You're Go....

The other night we put the girls down for bed, and lo and behold...neither of us were completely and utterly exhausted. Miracle of all miracles, right? Usually we are ready to crawl into bed right after we say, "and chances are, if you give him some milk, he's gonna want a cookie to go with it...." (that's the last line from one of the girls' favorite bedtime books). In fact, there are many times when we have fallen asleep while doing the bedtime routine...sad, but true. Don't judge.  ;)

So, here we are...coffee brewed, it's 9pm and we're awake and wanting to have some, ahem....platonic hang time. Good, clean fun, you know?  We didn't want to pop in a movie because we had just endured a rainy weekend and the DVD player is just plain tired. Instead we opted for a game and conversation. Sequence is usually our go-to game. It's fun and challenging, and we both know it well enough that there's not a "you're a newbie so I'm gonna dominate you" vibe going on. But tonight, as I was pulling out the Sequence game, the marbles from another game, Abalone, fell out of the box. I picked them up and suggested we play since it's already out anyway.

I had played this game about a gazillion times when my parents took me to Argentina to visit my grandfather and cousins for a month when I was 15. My cousins, Nicolas, Carolla, and Mercedes (yes, car names) were all very fun and welcoming, and while we had plenty of great conversation getting to know each other, this game served as both a "we don't have to think about how to translate what we want to say" break for all of us and a fun opportunity to compete with each other. My parents went out and bought it as soon as we returned stateside.

Brandon didn't know how to play, so the first game was a learning curve for him. And yes, I dominated him. Complete domination. The game is pretty simple. You have to move your marbles to be able to push the other guys' marbles off. First one to 6 wins. There's more rules than that, but if you want to know, you're on your own to Google it. Just take my word for it. Loads. of. fun.

But here's the thing. Brandon isn't like any other opponent I've ever had. He never has been, and when I say that I mean that he is super annoyingly slow when taking his turn. When my aforementioned Argentine grandfather who pretty much plays cards 24/7 with a bunch of old retired guys came for a visit to the States and visited our home, my entire family played a lot of cards. A lot. We didn't have kids yet, so really...hundreds of card games. And my poor grandfather...when it would get to be Brandon's turn, he would hold his tongue after a few minutes passed. We all would. Brandon would sit, and internally examine every possible outcome for every possible move he could make. And it would take forever.

After a couple games, Brandon started winning. A lot. And that was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. My grandfather would stand no more for allowing Brandon so much time to strategize. He started saying comments in all seven languages he knows to try to get Brandon to go faster. My mom chimed in. I gave him the, 'you better move or we may be out of the inheritance' look. My dad just laid his cards down and went to bed, his statement sure. But it didn't work. Brandon knew that it was getting to everyone and started using that as his strategy to beat us all.

Needless to say, Brandon's tactics of stalling are still in full force. By the end of the second game, this gal was so frustrated that I pretty much threw it so we could stop playing.

Pathetic, I know.

Do any of you know someone like Brandon who takes forever to take his/her turn at a game? Maybe you do it yourself?

Low Country Boil: Noun or Verb?

 

Before I married Brandon, I spent a few years living in Mt. Pleasant, SC...right outside Charleston. There are too many great things that I can say about Low Country living to list here, but one of my favorites was the cuisine. Oh, food...glorious food. There are some wonderful restaurants in the Upstate, but every time we make it back to the Low Country for a vacay, I'm almost as excited about what we will eat as to who we will see or what we will do (or not do as we just relax on the beach, hallelujah!)

 The other day the weather was beautiful, the kids were playing in the yard, and we had some friends coming over for dinner. I thought to myself, "Self, how can you make something easy and delicious to impress your friends and fill your bellies for not a big wad of cash?" And then I answered, "Self, you need to do a Low Country Boil!"

What's a Low Country Boil, you ask? 

There are two different ways to answer that question.

1) Low Country Boil (n): a region-specific dish that starts with a stock made from vegetables and perhaps shrimp shells, invariably with heaps of the chef’s favorite seafood season blend (like Old Bay). Subject to the usual variations, the gist of the boil will include crabs, shrimp or both, some kind of sausage, a good deal of corn, and aromatic vegetables, herbs and spices. 

