Praises

I saw this and knew I had to make one.

I love music.  Alot alot alot alot.
There is rarely anytime that I don’t have music of some sort playing.
For Lent this year, I gave up secular music, and it’s been so refreshing.
I love the way it has turned my thoughts and heart towards the Lord constantly throughout the day.

For me, worship is not just a song (though it can be sung.)
Worship is a lifestyle.
Worship :: Life.
Our lives are a manifestation of what we think of our great God.
Our lives must be worship of the Creator.

This was such a fun creation to make. 
Loved going through all my favorite praise songs to find some favorite lyrics to add to this little poster.

Hope you have a happy week!
♥ michelle

Simply fun

I found this fun post from Hometown Girl. 
Thought I would be a copy cat.  =)

What is you favorite word?
JOY

What is your least favorite word?
The F word.  It’s not nice at all!

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Creatively:: blogs, nature, photographs, Hob Lob
Spiritually:: The Word, Church, the wilderness, great intimate conversations, CS Lewis
Emotionally:: Colorado, family and friends, happy thoughts and quotes

What turns you off?
traffic, meanness, complaining, cold weather w/ no skiing, suffering

What sound or noise do you love? 
Creeks bubbling, worship, laughter, children playing

What sound or noise do you hate? 
Honking, loud dirty music

What is your favorite thing to say when you get mad?
Well, crap. 

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Director of a clinic, cupcake baker, interior designer, ice cream taste-tester =)

What profession would you not like to do? 
Chemist, trash man, cop

If Heaven exists (I believe that it does), what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
Well done my good and faithful servant.  Welcome Home! =)

This was fun!
Hope you have a blessed week!

Ten on the 10th [but posted on the 11th]

I decided I would join in the fun over at A Bit of Sunshine, and participate in Ten on 10:

Fun socks!  Love those cute little whales! You can't help but have a great day w/ cuties like these on your feeties!  =)



Free car wash!  Score!

Happy fabric.  These colors just make me want to dance bc spring is HERE!

My bi-monthly run to Heaven...err I mean, Chick-fil-a.  B/c let's face it, if my stomach had it's way, I'd totally be there every.single.day.  {Thank goodness for the saving grace of a Budget!}

Made my own carpet powder!!!! 

Oh the happiness that is towel day!  Love me a nice snuggly towel when I get outta the shower!  =D

Oops!  Washed the ol' lens cap. 

Mid afternoon snack.  Yummy fruit:  reason #378 that I LOOOOOOOVE springtime!

Preparing for Bible study w/ Beth.  Love that girl, and the humility and grace God gives through vulnerability with good friends.  We were put here to learn and love and share, and I'm so blessed to get to do it each week with sweet Beth. 

Baked ziti.  Yummy for the tummy.

This little guy made clean-up at Beth's way fun!  I think he needs a name.  Something catchy like Jenkins or Barnaby.

Well, there ya have it.  This was way fun!  I just might have to do it again in April.  =)

Blessings for your weekend!

<3 Michelle

the one about paper cuts

Ouchie.

Today, I got a paper cut from straw paper!!!!
A drinking straw!

That's nuts.
I didn't even know that was possible.

The end to the most pointless post ever.

2010::Satisfied

If you know me, then you know that I am a Texan through and through. And thus, I am a lover of all things country music. My time in Lubbock has been such a time of trial; God has really used this time to stretch me, to think about loneliness in a different way, to rely on Him.

One of the graces that He has brought to sustain me is this delightful little country station known as “God’s Country.” It’s kinda like KLOVE in the sense that it’s a national Christian station operated through the support of listeners. And can I just tell you how wonderful it is? There’s nothing like Carrie Underwood’s version of “How Great Thou Art” to turn my heart back to the majesty of our Great God. And when I need a little pick-me-up, God sends a little “Keep on the Sunny Side” to remind me of the power of joy.

Well there’s a song on there by Jewel called “Satisfied.” It’s such a beautiful message about the power of Love. Here is the video, so listen to it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArAlk3yf5hI&feature=player_embedded

Some lyrics that stand out to me:
“So many things to do, so little love gets done.”
“If we want love, it’s not that tough, start by givin’ it first.”
“We were born. to. love.”

