Five Minute Friday: VOICE

Today's Five Minute Friday prompt is VOICE.

Go...

Yesterday, while Trent was away writing, I went for a workout.  It was a beautiful day in Nashville, so I grabbed my water bottle, jump rope, and some music and headed outside. I literally did one lap on the track and my iPod died.  UGH.  I was like, "What am I supposed to do now?!?  Workout with no music?!?"  

It was a very real 'first world problem' moment.

I put my music down by my water and jump rope and I resumed my workout.  Then, I heard: 

"Talk to Me." 

So I did.  I talked to Him.  For my whole workout.  And it was sweet.  Like He was walking with me.  

You know the Voice.  It's that whisper in your heart.  That Voice that speaks truth directly to your soul.  That Voice that questions you and keeps you in check and urges you to do things He has called of you. 

I know it.   All too well.  And if I'm being honest, I don't like listening sometimes... 

But I do.  And I always will.  Because it hasn't failed me yet.  


Stop...

The ATL

I am referring to Atlanta.  Also known as, HOT-lanta.  I'm assuming because it gets hot there.   What if people said MY-lanta?  That'd be funny.  I digress...

We went there about a month ago and I am just now posting about it.

I'm sure y'all have been on pins and needles.

Anyway...

We actually got into town WITH NO TRAFFIC.  You read that correctly.  We did, however, hit a slight hold up.  Turns out, the hold up was a real hold up!  Yes.  We saw cops with guns drawn and ready.  Crazy times.  Then we proceeded to have to go to the nearest Firestone to get a new car battery.  Fabulous.

We went to Atlanta for the WFX Expo because All Pro Sound brought us in to play at their booth for two days and make their fancy equipment sound real fancy.  And it did.  Until the competition kept complaining that we were too loud and we had to turn it down.  I felt very "These amps go to 11."  But we handled it just fine and lovely.  

 I was thinking that all of my road blogs look the same.  And they most likely will continue to do so, but I thought I'd do ATL differently.  So, I'm doing a review of our hotel and food choices.

All Pro Sound put us up in the Omni.  We are not used to such red carpet treatment and some might could get used to that business.  I shall start my review with the hotel.

This was our view.  Amazing.

• Nice, clean, many amenities (can we call them a-many-ties??), polite staff
• Loved having a robe in the room (and feeling as though it was most likely clean)
• Great view
• Lots of pillows, which is great for Trent because he requires about 3-4 of them
• Good food

BUT...

• Expensive food
• You must tip for everything
• Wireless is not free
• You must tip for everything
• You can only valet park and it's $30 a day
• You must tip for everything

Loved our stay and extremely thankful that All Pro Sound generously provided the valet and room service.  And, while I could most definitely get used to room service and guava smoothies, I'm just a Holiday Inn Express, La Quinta, and Hampton Inn kinda girl.

Now for the important stuff.  FOOD.

Dantanna's 

Our first dining experience, courtesy of the All Pro Sound guys.

• Fancy, but not too fancy
• Perfectly cooked steak
• The béarnaise mushrooms are like WHOA. Yummy.
• Pretty expensive, for my standards. But pretty much worth it.

Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria

We were wanting something easy and within walking distance from the hotel.  And it was before I was off the poison gluten so it was a no-brainer.

• cool environment
• great pizza with that coal oven taste
• LOBSTER MACARONI FRITTER. That's all that needs to be said. 
• Affordable for sure

Spoon 

Hip Thai kind of sums it up.

• EXCELLENT food  
• They bring the rice in a separate bowl, so you can customize each bite.  Love that.
• Very yummy pear martini.  Not too sweet and just the right amount of bitterness with some floral notes.  
• the BEST Tom Ka Gai soup I've ever had

Salsa Havana

Latin food with a Cuban twist, or so they say.  We love Cuban food.  And, while it was good, we've definitely had better.

• cute restaurant
• lots of options
• pork was good, chicken was bland. 
• black beans tasted like they were right out of a can
• Again, good, but we were hoping for more =)

All in all a wonderful time in Atlanta.  This weekend we're going to see Trent's sister in Athens...which I've never been to.  Excited!

Five Minute Friday (on Saturday): WELCOME

Five Minute Friday is the brain child of Lisa-Jo Baker.  Every Friday she gives a prompt to  write on for only 5 minutes.  No extreme editing allowed.  No worries about font, punctuation, or perfection.  Raw and real.  Then you link up to her blog.  

