Coming Soon…!

Hey ya’ll! This past weekend Chris (deeflash) and I traveled out of the country for the first time! We took the 7+ hour drive to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and spent the weekend with some really amazing people. I can’t wait to tell you about it but seeing as we got about 8 hours of sleep randomly in the 3 days we were in Canada and just 5 hours last night, I’m a bit pooped. So here’s what to come this week in me4thought:

• Pictures from The Gates in Harleysville, PA
• New Music Tuesday:Hillsong London
• Our Canada Trip – Facts/Stories
• Insight/Inspiration from Canada
• and whatever else God leads me to write about!

So while you eagerly await these blog posts, check out the ministry we got to be a part of while in Ottawa: Heat Worship House.

Coming Soon…!

Hey ya’ll! This past weekend Chris (deeflash) and I traveled out of the country for the first time! We took the 7+ hour drive to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and spent the weekend with some really amazing people. I can’t wait to tell you about it but seeing as we got about 8 hours of sleep randomly in the 3 days we were in Canada and just 5 hours last night, I’m a bit pooped. So here’s what to come this week in me4thought:

• Pictures from The Gates in Harleysville, PA
• New Music Tuesday:Hillsong London
• Our Canada Trip – Facts/Stories
• Insight/Inspiration from Canada
• and whatever else God leads me to write about!

So while you eagerly await these blog posts, check out the ministry we got to be a part of while in Ottawa: Heat Worship House.

Tourists

I’m sure at some point you’ve been a tourist. Whether it’s in a state next to you, a city you’re visiting for a business trip or a country you’ve always dreamed of vacationing in…we’ve all been one. The question I propose is, how do you act as a tourist?

Now I’m not asking you if you stop in the middle of the street and take a picture because I think we’re all guilty of that…but I’m asking – how do you act towards people?

While in NYC and Maine I had many occasions to observe humans released from their caged-in worlds. I witnessed co-workers being absolutely rude to cab drivers, managers getting wasted with non-managers, people going out of their way to say good morning to security guards, foreigners asking where the recycling bins are, local shop workers giving dirty looks and attitude to innocent customers, cops giving directions to lost visitors, non-English speaking people being made fun of, “upper class” tourists bumping into others as if they had the right to, doors being dropped in others faces, lines getting cut, old people holding hands…you name it and I probably saw it these past 2 weeks.

So I wonder (and I ask you) how do you act when you’re away from home and the people that you see on a daily basis? Do you take a vacation from your manners or morals? Do you try harder than usual to be a “good” citizen? Do you accept others ways of life or secretly (or maybe not secretly) mock them? And are tourists rude because of how they actually are or because of the way others are to them?

I’d love your feedback

Proverb31girl & Deeflash Travel!

Seasons of life are funny. One minute I’m complaining that I don’t go anywhere or do anything and the next I’m crying out for a few days of nothing to do but veg out on my couch. So instead of complaining I’m going to try and live in the season I’m in with a smile on my face and excitement for what’s going on. Not quite sure what’s going on? Well here’s the event calendar:

• End of June-July we were at Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, IL. If you haven’t already, check out my post on our trip!
• End of July we were up in Plattsburgh, NY visiting my brother and his fiance for his birthday
• August 8th was a big day here in Dutchess County, NY. Chris turned 27 AND his EP started being sold in Beacon’s new shop Dream In Plastic. Check out more about the special Dream In Plastic music, the EP release and the store!
• August 14 – 19 I’ll be working in NYC for the NY International Gift Fair. As with all work trips, I’m praying that God moves mightly in the contacts I make and conversations I have with people from all over the world.
• August 21 – 23 we’re heading up to Maine with my family for a (hopefully haha) relaxing time of lighthouses, seafood, water & sun.
• September 11 – 12 deeflash returns to The Gates in Harleysville, PA for a night of youth, music and fun.
• September 18 – 20 we’re taking the journey to Ottawa, Canada to minister with and to H.E.A.T. Worship House!
• October 4 – 10 we’re finally taking our honeymoon trip! Although the original plan was London, we decided that the Outer Banks in NC was a much better choice for us right now.

So as you can tell, busy times are ahead but man they’re good and God is so good for giving us these opportunities to work in our giftings. Please keep us in your prayers and hey – if you have an event that you need a dj or photographer for – I think I know some people

Oh Cornerstone, how I ___ thee

Well, it’s almost that time of year. The time when Chris and I pack the car to the top with camping gear, music gear, cameras, sunblock, bug spray and Clif Bars. Yup, it’s time for Cornerstone Festival 2009! And to be honest, this has been the first year I have had mixed feelings about it. It may be because last year’s trip was sooo long and ended sooo disappointing because of Chris getting sick and us having to 1-leave very early and 2-drive 17 hours with Chris not feeling well, after a trip to the hospital in the middle of IL, late at night. But anyway, here’s my run down of the good the bad and the smelly.

The good: This is the one time of year that for a week I feel completely free to be myself. Cornerstone brings out the creativity in me, the friendliness, the joy, the excitement…and it’s also the only place I go and (for the most part) don’t judge people. Yup, I said it. I judge people. Whether I like to or not, it happens. But at Cornerstone you just expect people to look, act and think different. I mean seriously, the seminars themselves should tell you that. In one festival you can attend seminars on: what God says about gays, womens roles in the church, modern evangelism, God in movies, the music industry, song writing and poetry, witnessing to the homeless, and missions going on around the world. Not to mention the goth presence, the hippies of the Jesus Village, the sports areas, the underground tent that draws in the heavy metal fans and hardcore group right next to the kid’s tent and the artists area. It’s an amazing gathering of ALL of God’s precious creations. And we obviously cannot forget that booming Afterhours Dance Barn that Chris and I are very much apart of. Ahhh, there is nothing like falling asleep in a tent under the trees hearing the thumping of the club fused with a late night worship band with just a touch of hardcore music. And yes, I do fall right asleep haha. When you hear God in all of it, it’s amazing what music you grow to like. So what else is good? The freshness of time with God. The friends we’ve made over the years and are very much looking forward to seeing in a week. The sunsets of Illinois are 10 times better than NY. The friendliness and acceptance of the people there. The music. Ahhh the music. So many great bands playing at all times.

The bad: The shower houses are horrible. They smell. They’re crowded. The curtains to most showers are torn. And it’s hard to be pretty with no hair dryers or full length mirrors. Sleeping in a tent for 6 days.  It’s fun the first few days – then I miss a bed in a room. Being the only girl (well okay, there are always a few, but you know what I mean!). As much as I really do love the guys that we camp and hang with all week, it’s hard not having a girl to sit around and chat with. I love dance music, but it’s hard for me to be in the dance barn 4-6 hours/night for 3-4 nights. I need my acoustic rock. I need my songwriter music. And THANK GOD I have a husband that understands and respects that. I know if I wasn’t there he’d spend all of his time in the barn so I appreciate that he knows I’m not like that. But, a big part of me feels guilty for “pulling him away” from the friends he only gets to see once/year. The friends that he’s always longing for, DJ/producer friends.

So I guess overall, the good outweighs the bad and that’s why we’re going, and that’s why I’ll be smiling (hopefully) the whole time. In the end, God, his people, and my husband matter more than the selfish “bads” I’ve come up with. I’m excited for the journey, the new people we’ll meet and of course the old friends that we’ve already made. So to Kevin, Dave, Alex, Brooks, Fitzpatrick, Glow, Kairsie, Kendrick, Joel, Jeremy and to whoever else I’m missing — see you soon!!! And Kevin, if you really bring me sweet tea, you’ll be my favorite for the week haha