My 1st Marathon

Wooo!  Back in February I completed my 1st marathon!  It was the 14th annual Myrtle Beach Marathon and I had the privilege of running with my Dad.  If you've read my blog for any length of time, you would know that running and I have had a pretty deep history.  There have been good times and there have been brutal times, but February 19th was a pretty good time for us.

We headed down to the beach on Friday with some of our best friends and Leah in tow.  The pre-race jitters were approaching as we got closer and closer.  We headed straight for the expo so I could pick up my race packet...then we headed to our hotel.  I had to get up pretty early the next day...race time was at 6:30am so we ate dinner and then it was time for bed.  I woke up the next day pretty pumped.  My adrenaline was high and I was ready to go!  Adam and I met my Dad and Suzanne at the start where we got warmed up.

 Adam and I before the start.

Juicin' up :) 

I'm probably thinking, "are you sure about this...?" 

 Last hug before the gun.

The gun went off at precisely 6:30am for the runners to start.  The first couple of miles were great.  The info I'm about to share with you might be TMI for some of you, so if you don't want to hear it, skip to the next paragraph.  There were portajons starting at mile 1 and let me tell you the lines were longer than you could imagine.  If you wanted anywhere near a good time, you were not standing in a line.  So, at about mile 2 I had to make a pit stop (it was all the nerves).  So I quickly ran behind a bush and was back on the course in no time.  My Dad always said, "you're not really a true marathon-er if you've never ducked behind a bush".  So...I guess I'm a true marathon-er!

Anyways, miles 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 were going great!  Adam and the crew (Suzanne, Sarah, Jeremy, and Leah) were all waiting for us at about mile 8 for some much needed support and fuel.  We saw them and stopped to grab some gatorade and kisses from Leah.  Let me tell you, seeing them was like a dream come true!

We were off again.  Can I just take a minute and say how proud I was of my husband?  He was the best supporter ever!  Everytime I saw him he had a gatorade and a water in one hand and a banana in the other.  Great job baby.

So miles 9, 10, and 11 were good.  We were coming up on mile 12 and passed the point where the half-marathon-ers turned off to finish and the crazy ones kept going.  That was pretty brutal for me...physically and mentally.  But we kept truckin on.  The next time we met up with the crew was at mile 16.  Adam had everything ready for my Dad and I...it was kind of like a buffet now that I think about it!  Bananas, Gatorade, water, body glide...what more could you need?  Sarah was Leah's 2nd mom that day.  She was great and I love her.

And we were off again.  Whenever you leave your support group along the race (especially a marathon) it kills you mentally!  But I just kept counting down the miles until we saw them again.

Miles 16 and 17 were hard.  The wind was killer, but luckily I had my Dad to draft behind some of the way. The scenery was beautiful...we saw the sun rising over the horizon of the water which took my mind off things for a while and saw some beautiful houses along the way.  I loved that it was such a flat course, but didn't need all that wind.  Mile 18 came up on us and my Dad started to get some minor cramps.  He always told me during our training that he would get me to a certain point and then tell me to go on so he wouldn't hinder my potential.  (Lots of life lessons to learn there...another post for another time).

So at mile 18, I was on my own.

I knew the next time I would see the crew would be at mile 23 so I was anxiously counting down every mile in anticipation of the next. Miles 19, 20, 21, and 22 were vicious.  This was the point where everyone around me slowed to an exhausted walk.  This was mentally draining as well.  Seeing everyone around me walking and lustfully longing after that same thought...draining.  I knew I had to keep going.  One more mile until I saw them.

Here I am...mile 23.  There they are.  My amazing husband ready to give me whatever I needed.  It was literally like a mirage.  Is this for real?  Were they really there?  Did I really only have 3.2 miles to go?

Hard stuff.  My Dad showed up about 8 minutes behind me.

To anyone who has ever run a marathon before you will know exactly what I'm about to say.  Running the last three miles was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.  Yes, even harder than birthing a 9 lb. baby.  Absolutely brutal, atrocious, horrific, dreadful, awful, horrendous and any other synonym you can think of for bad.  But, I got through them (barely).  Another side note:  if you are a spectator (especially at a marathon)...do not EVER say, "you're almost there", "the worst is behind you", "you've only got a little more", or anything of that matter to a runner whose got more than 400 yards to finish.  Please and Thank you.

So, there...I did it.  I finished my very first marathon.  It took me a whopping 4 hourse and 41 minutes.  Pretty good for my first one, I would say.

