Lay Aside Every Weight

If you asked me what my one superhero power would be if I had the ability to be a superhero, I would without hesitation say to eat without gaining any weight. Sometimes that thought makes me cringe, sometimes it makes me happy. It's no secret that I struggle very much with my weight. For me, I've fought and lost so many times. As I've said before, I am the queen of starting things. I start a diet, lose weight, and then for some reason I stop. I start exercising for a week then I don't. I do have some "minor" health issues because of my weight. I say minor because right now they are minor but in reality they could become worse. The hypochondriac in me is terrified that I will end my life early because of my struggle. This only causes me to eat more and the cycle continues. I know my family is concerned about me which have resulted in talks and gentle encouragement.

For me losing weight is not a matter of knowing what to do. I know what works for me but I refuse to do it. I have good intentions but then I get lazy. Instead of cooking meals, I spend money to order fatty, carb loaded meals. I know that it's all about portion control, exercise, and making healthy choices. I know that sitting on the couch or on my bed all night is not good. Yet, I still do it. Recently, I've been really concerned about myself and my habits. I've become concerned because it doesn't seem like I can walk a few steps at a quick pace without struggling for breath. There are so many things that I would love to do but my weight holds me back.

I was reading in my Bible one day and two verses popped in my head from Hebrews 12:1-2 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." The phrase "lay aside every weight" stuck out to me like a blot of white paint on a black canvas. In counseling for my depression/anxiety, my pastor explained that the sin or weight that easily besets us is that one temptation that trips us up. To clarify what my pastor was counseling me on was how to live a victorious Christian life. As a person living with depression and anxiety, everything can become a worry. My pastor explained usually you become depressed or anxious about something that happened 24-48 hours earlier. I was quite skeptical at first but the more time went on, the more I am absolutely sure he was right (imagine that!). At this particular session, I was anxious about a sin I had committed and he was helping me not fall back in that trap again.When I was younger, it was lying. I wanted everyone to like me so I thought lying to make myself look better was the best option. As an older teenager (about 17-18), it came back to haunt me.

Getting back on track, I sat through the counseling session and wondered what my sin was. I should've focused more on the weight that besets you. The weight may not be wrong, in fact the weight may be a good thing. For instance, the weight that besets you could be finances, health, family, etc. Those are all relatively good things but sometimes they can get in the way of you serving Christ. For me, it's literally my weight and my health. I turn to food for comfort. I had myself convinced that I wasn't an emotional eater until this Saturday. Something didn't go as planned and I drowned my sorrows in an ice cream sundae with sprinkles, chocolate chips, and whipped cream. It tasted delicious but afterwards I still felt horrible so I ate a soft pretzel and some Cheddar Cheese ramen. I was not hungry in fact I was pretty full but I didn't "feel good". My food didn't take away that sadness or bad feeling I had though. In fact, it made it worse because I knew that I didn't need to eat the ice cream or the pretzel or the Ramen. I just needed to give it to God and let Him help me through it.

It's been on my mind all weekend on just how much my weight has affected me. I'm at a loss of what to do and how to start but I am trying. I know I will never be a size 2 person. I blame the German in me for that. I do know that my health needs work and I know that what I am experiencing in my body is not right. For those of you who struggle with the weight and the emotional eating, I get you. I understand how hard it is to give it up. We can do this together and it is a battle we can win with the Lord on our side. I will pray for you and (if you like) you can pray for me. Our emotions are wonderful gifts from God but we must put them in the proper place. You are going to feel bad but it only lasts for a few moments. Concentrate on something else that will lift up your spirits: your favorite Bible passage, a funny movie, an uplifting song, etc. Whatever it is, resist the urge to fill that void with food. It only makes it worse. I will leave you with this quote from Arnold Glasgow "Your body is the baggage you must carry through life. The more excess the baggage, the shorter the trip." Let's do this!

Until next time,

Be happy!
Sing in the Rain

Christa

Tasty Tuesdays: Dollar Tree Meal

***NEW SERIES ANNOUNCEMENT***
Starting today, Tuesdays will now feature a series entitled Tasty Tuesdays. Saturdays will continue to be a potpourri category.

Some of my favorite YouTube videos to watch are Dollar Tree recipes, hauls, and crafts. I'm absolutely in love with the creativity required to make things work on a budget. I am a avid lover of e the Dollar Tree. I usually find some great teacher materials, last minute birthday cards and gift bags, and for even finding overstock/discontinued makeup items. I have never really purchased any food items from the Dollar Tree besides the random box of candy or gum. I have been super curious what exactly would happen so I thought a blog series would create the perfect opportunity to try out some of their offerings. I had heard they recently added steak to their food line and I was super curious to try that out. Without further adieu, I present to you Steak Alfredo with only Dollar Tree ingredients.

Here is my food haul:

Starting from the bottom (now we're here) and going clockwise, I bought:

• 1 loaf of Garlic Bread-$1
• 1 box of Spaghetti-$1
• 1 jar of Prego Alfredo Sauce-$1
• 1 jar of Minced Garlic-$1
• 1 Sea Salt Grinder-$1
• 1 Pepper Grinder-$1
• 1 Container of Grated Cheese Topping-$1
• 1 jar of Mushrooms-$1
• 1 bag of Broccoli Cuts-$1
• 1 Package of Ribeye Steak-$1

To prepare the steak, I seasoned it with salt, pepper, and some of the minced garlic. The salt and pepper containers where made with very inexpensive plastic and the salt grinder ended up quitting on me halfway through. I did some jimmying and it worked ok after that. The pepper shaker worked well though. I fried the steak in a dry pan because I wasn't able to purchase any olive oil. They did have some there but I thought the steak would be pretty fatty due to the low price of $1; however it was pretty lean. It was an awful brown color though and the package stated it was mechanically tenderized. Sounded and looked quite concerning.

It did brown up nicely though. I was planning on using the fat from the steak to fry the mushrooms and the broccoli to give them extra flavor but there was very little fat left. I ended up dumping the whole jar of mushrooms and package of frozen broccoli in the pan. Since these were jarred mushrooms, I used the juice to help keep the food from sticking and to pick up those crusty bits of steak in the bottom. After all, the chefs say that's were the flavor is. I seasoned the vegetables with salt, pepper, and minced garlic. One way to bulk up a meal to use a lot of vegetables. Vegetables can be so tasty but easy on the budget if you don't have enough money for meat.

For the sauce, I poured it into a pan to heat up and added pepper, garlic and grated cheese topping. 

The texture of the grated cheese topping considered me as it did not smell or look like Parmesan cheese in which I am used to. It's almost a crime in my house to have pasta but no Parmesan cheese.

If you are curious, here is the list of ingredients:

I boiled the water for spaghetti and seasoned it with salt. This is when my salt shaker decided to take a break. I had to twist the cap a couple of times back and forth to get it to work. I think the salt crystals were too large for the grinder and ended up getting stuck. It was also pretty annoying to have to grind my salt into the pasta water. It took forever to get it right. I'm just used to scooping up some Kosher salt from our regular salt bowl.

The garlic bread was easy, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, place it on a tray and cook for 8 minutes. 