Gosh, I just love it! (Pun intended!) =D

But here’s the thing, this song speaks so deeply to me b/c it’s one of my hardest struggles: loving unconditionally. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that the Greatest Commandment is also one of the hardest to live out (Matt. 22:37-8, Mark 12:30-1, Luke 10:27, John 13:34-5).

So you’re probably wondering, why all this talk about love?  Valentine’s Day was yesterday!  Well, here’s why.

Instead of New Year’s Resolutions, every year, I pick a Bible verse to be my “verse of the year”. Well, in 2010, the Holy Spirit pointed my heart to 1 Cor. 16:14…”you’re every act should be done with LOVE.”
Wow. If I had only known the trials I would face this past year trying to live out that verse. Guess the HG wanted to teach me to put my money where my mouth is, if you will. Today, I was reflecting on the past year, and I find myself reveling in the way God stretches us. For me, He taught me more about my imperfections and desperate need for my Savior through a simple verse that could be missed in the blink of an eye. In so many ways, I’m so very thankful that 2010 is done and gone. It was a hard, challenging year, but one that did teach me about the importance of love.

St. John Vianney once said, “This is the glorious duty of man: that your pray and that you love.”

Simple.
Profound.
Absolutely challenging.

So as we continue through this year on this beautiful Journey, I’m renewed with anticipation. I love beginnings. They remind me that He makes all things new again. A new year, to be better lovers of the Greatest Love of All.

I pray that 2011 is full of blessings, those known and unknown, and that our Jesus teaches us to love more fully, more deeply, more genuinely. B/c loneliness, pain, and sorrow may stir us up, but great friends, LOVE never fails.

Second Best Thing to Come Out of the Super Bowl

the first being that the STINKIN' STEELERS LOST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Funny story:
I was texting a good friend throughout the game, and at one point in time I texted:
"Big Ben has too much time!!!"
To which he pointed out my wittiness w/out even trying.

Note to self:

Have a blessed week!

Bushels of Blessings to YOU in 2011!!!

Goin' to the chapel

September, where did you go?!?!

School is crazy busy.
Life is insanely busy.
But God is ridiculously good.

I was blessed to see these two beautiful people join hearts and souls in Holy Matrimony this past weekend.

Definitely one of the funnest weddings ever!
Way to go Beth and Taylor!  Ya'll put on a great party!
Can't wait to go through the rest of the pics and share them on this ol' blog.
There are some pretty hilarious comments and stories that I want to capture forever.
Hopefully I will get to it in the next few days.

Congrats, Beth and Taylor!!!
Can't wait to see how the Lord blesses your marriage!
You two were made for each other...Buffalo Wild Wings and all!!!

The Boat Post

Last week, I went to Waco to complete my Level 1 Fieldwork at Scott & White Hospital. It was such a wonderful time...I learned so much from the remarkable therapists there. I was in the pediatric and NICU settings, and I LOVED it!

I decided to kick off the week by going waterskiing w/ some of my very favorite people on Sunday afternoon! It was so great to be out on the Brazos River, soakin' up the Texas sun, and laughing and loving w/ three of the greatest souls I know.

Patrick is relatively new to skiing, but he did GREAT!  I even managed to capture a grin in this picture! 

Then there's Don.

Don is an old pro.  No that was a jibe at his age.  =)  He has been waterskiing for 30 years! 
 
 

 
 
Now for Brandon:
 
 

 
 
I was privileged to get to help teach Brandon how to ski a couple years ago.  Now he's a pro, and the student has become the teacher.

 

 

And finally,

 
 

 

 

There's me.  Thanks to Don's expert coaching, I was able to manage getting up on the slalom (w/out having to kick a ski.)  Definitely my new favorite thing!

 

 

 

And just for fun:

 

 

 

I'm blessed with the greatest friends!  There are few things I like better than a sunny day, great friends, and boating.  Throw in some Rocky Mountains, and life doesn't get better!

 

24 hours... or something like that

My dad joined the ranks of the mountain biking maniacs about 3 years ago and hasn't looked back.  Probably b/c looking back means falling off cliffs or crashing into cactus plants.  But anyway, he convinced me that I would love it, so for my birthday last year, he bought me a brand spankin' new shiny Specialized mountain bike.  It's a hard tail, w/ a Shram derailer, no disc brakes (sadly), bright blue, 19 inch frame, bike of wonders. 