 Coming thru the finish.

No comment needed. 

 Hug from my little.

My main man. 

Tired is an understatement. 

 Watching my Dad come in was a proud moment for me.  He did great!  Finished in under 5 hours.

PaPa with Leah. 

Right about this time, the negative caloric intake, lack of hydration, exhaustion, and heat were kicking in. 

I could not have done any of this without this man.  He is an amazing role model for me and I have promised him that when I turn 60 years old, I have to run a marathon with my daughter.  I promise, Dad.

I have to say, I have loved every last minute of this process.  My dad always told me that the training was the hardest part of running a marathon and it is true.  I am proud to say that I ran my first marathon with my Dad beside me from start (3 milers) to finish (20 milers).  I love you dad and I am so proud to say that I ran my first marathon with you!

Elevation Church

Elevation Church exists so that people far from God will be filled with life in Christ.  It has been our church home since February 2007.  Pastor Steven Furtick is the Senior Pastor at Elevation who has a true passion for reaching those far from God.  In February of 2006, Elevation opened its doors to about 120 members.  Currently Elevation is serving the city of Charlotte as one of the fastest growing churches in America with over 11,000 professions of faith and over 2,200 baptisms since its beginning.  God is truly in the midst of things at Elevation and we are not afraid to boldly follow after his calling to reach the city of Charlotte.  Elevation is one church with multiple locations.  We currently offer 12 worship experience times during the weekend across four locations.

Generosity, audacity, and honor are just three of the important qualities Elevation carries out.  You can go here to read what we call "The Code" which is our core set of values.  Pastor Steven truly has a vision from the Lord and it is such an honor to be under his leadership and to serve at a great church that is growing and expanding God's Kingdom.  If you live in the Charlotte area and don't attend a church, I HIGHLY recommend you visit Elevation.  You will be treated like a VIP and honored as a guest of ours.  Go here to find all the info you need on times and locations and we'll see you on Sunday!

image {via}

Blind Runner

Two weekends ago I finally did something I had always wanted to do (and wondered if I could do).  I ran my first marathon.  It was the 2011 Myrtle Beach Marathon.  Some people have called me crazy and others have taken their hats off, but that's not what I wanted to write about today.  

{I do have pictures and another post coming about my experience}

I had the privilege of running with my Dad, which made all the difference in the world.  When you run in a race, you kind of size everyone else up as you go...well, maybe I just do that.  I look at everyone around me.  I look at people's strides, the way they run, their shoes, who they're running with, and I unashamingly admit that I do look at their apparel for ideas to add to my future running apparel collection.  :)

Mile 7 was different.  

My dad and I were cruising along and I looked up and I saw about 100 yards ahead of me two people running with their arms attached somehow.  At first I thought this is just one of those crazy things you see during a race for people to get noticed (I thought they were running with handcuffs).  But when we got about 25 yards away I realized what it was.

A blind runner and his guide running with a string attached to each one of their wrists.

I was in awe.  I looked them up and later found that it was Army Captain Ivan Castro and his guide Lt. Col. Fred Dummar.  Please go here to read about his story (it's definitely worth an extra 2 minutes to read).  They had matching running shirts on that said their names on the back as well as their roles..."Guide" & "Blind Runner".  My Dad and I ran close by them for a little while and then we went our separate ways.  Can I just tell you that it was such an inspiration to run by them even if it was for a short while.  I couldn't help but get emotional (yes, I'm a sensitive girl and yes, it threw my breathing off) but I truly believe I was in the right place at the right time.

image {via} (Captain Castro on the left)

I couldn't help but think about that picture and how so much it mimics the picture of us and our Heavenly Father.  Call me cliche if you want...I don't care.  If you look at the picture above, Captain Castro is unbelievably fit.  I mean I guess that's the norm if you're an Army Captain.  He has all the ability in the world to run.  However, it's that one factor that has the possibility to hold him back from doing the things that he would really like to do.  Captain Castro has made a conscious decision to not let that hold him back...he found a solution...a guide.  It would be a shame for him to put all of his hard work and abilities to waste just because of one thing.

Same with us.  God has given each one of us different talents and abilities that He wants to see us use.  How dare us sit around and put all the abilities He has given us to waste and not use them for His glory.  BUT...there's always that one thing that tries to hold us back from what God has destined for us.  Don't let it!