After the spaghetti was done (I like mine al dente), I scooped out a cup of pasta water and poured it in the sauce. Pasta water gives extra flavor and helps the sauce stick to the pasta. I then combined the sauce and vegetables with the pasta. The can of alfredo sauce would have been enough to cover the pasta but it was pretty thick and I prefer more thin sauces. If you prefer thicker sauces, add less pasta water.

I plated the pasta and vegetables and then cut up the steak and placed it on top of the pasta. I was afraid it would've gotten lost in the spaghetti and I would have to launch a treasure hunt for it. I then topped the pasta with the grated cheese topping.

Here is the meal plated up:

How does it stack up?

Against all alfredo dishes that I've had, this was probably the worst. The meat, vegetables, pasta, and bread were pretty tasty. The sauce was the culprit and was pretty atrocious. It had that nasty canned taste and needed some herbs spice, and some dairy. If the Dollar Tree had milk in stock, that would have greatly helped. I know they have their own brands of dairy products but my Dollar Tree's refrigeration coolers were out of order so no dairy products for me. The meat had a great flavor and I honestly couldn't taste the difference between that steak and ones I regularly buy from Kroger.

Score:

6/10

All in all this meal was decent and filled me up. The meat, vegetables, and bread had good flavor. Unfortunately the sauce ruined the whole dish. I do have to say though my digestive system did not do well with the meat. 

Let me know your Dollar Tree tricks and tips. What meal would you like to see next?

Happy Tasty Tuesday!

Christa

I Just Don't Feel Like It....

The past month of August has been a treacherous sea to navigate for my little boat. Everything in life seems to hit at once: all the good, all the bad, and all the in-between stuff like laundry and cleaning that gets shoved into little pockets of unspoken-for time. If you haven't heard yet, I'm single so everything that needs to be done in my life falls on me. I have to make supper, I have to work to pay the rent, I have to feed the bottomless stomach of my cat, etc. I do have a roommate with whom I share the rent bill, cleaning chores, cat feedings, and sometimes a supper or two with which does help when it's all said and done. For the most part though, it all starts and ends with me.

There have been many days in this month of August that I have just sat myself down and said, "I don't feel like _____ (fill-in-the-blank)." Yet I look out from the couch or my bed and see piles of laundry and dishes that need washing, an ever-growing Pinterest board of craft ideas, and a diary that has laid dormant for just about a year. I am the queen of starting projects and not finishing them. At the present time, I have a patio set of furniture on my balcony that needs sanded down and re-painted and I just haven't felt like doing it so I haven't.  Part of it stems from an old back injury that recently flared up because I decided to wear a pair of very high heels all day. Good job Christa! Part of it is because who wants to sit on the balcony on a steaming hot day sanding metal. Not me! The other part of it is because my mental capacity at the end of the workday has been drained. I really don't have the energy to focus on anything but eating dinner and going to bed right now. More on that in another blog post.

I have really challenged myself this year to step up in the ministries of my church. Along with my current job, I am the part-time hospitality director of my church, Pee-Wee club teacher, Christmas Play director, nursery worker, Sunday night piano player, special music soloist, substitute Sunday School teacher, and in general church member. Whew! In the midst of the church goings-on, I restarted my blog and my work has become extra taxing in the last month.  The thing is I know I am busy. I know I have a lot to do. I also know that I'm not the type to sit on my hands and say someone should, someone needs to, if someone would just, etc. Yet in June of this year, I was that person. The one who wanted to just get in my car and drive far away to Seattle. I always pick Seattle because when I was younger I wanted to run away at age 18 (I didn't btw) and Seattle looked like a good place. I didn't feel like doing anything else in church, I didn't feel like going to work anymore, and I didn't feel like I wanted to stay in Ohio.

In May of this year, I was given the opportunity to apply for two jobs in Texas. My company is based there and the positions offered were basically my two dream jobs. One dealt with employee engagement while the other was for an Executive Admin Assistant. I interviewed for the employee engagement on first and was eventually told I didn't get the job. That was ok though because I had the opportunity for the other job. This was the one I felt God was leading me too. I asked my family and a few friends to pray. I really felt that God would answer my prayer and I would be moving to Texas soon! Yes I'd leave my friends, family, church, and everything else behind but what an exciting time in life! I've always wanted to live out on my own and I felt that this was the ultimate test. I was willing to give up everything for that dream job. The interviews went smashingly well. After 3 weeks, the e-mail came... I still remember it. They had decided to go with someone else and I wasn't given the position. I was absolutely devastated as I called my mom in tears. I tried to put on a brave face but I know my mom knew how much it hurt. I really wanted it. I really felt that God was leading me. I started to beat myself up for reading the clues wrong, for not working harder, and for only getting an Associates Degree. How stupid could I have been to believe that they would've picked me?!

It all accumulated into June and my heart went out of all ministries in my church. You see I was mentally preparing myself to say goodbye and I had prepared myself so much that I didn't care anymore. I felt like walking into my pastor's office and saying I quit! I quit because all of this hard work and prayer has gotten me nowhere! Yet I couldn't bring myself to do it so I just floated in my little boat acting like I was ok. I just didn't feel like doing anything.

I have a friend who deals with lupus (an autoimmune disease) and many other ailments. In the midst of my life crisis, she posted a glimpse into her daily life and it broke my heart. She lives with daily excruciating pain yet still manages to work, serve in her church, and love on her family. Conviction struck my heart like a knife. I literally gasped when I read her post. Here I am, a mostly healthy person...mad at the world acting like a 2 year old because I didn't get something I wanted. I'm not saying I shouldn't have been disappointed or I shouldn't have cried but I certainly shouldn't have stopped serving God. It was then I decided that I was going to do everything I could to live the abundant life and what better way to start than in the ministry. She didn't do it to "school" others, she meant it for encouragement. Boy did it encourage me. I happy to say as of this week the Christmas play practice is going well, my blog is doing great, and Pee-Wee had a smooth start on Wednesday. God has truly provided and I am blessed.

For you my friends, blog readers, and followers..I want to pass the encouragement on to you. You may not have lots of time but you can do something. All of us are aware that life doesn't deal with us fairly and it sure gets in our way when we want to accomplish our goals. Failure tends to discourage us from doing new things and trying new ways. Don't be discouraged by failure's bumps and dips. Press on! I'll leave you with a quote Edward Everett Hale that says it best, "I am only one but I am one. I can't do everything but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do. And by the grace of God, I will."

Until Next Time,
Be Happy
Sing in the Rain

Christa

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Then It All Came Tumbling Down...

Welcome back to Simply Singing in the Rain! So many things have happened over the course of these 4 years and I don't know how to quite put them on paper or convey them via blog. Around February of this year, I started to wonder what would happen if I restarted this blog. I had ended abruptly in July of 2014 with a lighthearted post about visiting my relatives in New York. It was a great time of catch-up, barbecues, and fireworks. To be honest, I'm not sure why I really stopped blogging. I enjoyed it very much and I was learning so much about myself through it.

Let's reminisce about the year 2014... I had lost my job in February and did not get a new temp-to-hire one until May. Come September, I moved out of my parent's house into an 800 sq feet apartment with my older brother and the neighbor from hell next door. Yet all through these (and more) trials of life, I determined to stay positive and be thankful. After all, I had a decent job, good friends, a new (to me) car and freedom to go wherever and whenever the urge hit.

