I feel like I need to send an edible arrangement

to the people who set up the gym for Sunday service every week. Seriously, I gained a whole new respect for them today. God bless them, for real. The task itself sounds simple, but it really is a long and tiring process. I now know this because today, at the internship, four of us were asked to set up the gym. It sounds really simple. Well, we set up and arranged over 200 chairs, and that was only for the back half of the gym (since the front half was still set up). Then we elevated the stage back to its normal height since it was still in preschool production mode, took down risers, moved partitions, and relocated some trees that were on stage. Oh, and we put communication cards, brochures, and pens in place. Now, please don't think that I'm complaining right now, because that honestly is not my intention. Rather, I'm glad we got to experience that. I got to third service every week, and I never once stopped to think about what it takes to prepare for it. I have a whole new appreciation for those people! Fo sho.

After I got home from the internship and chilled out for a while, I got dinner with mom and Jenn before going to run some errands. Well, the first pitstop was to put gas in Jenn's car. Okay, I don't know if I ever mentioned that (as of recent) my little sister's car likes to not start whenever you turn it off for a shrt period of time and then try to turn it back on. Well, generally if you wait 10-15 it will start.... Not this time. No, we waited over 20 minutes, and the thing was not budging. And it's not the battery because 1) it's brand new and 2) jumper cables did nothing to help. Luckily, Kelly was willing to pick me and my sister up and take us to out house. For that I was so thankful! I was worried that I was going to miss my date time with her tonight! Yes, Kelly and I enjoyed some gelato before going to see Water for Elephants, which was SUCH A GOOD MOVIE! Heartbreaking moments? Check. Suspense? Check. Romance? Check. Superb Acting? Check. Amazing plot? Check! If you haven't seen it already, you totally should :) I'm so happy I got to spend the evening/night with my dear Kelly; I have missed her so!

And this is a shift in topic altogether, but I really wanted to share it with you. For devotions this morning, Ashlyn mentioned God's jealousy for us. I realize this concept had become all too cliche for any one of us who goes to a church that plays "How He Loves," because if your church is anything like mine, it is played A LOT! (And believe me, I'm not saying it's a bad thing. I love that song!) But I've been singing that song for a while now and even though I understood that verse, I never really got it. You know what I mean? I knew what it didn't mean (having heard Oprah talk about her "revelation" that God was jealous of her), but understanding exactly what God's jealousy looks like never really hit me. Well, today Ashlyn put it in a perspective that was just one of those "BAM!" moments. Have you ever gotten jealous because maybe one of your close friends started to spend more time with a new friend than they do with you? Have you ever been filled with jealousy because you can't spend time with someone, but someone else gets to? Umm, I know I have! Often, actually. That sort of jealousy eats me alive sometimes, to the point where I almost get borderline angry. Well, that's just a human-version of how God feels. Every day we consume ourselves in work, school, friends, facebook, television, texting, twitter, etc., and we often neglect spending one-on-one time with God because we're doing something else. I know I am so guilty of this, and honestly, it's hurting my relationship with God. I can't imagine the heartache it causes Him to have His children forget/neglect/refuse to spend time with Him. His love for us runs so deep; His heart probably experiences a greater pain than we could ever know. He wants us to spend time with us! He wants our love and He wants our hearts :) Lord, I want to be able to give it all to you! I want to be that vulnerable! Of course, I will be needing Your help.

Goodnight, loves :)