God has graciously volunteered himself as your guide.  You are completely fit to do the things God has for you in this life.  {This} is also a really good article to read from The Sun News in Myrtle Beach about his experience running the Myrtle Beach Marathon.  In it, he says that it is definitely not easy for him to run...he runs in a zig zag and sometimes is not able to miss potholes or bumps in the road, which makes it that much harder.  He says that his guide has to be on the lookout for those things way far in advance.

How can you not trace this back to Christ?  How He sees the big picture?  And how he guides you and leads you through life hoping that you'll follow his lead to miss the potholes and bumps?  He'll allow you to experience those "bumps", but there's always a string attached...he'll always guide you through them.

We are all blind runners.  We are all completely able and fit to do the things God has called us to do.  He is our guide to whom we can trust.  He will lead us to the finish.  

I'm in Denial.

My little girl turns 1 today (2-15).  I.cannot.believe.it.  Seriously, are you kidding me?  How could these 12 months fly by as fast as they did.  To all the experienced mamas out there...you were right.  Time flies.  To be quite honest, it's very bittersweet for me.  I don't really have a baby anymore, but I am so looking forward to all the fun times we're going to have together in the near future.  Leah is absolutely amazing and probably the cutest one year old you'll ever feast your eyes on.

This past year has been so much fun for all of us...we've...

-been on vacations together (mountains, beach, here...there)

-gone on countless walks around the neighborhood

-celebrated our first Mother's/Father's day

-experienced many firsts (1st diaper change, 1st smile, 1st laugh, 1st sleep through the night, 1st roll over, 1st patty cake, 1st peek-a-boo, 1st sit, 1st tooth, 1st solid foods, 1st word...dada, 1st crawl, 1st walk, & now a 1st birthday)

-started back to school/daycare

-had our first holidays (Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day)

And so much more...

Leah has taught me so much.  There truly is a love none other than a love you have for a child.  Leah has been a gift and a joy to have not only in our lives, but in the lives of all of our family and friends.  She has all the potential in the world to be and do whatever the Lord has for her.  It is our (mine & Adam's) job to call that potential out in her so she can one day have the confidence to do those things.

Leah is a beautiful little girl with a sweet spirit who has the potential to change the world one day.  I am truly humbled and honored to be her Mom.

Watch out world...

My Running Adventures

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and all of the in between!  The Hamilton's had an amazing Christmas and New Year and we hope/wish you did too! 

Over on the right hand side of my blog under the "about me" section, you will see that it says "lazy runner".  Well I am proud to say that is not true anymore!  You see, I had always been a runner...I guess...because I grew up in a family of runners.  I had always been apart of races, events, meets, etc.  Nothing was really serious hence the word "lazy".  Well, all that has changed and I have to say that I am a different runner now than what I was back then. 

I am training for a marathon!  Woo hoo!  I had always wanted to do one and when I was younger, I thought I would have done one by now, but it's never too late, right?  Well, after Leah was born, I had this crazy idea that I wanted to run a marathon by the time she turns 1.  She was born in February 2010 and in May of 2010 I ran my first race back sans being pregnant.  It was only a 5k and my goal was to just break 30 min.  Ha...can I just say it was one of my most embarrassing races ever.  Not only did I finish in 31 minutes, but I puked twice.  Did I mention it was only a 5k...3 miles?  Now I did just have a baby 3 months before, but still. 

Anyways, from that point forward I would go out and run every now and then, but nothing too serious.  Not until September was when I decided once and for all I was going to enter the 2011 Myrtle Beach Marathon that would be happening in February.  I had some knowledge on how to train for races, but nothing like a marathon, so who did I call?  None other than the main man himself...my Dad!

My dad was a running machine back in the day.  He's done well over 50 marathons including the Marine Corps Marathon, Pikes Peak Marathon in Colorado, and even the Boston Marathon.  Back in high school, the track coaches were naturally more occupied with the sprinters than with the endurance runners, so my dad took me under his wing and ultimately got me to regionals.  He's great.

I was kind of nervous at first because he was pretty hard core back in the day and wouldn't let me slide with any of the complaints of "I've got a cramp, my side's hurting, I can't go on"...he would just keep running and tell me to get up there with him.  I thought my world was going to end, but he knew what he was doing.