Wowee.  Mountain biking is HARD.  And INTENSE.  And some of those crazies are truly maniacs on wheels, but it's such a rush and ton of fun.  And I wished I didn't live 2 hours away from home, so that I could join good ol' Papa John (aka my daddy-o) for more biking excursions.

But he did manage to con me into joining him and some of his biking buds for the 4th annual 24 Hours In The Canyon biking event.  Yep, you heard right...biking for 24 hours.  Ok, so it's not quite that intense unless you are competive. 

Here's what went down:

Friday June 4th

Dad & I packed up enough supplies & clothing for a month...ok, a bit of an exaggeration, but neverless, we had PLENTY of stock.  We loaded up the good ol' pop trailer and zoomed down into the beauty that is Palo Duro Canyon.

Gorgeous, huh! 

We set up camp, complete with Arizona misters (heaven sent when it was 116 degrees the next day), our own personal shade tree, and all of the mosquitoes & horse flies in the great state of Texas.

We enjoyed a delicious spaghetti supper for carb-loading with other biker crazees, took a short bike trip at dusk to prepare our muscles for the next day, and then turned in for a good night's sleep.

Saturday, June 5th - Go Day

We had a nice breakfast and lunch, and then it was Go Time!  We headed to starting line, and when all the announcements had commenced, the countdown began.   And we were off!

600+ bikers (both roadies and mountain bikers, competitive and non-comp) jumped onto skinny little bike seats in sweltering 115 degree Texas heat to ride for 24 hours.

So in reality, unless you are in the competitive devision, you don't really have to ride constantly for 24 hours.  The event is designed so that at least one member of you team is on the trail throughout the time frame...but they aren't sticklers to the rule.  The first year of the event, my dad road for 17 hours, 100 miles.  He's crazy.  I was just hoping to not break a bone.  That would be success for me.  =)

So 30 minutes into this crazy day, my legs began to shake, I stopped sweating, and my energy level plummeted.  Yep, that's right.  Started the event off with a good ol' case of heat exhaustion.  Luckily I stopped before it resulted in heat stroke.  They put me on ice, got some electrolyte water (nasty stuff) pumpin' in me, and I took a nice 5 hour break from the sun and the ride.  It was a sad start to the event. 

But I recovered, and at 5:30, we took off for one round-trip loop before supper.  We ate, road back to camp to grab our head lamps & bike lights, and thus began the adventure of trail riding in the dark.  It was one of the coolest things I've ever done.  To be bouncing over foot & a half ride trails, with nothing but a head lamp and handlebar light guiding your way...well it was intense, adrenaline pumping, and best of all...COOL!  That's right, temps dropped to the 80s, which felt like a cold front compared to the earlier weather, and we soared over those trails.  It was fun, but the old guys that I was riding with (aka my dad & his friend Mark) couldn't handle the nighttime riding with their 50+ year old eyesight, so we called it a night and turned in. 

The next day, Dad & I woke and finished the event with a couple loops of the trail.  Total, I road about 35 miles.  Not impressive by any means, but definitely longer than I have ever gone...so for me it was a personal best. 

Oh, and I took a nasty spill that morning.  I had the worst bruise on my booty that I have ever had in my entire life.  And I played soccer...aka bruise-filled-intense sport.  It was awful...in fact, it's still lingering & tender!  But, no broken bones...so it was a success!

We had a great time.  Love that my 52 year old dad can totally kick my tail on those trails.  He's crazy, and fun, and the best dad a girl could ask for.  Love our father-daughter adventures.  

Plus, how can you not have fun in a place as beautiful as this:

 

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty you created for us!

Hope your summer is full of fun adventures too!

blessings!

♥ michelle

A List of Happies

Some things I'm lovin' right now:

*  Do you remember the days of Rainbow sandwich bread???
Well I have found a few recipes to try, but just looking at pictures of the goodness puts a happy smile on my face!

* I love this fun little reminder to be the very best me!

* And I was browsing through Good Housekeeping when I stumbled on this ad of happiness!

