Amen

I love finding new songs. Especially by my favorite artists. Dave Barnes has a relatively new one that's been stuck in my head the past few days. "Amen". :] Couldn't help but post them. And I have a new playlist. It is included, of course, along with a few other greats. I also have a slight obsession with post-it notes, so the picture was too cute not to share. Enjoy!


We will have love
We will have pain
There will be days and days and days that feel the same
We will have fear
We will have joy
And maybe little girls and little boys

We will have friends
We will have peace
There will be nights of lights and music 'til you sleep
We will be strong
We will still break
We'll live through so much more than we can take

Amen, Amen
With the dawn, we all begin again
Amen, Amen
What is done, and yet to come
Amen

We will have hope
We will have doubt
There will be memories we could never live without
We will have tears
But there will be grace
There will be prayers that we never thought we'd pray

Amen, Amen
With the dawn, we all begin again
Amen, Amen
What is done, and yet to come
Amen

In the sun or the storms
The flood or the flames
Let everything come, and I'm the one to blame
In heartache or hope
I swear I'll say,
I'll say

Amen, Amen
With the dawn, we all begin again
Amen, Amen
What is done, and yet to come
Amen

Nonfiction Love Song

I have decided: I am going to be a photographer.

If only it was that easy, right? There are many things I wish I could simply speak into existence, but it doesn't always work that way. Back to what I was saying, I'd love to be a photographer. It's always been an option, always been sitting on the edge of my mind as a hobby I'd like to take up or a profession I could go into. I mean, it's only natural. First step into my house and you can easily see that I've been surrounded by pictures --and hundreds of them-- all my life.

My mother has an obsession with them. We have dozens of them hanging on every wall and sitting on every table, television, windowsill, any piece of furniture with a flat surface has a picture on it. No joke. She was always snapping pictures of us; running around in the yard, playing dress up in our rooms, dancing in recitals, a whole multitude of daily occurrances captured on film. Now almost all things film have gone to digital, but that's a whole 'nother story (let's just say, I'm determined to own a polaroid camera one day; just for kicks).

Seriously though. Photography just does wonders. I still have no idea how it works but it floors me how a little contraption --which with technology grows smaller and smaller by the year-- can capture a split second of time for us to look back over and frame and keep for years to come. Memories are great, a wonderful thing to think on and enjoy, but there's just something about seeing that moment relived in a picture. The thought of capturing those moments and preserving them.. it makes me want to catch every second of every day and put it in my pocket.

I know, I know.. there's a thing called living in the moment. There's an element of stepping out of that moment when you have to press pause on what is happening to dig through your purse for that little silver and blue camera which may or may not have enough battery power to snap a shot of that kodak moment that most likely just passed you by. I get that, I do. But what about catching that wide smile and joyous moment (or moments) for other people? That's something I'd love to do.

So... I'm a smidge of a romantic, incredibly girly, and have been known to cry and squeal from time to time if something should happen that tugs at my heartstrings. It happens. And it happens over pictures. A lot. I find myself more and more lately perusing various photographers blogs and sites and sessions, wishing that I could do something similar.

I'm going to make it happen. Eventually. Just you wait and see.

This post, random as always, was inspired by that new hobby of looking through webpage after webpage of photography, and it was one session that hit me in particular. The pictures were gorgeous, absolutely beautiful, and the couple was Dagen and Avery, friends of a friend from Lifegroup (Avery is actually the roommate of the girl whose house we met at every week). It was a combination of the pictures and the story (HERE) behind their engagement and relationship that just took the cake for me (again, it's that whole hopeless romantic thing). A beautiful, Christian, inspiring couple.

Enough for tonight though. Or this morning, as it would be just after 2am. I'm rambling at this point. The other update I was originally going to post will come. Again, eventually.

For now, enjoy a few of my favorite photographers (and the above photo is credited to the first site listed below):
http://www.kathrynkrueger.com/
http://www.sixfourteenphotography.com/
http://www.daisypearlportraits.com/
http://stokedproductions.org/

Good night, and sweet dreams to all!
Bailey Jean

Song of the Day:
"Nonfiction Love Song" by Jillian Edwards

Half of My Heart

I saw these roses at the store yesterday for the first time since freshman year in high school. They are so beautiful! "Intuition Roses" are their name and, much to my surprise and amusement, I found out that they were bred in France in 1999, so they're still a relatively new and rarely seen sort even eleven years later. So striking.