So, anyway, back to the marathon.  I called him and told him I had registered and that there was no turning back.  He agreed to help me train.  I've got to tell you that once you get over that hump of discipline, it's all downhill from there.  I am the least disciplined person in my training, but if you've got a goal and you truly care about it, you will get over the hump and actually enjoy the process!  I was telling Adam about how I dreaded so much to go out and do 3 miles, but now I actually look forward to running 7, 8, and 9 miles on short days.

When I was younger, my dad used to always tell me, "Elizabeth, you have so much potential in this sport".  Every time we would run together and I started to complain, he would bring up that "p" word.  I never believed him.  He said something to me a couple of months ago on one of our runs in my old neighborhood.  We were talking about old times and the word potential came up and he told me again that I had so much potential back then but I had even more today.  He said that I never reached my potential because I didn't want it.  

Holy moly there you have it.  My dad is great, that day he taught me something.  Your potential never leaves you.  The desire to reach your potential can disappear causing you to regress and settle back in a mediocre life.  

I'm sorry this blog post has been a bit lengthy (I guess I'm making up for lost time) but I have thoroughly  enjoyed writing it.  Now, instead of calling myself a "lazy runner" I can confidently say that I'm a proud runner!  Thank you Dad for bringing out the best in me!

Myrtle Beach Marathon Countdown...38 days.

Join the bandwagon...

It's that time of year, and you know you need some...yes, I'm talking about Christmas cards.  Adam and I have never really sent out Christmas cards and if we did it would be the ones you would get at a drug store for $3.  But, since this year we have little Leah, we thought why not?  So the search began.  Ultimately, we ended up loving Shutterfly for its selection and mainly the prices!  We had used shutterfly before for these and they turned out amazing! 

For our Christmas cards, I have lots of favorites, but I have narrowed them down to this one:

 this one:

or this one:

I am really loving all of these, so it is going to be hard for us to choose!  I guess you'll just have to wait and see! :)

What's really cool is that shutterfly is offering 50 FREE Christmas Cards to bloggers who blog about this giveaway!  Crazy I know!  You can read more about it HERE and participate if you would like!!  Anyway, I hope you all are enjoying this Christmas season and really remember what it's truly about! :)

Gratitude

Today here at school, all I see around me are kids with Indian hats on, fall decorations, the smell of our Thanksgiving feast, and happy faces by all (especially the teachers)...which can only mean one thing...Thanksgiving is here!  Now, we all know about Thanksgiving and how we should all be thankful for everything we have and how we are so blessed.  Yes, yes and yes.  We should be thankful everyday.  Just recently, the Lord has been showing and teaching me something new about Thanksgiving.

What's the first thing that pops in your head about Thanksgiving (other than a full belly)?  Thankfulness or gratitude, right?  Well, when I thought of gratitude, immediately, the Lord put this word in my mind...generosity.  Call me crazy, but I had never thought about this before, but gratitude and generosity completely go hand in hand!

I wrote this on my twitter a couple of days ago (yes, I tweet...@elizabethh3, and if you don't, you should), "Gratitude is shown through generosity.  You have been blessed, so be a blessing to someone else today".

Really...when you think about it, how do you express your gratitude?  You say "thank you" right?  Well, yes that's one way, but being generous by far shows your gratefulness the most!  You know the saying, "actions speak louder than words", it's true.

If you are reading this, chances are you have a computer, chances are you are under a roof, chances are you are probably having a nice drink or snack right now as well.  If so, you are among the top 5% of the wealthiest people in the world.  You have been blessed.

I want to be more like Him.  I give because He gave me life.  Who am I to keep everything He's given me to myself?  How else is a better way to share the love of Christ?  This Thanksgiving, I'm grateful, very grateful for my life and everything/everyone in it.  I know you're thankful too, but this year, show your thanks through generosity.  It will bless you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."  -1 Timothy 6:17-19

Worship

Most people have an idea of worship...or when they hear the word "worship" they associate that with different things that they were raised with, or taught.  What most people don't understand (yes, even Christians) is that worship is a verb.  It is an action word.   

Idea: a thought, conception, or notion, a plan of action; an intention.

If you just have an idea of worship and haven't actually followed through with it, what good is it?  The definition I got above is from dictionary.com and I especially like the last part..."a plan of action".  Yes, it is smart to have a plan of action, but what good is it if you don't follow through?

What good are your thoughts if you don't act them out?  Our actions are probably the most influential weapon we have towards this world.  The Lord wants your worship.  He wants you to come before him humbly and with a broken heart.  He wants you to realize that it's not all about you...He wants you to stop being selfish.  He wants you to surrender.

