This Good Life

Well, anyone who would possibly be reading this blog is close enough to me to know what is going on with my mom and my family.  So no need to rehash all of that.   And because of that, I haven't been spending much time on my own personal blog.  Rather, I've been working on this:   http://livingwithpurpose.republicd.com/ I'm sure you're all aware of that, too.  I am overwhelmed with life right now.  We have been shocked, terrified, saddened and so much more.  My family's ordeal, still trying to process my Brazil trip, maintaining relationships, preparing for the holidays, and keeping up with work has me slightly preoccupied.... But if I've learned ANYthing in the past few weeks it's that: Faith is really a way of life .  It's not just an idea.   Not just something you can claim on a Sunday morning.  Not just something that is far off.  Or that Christian authors know about, but that doesn't affect the every d...

Well, I'll try to wrap up some of the other things I did in Brazil... We went to this Football Museum one day and it was awesome!  It was really high tech and interesting and all sorts of things to see about football, history of football, World Cup, Brazilian players, etc.  I really enjoyed it. At one point, you could kick a ball into a digital wall with the net and a goalie and if you make the goal there's a big 'GOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!' Ok.  I am not very athletic nor can I kick a ball with accuracy....tennis is about the extent of my sport-playing and that requires no kicking (if you weren't aware).  Even so I stepped up to the plate (why am I talking in baseball terms??) and prepared to make a fool out of myself in front of all these Brazilians who I'm sure have kicked balls from birth. Aaaaand.....I made a 'GOOOOL'! Then my friend Leandro got up there and got ready to try the same thing. He totally missed. Baha. Oops, so sorry that I made mine...

For a couple of days, my friends and I went to Rio de Janiero for vacation!  It is a fabulous city and truly unique! Several things were happening in Rio while we were there that kept the city buzzing a little bit...Justin Bieber was in town. Hooray. (can you feel my enthusiam with that hooray?)  Rock in Rio is a concert series like ACL in Austin, but all rock bands/music and that was taking place while we were there too.  Because of these two events, Rio was bustling. We walked past the hotel where Justin Bieber was staying several times and the sickness must not be THAT contageous because even with being so close I still didn't get Bieber Fever.. thank goodness. Also, I do have to mention that Brazilian soap operas are insanely popoular here. Whereas we have our series and shows that are watched regularly across America and loved by many, for Brazil these shows are soap operas. Actors in the soap operas are national stars and considered the most talented actors/actres...

Tonight was such an uplifing night. I went to Wednesday evening church. There were only about 20 people there and the events of the service were very similar to Sunday morning church--singing, prayer, a message. However, the part that I was impacted by the most was at the very end when the speaker (this is typical for them every week) asked for prayer requests from the group. Like 10 hands immediately went up into the air. One by one each person was "called upon" and spoke from the heart. There were requests for prayers for upcoming exams, thankfulness for healing of the sick, gratefulness for God's protection (literally, someone's life was being threatened and God was steadfast), blessings for friends, and prayers for family members who had strayed from the church. I guess I was so touched because I thought about how hard it would be to get people in the United States to do this. I mean, to REALLY let their hearts be open and give REAL prayer requests. Americans a...

Well, I just got home from a Brazilian Police Station... Let me explain. Well, even before I begin to explain, let me give some background. :) Ever since I got to Brazil, I've been telling my friends how I want to buy coffee to take back to the States. Literally-- for the past week, I've mentioned it every day.  Finally, tonight (Sunday night), I went to the supermarket with Thiago and Priscilla to get my coffee!  Hooray!!  #soexcited Ahead of myself a little bit...let me give some more background. The people that I'm hanging out with in Brazil are some of the best people one could ever know.  I'll start with the couple that have been gracious enough to let me stay with them in their house while I'm here.  Thiago is a brilliant and hard-working engineer and Priscila is about the sweetest and kindest person in the world.  They both work with the youth at the church and would be my role models and mentors, no doubt, if I was in high school and goin...

