I'm so thankful Dustin was able to come with me this week as I travel for work. It has made all the difference having him to keep me company and pass the long hours in the car. We've had a great time each night eating good food and enjoying each other's company. I mean, you just can't go wrong when you're on the coast. What I love so much about the coast is:
1. Soft sand between my toes, reminding me to slow down and enjoy.
2. The evening sun glistening on the water.
3. Couples taking romantic strolls hand-in-hand. Birds and children playing in the water, laughing and chasing one another.
4. Good seafood and a great glass of wine after a relaxing day in the warm sun.
6. The sound of the ocean tide coming and going endlessly.
5. My hubby taking it all in with me.

I have often been referred to as a fish, especially when I was young and in the water all summer long. I just love water. Some of my favorite memories involve water- whether it be learning how to swim in my aunt Carol Ann's pool and spending summers at that pool with family, or family vacations to Florida where we splashed and played in the ocean. So many fond memories. The ocean makes me feel at peace and comforted in my soul. There's no faster way for me to relax than to sit looking out at the ocean. It's a place I hope to have in my life regularly and forever. The pacific coast has impressed me even more with it's rugged beaches lined with mountains of huge green trees. I wouldn't want to be any where else.

We’ve been reading through 1 Corinthians at church and have just recently talked about Paul’s example of giving up his rights for the sake of the gospel. I’m learning this in my own life.

I’ve been learning recently how the way I respond to situations truly affects those around me and the situation in general. I find when I confront someone in an angry, emotional-filled way, I rarely get a good response. They are defensive, uncooperative, and I just end up looking like a fool. I hate looking like a fool, I hate acting like a fool. However, if I confront someone in a gentle, heart-filled way I get a much better response. They are more apt to really hear me, to cooperate, and the outcome is positive. I see people all the time, and I have been one of them often, that think if they speak louder and cause a bigger scene then their point is made in a more dramatic way. I’ve learned…it’s not. Why do we do that? Why do we continue to use the same responses to situations hoping for a certain outcome, knowing all the while what the consequences will be- namely, us looking like a fool- but we forget those consequences. We think THIS time I will come out on top, I will be the winner of this situation, the battle is all mine.

I think there’s a difference between passion based on emotions vs. passion based on the heart. I think I have always thought that when you’re frustrated, you have to be angry to be honest. And that’s just not the case. Being honest is what’s important and so is the way in which you deliver that honesty. I want to be someone who is gentle, kind, loving, passionate, and truthful in all situations, but that doesn’t mean in order to be that way that I am expressing my emotions, but rather that I am expressing my heart. When I think about emotions, I think of extremes. When I think about the heart, I think of humility.

This happens all the time in marriages, at work, with friends and family. How do we speak honestly in every situation? What does it mean to even give up our rights in order for the truth to be known? How can I help everyone to leave a tense situation feeling good? How can I care about the way situations affect other people and not just myself?

I dealt with this very thing last month at work. I was in a debate with another department about an invoice we were to pay them. There were 3 or 4 different things on the invoice that bothered me, but one major one in particular. Someone else working on it with me was extremely aggravated and very huffy-puffy about the whole thing, mumbling under the breath, bad-mouthing, etc. I realized instantly this aggression rising up in me. “Was I being taken advantage of because I am new to the position? Did they think they could pull one over on me without me knowing? I must put my foot down, this is an injustice! How dare they do this to me! I will take a stand for all departments worldwide with inaccurate invoices! I will prevail!” This is how I felt at the beginning of the week. I emailed with the person in charge of this other department, we sent some explanations/frustrations back and forth. My Monday emails stated I wouldn’t pay the invoice. My Tuesday emails asked for an explanation. All the time wanting to go off about this department, wanting to take it the higher-ups, wanting to protect my rights. By the time Wednesday came my emails simply stated I would pay the invoice based on a compromise and appreciated her willingness to talk about how we could change things for next year. On Thursday the invoice was paid, all was well. And on Friday I went to work feeling so thankful that I hadn’t made a complete fool of myself my 4th week on the job. So thankful that I didn’t run my mouth like I normally do, so thankful I didn’t act like a fool, so thankful that God has done this in my life, knowing all the while it wasn’t me but him living in me.

How different I am. I have acted so different in similar situations, foolishly unfortunately. How can something seemingly so small in a person begin to completely change who they are? This seems like a simple lesson to learn, and yet I really feel like it’s changing the person I am. And I’m loving it.

I was overcome on Sunday by the goodness of God. I sat back, listening to the worship band practicing and was overcome with emotions- overcome with thankfulness and humility, awe and praise for our amazing God. I just wanted to listen and worship and revel in God's glory forever.

i am a cut the corners kind of girl. i always try to find the easy way out of something and then go that route. i was a good student in school. i enjoy school and learning, but i cut corners any way i could. my husband, on the other hand, is not a cut the corners kind of guy. he's more of a....long road in the right direction kind of guy. it cracks me up every time i see him reading a book for school that is on the RECOMMENDED reading list, not even REQUIRED!!! this happened again today and i was busting up b/c he's just so honest and sincere in his desire to learn. the conversation went something like this

dustin: so today in class we're reading the exact same article he had us read for homework last night.
kelli: you're just reading an article in class?
dustin: yeah, just reading it. it's pointless to read them at night since we're reading them in class.
kelli: so does that mean you're not going to read tonight?
dustin: oh no, i'll still read.
kelli: hahahahaha, but if it's pointless, then why?
dustin: b/c it's required
kelli: even though it's pointless, you're still going to read b/c it's required?
dustin: yeah, it's required, i have to.

my A+ student.

I hate when I get songs stuck in my head. Well, I don't always hate it, only when they are really bad or really dumb songs. Like the one that's stuck in there right now. "I kissed a girl a i liked it" Yes, that song is now playing regularly on the radio. Very disturbing. Even more disturbing is it has a catchy tune and now it's in my head. So dumb, get out dumb song, GET OUT!!!

I can't believe this is the song that every junior high girl will be singing all summer long. Get out of all our heads, dumb song, get out!!!