In the bible, it talks about having faith like a child.  Children dream big, think big, and have huge imaginations.  They don't care what people say about them...they're not worried about looking funny.  They have audacious faith.  Ok, well I've kind of rambled and spilled my heart a little in this post, but I do have a point!

Worship is an action. This morning, I had the privlege of sitting in on one of our school chapels.  The 2nd grade at our school sang for us and quoted scripture all about worship.  The whole experience was unbelievably pure.  They taught me again what worship was all about.  There was one instance where they were singing a song with the lyrics, "let everything that has breath praise the Lord", and in the middle of the song, every 2nd grader raised his/her hands in surrender to our Lord.  I couldn't help it...tears welled up in my eyes and God brought me back to the heart of a child.

They weren't concerned about who was looking at them and they weren't embarrassed.  The God of this Universe has given us everything that we could ever ask for or imagine in our lives.  Today, as I was reminded by 65 second graders, we need to acknowledge and surrender our lives to Him and show him with our actions in worship.  
 

Psalm 150

 ¹ Praise the LORD. ^[a]
       Praise God in his sanctuary;
       praise him in his mighty heavens.

 ² Praise him for his acts of power;
       praise him for his surpassing greatness.

 ³ Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
       praise him with the harp and lyre,

 ⁴ praise him with tambourine and dancing,
       praise him with the strings and flute,

 ⁵ praise him with the clash of cymbals,
       praise him with resounding cymbals.

 ⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
       Praise the LORD.

"It's been a while" - is an understatement!

So...it's been a while...haha...funny right?  More like, "it's been way, way, way too long" since I've written on my blog!

Dear Beloved Blog,
I'm sorry I've neglected you this whole Summer.  You were low on the totem poll and quite frankly it's not that I forgot about you...it's that I was too busy spending my long summer days with my charming husband and my lovely daughter.  Forgive me.

So anyways...if you are still reading my blog, or if I just have "ghost readers", I'm back.  No promises made, I will be writing a lot more often about, well, everything.  I thought of a lot of good posts to write over the summer and even planned them out in my head, but my fingers never got to typing them.  I'm working on the coordination of thinking --> planning --> writing and hopefully I will get better.  It's all about follow thru right? 

Well, given the fact that I have not posted on here since my birthday (I guess that doesn't count because Adam posted), I will try and catch everyone up on our summer.

May:  got out of school (yay!), went to the beach, Leah turned 3 months and rolled over.
June: layed around, went to the pool, Leah turned 4 months and started solid foods, celebrated my birthday, went to the beach.
July: layed around, Leah turned 5 months and is sitting up, went to the mountains.
August: layed around, Leah turned 6 months and is almost crawling, started school again. 

Leah at the beach holding her pacie like a ring pop.

Well, I hope I've gained some of my readers back because I will be sure to write more often.  Love you all...and to my blog, I love you more.

Happy Birthday!!!!

This is the other half of two are better than one writing this morning. And I must say that my other half (Elizabeth) is what makes our family! Today is a very special day in the life of our little family because it is Mommies birthday! I will not disclose her age for all to know, but she looks better today than the day I married her! As you all know this has been a big year for us. Our precious daughter Leah Elizabeth Hamilton came into the world on February 15th of this year. She has been an amazing gift from God and through her I have witnessed Elizabeth turn from wife to wife/mommy! Through the past 4 months I have witnessed Elizabeth grow in tremendous ways. She is one of the strongest people I have ever met. The day she gave birth to Leah she had already worked a half day teaching, then we left straight from school to go to the hospital, then she had a baby at 6:30 that night and then she stayed up for the next 4 days feeding her upwards of 18 times a day(The hospital documents these things)! That is what I am talking about, a little warrior! She sacrifices beyond belief. She never sleeps a full 8 hours except for today because I am making her! She loves her husband! Not many husbands could write that these days, but I know my wife loves me! She prays for me, she counsels me through my pain, she sees my every need and meets it! She is an amazing woman! But most importantly she loves Jesus. She has a passion for Christ and his word and I love to hear her speak about Him and pray to Him! She is a tremendous daughter, wife, and now mother! Today, Elizabeth I honor you and tell you that I love you and I am never leaving you or Leah! We are in this thing for the long-haul and no matter how rough things can get I am always going to show up and fight for your heart! I hope you have a fabulous day at....... THE SPA!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Love,

Daddy and Leah

Here are some pictures of our journey thus far!

