The Soundtrack of March

I don't know about you, but I love finding new music and checking out what other people are listening to. When I have an idea, writing a story, or putting together an event I make playlists to help inspire me and set the mood for whatever is happening around me. Sometimes I'll see memes or writing exercises that ask "what song describes your life right now" or asking you to put together a soundtrack for your life.

Graduation, Friends Forever - Guest Blogger

Emmy's Note: I am so excited about how many people have gotten into this month's theme! Heck, it saves me from having to think of blog post ideas. ;) The final post about friendship is from a girl named Jessie who is in her senior year of high school. Remember those days when you weren't sure what was going to happen next? It's a crazy, scary, and exciting time! Also- Jessie is a theatre girl and a complete nerd. How awesome is that? Jessie was born and raised in Kansas and blogs at Living a Life of Truth about a variety of things in her life including the reality of finally "growing up". She has just recently begun writing on a new project she's excited yet nervous to accomplish within the next year. Besides living on the interwebs, Jessie loves to be outdoors with her family doing activities such as hunting and fishing if she's not soaking in as much information she can get from the History channel. Keep in touch by following her on Twitter, @nerdfighter2012.

Also- don't forget that next week is April (crazy!), which means that we'll have a new theme of the month, and I'll be looking for a new sponsor swap partner. Check out the contribute and sponsor swap pages for more details. 

I live in a small town and go to a decent sized school in retrospect to the massive schools in Wichita and surrounding areas. Most of the kids that I walk the halls with every day during the week and often yell at because they can't walk fast enough, or that they're showing too much public display of affection or that they aren't wearing enough clothes (a growing problem at our school), I've known for the majority of my life and have gone to school with them since day one thirteen years ago.

I Hated Her- Guest Blog

Emmy's Note: You might remember Meghan from last month - she was my sponsor swap buddy for February! I was so excited when she said she would guest blog for me this month. She saw the post written by Leah and emailed me almost immediately after. How awesome is that? I simply love this post. It shows that sometimes you can find a beautiful friend in the most unexpected of places. Meghan blogs at They Call Her Meghan and Tweets @TheyCallHerMeg  AND I am guest blogging over there today!

Also- don't forget that next week is April (crazy!), which means that we'll have a new theme of the month, and I'll be looking for a new sponsor swap partner. Check out the contribute and sponsor swap pages for more details. 

I hated her at first, I'll readily admit this, I HATED her, and I can honestly admit that, because she knows it, and she's one of my best friends anyways.

My dad had to work one night, and his regular babysitters were all busy, so he had her watch us. I threw a fit, and it was really bad, considering I was like 7.5  when I first met her.


Her and my dad dated until I was 8.5 or so, and I can remember the day vividly that he went to pick out the ring and how he told us he was going to propose to her that night.  I don't remember how I felt, but it wasn't with extreme hate like it was when I first had to meet her.

Fast forward to the summer before my 8th or 9th grade year (not certain which one it was), she was scheduled to have surgery, and I was deadset on being there, by this time we were really close, and it was just something I had to do for her.

We started really becoming good friends my sophomore year of high school, she was the one I would go to for just about anything.  She would make me laugh, dry my tears when I cried, listened when I talked about random crap, and I did the same for her, she doesn't open up easily, and we just had this comfort about us.

The Hunger Games From A Youth Ministry Perspective

If you read my blog/follow me on Twitter/are friends with  me on Facebook - you probably know that I love The Hunger Games, bawled my eyes out the first time I read through the trilogy, and saw the movie at the midnight show on Thursday.

The fact that I'm a fan of The Hunger Games is not a secret.

However, I have noticed some debate in churches, schools, and around the internet about how appropriate it is for kids to be reading. I felt like it would be good for me to address The Hunger Games from a youth ministry perspective.

Please take note: these are my personal opinions, do not take this as gospel truth, or that everyone I work with has the same opinions. There are several perspectives people can have with this story and all of them are worth considering. This is simply my two cents.

A Study in Friendship - Sherlock: Guest Bloggers

A Study in Friendship

A Blog Inspired by BBC’s Sherlock

By:  @SamWow84 and @SpicyChica27

Emmy's Note: When I sent out the call for posts on friendship - you all delivered! This post by Sam and Felicia I have been so excited about too! When they told me they wanted to do a post together inspired by Sherlock and Watson - I KNEW it was going to be epic! I've known Felicia since we were in band together in high school (we both played clarinet and she was my older sisters age), and then Sam joined our little crew during the college years. And the rest they say - is history! Warning: this post is a bit longer than most, but trust me it is 100% worth it! (In the pic, Sam is on the left, Felicia on the right.) Sam blogs at Vagabond Writer and Felicia blogs at Light in Darkness.

Sam:  History, television, film, and literature have given us many dynamic duos.  Bonny and Clyde.  Laverne and Shirley.  Batman and Robin.  Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.  Different though these pairs might be, something about them just works.

Felicia:  Have you ever noticed how your friendships tend to mimic those of literary characters? Take my relationship with my good friend, Samantha. Spend enough time with us, and you begin to realize how similar our relationship is to that of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.  

Sam:  Not a clue what you’re talking about . . . I’m bored.

Felicia: You’re always bored.

