Thoughts From Church

For the last few of weeks, Isaac (the pastor at Summit Church) has been going through Moses’ story in Exodus. This week he tackled the plagues and he said a few things that I took note of and thought I’d share. See if any of these strike a chord with you…

“What God calls us to always requires His presence and power. If not, it’s too small of a dream.”

“God is the first place Moses goes to with his frustration, even at his moments of highest capacity.” (Isaac noted that this was part of what made Moses such an incredible leader.)

“We refuse to accept the call of God on our lives until ‘tomorrow,’ even if we hate where we are right now.” (This was related to Pharoah’s response in Exodus 8:10. When Moses told Pharoah that he could decide when the plague would end, Pharoah said, “Tomorrow.” Isaac’s point was…”why didn’t he say RIGHT NOW?!”)

“Don’t let things you don’t understand get in the way of you obeying what you do understand.”

Just a little to think about…good stuff if you ask me.

I’d encourage you to check out his podcast too…they update it each week with his sermons. Click here for the podcast info.

Showing Some More Love for Tenth Avenue North

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Tenth Avenue North is up for a Dove Award and we can help them by voting! I got an email from them this week that I thought I’d post here if you are interested in helping to rock the vote and get the word out about these guys.

 

 

 

Here’s the email they sent…

The 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards are less than a month away and for those of you who haven’t voted yet, remember you can help Tenth Avenue North win New Artist of the Year by voting up to two times: online by text message (Send DOVE AVENUE to 72648). To those of you who have already voted both ways, THANK YOU! Want to do more to help Tenth win? Consider some of the following ways you can ask your family and friends to make Tenth Avenue North GMA’s New Artist of the Year:  

1. Send an e-mail encouraging people to vote both online and by text message with instructions to vote both ways (including a direct link to vote online).

2. Send a mass text message to people on your phone list asking them to send DOVE AVENUE to 72648 and also visit DoveAwards.com to vote online.
3. Update your Facebook status to encourage your friends to vote for Tenth by text message and include a link to vote online (copy & paste:http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com/dovesvoting).

4. Create an event on Facebook asking your friends to vote both online and by text message. Encourage your friends to invite other people (using the event) who might want to support Tenth.
5. Send a personal message out to your friends on Facebook (by sending a message or using the Notes application and tagging your friends).
6. Post the voting link in a Twitter update, and ask your followers to text in their vote, too. 
7. Send a bulletin out to your friends on MySpace.
8. Post voting information on your blog or web site.
9. Stand on a busy street corner and ask strangers to vote.
10. Whatever else you can think of…within reason, of course!

Thank you so much for all of your continued support! You guys are the best!

So…if you know and love these guys (or even if you don’t know them and you just want to do a good deed for the day), go vote and then help get the word out! Thanks, friends!

A Big Hot Mess

To anyone but Kati and me, the above picture may look like a big hot mess. However, to us it’s a sign of major progress!

Somehow I convinced her (and me) that we should attempt to take Two Florida Girls to the craft show circuit. We are applying to do our first show in Ormond Beach during the first weekend of May.

On Monday, we came up with a game plan for completing 200 coffee cozies, 50 gadget cozies, 25 mini gadget cozies and 30 little guy ties in a little more than four weeks.

Tuesday night we started on our lofty goals. Kati cut the insides for all the gadget cozies and mini gadget cozies, along with a handful of fabric selections for the coffee cozies. I cut the insides for all the coffee cozies (thank goodness I realized I could cut two at once!).

Today we were blessed with some volunteer help from our good friend, Kasey. (I don’t think she really knew what she was getting herself into.) Kati did some pinning, sewing and ironing while Kasey and I cut fabric selections for the coffee cozies. We got fabric cut for 100 cozies! That’s half!!! Kati got 53 to about the halfway done mark (ironed, pinned, sewn, trimmed, turned inside out). What an accomplishment!

So…like I said…the above picture may look like a hot mess, but it’s the trimmings of 53 halfway sewn coffee cozies! I must say…I’m proud of us. And, THANK YOU, KASEY!

(And, as if I needed another shameless plug for the Etsy shop…but we added some more items this morning. Check it out: http://twofloridagirls.etsy.com. You’ll be glad you did!)