I didn't have a chance to do this yesterday, so Saturday it is!  The word:  WELCOME

GO...

Lots of things have changed as I have gotten older.  I worry about different things, I eat different things, I value different things, I pray for different things.  The list goes on.  And a new addition is how I adore the change of the seasons.

 photo credit

I welcome them.

Right now I want to give the weather a big hug and have coffee with it.  I welcome fall with pajama pants, slippers and a slightly darker blonde hair color.  I welcome fall with chai tea lattes and soup.  Scarves, hats, boots.  Doors and windows open.  Walks outside where dying from heat stroke isn't a possibility.  And with a home adorned in pinecones, pumpkins, acorns and autumn leaves.

Yes.  I welcome the seasons.  And it just dawned on me as I type...maybe I should welcome personal seasons as well.  

Even when they're not as enjoyable as brisk mornings and crisp nights.  Even when they make me feel exhausted and tired and sweaty.  Or when they make me feel numb to the bone.  Welcome them.  Because, after each season, there is a new one coming.  A new day.  A new beginning.  A new bud that will blossom into fruit.  He intended it that way.  Trust it.  Welcome it. 

STOP.

You Might be Married to a Musician

I read a post over at Team Studer titled "You Might be Married to a Redneck" and it was hysterical.  You should read it.  Seriously.

While I'm not married to a redneck (even if he does like NASCAR, has had a borderline mullet and confessed to wanting a rat-tail as a kid), I am married to a musician.  And so I thought to do the same thing but tailor it to our life. 

photo credit

You Might be Married to a Musician if...

• he drums on the steering wheel. And table. And chair. And anything else, really.
• you buy nail strengthener for his pickin' hand
• you now know what a pre-chorus and a what a bridge is 
• you know what AC Indicator, Monitor, and CHR means
• as well as National Audience Chart, bullets, and spins
• as well as "Add Date"
• you use a cajon to hold the laptop while watching Hulu in bed
• you vacuum around the amp, pedal board and boom mic
• you know what an amp, pedal board and boom mic is
• merch is always in the car

• and you know what the word merch means 
• you know stats (YouTube views, downloads, add date, release date, etc. and so on...)
• the term "in the pocket" does not apply to lent or change
• 4 on the floor is not a car reference
• you're ok with smelling a shirt before deciding to wash it or wear it again
• you know what is considered a write-off for Uncle Sam
• you know what ASCAP stands for
• staying up late and sleeping in is normal
• you have to set an alarm to get up for a NOON church service
• you are quite skilled at changing clothes in the car when you're running late for a show
• he looks to you for encouraging words when writing a song
• you know his favorite artists and musical inspirations
• when he said years ago "It's easier to not unpack and just live out of a suitcase" makes complete sense now
• you are a roadie, band member, and groupie all rolled into one

• you know what strings he uses and why
• the words "I should probably shower" are not uncommon to hear
• you know what kind of guitar he plays, wants to own, and what electric guitar he wants to have one day
• he considers a golf shirt preppy
• when he's quiet, you know to not bug him too much about why he's so quiet because he's probably thinking about music, lyrics and bills

What does your husband do?  Salesman?  In the military?  Is he in ministry? Is he a golfer?  Or a biker?

Five Minute Friday: GRASP

Five Minute Friday is the brain child of Lisa-Jo Baker.  Every Friday she gives a prompt to  write on for only 5 minutes.  No extreme editing allowed.  No worries about font, punctuation, or perfection.  Raw and real.  Then you link up to her blog.  

Today's word is GRASP.

GO.

As I think of who I am today, it's hard to grasp where I've been.  Where I've been on a security level.  Like many women, I have had my bouts with insecurity and negative self-esteem issues.  I guess you could say I'm "in recovery" and, for the record, this is really, really hard to write.

It's hard to write because most people that know me, see me as an outgoing person.  And I am.  But at one time, that was a front.   

I can't pinpoint when my inaccurate view of myself started.  I can remember, even as a little girl, wishing that I was skinny like my two older sisters.  Girls (and now women) who were born with naturally thin frames.  It took me awhile to understand that I was built differently.  

In the past, I have seen pictures of myself that I didn't like and have wrinkled them up in anger while sitting alone in my room.  In the past, I have taken diet pills and prayed that God would make me skinny.  In the past, I have shed tears over trying on clothes...and don't even get me started on swimsuits.