Ok I am going to start a series of blogs about my time in Brazil... I miss it already.  I miss my friends there.  It was a very special two weeks and a very blessed two weeks.  I didn't get a chance to blog while I was physically there, but hopefully these forthcoming stories will be more than sufficient as a summation of my trip! Saturday--well my day started at 5:00 am when Thiago, Priscila, Leandro and I work up early and hit the road.  We drove 3 hours to our final destination for the day, Brotas.  Brotas is a small little town outside of Sao Paulo in the countryside.  The drive was beautiful.  We listened (and sang) to all sorts of American and Brazilian music!  (Yes, I have a video or two of the singing--however Thiago sings better as a girl than as I guy, so for his sake I will refrain from sharing the videos via the internet.)  Once we got to Brotas we changed clothes and then got briefed for....a whitewater rafting trip!! ...

I have been blessed in my life to be able to ride in a couple of airplanes for travel purposes. My absolute favorite part of plane rides is the takeoff .  I LOVE it. In my most recent travel experience, I was trying to figure out why on earth I do love the takeoff so much… And thus, I did some analysis (of course I did) and think I figured it out! I love the takeoff in a plane:   ~because you can feel the intensity and the power of the engine.  It’s consuming.   ~because there’s freedom from gravity.  As you lift off, you break from the normal and the initial feeling of that is liberating.   ~because you have to lean back in your chair.  I like this.  I’m grateful for the support of the seat holding me up.   ~because of the excitement of a beginning a trip, or subsequently of going home.   ~because of the excitement of flying over the clouds.   ~because you have no control and are forced to trust the aircraft, to trust...

Well, update to my life: I got an iPhone. Oh, yes. It’s true. Unbelievable, but true. Let me also write a disclaimer that goes along with this: I would still NOT be in the possession of an iPhone or any smart phone at all if the phone was not FREE to me.  I dislike spending money nor do I have enough of it laying around to splurge on things like a new phone.  My old one worked just fine. : ) However, the phone was free indeed (this price is just right!) and I’m glad I do now [finally] have one…it’s pretty nifty.  (Sidenote--my favorite apps as of late: Instagram (follow me!), Bejeweled, Monster Fantasy Football, Fling, WhatsApp (add this and we can text while I’m overseas for free!). ) I also got a protection plan to go along with the phone.  But I cancelled that days later... I feel like I’m careful enough with my things that I shouldn’t need this plan…right?....even if the phone is $500 value and that’s how much I’d have to pay to replace it….?  H...

I am LOVING the weather today and it just got me so excited about all the many reasons why I love Fall in the first place!  So somehow, a song popped into my head....   We all know the movie "The Sound of Music" with it's charm, wit, singing, and beauty. (Hat tip to Becky Schwarz for going on the Sound of Music tour with me! So fun!) So, if you know the movie you should certainly know "These are a Few of my Favorite Things".  See here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfbB0p-yyLA Well, I may or may not have taken a couple minutes to change up that song to fit me ....and my love for Fall...  So, try re-singing the song using these lyrics: Pumpkin spice lattes and fires for warming Much cooler weather and corn mazes forming Watching football with some Buffalo [ Wild ] Wings These are a few of my favorite things Patches of pumpkins and cuddles with Macy Pea coats and salsa and shirts that are lacy A storm with fresh rain and the smell that it brings Th...

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' I think God gives us constant opportunities. Opportunities to serve Him. I guess what’s on my mind today, though, is how to make sure I take advantage of those opportunities. What if I miss them?  How can I serve my God if I’m not paying attention to what comes up around me? I mean, these chances aren’t going to be outlined in neon lights. They don’t flash a sign that says “Here, Aleisha!! Use me! Do this!”  And honestly, even they did hold up a sign, I might miss that!  I can be less-than-observant sometimes. :) My heart aches thinking that I might be missing chances...that I’m not serving the least of His people just because I’m not engaging in the world around me. I know I need to go out and look for opportunities.  I know I need to actively seek out the lost.  But I just don’t always do that...  And when I d...