Tips for New Moms: 02

02: Don't have a cow when your hair starts to fall out in chunks about 3 months after you give birth.

Because I did.  And I still am.  For about 3 weeks now I have literally had chunks of hair falling out in the shower, when I brush my hair, straighten my hair, or just whatever...it falls out.  Everyone tells me it's normal, but if it keeps going on, I'll probably be bald soon.  Leah gets the brunt of it all too because no matter what I do, I find some of my hair on her, in her hands, or even in her toes.  I have even found a strand or two in her diaper before.  I know pretty gross, but what can I do? 

So, when your hair starts to fall out, don't panic.  It's normal.  Or so they say.  :) 

Tips for New Moms: 01

I'm going to start something new on my blog.  You have probably already guessed what it is from my title.  Yes...tips for new moms.  Almost everyday I find myself learning something new as a mom that I had no idea of or hadn't read in any of the books.  So, I thought I'd help some new moms out there to have a better understanding of what to expect from being a mom.  Please don't take this as some kind of expert advise, because frankly I've only been a mom for 3 1/2 months and I'm learning new things everyday.  These are just tips of what I've found out that works and doesn't work as a Mom.  I'd love to hear any other advise you more "experienced moms" have because I'm all about learning from the best!  So, hear it goes...

01: Start packing for vacations at least 3 days in advance. 

This has been a huge struggle for me.  If you know me, you know that I am the world's best procrastinator!  I wait to the last minute to do everything (clean, pack, work, study, etc.), but when you have a baby, that all has to change!  I'm still working on it, but I think I've gotten a little better (though Adam might tell you differently).

If you have a baby or are thinking about having a baby, prepare to take anything and everything with you wherever you go!  Like pretty much every baby, Leah gets bored sitting or laying somewhere pretty quick.  You put her in her swing, she wants to move, put her in her boppy seat, she wants to move, lay her on the floor, she wants to move, put her in your lap, she wants to move, sit her in her bumbo seat, she wants to move...you get the idea.  So, we take everything!

Adam has a Jeep and by the time we're done packing everything you can't see out of the windows.  I'm sure we'll get better as time goes on, but I'm perfectly content taking everything "just in case".  Since we do take a lot, it takes a while getting it all together, so, the final verdict....start early!

Empowerment

em-pow-er [em-pou-er]
1. to give power or authority to; authorize, esp. by legal or official means.
2. to enable or permit

Our Pastor started a new sermon series called "e".  No...not for Elevation, but for "empowerment".  It was a great sermon with key points that really opened your eyes and made you realize what the "church" is really here for. 

Elevation is known for our mission statement, "So that people far from God will be filled with life in Christ".  It is our mission to reach the city of Charlotte in so many ways.  Elevation is also known for not doing anything mediocre.  Everything is done with excellence, which is what the Bible calls us to do as a church.  And part of doing things with excellence is not having an array, or rather, a "buffet" of things within our church.  For example, that's why you don't see a Men's ministry, a women's ministry, a missions ministry, a singles ministry, a college ministry, a special needs ministry, a hearing impaired ministry, a senior adults ministry, and I could go on and on.  Now before any of you have a cow, or stop reading, I am NOT saying these things are bad or wrong to have in the church.  Here me out.  Some churches do these things great and are reaching so many people through them, which is awesome! 

People all the time ask the staff at Elevation, "why is there no men's ministry", "where is your single's ministry", etc.  I think most people grew up in the tradition and mindset that there has to be a "pastor" leading these ministries...I know I did!  The answer Elevation always gives to these types of questions is, "why don't YOU do it"?  Why don't I do it? 

Pastor preached from Ephesians 4:11-13 which basically says that all of us are given a gift from the Lord...our passion.  And we are to use our gift/passion to reach the world, which creates great and perfect unity in Christ. 

Man!  Just let that marinate a little bit.  Don't you feel convicted?  I know I do!  God's given me a great gift and as long as I keep it covered up, tucked away in box, protected from the world...it's useless and a great insult to my God.  Just think...if we all discovered our passion, the passion God has instilled in you, and used it for the Glory of God, this world would be a different place! 

Pastor stated in his sermon that "Pastors are God's gift to the church and the church is God's gift to the world".  Pastors share the vision God has for us and we, as a church, are to take that vision and form strategies of how to implement the vision in our everyday lives.