Then November rolled around. It started off pretty decent. I traveled with some friends to a concert in Bloomington, IN. It was just a 24 hr thing and I loved it! I absolutely love traveling and being that November is my birth month, I always tried to do something spontaneous and different. It all came to a screeching halt that 2nd week. I don't know if anyone remembers but in my last post I had briefly mentioned getting to spend time with my Babchi (Polish for Grandma). I had mentioned she wasn't doing well. Well, she was doing even worse and had to be placed in the hospital. We knew that her time on earth was drawing to a close and didn't think she would last the year. We were praying and hoping she wouldn't pass away near the holidays for my mother's (and ours) sake. On November 16, 2014, the Lord called my Babchi's name and took her home to be with Him forever. I was happy to not see her suffering and in any pain but oh did I miss her. It turned my world upside down. I thought I was prepared but it turns out I had just shoved that pain into a closet to be dealt with later.

Well, later came a-knocking on my door and when I opened it, everything came tumbling down. The walls of safety and protection I had carefully constructed just collapsed. My mind didn't know how to process so much information. It felt like I was the pinball in a pinball machine bouncing from side to side. What was happening to me? I now believe I had a nervous breakdown. Panic swooped in like a bird of prey attacking it's next meal. I couldn't get out of it. No matter where I turned there was fear and it controlled EVERY aspect of my life. Constant panic attacks wouldn't afford me much sleep and no sleep escalated my panic attacks. I was caught. Every waking moment, I was so afraid to breathe. There were no more walls...there was no more safety.

Today, a little over four years later, I remember those days with a heavy heart and saddened mind. It was only through the strength of God, the support of my family and friends, consistent counseling, medication, and prayer that I made it through. One of my good mentors from church told me that it would take a long time to heal and recover. I was thinking months and she meant years. She was right. She told me that this was something I would have to deal with the rest of my life and I thought maybe a few years. I'm not at the end of my life yet (I hope) but I know she is right. Anxiety is stacked deck.

"So what is the meaning of the post, Christa? I'm glad you got through it but what does this have to do with me?" To be frank, I'm not sure but this is what has been on my heart to write. I never really shared this story in full with anyone but a few trusted individuals yet I know there some out there who needed this. You are not alone. I've been there and quite frankly I'm still there. The panic attacks have stopped and I plan on getting a good night's sleep tonight but I know the fear is just right beyond the edges of my mind. It's waiting for the right moment to charge and break down my wall of safety. Sometimes it's sunny out and I can see it...other times it's quite dark and I lose sight of it. One thing this whole experience has taught me is to enjoy life and don't let the fear of being alone, the unknown, etc get in your way. Go live life and live life abundantly! I know it's cliche but before all this anxiety happened, I would just sit in my room like a bump on a log waiting for Prince Charming to come bounding in and whisk me away to a foreign land. Well, that hasn't happened. So quit waiting for the perfect moment or perfect person. Go take that trip! Go climb that mountain! Go skydiving! It will change your world.

Closing Thought: In each life, a little rain must fall. It must fall for the flowers to grow, the food to sprout, and the rivers to flow. Without rain, how special would a bright sunny day be?

Until next time,
Be Happy
Sing in the Rain

Christa

Living the Single Life: 4th of July

Most of my adventures are kept quiet to my Simply Singing in the Rain family to avoid coming across as boastful. I know some of you out there are introverts (yes, I am an introvert) like me who like to keep to themselves and if it weren't for a few great friends and family we would be hermits. Most of my nights are spent surfing the far reaches of the Internet and somehow ending up on the weird side of YouTube. However, I do go on "adventures" as I like to call them and I thought I could encourage some of you in knowing that single people can have fun too...in fact, single, introverted people can have fun too...also, single, introverted, awkward, people can have fun...let's just say, people in general can have fun. I hope you enjoy as you come along my July Fourth adventure.

It was a warm July day and my family and I (well, my dad and brothers) were packing the car getting ready to head to New York where my aunts, uncles, and grandparents lived. We were visiting them for the Fourth of July weekend. It was a quick trip to catch up on each other's lives and reconnect with our loved ones. All of 6 of us piled into a 7-seater with our luggage and drove speedily down the highway towards our destination. It was a little cramped but doable and we were all happy to save money on gas. The way up to New York was pretty uneventful with only one memorable stop and that was at Bill Gray's to purchase and consume a garbage plate. What is a garbage plate you ask? A garbage plate is built on macaroni salad and home fries topped off with a hamburger or hot dog or both (yes with all the fixin's). My sister-in-law and I had not seen much less eaten one of monstrosities but had heard many tales (some bad and some good) of it's tastes. We decided to share a garbage plate and partake in whatever it had in store for us. We split the food and feasted on our newly found treasure. Everything tasted great on it's own and combined together had a very unique flavor that I am unable to describe. It tasted like a picnic you would have on a weekend like the Fourth of July. I am glad though that I split the plate with my sister-in-law because I would have not been able to eat the whole thing. The unique flavor was a little too much for me after a half of a plate. After our feast was over, we headed back out to complete our journey. We arrived in the late afternoon evening at my Babchi's house. Side note: Babchi is Polish for Grandma. We chatted a little while with her and joined her for dinner. There is one thing that I will always equate Babchi with and that thing is food. Babchi shows her love to us by feeding us. When she was not so up in years, she would make chicken noodle soup, spaghetti sauce, homemade cookies, cakes, pies, you name it and she would make it from scratch and it would taste like manna from Heaven! The last couple of years have not been kind to my Babchi and she is growing older. I know that the time for her to pass on from this earth to Heaven is growing closer each day. It has become a ritual for me to stay overnight with her whenever we visit so I took opportunity when it was presented. I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible since we visit her a few times a year. She encouraged me to continue on and promised to pray for me. I know she has and will continue to do so. I will miss her but that's what Heaven is for right? To catch up on all those moments that we missed!

The next day brought along new adventures with my Rogers' side of the family. But first let me take a selfie:

There! I've got that out of the way. We traveled to my Grandma and Grandpa Steve's trailer and had a picnic. The table was full of different meats ranging from hot dogs to pork loin, salt potatoes (yum!), salads, desserts, and snacks. Our Aunt Debbie and Uncle Bill joined us for a delicious meal and bonfire. Before we gorged ourselves on the delicious food, my Uncle Bill invited me and my brother Eric for a boat ride. It was a strapping yacht weathered by the salt of the mighty oceans of the world...*clears throat*...I might have exaggerated just a little but you'll never know! We pulled out into the mighty Seneca River and Uncle Bill pulled the choke on the motor and we.....sat. He jokingly stated that we would have to paddle all the way up the river. He pulled again and nothing happened. Thankfully, he did have an electric motor and we cruised up the river at the whopping speed of 5 mph. It was a lovely cruise (thankfully not a 3-hour tour) and we arrived back at the dock well rested and hair in place. My Uncle Bill joked again stating that he'd never live this one down. Nope, Uncle Bill! It's out here for the rest of the world to see. We arrived back at the trailer famished from our thrilling ride and stuffed ourselves with the goodies. We talked and shared stories about my Poppy. Poppy was my first grandpa. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was 9. The next day we visited his grave and paid our respects.