Pulling Off the Surprise of the Century

Warning: This is a semi-long post. Don’t abandon it!

So, you may recall that for the past six years or so, some friends and I have gotten together on Labor Day Weekend for our annual “Chanda Reunion.” I lived with these girls when I did a semester abroad in London, and we have remained such great friends. Our very special group friendship is truly an incredible blessing that I try not to take lightly or take for granted. I could go on forever about how grateful I am for these girls, but then it would take me a long time to get to the title of this post.

As a small piece of background before I get to the “Surprise of the Century,” let me say that we had our usual Chanda Weekend in September 2008. We thought it would be our last time for a while with Sarah as she and her husband are moving to South Africa in August (2009). Sarah had a sweet baby girl about two months ago, and the rest of us were going crazy thinking about not meeting her before they moved.

[Enter the idea for the surprise...]

Sweet Cathleen brought up the idea, and the others of us jumped on board faster than we could send back Facebook messages to say, “Let’s do it!” We decided on a surprise March visit to see Sarah in Raleigh, NC. Remember, the rest of us girls live in Florida, so this would be quite the trek. The girls got the whole surprise arranged with Sarah’s husband, Casey and we were set. Shanel told Sarah she wanted to have pizza delivered for dinner one night since she lived so far and wasn’t able to bring them a meal (to help after having the baby). That “one night” would just happen to be the night we’d arrive. Brilliant.

So…last Friday we began the trip from Orlando to Raleigh. Shanel, Cathleen and I met up with Katie and her little girl Layne in Jacksonville and then started to head north. I drove the whole way from Jacksonville to Raleigh. We made one stop…that’s right ONE. We stopped for gas, and to borrow a table at the local Wendy’s where we proceeded to make our own turkey sandwiches and eat our lunch.

Shanel texted Sarah around 5pm to tell her that the pizza would be delivered by 6pm. Oh, and it was delivered by 6pm alright…by four of her closest friends! We picked up the pizza, drove to their house and knocked on the door. Sarah was SHOCKED. I don’t even really know the best way to describe it, but it was really one of the coolest things I think I’ve ever been a part of. After she realized she wasn’t dreaming, we sat down to enjoy dinner.

For the rest of the weekend, we did what we normally do…sit around, watch dumb TV shows, eat crap (seriously…crap = white trash sugar goodness, queso, cookies, etc, etc), wear pajamas, play cards, laugh, talk, catch up, laugh, enjoy each other. From the time we drove into Raleigh until after we left it didn’t stop raining and I don’t think it ever got above 45 degrees (quite a change from our normal beach weekends), but we couldn’t have cared less. It was amazing.

I am thankful…

• for friends…
• for laughter…
• for common ground…
• for surprises…
• for sweet husbands who help pull off surprises of the century…
• for sweet husbands who understand the importance of their wives’ friends and time with them…
• for friends who are moms and wives, but who don’t sit around and talk about mom and wife stuff all day…
• for friends who are ok with sitting around in pajamas all day…
• for good gas mileage…
• for the kind of friends who always, always, always pick up right where they left off.

I love you, girls! CHANDA FOREVER!

Chanda Reunion 2011: South Africa or Bust!  (Katie, do you think the Camry will make it there?!)

And, a couple of pictures…

Making & Eating Turkey Sandwiches in Wendy's

Couch. Pajamas. White Trash Snack. Pretty Chandas. Wonderful.

Sarah and the Newest Chanda, Kieren.

 

Chanda...Shanel, Katie, Me, Sarah, Cathleen.

Check out Katie’s blog for her perspective. 

 

And check out Sarah’s blog for her thoughts on the big surprise!

Fun Blog Giveaway Win For Me!

A couple of weeks ago I won a giveaway from Katie at The Buzy Bee. She let me pick anything out of her fun Etsy shop. I chose a collection of her cute handmade and hand painted buttons. I just thought they were so fun. They are similar to these:

Picture from http://thebuzybee.etsy.com

Kati sewed some new Gadget Cozies for our Etsy shop yesterday, and one features one of the buttons I won from The Buzy Bee. I think it’s just so fun. Check it out!

Gadget Cozy from http://twofloridagirls.etsy.com

 Thanks for the fun giveaway, Katie!

