I heart the poisonous nuts.

This weekend is a pretty big football game 'round these parts. Yep, the Ohio State - Michigan game. This week there have been a sorts of video and music tributes being forwarded and posted on Facebook. It's hard not to get caught up in the momentum!

One of my Facebook friends posted this question on his status update, "What have YOU done to beat Michigan this week?" He decided he was going to stop using the letter "M" for the week. His next status update read, "What are you doing to beat _ichigan? Day 2 - No _ore blue and yellow clothes the rest of the week." Hilarious!

I have to admit, this video got me a little bit. The music reminded me of 'The West Wing'.

Now that the sappy video tribute is out of the way, these were my favorite commercials a few years ago:

And finally, so my Mom doesn't think I'm ONLY a Buckeye fan:

Go Bucks!!!

In which I talk about music...

I got a request from a certain someone for a music post. Ask, and ye shall receive!!!

Now, this is more of a wish list rather than tunes from my own library. Now that I'm on the cash plan, and with our recession, my music purchases have decreased painfully.

[Side bar: Does anyone else love saying you can't do things because of the recession? I had a very hilarious discussion with a friend recently about how I can't color my hair because of the recession. Personal maintenance is right up there with the housing market as far as impact from the recession. Should I say recession one more time? RECESSION.]

Let's Begin.

Worship Music

These next two albums I actually have purchased. I'll be honest, I'd rather color in my gray hair with a marker and use the money to purchase ANY music from Redding. But thankfully I don't have gray hair!*

*Outright lie. I have 7 gray hairs at last count. Please don't make me count again.

Jesus Culture - Consumed : This is the latest installment from Jesus Culture music, the band that plays at Bethel Church's youth conferences. Very powerful! If you can't buy the entire CD, be sure to purchase "Burning Ones", "Holy", and "You Are Faithful".

Brian & Jenn Johnson and Crew - Here is Love: Finally, Brian and Jenn are back! This is live worship at it's best. Seriously anointed. Be sure to buy "I Found a Love", "What Does it Sound Like", and "King of Wonders". Again, you should probably just buy the whole thing.

Individual Songs:

Shawn McDonald, "Yahweh": This is a sweet, sweet song of worship.

Eddie James, "Freedom": Ok, seriously, this song is the BOMB. I love his deep, soulful voice. And let's be honest, the African American community knows about worshipping Jesus in a BIG way!!!

Rick Pino, "Holy is Our King": You can tell this guy isn't messing around when his latest album is called "Songs for an End Time Army".

Phil Wickham, "Heaven & Earth": Basically, I adore Phil Wickham. This is the first single from his new album which drops November 17th. [Don't I sound like a legitimate music person when I say things like someone's album "dropping"? Wait - don't answer that.]

Non-Jesus Music

Please don't judge me for the song I'm about to share. I can't help it. It's ear candy!

Miley Cyrus, "Party in the U.S.A": Now, don't act like you don't love this song too. I'll know you're fibbing. Ok, honestly, I just looked on YouTube for the link to the video, and I might have had to watch it too. Wow, am I really 30?

Jay Sean, "Down": This is a great song. Are you down, down, down, down, down?

Colbie Caillat, "Fallin' for You": Aw, I like Colbie. Bethany can testify since there was a period of time when 'Bubbly' was my ringtone, and I think it might have driven her nuts a time or seven.

Kim Zolciak, "Tardy for the Party": An instant classic. A lesson in why one shouldn't: 1) be on reality TV, 2) have friends who won't stop you from singing on reality TV, and 3) be allowed to write lyrics such as "I'll be feeling good by 9, after my third glass of wine." Compelling.

I think I should leave it at that, don't you? Honestly, I have really been listening to worship music continually for the past several weeks, so I'm kinda out of the loop on Top 40 treats.

Any suggestions?

Have a great week! And don't be tardy for the party.

Hope, Faith, and Love

Remember when I used to blog more than once every two weeks?

Those were good times, weren't they? So carefree. So easy.

I can't wait until this nursing program is over and I can get my life back!!!

So...the single's conference. Well, conference came, conference went. Thankfully, I didn't write about it right away, and allowed myself some time to process what happened.

The theme of the conference was Faith, Hope, and Love.

We all need that, right?

When I heard that topic, I was excited to hear a new spin on a concept we brush over so easily sometimes. Unfortunately, my revelation did not come the weekend of the conference. What was really interesting is that almost everyone I encountered that weekend appeared to be coming from a place of brokenness and hurt. Even the people who spoke - even for a few minutes - had brokenness radiating from them! Needless to say, I was not AT ALL what I expected.

I expected this:

And got this:

Now, you know I'm joking, but in all seriousness, I did learn a great lesson. After hearing the speaker's second message on Hope (which did NOT leave me hopeful), I was pretty disappointed.

Why had I even signed up to come to this conference?

Why did I feel such anticipation and excitement, only to be disappointed?

Why would God lead me into a room full of people who appear to be hurting?

God, why would You lead me here - when TBD isn't here?

These were just a few of the frustrating questions I had, and still have.

I am still walking out the revelation of that weekend, but I do have some insight. I have written a lot about my waiting game, and the revelations I have received several times, like here and here.

Wouldn't you know that God is so kind that He keeps giving me new revelation!

He doesn't expect us to live off the same milk and bread while we wait. He wants to take that cup and plate that held our old milk and bread, wash 'em off, and fill up that cup with fresh ice cold milk and hot bread we can savor. He is so good.

About a week after the conference, I was listening to Beni Johnson's teaching called "Wakey Wakey". (How can you not love a woman who calls a message "Wakey Wakey"?!?)

In this message she is talking about three different types of prayers. Prayers of hope, prayers of faith, and prayers of love. Basically, prayers of hope are petitions or requests. We beg and petitioning God to meet our needs. These prayers do not require faith - basically prayers of the flesh. Beni suggests that we need to move to prayers of faith and love. Prayers of faith are prayers of proclamations, declarations, and believing. These are the prayers where faith rises up and we believe something will happen. Prayers of love are praise and worship. This is the highest form of prayer, and what makes prayers of faith possible.

Don't you love that? Praise and worship make faith possible.

LOVE makes faith possible.

What a great revelation! Since I listening to that message, I have changed my thinking from faith, hope, and love to Hope, Faith, and Love. I want to move from petitioning God to bring TBD, to BELIEVING Him from a place of praise and worship.

Even now, weeks later, I can feel faith rise up when I read that!

GOD IS SO GOOD!!!!!

Also, I was reminded of a scripture that reiterates this whole concept. Mark 11:24 says, "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Yes please!

Also in Job 22:28, "What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways."

I feel His light shining on me. These revelations are light to my soul.

So, that's what I'm meditating on these days. I know God is faithful to grow each seed we sow, and I may never know why I was supposed to go that conference, but I followed through. I was obedient. I know there will be fruit from that!!

I move from hope - and because of love - I have faith.