31 days of football

since i started this blog i've done a terrible job of blogging. once, maybe twice a week. and so i figured. to get back on this horse i've been chasing, i'll start with the 31 days of blogging with the nester.

if you've never done this before. it's quite simple. and really fun. 

you pick a topic, and blog about it for 31 days (the whole month of october). 

you can pick any topic. 

really. 

ok maybe not any topic. but one that's appropriate to talk about for 31 days. 

i've done it before, and it's a really great way to get writing every day. 

because hello. i was an english major. let's not forget that. 

i knew i wanted to join in this year but just couldn't find a topic that yelled, "pick me! pick me!"

and so, as i sat watching football this sunday. it was like a lightbulb went off. 

welcome to, 31 days of football. 

i'm pretty pumped about this. 

here's somethings you should know going into this.

#1. i am from cleveland, ohio. so all my references may or may not have to do with either a) the cleveland browns or b) the ohio state buckeyes

#2. meaning, i don't ever combine the colors yellow and black or blue and yellow (if you don't get this reference you will later on)

#3. i'm no expert on football, but my daddy has taught me a lot

during the next 31 days, we'll go over everything from rules, to coaches, to players, to the draft, to how i really feel about cheerleaders in the nfl.

if you're a football lover like me, you'll appreciate the days when i talk about players, and stats, and fantasy football. 

if you've never watched the game and only think football is that barbaric game when men hit each other, you'll appreciate the rules day. and hopefully by the end of these 31 days will be the newest browns and buckeye fan. 

or your team of choice, but a girl can dream.

so! here's to 31 days of football. 

yes, that's duke. in a buckeye jersey.

say a little prayer for me

i don't think i'm great at prayer.

it's one of those things growing up that wasn't really talked about.
you knew the Lord's prayer. and the bed time prayer.
and that was it.

prayer, was just that nice thing you told people you'd do for them. it might have been the thing you did when you reaaaally needed something from God.

it certainly wasn't a daily activity.
it wasn't a conversation with God.
it wasn't a time to believe in HIS name that things would happen.

i don't think i'm great at prayer because i'm just figuring out what it really is.

it's all those things i thought it wasn't.
it's quiet time.
seriously quiet time, with zero distractions.
it's coming to God with everything. the big things. the little things.
it's talking to God. it's expecting from God. it's listening to God.

i've had some serious prayers answered lately. big ones. and even little ones. but answered. in a mighty way.
and i'm always blown away.
which is how i always want to be.

i also don't ever want to pray and just know that God will do it.
i expect God to answer my prayers, but i also know that sometimes He'll do it when, and how He wants to do it. which may not be when or how i had asked for.

sometimes i get intimidated by women when i hear or read about their serious encounters with the Lord during prayer time. because i immediately think i'm doing it wrong.

which is the thought process that has to stop.

because here's what Jesus says about prayer:

"and when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.

truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. but when you pray, 

go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who is unseen. 

then your Father who sees what is done in secret, 

will reward you. 

and when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need

before you ask Him." matthew 6: 5-8

quiet. alone. just me and God.
check, and check.

i started about a year ago getting up and reading the Word in the morning and praying. some days i miss it. mostly the weekends. but i'm a work in progress. some days, it's an hour. other days, it's ten minutes.
the biggest thing, is that we have to stop thinking there's a right and a wrong way to do this.

your head and your heart have to open to the Lord.
that's how this all works.

i'm refusing to keep thinking that there's a right way and a wrong way. as long as i stick to His words. i'm good. there may be some tried and true formulas people have. but those might not work for me.

God works for me.
mornings work for me.
being honest works for me.

whatever your time of day is.
whatever your method might be (mines writing btw. if i don't write my prayers out, my brain goes from asking God for healing, to who i think will with the amazing race in 5 seconds).
whatever works for you.
do it.

via.

mean girls

here's the thing.

no one likes a mean girl. 

(unless we're talking about the movie which has, in my opinion, some of the best one liners. is butter a carb?)

but in real life?

no one likes a mean girl.

the older i get, the more i realize that no matter what age you are. there will always be the mean girl. and i hate it.

i hate it so much because there's this better alternative.
being nice.

i think the internet has a big role to play here.
we're a generation used to typing away our thoughts (good or bad) and hitting send.
whether it's a keyboard, or a cell phone, we tend to hide behind that screen.

and i just can't help but wonder why?

i've encountered one of these mean girls, and just recently. and everything said and done just reminded me of high school. all. over. again.

and it hurt.

the words said hurt my feelings. they weren't necessary. and they didn't have any weight, other than to tear me down.

so let's try something new. let's be kind humans. instead of expressing our opinion in an "i'm better than you" attitude, let's just be nice.

because when you're nice. people remember you.
but when you're mean. people really, really, really remember you.

proverbs 16:24

hello september

is it just me or is it crazy pants to anyone else that it's SEPTEMBER?

one of the greatest months of the year because football starts.

go browns. 

and with a new month, comes new goals. 

because i love goals. even when i don't stick to them. 

#1. book a wedding

i have some seriously wonderful brides inquiring with me. 

#2. find a church

we haven't found a church in orlando yet. such a big decision to make. 

#3. loose 5 pounds

remember when i wrote about loving all the food and not caring about what i look like. i lied. 

#4. read through Jeremiah

for some reason this book has been on my brain lately.

a short list. but a list of goals. i'm excited for september because there's so much newness going on. summer is on the way out, ok well not totally in florida. but fall is here. and that makes me happy. 

here's to a great september.