Living Facebook Free

So, as you may or may not know, I gave up Facebook for Lent. First, I need to say that I don’t think I’ve ever given up something for Lent. I did not grow up observing the forty days prior to Easter as such, but I just felt like I should do it this year. The church I’ve been going to (Summit Church in Orlando) is observing it, so I decided it was a good excuse to pry myself off of Facebook for a time.

I considered the other typical things–chocolate, sweets, Starbucks–but I honestly felt that activity on Facebook would be more of a sacrifice for me. And, if you’ve seen my Facebook activity in the past, you probably agree.

One question I get a lot is: “Did you delete the application off your iPhone?” And, the answer is “no.” I considered doing that, but then just decided to move it to page four of my apps on my phone which has nothing else on it. So…it’s still there, but I haven’t been tempted to get on it via my phone because I can’t see the little icon.

It’s been 20 days, which means I’m halfway through. Honestly, it wasn’t hard at first, but as time has gone on I’ve found myself missing it some. I miss knowing what’s going on with people and keeping up with the daily commentary that is the Facebook Newsfeed.

So…there it is. Amy Paul gave up Facebook for Lent. It’s true. 

And, because my mind now thinks in Facebook status updates, here’s a few that would have graced your Newsfeed had I been updating…

• Amy is sad that her sessions with the trainer are over.
• Amy is enjoying dinner with two great college friends. Thanks, Cathleen!
• Amy surprised Paul with Toy Story and is now watching “Buzz and Woowy” for the third time in 24 hours.
• Amy is gainfully “employed.”
• Amy sat on the beach for five hours with the Ainsleys and didn’t break a sweat. I love it!
• Amy is making a guitar-shaped cookie cake for Paul’s third birthday.
• Amy is celebrating Paul’s third birthday. I can’t believe it!
• Amy is excited the Voelkers are visiting!
• Amy is eating my way around the world.
• Amy wishes she were surfing in Hawaii with Matt and JR.
• Amy is not sure what’s more WT…making your own turkey sandwiches in Wendy’s…or eating them there.
• Amy is getting ready to pull off the surprise of the century with three of my best friends.
• Amy is tired of Kasey’s “we’re having fun in Hawaii without you” picture and email updates.
• Amy is thrilled at how well our Etsy shop is doing! Check it out–http://twofloridagirls.etsy.com.
• Amy and the Chanda girls pulled off the surprise of the century. Sarah had no idea! Thanks for all your help, Casey!
• Amy–it’s a sad day when the Firehouse sub you’re eating for dinner is the only thing of substance you’ve had in four days.
• Amy is more than thrilled to be an aunt again! The new niece or nephew is due in October!!!!!

We Pulled Off the Surprise of the Century

More details to come…but here’s a sneak peek.

Surprise 2009 Chanda Weekend in March! Raleigh or Bust!

Not Fair

It’s not fair to get pictures like this sent from your friends’ iPhones to your iPhone when they are galavanting around Hawaii and you are freezing in Raleigh.

Next time Kasey and Matt plan a trip to Hawaii, I’m changing my last name to “Ainsley” so that I’m eligible to go.

iPhone Message: Here we are going to a luau!

iPhone Message: Here's where we hiked today!

iPhone Message: This is the view from our hike!

iPhone Message: Here is where I am today.

iPhone Message: We are here and you are not.

More about my trip to Raleigh coming soon. My friends and I pulled off the surprise of the century. Amazing.

The Way Anne Sees It

I have gotten this quote on my Starbucks cup a couple of times in the last month or so, and I thought it was a good one. Just thought I’d share…

The Way I See It #76

“The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating—in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.”

–Anne Morriss, Starbucks customer from New York City.

Also, thanks to these three ladies for saying such kind words about our Etsy shop on their blogs:

Take a Second Glantz

Project {Create a Home}

Classy Mom Cafe

Coffee Cozy Giveaway!

Danyele at A Thorn Among Roses is hosting a giveaway today featuring items from our Etsy shop–Two Florida Girls. I’ve been following her blog for a little while now, and she is one fun girl!

So, get on over to her blog and enter to win!

And, thanks for hosting such a fun giveaway, Danyele!