministry website #youknowyouvemadeitwhen

I've found myself surrounded by middle schoolers in this stage of life, and I'm finding that I'm really ok with that. In fact, I'm kind of enjoying it! I don't remember much about being in middle school, but what I do remember is that my middle school years were filled with insecurities and questions about who I was and what I was made to do. I needed a lot of guidance then (and I still do), and I found comfort and happiness at church at youth group that lived life with me to figure it all out. Maybe that's why I got pulled to middle school ministry...who knows. But if there's anything I've learned lately, it's that I've been learning how to love innocently, how to pursue God earnestly, even when there is uncertainty. There's plenty to learn from middle schoolers, and I think that's pretty cool.

O-HI-O!

This past weekend the hubs and I went on a trip to Ohio to see his cousin get married. I slept through most of Ohio, but the parts I was awake for I loved!

We had lunch at Blue Ash, featured on an episode of Diners, Drive-In, and Dives

Goofy picture at the rehearsal dinner

On the wedding day, we attended the 30th annual County Applefest in Lebanon, Ohio. Never have I ever had better tasting apple-products. Those apple 'chips' up top? Best. Thing. Ever.

The wedding day came and we watched as cousin Josh married Courtney! The hubs had a hard time good time sharing his iPad to kill time before the wedding with one of the junior ushers and the ring bearer. They played a very intense game of virtual ping-pong.

Even though it was a rushed weekend, it was a lot of fun catching up with family and goofing off with the hubs, his family, and his brother. All this family time makes me super excited about Thanksgiving!

Wait, what?

When we moved into our house in March, we kept hearing a sound that was reminiscent of Kevin from Pixar's "Up" calling from the depths of the beautiful oak trees overhead. Then a couple weeks later, I saw this video of a man interrupting Webb Simpson's interview from the US Open and I was like "How is Kevin at the US Open?!"

Our dog Baxter was driving us crazy running back and forth in the backyard barking at an invisible animal living up in the trees. Every time I went out to look, I saw nothing.

...until I saw it.

Standing in all it's colorful glory, was a peacock.

A PEACOCK.

It was perched on the roof/chimney of my neighbor's house that we share a backyard with. And there was Baxter, barking until he had no bark left in him, at this strange animal living in our neighborhood.

Our neighbor informed us recently that there used to be a farm near our house with peacocks that went 'out of business' (explain that one) and let all the animals lose.

So now, every once in a while, as I leave for work in the early AM, I get escorted out of my neighborhood by a beautiful bird whose calls lull me to sleep at night.

The end.

Labor (less) Day/Weekend

Labor Day weekend, oh how I loved you!

I literally spent the weekend doing nothing and everything at. the. same. time. Impossible, you ask? Not so! Just look at all the things I didn't not do this weekend:

Baxter was a little jealous

First of all, I ate a lot of really good breakfasts cooked by my awesome husband.

Then we went to the beach and the husband got sunburned.

Kale chips, buffalo chicken dip, guacamole

Then we watched college football, I made tasty snacks, and we had a surprise visit from a good friend.

Crabs, country captain, kabobs, and 3 different key lime pies (!)

Then we went home to Bluffton and had too much fun eating and hanging out. And jumping off docks.

...and my best friend farmer Cait came for the weekend...and we shopped non-stop at the outlet mall for 3 hours straight.

Cleaning our bounty of crab

...and I learned how to crab using a hand line.We were all muddy and I almost got stuck, so I have no photos of the crabbing experience. But it was sooooo awesome!

...and I woke up really early and went shrimping. We didn't catch anything, but I learned how to cast a net!

The most laborious thing I did this weekend were: dressing myself, eating crabs, trying on clothes, and resting so that my stomach could digest the feasts I consumed. Pretty sweet weekend, wouldn't you say?

Weekend Update

This weekend, the husband and I had date-day...twice. Pretty big deal considering that the last time the two of us spent quality, uninterrupted time together was when we were on our honeymoon.

We love Sid.

Free Chick-fil-a just for moo-ing!

Reason #235363421 why Americans are fat

Friday: hearty breakfast, lounging/reading, Ice Age: Continental Drift (with the rest of the 2-5 year old population in Savannah), mall exploring, Cow Appreciation Day, dinner date!

The two men/children in my life...

 

Thanks for the insipration/recipe farmer Cait!

Saturday: Forsyth Farmers Market, surprised at Baxter's ability to behave around people/dogs/anywhere that wasn't our house, making use of our market-bought kale and made chips!

So wonderful to spend time with my man!

Lately...

True Life: I am a Lee*

Hey...when did it become July?! I've been unemployed for two months now (woohoo!) and have appreciatively embraced the role of "stay-at-home" without the 'mom' part (unless you count my first born, Baxter). I am learning that patience means "waiting without complaining" (see above photo), and that maybe - just maybe - this time of 'nothing' is really for me to do 'something' with my free time (and a lot of it!). Through many conversations with dear friends, this summer has been affectionately called "the summer of thoughts", where I am left to my own vices and my own times of quiet to calm my heart, tune my heart, and stay open and aware of where God leads me every day.

