Shower Power and then some...

Great thoughts come to me in two places.

1. The Shower
2. My Car

I've had many a great conversation with friends about the magical, creative capabilities you receive in the shower. Let's just call this "shower power" for the time being.

Shower Power is a gift and fortunately we can receive this gift every day, if we know how to open it up. There is an extensive amount of research out there linking creativity and quietness.
Now, while in the shower you not only have quiet time, but you have warm water falling on you from above.

So my formula for shower power is:
Water + Quiet = Creativity
Add some fruity shampoo or soap and LOOKOUT, this will take your creativity over the edge!

As for my car, well---great things happen there too, but in a different way.
Usually my first thought upon entering my car is... Do I want to sing? or Do I want to listen?
Some days I have a lot to say through singing and other days I need a voice, a whisper of grace, or a funny joke.

All this being said, I challenge you to take an intentional shower tomorrow morning. Step in with the intention to quiet your mind so you can hear what really matters. Step out with a new perspective, idea, or answer to a problem.

Get into your car-- sing a new song, listen to an inspiring speaker, or just be still and know you are okay. You will benefit from both!

I will leave you with this quote

Creativity is often spawned by a quiet mind
- united with a challenge.

Be blessed and be filled with shower power!

Connecting, differently.

I've never been a big fan of fitting in. Most who know me well, know who I am, where I stand, and that I tend to look at life sideways or upside down.

To me a cardboard box is an empty canvas.
An old book is an art project.
And a dead stick is the perfect stem for a paper flower.

I guess I just connect with life in my own little weird way.

It's like that with people too.

I usually try to find someway to connect with the cool, the confused, the left-out, the understood and misunderstood, the young, the old and anyone in between.

We can learn from EVERYONE!

Today I had the opportunity to connect with a new student.
He was not thrilled that he was being pulled out from his room to take the mock end of grade test.
He wanted to stay in his classroom.

This not so happy camper was in my testing group. I received fair warning about this student and was reminded to "be tough" on him. I try to "hear" advice given from others, yet I usually listen to what my heart tells me instead.

I walked over to him with my testing container, smiled at him, and said "Can you please carry this for me, it is so so heavy?" He said "sure" and grabbed the container from my hand. The oh-so-very-light container surprised him and he laughed. Connection made.

That's all it took. A smile. A simple joke. A laugh.

Here is a snippet from our Sunday study in regards to connections.

An incandescent bulb uses heat caused by an electrical current.  When electrical current passes through a wire, it causes the wire to heat.  The wire, or filament, gets so hot that it glows and gives off light.  Every incandescent light bulb has within it a filament made of tungsten.  Since the hot tungsten would quickly burn away if it were exposed to oxygen, it must be placed in a sealed glass bulb which is either evacuated or filled with a gas that won’t let it burn.

We are the light bulb. And Christ is the current, moving through us with grace and love as the and lighting our souls as servants.

Unlike the light bulb, we are not made of Tungsten and oxygen is our source of survival. We don’t need a seal. We don’t need a glass bulb around us. And we can’t get too much of our great God.

Did you connect with our creator today?

There is still time.

Make a connection my friends and be blessed. 

My airplane is quiet.

Sometimes I crave the quiet, especially in the morning, when my mind is still waking up.

In my home library I have a children's book called, The Quiet Book. This sweet book explores the different kinds of quiet that fill our mornings and nights.

This is how is begins:

There are many kinds of quiet:
First one awake quiet
Jelly side down quiet
Don't scare the robin quiet
Coloring in the lines quiet
Hide and Seek quiet

It ends like this:

Bubbles in the bathtub quiet
Story time quiet
Bedtime kiss quiet
Sounds asleep quiet

If I could insert a line of my own into the book, I would say...

Riding on a airplane quiet
Looking out the window quiet

Usually (not always) airplanes rides and so quiet and peaceful to me.

This morning my airplane is quiet.
My airplane is thankful.
My airplane is ready.

Think about the kind of quiet you love most.