He also said that rather focusing on entitlement ("pastors") we need to focus more on empowerment.  We, as a church, need to feel empowered to take our passions and do something with them to reach this city.  Even though the majority of us can't call ourselves "pastors", we DO have the authority and the power to take our gift and use it and let that be our ministry. 

Elevation has had community groups meet all over Charlotte since the start of the church.  These community groups meet each week to fellowship with other believers, discuss the sermon from the previous week, and to just do "life" with other fellow Christians.  These community groups are taking a turn for the better this coming season.  Instead of being called "community groups", they will be called "egroups".  The "e" standing for empowerment. 

As group leaders, we were told to discover our passion and let our group be centered around that.  For example, Adam's passion is teaching and he loves taking the sermon Pastor preaches each week and dissecting it and discussing it with others.  So...our "egroup" will probably focus on the series' we do in the church and discussing them with our group to provide application.

Pastor gave examples of other passions people may have.  Everything from Missions, to students, to sports.  Pastor Furtick is empowering us as a church to take our passions and use them to reach the city of Charlotte bringing everything back to our mission statement, "to see people far from God be filled with life in Christ".   This is where all of our "ministries" will surface.  Men's ministries, women's ministries, missions, sports ministries, etc. will all be brought to life. 

Forgive me for such a long post, but I just wanted to share what was on my heart the past couple of days.  Will you use your gift/passion God has given you to empower you to reach this city, or will you keep it safely tucked away?  God has called His people to take risks for His glory...no worries, He's always on your side.  I'll leave you with a quote from this past Sunday...

"We are placed here for a purpose, guided by a passion and empowered by the Spirit of God." 

Edible baby.

Couldn't you just eat her up?  This weekend we went to Rufus and Taylor's engagement party.  The weather was very nice, but it was hot!  Leah had never really been 'hot' before, so when she started to get a little dewy she didn't like it.  But Adam did manage to get this completely adorable shot of her.  Sometimes I still can't believe she's mine!

Truly blessed!

All the girls...

These are just some of the women in my life that make me feel special...

Mom, thanks for being the best Mom around!  If you can't tell from my last post, I love you very much!

Sara, thanks for being a great Sister.  You're always there when I need to talk and you seem to know just what to say!

Harleigh, thanks for being cutest niece ever!  I love being your Aunt and your "tiger" noise is my favorite!

And this little girl...

Leah, thank you for being my sweet daughter!  You mean the world to me and I would do anything for you! 

My Mom

I know Mother's Day was yesterday, however there was no time to post because of all the festivities! :)  And I celebrate my Mom everyday, so today is no different!

Everyone has one, young or old, short or tall, dark skinned or light...a mother.  Call her whatever you like, Mom, mama, madre, mere, Mother, she will forever be your Mom.  My mom carries many names.  Some days I call her my rock, some days she's my comforter, somedays my best friend, or my discipliner.  She was my provider and only wanted the best for my sister and I.  My mom was, and still is the most selfless, giving person that I know.  Not only is she giving in her finnces, but more giving with her time, which to me, is one of the most valuable things you can give.  She has always had an ear ready to listen whenever I needed to talk...whether it was when I was six and someone took my pencil at school or when I was faced with the everyday occuring drama that went along with middle or high school, she was there.  When I dated boys in college and a date didn't go right or on my graduation day when I wasn't able to walk across the stage, she was there.  

Her ear was ready to listen when Adam and I started dating and I wanted to tell her all the amazing things he had done for me.  And when he popped the question and the daya we got married she heard all my excitments and calmed my nerves.  Even to this day, now that I have my own family, I call her every morning on my way to work to talk about everyday life and the things that come along with it.  She is a great listener.

My mom is an amazing woman who wears many  hats.  It is because of her that I can call myself a Christian, a friend, a wife, a daughter, and a Mother.  She has taught me everything I know about character and poise.  She has led me through the ups and downs of life and has been my lifesaver when I started to go under.  Giving up is not part of my Mom's vocabulary and it is with her experiences that I have seen her push through the toughest of times.  She has watched me grow from the tiniest of babies to the Mother that I am today and now I get the privilege to watch her as a Grandmother to four very precious grand kids.  There is such a legacy behind my Mom's eyes and I can only hope that I will carry that legacy on someday.  