The rest of the day was filled with Gina and Joe's pizza and a visit to Willow Bay. The best pizza on the planet!!! True authentic New York style pizza! Yummy! Want to see it? 

We visited Willow Bay and saw this humorous sign that made the Grammar Nazi in me twinge with disgust....

I don't think I'll recover from that. Sunday was the day we said goodbye to our friends and family and made the long, cramped journey back to Ohio. It was worth it and I came away with a sense of thankfulness for my family. We may have some characters but they are there for us whenever we need them.

Until next time,

Be Happy Wherever You Are

Always Sing in the Rain

Christa

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From My Heart

Today was a bad day. Today a tsunami wave of depression crashed upon the shores of my heart threatening to destroy all the progress I made in the past year. It's terror swept me out to the angry sea. The howling winds matched the force of the anger the black sky showed. Heavy raindrops pelted my skin with unwavering ferocity. Cracks of lightning followed by the sound of thunder flashed across the angry sky. The weight attached to me threatened to pull me under any second. I struggled to avoid drowning and my only thoughts were to keep my head above water. I didn't want to go under again. After all of the progress I had made in the last year, I just couldn't. The storm finally let up and I made my way back to the shore of safety and rested. The horizon was no longer dark with menacing black clouds but was brilliantly light by the bright sun. A few wispy clouds slowly crawled by and a small breeze began to blow. I had made it out and I had survived another storm. It was going to be ok, actually I was going to be ok.

I sat alone in my bedroom at midnight trying to hold the tears back. I had to be strong and I couldn't face it. The hurt pierced my heart like knife and there was no way I could break free. I tried my best to ignore it by going to my #1 comfort: food. I resisted the bag of Birthday Cake M&Ms on my dresser and decided to read my Bible to try and suppress the feelings deep inside of me. "Why me? Why couldn't it be me?" my thoughts rang out. I couldn't listen to them or I would cry. I couldn't concentrate at all and soon enough, my thoughts overwhelmed me as I began to softly weep. I thought to myself, "How stupid is this? There are people in the world without food, jobs, good health, parents, etc. and you are crying about this. Stop it Christa!" I gasped for my breath and tried to calm myself down willing the tears to stop but they wouldn't. I would gain control for a moment only to lose it in the next. I couldn't help but think what my friends and family would think if they saw me here in my bedroom in tears crying over this stupid reason. I imagined some of them would call me a fool and tell me to get over myself. There would be one who would tell me to be patient and of course the one who would look at me in pity and shake their head. It's not easy being single in a relationship-minded world and some have forgotten what it's like. For those who can't comprehend what I'm saying, imagine that for 10 years of your life you wanted a job. Everyone else around you (or so it seemed) had a job and enjoyed it very much. They constantly talked about their job, about how much fun it was, and how rewarding the benefits were. You knew in your mind that there were downsides to having a job: arguments with the manager, lousy pay, and strict rules but you knew in your heart that the positives outweighed the negatives. You would voice your opinion to others on how much you wanted a job but no one could give you one....you had to find one yourself (figuratively). You were told to be patient, it'll come when you least expect it, or you've got nothing to worry about. The years began to drone on as other friends were hired into wonderful jobs with some even getting benefits right away. All the while, the only advice you have received is patience. You try to ignore the feelings of frustration by eating, music, writing, etc. anything that can take your mind off the situation but yet it's still there. Some days you feel anxious and excited for what the future holds yet other days holds depression and angry questions of why. Most of your friends now have jobs and it seems like every time you turn around someone else just became a new employee while you stay in your rut of joblessness. There is no end in sight. Tell me, how would you feel? Happy? Joyful? Sad? Depressed? Singled out? Now, replace the thought of a job with the thought of a spouse and you've got a taste of what a single person has gone through.

Yes, there are other people in this world without jobs, homes, food, family, health, etc. but you and I are a humans and we have feelings. I'm here to tell you it's ok to feel that pang of sadness when someone announces a new relationship, marriage, baby, etc. It's ok to cry and let it out. It becomes not ok when we dwell on it letting it fester in our lives until we become bitter at the world around us. I understand your heart and how badly you want this but it'll be ok. There is no stronger person than someone who has been single for any period of time so I have no doubt you'll make it through. Go ahead and cry but when you finish wipe away your tears and hold your head up high because you have nothing to be ashamed about. Now, go out and help those that are without food, jobs, homes, family, and good health. Invest your time into things that do good for the community, others, animals, churches, etc. Don't dwell on it! However, when the time comes that the sadness is too much, cry it out, scream it out, do whatever you feel you need to do...then pick yourself back up and continue on. You can do it! You will make it! If it gives you any comfort, I am in the same boat/ocean you are. I understand what you are going through to the max believe me, I do. Keep going!

Until next time,

Be Happy Today!

Christa

Off Limits

Throughout my teenage years, the teaching of non-touching between boys and girls was drilled in my brain. Many lectures and lessons were given about purity and abstinence. We were told the progression of that slippery slope started with hand holding. We were advised to have chaperons on each and every date to avoid rumors and any wrong doing. We should never be alone or we would begin to slide that dreaded slope which would inevitably lead to something we would regret. We were told to save our first kiss till our wedding day to avoid temptation. We were not to sit less than 6 inches away from each other. Choruses of "Leave room for the Holy Spirit" or "Sit a Bible between you" rang out. Abstain, abstain, abstain was drilled into our minds. Every time a new preacher or teacher came, messages of purity and modesty would always be the topic. They would hit hard on us girls. After all, we could tempt the boys with immodest dress to do unspeakable acts. The boys always seemed to be exempt from those services and teaching. Yet, no on taught us how to act around the opposite sex. No taught us what to say or what to do. No one...They just left us to traverse the tricky jungle of the dating world by ourselves. The only rule? You better not touch him or else you'll regret it. Pastors at weddings would always announce to the whole world that the couple being married never held hands or kissed. This was the example we were to follow. This should be us one day. Guys were off-limits until marriage and you better not touch one until then.

At the age of 12, I made a promise to the Lord that I would remain pure until my wedding day. If you are unfamiliar with this means, let me put it into simpler terms, I promised the Lord that I would remain a virgin until my wedding night. I believe that sex before you are married is wrong, plain and simple. I'm not trying to offend anyone by this, but the Bible states in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 that fornication (sex outside of marriage) is sin and I believe that every word of the Bible is true and correct. If this is you, then take heart to know that there is no sin that God cannot forgive you from. The Bible says in 1 John 1:9 that he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins but only if we confess them. If you are considering giving your purity to the Lord, I encourage you to do it! There is no better gift to give your spouse on your wedding night. With that said, I shall continue to my point, there is nothing wrong with touching the opposite sex. In this case, since I am a girl, the opposite sex would be a boy. Very complicated, huh? All the things that I mentioned in the first paragraph are all things that I have heard preached, taught, or said to me regarding relationships. It became ingrained in my brain so much so that I became fearful of the opposite sex. I wouldn't talk to them, make eye contact with them, or heaven forbid touch them more than a handshake. I was sorely afraid that something I said or did would turn on a switch in the opposite sex's brain and he would immediately ask/want to do horrible things with me. I was nervous, pathetic mess. I was so awkward and weird around them. My brothers and parents would tease me and try to coach me to talk to the opposite sex. I would refuse and stubbornly go about my ways, after all, wasn't I doing the right thing? This went on well into my later teen years and even into my early 20s until one day it all changed.

