Are Big and Bright
Deep in the Heart of Texas.

The Texas State Flag

The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
All the livelong day.
The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
You cannot get away.
Texas Fight, Texas Fight,
For it’s Texas that we love best.
Hail, Hail, The gang’s all here,
And it good-bye to all the rest!

There is just something about Texas. I don’t know if every Texan feels it but, this enormous pride wells up in me everytime I step foot in “The Friendly State.” Here are 10 of my favorite things about Texas: (more…)

I love random holidays, the non-religious ones like the 4th of July, Cinco de Mayo, and my all-time favorite St. Patrick’s Day. Don’t get me wrong, I love religious holidays too, but in a different more purposeful way.

Ten years ago (wow – that is unbelievable – ten years), one of my best friends and I were in Dublin, Ireland, on March 17th. We watched the parades, wandered around the city and tried, unsuccessfully I am sure, to blend in.

Our St. Paddy's Day Festivities

And I fell in love with the city. And I fell in love with the Irish. And I fell in love with St. Patrick’s Day. Years later, I can’t let March 17th pass without lingering on the memories and enjoying a big green beer.

What is your favorite random holiday? And this time, you can’t say Christmas or Easter.

I might be biased but…these days it seems like television, movies, and literature portray thirty-something single women as either 1. glamorous party girls constantly moving between conquests or 2. whiny homely chicks who are immensely dissatisfied with their lives and can’t understand why they aren’t married. (Because they are a drag to be around, that’s why.)

At My Happiest With My Niece, Anne Shelton Porterfield

Don’t get me wrong, there certainly are women out there who fit both these molds, but what about the rest of us? I know this is going to be a surprise to a lot of you, but there are some 30+ year old women out there who are looking for more, they are looking to be more. They are struggling to balance their dreams of being savvy career women with their dreams of being married and having kids – and fearfully facing the reality that they might not be able to have it all. And probably just like you, they are trying to have faith in the plans God has for them, “plans to give [them] a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11-12)

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Yesterday was one of those days. One of those days where I was inexplicably in a dark mood. I felt anxious, lonely, tired, sad, and overwhelmed. The feelings crept up on me in the morning and by the afternoon they were inescapable.

On the my way home I dialed Dad. He answered and was greeted with a flood of my emotions. My dad is wonderful in this type of situation because he is a skilled listener. He heard me out, said a few calming words, and told me he loved me.

Finding Comfort in Tears

As I hung up the phone and continued to weep, I wondered where these feelings had come from. I am generally pretty content, and honestly nothing about yesterday was out of the ordinary. I wondered why in the midst of my sadness I felt so alive. I wondered why my tears felt strangely comforting.

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Last Thursday, I attended Catalyst One Day with some folks from Cross Point. I was desperate to get out of the office, network, and have some professional leadership training. And Catalyst One Day was an investment I could afford to make in myself. And I am so glad I did!

Catalyst One Day

Here are just a couple of reasons why:

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1. I am related to George Washington. I know that everyone says that, but seriously I am. My mom’s maiden name is Washington and our family has one of his four pistols.

George Washington

2. I used to plan all the special events for Books-A-Million and met a long list of famous authors and celebrities in that gig — Pat Conroy (my favorite), Nora Roberts, Paula Deen, John McCain, Joel Osteen, Patricia Cornwell, and Lou Holtz – just to name a few.

3. I Twitter, a lot. It really is a technology you should check out (www.twitter.com). Through it I have found a church, met new friends, and learned a ton.

4. I love to take road trips. Mostly because they area great excuse for me to sing and do dramatic interpretation of songs. One of my many talents. Seriously, you should see me do it sometime — I am fantastic.

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When thinking of adjectives to describe me – responsible, outgoing, and caring might jump to the top of the list, disciplined would not. This is the classic excuse but…discipline is just not something that comes naturally to me.

Candidly there have been times when I resented those that exuded discipline. Yes, I said it – early risers, Weight Watchers success stories, check book balancers, and Iron Men – I have resented you for having motivation and follow-through that I could not muster.

Lindsey, Whitney, and Joe - 2008 Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville, TN

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I have fully embraced all things Twitter. It has been a fun way to stay in touch with friends and colleagues and it has been a fabulous networking tool. For those not familiar with the technology, I highly recommend Michael Hyatt’s posts, 12 Reasons to Start Twittering and The Beginner’s Guide to Twitter. He shares the basics on why and how to get started.

But, there is one aspect of Twitter that I really struggle with – the awkward introduction…

An Awkward Introduction

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Is it just me or has celebrating Lent become the cool thing to do? It seems like everyone is giving up something – sugar, french fries, soft drinks, facebook, twitter, blogging.

A few years ago, a co-worker proudly declared that she was going to give up fried pickles – “why fried pickles” I asked, “just because” she replied. I love me some fried pickles, but it seems a little ridiculous to think that cutting them out of my diet for 40 days is going to change anything about me – not my weight, and certainly not my faith.

Fried Pickles

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Like There Is Any Easy Answer to That Question

It is funny when people ask where I am from or where home is, I never really know what to say.

I was born in Dallas (Texas), spent my collegiate years in Boulder (Colorado), settled in Birmingham (Alabama) for the eight years after college, and currently live and work in Nashville (Tennessee). I truly believe that I have resided in the best places this country has to offer — minus perhaps Austin (Texas) which would be next on my list.

My Three Nieces - Macon, Kate, and Anne Shelton at My Parent's House in Dallas

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