Random, I know, but I had to share.
Song of the day: "Half of My Heart" by John Mayer (with Taylor Swift).

I Cannot Hide My Love!

This has been such a crazy week. Beautiful. Wonderful. Stressful. All sorts of other "-ful"s, too. And there is only one week left to go! I had three days of classes, then a day to relax and sleep in for Dia del Loso (Day of the Bear, my university's campus-wide holiday celebration), then a full day's work of Asst. Stage Managing a 5A One Act Play Region competition (isn't that a mouthful?). Tuesday was a wonderful experience at Lifegroup, wonderful truths were reminded and revealed to me. I am so very blessed! Tomorrow begins our final week of classes and I am wondering if the reality that my freshman year of college is almost through will truly hit. I can say it and see it all I want, but the weight hasn't touched me yet. I'm half afraid it is going to knock me over full force, but the excitement of the years and summer to come is making me more okay with the fact that this year has flown by! And they said high school goes by fast.. goodness.

I was talking with a friend today about how it seems like just yesterday I was at line camp last summer, barely learning my way around campus, meeting new friends and putting together a mini-sing act. Now I've made many, many friends, know the campus like the back of my hand, and am actually working on an act with Sing Alliance Leadership for next year. This year has been such a year for growing and learning and finding out who and what I want to be as well as who and what I'm meant to be, both of which I am still learning. But not only did last summer seem like yesterday, so did so many other things.

I remember being in pre-k and wanting so badly to be a 5th grader, because they had the cool classrooms upstairs. I remembered changing from one private school to the next, overwhelmed at the thought of changing from a well-known grade of eight students to one of eighteen. I remembered when 5th grade finally came and it was cool to be friends with a 7th grader. I remember when in 7th grade, all we wanted was to be in high school. I remember changing schools again, but going from a grade of 15 students to one of 350, leaving both of my best friends for a building and new schedule where I knew no one. I remember meeting a girl on the way to lunch, in the bathroom I had spent the previous day crying in, doing the same. I remember becoming best friends with her and letting her convince me that I could survive in my new school. I remember taking my first theatre class, never imagining I would be majoring in the subject at college. I remember my first day of high school, how I couldn't wait to be a senior. I remember running for class office, auditioning for shows, fire drills, bomb threats, football games, note passing, all that is high school. I remember the drama and the stress, the fun times and the excitement, the homework and the dances. I remember walking the stage and thinking, "So that's it? It doesn't feel like it's over.."

Lot's of "I remembers.." huh? I've been in a really reflective mood lately. Seriously though. I remember when some of my biggest concerns were who had the writing notebook this week and whether or not I was going to miss 7th Heaven and Boy Meets World. So many wonderful memories. This year has been full of them too.

As for right now, in this moment, I'm loving where I'm at and what is happening. I am surrounded by wonderful people, all complete gifts to my life, and have so much to look forward to. I have a God who is filling me with His love and a love for Him. I'm completely overwhelmed with an excitement for what He is doing and what He has in store! No more dread of my plans coming undone, just thrilled to see what He does!

I found a new song this week, one we sang at Lifegroup, and it has quickly risen to one of my favorites. It's the title of this post, actually. "I Cannot Hide My Love" by Cambridge. I just can't help but sing it at the top of my lungs and dance ot it! It is so true! God is so good!

Holy Spirit, I need Your touch more than ever before.
Oh, Jesus, I need Your love, and I'm desperate for more.
When I fail, Your presence all around me.
When I fail, Your arms as they surround me.

We sing, I cannot hide my love
I cannot hide my love,
my feet will have to dance!
I cannot hide my love,
I cannot hide my love,
my heart will have to sing!

I am so in love with
I am so in love with You, my Lord, my God!
I am so in love with
I am so in love with You, my Lord, my God!

Just a few of the lyrics. It's a beautiful song. And our God is a beautiful God! He's teaching me, stretching me right now, I'm positive of that. And it isn't easy. I know I've been hesitant and disobedient and settling for little. Praise God for my discipler, Priscilla! Girl, you are such an angel and I am so glad that we're sisters in Him and walking together like we are. Beautiful inside and out, absolutely. It's been so wonderful to get to talk to her and really open up with her about what's all going on in my head and heart. She is one of my Lifegroup leaders and I cannot wait to keep learning with her and from her.