I have been 140 lbs to 190 lbs and everything in between.  I have self-soothed with food and then the next day, wished I could be anorexic.  I have stood on a scale in the morning and let the number I saw dictate my day.

No more...

Years ago, something clicked and I cannot even grasp who that other person is anymore.  True, I still have moments where I pinch that stubborn arm fat and wonder why my eyes are getting lines already; I am not perfect. 

But...  

With Jesus, lots of prayer, self-reflection, books (thank you Beth Moore), and my sweet husband, I am here to say that satan no longer has his grasp on my ability to see who I truly am and for what I was truly intended.

And my prayer for girls, women, moms everywhere is that they will claim that truth and cling to it with everything they've got.

STOP.

Will you join?

Ain't Nothin' but a G Thing, Baby

If I had labels on my blog, this would be filed under "food rambling."  Just so you're warned...

photo credit

Are you familiar with the gluten-free craze?  If you're not, you should get out of the cave that you're living in.  It's everywhere.  On magazines, on cooking shows, on shelves at every grocery store.

I heard about it a couple years ago and was like "You want me to what? Stop eating wheat? That's hilarious and crazy and not going to happen."

So, I continued to eat gluten and continued to question those who didn't. I understood those with allergies and what not, but by choice? I didn't get it.  We love us some pasta and I love any type of cracker...usually dipped in any kind of dairy, which apparently is not good for us either. (Ugh).

But, a few weeks ago, I picked up a free magazine and one of the cover stories grabbed my attention.  Something about "Wheat Belly," but I can't remember for sure.  Anyway, I read it and the evidence and reasoning behind being g-free, was enough for me to entertain the idea.

And WHOA.  When you make the change you quickly see that gluten is in EVERYTHING.  Now, let me say that I'm not going crazy overboard here.  With what Trent and I do for a living, I'm not about to go into a church or home stay and bark out my dietary needs and concerns.  Not even a chance.  So, we've just been eating mainly lean protein, eggs, salads (with homemade dressings), and veggies.  I like how I'm feeling. 

(Then yesterday morning we had oatmeal and apparently it was contaminated with gluten and without going into too much detail here, my stomach had some issues). 

(It wasn't pretty).

The change hasn't been all bad.  I don't miss bread, but I would fight for some goldfish crackers and a croissant roll does sound pretty good.

The dairy thing?  Not even going to happen.  Not a chance.  I could maybe not do milk, but don't take away my cheese.

Small steps people, small steps.

Are you G-Free?  Or kind of G-Free?  Discuss...

Arkansas and Missouri

Recently, we went to Arkansas and Missouri for a quick run of shows.  

The first one was in Siloam Springs, AR.  We checked in, got to the room and this was waiting for us.  Snacks and a thank-you card.  So sweet!  I felt very fancy and important.  And then I stuffed my face with some Wheat Thins and some Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies and was brought back to reality.

 

The show was a youth night in the park.  Lots of kids showed up and several accepted Christ.  What a cool thing to see!

I posted this to my Instagram the next morning on our way out of town.  Trent is quite talented with packing a car.  Some of my fb friends called it "luggage tetris" which is totally true.  I don't get involved with packing the car.  He has it down to an art.  And that's how I feel about the dishwasher.   

We stopped in Fayettville, AR for the night.  It was a bit storage to be around that many Hogs, but I survived.  We ate some yummy sushi and listened to some amazing blues.  But before we went out, I captured a shot of our hotel room.  It's dark, so you may not see much, but I'm here to say it's a MESS.  And please keep in mind we had been in that room all of about 5 hours.  I would also like to point out my favorite accessory...the box fan hoisted up on the "closet" area.  We like to keep things real...real classy.

Onto Monett, MO! 

The show was a fundraiser for The Den Youth Center, which is a safe place for kids to come hang out and get off the streets.  Here we are with Amy Sampson and Deb Berger.  Two awesome ladies!  If you'd like to donate any funds to a great organization, or if you want more information, let me know and I'll get you in touch with one of them.  You won't be sorry.

And back to Arkansas.  CrossPointe Community Church in Van Buren gave Trent the entire AM service to do a concert.  That always works out well, if churches are willing to do it.   (Doesn't that look like the sun in the pic below?  It's not.  It's the flash reflecting on the car window.  Go figure).

And here's Lacy.  She is a precious girl.  AND she's a golfer.  YAY!!!

(But what in the world am I doing with my leg up there?  Strange).

Stay tuned for our trip to Atlanta.  I'm going to do things a bit differently on the ole blog.