I determined in my heart and mind to get over my fear and awkwardness around the opposite sex. I wasn't getting anywhere in my fortress all alone. I had to face the fact that I had to talk to the opposite sex. In this case, since I'm a girl, I had to talk to a man. It took a little bit but I practiced on one of my friends, who was single but I had no (romantic) interest in. It started out with saying "Hi" every time I saw him, then moved on to a few sentences, then full conversations. I started to realize that talking to boys was great! There was less drama and there was more to talk about. I love football and sports so it worked out great. There was no pressure to do things that I didn't want to do. There was no "sexual" connection at all. It was just happiness from having a good friend. So I became braver and made great strides in talking to guys and hanging out with them. I was no longer awkward in their presence and I could actually hold a conversation. Then it happened, I had to talk to a guy that I was interested in. I was so not ready for it but I knew I had to take that step to conquer my fear. I walked toward him and quickly blurted out a "Hi" and walked away as fast as possible. No one (not even him) will ever know how much effort that two letter word took from me. I was so proud of myself and eventually began having conversations with him. Turns out, he was interested in someone else (remember the curse?) but I had gained so much. I had gained the confidence to talk to not just any guy, but guys that I liked! Wow! Again, there was no magical experience or desire to do anything sexual. There was just me and a guy talking about our lives and nothing else.

Looking back at my teenage years, I wish we had less sermons/lessons on purity and modesty and more sermons/lessons directed at dealing with the opposite sex. For every case, there are always two extremes. For this topic, the extremes are: Stay Away Danger! and Go Ahead, Go all the Way. Can't we find a happy medium? For me, hand-holding and kissing before marriage is not a sin as long as you have boundaries. If you purposed in your heart to remain pure until marriage, then it will take a lot more than kissing and hand-holding to get you to change that decision. I am not, and I repeat I AM NOT!, going to share my first kiss with my spouse and the whole world. It will be a private moment between him and me and no one else. I will not be embarrassed my missing my new husband's face or slobbering all over him. No way! Just as a side note, instead of announcing to the whole world who hasn't kissed whom, let's embrace all couples who remained pure until their wedding day, they deserve some recognition too! The purpose of this post was not to offend anyone who may or may not have made decisions talked about earlier in this. It was to open our eyes a bit and perhaps re-think about the lessons/advice we give to the younger generation. It was also meant for guys and girls like me who have struggled forging friendships with the opposite sex.

If you have a bit of advice, be sure to leave a comment below! What did you struggle with and how did you overcome?

Until next time,

Be Happy Where You Are in Life,

Christa

Patriotism: Something More than Waving a Flag

Every year since 2008, the Rotary Club of Westerville, Ohio has held an event commemorating the heroes of the United States of America. It is called the Field of Heroes. Over 3,000 flags are planted in parallel lines of a city park opposite the Westerville Recreation Center. It is truly a sight to behold. Every person has the opportunity to buy a flag and dedicate it to their hero. Many dedicate it to past and present veterans, some dedicate it to firefighters and police officers, while others dedicate to a youth pastor, teacher, or a volunteer who has dedicated their lives to bettering the community in which they reside. People, young and old, stream in and out of the park observing the flags and taking in the sounds of a military brass band. A person cannot leave this park without the feeling of patriotism stirring inside of them. As I walked among the flags reading the papers fastened to them bearing the name to whom each flag my eyes began to swell up with tears. There was a flag dedicated to a Korean War Veteran who was killed in action, another was dedicated to a couple's son who had just joined the Navy, still another was dedicated to a World War II veteran buried at Arlington. A cold reminder of the price many people have paid so that I can worship how I want, live how I want, vote how I want, and say what I want.

In America, we are truly shielded from the sights of war. No tanks drive up and down our streets searching for enemies, no echoes of machine guns and bombs ring in our ears, no fear of stepping in a land mine or IED haunt our daily moves. We are truly blessed in fact we just might be too blessed. It seems the majority of the country has lost sight of just what is the cost of freedom. Sure I don't like war as much as the next person but in order for true freedom and independence to exist, we must take action against those who seek to destroy it, internal or otherwise. Memorial Day exists as an honor to our troops living and dead. The first half of the day is for the dead, the second half of the day is for those that are living. If you ask any American what they most look forward to on Memorial Day, it would be cook-outs and 3 day weekends. Patriotism is a dying art in America. Society tells us that being an American is intolerant and no longer something to be proud of. Instead of using our freedoms wisely, that so many men have died for, we use our freedom to destroy it. How would our Founding Fathers feel? The men who risked everything: lives, family, home, and money, for freedom and independence. Back then, they were proud to be Americans. Being American to them meant something then waving a flag and singing a half-hearted verse of the Star-Spangled Banner. It meant that they would give everything for the good of the country. Our Founding Fathers and the many veterans throughout the years gave their lives not just so their families and they themselves could be free but so that we all could be free. So that all Americans could walk up to the front steps of the White House and say whatever they wanted to, offensive or otherwise. So that any person could attend any church and be a part of any faith without fear of arrest or persecution. So that any parent could watch their children play in the backyard without the fear of the government coming and taking them away. So many times in our society, we are encouraged to do things for ourselves, to be what we want to be, to stand up for ourselves. These things in moderation are not bad yet we have become such a selfish society that we have forgotten the big picture. How can we ask a soldier to die for us and for our freedoms when we are not willing to do so ourselves? Being an American does not mean being stubborn and rebellious against the rest of the world. It means being free and independent to think as we should think and to act as we should act.

As a society, we have not forgotten our soldiers as much as we have ceased to remember them. We think we do our duty by putting our flags out in the yard and posting a patriotic picture on Facebook but that is not enough. That is not patriotism, it is laziness. You might be thinking I'm being too harsh but my great-uncles who were veterans of World War II did not fight the battles of war in vain. They need someone to stand beside them, all veterans do. We need to get back to the days after September 11th and the Boston Bombing in which for a brief moment it wasn't wrong to be an American. We were proud of our firefighters and police officers. We were proud of our soldiers going overseas to fight the enemy. Why can't this swelling of patriotism be normal? We must do something for our veterans. We must find a way to help them for they have given us a gift so great that no monetary value can be place upon it. We must be proud to be an American. We must remember them after Memorial Day. Patriotism is a lot more than just waving a flag, it's being proud of who you are and what your country has done for you.