2) Low Country Boil (v):  a fun way to feed a crowd in a no-fuss manner! This dish is great for an outdoor party where you can line a picnic table with newspapers, throw the boil on the table, and tell everyone to dig in!

I know your mouth is watering right now cause mine is, too. So to help you alleviate that ailment, here is the recipe. It's for 4 people, but making a bigger batch is super easy.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs new potatoes
• 1 16 oz. package turkey sausage (andouille or kielbasa works too)
• 3 ears fresh corn, husked removed and cut into smaller, hand-held portions
• 2 lbs medium to large shrimp, deveined and peeled
• A buncha (that's a technical term) Old Bay Seasoning or crab boil seasoning
• 4 lemons, quartered
• Melted Butter, Texas Pete, more Old Bay, and crusty bread (for sopping up the good stuff).

Directions:
Bring the potatoes, sausage, corn, lemons, and Old Bay Crab Boil packet to a boil and keep on a rolling boil for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes and corn are tender (longer the larger the batch). Bring the boil to a very low simmer and add the shrimp and cook for the last 5 minutes or until they are pink. Once the shrimp are pink, remove from heat and drain the water.

I usually drain most of the water (saving a bowlful for sopping), line a table with newspapers, throw the pot out on the table and tell everyone to dig in while I go back for a roll of paper towels and the sweet tea pitcher.  So good, so easy, and relatively cheap when using in season ingredients.

So, noun or verb? It doesn't matter. I like to mix the two definitions for my own personal dinner planning with friends! I may not live in the Low Country anymore, but I sure like to cook like I do!

What about you? Are you a big fan of the Low Country Boil? Or maybe you've never even tried it (you're missing out if you fit in that category). Would you consider using it for a big group gathering, or would you rather save it for an smaller, more casual family setting? What other Low Country cuisine dishes can you not go without?

Allie's Two!

My baby is not a baby anymore. Sniff, sniff. How did this happen? One day she's all squished and squirmy and has no control of her own body, and then she's...well, she's this:

 

Beautiful and silly and very mischievous at times. A big girl indeed. 

These last few months have been nothing if not crazy in terms of schedule and house keeping responsibilities. Most of that is because we are getting ready to move to Charlotte and start a new campus of our church there, so we're trying to sell this house and find a new one. Lots of travel, lots of cleaning. And Allie isn't exactly great a the tidiness thing yet. 

So when we began thinking of Allie's birthday, inviting 10 little kids to our house for cake, ice cream, juice and various sugary and staining items, didn't sound so fun or helpful to the "let's-keep-this-house-spic-and-span-for-prospective-buyers" cause. We decided that two is the perfect age to do something a little lower key. 

One is a big birthday, if not for the kid, but for the parents. It's a time to step back and say, "I kept this kid alive a whole year." There's great social pressure to do a 1 year old birthday party, a smash cake, the whole nine yards. 

The three year old birthday is a pretty big one, we've found, because the kid actually has an opinion of what she wants. Ella was slightly completely obsessed with Dora the Explorer when her third birthday came around. And so the theme of her birthday was really a no-brainer. She cared about who came (and who didn't) and still remembers most of the day.

But two? Well, two is what I've affectionately named "the year of the breather" because a two year old rarely has a specific list of birthday party guests, themes, and menus that she desires. And, a two year old will probably not remember her birthday party (or lack thereof). Granted, this term, "the year of the breather" is only appropriate when put in the birthday party context.  Certainly it does not belong within any other conversation revolving around a two year old. 

And that being said, I thought about what our two year old likes the most. And I came up with Family, Fun, and Food. Not necessarily in that order all the time. In fact, as I mentioned in this post, Allie likes eating more than most people 16x their age (me, at 32--yes, I just revealed my age, gasp)! And since we are trying to get the girls excited about moving to a new city soon, we decided that celebrating her birthday in Charlotte would be really fun. So we invited John-John, Pepper, Channing and Mama Nissi and Papa John to meet us at Monkey Joe's, and indoor bounce park, in a part of the city near where we are thinking of planting the church and living. (Pappy was out of town and couldn't make it, but he was invited, of course.)

 

Everyone had a lot of fun (including the adults). But maybe no one more than the birthday girl. Bouncing is her thing.