But, enough for tonight I think. I've a few things to do before bed and I still have to catch up on some sleep from this week. Blessings on all of you this week! Hope everything is wonderful and your days are bright!

Head Over Feet

Today smelled like California. Really, it did. I left my dorm this morning and it reminded me of our visits to San Diego to see my grandmother; I smelt the salt water, fresh cut grass, ice plant and birds of paradise that surrounds her house. Maybe that's my reminder that summer is coming... It was a very pleasant reminder to find!

This summer is going to be magnificent. I'm so excited to see what plans God has for it. Gosh knows that I know by now how my plans thus far have been pushed aside for better ones time and time again, so it is totally up to Him. I've got complete faith and lots of hope that what He wants to happen will happen.

Summer is coming quickly. There are two and a half weeks of classes left. What?! I know, it's crazy. It's exciting and frightening. Freshman year is nearly over. It's gone by so fast! I've enjoyed it so much though! I never, ever thought I would end up at Baylor. It just was never a possibility. I never thought I would be a theatre major. I never thought I would have the friends that I do and be looking at a future as exciting as the one infront of me. I never knew I would have this much of a wake up call or be this aware of God and His hand in everything. All of these things have been such a blessing!

It's fun and interesting to look back and see how things have evolved this year. Definitely makes you stop and think. One different decision could have changed everything. I could have chosen Hardin-Simmons University. I could have chosen to be an English major. I could have chosen all sorts of different things, but there is a reason I didn't. There are reasons that I recognize now, reasons I'll see someday, and reasons I'll never know. That's the beauty of God's power and omnicience. It never ceases to amaze me.

Once again, just a random rambling moment. Hope you enjoyed :)

Until next time,
Bailey Jean

Song of the Day:
"Head Over Feet" by Alanis Morissette
It's been in my head this morning.. just for fun.

You Are For Me

Today has put me in a strange mood. Strange for lack of a better word. Thoughtful might be more fitting. Pensive. Nostalgic. Curious. A wide array of words would work, come to think about it. To put it most simply, I've been doing quite a lot of thinking.

Firstly, it's Easter. The celebration of the sacrifice our loving Lord made for us two thousand years ago. He gave us the greatest gift. He bore all of our sins on his guiltless shoulders and suffered death on a cross for our sakes. But it goes even further. He forgave us of our sins and went on to defeat death, rising again on the third day to ascend into Heaven to prepare a place for us and to reign eternally. God is so good! It just blows my mind.

I still can't bring myself to watch The Passion of the Christ. I want to, but I'm half afraid to. We've heard the stories growing up and have both read and seen various descriptions of the brutal torture and death Jesus endured, and hearing it is so difficult as it is. But watching it.. or a reproduction of it at least... I dont know that I'll be able to handle it. I feel like I should watch it though, to really be reminded of it, of its intensity and the depth of His love for facing all that when He could have simply said no and let us suffer what we deserved. A pain like that can only be put into words so sufficiently, and I don't believe words do it justice. And so The Passion is on my list of movies to watch. But I'll definitely have to be in a right mindset to watch it.. it wont be something I take lightly...

Along with Easter, today was my grandfather's 75th birthday. Happy Birthday, Pop! I love that man so much. I love being around him and hearing him laugh and talk about when we were younger or him growing up or even his time in the Marines. One of the most vivid memories I have of him from when I was little was the two of us sitting under the piano playing house with my dolls. I don't get to see him very often since I'm off at Baylor, but I try to make it a point to stop by and see him and Nanny every time I come through. Dad's always reminding me that they won't be around forever, which is true with everyone honestly, so I've really been challenged to take advantage of and cherish every moment I'm given, every chance I get to be around them.

Then that got me thinking, shouldn't we look at every moment that way? Every second of every minute of every day of every week of every.... so on and so on, is a gift. It's a gift from God to be able to get in the car for two hours and step inside my front door to see my dad seated at his desk, my mom in the kitchen, my brother playing video games in the living room, and my sister bolting out the door for her truck. It's a gift to be able to walk down the hall, up two flights of stairs, around a corner or two and knock on the door with the Dr. Seuss sticky notes and magnet board hanging on it to have it open and my best friend appear with a smile on her face. It's a gift to be able to open up facebook or myspace or blogger and to have an instant connection to friends that I wouldn't otherwise get to chat with. If we only took the time to see how much of a blessing each person and each moment is.