Christa

Real Beauty

(Note: The following story is true but the names have been changed to protect the respective participants privacy)

“Can I have a hug?” I asked the little girl named Nicole who everyone in Center Bible Baptist Church absolutely adored. She was all bundled up in her jacket and she had a cute hat shaped like a football topped with a Niagara State logo. She looked so adorable, I couldn’t pass up a hug from her. In Nicole’s cute way she turned to me, shook her head and said “No.” I made a pouty face which didn’t faze her. Her mom and dad encouraged her to give me one. She smiled and walked toward me with open arms. I knelt down and hugged her. I heard her start giggling and she pointed at my head and said “Hat?” I laughed and said “Yea I have a hat on to.” It was what other children had coined as the ice cream hat. The bottom half and strings are tan and textured to look like an ice cream cone. The top half is white with a pouty face sown on the front and it’s capped off with “chocolate syrup and sprinkles”. But that was not what she was giggling about. At the very top of my hat is red crochet ball with a black string on top. Some people say it’s a cherry some say it’s a strawberry. Nevertheless, I don’t think I’ll ever forget her giggle as she curiously pulled on it. It made me laugh and smile. As she walked out the door she turned around, looked me in the eye, and in her own special pronunciation said “Bye Christa!” my heart melted. This little girl has my heart and I don’t mind. Most days I wish I could take her home and just cuddle with her but kidnapping isn’t my style so I’ll just wait until I see her again to hug her.

This started me thinking. Why am I so interested in this little girl? Why do I love her so much? This particular church is filled with children of every age who deserve love and guidance. What makes this little girl so different? Is it because she is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen? Yes I know that’s cliché but she literally is the most beautiful baby ever. If I believed in pageants, I would enter her in one. Maybe it was because she was the answer to my prayers? Her parents had tried for so long to have a child making her arrival so much more special. Maybe it’s because she’s smart as a whip and her laugh is infectious? I couldn’t narrow it down to one thing. The only thing that I could say was that she was Nicole. There is so much pressure in the adult world to be something other than who you are. Everyone says be yourself but what they truly mean is be yourself by our guidelines. Nicole doesn’t care. She’s just what she is. She doesn’t feel the need to laugh at a horrible joke out of pity, she doesn’t want to dress a certain way to impress people, and she doesn’t need a fancy IPod or cellphone stay connected to her world…she just is true to herself. Eventually Nicole will feel the pressures of life to do what is popular instead of what is honest. She will feel the peer pressure of styling her hair in the latest fashion, dressing in the most modern clothes, having the latest technology attached to her hip to stay connected with every single thing going on in the world, and laughing that pity laugh. As much as we would love her to stay true to herself, we all know that those pressures are hard to overcome. We feel them early on life and they will never go away.

We can all learn something from her though. We can learn that it doesn’t matter how ugly we think we are even if we have a crooked nose, messed up teeth, eyes that are crossed, are too fat, or are too short. We are who we are and it is something that we should embrace. You are special. God handcraft you for a specific design and purpose. He gave you that annoying laugh and unmanageable curly hair. Not because He hates you but because He loves you. To Him, you are beautiful. Beautiful and special enough for Him to send His only Son to die on a cross just for you. If that doesn’t make you value your own self than nothing will. There comes a time in every man and woman’s life were must find ourselves and realize who we really are. We somehow lose ourselves in the hustle and bustle of keeping up with the times and the pressure of popularity. Who are you? I am Christa Grace. I am too sarcastic, a little “chunky”, too honest, too giving, and a major procrastinator. It took me 26 years for me to figure that my flaws are what makes me Christa. Just like Nicole laughing at a simple red crochet ball being herself, I tend to be more honest and forthcoming that what people like. I used to consider it a flaw but it’s not really. What would you want more a person who is honest about what they think or someone who dances around the truth for fear someone might judge them too harshly? I have a friend who hates confrontation and will do anything to avoid it. Is that wrong? Not saying that she is dishonest and lies to your face but she is less willing to tell someone they are doing something wrong than say me. God each gave us personalities so this life wouldn’t be boring. When I’m too honest, my friend steps in to soften the blow, another one steps to encourage them to do the right thing, while another one guides them in the way to do the right thing. If there wasn’t that friend there with the personality to soften the blow, that person would probably end up mad about everything. If I never said anything, that person may end up going down the wrong path in life. In our own way each of us is different but together we make a good group.

In conclusion, real beauty is not something that is bought or sold but can only be attained by being our true selves. By embracing what God truly made us for. That’s real beauty. I hope Nicole will always stay true to herself and never lose her real beauty.

Until next time,

Be Happy Today
Always Sing in the Rain

Christa

The 1 Year Challenge: Beware of the Me-Monster

"So Tuesday is good, right?" a friend asked me with inquiring eyes. I returned it with a look of confusion searching my mind to see if some tidbit of information had slipped my mind. After a moment of silence and deep soul searching, I asked "What's Tuesday night?" "You're coming over to our house!" she answered wondering why I didn't know. "Well, that's the first I've heard of that." I replied. Come to find out my friend and her family invited us over to their house on New Years Eve. Apparently my two brothers, my parents, and my sister-in-law all knew of this information and somehow this invitation had escaped my grasp. Slightly annoyed, I responded, "Sure I'll be over there. Thanks for telling me." In my mind, I was planning to have a discussion later with my mom on why the message was not passed on to me. Later, with an attitude that reeked of selfishness, I asked my mom why she didn't tell me about the get together. She responded she had and an argument ensued. I said she didn't and she said she did. I walked away from the argument annoyed and frustrated. Then it hit me, "Christa" , that little voice in my head called my conscience said, "You were being totally selfish." "I was not" I argued with myself. (Yes I do this all the time.) As the words came forth from my mouth, I realized that my conscience was right. How many times did I mention me? Why didn't my mom tell ME? Why did everyone else find out before ME? I started to reflect on the past few days and realized I had turned into a selfish little girl who wanted to get her own way. How many times had I mentioned the word me? Like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum, I had thrown one. Albeit I didn't throw myself on the floor kicking and screaming with every fiber in my body, I still had an inner tantrum. Who cares if my mom did or didn't tell me? The point is irrelevant now. I could have handled it better and I should have. I went back and apologized to my mom for my selfishness and attitude. She was very understanding and granted me forgiveness. This whole episode wouldn't leave my mind and I made a mental note to correct the error of my ways. It wouldn't be an easy task.

The me-monster had been given free reign in my life to do what it wished. It could buy what it wished, watch what it wished, read what it wished, and say what it wished. Other monsters called Jealousy, Envy, Greed, and Bitterness had joined the ranks and dominated my life. I had to take control and conquer the monsters. I asked myself if I had one year to live would I spend it arguing with my mom or family or friends over stupid petty things that I won't care about in an hour much less a day? The answer was a quick and sure no. I would spend it doing things for others. For after all, the memories wouldn't be for me they would be for my family and those that I love dearly. Those memories that can never be bought or sold. The moments in time that cannot be repeated. I can never take back the words and the attitude that I had but I can change. The change started today. Instead of thinking how tired I was from working, I made dinner because my mom was tired. Instead of griping on how much stuff I needed to do, I cleaned up after dinner because I was able to. Granted, I'm not going to be perfect but I am going to make a concentrated effort to control the me-monster in my life.

Are you having trouble controlling the me-monster? Start doing something once a day for others even if it is just opening the door for someone. You'll find the gratification is intoxicating! Look for specific things that you can do such as paying for the person behind you in the drive through's order, letting the person who has one item in front of you in the checkout line, crack a joke and make someone laugh, help someone clean up a mess even if you didn't cause it, or leave an encouraging card/note on a co-worker's desk. There are so many things that you can do. Start taking control of your me-monster, you'll be better off for it.

Until next time,

Be Happy Today
Always Sing in the Rain

Christa

P.S. The vlog will up tomorrow night!!! Will you be ready?