After we bounced ourselves silly, Brandon and I had the opportunity to take the family to two possible church locations that we are considering. It was great to get their feedback, and by the end of the tour, we were all pretty set that one is going to be better suited for RWOC Charlotte than the other.

Next we went to a local restaurant, but there was a long wait. No problem. We Berrys are resourceful. We transformed John and Pepper's Subaru into Party Central, brought out the gifts and cupcakes (who doesn't like to eat dessert first?) and kept everyone entertained as we sang "Happy Birthday", laughed and talked in the beautiful weather until the dinner bell rang buzzer buzzed calling us inside to dinner.

 Allie received some fun new toys, books and clothes, though she was painstakingly slow to open each one. At some point Big Sister couldn't take the suspense any more and had to "help" Allie tear into them a little faster.

So my baby is growing up. She's doing two-year-old things like tantrums and potty training. She's talking in full sentences now and loves to carry on conversations with anyone or no one at all. And I'm enjoying every minute of it. What a sweet blessing Allie is in our lives. We are so thankful to the Lord that He has entrusted her to us. 

Happy Birthday, Allie!

Culda Bin Me

 

(The title of this blog was supposed to be written in cow handwriting, but they didn't have that font!)

The other day Brandon and I stopped at a Chick-Fil-A in Georgia as we were making our way home from Birmingham and a third assessment with ARC (more about that experience later). It was a Tuesday night, and the dinner rush hadn't yet arrived (if there is a dinner rush at this by-the-interstate store on a Tuesday night). We got our food and sat down in the area that is NOT next to the children's playground. Ahhh....adult time! Can I get a HALLELUJAH? AMEN!

The employees were all hard at work restocking items and cleaning, but since there were not many customers in the store (maybe 4 or 5 counting us), they were just chatting away as they worked. This is what we heard:

Pretty teen-aged girl #1: Well, he says he thinks he loves me and that he might want us to get an apartment together and see how it goes.

Pretty teen-aged girl #2: So, what are you going to do?

#1: I don't know. I mean, I think I love him too, and it would be fun to move in together and test things out. But I would never tell my parents. They'd dig their own graves and jump in if they knew I was moving in with a guy and NOT MARRIED! So I'm a little confused as to what to do.

#2: You really think that you could move in and them not know who you're living with?

#1: I'll just refer to him as my roommate and make up a different name until I sign the lease. Then I'll be in at least until the lease is up.

I mean, we weren't trying to eavesdrop or anything, but she was talking pretty loudly. Brandon and I kind of looked at each other, stunned, mouths a little open (yes, even with chicken inside). This girl couldn't be more than 17 or 18 years old. I know we were both thinking, "oh, if Ella or Allie did that..."

And then the Holy Spirit nudged me. He reminded me that teen-aged girl #1 could have been me. You see, when I was a teenager, I was into a lot of things I shouldn't have been into, and they were in my life to fill voids that I didn't have filled with the Lord because I didn't really know Him yet.

For instance, I had way too many boyfriends growing up, and allowed way too much physicality to happen with too many guys. No, I didn't go all the way before marriage, but that was only because I was scared to death I'd get pregnant and not get a soccer scholarship to play in college. Seriously, that was the only reason I said no on many occasions. But I was looking to feel secure and affirmed, and did that through always having a guy to be connected to in some way.

I remember when the Lord got my attention and brought people into my life who invested into me to help me have a firm grasp on walking with God daily and allowing Him to be Lord over my life. That happened in college. As I grew closer to the Lord and allowed Him to become my security and my affirmation, I realized that having a boyfriend all the time wasn't as necessary as I had once thought it was.

But what if it hadn't come to know the Lord in this way? Where would I be? Who would I be?

I allowed my mind to go down that road briefly while we sat in that Chick-Fil-A listening to this girl who is obviously confused and trying to fill a void in her life that will never truly be fulfilled by any earthly relationship. (And please hear my heart in that I am not trying to judge this girl or anyone else who has moved in with a boyfriend/girlfriend before marriage. While I don't recommend it because it usually ends in heartbreak and a lot of messy issues, I know many people who know and love the Lord now who walked that road at some point in their lives, and God worked through it.)