May your soul experience peace that passes understand, love that anchors faith, and hope that bridges the past, present and future.

b.Cause- Madison's Missions

b.Cause we are called to care.

Taking care of people in our world is one of God's greatest calls.
Have you ever seen God in someone before?
I do all the time.

I see Him working in Madison Collier's life.
Madison is a college student at UNC Chapel Hill and attends First Baptist Church.
I met Madison a few years ago when Daniel and I helped with youth group.
I immediately noticed her leadership and love of Christ.
Fast forward a few years and she is still leading, living, and living!

This girl is on fire for God and has a passion for missions.
She blogs humbly at http://namelessandfameless.blogspot.com/
Here, she tells about why she felt called to go to London and what her purpose is in going.
Her words resonated in my heart and lit a fire in my soul to help out.

I’m excited to have God reveal to me the need in London more and more each day and how I get to be exposed to it and be a light to it for an extended period of time.  How many people get to go out in faith like this?
And it gets me thinking, what else have I memorized but have not yet mobilized?
As I dive into my sins on that last note hopefully you can ask the same thing for yourself and realize you were redeemed for a purpose and empowered to do it by the authority of Christ.

Memorized, but not yet mobilized.
Don't you love that?
We must move, people.
We must do something.

Madison is my first b.Cause.
For the next few weeks a portion of my sales from A Place to Land will go towards Madison's mission. She needs to raise about $5,000 and I have no doubt she will reach her goal.

I ask you to search your heart.
Can you help?
Maybe you can donate financially?
Maybe you can donate your time to pray for her?

If you are interested in donating to b.Cause for Madison, please send me a message on facebook or email me at alhussell@gmail.com.

Maybe you already have a cause.
Maybe you are looking for one.

If you don't, pray about it.
Our world is hurting.
Out world needs you!

b.Cause I believe everything we do and say matters

I wish you all the best Madison Collier.

You will do great things.

The Bible's First Verb

The fifth word in the bible is a verb. 7 letters. and one of my favorite words ever.
Do you know what it is?

That's right, created.
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. That verse is the most awesomely/extraordinary/mind-blowing/ verse in the Bible's entirety. At least to this
simple-minded gal.

Today I taught my students about understanding the main idea in a passage. I talked with them about how our hearts and our minds are two organs we must have in our body in order to think and breathe. We talked about how those two organs are major parts, kinda like the major part in a story being the main idea.

The main idea of this verse is that God created.
Have you ever stopped and meditated on this verse?
I have been lately.
And the more I crave understanding, the less I seem to understand.

All I really need to remember is that God created.

That being said. God defined creativity. He delighted in His work.
We read throughout Genesis that God saw that His work was "good."

How do you use the creativity God gifted to you?
Do you delight in your work and call it "good"?

Try it.
Make something this week and regardless of what you think, call it good.
The more you do this, the more you will value your work.
And the more you value what you create, the more you will value our Creator and the creative gifts he has wrapped within you.

Place a verb after your name and make something friends!

b.Creative
andrea

Creative Christianity- Session 1

Good Sunday evening friends.

Over the course of the next weeks my blog will highlight happenings from our latest women's study, Creative Christianity. The purpose of this study is to shine a light on the creative gifts that our God has uniquely wrapped inside of us. Each gift was wrapped in love with a purpose and a plan.

Picture your eight year old self, opening up all your gifts on Christmas morning. You are tearing through each and every one-- filling the air with ribbons, tags, and bright colored paper. You get to that last package and look around at your mess. It's over. Just like that every.single.gift is open and ready to be loved.

What if God gave in that way? What if you woke up tomorrow and he gave you all the fruits of the spirit, blessed you with numerous spiritual gifts and left you with all the wisdom life had to offer?

Sounds beautiful and grand, but honestly- I'm not sure we would know how to handle such gifts all at one time.

God's gifts are given to us in His time, in His way, for His purpose.

As our character develops, our strength is built. Strength increases faith and soon-after wisdom abounds.

