Sometimes I am just plain GROUCHY.

It is NOT PRETTY, but it is TRUE and REAL.

Yes, I know. I don’t really have ANYTHING to be grouchy about. All my fundamental needs are being met. I have a wonderful job, a loving family, and this fantastic group of friends. I belong to an incredible church. And I live in a country where I am allowed to dream of possibilities and work to make them a reality. I am set. Life is good.

But that doesn’t stop me from having days where the grouchy feelings cascade over me, mind and soul.

And today is one of those days where I am a little worn out with it all. Seriously…

I’m sick of being single. Sick, sick, sick of being single.

I’m sick of hearing that my friends wished they knew a man who was worthy of me. (I mean, what IN THE HECK does that mean?)

I’m sick of failing to find the right balance between doing too much and being really tired of being still.

But mostly, I’m sick of listening to myself complain.

So…

I am going to start thinking of things that make me smile. (Yes, I have probably seen The Sound of Music one too many times.)

I am going to think of things that are undeniably happy like…

Exploring the glorious Hill Country of Texas with my wide-eyed and totally precious nieces. (more…)

A couple of months ago, I was gathered with some very smart ladies at Cultivate Her and having a discussion about relationships. (No, not the juicy kind.) And my wise friend Eve Annuziato said something I keep coming back to.

Eve said that when she turned 30 she sat down and created three lists: Very Important People, Very Draining People, and Very Negative People. Once her lists were complete, she intentionally figured out how she could invest more time and energy in her “VIPs.” Inversely she intentionally reduced her interactions with her “VDPs” and “VNPs.”

The minute I heard this I was completely energized. As I began to visualize myself scaling back on some of the painful relationships in my life, I felt instant relief. (more…)

This summer has been A COMPLETE WHIRLWIND. I have been traveling non-stop and loving every minute of it. But I am worn out. And my life and my house are in disarray.  (Seriously can’t remember the last time I changed my sheets. I think it was sometime last week but I’m not quite sure.)

With all this traveling, another thing that has been neglected is my blog. So this is a quick play-by-play with some of my favorite photos, of course. (more…)

Or maybe I just know what I want? Or maybe I have no idea what I want? Or maybe I am content with where I am right now? Or maybe I am seriously afraid of change or of just putting myself out there? But in my defense, I have no fear meeting new people, confessing my deep dark secrets on my blog, or sharing what I think about the latest loser on the Bachlorette on Twitter. It just doesn’t make sense.

Oh, I just realized I haven’t given you a clue of what I am talking about. Well, here it is…

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Last Saturday night, ColdPlay was in Nashville. And I went to see them perform at The Sommet Center.

Yellow

And as Michael Hyatt, would say it was a “wow experience.”

And it was not just a “wow experience” because I had low expectations. My Birmingham friends had certainly built the experience up during long play-by-play recaps on the phone and on Facebook. (more…)

Way back when, during my time in the Brownies (the pre-Girl Scout society) we used to sing this song: “Make new friends but keep the old, one is silver and the other’s gold.”

Allison, Sarah and I - Jordan Vineyard, Sonoma Valley, Memorial Day 2009

I never had much of a singing voice (actually I never had ANY of a singing voice) but those lyrics sung over-and-over again in a round stuck with me. But I am not sure that I understood what they meant until now. I never understood how important it is to value both old and new friends, because each are precious treasures. (more…)

On Saturday, I am headed to San Francisco and the Napa Valley. To say I am excited, doesn’t really cut it. I am elated, beside myself, about to burst.

My traveling companion is a good friend, Sarah, who I have gotten close to since I moved to Nashville. This summer Sarah is moving to Chicago – she got a fancy job to match her fancy degree from Owen — so this time with her will be exceptionally special. We will be joining forces with one of my best friends from Birmingham, Allison, who moved to San Francisco last year. I miss “Ali” so much and secretly pray that we will get her back to the South soon. Maybe I can convince her of this after a glass of wine or two? (Of course I am kidding, I would never do that ) (more…)

This Spring in my Crosspoint Community Group, we have been studying a book called Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero. Big title, right? It’s a big study too. It is the kind of book that makes you dig deep, ask tough questions, and work through your issues – and let’s face it we all have issues.

Last week the focus of the study was on Chapter 7, “Growing into an Emotionally Healthy Adult.” We talked about the importance of loving others maturely — treating them as human beings uniquely created by Christ instead of as a means to an end or an object. Easier said then done, right? During the conversation, Jenni Catron said, quoting Pete Wilson (who was perhaps quoting someone else but I have no idea whom – maybe this lady or maybe this man or maybe someone else entirely?), “Hurt people, hurt people.” (more…)

It is really starting to feel like summer. (If it would only stop raining here in Nashville? I swear you’d think we live in a rainforest with the way the weather has been.) I love summer. I don’t love the heat. But I love summer.

Here are 10 of my favorite things about summer:

1. Road Trips – trips to the lake, the beach, neighboring cities. For some reason, no place seems to far to drive in the summer. I need to start making some playlists on Itunes right now! (Some of my twitter buddies, helped me start a wish list. Now I just need to find some time to download.)

Macon and Anne Shelton - Lake Texoma 2008

2. Music Festivals – City Stages, Bonnaroo. One of my first jobs out of college was planning music festivals. And I love them. There is nothing better than being outside (when the weather’s nice), listening to good music, drinking a cold beer, and hanging out with your closest friends. This summer I plan on hitting CityStages (my personal favorite) and Bonnaroo (to see what all the fuss is about). I am excited because for the first time in several years, they don’t fall on the same weekend. (more…)

Last night, I returned home after being gone almost a week. And as much as I loved my week with the family at the beach, it was nice to be home. (Or at least back in Nashville, as I expressed here there is some confusion for me about where home is.)

There are times when I have dreaded returning after a vacation. But not this time, and here’s why: (more…)