I relayed the fact that the girl behind the counter (or many other sad stories I've heard in my years of ministry) could have been me...I could have been the one who was confused and decided to move in with my boyfriend. I could have slept around and gotten pregnant as a teenager. I wasn't far from being hooked on alcohol or drugs. I didn't know the purpose for my life when I was that young, and could have gone in a totally opposite direction from my destiny...All of these scenarios and more could have defined my life easily.

But God.

He intervened in such an awesome way that my life was never the same. Even when I didn't know Him, He was protecting me in many ways. He knew the plans He had (and has) for me, and kept me from falling off the cliff on so many occasions. Then He saved me, He raised me, He filled me with His Holy Spirit, and He set me on a solid path, helping me along the way.

I felt silly for crying in Chick-Fil-A, but I just couldn't help it. God has brought me so far; such a long, long way. But there are so many people who don't know Him yet. They don't know what a life of freedom really is. And it's my (and your) job to help them get there.

I prayed for that young girl as I finished my meal. I didn't judge her because I saw myself in her. But as I prayed, I thanked God for that unexpected reminder of the way He's made me into a new creation. Not a perfect one, but a new one swimming in His grace.

Book Review: Sun Stand Still

Sun Stand Still

Steven Furtick

sunstandstill.org

The Big Idea:
What happens when you dare to ask God for the impossible? If you have the audacity to ask, God has the ability to respond.

Thumbs: UP!

The Review:
I recently had the chance to sit down and read Steven Furtick's book, Sun Stand Still, and was extremely encouraged and challenged to become more audacious in my own faith as I did so. Three things I really appreciated about this book: 1) Furtick writes in a very conversational way, making it seem like he just sat down with his reader over a Caramel Macchiato and he's just sharing a life-giving vision with them. It's easy to follow, not full of a lot of churchy words, and interesting enough to keep one's attention. 2) He gets very practical by writing out specific how-to's for getting started on a more audacious faith journey. I love practical. 3) Even while giving the practical how-to's he's not putting God in a box and saying that He has or will do everything you tell Him to. It's not a "throw your wallet down and hop on one foot while giving a shout and God will do whatever you want Him to" kind of deal. It's more of a "try this, listen to God, see what He says, and continue to have faith that when your desires are matched up with His will, He will see it come to pass...somehow. It's your job to keep the faith."

I liked how real he was in many of his illustrations. As a pastor's wife, mother, and church planter, I was able to relate to many of his examples, which helped me solidify my own faith strategy for many things I am believing for. 

I also like the fact that the book's website is chock-full of great ideas to get this information to a larger group, say a church or small group and help them work through the main points and put them into practice in their world.



On a Personal Note:
I am very excited to be laboring in Charlotte alongside the Furticks and Elevation church folk. I love what God is doing through them and many other life-giving churches in the city and can't wait to see how RWOC-Charlotte can contribute as we see the Kingdom come to the Queen City!

We Plant Life-Part 1

As we've been exploring multi-site church planting, Brandon and I have been devouring books on the subject. We've been going to other churches to observe how they do everything from loading in on Sunday mornings to leadership development. We've been praying and meeting with our leaders at Redemption, and discussing what will be the best way to launch a healthy church in Charlotte with the same spirit that RWOC in Greenville has.

We've found out it's not going to be easy. Doable? Yes. Easy? No. Who knew all the details that go into planting a church? And the fact that we are an extension campus, quite honestly, takes many large burdens off of us such a fund raising and coming up with weekly sermons. We really get to focus in on the launch team, the acquisition of a property to have services, and the well-being and development of the future flock. Things we love to do anyway!

Included in this pre-launch period was ARC 2.0 Advanced Church Planters Training in Birmingham, Alabama. ARC (Association of Related Churches) is a life-giving organization that seeks to plant healthy and successful churches in the USA. It was founded by my an amazing pastor whom I used to serve while living in Charleston, SC, Greg Surratt, and I respect him deeply on many levels, so I felt confident that this organization would be top notch.

I underestimated it. Completely. We drove to Birmingham to attend a 4.5 day training at Church of the Highlands, and quite honestly, have not seen that level of excellence in a long time. Or ever. The entire week was thought through. Every detail, from the material we'd be going through to the fancy soaps in the bathrooms, was thought of. There was a not a glitch.

