Resolutions

If you know me, you know how much I hate "New Years Resolutions". Like I just don't get the point of them. They're always good intentioned but rarely followed through with, and if you really wanted it, you would have started in July rather than January.

It being the new year is motivation for a new start I guess so props to everyone who's trying.

My grandmother challenged me to write and share 5 new years resolutions of mine, so here they are:

1. Do things for me.

So often, I pressure myself into doing things I have absolutely NO desire to do because I want to please everyone else and I'm scared of offending them. BUT I've begun to learn that I can't always do that and that at some point, I have to put myself first and that's going to start now.

I'm going to do stuff for me, and worry about pleasing myself before anyone else.

2. JESUS

Life gets crazy, and sometimes, all I want to do is sleep, but I know I need to take 10 minutes and talk to my Maker, so I'm going to *try* do a devotion everyday. 

3. Runnin

It's pretty typical to have a "lose weight" resolution, but I'm not really trying to lose weight anymore -- I just want to be healthy and enjoy life. So I'm resoluting to once it gets warmer (heaven knows I'm not running in 20 degrees), I want to run every day for 30 days and make it a habit. If the every day part doesn't work then at least 4 times a week and really just push myself to a new personal best.

4. Me.

I struggle with my self confidence and I'm honestly just really insecure all around. I over critisize myself on everything from my handwriting to my calves to my picky shopping. I critique myself constantly and I want to change that. Every morning, I'm going to resolute to say one good, positive thing about myself and just have a good mindset going into the day, and also say one thing at night that I was prpud of or liked that I did that day, and start to boost myself up instead of tear myself down.

5. Smile.

I try to smile and be light hearted all the time, I really do, but so often, I just get so frustrated so quickly. 2015 is going to be filled with more smiles and I'm going to embrace the little quirky weird things my family does and just go with it. 

In addition to these 5 resolutions, Nana challenged me to write down 5 tangible goals of 2015 and 5 non-tangible goals of 2015 and then next December 31, see if I achieved them all.

Tangible:

1. Get my driver's liscence

2. Pay it forward at least twice

3. Get a chaco tan

4. Finish sophomore year with all As and finish first semester of junior year with all As

5. Be on Snowball Lead Team/Sunday Student Lead Team

Non-tangible:

1. Smile more

2. Complement people more

3. Spend less time on electronics when I'm with people

4. Never text and drive

5. Love myself

2015's going to be good. I can feel it.

xo,

lauren

2014

I'm going to hop on the "highlights of 2014" bandwagon, so I send my apologies now. Sorry not sorry.

In no particular order....

I recommitted my life to Christ! I made him a priority in my life in May and that completely changed everything -- my attitude, my outlooks, my loves -- it changed everything for the better.

I realized I have 2 best friends who are there for me for everything and furthered my relationship with them to an unshakeable level.

My highschool went to the state champtionships and were undefeated all season!

I worshipped with Phil Wickham and it was incredible.

I turned 15 and got my permit (not as exciting as 16, but it's the closest thing I got). 

I won 2 golf tournaments as an individual!

I ran my first ever 8:32 mile. Not super fast to most people, but it was so great to me.

I became lead teacher of a Sunday School at church, which only adults are allowed to be, so it is a huge deal to be 15 and a lead teacher.

I went to the Opry way too many times and have no regrets.

I drank my first cup of coffee black. I definetly prefer coffee with milk and sugar but I don't hate it.

I learned all 19 of the Duggar kids names and have then memorized in birth order.

I fractured my fourth metacarpal and got diagnosed with tendonitis in my right hand, causing no golf for 6 weeks.

I went to the Orange and White game at UTK with Emma and had an absolute blast in the West Club Terrace.

I bought lots of monograms.

I got 2 kittens: Elsa and Marley.

I went to the beach with my family.

I saw Sam Hunt in concert and it was absolutely remarkable.

I went to Chicago on a mission trip and learned I have a heart for the people there and left it there when we came back.

I met Hunter Hayes.

I bought lots of Chickfila.

I met and completely fell in love with Kelsea Ballerini. She is literally the cutest, sweetest, funnest, most talented girl I know. So lucky to call her a friend.

I met Scotty McCreery.

I got sang to at a mexican restruant and wore a sombrero and everything.

I had my first Frothy Monkey experience.

I got my second piercings and they rock.

I saw Keith Urban live and was without a doubt the best preformer I've ever seen.

I learned I love choir and being back in music after leaving it for a year.

I cut off 11 inches of hair for Locks of Love.

I worked super hard and got rockin sock tan and golf tan lines.

I saw Josh Turner in concert.

I became Gloria at Starbucks on total accident.

Overall in 2014, I learned to smile and appreciate the little things. I learned to laugh when it's hard and to find the good in situation. I learned to order coffee and take pictures of it without caring. I learned to take selfies with no shame if for no other reason than just to look back on them. I learned it's not dorky to like reading. I learned candles are one of my favorite ways to relax. I learned people come and go and you have to let them leave if they want to. I learned not to let a boy control your dreams and take over your thoughts. I learned to trust God and to take joy in every situation for it is all for His kingdom and for His will.