The 1 Year Challenge

Hey Everyone! Long time no talk...I've decided to get back into things. I want to say before this post that I have not been diagnosed with any fatal disease, received a vision from heaven, or think about ending my precious life. This challenge was placed on my heart and is intended to help me (and others) change for the better. On with the post!

The lyrcis of Tim McGraw's song Live Like You Were Dying played over and over in my head that morning as I sat at my work cubicle stunned at the information I had received. A lady, only 9 years older than me, had passed away. I was in charge of making sure everything was settled and the proper steps were taken to rectify any loose ends. I had never thought this was something that could happen to me. I know we are not promised tomorrow but when you are young death is the furthest thing from your mind. I wondered what I would do if I was told that I would die a year for now. What steps would I take? How would I live my life? What would I do? I began to ponder on this and decided to challenge myself to live the year of 2014 like my last. I did not want to leave any regrets or I should haves or I wish I would'ves. I came up with a list of things that I have always wanted to do but because of my procrastination and excuses I've made up in my head, I haven't done them. During this year, my goal is to complete everything on my list that I would want to do before I die. It's a little different than a bucket list of places I want to go, people I'd like to meet, etc. but more of things that I should do. My list is as follows:

• Maintain an active vlog and blog.
• This will be good for you guys!
• Write out a will
• Write letters to my inspirations
• Music, Life, etc.
• Arrange a piece of music from scratch
• Learn Jarrod Radnich's Little Drummer Boy piano arrangement
• Become debt free
• I wouldn't want to leave my family with expenses to cover
• Lose weight
• This is a weirder one but I don't want to be remembered as the fat girl.
• Make a Final Goodbye Video to those I love
• Volunteer time at a Charity such as a Homeless Shelter, Children's Hospital, or Ronald McDonald house.
• Spend more time with my family and friends.
• Make many memories and take a lot of pictures

There are other things I would want to do: Watch what I say, watch how I act, be more open, be more willing, etc but I think that would go without saying. I'm hoping that this challenge changes me for the better and I hope that you all will come with me on this challenge. Even if it is doing just one thing that you have been putting off because you don't have enough education or you'll do it when you have time or you don't have enough funds. Just do it! Stop making excuses and change.

Today I have changed. I have made this blog ACTIVE and as of the video seen below, my vlog is now ACTIVE! Now I just have to maintain it.

Vlog #2

P.S. I'll talk later next time!

See you next time!

Remember to Be Happy Being Single

Always Sing in the Rain

Christa

Crossing Off the Bucket List-Meeting Ted Dekker

For those of you who have followed this blog for a long time, you might remember the blog I wrote about my bucket list called What’s The Next Thing on My List. I should post an update it as I’ve done quite a few things on it. Unfortunately when I wrote it, I forgot to mention a few very important things I wanted to do. One of those was meeting Ted Dekker. Ted Dekker is a thriller/mystery/suspense/whatever-else-he-wants-to-write-about Christian author. You can’t put him in a box of mystery author because he writes thriller novels (very good ones) and you can’t put him in a box of thriller author because he writes some science fiction novels (not my style but good nonetheless). You just can’t put him anywhere besides in the fiction section maybe but then he wrote Tea with Hezbollah which is a non-fiction book but that was only one so I guess he would still be a fiction author (?). Regardless of what one would classify him as, he is a superb very talented author.

I found out about Ted Dekker through Frank Peretti. Don’t ask me how I found out about Frank Peretti because I’m not sure. When I was in Pensacola attending Pensacola Christian College, my friend raved and raved about this new book that she had bought. It was my first Peretti book called House in which he happened to write with a very famous author Ted Dekker. I feel in love with it. Note to all readers out there in internet-land: DO NOT READ this book at night! It was the worst decision I made. I felt that Barsidious White (villain of the book) was going to pop out at any moment during the night and slit my throat. The book held a grip on me which I couldn’t shake until I had finished it. It left me breathless and the only words I could force out of my mouth were “Wow…” and nothing else. I had to read more of Dekker and I had to read more of Peretti. My friends always went to a second-hand bookstore to purchase books for school so one day I tagged along with them. I went to the Religious Fiction section and there staring at me where ten or so Peretti and Dekker books. I was so excited that I seriously considered buying them all but contented to buy 2 of each author’s books. I bought Thr3e, House, Skin, and The Oath. All 4 are solid books. I started reading Thr3e and was impressed. Dekker was so detailed and took me exactly to the place where the characters where. I could feel what they felt, I could hear what they heard, and I could see what they could see. It wasn’t hard for me to become engrossed in the story. I could not stop reading it and had to force myself to stop and get my homework done. I finished the book gasping for breath and stunned at the turn of events the last chapter had given me. I felt like I had just been on a rollercoaster high of emotions that ended as suddenly as it started. Life was never the same for me. The more I learned about Ted Dekker, the more I enjoyed his books. My collection of 2 quickly grew into 20. Every birthday and Christmas, I ask for a Ted Dekker book. I dreamed of the moment I would meet him. Book tour after book tour listed cities miles away from me until one day I received the exciting news that he was coming to a Lifeway bookstore not 15 minutes from my house. I screamed with joy and was excited to meet him. I took my sister-in-law and 2 brothers (who had graciously supplied half of my Ted Dekker collection through my birthday and Christmas presents) and I met him. When I first arrived…Wait a minute, I think this would be better expressed in a vlog. Oh, look here’s one, let’s see what she says…

Isn’t it awesome not only did I meet the man who has inspired me to do what I love no matter what life throws at you but I held a conversation with him. No being starstruck there. I was so happy. Well there you have it, I crossed it off my bucket list…now on to making a new one.

Until next time,

Keep Singing in the Rain

Be Happy Being Single

Christa

P.S. There is a giveaway on Simply Singing in the Rain Facebook's page. Please like the page for details about our giveaway. Go on! What are you waiting for?

Seek Ye First

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and

His righteousness;and all these things 

shall be added unto you."

Matthew 6:33

There are times in life where I don't get what I want. I struggle to buy the necessities, pay my bills, and have some money left over for entertainment. I absolutely despise struggling through finances and having to watch every dollar I spend. I don't mind saving money but I hate the process you have to go through to save it. The research, the cramps from cutting every coupon, and the constant calculating all to save 4 or 5 dollars. Not worth it to me at all but I do it because I have to. If not, I'll go broke and spend every single dime I have and get myself deeper into debt then I already am. My worries and anxiety over the situation became worse until i began to have panic attacks about prices and unexpected costs. Weddings, birthdays, and Christmas threw me for loops and I scrimped, scraped, and saved to get my family and friends something. Yes I know it's not all about presents but I don't want to be the dork who shows up without one. I'm a giver and I love to give more than getting. I want to give someone that perfect present they would always use and remember. I'm all about creating memories. Most times it works out...sometimes it doesn't. As I struggled through these trials this year, I realized that something in my life was out of balance. Something was totally wrong, yesterday I cam across a chapter in Matthew that has revolutionized my life. It was Matthew chapter 6. 