I'm not saying it was PERFECT. I'm saying it was EXCELLENT. Perfection is about "me" (or "us"). And this, my friends, was definitely not that. Excellence is about other people and about God. Yes, that was this training was all about for the folks at ARC. They gave us their best so that we would be prepared to go out and plant life-giving churches and that God's kingdom would be expanded through us.

What an awesome way to look at investing. Since everything in the natural was thought through so thoroughly, we were able to flow in the Spirit as we engaged in conversations with other church planters, digested much of the meaty material, and sought the Lord to help us achieve the dreams He's put on our hearts.

Stay tuned for more thoughts on this life-giving church planting process!

Bucket List-Greenville Date Nights

As we begin to wind down our time here in Greenville (before we move to Charlotte to plant a new campus of Redemption World Outreach Center) I have been thinking of all the date nights that I've wanted to do in Greenville but we haven't gotten around to. Granted, some are not Greenville-exclusive. In fact, probably none of them are. Hmmm....

ANYWAY....enough about the fact that we could probably do these in ANY ol' medium sized city in America. I'd still like to try to do them here...in Greenville, not cyberspace. Duh.

My point is, is that sometimes we just get into a date night funk. Same restaurants. Same Falls Park destination. Same coffee/dessert choices. Same, same, same. I'm ready for a little variety. 

So, without further ado, my just compiled list:

Par 3 Golf at Crosswinds Golf Course. You Greenvillians have seen the course off 385 going into town. It always looks a little, well...bleak, when it comes to people actually playing. But I say all the better because the less people there the less times I have to shout out "four!" when I shank my ball. I will be sure to let you all know when we decide to do this so you can plan NOT to drive on either side of 385 during that time. Maybe I should also call the police department and have them do a road block while we're on those particularly dangerous to oncoming traffic holes. BBerry and I can each play 9 holes for less than $25 total.

Salsa Dancing at Salsa Greenville/Studio 54. I mean, have you SEEN these people doing this???? It's crazy, and a super good excuse to get extra close to the one I love! Not to mention I hear it's a great work out...In so many ways, it's bringing sexy back. Thursday nights at 8:30pm lessons are only $5 each. That totally allows for some moola to go to grab some Latino food beforehand.

Rock Climbing at Climb @ Blue Ridge. We pass this sign every time we trek to Hendersonville to see B's parents, and I never knew that it is formerly Rocks n Ropes, which was in the West End of downtown! Back in college, I used to go there with some friends, and while I never really got "good' at it per se, I did have an ex-boyfriend who dropped some serious cash on buying me a top of the line harness and shoes...which I still have packed away somewhere. If I can dig them out of my stash of "already-packed-because-it-doesn't-stage-well-to-have-too-much-in-your-home" items, we can enjoy as long as our gripping muscles can stand for less than $30.

Bike Riding Healthy trails to you at the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail which connects the City of Greenville to Travelers Rest (right by our alma mater, Furman!) It's about 10 miles or so, and I've heard it's not only a great workout, but a gooooorrrrrrgeous (Anyone done P90X when Tony Horton says this about 10 times about Dreya? He's totally got a crush on her) view (and no, I'm not just talking about riding behind Brandon and staring at his heiny all day). Free 99, yo! We just have to borrow some bikes, first. Hmm...

Indoor Shooting at Allen's Indoor Shooting Range. The heat that this place packs would make Ralphie's "official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle" look like, well, a toy. I think this could not only be fun, but therapeutic as well. For range usage and rental, we're looking at about $25 to get some shots squeezed out.

So what about you? Do you have any Greenville date nights you've been on that just have to make our list? Anything you've been wanting to do but haven't, for whatever reason? Throw your ideas out, and let's all spice up date night a little bit!

Into Everything Allie

 There's a book called Oh, David! that I read to Allie often, changing the main character from David to Allie. It goes like this:

"Allie's mommy always says, 'Oh, Allie!' (Picture of baby with entire roll of toilet paper unfurled on bathroom floor).