Bring it 2015.

Christmas Spirit

Christmas honestly just confuses me.

For the days from December 1 to December 25, everyone is nice and friendly and compassionate and filled with love, but as soon as it is December 26, it is like nothing ever happened.

Imagine if every single day we acted like it was December 18. Your neighbors would wave to you as you get into your cars. Your co-workers would be more willing to laugh at your bad jokes. Your teachers would be more compassionate when you fall asleep in class. The world would be so much nicer!

It's like December 1 casts a spell on the entire world full of love and smiles that lasts just until December 26.

And why is that? It is because so many people only associate Jesus with December 25. December 25 is "Jesus' birthday" (even though it really isn't even his birthday)and because of that, everyone is going to be nice to people. Just the idea that there is something regarding Jesus this month transforms people's lives completely. They may not understand how much hope Jesus brought or the significance of virgin Mary's pregnancy, but they show that Jesus=love.

December itself is a great example of the transformations Jesus can do in people's lives. Like take this, I have this teacher who is probably one of the coldest men I've ever met. He has very little emotions and sympathy towards anything, or at least at school that is the case. We took a quiz in his class and as a group, all of us felt like we failed. It was so rough. We passed in our papers and he looked at us as we waited in silence for our next task. He asked us how we thought we did and groans and "terrible!"s were thrown out. He flipped through the papers and then looked up at us and said, "Hey, it is Christmas after all." 

and then he threw them in the trash.

This is the same teacher who made a student soil his pants because his lecture was more important than the student going to the restroom.

If that's not enough of an example of what Christmas does to people, I don't know what is. 

I've also figured out that the change of emotions are also why so many people call strange things that happen during Christmas time "Christmas miracles." If it weren't during Christmas and everyone's feelings are bright and cheery, the thing wouldn't have happened. That is simply it. Some may call it a "Christmas miracle" that my teacher threw our quizzes out, and it was all because of Christmas and  happiness Jesus brings and brought especially on that day so many years ago in Bethlehem.

Jesus can change lives, and just as soon as December 1 rolls around, He changes people's attitudes, even if only for 25 days. 

In my short 15 years, I've never realized this before. Christmas is truly just another demonstration of His crazy power.

God is good. He is at work, and He is good.

-Lauren

It's Christmas!!

There is just something so crazy happy about December.

Once everyone is through with exams, there really isn't a reason to not be happy. There's no school, it is acceptable to drink hot drinks all the time, and it's boot weather. What is there not to be happy about?

My most favorite thing about December besides no school, hot drinks, and boots is Christmas and the family that comes with celebrating Christmas. My farthest relatives are about 20 minutes away from my house, and my closest are within walking distance, so it's not like I never see my family. Heck, I even go to school with my cousin and have two classes with him. When all of my family comes together for Christmas, it's different though. Everyone is in good spirits, despite what all the year has held or what drama has occurred, and that in itself is a miracle. So far, I've gone to two family Christmas gatherings and have two more, and each one is filled with laughter and love, which makes the atmosphere complete.
My past few days have been filled with cooking, wrapping presents, and cleaning in preparation for Christmas and having family over, and I could not be happier, more excited, or in a better mood.

I just love everything about Christmas time.

Christmas Tour Buses

If you know me at all, you know I'm pretty well known for meeting celebrities and attending too many concerts...and exam week is no exception. Why let exams get you down and make you boring when there are singers to meet and songs to be sung??

So Emma and I completely ditched studying and made our way down to Hendersonville, where there were celebrity tour buses. There were over 60 of these buses in the parking lot, and my goodness, it was massive. The buses all came for Christmas For Kids, a charity that helps provide underprivileged kids with gifts for Christmas, and the tour buses were one of the ways they raised money.

Hunter Hayes just so happened to be there, and we definetly waited for an hour in the cold and rain to meet him, but it was so worth it.

He came around and talked with everyone, and Em and I talked to him about one of his new songs for a few minutes.

We've seen and met Hunter before, so we obviously like him, He never fails to impress with his passion for music and people, and it never gets old to still see the spark in their eye for music.