These mailboxes definitely scream "Michelle"  =)

* And finally, I just cannot get enough of this awesome song!

"What are you waiting for?  What do you have to lose?
Your insecurities try to alter you.  You know you're made for more.
So don't be afraid to move. 
Your faith is all it takes and you can walk on the water too!"

blessings!
♥ michelle

Laughter Mondays

and then God created Saturn....


and He liked it,


so He put a ring on it!

hahaha!

I loved this joke when I first heard!

Happy Monday everyone!

Colorado shenanigans!

During Spring Break, my mom and I hung out for 10 days in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of southwest Colorado.  Ahhh, my beloved Rocky's are just soooo refreshing!  We went skiing, thrift shopping (turns out the San Luis Valley has amazing thrift shops, who knew?), picture taking, deer chasing (see pics below), and other random activities.  My best friend Britt, her boyfriend, and another friend of ours, Kristen, joined us on Thursday for some skiing and swimming adventures. 

No, do not get your eyes checked.

I said swimming.  I'll explain in a sec.

Once, again, I went to the mountains with several people, and I came back with more scenery and deer pics than anything else!  =) 

You'd think I hadn't seen deer before...

I like to call this one the

Three Musketdeers!

bu-dum-ching!

"Hey guys, let's jump over the fence!  Some crazy lady is takin' pics of us!"

This one is called "Trend setter."

The deer randomly decided to come back across the fence.

Which gave me more picture taking ops! 

How kind of them!

Perfect form!

The deer were kind enough to run right across the road in front of me.

So fun!

All the gorgeous girls hangin' out at the cabin.

Yes, we all have bachelors degrees.

Yes, we all are in grad school for higher education.

Can't you tell by looking at us?

=)

So about that swimming story....

There's a hot springs just north of Alamosa, CO that has been turned into an awesome swimming pool.  It is a Pollard family tradition to go swimming there when it is below freezing outside.  It's a great way to relax after several days skiing!

Here is a pic of Britt doin' her thing!

Notice the MAJESTIC Sangre de Cristo mountain range in the back.

It's most def my favorite mountain range in the whole state!

Yeah, we're all jealous of her sweet hair. 

Have a great weekend!

Laughter Mondays

Read this very carefully...it can be slightly confusing.

What did the pirate light bulb salesman say to the obese woman walked in his store?

"Aye, sell you light?"

(cellulite)

Happy Monday!!!

 Ea

Ridiculously Loved

The first weekend in March, I had the delight of traveling to lovely Central TX to hang w/ my old "gang" from my youth ministry days at Baylor.

Members of our gang:

• Don & Dolores:  married for 25 years, no children, youth ministry volunteers for more than 10 yrs, full of Fun and Life!, the most giving people I have ever met, owners of a masion of a house that we loving refer to as the O'Toole Hotel (it is our unofficial gang headquarters)

• Brandon:  ahhh!  Love this guy!  22 year old Aggie, youth ministry volunteer for 4 years, I've had the amazing privilege of witnessing God's amazing transformation of this awesome friend of mine, can't get enough of Scripture, downright hysterical, lover of all things marroon, drives my favorite Dodge, welder of legit crosses, really cool dude

• Chuck:  high ranking official in the United States Air Force but never comes across as arrogant or power-hungry, super charismatic...ppl just love him automatically, defender of our country especially in Afghanistan, my personal mentor, strongest Christian I know (and I know ALOT of amazing Christians), super faithful friend, has mad skillz on a snowboard, ridiculously filled with the Spirit

So that's the brief overview. 

And it doesn't even do those delightful, wonderful people justice.

Without boring you with all the wild details of this laughter-packed weekend in wacky Waco, I just wanna share with you some general thoughts.

* God is so ridiculously good.  I don't say that lightly.  This beautiful, perfect weekend with my dearest friends lifted my spirits when I wasn't even aware they needed lifting.  God provided without me even asking!  I love His constant pursuit of me, His inability to let me go without Love, peace, and joy. 

* I have the best friends ever.  I mean seriously.  Chuck came into town to give a talk at Aggie Awakening (a retreat for college kiddos).  After his awesome talk on discernment, people came up to ME and told me how much they envied me b/c they wanted to be friends with this guy in real life!  I mean, he's a seriously cool lover of Jesus!  And all of the gang is the same way! 