'Open up, Allie.' (Picture of baby refusing to eat-though Allie eats everything she can get her hands on most of the time.) 'P.U!' (Picture of a satisfied looking baby with a full diaper). ' Hold still, Allie!' (Picture of Mama trying to diaper a super wiggling child.) 'Go night, night, Allie.' (Picture of baby standing in crib.) 'Oh Allie, I love you.' (Picture of baby on Mama's lap reading a book)."

This book goes along with some of the things I love about our second born:

• She loves to explore her world, and isn't afraid to rock the boat, make a mess, etc...when she's caught she always has a coy little smile on her face like, "whaaaaaat? You're mad at me? Have you noticed how absolutely cute I am?'

• Her love for food rivals my own. We have neighbors who laugh because every time Allie comes over to their house, she always beelines it to their pantry, which is stocked with all sorts of yummy food. Though she eats like ravenous wolf, she stays petite, which may be a great thing if her metabolism stays like that when she's older. 

• She's as strong-willed as her Daddy, and she knows what she wants. Whether it's her 'bippy' (pacifier), 'ba ba' (milk) or just a good hug, she is really good at persistently reminding us that her desires are not being presently met. I think that if we hone this attribute in, it will work for her in the future as she advances the Kingdom of God!

•  Her laugh is amazing, and I try to do whatever I have to hear it everyday! She often laughs as she tries to get away from me on the changing table!

• She's a great sleeper and I have never really had a problem with putting her down to sleep for naps or nighttime. She loves routine, but is also flexible when our schedules dictate 

• She's a little lover. A hug from Allie Berry will make anyone's day, and she gives them out liberally. I love how fiercely affectionate this little girl is!

What a precious child of God and gift to our family!

Princess Ella

 Next up in my love story is our firstborn, Ella. She is definitely a princess at heart and has grown up so quickly!

• I love Ella's heart for the Lord already. She loves to pray and read her Bible, and has a knack for remembering the stories in it. She often tells me that she sees angels flying by our car or in her room at night, and I totally believe her. 

• She is an awesome snuggle bug. Every morning she loves to climb in our bed and get some snuggles before we start our day. Her favorite way to snuggle when Mom and Dad are busy is in her skivvies with a warm blanket and her new kitten, as seen here.

• • She is a builder and an organizer. It is not rare for us to come into her room and see that she has organized all of her shoes, books, toys, etc...
  
  
  • She is a great big sister and friend to many. She loves to remind people that "Berrys share" (a motto we have tried to drill into her brain instill in her. Her naivete in playgroups is precious and allows her to be nice to everyone.
• She loves to dress up. Everyday. Without fail. She will have on some sort of princess dress and accessory on for some period of time. Guaranteed. Her preference these days is the Rapunzel dress her grandparents gave her for Christmas.

What an awesome firstborn I have! I can't wait to see what the Lord does in and through her life!

Wuv, Twu Wuv

Seeing as it is a few days away from Valentine's Day, I thought I'd give a little thought to some of the things I love about the people I love the most. And since he's my #1 love (besides Jesus, of course), and we are going to the marriage conference tonight (which makes me want to start transitioning my brain from Super Mommy to Adoring Wifey), I thought I'd start with Brandon. Here are some things that I love about him:

• I love how passionate he is for the Lord. He is absolutely smitten with Him, and he seems like a little boy when he shares things that He is telling him. 
• I love that he is an amazing father to our little girls. He encourages them and speaks life into them. He knows how to mold their precious little hearts and he prays for them regularly. 
• I love his hugs and his loving touch. He always knows just how long to hold me on any given day. He is equally liberal in giving away hugs to his the girls, and also to many in the Church who need a loving touch. 
• I love how he is always learning. On any given day, he is reading at least 2 books along with his personal Bible study, and he devours other pastors' sermons so he can glean more wisdom. I continually pray that God will give him even more wisdom and understanding than Solomon. 
• I love how he leads with vision. He takes the time to get a vision and is great at articulating it with again, the aforementioned, passion. 
• I love how well he takes care of his body. He is not an obsessed meat head by any stretch of the imagination, but he loves to work out and eat healthy, and I appreciate that for so many reasons.

Those are just six of many reasons why I am absolutely, madly, utterly, head-over-heels in love with my HOLY HOTTIE Husband, Brandon Berry!

So now it's your turn. What do you love about your husband/wife/fiance/boyfriend/girlfriend?