The Bible records a discussion in Matthew 6 that Jesus had with his disciples about how to pray, how to live, and how not to worry. It was so clear and crystal that I knew God directed me to this chapter. It's so amazing how God works. It begins by Jesus telling us to not do things for men but for God. Don't give just so that you feel better or because you want to be seen but give because you want to give honor and glory to God. Then He leads them into what is commonly known as the Lord's prayer showing us how to pray. He continues by explaining to us to not worry about tomorrow because it's already been decided. He states that the sparrows and lilies of the field have what they need to grow and live but they have no master. Then verse #33 came into view, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." My heart heard a distant voice that I hadn't heard speak for a long time. It was soft and gentle yet it made my heart stop and my breath leave me. I knew at that moment God had spoken and have given me the answer to my worries and anxieties.

Throughout my life, I am ashamed to say this, I have not been a faithful Bible reader or prayer warrior. It was to the point were weeks and months would go by without me spending time with God and really worshiping Him alone. Conviction always drew me back to Him but I would stray very easily. I would get bogged down in a passage that wasn't as interesting or seemed to have no relevance to me and my situation. My pastor and other preachers would preach and teach to read your Bible every day. I would convince myself that everyone is different and not everyone need to do that. I would sometimes read because I liked the particular chapter I turned to, sometimes read out of duty, and other times to read to calm the raging storm of conviction inside of me. I would pray and ask God to help me read my Bible more and then lazily ignore any prodding from God. Yesterday, I read to get answers. God answered and this time I listened. It was good to hear Him speaking to me and the answer He gave was the clue to why I was feeling this way and what I needed to do.

The answer? I needed to seek God, His kingdom, and His righteousness. In my mind, I need to get right, start reading the Bible, and truly start seeking His will. I knew until I got myself right God was not going to bless me with finances, relationships, or peace of mind. He was not going to seek me because He knows where I am and I am His already. I need to seek Him. I need to read my Bible everyday, I need to witness, I need to worship Him, I need to use my talents for Him, and I need to take my troubles to Him. For so long, I thought that I could do it all but I realize I've been wandering around in circles going nowhere. How could I be so stubborn and rebellious? How did I get this way? I know how but it's too long of a story to tell here. Maybe in another blog I'll tell you. Yet the past is past and I can't change it but I can change my future. I determined in my heart and mind that no longer will I be seeking what I want but I will seek God and His will. I will be a better witness, I will use my talents for Him, I will read my Bible daily, and I will worship Him. For the Bible says, if I do all these things that God will give me what I need. Maybe I'll still struggle with finances but I can take heart in that God will provide for me. Maybe I'll still be single but I can have the peace that this is God's will for me. Whatever He wants, I want. Whatever He desires, I desire. I will seek the kingdom of God and life will never be the same.

Until next time,

Be Happy Being Single

Remember to Sing in the Rain

Christa

P.S. Like our Facebook page....click this link Simply Singing in the Rain Blog and like it for regular updates. Also, stayed tuned for a giveaway and Ted Dekker vlog next week. Cheers!

My Favorite Songs of 2012: Part 2 (Southern Gospel)

First of all today, I have an apology to make. I did not post the vlog about Les Miserables. I did vlog but it was more of me just talking about what I saw more than anything. I was not pleased with it at all. My deepest apologies. I regret to say that I disappointed myself as much as probably disappointed you my readers. I will make up for it as I did vlog about me meeting a certain influential person in my life. I will post that as soon as I can. Thank you and I hope you can grant me forgiveness this time...

Ordinary Man-The Kingsmen Quartet

The Kingsmen Quartet is one of the best Southern Gospel groups today. A few years ago I would have said differently. They have improved on their sound and musical arrangements. If you like, old-time Southern Gospel, you’ll like the Kingsmen. Ordinary Man is off their Grace Says CD which has a lot of great songs. The song starts out a tiny bit weird and has its “random moments” and I definitely would have composed a different arrangement but I’m not the Kingsmen. It talks about how all of us are nothing special but God still uses us (the ordinary man (and woman)). My favorite line is “I would never trade this peace to be a fool for lesser things. I’m rich beyond the wealth this world can hold.” It reminds me of I’d Rather Have Jesus. Despite the random arrangements, this song is great in lifting you up and reminding you of God’s Love. We are not anything special just ordinary.

I’ll Be Praying by Brian Free and Assurance

Brian Free and Assurance are my #1 favorite Southern Gospel Quartet (if you haven’t guessed by now). I would be considered a groupie (if there is such a thing in Southern Gospel) as I have been to almost every concert in or around where I live in Ohio. I’ll Be Praying for You is not my all-time favorite song but nonetheless it is very good. The songs arrangement is very upbeat but could be turned into a slow, reflective song. I like the upbeat tempo though as it reflects the purpose of the song: encouragement. The first verse of the song goes “Hello my friend is it alright, I just dropped in to talk awhile, Lately you’ve been heavy on my heart, I know that life has been unkind and you can’t count the times you cried, I just want you to know, you are not alone…” This song has amazing lyrics and I would play for it anyone going through a tough time in life. Also a superb job by the lead Bill Shivers on the verses. The unsung hero of this song however, is the bass Jeremy Lyle. The bass harmony he sings provides a nice contrast and helps to keep the song upbeat and fresh so that it avoids the “getting old and annoying” stage of almost every song you hear. Great song for those down times in life.

It’s Still the Greatest Story Ever Told by The Gaither Quartet

I am not a Gaither fan in the least. I do love the harmonies and sound of the quartet but I can’t stand Bill Gaither. He’s more about money and what sells tickets than just singing for the Lord and praising God. That being said this song is still a good song. Mark Lowry, a very good baritone (and comedian), takes the solo part in the 1^st verse. His voice is easy to listen to and he gives great expression in every song he sings. This one is no exception. His voice expresses the feeling that he’s sitting down with the Bible open in his lap reading the Christmas story to his grandkids. The lyrics of the song explain parts of the story that all add up to The Greatest Story Ever Told such as the last few lines of the chorus “…Mighty God and Fragile Baby, Here a lowly manger holds, And it’s still the greatest story ever told…” Very brilliant writing and arrangement. The story of Jesus will always be the greatest story of all.

Prior to a Prayer by The Perry’s

Prior to a Prayer was one of those songs that I always skipped on The Perry’s CD Almost Morning (which is another great song too) because I didn’t like the first few seconds of the introduction. Note to self and others: Don’t judge a song by the introduction! I still don’t like the introduction because there’s a weird chord then they just start singing the song. I would prefer a longer introduction but that’s just me. Moving past the introduction, the song is a great reflection on the hard times in life. Its minor key reflects the despondency of the situation the song writer/singer/listener is facing. It reflects the sadness and hopelessness one feels in those hard times. Then the lyrics and tempo changes to reflect on the answer to our situation: Jesus and prayer. My favorite part is the tag: “But when Jesus came, when I finally saw Him, no more burdens, not one little care, It had been different, so different, just moments ago, Faith was fading, just prior to a prayer.” It ends on an upbeat note and tempo that says you are not alone, hope is on the way, you just had to pray. The song is a reminder that in those hard times when you’ve lost all hope, don’t forget to pray. Amazing song and truth!!!

So there you have it, my Top Favorite Southern Gospel songs in 2012. Look for part 3 as well as my vlog soon.

Thanks Everyone! 

Keep Singing in the Rain

Be Happy Being Single

Christa