Sam:  Breathing is boring. . . . We should solve crime.  We don’t do that.  We should do that if we really want to be like Sherlock and Watson.

Felicia:  Umm . . . back to the topic of friendship?

Sam:  Alright.  

Felicia: So, as I was saying … Sam and I are like Sherlock and Watson. Sam is always stuck in her mind palace as brilliant Sherlock, and I … well, I am just trying to keep up.

Finding Friends When Everyone Walks Away - Guest Blogger

Emmy's Note: Today's guest blog is from PM2 who writes Thoughts of a Traveler. He is the father of Leah who wrote a post earlier, the associate pastor at my church, and my friend. So of course I was glad when he decided to write for this months' theme! I also was happy because he features The West Wing - which happens to be a favorite of another one of my very close friends, Alice. PM2 blogs at Thoughts of a Traveler and Tweets @ThoughtsOfATrav. I'm also blogging on his site today- so check it out!

“J” had been active in his church.  He had taught Sunday morning Bible classes, he led a small group and at one time he had been an elder in his church.  He had a wide circle of friends, some from inside his church, some from his workplace, and others from his living in the same community where he had gone to school.  His relationships, with those friends who were both male and female, he felt were strong.

Bad Friend- Guest Blogger

Emmy's Note: Leah is another one of my closest friends! We were friends in college and were roommates my senior year. She's an awesome friend and I love hanging out with her. All of the things she talks about in this post really happened - or are about to! (The Harry Potter marathon was over New Year once.) I love taking road trips with her and the random texts and phone calls we send each other. She blogs over at Adventures in Adulthood. Also, she's a much better friend than she gives herself credit for. ;)

Want to write for the March theme of "Beautiful Friends?" Email me your post! lovewokemeupthismorning@gmail.com

I'm a bad friend.

Well, I suppose that's not exactly true. I'm a bad long distance friend.

Burning the Kitchen Down

When Cambra told me about a lot of the things she blogs about, I'll admit that I was pretty stumped when it came to writing a guest post.

I'm a horrible cook. This one time I almost burned the kitchen down boiling water. True story.

I don't do crafts. In college I had to make a pair of shorts for our welcome staff "uniform" and it took me all summer with a lot of tears because I learned the sewing machine and I don't get along well . . .

Want to read more? I'm over at Tumbly Twirly today for Thrifty Thursday! Check it out.

Also - have you read my friend Julie's post about friendship from yesterday?

True Friends- Guest Blogger

Emmy Note: I don't think I have ever been this excited about a guest blog before! Today's post is from my "friend since before the womb." I introduced her to you in my Sisters, Sisters... post. So check it out! I mean, who better to write about this month's theme of friendship than my friends, right? Right. I am so blessed to have Julie as my friend. We have been through thick and thin together and I was outrageously excited when she said that she would write for the blog!

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from the Father I have made known to you. 

John 15:12-15

Tumbly Twirly!

Today, I want to introduce you to my March Sponsor Swap Partner!

Cambra from Tumbly Twlirly!!!!!!

Cambra is one of my newer followers and I am so glad to have her featured this month.

Cute wedding pic- no?

Cambra says...

I'm a crafty, Christian, silly, 20-something-or-another-year-old college student fast approaching graduation with a BS in English/Creative Writing and a minor in Clothing Construction. I married my high school sweetheart who is my best friend in the whole world (cliche has never been so wonderful!). I blog about sewing, cooking, thrifting (in all senses of the word), the occasional outdoor adventure and how good life can be!

Hopefully at some point this month she'll guest post about "Beautiful Friends" and I'll be featured on one of her "Thrifty Thursdays." I'm excited!

So, go check out her blog, Tumbly Twirly.

Also- as a side note, I found this article where Bono comments on the Kony 2012 campaign I thought you all would find interesting.

http://one.org/blog/2012/03/12/bono-comments-on-invisible-childrens-kony-2012-campaign/

Bad Guys Still Win

So... I want to continue discussion about Kony and Invisible Children. The last few days I've been learning a lot more about both and I would love to hear everyone's opinions.

It shouldn't come as a shock to you all that I make decisions and take action based on what my heart/emotions tell me. I feel something or my heart starts getting tugged at - I do something in reaction. That's just how I'm wired. It's my greatest strength, but it can also be my greatest weakness because I don't always know all of the information.

Thankfully, I know people who use their heads more than I do. ;)

A friend of mine shared this article about Invisible Children with me in response to the KONY 2012 campaign. I haven't decided if I agree with what they are saying or not, but it raises some good points. I would love for you to share your thoughts!

KONY 2012

Back during my Concordia days we supported Invisible Children as a university.

Let's continue that support.

This video is 30 minutes long - the same amount of time as your favorite sitcom.

Have time to watch those?

You have time to watch this. 

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

How to Help:
Purchase KONY 2012 Products:  http://invisiblechildrenstore.myshopify.com/
Sign the Petition: http://www.causes.com/causes/227-invisible-children

My Friends, They Are So Beautiful

With TV shows that I watch, sometimes I see a trend in what I enjoy the most.

They all seem to have something in common. They all center around a tight circle of friends who do everything together. 

However, I can't help but wonder -

Do circles of friends like this really exist?