Sometimes it means I get the opportunity to bless my husband with delicious home-cooked food, or to simply enjoy his presence! We had been separated for three weeks, and now we're reunited (and it feels so good).

Sometimes it means I can paint my nails pastel colors and wear fun, bright-colored shorts just for funsies. Or it means I have time to slowly ease back into the world of academia and crack open those books for my impending doom licensure exam.

How fortunate am I that I have a husband who loves me, a house over our heads, a place to call home, and God who redeems me everyday! What a great lesson to learn during this season of waiting!

*"TrueLife: I am a Lee" backstory: My husband's life has always been filled with times where things consistently don't work out the right way the first, second, or third time. Usually it involves freak accidents, strange periods of circumstantial events that cause delays, forgetfulness, and the disappearance of important documents, conversations, bills, etc. I was warned that I would be inheriting this 'gift' when I married into the family. I wasn't sure if I believed all this pish-posh...until it started happening to me too. I've had to send my transcript four times to the same place because it keeps getting lost/misplaced/printed out wrong. Our debit cards took 4 weeks to get to us when it should have taken 1. Our oven keeps shutting off due to a faulty temperature sensor, and we've already fixed it once. Our fridge needed 'de-icing' and 'de-clogging'...our appliance fixer-man used a hairdryer. What I have learned as a Lee - the Lord has a great sense of humor, and thankfully has given us an appreciation for his humor too! Patience...waiting through life without complaining. Now that's #truelife

#SheReadsTruth

A couple of days ago, my dear friend tweeted: "@jnc should follow #shereadstruth through @Mama_Pea and @eatliverun on twitter and instagram"

...I love Twitter, and I also equally (that's a lie, probably more) love Instagram - girlfriend's tweet got me hooked. I quickly got on the internets and used the Google machine to do some research.

#SheReadsTruth is, as they put it simply, "women reading His truth together." It started with two friends who wanted to pursue the Lord together through His word. They started tweeting about it, people started asking...and then #SheReadsTruth was born.

Fast forward to today. They are starting a new plan called "Living The Surrendered Life" through YouVersion (accessible through app for your smartphone or online). Women all over are reading through the same passages of scripture and reading through the same devotional for the next 21 days and, as my friend put it in her email, "going to go for it and see where it takes me". Then, they are using social media to tweet and/or Instagram their journey, using the hashtag #shereadstruth to share what they're learning/what they believe the Lord is showing them.

I joined the adventure with their new plan today, and just in the first two lines of the devotional I was already convicted. I can't wait to see how the Lord continues to challenge me in the next couple of weeks.

Are you looking for a different way to be challenged in your growth this summer? Are you seeking fellowship with other women but don't know where to start? Join me and #shereadstruth and leave me a comment so I know you're doing it too!

Livin' for the weekend(s)

The past two weekends have been crazy busy but even crazier in levels of fun! Two weekends ago I had the privilege to spend the weekend in Charleston, SC helping my best friend/MOH in her farmer duties at the Marion Square Farmers Market! Cait got 'bit' by the farming bug a couple of years ago and has since re-located from our shared state of Maryland to South Carolina to work at Ambrose Family Farm! This friend of mine, in living out her mantra of doing anything and everything (especially at a moment's notice) managed to injure herself. That didn't stop this wonderwoman, however, as she insisted on being present at the farmers market. I did only what any sane person would do -- pretended to be a farmer for a day to help a friend out.

(Not only is Cait an awesome farmer, she is also a talented artist. Some of her photos have/are being displayed and sold (like at the indie-pendent in Atlanta!), or you can access her work on her blog, where she posts wonderful photos and even more wonderful thoughts! Check her out, she's one talented chickadee!)

This past weekend, I traveled 'home' to Bluffton, SC to attend our cousin's wedding (Congratulations Clermont & Al!!). The hubs has just started a new adventure in life and is off at school, learning a lot and meeting new friends; he left me to attend the wedding on our behalf & to spend Father's Day with his family. Loved every minute of it...even the time I learned how to play bocce ball and failed miserably. What I loved most about the wedding? The presence of a majestic kilt worn by the father-of-the-bride and a peppering of seersucker, bowties, and pastel-colored dress pants. Reminded me of the photos I see on Back Down South's blog & twitter! #SouthernSwag #inlovewiththesouth

This is my I-have-no-idea-what-I'm-doing pose

On Sunday, my father-in-law wanted to take us out on the boat. So went out on the river and went exploring. Love my family, love spending time with them, and love living and sharing life! I am one lucky lady :)

Sometimes it's so easy to forget how great simple things in life are; weddings, seeing friends, meeting new family members, laughing over silly things, exploring, watching dogs play fetch in the water...I'm so blessed to be able to be reminded of all His great provisions on a daily basis! May there be many more weekends like these to come!