Think about what creative gifts God has uniquely equipped you with.
Here are a few of mine
1. writing
2. singing
3. teaching.
4. decorating

Now think about your spiritual gifts. How can you use your creative gifts to fulfill your spiritual gifts?

For example-- My spiritual gifts are primarily compassion, discernment, and encouragement.
I can use my writing and singing to relate and bring about courage in others.

Try writing a Creative Life Statement

God has uniquely equipped me with the spiritual gift(s) of __________________.
As a child of God I can use my creative gifts of _______________________________________
to __________________. (how will your use them)

This week I will pray for you. Yes, you...whoever you are and wherever you live-- I pray that God will bless you in new ways. I pray that he opens your eyes to your beautiful self and makes known your gifts He designed for you to use.

b.creative and b. blessed

andrea

The Art in your Heart

Hi friends!

I've been a bad bad blogger.

I've been writing, just not here.

So, tonight I will share with you a piece of a kids book I am working on. 

The illustrations should be super-fun for this one!

Hope you enjoy it!

The Art in your Heart

There’s a place in your heart

with lots of light

It glitters and shines

and radiates bright

There’s canvases, brushes, and 

paints galore

Doodles and stripes

and so much more

There’s polka dots, squiggles, 

and peppermint trees

Butterflies, fairies, and

bumble bees

It’s the prettiest, happiest place in your heart

It’s easy to find if you just need to start

So pick up a paintbrush, some paper and pen

make your first mark and creation begins

There’s art in your heart

It’s inside every beat

and when you find it

Your heart is complete.

An image of God and a night spent with Christa Wells and Nicole Witt

March 15 2013.

This day I will never forget.

Not because of anything I did, but because of what God did. 

Every day God walks with us- guiding us, teaching us, loving us.

Some days though you can seriously feel and know he is holding your hand.

Well that day, God gave our community a gift through music I know many will also remember.

Christa Wells and Nicole Witt of More than Rubies, graced our new Mount Holly bakery, Queen Bee with their spirits. 

They emptied themselves to fill us up. 

Have you every thought that that's what artists do every.single.time they perform?

They give. We take. And everyone walks away from a song more blessed, more loved, and more okay with their weaknesses.

It's hard to choose a favorite song they sang because every song touched me in a different way. 

But there was one song that I knew slowed everyone's breathing for a bit and that was

"Image of God."

From the moment Nicole sets her bow on the string of her violin, to the last piano key Christa gently touches-- You see God, you hear God, you feel God.

What a blessing and what a gift to be the gift giver and the gift receiver of this song.

God was also gracious to give us time to spend together before they performed. Over salads we talked music, the messy and the beautiful bits of mothering, and the mere fact that we are all a whole lot more alike than we think. I sat with wisdom. I sat there with faith. I sat there with love. Christa Wells and Nicole Witt breathe wisdom, faith, and love through their conversation and music. I was so nervous I was gonna say something weird or dorky, but after a few words with them, I really didn't care if I did say something ridiculous. They were just that cool and kind.

As they set up and prepared, people from Mount Holly, Charlotte, and Matthews walked through our doors. The owners Freddie and Kerri Queen filled our bellies with warm coffee and the best sweet treats. I delighted in the white chocolate covered strawberries. Oh my were they good! It was so awesome to be a part of the orchestration of this beautiful evening.

You know, sometimes music can knock the very last breath out of you and it suddenly becomes your breath. And like my good friend Ashley Flowers says "by the end of some songs, you just need to take a big deep breath and then slowly let it go." 

I truly believe that music is like air for us.

There is not a day that goes by that a song doesn't lift and shift me.

I'll end with a story that happened prior to the concert. It happened around 2:30 in the afternoon.

I was walking with my son and we were listening to More than Rubies sing Image of God. The sun was out, birds were harmonizing along, and the wind moved the music along with perfect grace. As I listened, I suddenly looked up. The sky's canvas was marked. It was marked with the most beautiful image I have seen. The sky was painted with light in the center of a cross formed by the jet stream of a passing plane. Ahhh- God. I said hello to Him and snapped this picture. 