xoxo

lauren

ps- HH>studying for chemistry exam

Agency D3- VBS 2014

"Always be ready to tell everybody what you know about Jesus."  1 Peter 3:15

I can name countless bible verses and stories that I've learned from both working Vacation Bible School and attending since I could walk, but this year was different. Every year, Lifeway out does themselves in coming up with themes and songs and games and crafts for VBS for hundreds of churches to do across the country, and mine was no different. VBS this year was amazing to put it simply. I was blessed to work with a group of ladies that I've worked with since 6th grade, making this my 5th year to work with them. Each and every lady has a heart of pure gold and I look up to them in every single way as role models and friends. 
Sure, it was great to get to play with 3 year olds until I was exhausted and dying inside, but there was a much deeper meaning for me this week. 
Over these past few weeks, ever since Beach Camp, I have been realizing that my mission field is right here. My mission field is right here in Nashville, Tennessee. God has just opened my eyes to see so much more brokenness in my own home than I could ever have imagined. Living in the bible belt has hardened my heart in a way. I just assume people go to church because there's churches on every corner. You go to church on Sunday and then out to lunch with your grandparents- that's just what you do here. A lot of the time, one of the first questions I ask a new person is "where do you go to church?"
With Beach Camp and VBS, I've learned that there is a major difference between going to church and knowing Jesus personally and having a savior who walks you through life. There is a gigantic difference that I wouldn't want anyone to not know or not have the opportunity to know. I've noticed recently that at church, our youth pastor talks about knowing Jesus and the difference in life in Christ and life in the church, which is something most people don't know the difference of. They don't realize that there is so much more than going to a building, sitting and listening to some man teach about a long passage in the bible, and then going to lunch. They don't know that and that's so crazy to me. 
More than a few times, I have been referred to as the "church girl" or the "Jesus freak" by some of my closest friends, and in the moment, I was offended or caught off guard, but now I realize that was an opportunity from God that I missed. It was a chance I missed to share with my friends about that I'm proud of being the "church girl" or the "Jesus freak." I should be proud that they know that I know Jesus and that they know they can to come to me if they have any questions about staring a relationship with Jesus. 
Our theme verse this week that the whole curriculum revolved around was 1 Peter 3:15. "Always be ready to tell everybody what you know about Jesus."  This stuck out to me in a way that the VBS curriculum hasn't before. Lifeway writes their curriculum with kindergartners through 5th graders in mind, but this spoke to someone who has long out grown the VBS material. 
One of my biggest fears is not knowing what to say when people ask me questions about Jesus or that I'm going to mess up trying to say something or I'm going to quote scripture wrong or something like that, and because of that, I'm timid around my nonbeliever friends. But then one night this week, Joshua 1:9, a verse that I learned in like 4th grade came through my devotion. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 
"Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
I'm not supposed to be scared to talk to my friends about Jesus and what he did. I'm supposed to be ready and eager, and this week opened my eyes to that. It opened my eyes to be bold and to be out going in my faith.  Isaiah 41:10 also came up when I was flipping through the journal I keep from devotionals and sermons and mission trip trainings. "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
If that's not comforting, I don't know what is. The creator of heaven and earth and everything in it will strengthen me and will help me and will hold me. Why should I be scared if He is with me?
This week has just opened my eyes in new ways to look around me and to proclaim the gospel to my friends and to "always be ready to tell everybody what I know about Jesus."

CMA Fest Week

Well, that's a wrap. CMA Festival 2014 is over, and the thousands of tourists are on their way out of my town. This year was the first year I was really involved in CMA Fest, and it was absolutely magical. When you love country music as much as I do, CMA Fest is the best week of the year. Living in Nashville my whole life and being in the country music scene, I'm spoiled, but CMA Fest reminded me how much I love my city and it's music. I didn't go to the night concerts at LP Field (I had no one to go with), but I was around town most of the week.

I kicked off my Thursday with going to an artist party for Black River Entertainment's newly signed singer songwriter, Kelsea Ballerini. This girl can sing. Goodness. I was blown away. I had listened to her Soundcloud and instagram videos and I knew she was talented, but she is so good live. She sang the song that got her signed with Black River in the first place, "Boys Like You" along with other such as "Dibbs",  "Yours", "Lookin At Stars", and  "The First Time" before announcing her first radio single "Love Me Like You Mean It". Not only is she a good performer and talented artist, but she's a phenomenal person as well. I got to talk to her after the show and I loved every minute of it. She is sweet and down to earth and funny and real. I can not wait to watch her grow as an artist and dominate the charts, soon. Love Me Like You Mean It is going to hit country radio soon and I am impatiently waiting for the day I hear her sweet voice on the radio.

Then...on Friday, Hunter Hayes partnered with Samsung Mobile and  did a pop up surprise show by the Schemerhorn, Nashville's Symphony Hall. I've seen Hunter numerous times before, and he definitely didn't disappoint.

Since this was a short set, Hunter sang his singles and a track or two from his recent album, Storyline. He kicked off the acoustic show with "Storyline" and then sang "Wanted", "I Want Crazy", "Invisible", "Wild Card", and then his new single to hit radio June 16, "Tattoo". 

 Hunter definitely had the crowd rocking, and everyone was singing along. I've watched Hunter grow as an artist since his debut album in 2011 and I can't wait to see where else on down this road he goes.

I didn't go downtown as much as I wished to, but if it were up to me, I'd be downtown all day everyday, cuz that's just what happens when you grow up in Nashville.

-Lauren