I don’t have many words for today. I don’t have many thoughts. Or maybe I have so many thoughts that the very idea of writing them all down exhausts me. That’s the more likely story. Either way, there’s not going to be many words in this blog.  Rather I’m going to attempt to materialize some of my recent lessons learned…some of my recent experiences.  Some of things that are currently molding me. Dear Lord, continue to mold me into the woman of God that you desire me to be.  Keep on constructing.  May my shape be made to reflect You. So-- to begin my fairly wordless blog post, let me say:  I’m inspired right now. It doesn’t happen too often.  I wish it happened so much more.  But nonetheless, I’m inspired. I’m inspired by:   Living Encouragement     Loving   Hope      Healing   Memories Longing   Joy ...

I got a something today.  My phone, the dear thing, is a pretty good one. But it’s not a smart phone. (Which is a shame because I need GPS a lot and also because I've recently gotten into Twitter and I can't Twitter unless I'm on a computer. Request to follow me on Twitter--dooo it.) Anyway, I was checking my phone this morning and treating it like a normally would treat it…gently, yet efficiently. (not quite, but close) And THEN my phone just freezes.  How rude is that?  I can’t do a thing—not even turn it off!  So, my only option is to take my phone apart…take off the back covering, remove the battery, twirl the battery in my hand a little bit, blow on the back of the phone for good measure, etc.  So these things I do.  And then I put it back together and turn on my phone. I set the little thing beside me it was coming back on and powering up. The phone's screen is mostly just a dark screen as it reboots.  Unt...

In all the various social media networking tools these days, there is an area on each of these to describe yourself. What are you supposed to put there?? Sure, lots of people put their interests, their passions, their titles, likes, dislikes, etc. But ultimately it all comes down to a definition . It’s a definition of yourself. On the surface, my social media description is ever-changing.  Take that, Facebook.  The description of my 18 year old self would be vastly different than the description of my 25 year old self, which will be greatly different from my 30 year old self.  Passions, likes, titles—those all transform over time and even constantly. BUT how on earth can you define a human being with a heart and soul and multiple dimensions into 2 sentences of words??  That’s impossible! A definition is defined as: –noun 1.  the formal statement of the meaning or significance of a word, phrase, etc. So, in the social media networking context, the area...

Well, I am going to have to bring a past blog post to the forefront of your mind. If you ever read my very short and very pointless blog post from 7/28/10 , then this one will seem very similar...and it may be equally as short and pointless. In that aforementioned blog post, I hounded pretty hard on marathons and people running them. Well, now I may have to eat my words a little bit…BUT let me explain. Viewpoint #1 .  The reason I disliked (and still do) marathons was that it was (and still is) a fad. If anyone knows me at all , you would know that I hate going along with the fads. Not necessarily for the point of being ‘different’ or standing out…but probably because of the fact that I’m called to stand apart in my spiritual life, and I think that translates over into other aspects of my life as well.  (Note: Stand apart ..not stand out …set aside ...not attention-centered) I feel called to NOT follow the crowd. That and, well, I just don’t like doing what ev...

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt 6:21) Even though this verse in its original context is really referring directly to material wealth and earthly things vs. a heavenly prioritized mindset, I’m currently seeing it in a slightly different light... I live pretty simply and am blessed to not have too many material things overwhelm my life. Thus, I feel like I do focus on relationships and living life fully. But there’s something else that complicates things… What if your treasure is scattered?? Then what? Let me be more specific… My heart is in so so many places.  And I'm not talking about a heart broken by other humans.  We all know the heartache in the world caused by our fellow man.  But this is entirely different. My heart is in Texas. In Amarillo. My heart is in Brazil. My heart is in Europe. My heart is under the stars. My heart is in Tulsa. My heart is anywhere my little brother is. My heart is on a plane. My heart is in Mo...