Thank you Mom, for loving me with your whole heart.  Thank you for putting your family first and everything else second.  Thank you for loving the Lord and for teaching me how to as well.  Thank you for sacrificing everything you have so that we would not be without.  Thank you for teaching me how to be a Mother.  You are truly my hero and I am so thankful and blessed to have the relationship we have with each other.  You are my everything and I love you forever! 

Birthdays

Birthdays are a huge deal to me.  It's your own special personal holiday you get to celebrate every year.  Most people get caught up in the fact that you're turning one year older, however I just love hanging out with the people you love, decorating the house with streamers and balloons, maybe opening up a few presents here and there (you know you like presents too), and of course the cake and ice cream!  I love it when birthdays roll around because it just gives you the excuse to spend money and go all out to make somebody else feel special (and not have your husband getting mad at you for spending money).  

So, with that said, we've got some birthday's coming up!  My sister's birthday is May 10th, my Dad's birthday is June 8th, my other brother and sister's birthdays are June 10th and 11th, my birthday is June 17th, and my Mom's birthday is July 8th!  We've got lots of summer birthdays.  This weekend we are celebrating my sister's  birthday at my dad's house after the race on Saturday (I can't believe I'm running in a race Saturday that I haven't trained for...haha).  Anyways, we're all going back to my Dad's house to order pizza and celebrate Sara.  Unfortunately, Adam won't be in attendance because he'll be at a driving class for cough, cough, a ticket he got on the way home from Leah's first doctor's appt.  Sorry babe, but there's consequences for everything.  I still love you though.

This year my dad is turning the big 6-0 so you know I've got to do something up big for him!  Last year we had a little get together at our house for him which was a blast!  We'll see what this year has in store for him...

Here are a few pics from his birthday last year:

Birthdays are a great thing!  If your birthday is coming up, I hope you have a happy, happy birthday spending it with the ones you love!

Cinco de Mayo

Yesterday was cinco de mayo and mine and Adam's 3 year anniversary.  It's kind of funny to think that we picked May 5th to get married and then a year later both of us becoming Spanish teachers!  Funny stuff.

I looked up the traditional gift for 3 years and it was leather, which was perfect because I knew exactly what I could get Adam.  For a while Adam wanted a front pocket wallet but has never bought himself one.  To be quite honest, I think he forgot he wanted one.  So...off to Fossil I went to get my hubby a genuine leather front pocket wallet.  Needless to say, when I gave it to him, he loved it and then remembered how much he wanted one.

I also wanted to do something kind of different for him...so I ordered 3 cupcakes to be delivered to our house.  One that had, "I love you", one that had, "5-5-07", and one that had, "AHE" (our initials) on it.  He really liked those too and they were very yummy!  But, can I just take a minute and speak my heart?  Having a joint account has its perks, but when, ahem, your husband constantly looks at the account, it takes the surprise and suspense out of everything!  Oh well, he still liked them. 

To my surprise, Adam came home with 2 dozen beautiful roses and a very sweet card for me.  We also went out to my favorite restaurant, Olive Garden, for dinner.  A huge thanks to Adam's mom for watching our sweet Leah while we went to dinner.  Yesterday was great!  Here's a picture of my roses and the cupcakes (excuse the bite taken out of one of them...Adam couldn't wait).

Adam,
Thank you for a wonderful 3 years!  You are my everything and it is such a privilege to be your wife.  I love how you love me and I love watching you love Leah.  Having the title of Mrs. Adam Hamilton is such an honor and having you by my side in everything brings so much joy to my life!  I love you with all my heart and I am so excited to see what the next 50, 60, or even 70 years have in store for us!  2 are always better than 1!

My new title: Mom

My first Mother's day is coming up and I couldn't be more excited!  It's kind of surreal celebrating a holiday where I'm used to focusing all my attention on my Mom and all the Mom's around me.  This year, I get to join in on all the fun celebrating such a thoughtful holiday! 

 I have learned so many things about being a Mom in just the short 3 months of Leah's life.  I'll post more about my experiences closer to Mother's day, but probably the most important thing I've experienced in being a Mom is the love for a child. 

 There is truly nothing like it and no one can ever take it away from you.  I'm sure I've got lots to learn in the coming years on being a Mom, but I do know one thing and that is my love will only grow and deepen for Leah every day of my life. 

 This quote always seems to enter my mind when I think about love and how it grows...

"For you see, each day I love you more.  Today more than yesterday, and less than tomorrow." -Rosemonde Gerard

 I love you sweet Leah!