* I always have said that I must be the most loved person in the world.  Between my amazing family and incredible friendships, I am overwhelmed with blessings.  My cup most definitely overflows!

So there you have it.  One weekend recap down, about a gazillion more to go!

How has God blessed YOU lately?  In what ways are you celebrating His goodness?

Laughter Mondays

After a brief interlude, Laughter Mondays has returned!!!!  Yay!!!!

Inspired by Easter:

How do we know carrots are good for your eyes?

B/c you never see rabbits wearing glasses!

groan!  =)

Hoppy Easter Monday!

♥ michelle

Robbed

It has been a hectic couple of weeks, and so on this Good Friday, I was excited to get to sleep in...

And then my Papa John called me to tell me that my car (which was at my parents' house) had been broken into last night.

WHAT?!?! 

We live out in the country, in a quiet neighborhood, with kids and dogs running all over the place.  That's just crazy!

It really is not the end of the world.  The biggest thing the thief took was over 300 cds.  I had a HUGE case of cds...which is fine...they can have 'em.  But the sad thing is I also was carrying my best friend's GINORMOUS case of cds as well.  Sigh. 

It's just stuff. 

However, on this Friday, this day of remembrance, I cannot help but think about our Jesus.  How He was stripped of His clothes, beaten, robbed of His humanity, nailed to a Cross.  They (we) took everything He had, His pride, His integrity, the very clothes off His back, His Life.  He was mocked, scorned, laughed at.  Few along the way showed any signs of compassion.  And then He was nailed to a tree. 

And after all of that, we added to His burden by laying our sins on His back as He hung on that Cross. 

He did it willingly.  This Man of Sorrows. 

Puts into perspective the loss of a few cds, huh?

I pray that on this most somber of all days, you are able to set your heart on the Crucifixion our Lord. 

This beautiful day.  The day that True Love died.

Randoms

List of randoms:

• Grad students do NOT rebound from lack of sleep like college kids do.  I speak from experience.
• Baylor Men's basketball rocks my world!  Elite Eight?  Are you KIDDING me???  This was the team that nation-wide coaches picked to finish TENTH in the Big 12.  Yay Bears...it was an epic run!
• If men's basketball rocks my world, then the Baylor Women provide the beat!  Final Four baby!!!!  Sic 'em, Bears!  What an amazing season this has been!  Next up, UConn...it's going to be a fun one!
• Have you heard the new Amy Grant song?  Better Than A Hallelujah.  Simply beautiful.
• And you must check out Forgiven by Sanctus Real.  "When I don't measure up to much in this life, I know I'm a treasure in the arms of Christ."  Amen.
• Oh, and these people bring so much joy to my life, I'm perpetually Sonburned! 

brandon, brian, julie, chuck, me

blessings, my friends!
♥ michelle

Busy Bee

AHHH!!!!

I have been so ridiculously busy this semester! 
I have not been home, at my apartment in Lubbock, on a single weekend in a month and a half!

It started Valentine's Weekend, when I went to Ruidoso, NM for the ski trip.

And then I went to my hometown the next two weekends for dentist/doctor's appointments and my bestie's birthday.

Then the first weekend in March, I travelled to wacky Waco and College Station for a retreat.  (I will have a separate post on the amazingness that was this weekend.  God is so good.)

Next there was 10 days of Spring Break in Colorado (spanning two weekends).

Tomorrow I will bee heading back to Waco to help out w/ a retreat at the best university in America.  Yay Baylor!  (Expect a post on this retreat weekend as well as the fact that my Mens AND Womens Baylor Bears are in the Sweet 16!!!!!)

Then, next weekend is Easter!  Amen!  Alleluia!  I will be treckin' back up to Amarillo for the celebration of the best day in history.  Thank you Jesus!

And finally, FINALLY, after a 2 month hiatus, I will bee sleeping in and relaxing in my very own apartment the weekend of April 9th.  So excited. 

This insane schedule, combined with school, volunteer, and social priorities, is the reason my live is all a-buzz right now, and thus, no blogging.  But no worries, I will bee back soon!