My Christmas Eve Surprise

So the holiday season has once again come and gone and it's back to the chaos of work. This was my first Christmas season on staff at a church and what a difference it has made. For one, when most are with family and others on Christmas Eve, I was making final preparations for our Christmas Eve services at the church. It was fun being apart of those services but it made it difficult to get into the holiday season without my family close by. We had 2 services on Christmas Eve and by the time the 9 o'clock service rolled around, I was just ready to sing my duet and get on the road to Sumter. Well before I had a chance to sit down in the choir loft at the beginning of the service, I spotted my family sitting on the second pew. WHAT AN AMAZING Christmas gift. You see, my dad had his Candlelight Service at 5 in Sumter (which is about 2 hours away) that evening where my Mom preached. Afterwards, much to my surprise, they jumped in the car and what my sister says "Flew down the back roads of South Carolina because dad said the local cops would be ready to get home and less likely to pull them over while the state troopers would be trying to keep the interstates safe and would pull my dad over." So with all the hustle and bustle of this holiday season I was able to enjoy a church service with my family. This was a rare moment in the Taylor family since each one of us serves different churches in the state. I am so thankful for this Christmas gift. (Although the Nintendo Wii and Guitar Hero are pretty awesome too!)

Dancing

When do we usually dance? When we are trying to impress someone? After we've taken lessons? When we are at a social event? When we are at a concert? Lord, when do we dance for you? Too often we praise you with our voice but not with our movements. Maybe reaching out a helping hand is our dance for the Lord. Maybe when we are hammering away in the mission field, we are dancing for the Lord. Maybe when we hug someone hurting, we are dancing for the Lord. Maybe we dance when we shake a new face's hand. Lord, we want to dance for you. We want to be alive for our living God. Lord, When do you dance?? Do you dance when a child of yours seeks your love and forgiveness? Do you dance when the hurting reach for your healing hand? Do you dance when we share our love for you to others? Lord, my prayer is that we all dance with you in rejoicement of your love. My prayer is that the dance is written by you, for you and ALL about you.

Tailgating at a High School Fooball Game

So as part of my job, I've joined with a network of local youth pastors called East Cooper Youth Network. We are from all denominations and we get together every month or so and chat about the local youth and ways we can reach the unchurched. One way we are doing that is by sponsoring a tailgate before every home game for the Wando High School football team. Now I never tailgated at my own high school games but I hear that it is very popular around here so I'm hoping for a great turnout because if not, I've got to find some other way of getting rid of the 200 hotdogs that are in my trunk right now. Maybe I need to call up Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi. Hope everyone has a great weekend and GO TIGERS and Wando Warriors!!

Football, Friends & Shenanigans

Let the good times roll! Over the past few weeks, i've gotten to go to a Clemson game for the first time since 2004. I've rejoiced with my friends Mary Lorraine and Ryan on their soon to be nuptials and I've hung out with my youth a LOT! Also, got to hit up the Atlanta Aquarium with Scotty and Melanie! Here are a few pics from all those events.

I'm still here

So I realized that I haven't posted anything in quite some time! There are many excuses I could give for this. First, my internet at my house has been down for 2 weeks. I use wireless and for some reason when I changed internet providers, the wireless router decided to stop working. I just don't know what to do. That situation is where my knowledge siezes to exist. ( If you have any helpful hints, please feel free to share).

Excuse #2, I haven't had much to say. I have been extremely busy at work, now that the youth and children are back in school, it means more planning for events, more meetings at night at church and an overall chaos of what i'm going to put on the calendar for this school year for my children and youth. In this job, i face the challenges like a lot of my counterparts, trying to be less of an event planner, and more of a faith builder(totally made up title, by the way). But it's a tricky situation because to get youth and children to learn more about God and discover their own faith, you have to get them to the church somehow, hence the grand events on the calender to lure them in.

Anyways, excuse #3, I have been sick for over a week with this stupid sinus infection. But Glory to God, it's finally gone and I can start enjoying my life. Alright, on to the highlights of the past few weeks. I've gotten to spend some great time with my closest cousin, Jennie and her husband Rusty. I went and hung out with them in Greenville a few times, and they are gracious enough to house me when I'm in the upstate of SC. And then they came and stayed with me in IOP. What a wonderful time it has been. If you know me, then you know how important Jennie is to me. She is like my older sister, constantly giving me the advice and encouragement I need so I'm super thankful to get to spend more and more time with her and her husband, Rusty. I will attempt to attach some pics from their visit here. Okay, how about them Tigers???? Got to watch my Tigers beat up on FSU last night and what a great feeling to start a new football season that way. I'm really excited, because I get to go to the game this Saturday against our big rivals, University of Lousiana, Monroe! I kid, I kid. Although we are not big rivals, it will still be wonderful to get to see the Tigers play, I think it's been 3 years since i've been to a game at Clemson! By the way, the final update of my life, is that I've finally joined the Jazzercise place in Mt. Pleasant and am LOVING IT!! I heart Jazzercise and I'm so glad to be doing it again. And of couse, leave it to me, to go to this random, facility, and run into someone I know. I tell ya, tis truly a small world!

THE ADHD has taken...anyone hungry?

OH MY GOODNESS. I cannot get anything done. i swear i love technology but it is the devil right now. First of all, I forewarned all of you that i have ADHD and that these posts may come at random times. Such is the case for today's post. I haven't written in about a week and that's because I would start a post and then get distracted with chatting on IM or checking my myspace page, or facebook page, or email or I would get a text, or I would get a phone call at the office. Seriously, sometimes I feel extremely over connected to this world. Wait, I take that back, I thrive on being connected. I can't stand it when i call someone and they don't answer. Unless I have bad news, then I'm happy to leave it on their voicemail. All I'm saying is that I have ADHD and I haven't been medicated since college but I'm considering getting back on the drugs. Okay, now I've just spilt coffee all over my keyboard. By the way, did I tell ya'll I got a pet? Okay, it's nothing big, it's a betta with this intense tail and his name is Roscoe. he loves to fight and is not afraid of kicking some other Betta butt! WOW. Do you feel like you on a rollercoaster with me right now? Oh my goodness, I was just typing away, and something on my computer barked at me. I'm not even kidding, what is going on around here? so, i think i need to stop drinking the coffee, take an aderall and get some work done. maybe this afternoon i'll be able to write a more...by the way, I'm headed to Greenville today for my Grandma Cooke's 83rd birthday and tomorrow I get to see my friend Sarah at her baby shower.

Bunnies and fake teeth

I was just loading pics from my work camera and found this pic of my sister(on the right) and her friends larsen and catherine. They were visiting and investigating the fun items in my office. can't wait for them to visit again! Hope this puts a smile on your face like it did mine!