What an image. What a blessing.

Today I pray you find an image of God. 

They are everywhere if we just look up.

Be Blessed! 

Is the queen of hearts always your best bet?

Desperado, by The Eagles, is one of my husband's favorite songs. One of mine, too!
Now, before you read any farther, I need you to go ahead and click play below.
It will make the whole reading experience better. I promise.



So, like I said this is a great song!
But.

The Eagles used one word in this song that could have been replaced with a much better word.

The word is "Somebody"
At the near end of the song they tell us to "let somebody love you before it's too late?"

Now, I do fully agree with the notion that we need each other. Of course we do! And yes, I know the meaning behind the song and it's meant to tell the story of a man who won't settle down and needs to find his one true love before it's too late!

But.

Who is that somebody?
And what are we gonna be late for?

I think it would be much better if we could somehow insert the word "Jesus"
That "somebody" came to earth and paid the price for my sins by His grace on the cross.
He is my "somebody" and it is NEVER EVER too late to let Him love you.

I'll bet "The Queen of Hearts" on that one.

And speaking of the Queen of Hearts. She is a great bet and everything.

BUT.

I think our greatest bet, our greatest love, our greatest everything
is THE KING of them ALL (spades, diamonds, hearts, aces, and clubs)
Yep, every single one!

If you let the King love you, and you love him back...
You'll have all you need.
And maybe, just maybe, he'll give you that "somebody" you've been looking for.

Next time you see that Queen, remember your King. He's your best bet.
And when you're wishing for that "somebody" or "something"
Remember Jesus Christ fills that need first.

Last question for you...

Do your feet get cold in the wintertime?
Mine did today? Geesh this weather is confusing and cold!

Love and Grace my Friends!

Give to Live

There is a book about a tree that loses its purpose when it can no longer give a young boy what he needs. Do you remember what book I am referring to?  The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein... Oh my--- it is such a sweet story that speaks to kids and adults and everyone in between. The giving tree needed to give to live.

There is a great sea on the other side of our world that is a giver as well.
The Sea of Galilee is fed by the Jordan river and feeds itself back into the Jordan in the south.
Because it receives and in turn gives-- everything in and around it thrives and survives.

There is a song by Switchfoot about moving on, not looking back, and helping our world. Dare you to move is one of my favorite songs and is a reminder to pick myself up off the floor and serve the world regardless of my circumstances.

When you give you live.
When you give HE lives.
When you give others live too.

In living there is loving.


Live in love this week and give until you have nothing left to give.

My mystery card (from God)

Eight years ago this card arrived at my home on Meadowbrook Drive in West Virginia.
Each verse beautifully written and carefully selected for me.

Eight years ago, I was 22. Clueless. Fearful. Single. I'd graduated and accepted a Pharmaceutical Sales position 2 hours from my hometown. Life was one big ball of scary!

Things in my life were so uncertain and this was new for me because life had just always "worked."

So back to the card.

I remember opening it, thinking who in the world wrote this and signed their name as "God"
I called everyone who I suspected. None claimed to be "God in the card."

I never figured out who the card was from, so I just came to the conclusion that the great God of the universe must have just dropped me a little card in the mail as encouragement. Had to have been, right?

God wrote out 10 life verses for me. Here they are, with a little quick snippet of what they are teaching.

Romans 8:28- God is working for all things for good.
John 16:33- Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world
John 14:16- God will provide a comforter to be with us always
Matthew 10:30- The hairs of your head are numbered
Romans 5:3-4- Tribulation worketh patience, experience, and hope
James 1:2-3 Count it all joy!
James 1:9- Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath
Romans 10:17- Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
John 15:18- If the world hated you, it hated me before it hated you.
Psalm 46:10- Be still and Know that I am God


Do you have verses that you feel like God constantly places in your lap?
If not, seek them, find them, listen for them.
They are there waiting for you!

