can i just say pandora.com is the bomb? when i can i listen to it more than i do my ipod/itunes.

i have had a beautiful 'valentines day' weekend. it strikes me as funny, i won't lie. having been single every one of these twenty two years, the very idea of valentines day leaves me feeling cynical and bummed. but that cannot be said about this weekend.

it began the day before, friday the 13th. my morning had started out enjoyable but as the day progressed one thing after another seemed to go wrong. it all happened at work. i had to close by myself and since we got busy i wasn't able to get a lot of stuff done when i needed to. one thing after another it seemed. the icing of the cake came as i was locking the door. i was formulating a plan to get everything i needed done in about ten minutes (which was completely do-able). the phone rang. it was this really rude lady asking for SIX pound of coffee ground up for her to pick up the next morning. it sent me through the roof. i was livid. once you reach that emotion, everything just falls apart.

the first blessing came when lauren called and asked to run by the bean before i left to grab a picture. when she walked in the door and saw all i still needed to do she jumped right in and did my dishes. but i was still completely on edge; steam still coming out of my ears.

when we finally finished i walked out of the door with a huge sigh heading straight for my car. i stopped dead in my tracks when i saw this pink rose gently resting on the corner of my cracked car window. suddenly every single bad thing i had been feeling and thinking not only for the past few hours but the past few months melted away. i stood there overwhelmed. lately i haven't been able to feel love from God or anyone else for that matter. in that moment something broke inside and the love came pouring in. "you're special and you are loved" surrounded my thoughts. because of that lovely yet mysterious gift i was able to approach the rest of the weekend breathing easy and with a smile on my face. i honestly think it helped me reach the place i needed to be for The Call.

The Call was a two day event for a bunch of north carolina youth groups. There a pretty awesome band Exodus that headed up worship and Andy and his friends gave the discussions. We had a small group from OBPC youth there along with NHC teens. It was so refreshing standing there listening to the teens singing. Sometimes i would just close my eyes and listen to them. I had wished i was standing in the back to watch them worship. one of the things i love most about teenagers is their heart. they have such a raw passion for God that i pray never diminishes. i also always love an excuse to get to spend some time with the girls.

i praise God that this is the life He's called me to.

The Call also humbled me as i looked at the finished art work. It was a big reminder that it is God that works through me period. It's times like that that i know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God creates it all, i'm just a vessel. alone i can do nothing.

then last night after the call finished amy, phil and i were hanging out as usual. he ran out to his car and brought in two white roses and a wireless router for our internet (score!). haha i swear these unexpected gifts/roses are rockin' my world ;].

needless to say it's been my favorite valentines day weekend. i can't help but feel this sweet gentle love all around me. God's hugging me hard.

as i was driving to The Call friday evening this song came on my ipod. i thought it was interesting especially since i feel like i've been in this deep valley and i had just gotten the pink rose:

Acres of Hope by shane & shane
He will allure her
He will pursue her
And call her out
To wilderness with flowers in His hand
She is respondingBeat up and hurting
Deserving death
But offerings of life are found instead
She will sing
She will sing
Oh, to You
She will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead her away
To valleys low
To acres of hope
Acres of hope
Here in the valley
Walk close beside me
Don’t look back
For love is growing vineyards up ahead
You have called me master
And though you’re in the dark here
Call me friend
And call me lover and marry me for good
She will sing
She will sing
Oh, to You
She will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead her away
To valleys low
To acres of hope
Acres of hope
How the story ends is
Love and tenderness in Him
Not safe, but worth it
So the valley’s up ahead
Or the ones we live
We’ll sing together
We’ll sing together
We will sing
We will sing
Oh, to You
We will sing as in the days of youth
As You lead us away
To valleys low
To acres of hope
Acres of hope

“Lord, sustain me in the valley. Give me ears to hear Your sweet tender voice and lead me in to acres of hope in this dry and weary land.”
"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. ‘In that day,’ declares the LORD,’you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master. (Hosea 2:14-16)