once i met a blimey cow

*high-fived Josh and Kelli too. Jussayin.

Besides seeing Relient K, which was obviously the best part of Tuesday night, I met Jordan Taylor from Blimey Cow.  Yes, yes I did.  And though I love his cynical sarcasm online, I like him way better in person.  He was just so sincere.  Plus, when I stopped him to to say hey, he said "Oh HEY!" all excited-like.  I know he's probably done that to a thousand people, but he still made me feel like I was something special.  We chatted for a good ten minutes about him meeting Matthew Thiessen in Applebee's (lucky duck... or is it cow...), why in the world he didn't include RK in his last messyges video (silly boy), the fact that he's seen them eight times (God smiles upon this child), how Kathryn was going to flip when I told her I met him (she did), etc.  I asked if I could get a picture and he willingly agreed.  He actually seemed to want to continue our conversation, but he had a huddle of people anxiously waiting to meet him, so I ended it there.

But Jordan, believe me, I would've loved to talk for days!  We have eons in common and all I really wanted to do was discuss McGee and Me, Adventures in Odessey, The Buttercream Gang... how about we just say our favorite T.V. shows growing up...

Anywho, I hope to hang out with you and the crew someday soon.  I only live a couple hours away so it's a very feasible weekend trip!  It was rad meeting you briefly, but can we all (me, you, Josh, Kelli) go out to lunch sometime?  You pick the place -- maybe Matty T.'ll show up ;)

home

It was absolute perfection -- no.  Better.  I was aching and every part of my body was screaming for me to stop jumping, to lay down and sleep for two days straight.  But I didn't.  I couldn't.  Not when Matty T. was only a yard away and Hoopes was playing right there before my very eyes.  It all felt like a dream -- a beautiful, long-awaited dream that was finally coming true.  I had never felt so alive.  So at home.  The whole room was singing at the top of their lungs, every lyric memorized by heart.  Never in a million years would I have thought that here in the midst of strangers is where I'd feel like I belonged.  But I did.  And it was all I could do to keep from crying tears of joy.  Because these people got me.  They got me and they didn't even know my name.  And so I sang and I danced and laughed and prayed that this could last forever.  But as I well knew, all good things must come to an end.

Relient K was everything I could've hoped for and more.  The five years of waiting was worth it in the first second I saw the back of Matt Thiessen's curly head.  When I saw Hoopes' grin and the sincerity of the Matts' friendship.  All I knew to do was breathe it in -- to close my eyes and capture every detail so it wouldn't slip away.  These guys were the real deal.  Are the real deal.  And no one's ever going to change my mind about that.

While being united in the love of Relient K is seriously one of the best feelings ever, I know heaven will be that times a million-gazillion-trillion.  Because we'll all be united in the love of Jesus, and the gratitude we owe to the One who saved us from ourselves.

"Take a good look at yourself and know
You've got yourself a ways to go
But difficult is not impossible
You can take back all the lost control
Take a good look at yourself and see
That you'll emerge eventually
As long as your heart's not too far gone
From the only Thing that can save you from yourself."
hope for every fallen man by relient k

I have a lot to learn and even more to do, but as long as I've got Jesus, I'll get there.  It's reassuring that Matty T. feels the same way.  Him and thousands of others.  I'm not alone.

photo credit goes to my dear friend and fellow fangirl, alex.

chasing mr. matt

For those of you who don’t know, I work at a daycare.  Which is pretty fitting, seeing as I hope to be an ESL teacher in Africa someday.  I love being around little ones, and enjoy watching them grow up year after year more than words can explain.

There’s eight of us staff members altogether, and out of the eight, Matt is the only guy.  I’m not sure how he withstands being with women all the time, I don’t think I could if I was him.  Anyway, among the kids he’s better known as “Mr. Matt,” because they’re inclined to treat us with utmost respect.  It was weird being called Miss Anna at first, but I got used to it.

So as you can imagine, Mr. Matt the lean, soccer-playing college student has the fourth and fifth grade girls swooning.  White-blonde hair, electrifying blue eyes, and a tall frame -- they had stars in their eyes from the moment he walked through the door.

When we were out on the playground today, Matt was playing soccer with a few of the boys.  And then in the middle of their not-so game, Kennadi runs up to him, taps him on the shoulder, and says the magic words -- “You’re it!”  Torn from his soccer team, Matt doesn’t hesitate to jog after Kennadi, and soon Danielle, Erin, and Olivia follow.  Smitten giggles float through the air, and a huddle of short, skinny figures surround Matt.  But he gladly obliges, tagging each and every one of them, each one of them beaming at his gentle touch.  According to Erin, Mr. Matt had started a game of tag earlier that day, and from the light in her eyes I could see she was enthralled with him.  “Now we gotta chase him!” she said.

And then I got to thinking -- what if we chased God that way?  What if we were so eager to be touched by Him that we ran after him full-fledge -- and so noticeably that others would follow our lead?  I think all too often we wait for God to make “the first move” when really, He already did.  Jesus came willingly to the cross, asking nothing of us.  Yes, Erin wanted Matt to chase after her, but she also knew it was her turn to tag him first.  Likewise, God already started a game of tag with us, and now He’s saying those two magic words -- you’re it!

thanks for summer nights

Summer nights are beautiful.  Magical.  The way the warm air lingers just a little bit longer.  The way the stars shine a little bit brighter, the way smiles are a little bit bigger.

Summer nights are bowling with some friends even though you're lucky to hit mid 80s.

Summer nights are laughing loud with your best friend and not minding who's listening.

Summer nights are a group of baseball guys huddled a few tables over, dirt-covered knees and broke-in caps.

Summer nights are catching one of them glancing at you and turning away, cheeks turning bubblegum pink.

Summer nights are sunroofs open and windows down and never feeling so alive.

Summer nights are singing at the top of your lungs and drumming the steering wheel like you know what you're doing.

Summer nights are racing with Shan without going immorally over the speed limit.

Summer nights are winding backroads and porch lights on and being proud to be from the country.

Summer nights are a Scotty McCreery song stuck in your head, playing like a soundtrack to your heart.

Summer nights are laying in your bed staring up at the ceiling, remembering how good you've got it.

Thanks, God.  For summer nights.