I can not wait to take my card to Heaven one day and ask God to show me his handwriting and see if it matches this card!

In the meantime, I'll remember His words and thank him for

b.connected- isn't that what life is about anyway

People and Ideas.
We need them both.
And in order to connect with people and ideas, we need Jesus Christ.

Isn't He kinda like our bridge to all our connections we make in this life.
This life has creeks, streams, lakes, rivers, and oceans that divides up our world.
There is another great divide that exists between earth and eternity. And in order to
cross from one to the other.
God knew we needed a bridge.
So he sent that bridge in the form of a son, who built bridges with his disciples and the rest of the world while He was here.

There is no greater bridge we can cross, than that of THE CROSS.

As you connect with others today, remember who your bridge builder was and is.
Thank him for your friends, your family, your ideas.

As a reminder of connections we make, our women's bibly study made the picture frame above. Each person had a hand in creating this frame. And now it rests in my home as a reminder of my great friends and the best bridge builder I know!

Be Blessed and b.Connected my friends!

For your weekend...

What is your weekend going to be like?

Filled?

Relaxed?

Both?

Every person I know loves the weekends

Well, excluding those who work on the weekends.

Oops, sorry if you are one of those people!

Here are a few ideas to have a filled, yet relaxed kinda weekend.

Take a walk and enjoy the spring preview.

Although spring is not here quite yet, God has given us a sneak peek 

at the coming attractions that we are all anticipating. Walk slowly, 

be thankful, and let the sun and the son grace your face.

Wonder if the stars will be out tonight?

If so, stop and look at them. Wish upon them. Count them.

Then...

Listen to this song.

Starlight, By Rachael Yamagata

It is a great song

What else can you do?

Read, The Noticer by Andy Andrews

Watch, Argo

Listen to 90's Pop on Pandora

Do something kind for someone else

Try out a new pinterest recipe.

Nap

Get out your bible, and take some time to read the Sermon on the Mount.

Just have a filled, fun, and relaxed weekend.

Be Blessed

b.Different

12:2 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

                    Translation-- b.Different

You know the saying... 

"March to the beat of your own drum."

Well, that's a good saying and all, but I go by the belief that we should march to the beat of God's drum. His drum beat is steady, sure, and leads us in the right direction.

God wants us to be different. He wants us to use our gifts/talents to make the world a better place and you can't go about doing that if you're hiding behind who you really are!

This month at A Place to Land we will be creating gumball machines from small flower pots. A friend of mine had made one and being the GUM-LOVER that I am I LOVED IT! I also loved the idea of taking something that was intended for a flower and using it for something completely different!

I hope you can make it on March 19 at 6:00! We will definitely have a great time and the coffee will be brewed and waiting! Come delight in the different.

In the meantime, ponder this thought...

"You will never influence the world by trying to be like it."

b.you

b.true

b.different

Grace for your weekend...

As you enter your weekend, invite love

 and peace into your home. 

Invite laughter, joy, and moments 

you'll never forget

Treat people better than they deserve

and

b.Gracious

Grace for the weekend

(b.Blessed with a good book) - If you are looking for a good book on grace and raising children, Grace-Based Parenting is a wonderful source. We have been reading it during our evening meals and learning a lot about ways we hope to shepherd our Weston's life.


(b.Blessed with music) - I am so super excited about Christa Wells and Nicole Witt of More than Rubies coming to Queen Bee Bakery on March 15. Here is a little sneak peek of music they will be playing! Oh, these ladies are just seriously breathing God's word into the world.

(b.Blessed with beauty)- I made this frame for a friend. What can you frame this weekend? Remember to look for the beauty wherever you land.

(b.Blessed with scripture)  Rest in the verses from Matthew 5-- The Sermon on the Mount
The poor, the sad, the meek, the merciful, the hungry, the thirsty, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, the persecuted. -- GOD love us ALL and is preparing a place better than we can ever imagine of dream of!