Lot's of thoughts all over the place have been bumping around in my head today, I guess. Not sure if any of them make sense or relate to one another, but they're all there and all weighing heavy on my heart in some way or another. I guess here is as good of a place as any to set them out, hm?

Good news, by the way! This summer is falling into place! My last exam is May 8, I move home on May 9, then spend the next week working on my high school's drill team's spring show. The following two weeks I'll stay at Nanny and Pop's to have the huge garage sale, then once that's over I'm off to Louisiana. :) I am absolutely elated! In December, I was beyond disappointed, near-devistated, at not being chosen to be a line camp leader. If I had been picked, that meant I would have been at Baylor all summer, living on campus running camps and orientations. But now that my plans didn't go through --one of my favorite quotes is "The best way to make God laugh is to make plans"-- I have a whole new summer infront of me.

Of course, who's to say this is what is actually going to happen. A million things could change in the next month, but it is nice to have this to look forward to! A summer of working on a show with my best friend and new friends, experiencing a world of new things and adventures, doing what I love. Of course, I've got an online class to take and may be back at Baylor for a few days for a three-day summer course, but things have just been falling into place to really set this summer up for me. Little, tiny things and big things, too.

I love that He's got everything under control and can see the big picture so much better than we can!

I guess that's all for now. This blog had a point, but it just turned into randomness. Don't they all though? :] Goodnight, everyone! I should probably be getting some sleep. Might be a smart idea, huh? So yes, goodnight. Sleep tight! Don't let the bed bugs bite! And blessings on each and every one of you!

Bailey Jean

Song of the Day:
"You Are For Me" by Kari Jobe
<3333

You're Beautiful

"You are beautiful, and you matter.
It doesn't matter who is reading this,
I know that it's true for every
single person out there.
Don't stop believing in that."

Sadly, we don't see or hear too many things like this these days. Infact we get more of the opposite. You're not good enough.
You're not beautiful.
You need to change.

Change for what? Why should we change who we are?
According to the world's standards, we always need improvement. There are a million self-help books out there telling us how to reorganize our lives, our closets, our relationships, everything, for what? To fit the world's standards. To fit the world's definition of perfection.
But how do we so easily forget that perfection isn't manageable?

The magazines we see tell us we should "look like these people;" the movies teach us to "act like these people." The world tells us to be someone else.

There is a Someone Else we should try to be more like, I'll definitely give you that.
But He isn't wordly. He's so far beyond that.

He is beautiful. He is perfection. He is loving, fulfilling, sustaining, encouraging, forgiving, and all good things. And He thinks you're worth it.

Finding significance is what we do. It's the root desire of most of our actions. We want attention from our family and we want significance in that name and circle. We want significance among our friends. We search for meaningful relationships because we want to be wanted and needed, giving us significance.

But we ARE wanted! That's the beautiful thing. And even more so, we're wanted by Someone who doesn't need us. Truth be told, He has the power to continue without us. But He want's us anyway!

To Him, you're beautiful. To Him you are fearfully and wonderfully made, made in His image, made with a plan and a purpose to prosper you, plans to bring you a hope and a future.Think of the picture-perfect storybook romance.

Think of your favorite chick-flick. Think of the scenes and couples that make you smile and the romance you dream of for yourself.

You have one ready and waiting. God adores you, loves you, showers you with gifts and evidence of His adoration. But are we willing to accept it and return it?

I'm not really sure where this came from, but it's been on my heart. And it's definitely something to think about. Where and to who do you look for significance? Where and to who when there is Someone who thinks the world of you. Who would give the world for you. And who already has.

You are beautiful, adored, endlessly loved!
You are His beloved!
Blessings on all of you,
Bailey Jean

"Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." Psalm 100: 3

"All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." Song of Solomon 4:7

Song of the Day
"Go Together" by Jillian Edwards
All of her songs are wonderful; she played at the Christmas Tree Lighting this year and was amazing. Definitely worth checking out. :]